There is a great deal of history behind movie posters and movie poster collecting. Jules Cheret, who created 2 movie posters in the 1890’s, was the artist given credit for creating the first movie posters. By the end of the first decade of the 1900’s, movies had become a great source of public entertainment. In this time period, the movie poster would become a standard size known as the one sheet measuring 27" x 41".
In the early days, the names of actors did not appear on the posters, which the movie studios liked, because it meant paying actors less money. It was in this early period in movie history, however, that movie studios realized movie stars were as much of an attraction to the moviegoer as the movie itself. Thus, the movie star was born, and movie posters began showcasing actors’ names along with the title of the movie.
By the 1920’s, the golden age of silent movies, movie posters became more artistic and spectacular, with accomplished artists being hired by movie studios to paint portraits of the stars for posters. By the late 1920’s, movie poster images became sharper due to a new printing process developed by the Morgan Litho Company.
In the 1930’s, also known in the movie industry as "The Golden Age of Movies", another style of movie poster was created, the half sheet. Major movies would sometimes get more than the two styles. However, due to the depression, many movie materials were being created more cheaply, causing a loss of quality in movie posters.
The dawn of World War II in 1941 saw many of the movie stars heading off to war and war was the major theme of movies at that time. The movie industry cut advertising costs and used cheaper paper for posters due to the paper shortage of wartime.
By the 1970’s, movie posters used photography, occasionally using drawing and painting styles. Movie posters at this time were being printed on a clay-coated paper, which gave them a glossy finish. Star Wars and Star Trek posters were the most popular posters of the time and are still collected by many today.
In the 1980’s, the age of the special effects blockbuster, the mini sheet was invented, and video stores became popular, thus the video store poster was created. Today, reprints of movie posters are mass-produced and sold in many stores or are just a click away on the Internet.There are several types of movie posters. Because of their rarity, the avid movie poster collector has concentrated on movie poster or theater art. These are the posters that are delivered and displayed by the movie theaters and then intended to be thrown away. Another type of movie poster is the commercial poster, which is mass-produced for direct sale to the public. Video posters are distributed to video rental stores for advertising material. Cable and TV posters are use as promotional material for TV stations for their programming. Like theater art, video posters and cable and TV posters are not produced for the public. Although not as valuable as theater art, these types of posters are still popular among collectors. Special promotion posters promote a movie along with a product. Finally, there are anniversary issues, limited editions, and special releases that are released in limited quantities and are gaining favor with the theatre art collector. Other types of movie posters include advance posters that promote a movie well ahead of the movie's release. The award poster, which indicates that a movie has won an Academy award. The combo poster, advertising two movies instead of just one. The popular double-sided poster that has art on both sides, with the artwork reversed on one side of the poster. There are featurette posters highlighting short films or cartoons, review posters for when a movie gets a good review, serial posters for movie serials, and special distribution posters.
With the popularity of movie posters has come the necessity to create various sizes of posters. The first and most widely used poster is the one sheet, which is usually 27" x 41". The subway, also known as the two sheet, is larger but not exactly two times the size of the one sheet. The 3 sheet is three times the size of the one sheet measuring at 41" x 81". The 6 sheet is six times the size of the one sheet measuring of 81" x 81". There is also a 12 sheet approximately twelve times the size of a one sheet, and the colossal sized 24 sheet measuring 246" x by 108". Other sizes include the mini sheet, which is usually much smaller than the one sheet and comes in a variety of sizes, and the stock sheet issued for cartoons or other shorts.
As with all collectibles, condition is a great factor when placing a value on posters. A movie poster’s value is determined by demand, rarity, and condition. Poster collectors use the same grade system used by comic book collectors: mint (perfect), near mint, very good, good, fair, and poor.
For those who want to be serious movie poster collectors, you will need to know some things about taking care of your movie poster art.
Tips to retain the total collectable value of movie posters
Never alter the appearance of a poster. Do not fold, bend, tear, or punch holes in it even to hang it on your wall.
Never place a movie poster in direct sunlight. UV lights can also be harmful.
Don't write on your poster, even on the back. Marks on the back can sometimes be seen from the other side, taking away from the poster's value.
