Movie Poster Expert Explains Color Schemes | Vanity Fair

[@JEAN44030]

“Yellow is a cheap way to catch the eye” Vanity: *uses yellow posters for thumbnail*

[@expbot1905]

Jean Cheap, not dumb

[@AG-yv4qw]

Thats why I clicked on this video 😂

[@maxebanana6143]

they're not saying it's a bad way to catch the eye lol

[@PauKj]

Honestly with Yellow being in indie films, I think he might have meant cheap as in litteraly it costs less money than working with a poster designer in how to catch and lead the eye etc.

[@alicelu5691]

😂

[@Chocolatepain]

Very interesting video! I like the guys straightforward and pleasant discussion style.

[@flybeep1661]

Straightforward for sure but pleasant? It's monotuous throughout the entire vid.

[@GanLaDeng]

@@flybeep1661 monotone to keep it professional and unbiased. That would be my guess. This guy is experienced and well seasoned.

[@maui7824]

3:10 wtf he outlined that photo in one stroke perfectly

[@Mushroom321-]

nearly, except the hair part 👍🏼

[@Aminangela]

Graphic artist/designers be like:

[@hidendra3214]

hard for plebs

[@PatrickAnibalDill]

Not really

[@JasonDeGraw]

I was looking for this comment 👀😱

[@boink8653]

I wish he would have done a comparison on horror movie posters as well.

[@The14541]

Agree! I think it will be really interesting

[@levmyshkin8366]

Same, the use of heavy black backgrounds and desaturated skin tones to represent death is pretty common trend to me, would be cool to see if an expert thought differently, or where it began.

[@stubbsonic]

He does. In this other video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKi6c4SDl7KjipY

[@hereitszara1497]

I’ve never noticed that colours are used to represent the genre

[@danielkeeling3895]

eh its not as cut and dry as it appears here, These are cherry picked examples

[@123rockfan]

Dan Keeling they’re not really cherry picked, it’s a legitimate trend with Hollywood posters

[@xfakexhappyx]

It's not very prominent if you don't pay attention to but if you see them together you know exactly what genre these movies are

[@aarondesch]

you are not really supposed to notice good design

[@Coolestmovies]

123rockfan - sorry, but these ARE cherry picked examples that do appear to set or follow a trend, but I can come up with countless examples of posters in all genres that don’t fit neatly into these categories, even if their designs are often deployed to similar effect. If you’ve seen enough movies, or DVDs, or collected enough posters, you’re going to see patterns, but they’re never as far-reaching as you might think.

[@sarahcollins03]

The most impressive thing about this video is how quickly and precisely he outlined Russell Crowe’s profile.

[@HandsomeDevil456]

I'd like to know what he thinks about the headless woman phenomenon in movie posters

[@DanielVCOliveira]

can you give an example?

[@mikeo.4924]

It's cheaper, as you don't have to pay the model for the use of their likeness.

[@gristlevonraben]

what?

[@gristlevonraben]

there isn't such a trend

[@alinamulder]

it's not a trend its a sjw bs

[@hd-xc2lz]

More James Verdesoto videos please. Would love to see a series with each video examining posters of a decade.

[@ricg3010]

ah thats why the last 30 years the posters all looked the same

[@DarkAngelEU]

Yup, stereotype marketing bc the markets are oversaturated.

[@feltcap]

Look at 50s posters and you'll notice those all follow the same trends. When a style is popular it's used as much as possible, it's not a recent thing.

[@shivakumargujjari]

And look better than the older ones

[@AidanB]

I could watch him do this for hours

[@kaixinsoh]

Yeah ikr. If he had a KZbin channel, I would watch it all day

[@hardlybreathe93]

This is the most comprehensive one I watched about movie posters

[@sean3533]

Design is only interesting when someone who understands it explains it.

[@xandercorp6175]

You're just not interested or talented in design.

[@ruthantunez92]

Wish there was more of this type of content out there. I absolutely love when an expert discusses his or hers field of expertise.

