This document analyzes conventions of magazine front covers and film posters. It discusses typical elements such as house style, mastheads, cover images, barcodes, and feature articles. It provides examples of magazine covers from Total Film and Little White Lies to illustrate conventions like prominent imagery and unique design. Film posters are also examined, noting common elements like title treatment, actor credits, and straplines that relate the visuals to the movie. Overall, the document explores design conventions to inform the creation of ancillary products that effectively promote publications and films.
2. Main features of a Magazine front cover:
• House style
• Masthead
• Main Image
• Cover Story
• Bar Code
• Left third
• Cover Lines
3. The Masthead of
this magazine cover
is simplistic but
stands out which is
something I like. I
like the fact that it is I like that the
the House Style for photograph used
the magazine, within this
meaning that it has magazine has
a distinctive design been used in
that distinguishes it black and white
from other as it stands out
magazines. and is one of the
main features. It
The colours on the also makes the
magazine gives the titles and other
connotations that big writing stand
the film would be out. It has also
horror due to it used a close up
being red and of the person to
black, however the draw more
viewer sees that it attention to the
is more of a picture.
science fiction from
4. The use of the
drop capitals help
the strap line to This is the Masthead
stand out and it of the Magazine
informs the which is also iconic
audience of the as its name in this
magazine what is font is used on all of
included. its magazine covers.
The picture is the
first thing the viewer The main aspect I
notices, it has been personally like about
made big and bold this poster is the
to stand out and photo used and how
makes it more it is a full body
noticeable for the photo, instead of a
viewer. The costume close up. I also like
that has been used how the photograph
is also an icon as it is iconic of the film
represents the its from through the
costumes used use of costume.
within the film itself.
5. The photograph
The use of the within this
buzz word ‘Free’ magazine is
helps draw in the obvious due to its
readers interest size and also the
to the magazine. composition,
however because
the rest of the
Again with the cover has a lot of
magazine cover writing and other
the Masthead images on the
has been kept magazine it draws
the same which the attention away
is part of its from the main
House Style. I image.
think the name is
a really simplistic The mode of
idea but it works address for this
well. magazine is fairly
simplistic and the
writing has been
made bigger and
bolder to appeal
to the audience.
6. Analysis of magazine front covers
There are several conventions of a magazine
front cover which I will also need to include
within my own ancillary products in order to
make it realistic and for the audience to know
that it is a magazine front cover. Like every
other magazine, this one has its own house
style that makes that magazine recognisable
to its audience. In this case the title of the
magazine is part of it’s house style as it is
instantly recognisable from the colour and font
as to what magazine it is from.
This magazine also includes buzz words such
as ‘hot’ to engage their audience. It also
includes prices, barcodes, date/ month and
website on the front cover which are always
included. These are all aspects that I will need
to include on my own front cover in order for it
to be successful and look like something of a
close likeness to the real thing.
7. Total Film is another big film magazine, which is easily recognisable
through its house style of the way in which the name is put onto the
magazine with the ‘Total’ being inside the ‘f’ of the word film. Because of
this it makes the magazine instantly recognised to its audience.
A typical convention is having a main image and cover story which is
again instantly recognisable within this magazine which is something I
intend to do within my own work. The image covers 2/3 of the page which
is very common for a magazine front cover.
The use of inside stories are also used on the front cover of the
magazine, which can be seen within this example.
Little Whit Lies is another magazine that focuses on films. Unlike most
other magazines it doesn’t follow all the typical conventions of inside
stories, cover stories, buzz words and other images. Instead it has one
main image, the title, barcode and the featured film on it, which these
things do follow the typical conventions. I find this magazine front cover
interesting and unique which is why I think it would stand out from the
other two magazine front cover examples I have used. I also like the way
in which the photograph has been manipulated so that it doesn’t look like
any other ordinary photos.
8. These are three film posters that all show the typical conventions of what should be included. In a film
poster there are several features included such as the steel tongs font at the bottom, the title of the film, an
image that is 2/3 of the page, the actors names and a strapline. These features are all conventional of a
film poster and all help to relate the poster to the actual film and trailers produced.
A strapline is often used to tie in the concept of the film to the poster helping it to relate again. The image
used usually represents the genre of a film which is also very helpful to the intended audience of the film.