KiDULTHOOD Poster Analysis

Star rating and a quote which uses emotive language is added on each poster to entice the audience to come and watch the film. Much more space is dedicated for the reviews instead of actors names. This is because the film had a low budget, meaning that the actors will be unknown and relatively new to the film world. Their names are not a major selling point of the film and neither are the institutional information which are produced in small print.

The medium long shot allows the viewer to see all the characters in full length as well as the majority of the background, ensuring that the audience has an idea of what sort of character and settings the film uses. The characters are looking straight down the camera lens making them seem intimidating and aggressive.

The costumes of the characters help us build a stronger idea about their lives. All the boys wear hoodies, which is stereotypical of teenagers living in urban areas. Such clothing is associated with gangs of young lads - this hints to the audience the possible themes present in the film (gangs, guns, drugs, violence). The girls haven't been over sexualised or dressed up, hinting that the film will focus mostly on the boy’s conflicts. All of their clothes look normal and worn suggesting that they come from working class background. 

In both posters, one of the characters (Sam) is clearly portrayed as an antagonist holding a baseball bat. This prop is conventional of urban dramas, it connotes violence and destructiveness. Having the character holding it provides an action code suggesting that he may use it in the film. He is also one of the two characters who are standing up, the other boy being the main character. This signifies their importance in the narrative.  To contrast, one of the boys is sat on the floor, looking defenceless. This suggests that the film also has themes of inferiority and vulnerability.

This image has been heavily edited to give the image a threatening feeling. High key lightning is used in both posters - the darkness and dimness indicates the darkness of the film and the constant struggles the teenage characters face. However, the sunlight is slightly shining through the clouds, reflecting the teenagers trying to break through into adulthood. The light also suggests their hopes of things getting better and their lives improving.