The Designer Who Makes Movie Posters Worthy of Museums (2024)

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You’ve seen Dawn Baillie’s posters for thrillers, comedies and dramas outside cineplexes. Now her work is being exhibited at Poster House in Manhattan.

The Designer Who Makes Movie Posters Worthy of Museums (1)

The killer’s knife, a woman cowering before it.

This was typical horror movie box cover stuff before 1991, when Dawn Baillie was asked to design a poster for a cerebral new thriller called “Silence of the Lambs.” She learned it was about a young F.B.I. agent-in-training, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), who enlists the help of an imprisoned serial killer, Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), to solve a case.

“It came to me that I could illustrate ‘Silence’ if Clarice was the ‘lamb’ and the moth — or the bad guys — is what has left her without the right words,” Baillie explained in an email. “I think the poster works in showing vulnerability, strangeness and eeriness.”

In other words, the poster said: This isn’t your typical scary movie.

Starting March 14, Baillie gets marquee billing in a new exhibition, “The Anatomy of a Movie Poster: The Work of Dawn Baillie,” at Poster House in Manhattan. The show, through Sept. 8, takes us from her first poster, “Dirty Dancing” (1987) to “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (2021), for which she was the creative director. Along the way are posters for films as varied as “Zoolander,” “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and “The Truman Show.”

Baillie’s career as a movie poster designer and creative director spans over four decades. Born in 1964, Baillie entered advertising in the 1980s when the industry was dominated by men and posters were mostly made by hand, not computer. After working at the agencies Seiniger Advertising and Dazu, in 1992 she co-founded BLT, the agency behind memorable posters for recent films (“Barbie”), TV shows (“The Last of Us”) and Broadway (“The Music Man”).

Angelina Lippert, the chief curator and director of content at Poster House, called Baillie a “design genius” with a style defined by “effortless simplicity.” Take the poster for “The Silence of the Lambs.”

“It’s visual anxiety that you get when you look at this, which is what makes it indelible,” Lippert said.

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The Designer Who Makes Movie Posters Worthy of Museums (2024)

FAQs

The Designer Who Makes Movie Posters Worthy of Museums? ›

You've seen Dawn Baillie's posters for thrillers, comedies and dramas outside cineplexes. Now her work is being exhibited at Poster House in Manhattan.

What is a poster designer called? ›

A poster designer can also work for graphic design firms or government agencies under different titles like production artist, graphic artist, and illustrator.

What do you call people who make movie posters? ›

Creative Director, Art Director, Graphic Designer, Artist, Illustrator, Photographer, Copy Writer. A poster designer is something of a niche focus, so you could probably just find one by searching for “poster designer”.

Are movie posters worth collecting? ›

Movie posters from 1900-1950s tend to be among the most sought-after, partially due to the rarity of the items, but also due to the quality. With old printing techniques such as the lithographic press being more labour-intensive, the quality is often significantly better than posters released now.

How much does a poster designer cost? ›

With the proliferation of designers online, prices can range from $100 to $150 for basic projects. Keep in mind that these rates are more suitable for entry-level designers. The average price range for poster design varies due to the designer's experience, project complexity, and client needs.

How to get into designing movie posters? ›

The primary qualifications for getting a job in movie poster design are a bachelor's degree in graphic design and some familiarity with movie marketing techniques. A minor in psychology, marketing, or film can help you stand out from other applicants for this role, as can samples from movies in a variety of genres.

What makes a movie poster valuable? ›

TITLE. The most significant factor in the valuation of a movie poster is the film itself. Cinema classics such as Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Singin' in the Rain, Psycho and Some Like it Hot have long been highly prized by poster collectors.

Can you sell movie posters legally? ›

It would depend on the poster. Most are going to be protected by copyright laws and those depend on the country in which you live. You are going to have to do some pretty in depth research and tread carefully if you head down this road.

Are original movie posters a good investment? ›

The majority of older posters have had some restoration work done to them. An unrestored poster in great condition will always be more valuable than one that has had substantial work done. Classic: The posters for films deemed as classic, cult or just plain cool will always make sound investments.

How do you know if a poster is valuable? ›

There are several factors to be considered in determining the value of a print or poster. For example, the printing method used, the rarity, the physical condition of the item, and even the subject matter can all affect an item's value.

Which three things are the most important when making movie posters? ›

A good movie poster design should be eye-catching, creative, and informative.

Do graphic designers do posters? ›

A graphic designer creates posters, bus wraps, billboards, packaging, logos, and marketing materials, depending on the industry—graphic designers work at magazines, advertising and marketing agencies, and more.

What do you call a person who creates flyers? ›

With these design principles and best practices in mind, graphic designers work with an in-depth understanding of a brand and its elements, including text, logos, images, and illustrations. As a graphic designer, you may create: Flyers. Digital banners. Print advertisem*nts.

What is poster marketing called? ›

Flyposting (also known as bill posting) is a guerrilla marketing tactic where advertising posters are put up.

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