[@asterismos5451]

I plan on being a book designer, so there's lots of overlap with the shorthands for genres used in colour and text on both covers and posters, which is quite fun. Really interesting too to see the huge differences between the two--book covers (with the exception of children's or middle grade fiction) tend to avoid having the faces of characters on them (so the reader can picture the character however they want to) while movies push the faces of the characters to the centre (especially for big stars to pull in viewers). It's very fun to see someone other than myself explaining the ways designs tell you the genre and feel of a story through codes like colour that you aren't consciously aware of.

[@e-c-dia]

"yellow is used as a cheap way to catch the eyes" XD

[@RadioPacky]

matt groening gave this as his reason for making the simpsons yellow

[@77777aol]

Edwin Diaz : Red is the first colour you eye catches. Look at supermarket product. Also, as you state, yellow packaging is for cheap non-brand stuff. [yello-packs as we call them]

[@07foxmulder]

That’s why school buses are yellow. Our eyes see yellow better than any other colour (including red) when it comes to our peripheral vision.

[@kotkaconforza]

Yellow is also used alot in fast food restaurants and convenience stores, because it is really inviting, but it doesn't make you stay for long because it turns into a irritant after a long exposure. So it makes people to make fast decisions.

[@77777aol]

@@kotkaconforza : Yellow = optimism/wisdom; the flip side is madness - get too close to the sun . . .

[@10dan]

that beat kept cutting on an up beat and it threw me off the whole video. i needed it to cut out on a kick or a drum break or something

[@pprinc3ss]

In my last year of high school studying Visual Communication Design (Australian school) and this was super helpful and straight to the point in describing movie posters and why designers use specific elements and principles to capture an audience. Thank you Vanity Fair!!

[@PHlophe]

it just occurred to me that the australian film industry actually exist but nothing can ever be exported.

[@CrushedAsian255]

I was assigned to watch this for homework at my school

[@jjandorliadul]

I wish he would critique them too, but I guess that would be another video. That would be awesome.

[@DarkAngelEU]

This is critique.

[@mattwcheese2045]

it's really not. He didn't make any value judgements. @@DarkAngelEU

[@DarkAngelEU]

He did say yellow was a cheap color. Critique can be subtle and more professional than just saying "oh I like this", "this one sucks", etc.

[@rebeccasmith847]

@@DarkAngelEU when he says cheap, he doesn't mean tacky and lazy... He means genuine monetary value I think. Like he said, these are used by independent movies with a lower budget, if you make the background an eye catching colour then it doesn't matter as much if you don't have a famous face/name on the cover

[@DarkAngelEU]

@@rebeccasmith847 So without any knowledge of printing you assume yellow ink is less expensive than reds or cyans? I really gotta break it to you that these inks have the same price ranges nowadays. Yellow is a cheap colour because our eyes recognize it the easiest. I'm a professional photographer so please, trust me on this one.

[@keyman6689]

Fascinating. I was sad when it was over. More, more, more!

[@karebear4957]

i'd take his class any day

[@GrammarGal1]

It's interesting how, for the most part, movie poster design trends don't really date. When you look at the modern ones next to the older ones they're not that disparate.

[@jordanoneill7052]

The older ones are certainly better. And I don't say that to be a contrarian hipster, but these days the opportunities to market a film are endless, there is less emphasis/budget going toward posters. Back in say, the 60's, posters were a HUGE part of the films marketing so they put a lot of effort and presumably a lot of money into their design. Look at the star wars posters for example, the older ones are painted by a famous poster artist; the newer ones are just photoshopped and edited by some nameless graphic designer.

[@KitC916]

@@jordanoneill7052 same with credit sequences

[@jrandall1131]

Would love to see a vid on book jacket design 😀

[@InMetropolis]

J Randall check out Chip Kidd’s Ted talks if you haven’t !!

[@gauravvikalp]

I was literally gonna say that @@InMetropolis :)

[@gabbygray9267]

Me too!

[@guppy8073]

Same here!!!

[@02leda]

Metropolis was literally about to recommend

[@EvilPinata]

These are some of my favorite videos on this channel. Definitely very informative

[@baudiomusic]

As a graphic designer and filmmaker, i think this is a brilliant video. Thanks James for sharing these insights - I had guessed the Red and White Comedy one, but you've pointed out some of the more subtle elements of poster design.

