The posters main image is a head shot of the films lead actress, Natalie Portman.

By her looking in the camera, a sense of familiarity is built with the character and the people who will consequently see the poster. This is a clever way in promoting the film, as Natalie Portman is already engaging with the audience.

Black Swan

The colouring of the poster is plain, with the background simply white, almost blending in with the actress face. This could portray a sense of insanity, a theme coincidently in the film. This meaning, the character of Nina is becoming victim to her insanity (the plain white background).

It is evident Natalie Portmans make up and image, despite her pure white face, is dark. This is juxtaposition to the norm of a swan, suggesting in the poster that the themes in the film are not the norm of a ballet film but are exposed dark natures of the industry.

In the main image of the poster, Natalie Portman is seen to be wearing a tiara. Through the dark make up it can be suggested that the tiara is an emphasis of her insanity proving triumphant in the storyline of the film, and this is a motif for the audience. The films title is placed near the bottom of the poster. It can be argued that they have done this so that the audience are initially drawn to Natalie Portman looking into the camera (at them) and then to what the film actually is.

In relation to the posters image being a close up of Nina from the face to the top of her shoulders, it can be suggested that this has been done to emphasise the negative attributes her character has developed from becoming the black swan.

A chiaroscuro effect has been used on the lighting of the poster. This consequently creates shadow on Ninas face, and the effect of this is to create negative and isolated themes as apparent in the film.

The typography of the title is simplistic and in sans serif form. The fact it is written in black is a connotation of negativity yet strength, implying the strength of Ninas ballet yet the obstacles she has to overcome.