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Movie
Poster Art Descriptions
 Following
are brief descriptions of the more common forms
of movie poster art. Andy the Usher, your
assistant at MovieGoods, will show you the relative
size of each.
Movie
studios produced as many as 12 different kinds
of advertising collateral from the years 1940
? 1985. This was done primarily because each theatre
displayed only one film on one screen. As a result
there was a need to have numerous different sized
movie posters, lobby cards and scene stills promoting
the film throughout the theatre.
With
the emergence of the multiple screen cinemas the
studios chose to phase out many of the older styles.
More screens meant the space to advertise had
to be divided between more films. Currently in
North America today the principal advertising
size for a movie poster is 27" x 40"
commonly referred to as the one sheet. There are
still various different sized posters with different
artwork for films released in countries overseas
which we detail below.
Many
of the older items (i.e. mid-1980s and earlier)
for sale at MovieGoods have actually been displayed
in a theatre or cinema. Given the nature of their
use, many products will have some wear. If a pristine
copy of a product for a particular film is important
to you, be sure to ask us about the condition
before you buy your product.
Is
this item an Original?
A
large number of our auctions are originals. Unless
a poster is specifically indicated as a "Reproduction",
a "Poster Print" or a "Masterprint",
then it is an original item.
Masterprint
Posters and Masterprint TV Posters
Size:
11" x 14", or 11" x 17" (exact size is always
stated in the product description)
Type: Reproductions, printed on glossy heavy
card stock paper.
Movie
Poster Prints and TV Poster Prints
Size:
approximately 27" x 40" (if the poster size
differs significantly, it will be stated so
in the item description)
Type: Reproductions, printed on satin finish
paper.
Canvas
Masterprints
Size:
11" x 17"
Type: Reproductions, printed on canvas.
Canvas
Poster Prints
Size:
27" x 40"
Type: Reproductions, printed on canvas.
North
America
ONE-SHEET
Size:
27" x 41" (typically pre - 1985); 27" x 40"
(typically post - 1985)
Type:
Printed on paper stock. Before 1985, usually
folded; after 1985, usually rolled.
History:
Traditionally, the one-sheet (OS) is the "standard"
size for movie advertising in North America.
The one sheet is undeniably the most popular size
for collectors and consumers alike. Most new movie
releases since 1985 were advertised using this
size
In
addition to the regular release One-Sheet poster
produced for most movies, there are also "special"
versions made for some films. They are as follows:
Advance:
Sometimes called "Teasers", Advance
One-Sheets are released before the film comes
out. Some of the Advance posters have completely
different artwork than the poster accompanying
the final release version. Some are identical
to the release One-Sheet, with the only difference
being the word "Advance", "Coming
Soon", or a specific date will be printed
along the bottom.
Anniversary:
These one-sheets mark the anniversary of the original
release date of an all-time favorite movie, such
as "Casablanca" or "Gone with the
Wind". They can be elaborate with different
artwork than the original release One-Sheet.
Awards:
Award One-Sheets indicate somewhere on the poster
that the movie has either won an award, or been
nominated for an award.
Different
Versions: Sometimes a film will have a series
of One-Sheets as part of its advertising campaign.
You might see many styles of One-Sheets for the
same film, called Style A, B, etc. Each of these
styles will have different artwork.
Double-Sided:
Many of the One-Sheets that are currently produced
are double-sided, meaning that they have printing
on both the front and the back of the poster.
These can be used in light boxes in movie theater
lobbies.
Lenticular:
Lenticular posters are three-dimensional, holographic
designs. An example of a Lenticular poster is
"The Lost World: Jurassic Park"
Limited
Edition: Limited Editions contain original
artwork and are released in limited numbers. Some
are even individually numbered.
Re-Release:
If a film is re-released, you will often find
different artwork for each release. Examples of
this are "Gone with the Wind" and "Star
Wars".
Review:
These One-Sheets have very little artwork or credit
information, and contains mostly quotes from movie
critics, newspapers and magazines.
Video
Release: Often the artwork on a poster that
is produced for the Video Release of a film differs
from the One-Sheet artwork produced for the theatrical
release.
>>Return
to relative size guide
HALF-SHEET
Size:
28" x 22"
Type:
Printed on card stock, usually not folded
History:
First used in the 1910s and discontinued in the
mid 1980s. Used for special sized displays.
Artwork tends to differ slightly from the one-sheet
for the same film. Typically less expensive than
one-sheets this size continues to be a popular
vintage product.
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INSERT
Size:
14" x 36"
Type:
Printed on card stock, usually not folded
History:
One of the earliest of movie paper sizes, inserts
were first used in the 1910s and were used extensively
until the 1980s. Used in special sized displays.