[@lovemusicharmonybeat]

Now I understand why I hate the Aladdin poster! the design just doesn’t fit right with the genre.

[@ceuti]

The new or the old one? Because the old one makes sense with the supernatural thriller type genre because Disney was going for a male audience with Aladdin. As for the new one, purple and gold are the colours that represent royalty.

[@mattk.3645]

When "Aladdin" first premiered, Disney had a strategy of doing two posters: a busy one and a minimalist one. The latter was intended to communicate the sophistication of the film to prospective audiences that, at the time, believed the only new animated features being made back then were those for children. So, "Aladdin" had a showy poster with a collage of characters and set pieces that were surrounded by a giant Genie, and a simple one with only the magic lamp being rubbed by a pair of disembodied hands that were theatrically lit.

[@superduperjoi6800]

Oh yea

[@suchamonia]

I love these videos, please post more! I could listen to James for hours ^^

[@timowensdrums]

this is one of the best videos i’ve ever seen

[@8Oresamada8]

Tim Owens was thinking the samething

[@thecrazyandthewild]

in "The Force Awakens" what it is really noticeable, more than the use of secondary colors, is the split. Colds and warms are used to show the confrontation of the two factions. Thank you for these videos!

[@victoriafelix5932]

Text legibility: black text against a yellow background is the most legible colour combination, followed closely by blue against white. So indie films' posters can be legible before others, and so hopefully more attractive, earlier.

[@HiAndHello-w9l]

I can get over how amazing that marker is; it looks so... juicy?

[@kroberts1515]

This is fascinating. This makes me want to take a college class on this lol

[@theen8564]

as a graphic design student no you don't lol

[@kroberts1515]

@@theen8564 why not? Does it get tedious and annoying? I'm genuinely curious

[@richardpatterson4312]

You should get a huge loan and do that. I watched this and didn't learn anything, I'm an electrician. This was a waste of data for KZbin to store this info. We're all dumber fir having watched it. Good luck with your bad decisions.

[@isanirobi]

Kim R I’m a full time graphic designer and I love working in the field! If you are truly fascinated/interested in design, go for it.

[@pockyeatingpanda]

Everything here is basic art 101 stuff

[@swarajkanr]

This time people won't be too anxious when he's sketching on the posters.

[@samwallaceart288]

“Yellow is a cheap way to catch the eye.” (Destruction Level: 100)

[@AG-yv4qw]

this video is 10 minutes long yet it feels like I've been watching him for hours

[@cinthia105]

I LOVE THIS!! Thanks James Verdesoto, and Vanity Fair! 😭💕

[@maimohamed3590]

Wow that's a huge info for graphic designers like me, thank a lot for sharing✨👌😎

[@ceuti]

It's actually pretty basic knowledge for a graphic designer lol something you should hear about in a high school graphic design class

[@archivehans]

color theory and using negative space is explained in high school art class

[@maimohamed3590]

@@ceuti I'm a self taught so that helps me in improving how I look to things, thank you😊

[@maimohamed3590]

@@archivehans yeah I know but I'm a self taught so that helps me in improving how I look to things, thank you😊

[@CasparWilson]

Good video but my god the music sting in between each shot, please stop.

[@proudnewfather2008]

I know it's terrible!

[@fireballninja01]

It would be better if it was different music but yeah

[@casperdewith]

I quite like the music - the placement is terrible, but I'd like to know the song.

[@kaixinsoh]

@@casperdewith Same!! Haha it got repetitive after awhile, but the song is actually pretty catchy.

[@angel-gu8co]

i'd like to see him explain some of his own movie posters

[@garyweaver5398]

this feels like classic outcome analysis

[@royvincenttrani]

This series is great - I'm looking forward to more poster analysis videos

[@uncletrick1]

So not only does Hollywood like cranking out similar movies, they also like cranking out similar movie posters.

[@tothfanni7262]

I would like to see what he has to say about the poster of Call Me By Your Name!!

[@sean3533]

This was so cool, I never noticed similarities between movie posters of similar genres.

