Before the poster: a practical handoff checklist for independent filmmakers
When filmmakers commission a poster from us at COLONFILM, one recurring problem arrives before the design begins: the stills are too small. Someone is investing in artwork for their film, yet the images supplied are low-resolution copies rather than frames exported from the original video.
There can also be uncertainty about who chooses those frames, what the commission includes and how much freedom the designer has. In our experience, those conversations have a direct effect on the work. Here is what we recommend settling before the first concept.
Send material the designer can work with
Export frame grabs at the source video’s native resolution and avoid unnecessary compression. Include suitable unit photography, explain where the files come from and flag any limits on publicity use.
Check files at full size. A picture that looks acceptable in a message window may reveal blur or compression when enlarged. If the only available image is small or soft, ask the designer whether it is usable.
Framing creates another difficulty. Even the strongest frame may cut through the top of an actor’s head, a shoulder or part of the body. A crop that works in the film can leave the designer without material needed for the poster.
Whenever possible, plan a dedicated publicity photo session during the shoot, while the actors are already in costume, hair and make-up. Photograph them with room around the head and body, allowing for different compositions. Discuss the likely poster needs beforehand if you can. We recommend making time for this: suitable photographs can make a substantial difference to the quality and flexibility of the artwork.
Choose images that communicate without the surrounding scene. Include alternatives and mark uncertain choices as provisional.
Agree who selects the frames
We sometimes receive projects where watching the film and choosing its images are assumed to be included in the poster commission. For the designer, viewing the film, locating possible frames and assessing them is additional work that needs time allocated to it.
Make the task clear when requesting a quote. Are you supplying an approved selection, asking for an assessment of a shortlist, or asking the designer to watch the film and find the material?
Those are different amounts of work. If you need help selecting images, ask for it explicitly and agree the fee and schedule. That avoids discovering halfway through the project that both sides expected the other to make the selection.
Settle image choices before developing the layout
Another situation we encounter is a filmmaker deciding that an image does not work after it has been incorporated into the design, even though it came from their own selection.
Reconsidering a choice can be necessary. The practical question is how much of the composition now depends on that photograph. Replacing a face may change the angle, lighting or position of the subject, which can also affect the background and title placement. What sounds like exchanging one file can mean rebuilding a substantial part of the poster.
Raise doubts during the early review. If a later replacement is needed, discuss its effect on the fee and deadline, and establish whether the change falls within the agreed revisions.
Choose a designer whose judgement you trust
Look through a designer’s portfolio before hiring them. Do you like how they handle images and typography? Does their work suggest they can communicate the kind of film you are making? Choose someone whose decisions you value, then give them room to make those decisions for your project.
Think of choosing a restaurant. You look at the menu, explain your preferences and any dietary requirements, and trust the kitchen to prepare the meal. With a poster, the equivalent is a clear brief followed by space for the designer’s professional judgement.
We have seen strong poster designs lose quality through successive requested changes or later edits. Each alteration may seem small on its own, but together they can weaken the focal point, confuse the tone or move the artwork away from the film it is supposed to represent.
That trust works within an agreed brief, budget and approval process. The filmmaker knows the story and its boundaries; the designer should explain how the visual choices serve them. If something feels wrong, describe the problem and ask for their reasoning before prescribing a solution. “This makes the film look like a comedy” gives the designer a useful issue to address.
Give the cast recognition without overcrowding the image
On smaller productions, we sometimes see a wish to include every actor on the poster as a way of recognising their contribution. That is
understandable: people have worked hard, and the team wants them represented.
But giving everyone a face in the artwork is not always the strongest way to introduce the film. When the audience does not yet recognise
the actors, adding more portraits may do little to explain the story. It can leave each face too small and several elements competing for attention.
An ensemble composition can be right for a film. Choose it because it communicates something useful, and discuss any contractual requirements before designing. Credit wording and placement remain part of the brief. The size of someone’s portrait should not become a measure of how much their work is appreciated.
The poster may appear beside dozens of others on a platform, often as a thumbnail, much like a book cover in an online shop. At that size, the viewer needs a clear impression of the film. Ask whether every additional face strengthens that impression or makes it harder to read.
Put the practical requirements in writing
Send a short synopsis, the intended audience and the feeling the artwork should convey. Mention anything that must remain hidden. Add a few visual references and explain what you like about each.
List the required outputs—main poster, festival thumbnail, landscape image, social crops or print files—with the specifications provided by whoever will use them. Confirm which adaptations are included. Keep the title, credits, logos and other required text together, distinguishing final material from anything still provisional.
Agree who will gather feedback and send the team’s decisions. A consolidated response gives the designer a clear direction for the next round.
Review the poster as an audience member
View it at its intended size and as a small thumbnail. What catches your eye first? Is the title readable? What kind of film would you expect from this image if you knew nothing about the production?
Ask someone unfamiliar with the film those questions without explaining your intention first. Their answers may reveal a misleading impression or a reading problem; they cannot predict ticket sales.
Then inspect the full-size file for names, text, image quality and required elements. Approve a specific version for delivery.
Good preparation gives the designer usable material and a clear task. Trust gives them room to bring their expertise to it. Both help keep the work focused on the people who still need to discover your film.
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When filmmakers commission a poster from us
