Ancillary Text Research (Film Poster)

Film Posters and their origin 

As it's name suggests, it is a poster created to promote and advertise an upcoming feature film. Film posters are simple and normally contain image and text; Studios would often create several posters which vary in size and content to cater for various markets across the globe.

Posters in modern times would feature the main actors/actresses in the film but just before the 1990s Film Posters were nothing but mere illustrations. Posters usually feature the title of the film in big, all caps text and very often the name of the actors and the writer of the film.
Film Posters can be found mostly in film theatres, they can also be found on the street, in shops, schools etc.

In research I've come to find out that film trailers were originally produced for exclusive use by studios for exhibitions in film theatres and were required to be returned to the distributor after the film left the trailer.

In the United States Film Posters were usually returned to the NSS or National Screening Service which printed and distributed most of the film posters for the studios between 1940 and 1984. The NSS regularly recycled posters that were returned and send them back out to be used again by another film threatre and during this period a film could remain in circulation for several years. Posters which weren't returned would normally be thrown away but some ended up being collected. 

Types of Film Posters and Sizes

Lobby Cards

These are similar to posters but smaller, usually 11x14 inches (28x36cm) or 8x10 inches prior to 1930. Lobby cards are collected by some and their value depends on their age, quality and popularity. 

Teaser Poster

A teaser poster is an early promotional film poster containing a simple image design without revealing too much information such as the plot, theme and characters. It's purpose is to make the target audience aware of the film and generate anticipation. It may include a tagline and bear a symbol representative of the film or just the film title. Another variation would be to have the main character of the film, looking away (from the screen) at something in the distance. 

Character Poster

For films with an ensemble cast there may be a set of character posters, each character being featured on their own poster. It usually contains the name of the actor played and may include a tagline reflective of the character's persona. 

Film Poster Sizes
Here is a list of different Film Poster sizes of different countries across the world (Sourced from wikipedia.org)

United States

• One sheet, 27 inches by 40 inches (686x1020mm), portrait format
• Bus stop or subway poster, 40 inches by 60 inches (1016mm x 1524mm), portrait format

The following sizes were in common use in the United States prior to the mid-1980s, but have since been phased out of production. 

• One sheet, 27 inches by 41 inches (686x1040mm), portrait format (this size is one inch longer than the modern One sheet)
• Display (aka Half-sheet), 22 inches by 28 inches (559x711mm), landscape format
• Insert, size 14 inches by 36 inches (356x914mm), portrait format
• Window Card, 14 inches by 22 inches (356x559mm), portrait format; typically has blank space at top to accommodate promotional text for local theatre
• Two sheet, 41 inches by 54 inches (1040x1370mm), either landscape format or portrait format
• Three sheet, 41 inches by 81 inches (1040x2060mm), portrait format; usually assembled from two separate pieces
• 30x40, 30 inches by 40 inches (762x1016mm), portrait format
• 40x60, 40 inches by 60 inches (1016x1524mm), portrait format
• Six sheet, 81 inches by 81 inches (2060x2060mm), a square format; usually assembled from four separate pieces
• Twenty four sheet, 246 inches by 108 inches (6250x2740mm), landscape format often called a billboard

United Kingdom

• Quad, size 30 inches by 40 inches (762x1020mm), landscape format
• Double crown, size 20 inches by 30 inches (508x762mm), portrait format
• One-sheet, size 27 inches by 40 inches (686x1020mm), portrait format
• Three sheet, size 40 inches by 81 inches (1020x2060mm), portrait format

Australia

• Daybill, size 13 inches by 30 inches (330x762mm), portrait format (before the 1960s, Daybills were 36 inches long)
• One sheet, size 27 inches by 40 inches (685.8x1016mm), portrait format