[@kaixinsoh]

Everyone is talking about the commentary, but I just really love the music here. It's so catchy.

[@metalzonemt-2]

When I see yellow, I think of Kill Bill.

[@kikijewell2967]

Same. Such a bold series of posters!

[@wolfferoni]

This is fascinating. Graphic design in general is fascinating.

[@livtaylor991]

Him drawing on all these nice posters is giving me anxiety 😂😂

[@callllllllllico]

Ollie Rad my professor used to do that on my assignments soo

[@Mushroom321-]

yes!, wasn't the only one. 😅

[@superduperjoi6800]

Same

[@gempai-o5u]

Yes we're all sure him drawing on copies of posters gave you a neurological disorder

[@asphaltandtacos]

My high anxiety OCD kicked in! 😂

[@BabyJesus66]

Marc Maron sure knows a lot about posters.

[@trinigirl86]

I really love these videos! keep them coming!

[@tahiriperera2139]

Love this on going series!More poster discussions please!

[@itsmilicaaaa]

I'd listen this guy analysing posters for hours.

[@jackcarr6686]

film posters feel stale, I dont blame the posters i blame the films that are mostly uninspired

[@Nolanthegardener]

Yes!!! I love these!! Always insightful, and shows how much thought goes into these works of art.

[@ShaheenGhiassy]

I kept wondering how did he print all those posters?

[@fireballninja01]

Even just with these outlines I cannot believe how good at sketching this guy is

[@schillerkraut]

I hoped for an answer to why the names of the actors aren't on top of the respective picture on the posters most of the time but in fact are mixed up.

[@jordanoneill7052]

Because the actors names are listen in order of status. High status stars will insist on having their names in the most prominent area of the poster. Whereas the photography line-up will be decided purely by marketing/narrative, so it wouldn't always make sense to arrange the characters photos in the same order as the names on the top of the poster. tl;dr: names are listed in order of star power, photos are arranged in whatever order makes the most narrative sense. Usually these two don't overlap.

[@ceuti]

What the guy above me said. Also mentioned in this video, sometimes the movie poster is used to pitch the movie or even are just simply taken ahead of time and some managers/agents will even pay and try to outbid eachother with who gets their names on first. But I do think most of the time it is related to status as well.

[@arothmanmusic]

I’ve always been amused by that sci-fi style Star Wars poster in which Luke is super-ripped and Leia looks nothing at all like Carrie Fisher.

[@Lautarofonseca]

Infinite thanks. This is pure gold.

[@tilaw6397]

Very interesting! More of this please

[@pixpusha]

Great video. That was veeeery helpful. Thank you.

[@hellow.yellow9673]

Do a review on newer movie posters!! And other genre Like animation, horror, sci-fi, and how in modern era there are a lot more color schemes used

[@DreamItCraftIt]

I love that cowbell in between transitions

[@thehartofthegalexi8433]

Very nice video. I'd like to see more of James! Maybe talking about style and such!

[@mamymimma]

Very interesting, thanks

[@angeldelgado7120]

I want to see his opinion on the recent Marvel posters, Ragnorok, Guardians vol 2, Infinity war and Endgame. I love the use of color in those.

[@emmyashbaugh]

Thanks for the recommendation KZbin! Love this artist, he kept me intrigued through the whole video. 👏👏👏

[@123rockfan]

I’m surprised by the number of people saying that they didn’t realize the color schemes of posters for mainstream genre films. For me personally, I’ve always noticed it since I was really young.

[@kimmycassie]

This gives me an idea for journal spreads :> thank you ♡

[@j2174]

Plains, Trains, and Automobiles is the perfect poster seating an American and Canadian together

[@paolabueso]

Such an interesting topic! Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@sirgeorge152]

Great video on a fascinating but not often spoken about subject. I'm going to watch all this guy's videos. Thanks.

[@jettdumont173]

More of theses please

[@izzamolina6551]

I wish next time they can list unconventional movie posters and his personal favorites as an expert

[@bzporto]

I find the explanations a little bit generic to be honest... I was hoping for something more specific.