Never put tape on the front of a poster even to repair tears. If you do use tape, use acid free tape available from an art supply shop, and place the tape on the back. For expensive movie art take it to a professional to be restored. Posters can be restored the same way rare comic books are professionally restored.
When shipping posters use thick poster tubes or bubble envelopes.
For long time storage, frame, or place the poster in a plastic bag or tube, and keep it in a cool dry climate.
When framing a poster do not dry mount it, and use an acid free backing board.
Now that you know a little more about movie posters and movie poster collecting, go ahead, start collecting!
Posterlovers.com - Search through the world's largest available collection of posters, fine art prints and photos. Liven up your walls with wall posters and art prints.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Movie Poster Collecting
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Movie Posters - Publicity Tool For Directors
Directing a film is not the complete job of a director, as his efforts remain unnoticed till he promotes his movie in the most efficient way all over the globe before and after the release. Coming up with a movie after long time surely adds an excitement among the viewers to know what the movie is about and who all celebrities are a part of the movie. A best way to promote a movie is through movie posters. These posters are really attractive and catch the attention of viewers even in a big crowd. Movie posters must be pasted on the walls near cinema halls, public places and other prominent places where they get noticed in the easiest way.
Before a movie is released promotional movie posters showing the leading celebrities in the movie can be displayed. Special online promotion should be done by making the movie posters a part of the online poster websites. Poster websites can show categories like movie posters, celebrities posters etc to display the posters of the upcoming movie and posters of the celebrities working in the movie. People who are more Internet savvy might not be aware about the movie getting released but while surfing Internet they can surely come across the poster and know about the movie. Promotional team of the movie should also promote the movie by making movie posters a part of free online poster sites where a person can download the free poster and use it in any way.
Once the movie is released it is now time to come up with the movie posters depicting the most powerful scenes of the movie. People who have seen the movie will recall the movie and the once who have not seen it will surely be encouraged to watch the movie. Keep updating online poster sites even after the movie is released so as to provide viewers with the latest online movie posters.
All the directors can surely make use of movie posters, as the most potent tool of publicity.
About The Author: Patrick Arden is a professional writer, presently he is writing articles on nature posters, transport posters, cartoon posters. If you want to buy cheap posters visit stickitonyourwall.
Powerful Images in Classic Movie Posters that Launched Actors to Stardom
If you look into a student's room, you'll most likely see the walls covered with posters. You probably decorated your dorm room with posters (e.g., classic movie posters, posters of your favorite band or singer, etc.) when you were a college student.
There is a huge market for classic movie posters today. These classic movie posters, sold at DVD and record shops, are mainly used by marketing outfits as marketing tools for promoting movies and persuading the movie going public to go to the theaters and watch. However, classic movie posters also serve as memorabilia for movie lovers. After all, classic movie posters are an artwork in themselves. Many of these classic movie posters are actually considered works of art because their designs become the symbols of the films.
Movie posters can convey plenty of information regarding the cast, director, crew and such, but there are movie posters whose focus is more on conveying a powerful visual image. You will notice that older classic movie posters have more words and tag lines and often feature painted images of the lead actors. Other classic movie posters use still photographs that were taken directly from the film.
Many of the images in the classic movie posters are literal. For instance, Gone With The Wind's classic movie poster had Vivian Leigh in Clarke Gable's arms. The King Kong classic movie poster has the heroine being carried by King Kong. The Casablanca classic movie poster has its lead stars, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, looking at us, their cheeks against each other.
The more memorable poster images or photographs eventually become the lead stars' iconic images, and they stay in the moviegoer's minds. In fact, these poster images are often what launches actors to stardom. For instance, the image of Audrey Hepburn in the classic movie poster for Breakfast At Tiffany's is one that has endured through the years. Mention her name and the public thinks of her in an evening gown, adorned with jewels. The classic movie posters for The Great Escape captured Steve McQueen doing different motorbike stunts. And James Dean...perhaps his most memorable image is the one that appeared in the Giant's classic movie poster: Dean posed crucified with his rifle. And who wouldn't have seen the famous photo of Marilyn Monroe standing over an air vent, trying to hold her dress down? This image of Monroe was used to promote the Bus Stop film. You can find great information on movies and movie reviews at http://www.magiclanternpr.com
The horror genre has its share of memorable images too. The images in the older classic movie posters in this genre mostly conveyed a subtle, quiet menace. For instance, it would be hard not to feel a chill when looking at Norman Bats' shadowy house iin the classic movie poster for Psycho. Similarly, Jack Nicholson with his head smashed through the door in the movie poster for The Shining is scary. The classic movie poster for The Candyman has a wasp sitting on the edge of an eye.
