Creating your own sitcom can be a lot of fun. But you will need to find a way of promoting it. There are plenty of ways that you can do this like releasing a fun trailer, getting some write-ups in the newspaper, or having the actors and actresses go on a social media blitz and try to get as many interviews as possible.
However one of the most effective ways to spread the word remains through a poster. A well-executed poster will grab the viewer’s attention and get them to really want to watch the show. Plus, it’s easy to create both a poster for print as well as digital that can be used throughout the internet.
Below you will find the steps that should be taken to really develop an amazing Sitcom Poster Design.
Think About the Selling Points
The first thing that you need to do is decide what the biggest selling point of the show are. This will help determine what the focus of your poster should be.
For example, if you have big-name actors, you’ll want to make sure that they are promoted. On the other hand, you might be filming in a unique location. Sometimes, you will be adapting the show from a pre-existing work, like a book or movie.
Go ahead and develop your “creative brief” and figure out the most compelling aspects of your sitcom. Ask yourself, why would someone watch this show? What do you want the poster to represent? Who is my audience? How do we showcase the plot without giving it away?
You’ll need to make sure that you are communicating these points clearly in your poster and that the poster itself is actually marketable.
Create the Tagline
The next thing that you need to do is create the tagline. This is a line that will sum up the entire show in a sentence. Ideally, it will be the thing that sticks in the viewer’s head. For example, “Genius has side effects”, the tagline for “House M.D.”
Because of how important the tagline is, you must take your time when coming up with it. Here are some tips you can use to find a good one:
- Think about your audience. What resonates with one demographic won’t work for another. The best way to get this right is by talking with your target audience.
- Get attention. Often, your poster will be hanging in a crowded area. You won’t have long to make an impact. Because of this, you need to get a tagline that will instantly get their attention.
- Keep it short. Most people will have a limited attention span, just observing your poster in passing. Because of this, you need to keep it short. Ideally it will be a single sentence. As short as possible.
- Make it emocional. When you are making your tagline, make sure that it makes an emotional impact.
- Learn from the past. There have been plenty of great taglines in the past. You can look at these. See what they did right, and some of the pitfalls to avoid when writing your own.
- Make it memorable. This is the most important element. Each year, there are hundreds of new shows being produced each year. You need to make sure that your sitcom stands out from the pack. This starts with a memorable poster, tagline, and trailer.
Use a Template
You can try designing the poster from scratch. But it’s often best to use a pre-existing template. This will give you a better idea of where to put each of the elements. We have a page dedicated to poster templates and dimensions with some free photoshop files that are ready to go.
Also, you will need some design programs to help you get started. Here you can find the ultimate design tool kit which features both free and paid poster design programs.
Choose a Central Image or Images
Now you should be ready to start designing your poster. The first thing that you need to do is choose the central image. As the name suggests, this is the image that will be featured most prominently on your poster.
This is the most important choice that you will make. This is the main visual that people will see. It is what will give them their first impression of the show. It is often the thing that makes them decide whether they want to watch.
When you are choosing your central image there are a few principles to bear in mind. First, you’ll need to pick something that will give people a good idea of what the show will be about. It’s also important to get something that will be visually striking. This will ensure that people stop and pay attention to your poster.
If you have the budget, you might want to design an image specifically for the poster. As you are doing this, you can consult with your target audience, finding something that would grab their attention. If not, you’ll need to use a frame, or selection of frames, from the show.
One word of advice is to use copyright-protected images when designing your poster. If you are not using your own images and pulling things from the internet you may be setting yourself up for a lawsuit. Always consult with an attorney for legal copyright advice. This article will help clarify posters and copyright.
Plus if you need stock images for your poster this is a very affordable option, Envato Elements.
Plus, it’s a great idea to look at previous sitcom posters to see what was done in the past and to help you mold your ideas now. The best database for this is IMP Awards. It’s perhaps the largest movie and TV poster database on the internet.
Make the Title Stand Out
One of the most important parts of the poster will be the title of the show. There are a few ways that you can make sure that it stands out. This includes:
- Choosing a unique font. The font that you use will help create a strong impression. This is one of the ways that you can convey the tone of the show. I have created suggestions for each genre and the font that could be used. Check these links with the corresponding fonts: Thriller & Suspense, Drama, Science Fiction, Romance, Horror, Comedy, and, Action.
- Pick the right color. You’ll have to choose a color that will contrast with the rest of the poster. This will help the title stand out.
Add Credits
If you are making a TV poster, you can skip this step. But if you are making a sitcom movie, you will need to make sure that you put the credits at the bottom of the screen. This is a good way of showing off the talented people who made the sitcom. As you are doing this, you’ll have to check that you have done this correctly. The last thing you want is for the lead actor’s name to be misspelled.
It’s often best to put this section in capital letters. You’ll need to use a contrasting color, so it’s easy to read. Getting the text size right can be a challenge. It will have to be big enough to read clearly. But you don’t want to make it so large that it takes over the entire poster.
Choosing the correct font is essential as well. You are going to want to use a san serif condensed font. If this sounds confusing you can learn more by reading What Font Do They Use for Movie Poster Credits?
Include a Link to the Trailer
Though the poster is a good way of raising interest, you should aim to get people to watch the trailer. This is what will sell people, convincing them to watch your sitcom. Because of this, you might want to include a link to the trailer. The best way to do this is by using a QR code.
Make a Clear Call to Action
You can’t forget to include a clear call to action. This tells people what you want them to do. This means including a few crucial pieces of information. This is:
- What time the show is on
- When it is released
- How to watch it
Don’t Forget to Include Personality
One of the most common questions people ask during this process is how do you make a fun poster? The best way is to make sure that the poster reflects the personality of the show. Get a fun tagline. Choose an image that makes you smile. Remember to grab people’s attention instantly.
Play around with the way that the poster looks, changing the images and the fonts. Come up with a few options and ask your friends and family for feedback. If you are doing this, you will be able to create a poster that makes an impact and, more importantly, makes you laugh. Ultimately, though, if you like it, other people will end up having a good time too.
Final Thoughts
Creating a sitcom poster won’t be an easy task. There are a lot of things that you will need to consider. However, when done right, it can be a great way to promote your project. If you are looking for more tips to help solidify your design you will want to check out these articles:
- The 9 Rules of Poster Making (and 5 Things You Need to Succeed)
- The Top 5 DPI to Use for Different Posters
- Can Posters Have Words? (And How Many is Too Much?)
- What Are Typographic Movie Posters? (With 15 Examples)
It can also be a great way of making the viewer laugh. Hopefully, these steps have made it easy for you to create an effective sitcom poster. Now all you need to do is print it out and show the world.