Like the half-sheet the insert is generally less
expensive than the equivalent one-sheet from the
same film. Also the insert is still a popular
collectible product category.
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LOBBY
CARD
Size:
- 11"
x 14" (standard)
- 8"
x 10" (mini)
- 14"
x 17" (jumbo)
Type:
Printed in color on heavy card stock. Priced
by the set.
History:
One of the oldest forms of movie poster art. Lobby
cards were first introduced in the 1910s in theatre
lobbies. A display fixture in most theatres
for 75 + years. Although still available for some
films, they are typically used only in foreign
markets. Lobby cards remain a very popular collectible
product today.
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WINDOW
CARD
Size:
- 14"
x 22" (standard)
- 10"
x 18" (mini)
- 22"
x 28" (jumbo)
Type:
Heavy card stock, usually not folded
History:
Typically used by local theatres or chains for
advertising movies in the window displays in within
stores in community. Several companies (including
the NSS) produced them. Window cards can have
an area at the top that was blank so the local
theatre could write in the show times. Many window
cards actually have the writing with the times
at the top, this generally will not diminish the
value. Occasionally the blank space has been cut
off which reduces the size and the value.
This
particular form of movie art is no longer used.
>>Return
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MOVIE
STILL PHOTOS
Size:
8" x 10 "
Type:
Vintage still photos are printed on glossy heavy
card stock while newer photos are not. Please
note that 8" x 10" is the total size of the photo
itself. In some cases, the image size may be smaller
than 8" x 10". There are also some cases where
a photograph is cropped somewhat to ensure that
it fits into the 8" x 10" size.
History:
Black and white or color, stills are used for
printed media as part of the press kit or campaign
book. Scene stills are photographs of specific
scenes in the movie. They can be as diverse as
action shots or shots or the actors. In many cases
vintage still photos have descriptions on the
front or back, describing the photo and what is
happening in that particular scene of the film.
Still photos are widely used today and are a very
popular collectible item.
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30
X 40 POSTERS
Size:
30" x 40"
Type:
Heavier paper, usually not folded
History:
Used for special displays, typically the same
image as the original release one-sheet. 30 x
40s are no longer produced for films released
in the domestic market today.
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40
X 60 POSTERS
Size:
40" x 60"
Type:
Printed on card stock, usually not folded
History:
Introduced in the 1930s, used as both inside and
outside displays. They are no longer used
today.
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TWO-SHEET
Size:
46" x 64"
Type:
Printed on paper stock, folded or rolled.
History:
Sometimes called a "Subway" because it was used
as subway advertising.
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THREE-SHEET
Size:
41" x 81"
Type:
Printed on paper stock, always folded.
History:
These were used for larger lobby displays, and
are rarely used today. Typically 3-Sheets come
in two pieces.
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SIX-SHEET
Size:
81" x 81"
Type:
Small billboard
History:
Small billboard ? used outside theatres can come
in two to four pieces
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TWELVE
SHEET
Size:
9? X 12?
Type:
Small billboard paper
History:
Used in the 1940s, no longer in use today. They
were small billboard advertising, issued by Paramount.
Extremely rare. Always folded, comprised of numerous
pieces.
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TWENTY-FOUR
SHEET
Size:
246" x 108"
Type:
Large billboard
History:
Large billboard advertising, rarely used today.
24x the size of a one-sheet.
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United
Kingdom
- Quad
- Train
Station Billboard
Quad
Size:
30" x 40"
Type:
Printed on matte or glossy stock. Paper
about same thickness as North American One-sheet,
unfolded
History:
Like a larger version of a half-sheet, has different
artwork than the one-sheet for the same American
movie.
Train
Station Billboard
Size:
40" x 60"
Type:
Printed on paper
History:
Used as advertising in train stations
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France
Petite
Size:
15" x 21"
Type:
Printed on paper
History:
Printed in French. Quite often American films
shown in France have the title in French with
the American title listed in parentheses below.
Medium
Size:
24" x 32"
Type:
Printed on paper
History:
Approximately the size of an American one-sheet
Large
Size:
47" x 63"
Type:
Printed on paper
Bus
Station/Train Kiosk
Size:
48" x 72"
Type:
Printed on paper
History:
Added in recent years, used in bus shelters and
kiosks.
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Australia
Day-Bills
Size:
13" x 30"
Type:
Almost always folded twice.
History:
Often printed for American-made movies, Australian
day-bills most often have different artwork than
the American distribution for the same film.
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Other
Foreign Countries
You
will also find movie poster items from other foreign
countries on our web site, including India, Belgium
and Italy. The dimensions of foreign posters is
included in the item descriptions.
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