The Jaws movie poster is one of the classic movie posters that is most reproduced. This classic movie poster has a simple but very powerful image: a shark's mouth wide open, directly facing us. Another powerful poster image is that of Taxi Driver's Robert De Niro with his hand at his temple, pointed like a gun. And when it comes to the romance genre, the Titanic movie poster is a true classic. It captures the image of Leonardo di Caprio and Kate Winslet above the Titanic, two people forever in love.
Article by Dean Forster at http://www.magiclanternpr.com . For more great information on movies and movie reviews visit Family Movie Review
Family Movie - Find the Right DVD Movie Club For Your Family
Looking for a good online family movie club or family movie review?
Family movies sell lots of tickets at the box office and every year there are one or more blockbuster movies that are family films.
But with the high price of movie tickets and theatre concessions, watching movies on DVD as a family movie night in the comfort of your own home, is quickly becoming very popular.
Online DVD Movie Clubs
Online there are a number of DVD movie clubs that include family movies in their rental libraries, but only a few actually specialize in providing quality family fare.
While other companies produce some family pictures, none has come close to the huge library of movies that Disney has given us.
Walt Disney brought us Steamboat Willie in 1928 starring Mickey Mouse and in 1973, the Disney Studios gave us Snow White, the first feature length animated movie.
Disney Movie Club
Online the Disney Movie Club offers their signature classic movies, recent releases, preschool videos, sing-a-long video and other popular family choices.
Movie Clubs
Other online family movie clubs include Family Pass (formerly known as Mentura) which bills itself as "your ticket to family entertainment." Family Pass carries a wide selection of movies, television programs, educational and home school videos and spiritual fare. All targeted at a family audience.
Edited Movies
Another popular source of movies suitable for family viewing comes from companies that specialize in editing movies to remove profanity, excessive violence and more adult situations.
Club members can rent the edited, version of popular movies that might otherwise be far less than family friendly.
Online clubs that edit movies include CleanFilms, Flick's Club, Family Edited DVDs and CleanFlix to name a few.
DVD Software Filters
A company called ClearPlay offers DVD software that removes graphic violence, profanity and more adult situations. Movie filters are put together for specific movies and ClearPlay's list continues to grow.
Family Movie Reviews
Online is also a great place to discover family movie review sites that help parents when it comes to deciding which movies to see in theatres or on DVD.
The Dove Foundation, long a family movie advocate, provides online movie and video reviews. And if you're out shopping for movies or videos at your favorite store, you can look for the Dove Foundation's Seal of Approval (much like the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval"). The Dove Foundation's seal is only awarded to movies and videos that meet certain family viewing standards and have been screened and reviewed by Dove Foundation reviewers.
Other movie reviews available online include The Family Style Movie Guide, Movie Mom, Screen It!, Family Cow, Grading the Movies, Kids-In-Mind, and Ted Baehr's MovieGuide which examines and rates movies from a Christian value stand point.
Family Movie Night
Watching movies at home on DVD as a special night for the entire family has become very popular.
Why spend a small fortune taking your family to see a movie at a theatre when you can have quality fun time in your own home? With a special movie night you control the films your family sees. No more unpleasant surprises! And you're guaranteed the best seat in the house.
DVD Movie Club
It's easy to join an online movie club that offers movies for the family or better yet "specializes" in family movies and video.
So take a look at what's on the internet and join a family movie club. Most offer a variety of special benefits to club members that make online club membership very convenient and affordable.
Then pick up some delicious popcorn and some other treats and start the wonderful tradition of family movie night in your home, a tradition you and your children will fondly remember for years to come.
And remember, some of the best and most popular films of all time have been family movies.
