Primary Optical Area (Top Left):

Though centralised, the title, tagline and name of the actor are featured at the top of the poster. The word ‘tombstones’ becomes darker as it goes from left to right, which highlights the fact we read from left to right with the brightest words being in the primary optical area. The title is blood red and the use of red, which is associated with blood, reveals that the story may be murderous and scary. It also works well in sharp contrast to the black and white colours that make up the majority of the poster.

The title is nearly always prominently located near the top; as it is key people know what it is being advertised. Some movie posters do not feature a title, but usually feature something iconic so people automatically know what it is. However this will almost always be for a sequel or remake, or something that is causing enough hype.

The star is effectively the focal point of the poster, as he is in the dead-centre of the poster. He is looking and walking forward, something I believe helps the viewer of the poster immerse themselves in the world of the film. As the poster is in black and white, there are no clear distinguishing features that immediately identify him as Liam Neeson. However, his name is clearly visible at the top of the poster which allows people to know who he is. The fact that he is the only actor in the film present in the poster in both visual and text form, is an example of the star theory. This is that more people will be drawn to a movie if it already feature an established actor or actress, which in this case it does. Liam Neeson has appeared in many action and thriller films over recent years, many of which have been critically and commercially successful, such as Taken 1 and 2, The Grey, Non-stop and Battleship. Being a popular star will make it a good film from the audience’s perspective while the filmmakers will see it as a way to make more money. By being a prominent star, Liam Neeson will effectively act as an anchorage for the film.

The Terminal Area (Bottom Right):

The axis of orientation brings us here as we read from left to right and would go across Liam Neeson’s body to get to the terminal area. This area features a gravestone cross and the release date, as well as a bag Liam Neeson is holding. The fact he is holding a bag can create a narrative enigma as the viewer will automatically want to know two things: why he is holding it and what is in it. The area also has a lot of things prominently featured with lots of large looming trees there, which is in contrast to the lighter side on the left. The aforementioned cross can come across as quite sinister, while also alluding to the fact that the movie is entitled ‘A Walk Among The Tombstones’. The cross is also very stereotypical and a feature commonly associated with a graveyard. It is highly symbolic of death, with perhaps a hint of something sinister. It could also possibly have an underlying meaning of hope, as the cross represents Christianity and Liam Neeson makes for a saintly figure in the poster, with what appears to be a glow behind him as well as a serious but non-threatening appearance.

This area also features the film’s credits, including things such as actors, directors and producers among other roles. This is a convention of many film posters, featuring the title above the credits, which are almost always in small text. The release date is also at the bottom of the poster, which is blood red, just like the title at the top of the screen. The bottom of the screen also features a blood red pond, which is reflecting the tombstones and crosses in the background. This is a very sinister feature and gives a sense that this film isn’t going to be a normal popcorn action movie, but a thrilling one too. The thriller element of the film is also represented by a mysterious fog which is in the background among the tombstones.

Strong Fallow Area (Top Right):

This area works in conjunction with the primary optical area, sharing the title, actor’s name and tagline. Despite being the strong fallow area of the poster, this area does not feature a plethora of things. As mentioned it shares the written text on the upper half of the poster with the primary optical area, though the majority of this upper half has a clear background. However, Liam Neeson is looking off into the distance on this side, so viewers may be drawn to that side.

Weak Fallow Area (Bottom Left):

This area reinforces the fact that this is an action thriller, as you can see Liam Neeson’s gun in hand. This will commonly be used in the poster for an action film, as a gun is a convention of the genre. By seeing a gun people will immediately be able to see that this is an action film and will know that Liam Neeson will be at the centre of all of the action in the film, because as I previously mentioned, he is the only actor on the poster. In this area you can see the release date, the movie credits and the blood red pond, which reflects some of the tombstones in the graveyard. This will also act as a bait to the audience, as the film poster displays both elements of an action and a thriller film, making it a hybrid. People will want to know what connection the pond and the surrounding graveyard have to the plot.

Overall the poster carries many codes and conventions of its hybrid action thriller genre, such as guns, blood, fog and a star of many similar films as its prime character. The text addresses the audience in a sinister way, with blood red words and a sharp font, which I believe helps to attract people.