How did the ‘Floating Heads’ film poster design evolve from innovative to cliché, and what does this reveal about creativity in contemporary film marketing? ​

Practice-based dissertation

3,000 words with three film poster redesigns

 

My dissertation explores how the ‘floating heads’ film poster style evolved from an innovative storytelling tool into one of the most overused clichés in modern film marketing. I examine how celebrity culture, industry hierarchy and digital production shaped this shift, revealing how commercial pressures often limit creativity. Alongside the written research, I redesigned three well-known posters to show how mood, symbolism and visual narrative can offer stronger creative alternatives.

 

The project also reflects on the broader role of designers within commercial systems, questioning how much autonomy is possible when working within established marketing formulas. By challenging a familiar visual convention, my research highlights the importance of concept-led design and the value of pushing past templates to rediscover originality in contemporary visual communication.