Research on hitman crime thriller DVD posters

These DVD covers are quite similar in a number of ways as they all seem to use the same colours such as black, orange, red or white. These colours have the connotations of violence, danger and death which is eye catching as the potential purchasers see this as mysterious and exciting. Also the use of props make the DVD covers more intriguing as each one makes use of a gun which shows the aggressive, dangerous side of each narrative. The guns suggest the film is going to be packed with plenty of action and fighting which will interest the target market as they look for these conventions. The photography is very important on the front cover as it is a visual aid that helps give the potential audience a taster of what the film will be like. Usually there is just one main character on the front to focus the attention purely on the protagonist, it is often a mid-shot, this means the viewer can see the characters body language and facial expressions to get an impression of their role. The facial expressions on each cover seem to be quite serious and moody which gives off the right message as the character needs to be seen  

as intimidating and mysterious. The masthead is also one of the main elements as it states the name of the film which needs to be clear and bold therefore it's often placed in the centre either near the top or the bottom so the potential viewer is drawn to it first. The actor and actresses names are placed on the cover as this could be a selling point especially if they have blockbuster names e.g. Tom Cruise as people may choose to watch 'Collateral' because he stars in the movie. These names are usually put in a smaller font around the title which suggests they are very associated with the film and to give them credit for their roles. DVD covers are quite minimalistic as information is printed on the back, the front cover is designed to grab the attention of a potential buyer by standing out from others on the shelf. Sometimes quotes from critics or magazines are featured on the front cover to show positive feedback and to encourage more people to buy it. The age rating is often shown in the bottom right hand corner to show which age group it is suitable for due to it's content and nature.