Blog Post 33 - What Makes A Postcard?

Continuing on the trend of minor projects, what makes a postcard? Straight from the USPS website, a postcard is sized at “At least 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches long x 0.007 inch thick” and “No more than 4-1/4 inches high x 6 inches long x 0.016 inches thick.” One side is typically covered with a full design, maybe an advertisement or just something pretty, while the other side is often split in two. One half is to write a note on/hold more information on, and the other half is to write the address and place a stamp.

Postcards for film festivals specifically are used in order to spread information about a film. They can be passed out to people and they should present information about the film in an easy to understand way. Postcards are also easy to produce and don’t take up too much space, so they make a very efficient form of advertising. 

(You've probably seen these state postcards a bunch before)

So what are the conventions of a film postcard specifically? First and foremost is obviously the title. You can’t advertise your film if they don’t even know its name after all. The title should be bold and stand out compared to the background, because if your audience only remembers one thing, it might as well be the movie name. Another feature often near the title is the directors name. People showcasing at these festivals are often doing it to pursue a career in film and get their name out there in the industry, so they need to credit themselves on their card. Other ways to credit themselves is by mentioning their production studio, so people can start to recognize it and see/find both new and old works easier, social media handles, where they’ll often have past/feature works, advertising, and means of contact. Phone numbers and emails can also be used as contact in order for aspiring director to make business connections as well as friends in the industry. Ethos can also be created by showing off good reviews and awards the film has won, as people will be more persuaded to check out the film if its made clear that others have deemed it a good work.

The actual background is what’s probably the second most important part, right after the title. The image, as well as the composition and color scheme that comes with it should imply what the story is about, the genre and overall feel, and just be generally aesthetically pleasing to look at. That image is also going to be most likely what draws the audience in to even give interacting with the film a try. Short blurbs can also assist with informing the reader what your plot is about, as its hard to get someone invested if they don’t even know what they’re going to be invested in. Finally, make sure your postcard states what time your film will be screened at. People attend film festivals to watch the films, so why do all that advertising without actually telling them when they can see it?

With all these conventions in mind, some postcard planning can be done soon!