To learn more visit http://fun-dvd-movie-club.blogspot.com/2008/08/blockbuster-dvd.html right now
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
It's A Wonderful Movie
It's A Wonderful Life (1946) began as a short story called "The Greatest Gift". Writer Philip Van Doren Stern was unable to sell it to a publisher, so he sent the tale out as a long Christmas card to friends. His agent subsequently sold the fable to RKO pictures, where it went through several transformations. In one version a losing political candidate contemplated suicide, only to have an angel convince him to stick around and do good works. Finally it fell into the hands of Director Frank Capra who cried when he read it, said it was the story he had been looking for all his life, and purchased it to be the first project for his new production company, Liberty Films.
To play the unassuming savings and loan clerk, Capra wanted Jimmy Stewart who he had previously worked with in You Can't Take It With You (1938) and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939). But coming back from World War II, the thirty-seven year old Stewart was no longer the easy going man about town he had been in the thirties. The former Academy Award winner for The Philadelphia Story (1940) had led a thousand men in bombing missions in the European theater in hard to maneuver B-24s. The loud engines damaged his hearing, in later years people when people would greet him and he would fail to respond, some would mistake his deafness for a cold personality. He was uncertain after five years away from the screen if he still wanted to be in the movies. Sometimes the profession seemed so humiliating. In 1943 when Stewart had tried to stay in the best hotel in Madrid, he was turned away because he was an actor. He went back to the air force base, got his Lieutenant Colonel's uniform and then they let him in.
When he returned to Southern California in 1945 Stewart took things easy. He refused to re-sign with his old studio MGM, despite tearful requests to do so from the hammy Louis B. Mayer. He was content to spend time flying kites and building model planes with Henry Fonda. When Capra came to make his pitch Stewart looked bored, out of it, causing the Director to lose confidence. "Well Jim, it's about a savings and loan clerk who wants to commit suicide. There's an angel named Clarence who shows him what life would have been like without him. . . aw forget it, it's a stupid idea." Capra was turning to leave when Stewart put his hand on his shoulder. "Frank, if you want me, I'm your man." At least that's how the film's publicists told it.
Stewart was morose and insecure as filming began. Since he went off to serve, Hollywood had found new leading men like Kirk Douglas and Gregory Peck who were seven years younger than he was. Some scenes called for the now graying actor to still be in high school. He felt ridiculous and considered plastic surgery. But he was helped greatly by his co-star Donna Reed who encouraged him throughout. In the romantic scene where George (Stewart) and Mary (Reed) declared their love for each other, Capra joked that Stewart was so nervous he wrapped a phone chord around them so he wouldn't run away. James was also helped by the film's villain Lionel Barrymore who was confined to wheelchair because of crippling arthritis. "Son, I want you to cheer up. Don't you know you make people happier being a movie star than you ever did shooting at them in a plane."
In the 1930's Capra had toiled at Columbia Pictures which was ruled by the autocratic Harry Cohn, long considered the meanest man in Hollywood. The Mogul kept the entire studio electronically bugged, displayed a huge portrait of Mussolini in his office, and used an electrified chair to give unsuspecting victims sudden jolts. Capra had sat in it once, received a shock and angrily smashed the chair to bits. When filming began on It's A Wonderful Life, Capra was happy to be free of Cohn, but nervous. Now his own money was part of the investment. Known for making movie sets fun places to work, he was at first crabby and irritable with his cast and crew. Filming a snowy, Christmas movie in over one hundred degree heat in Encino did not help morale. Many of the heavily dressed actors fainted. But there were nice moments. One scene required Mary to throw a rock through an old mansion window and make a wish. Capra had a marksman ready off camera but to his delight Reed shattered the glass on her own. She turned to him and said," Why so surprised? Don't you think an Iowa farm girl would know how to play baseball?"
As the shoot progressed Capra regained his confidence. He disdained special effects when Clarence Oddbody the angel (Henry Travers) did his magic, preferring to tell the story through his actor's faces. The Director started to believe he was making the greatest movie ever. As his mood lightened the Company enjoyed picnics and singing on the set which were hallmarks of Capra's earlier films.
Too dark, the Country wanted comedy like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Too dated, Wonderful Life came off like a depression film rather than a post war movie. For whatever reason the three million dollar production failed to make its money back. Capra chose to fold his tent shortly after the movie's release calling Liberty Films," The quickest way to go broke a man ever devised." Stewart panicked. The ex-war hero received a phone call from his agent. "Donna Reed loved working with you. She wants to do it again." "No way. That girl is jinxed." June Allyson became his leading lady of choice playing his wife five times. Decades later he would praise the performance of a bemused Donna Reed for making Wonderful Life great. "My God," she told her friends. "He sure didn't say that when it came out."
