Once you see it you won't unsee it: The blue/orange poster saga

[Kaboose the Moose]

Movie posters. We have all seen them either in flesh or on the internet but how many have really seen those posters..I mean really seen them?. On closer inspection it appears to me that Hollywood has a weird fetish for two particular colours; blue and oranage. The sheer useage of it is mind boggling.

Don't believe me?. Click the following link to see what I am talking about (Click pic to enlarge):

http://i.imgur.com/eTDM4.jpg
[small]I don't want to link it here directly because it's a large image and I don't want to strain the server[/small].

And there is more:

Spoiler: Like these

Spoiler: And even the firefox logo

Anyway the point is, has Hollywood used the colour scheme from some obscure trichromatic chart..like..this:

I get it that orange/blue may have some complimentary connotations such as blue been ?cool? and orange been ?enthusiastic? and ?energetic.? But really, I don't see any reason for this blue/orange overload.

Do you?. Or perhaps any of you have a reason for why this is so?.

 

[atomicmrpelly]

Interesting. I've never noticed this before! There must be a psychological reason for it, that they think it'll make more people come see their movie. Either that or there are just so many movie posters that you could say this about any colour scheme!

 

[VanQ]

FFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

 

[Mr Companion]

I see, that is genuinely quite interesting. Ill look out for that in future.

 

[grimsprice]

I'm with VanQQish...

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

Now i'll see it everywhere!!!

 

[Sad Robot]

Using two colours to compliment each other like you said isn't something new or rare. People do it all the time everywhere. I'm sure you could pick another set of two colours and come up with dozens of movie posters or what ever based on them.

 

[Raven's Nest]

I can't remember the exact term for it, but they are a natural compliment to eachother. You can sometimes see it in your prephiral vision...

For example if you were to stare at the centre of a red circle for long enough you would eventually see an aura of light blue around it. I'm not sure why, but certain colours just seem to do it.

Blue and orange have long been known to look good with eachother and I suspect Hollywood use them because they are the most naturally eye-catching colours. Probably because they rarely appear together naturally.

I'll let someone else step in and do the science part...

 

[Puzzles]

Since I'm doing a marketing degree this is quite relevent and interesting. I haven't learn't too much about colour beyond your basic reds promoting hunger etc.

Perhaps just a coincidence due to the orange sun, and blue sky? I mean, a lot of those posters have a sun in the background.

 

[Abedeus]

Ot regisera fialma "Titanik"...

sorry, what were you saying? I was too busy reading Russian. Maybe it never occured to you, but... sun is often ORANGE. And before the dawn, it's pretty BLUE. So you should also complain to the universe itself that it uses orange/blue so damn often, at least twice a day.

 

[Ciarang]

Oh wow, epic mind****

Now I'm going to see it all over the place!

 

[Jonny49]

I was told in art that apparently blue and orange/yellow are the two colours that go together best. I can't remember why though.

That colour scheme is on the Daybreakers poster as well.

 

[SomethingUnrelated]

O_O Fffffffff-

Upon reading that strip, I have spotted 3 Orange/Blue things in my room....

 

[King_Julian]

the escapist itself has a good bit of blue and yellow in it.

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

Ot regisera fialma "Titanik"...

sorry, what were you saying? I was too busy reading Russian. Maybe it never occured to you, but... sun is often ORANGE. And before the dawn, it's pretty BLUE. So you should also complain to the universe itself that it uses orange/blue so damn often, at least twice a day.

Oh do carry on!. I am (no genuinely) captivated by that answer. It was most refreshing and I use the word refreshing quite wrongly here.

However, consider this:

a) Not every poster represents the sky and sun but still employ the blue/orange spectrum.

b) And even those that do use the "sky and the sun" as a backdrop usually finds the patterns repeating. So why oh why does Hollywood insist on depicting it all the time?. Is there nothing else in the movie that is worth depicting than that?. What does the sky and sun represent in those posters that makes it worth printing over and over again..constantly?.

In short why is the sky and sun always in these posters..and before you say, "well it's because it's all around us" I would think an ad company would want to spend precious resources and printing space on selling the fans on something more along the lines of content than in contrast.

In short I am not complaining the sky is blue and the sun is orange, I am merely finding out why these patterns are so important in these posters.

 

[Dragonearl]

It just seems to be a color scheme that mirrors real life I guess. I am not sure, it's very interesting though. Even the escapist has an blue and orange theme going no?.

Well the sky is blue and fire is orange.

For Transformers the latter is something Michael Bay throws around like a bag of food at a homeless shelter.

Ot regisera fialma "Titanik"...

sorry, what were you saying? I was too busy reading Russian. Maybe it never occured to you, but... sun is often ORANGE. And before the dawn, it's pretty BLUE. So you should also complain to the universe itself that it uses orange/blue so damn often, at least twice a day.

Which brings the question why is the sun in every picture?. Look at all those posters that have either a noon day sun or a rising/setting sun.

Very interesting. Must look into it.

 

[Lazy Kitty]

Never noticed that before.
*Looks at Star Wars: Episode III Poster*
*Notices blue lightsabers and orange lava*

Well, it's something different than the old Red+Black+White color scheme.

 

[Cargando]

Hmmm. Possibly it's because two excellent contrasting colours that simultaneously can be easily placed toghether, yet looks nice? Or maybe they have psychological effects on people?

Damn, I really want to fine out now.

 

[thepj]

bloody hell you're right, i never noticed o.o'

i think really it's probably used due to the fact that they kind of clash and compliment at the same time if that makes any sence?

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

It just seems to be a color scheme that mirrors real life I guess. I am not sure, it's very interesting though. Even the escapist has an blue and orange theme going no?.

Well the sky is blue and fire is orange.

For Transformers the latter is something Michael Bay throws around like a bag of food at a homeless shelter.

Ot regisera fialma "Titanik"...

sorry, what were you saying? I was too busy reading Russian. Maybe it never occured to you, but... sun is often ORANGE. And before the dawn, it's pretty BLUE. So you should also complain to the universe itself that it uses orange/blue so damn often, at least twice a day.

Which brings the question why is the sun in every picture?. Look at all those posters that have either a noon day sun or a rising/setting sun.

Very interesting. Must look into it.

Also if you look at the example posters, all excluding Hulk, Spider Man and Spy kids (that have either a green or red spectrum added to it) have the same blue/yellow mixture, even in the clothes or title text. Even if that isn't the case then the fore colours are muted to bring out the background colours.