Collectors’ Guide
What is an original film poster?
An original film poster is one that was displayed in the cinema or elsewhere at the time of a film’s release. In the UK, it was normally issued by the National Screen Service (NSS) Ltd.
The following message appears in very small print at the bottom of a UK film poster or lobby card:
This copyright advertising material is licensed and not sold and is the property of National Screen Service Ltd. and on completion of the exhibition for which it has been licensed it should be returned to National Screen Service Ltd.
NSS Ltd was sold in 2000 and closed in 2007.
The fact that film posters were printed in limited quantities and not sold is a key reason why they are so rare, collectable and often very valuable today.
As with anything that has a value, there are many fake, reproduction or bootleg film posters in circulation.
So how do you tell if the poster you are thinking of buying is an original?
Below are four things to look out for.
Does the paper look new?
Not all rolled, ‘minty white’ posters are fake, but it is an obvious sign that it could be. Paper ages with time. Also, the type of paper can be a giveaway. US One-Sheets, for example, were printed on quite thin, glossy paper.
What size is the poster?
Original film posters come in standard sizes (see below). Posters that are smaller, even slightly, could be fake. Also, check whether the artwork has been slightly cropped as this can also be an indication that what you are buying is not the real deal.
Is the artwork a little blurry?
It is quite easy and inexpensive today to scan and print a high resolution image, but this was not always the case. Some copies give themselves away simply because the image is blurry or because hairs and specks of dust appear where they shouldn’t. If you are suspicious, compare it with a known original.
What film is it?
If it is a highly collectable poster then it makes sense to apply a higher level of caution. James Bond posters were routinely bootlegged and there are some very good fakes of Star Wars posters doing the rounds. Copies of iconic posters are often openly sold as reproductions, but some are passed off as originals. If the price of that ‘original’ Vertigo poster is too good to be true, it probably is.
Poster Sizes
The most common size for a film poster in the UK is a Quad, which measures 30x40 inches (762x1016 mm). A Quad is a British imperial paper size. Some smaller formats exist as do larger ones such as Giant Flies measuring 65x40 inches. These were intended for display in Underground stations.
In the US, the most common poster size is the One-Sheet. Unlike UK Quads, which are generally landscape, One-Sheets are orientated as portrait and measure 27x41 inches or sometimes 27x40 inches. A Half-Sheet measures 22x28 inches and larger sizes extend up to a Twenty-Four Sheet, printed in 12 sections and measuring a massive 246x108 inches.
Most countries have their own standard sizes and we have included only a few of them here.
The diagrams below show the most common poster sizes as well as standard sizes for Front of House stills or Lobby Cards.