24 Apr 2024

What it takes to make a great movie poster

From Nights, 10:18 pm on 24 April 2024

Henry Erdman is a graphic designer working in Hollywood.

He's designed posters for some of the biggest blockbuster films of the past decade, including Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), Tenet (2020), and The Boy and the Heron (2023).

But making his way in the industry required some creative thinking.

He joins Emile Donovan from Los Angeles to share how movie posters get made, and what makes a successful poster.

Two images side by side. On the left is a picture of Henry Erdman outdoors by a scenic lake. He smiles at the camera. On the right, a red and white stylised movie poster for Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Henry Erdman got his start in Hollywood movie posters by telling his employer he knew how to use Photoshop - when he didn't. Photo: Henry Erdman