[@klowee4896]

same

[@n200518]

Me too. Didnt buy in to his expertise.

[@captainharlock2280]

i thought he was very specific

[@bunbundabunni3843]

Negative/white space, using framing or a strong alignment to a strong line to lead the eyes to the desired spots, popping color formulas, and making sure your poster really capitalizes the basic tropes that our culture got used to for that 5 second glance and sell. Like running, thinky profile silhouettes, strong diagonals for speed and action, and character montages. Super condensed, but he did cover a lot. I just couldn't help but to lol because it's all so true on what gets rehashed.

[@JReynolds09]

Great video, thank you for this!

[@WilmMyburgh]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing!

[@eugeneaniar7232]

Niiice love how he had dissected the common themes and poses for the posters.

[@geson3]

Swedish cover at @6:09 Gisslan aka Hostage (2005). Yay! 🇸🇪👌👌

[@slimmy_0076]

Thanks for Blowing my ears out

[@LunovaLabs]

More like this!

[@morningcoffee1111]

Wish this was longer.

[@mr.scarlo2234]

Could you analyse the Avengers films teaser posters and theatrical posters?

[@furryfeathers4108]

Interesting how the colors represent genres not exactly in line with their color base. Red is typically a "power" color, (also, anger but as anger is a reaction to an emotion and not an emotion itself, for my point that aspect is unimportant) used for important signals and authority. Blue, more variance but the lighter the more institutional (meaning, itd be in a hospital waiting room 'pool blue' 'cloudless sky' i.e. lighter baby blue to help have a calming effect) and the darker the more depressed/melancholy. Yellow and green are supposedly the "happiest" colors you can layer in your environment. I'll have to go back through my browser history and see if I can find the article in psychology about this topic.

[@vbkllr]

more of these, please

[@rickantolic9233]

He explains exactly what's wrong with movie posters today, except he celebrates it! There is no originality in movie posters anymore; it's all formula... red and white for comedy, yellow for independent, blue color scheme and film noir guy in running for an action thriller, etc. Look at Drew Struzan's movie posters if you want to see originality, or just about any movie poster artist pre-2000 for that matter. No creativity is involved if you're just following an established formula.

[@thomasgrieve1924]

There's no originality because posters don't sell anyone on movies anymore. Posters had to be great back in the day because that was the only marketing they had. Now, everyone knows whether they're going to see a movie way before a poster is even made.

[@bialynia]

Haha, I remember one Polish reviewer roasting Robert De Niro a few years ago by saying that "recently he's only to be seen in the kind movies that have a white poster" and I laughed so hard because it was such a perfect way to put it. Now we have a theory to back it :D

[@keisha2120]

this was so interesting, more please!!! 😊👍

[@kateglenn1872]

This is so fascinating!

[@D2naSoaring]

Love this! I feel like I learned a lot. This is great 😁

[@DaneliusUK]

Enjoyed it, thank you.

[@77777aol]

Shake the page - whatever falls away - remove. Cut through the top of the head to hold them onto the page. When a close crop is used, your imagination fills in the gaps of what is in some respects superfluous. Shadows allow you to imagine what is outside the frame - it enlarges the image; as it were.

[@ChrisBix599]

I want something like this but for game covers too. Very informative!

[@cross612]

It really isn't that different.

[@jamesmolloy5350]

Almost every game cover is exactly the same nowadays, just a dude stood in the centre, holding whatever item/weapon symbolises the genre of the game

[@emytheteacher]

He was like here is a poster, you can see an actor, you can see a title. I'm drawing around the man. Like dude, I guess there is no rhyme or reason for the posters 😂 just copy every other one

[@Photographicelements]

Great video on design!

[@saadluciano8368]

How did people designed posters in the past century?

[@AngelaSealana]

This was my favorite so far.

[@debmon244]

I just learnt more during this video than I did during 2 years of Media Studies classes at school.

[@jexikavindictive]

"A cheap way to catch the eye." Me.

[@sarahlouie]

Wow. This is interesting. I could listen to him analyzing movie posters for hours.

[@tien3444]

Great content! 👍👌🔥