Years passed. From that point on Capra, unwilling to either risk his own money or work for somebody else directed very few movies . Stewart decided to portray a stronger image on screen. He refused to play in war movies saying they were unrealistic, choosing instead hard, gritty Westerns like The Man From Laramie (1954) which helped to make him rich and surpass John Wayne as the nation's number one box office star. Reed restored her career by winning an Academy Award for playing a prostitute in From Here To Eternity (1953) and then became one of television's most wholesome mothers. And It's A Wonderful Life fell into the public domain in 1973 because no one renewed it's copyright. The forgotten film was shown repeatedly on almost every cable television station, finally got a huge viewership, and became a perennial Christmas Classic.
| About The Author Stephen Schochet is the author and narrator of the audiobooks Fascinating Walt Disney and Tales Of Hollywood. The Saint Louis Post Dispatch says," these two elaborate productions are exceptionally entertaining." Hear realaudio samples of these great, unique gifts at http://www.hollywoodstories.com. |
Kid Movie Party Theme
Lights! Camera! Action!
Now with our exclusive movie party theme, your birthday child can star in their own movie!
That's right, with fun kid birthday parties one-of-a-kind movie making adventure, you can turn your child's birthday party into a movie making party they'll never forget.
Imagine how excited your birthday child will be when they get to tell all their party guests that everyone is going to be in a movie... Wow! This is going to be super fun.
"The Great Birthday Treasure Hunt" is an original 3 minute mini-movie script exclusively from Fun Kid Birthday Parties and it's yours absolutely FREE.
And when you order your free movie script we'll even send you our easy to follow tips on how to put together this super fun one-of-a-kind movie party theme that everyone will love... And you'll have a great time too!
Movie Party Theme
Everyone has dreamed of starring in a movie... And now your birthday child can star in "The Great Birthday Treasure Hunt" a fun 3 minute movie production.
Movie Party Invitations
Make your invitations into a "Movie Star Contract." You might write something like this:
Movie Star Contract
"You're so talented and glamorous that (your family name) Productions would like for you to sign this fun contract to appear in our latest blockbuster movie production titled "The Great Birthday Treasure Hunt."
We're celebrating (first and last name of birthday child)'s birthday on (day and date of the party) at our (your family name) Productions movie studios from (start time and end time of your party).
(First and last name of birthday child) will be starring in our movie adventure and wants you to be one of the movie's co-stars.
"The Great Birthday Treasure Hunt" will be filmed on location in and around our movie studio.
Our movie party theme will include time for autographs, movie games and activities, movie screenings and our studio commissary will be providing delicious movie production treats for our entire cast.
Please sign this Movie Star Contract and call your agent (name of agent to ask for) at (telephone number) to RSVP for your movie star roll in our original movie production."
The (family name) Productions movie studio is located at (address).
Come dressed as your favorite movie character. (or you can have everyone show up in whatever costume you'd like, western, The Incredibles, Princess, fashion, or whatever theme you want).
Movie Party Theme Decorations
Your decorations can include a director's chair, a megaphone, scene slate, light cut outs, camera cut outs, studio signs like "Hot Set". "Birthday Movie Set", "Hollywood Studio". .
Movie Party Theme Games And Activities
You can make your movie production your entire party or you can set up some movie related activities and games.
Movie Party Theme, Screen Your Dailies
After you shoot the scenes for your movie, "The Great Birthday Treasure Hunt", you can screen the raw unedited footage. Your guest will love seeing everything, including all the fun out-takes and bloopers.
Movie Party Theme, Snacks And Refreshments
Movie sets always have lots of snack food nearby for all the actors and crew... Favorites include M & M candies, Gummy Bears, nuts, fruit slices, veggie slices, chips and dips and any other finger snacks your birthday child might like.
Have fun and put a sign on your table that reads "Studio Commissary".
Kid Movie Party World Premiere
One of the fun things about shooting a movie as a special birthday party is that you can have a second party as well. We've done this and everyone loved it!
