While you do need to catch viewers’ attention with your film poster, it needs to do more than just look good—it needs to entice potential audiences to act. After all, a movie can only be a true hit if people part with their cash and go and see it either in the cinema, on TV, or online.
How to Create a Movie Poster Template
Thankfully, today you don’t need to have a Hollywood budget to create high-quality movie film posters. With a subscription to Envato Elements, you can choose from thousands of film poster templates before downloading them straight to your PC and editing them within Photoshop.
Movie Poster Design Tips
- Make It Stand Out
The movie business is a competitive one—and to catch people’s attention, you need to stand out. Whether it’s picking unusual imagery, bold colors, or a visual snapshot depicting an intriguing narrative, you need to do what you can to make potential viewers stop and take note. - Remember Key Text
It can be easy to get lost in the process of picking striking imagery and colors, but don’t forget to allow space for the essential text. Information like the movie title, tagline, release date, and actors’ names must be legible and complement your design. You don’t want to draw people in and then leave them questioning what movie your poster is actually promoting with the wrong movie font choice. - Consider Other Formats
Of course, your film poster template will be one of the first pieces of collateral potential viewers see. However, that doesn’t mean your design should only work for posters. A strong design could also be adapted for other uses, whether social media, DVD covers, cinema screens, etc.
Movie Poster Design Trends for 2020
- Neon Color Schemes
Expect bold and bright to be taken to a new level as movie posters vie for eyeballs. You can see colors like these used in the Artemis Fowl as well as Last Night in Soho film posters, both set to be released in 2020. - Simplicity
When you have to tell a story on a single page, it’s a real skill to keep things simple. Combining bold fonts and colors with a simple design is expected to be a strong trend for 2020. You can see the technique used in the Black Widow film which is to be released in 2020. - Hidden Photos
When you only have one poster to make an impact, ‘hiding’ photography within photography or graphic elements can be a great way to pack a whole lot of meaning into one space. You can see this technique used within The King’s Man poster, due for release in 2020.
Photoshop Movie Poster Templates
Read on for 10 of the best movie poster templates for use with Photoshop. All featured items are available with a subscription to Envato Elements.
10. Movie Poster by LeafLove
This eye-catching template shows just what can be achieved with a strong image and striking font colors. All objects, colors, and fonts are editable based on the genre of your film, with the current black and gold scheme hinting at a character-led art house film.
Movie Posterby LeafLove in Print Templates
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9. Sci Fi Moving Poster 2 by MJGDesigns
If you’re designing for a sci-fi film, then this cinema poster template could be the perfect choice. Inspired by classic sci-fi posters but with a modern twist, it’s sure to catch the attention of newbies to the genre as well as longer-term fans.
Sci Fi Movie Poster 2by MJGDesigns in Print Templates
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8. Rainy Desert Movie Poster by Pro-Gh
The use of texture in this film poster template helps to set it apart. The rain design looks like it’s coming out of the poster itself—an attention-grabbing tactic. Different font styles and weights also help to draw the eye to important information, the release date placed in the top left-hand corner is particularly effective.
Rainy Desert Movie Posterby Pro-Gh in Print Templates
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7. The End Movie Poster/Flyer by Pro-Gh
If action is what you’re after then this is an ideal Photoshop movie poster template. The scratched design revealing an image below suggests urgency and movement. The graphic overlay is also the perfect spot to include key text.
The End Movie Poster/Flyerby Pro-Gh in Print Templates
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6. Moonish Poster by DusskDesign
This dream-like, futuristic design would work well as a movie poster template. Photography bordered by the silhouette of a face suggests an intense, psychological film. Again, the graphic element provides great real estate to include the movie title and other important information.
Moonish Posterby DusskDesign in Print Templates
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5. Summer Poster by DusskDesign
This fun-loving movie poster template psd screams light-hearted viewing like a rom-com or comedy. The demo examples show how you can easily change the color schemes and background imagery to achieve a different feel.
Summer Posterby DusskDesign in Print Templates
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4. Lightphonic Poster by DusskDesign
Another great example by DusskDesign, this light double exposure design is simple, modern, and artistic in style. You can also see within the demos how adapting the font as well as the placement of typography can affect the overall design.
Lightphonic Posterby DusskDesign in Print Templates
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3. Modern Poster Template by andrewtimothy
This edgy design again cleverly combines graphics with photography, with the cut out of the owl making way for a hidden woodland shot. The sans serif fonts add to the modern aesthetic, which is coupled with super simple illustrations.
Modern Poster Templateby andrewtimothy in Print Templates
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2. The Storm Movie Poster/Flyer by Pro-Gh
Looking to create a poster for a military-themed movie? Here’s a poster design template not to be missed. The imperfect graphic overlay mimics smoke, pulling viewers into the heart of the action. It comes with free fonts, and you can see how a simple border around the text at the top effortlessly draws the eye to the movie’s launch date.
The Storm Movie Poster/Flyerby Pro-Gh in Print Templates
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1. Explorers Flyer Poster by RetroBox
This film poster format has it all. Like some of the previous examples, it effortlessly combines graphics with photography—it’s a simple technique but helps to quickly show viewers what to expect from the film. The concept of the lone wanderer approaching mountains also hints at impending peril, a clever tactic to encourage people to find out what will happen next.
Explorers Flyer Posterby RetroBox in Print Templates
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As you can see, there’s so much variety out there when it comes to picking the movie poster template that’s right for you. For all the templates mentioned in the article plus thousands more, visit Envato Elements.
For the latest updates and information, don’t forget to subscribe to the Envato YouTube channel. For useful tips to take your designs to the next level, watch our related video: 10 Best Photo Effects for Photoshop. Best of luck creating your movie poster, or as they say in the business—break a leg!