FILM

MAGAZINE

ANALYSIS

FRONT

COVERS

THE BASICS

The barcode is positioned on the right hand side in a vertical fashion so it does not obstruct or steal focus away from the main image.

The barcode is often necessary for the sale of the magazine and therefore it is

a requirement which denotes professionalism.

The date of release, price and issue number of the magazine appear above the masthead. They are in a smaller font so

they do not steal attention away from the main images or cover lines. In addition, they are the last things the target audience

of film lovers would notice which is a clever tactic as their attention has been captured by the main image, their interest has been heightened with the

cover lines and then the price is the final piece of information they look at but at this point they are engrossed in the

magazine so they are willing to pay £3.99 for the magazine.

The higher price of the magazine, when compared to weekly magazines, shows that the audience can expect quality

and focused attention on the target audience’s interests.

The website of the magazine is included under the date of release, issue number and

price yet it is in a bigger font. This is not only so the

audience can view more information about the

magazine and it’s articles but also because people who have

newly discovered the magazine can see that it is a

reputable company as the mention of a website makes

the magazine look more professional.

LEFT-SIDE THIRD

The cover line for this magazine front cover is ‘Massive 2010 preview’ which can be recognised as it

is the biggest font in the left-side third and it is positioned in the sweet spot so it is the first piece of

text that the target audience’s eyes are drawn to. The text is all in capitals which helps make it stand out

against the lower text as it establishes it’s importance. Furthermore, the writing is in white which helps it to

stick out against the dark background thus, becoming more visible to potential readers.

The text above the cover line is read almost as an afterthought as it is neither in capitals or a large font. It does, however, include prominence as it mentions Johnny Depp which would appeal to

perhaps a wider audience because he is a popular actor and ‘sex-symbol’ to many women. The whole of the left-side third is started off with a puff which

is ‘World exclusive’. The puff stands out against the dark background as it is black writing that is framed in a yellow box. This would capture the attention of

the target audience and attract them as they are told that this information isn’t available anywhere

else.

LEFT-SIDE THIRDThe left-side third on this magazine is all about the main article therefore the information below the cover line is related to the ‘World exclusive’ and

there is no secondary lead. The word ‘starring’ fits in with the colour palette of white and yellow but still

manages to stand out as it is one of the larger fonts due to it being a sub-heading. The consistent colour palette helps to link the cover together and therefore

keeps the reader focused on the information they are viewing. The list below has been carefully

selected to appeal to all film lovers as it displays a range of genres from action to comedy. In addition

they were some of the most anticipated films of 2010 thus, the potential readers would want to find

out about them.

This text is smaller again but the colouring helps it to be noticeable as well as the simple layout which makes it easy to read. The use of a plug, ‘and 38

more…’, also helps to tell the reader what they can expect inside plus, it leaves a sense of mystery

about what the other films are so it temps the target audience to buy the magazine.

TOP AND BOTTOMAt the top of the magazine is a banner. The banner of the

magazine front cover is offering a freebie which would attract the target audience as

they are getting free merchandise when they

purchase the magazine. The banner is very noticeable as it

is above the masthead, in capitals letters and in a large

colourful font- all of which help it to stand out from other

information. The free gift is relevant to this edition as Iron Man 2 is featured in the 2010 preview and thus, this would

be alluring to the target audience as they know that similar goods will soon be

appearing to coincide with the release of the new film.

The menu strip at the bottom of the front cover gives the potential reader an indication of what they can also expect from the magazine. The names/

topics have been carefully selected and only the most appealing features of the

magazine’s contents make it onto the front cover. In

this instance, the menu strip includes two big Hollywood names that would appeal to a wide audience as well as

the topic of a ‘Blue-Ray special’ which will entice the target audience as they will wonder what the special is.

Also, Blue-Ray is a new technology which enhances the film and therefore this

would appeal to the magazine’s target audience.

IMAGEThe main feature picture is very colourful so it is able to stand out against the darker background and

therefore it almost creates a 3D effect. This in turn appeals to the reader because the image

catches their attention. Furthermore, the character is in front of the masthead

which gives him prominence over anything

else on the front cover. This indicates that the

magazine is so well known that they do not feel the

need to make their name more noticeable than

anything on the cover.

The character pictured corresponds with the cover

line which makes the magazine look more professional because

everything is related and thus, it is easy for the

audience to understand. The person featured in the main picture is in character

which attracts the target audience because it

indicates that the feature is about the film and not the life of the individual actor.

The technical codes, for example the lighting, help to convey the genre of the film and the personality of the character. He is very

well lit and colourful which connotates that he is a comical character and the film he stars in is funny as there are no dark

shadows or low key lighting which suggests the film is cheery not gloomy.