Once your movie is edited, you'll want to have your movies "World Premiere."
Print out some movie ticket invitations, roll out a red carpet, invite the "paparazzi" (photographers) to snap pictures and video as your stars arrive.
Have some popcorn, screen your movie!
Follow your movie's world premiere with an Academy Awards style party. Hand out awards (special best actor certificates) to all your actors! And let everyone make an acceptance speech. This is a lot of fun. This will be a movie premiere that everyone will remember!
To get you started on this unique, one-of-a-kind movie making adventure, Fun Kid Birthday Parties will send you a copy of our 3 minute movie script, "The Great Birthday Treasure Hunt" absolutely free. And we'll include our easy to follow tips on how to put together this fun movie production for your birthday child.
To get your free kids movie party script visit us at Fun-Kid-Birthday-Parties.com and fill out the easy form at the bottom of the page.
| Mike Dougherty is a movie and television writer, producer, director, video editor and regional Emmy award winning videographer. Most recently as a Hollywood screenwriter "the Long Ride Home" a western movie starring Randy Travis is based on Mike Dougherty's short script. To get your free kids movie script, visit http://fun-kid-birthday-parties.com/kid-movie-party-theme.html right now |
How to Write Great Movie Reviews for Your Entertainment Website
If you have an entertainment website then you’re always looking for fresh, new, fun and interesting material to keep your readers coming back for more. Movie reviews are a great way to do that. People always want to know what someone else thinks about the movie they want to see and they will scour the web to look for these opinions. Now you could syndicate another site’s reviews, but why do that? You want your readers to be loyal to you and your site and honestly, they want to hear what you have to say and what you think. If you’re thinking you haven’t the foggiest idea on how to write fun, compelling movie reviews, then think again. I’m going to tell you all you need to know.
1. Actively Watch the Movie – Yes, I recognize that movie watching is a passive activity. Watching a movie isn’t something you do, it is something that happens to you. However, if you want to write good reviews you have to learn to look at movies with a critical eye. This means you need to pay attention to everything and I mean Everything. Notice how the actors are placed in each shot, the setting, the camera angles, even the music. All of these elements play a role in the story that is trying to be told and are important to talk about if you want to write the compelling sort of reviews that your readers will stop by your site each week to read. .
2. Take Copious Notes – No, I don’t expect you to sit in a theatre with pen and pad or laptop in hand. But I do expect you to take solid mental notes. Information such as the actor’s names or who the director was is easy to come across, but information like camera shots, or plot devices is not, so you need to train yourself not only to watch for that type of information but also to remember it.
3. Summarize. Don’t Spoil. – This is important. Nothing is worse then reading a review that tells the whole movie from beginning to end and leaves nothing for you to see. People want your opinion, not for you to spoil the movie. A basic summation of the plot is all that is necessary. From there you can talk about whether or not the plot worked well or was the plot even a plot at all. Let the details of the film be revealed when your readers see the film, not when they read your review.
4. Critical Analysis is Key – The difference between a review anyone can write and a review people will clamor to read is in how well you analyze the film. Think about those papers you had to write for lit class in college. The professor didn’t want you to just tell him what the book was about but wanted you to break down the themes in the book and how they related to the plot, the characters, etc. Well the same is true for a movie review. No one wants a summary of events or the plot. A good review will examine the themes or ideas the movie raises and talk about how well or not so well the movie executed those themes and ideas.
5. Point Out the Pros and the Cons – No movie is perfect and rarely is any movie all bad, so take the time to talk about what the movies does well and what it does not so well.
6. Be Original – For some folk it is two thumbs up, for others it is rotten tomatoes. Whatever you decide you want your rating system to be, be original. Try to find a hook that works for you. Just don’t do something that closely resembles someone else or you’ll just seem like a bad copy of the original.
Follow these steps and you’ll be writing the best reviews the web has to offer and your readers will constantly come back for more week in and week out. Happy writing.
(C) 2005 Tamika Johnson
| Tamika Johnson is a freelance writer and editor and chief of Prologue, the best arts and entertainment online community the web has to offer. To read more articles by Tamika and to receive FREE tips on how to be a successful writer visit http://www.prologuezine.com |