A daybill is one variety of
Australian
film poster
A film poster is a poster used to promote and advertise a film primarily to persuade paying customers into a theater to see it. Studios often print several posters that vary in size and content for various domestic and international markets. Th ...
issued to
cinemas at the time of a film's release. A daybill measures approximately , however during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
some daybills measured because it allowed an additional daybill to fit onto the sheet of paper.
Daybills were folded twice and sold to cinemas for 5 to 10 cents.
[
Until the 1970s, most daybills were printed as lithographs. In the 1960s some posters began copying ]American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
printing
Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master form or template. The earliest non-paper products involving printing include cylinder seals and objects such as the Cyrus Cylinder and the Cylinders of Nabonidus. The ...
techniques to achieve a 'gloss' finish that suited the photographic images that were becoming prevalent in poster design. Today, daybills are printed on thick glossy paper and are much more durable.
Daybills are sought-after by collectors for their rarity and unique artwork. Some of the more famous daybills include:
* Halloween (John Carpenter
John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer. Although he worked in various film genres, he is most commonly associated with horror, action, and science fiction films of the 1970s and 1980s. He ...
, 1978). Features a unique image of villain Michael Myers. Australia was the only country to depict Myers on the poster.
* The Empire Strikes Back
''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a stor ...
( George Lucas, 1980). Features artwork developed in Japan, but considered superior among many collectors.
References
Film and video terminology
Film posters
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