Year 8 - Movie Posters Creation 2 - Canva - 2026 (SCITT) 8B3

• Computing
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)

Year 8 - Movie Posters Creation 2

KO - Understand the anatomy of a poster

1. Main Image / Hero Shot - Establishes character and tone. Often the lead actor or key visual symbol.
2. Title / Typography - Font style signals genre — scratchy for horror, bold for action, elegant for drama.
3. Tagline - A short, memorable phrase that hooks the audience. Creates mystery or excitement.
4. Colour Palette  - Dark blues/greens = thriller. Bright/warm = comedy. Washed out = dystopia.
5. Billing Block - Small text at the bottom — actors, director, production company, rating.
6. Studio Logos - Warner Bros, Universal, A24 etc. — signals production quality and budget.

Which is easier to use in your opinion, Photopea or Canva?

In Photopea/Canva, how do you control
the size of your picture??

Last lesson...

1. You got a back ground and hero
2. You opened Photopea and created you A4 poster canvas
3. You attempted to remove the background of your hero character.

Continue with PhotoPea and master your skills on slide 10 of this link

OR, open Canva and master your skills from slide 10 of this link

This lesson...

1. You'll be given a Canva template
2. You'll remove the background of the hero.
3. You'll add some props - extras around your hero.
4. You'll start on effects and text.

Galactic Rift

click me!

Great Pet Escape

click me!

Your Mission

Create a movie poster with one of the following scenarios without AI and only with Creative commons images

 

Scenario 1: Sci-Fi Thriller – Galactic Rift - if you are starting from the beginning use this workbook to help guide you

Tagline: "A portal has opened. Not everyone will survive."

Plot: In the year 3025, Earth’s greatest minds face a catastrophe when a mysterious rift appears in space, unleashing an unstoppable alien force. With time running out, a lone pilot and a brilliant scientist must journey beyond the stars to close the rift and save humanity.

Key Elements for Poster:

• Dark cosmic backgrounds with swirling galaxies
  
• Futuristic spaceships, glowing blue or green energy
  
• Main characters in futuristic suits silhouetted against the rift
  
• Dramatic title font with metallic textures

Your Mission

Create a movie poster with one of the following scenarios without AI and only with Creative commons images

Scenario 2: Comedy Family Adventure – The Great Pet Escape - if you are starting from the beginning use this workbook to help guide you

Tagline: "Sometimes the smallest heroes have the biggest adventures."

Plot: When the pets of a sleepy little town get accidentally loaded onto a delivery truck bound for a distant city, a brave pug named Biscuit, a mischievous parrot, and a clever hamster must band together to find their way home. Chaos and laughter ensue as they encounter city life and new friends.

Key Elements for Poster:

• Bright, vibrant colours
• Cartoon-style or realistic animals in comical poses
• City landmarks and humorous visual gags (like a hamster on a skateboard)
• Fun, bold title font

Checkpoints

Checkpoint 1: Choose and plan your poster then collect assets for your poster - you can use AI for titles, props and heroes but NOT the WHOLE poster.

Checkpoint 2: Open photopea/canva and use an A4 print/Flyer

Checkpoint 3: Add assets like a backdrop, a hero and remove the background for the hero.

Checkpoint 4: Like your hero, bring in props for you poster

Checkpoint 5: Move and your character and props into positions to make it stand out.

Checkpoint 6: Add your text title, billing block and tag line

Check point 7: Add effects like shadow, lighting and colour changes to your poster so it looks like it "belongs" togehter

Examples

Credit

https://youtu.be/9TOzdYTRA3Y

https://youtu.be/eHy0tVKtH3k

Checkpoints

Checkpoint 1: Choose and plan your poster then collect assets for your poster - you can use AI for titles, props and heroes but NOT the WHOLE poster.

Checkpoint 2: Open photopea/canva and use an A4 print/Flyer

Checkpoint 3: Add assets like a backdrop, a hero and remove the background for the hero.

Checkpoint 4: Like your hero, bring in props for you poster

Checkpoint 5: Move and your character and props into positions to make it stand out.

Checkpoint 6: Add your text title, billing block and tag line

Check point 7: Add effects like shadow, lighting and colour changes to your poster so it looks like it "belongs" togehter

Name a way you can remove
the background.

Checkpoints

Checkpoint 1: Choose and plan your poster then collect assets for your poster - you can use AI for titles, props and heroes but NOT the WHOLE poster.

Checkpoint 2: Open photopea/canva and use an A4 print/Flyer

Checkpoint 3: Add assets like a backdrop, a hero and remove the background for the hero.

Checkpoint 4: Like your hero, bring in props for you poster

Checkpoint 5: Move and your character and props into positions to make it stand out.

Checkpoint 6: Add your text title, billing block and tag line

Check point 7: Add effects like shadow, lighting and colour changes to your poster so it looks like it "belongs" togehter

What part was the most
difficult for you in poster creation
today?