1. Today I am going to look at three
different film magazines. I am doing this
so that I have a better idea of the forms
and conventions of film magazines and
how I can use and challenge them. After
deconstructing the film magazines, I will
look at the similarities and differences,
this will give me an idea of what I could
include on my film magazine.

2. The title of the
magazine has been
altered to match the
featured film on the
cover. The film that
features on the front
cover of this issue is
clearly, ‘Hellboy 2’ and
the title of the magazine
is bold, red and appears
to be on fire to match
the nature of the film
on the front cover. The
red fiery title contrasts
with the black
background and it
stands out well.
This is the sweet spot
of the magazine. It is
one of the main focal
points of the
magazine, along with
the main image and
the title because it
draws the readers eye
to it. On this
magazine, it states
what is inside the
magazine, e.g. ‘Five
star review inside!’
and mentions other
films that feature in
this magazine, for
example, The Hobbit.
Here, in a much smaller
font, but still in red,
keeping with the colour
scheme of this
magazine, it says ‘March
2008’, this date of this
issue and below it also
says ‘£3.80’, the price of
this magazine. This is
important because it
tells the audience how
much the magazine is so
that they can decide
whether or not to
purchase it.
Here, underneath the title of
the magazine and again, in a
much smaller font is the
magazine’s website.
This part of the magazine
works to attract the
audience’s attention and is
specifically targeted at the
target audience. It says ‘40
MOVIES THAT WILL GET YOU
SEX’, therefore suggesting
this issue is aimed at an older
audience due to the content
of the magazine. It can even
be used to warn those that
are of a younger age.

3. This is the main, central
image on the magazine’s
front cover. The image is of
the main actor/character in
the movie Hellboy 2 which
this magazine has featured in
this issue. The image is a
close up shot of the
character, so it clearly shows
who the character is. The
actor looking directly at the
camera, especially with the
fire behind, is very powerful
and engages the audience
immediately.
In a bold font that has a gold
coloured shading to the
background of the box it is in,
reads ‘FIRST LOOK!’, this
connotes exclusivity of the
magazine and encourages
people to purchase it simply
because it’s a FIRST LOOK.
The barcode is positioned in
the bottom left hand corner
so that it doesn’t detract
from the main focal points of
the magazine.
Here, again in a golden font it
reads ‘YOU AND WHOSE
GOLDEN ARMY?’, this is a
play on words. The saying
‘you and whose army?’ and
the film that is featured on
this magazines front cover,
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army.
This adds an element of
humour to the magazine and
is used to capture the
audience’s attention,
especially those that are fans
of the film.
In a bold, white, larger font is
the title of the film that
features in this issue, it is
bold to stand out against the
rest of the magazine to show
the audience exactly what
film is featured if they aren’t
familiar with the actor that is
the main, central image.
At the bottom of the
magazine is says ‘GUILLERMO
DEL TORO GOES EPIC’. This
person is the director of
Hellboy 2, therefore
suggesting that the film itself
is ‘epic’ and creating
excitement.

4. At the very top of the
magazine it says ‘FROM
BATMAN TO START WARS:
THE 50 MUST-SEE
MOVIES FOR SUMMER!”,
in a bold white font, this
captures the audience’s
attention because it
states that it includes a
list of 50 must-see movies
for summer, making them
want to read to find out
what these movies are.
Here it says ‘EVERY NEW DVD AND
FILM REVIEWED’ in a bright red
circle that stands out against the
green background. The word ‘new’
in this sentence convinces the
audience that the magazine is
modern, up to date and one of the
most exclusive because they have
reviews on EVERY NEW film and
DVD.
This is the sweet spot of the
magazine which again tells
about what is included in the
magazine and what features
the audience can expect to
see.
At the top of the page, in a
much larger, bolder font is
the magazine’s title, Total
Film. The large, bold font
makes it one of the main
focal points of the magazine,
informing the audience what
magazine it actually is.
Underneath the title of the
magazine, in a smaller but
still bold font, it says ‘The
Ultimate Movie Magazine’,
the use of the word ultimate
suggests this is the best
movie magazine and you
should purchase this one
rather than any other movie
magazine.
This is the part of the
magazine that states who the
actor on the magazine front
cover is. In large, bold, white
capitals it reads the name of
the actors, informing the
reader who the actor is.

5. Just below the middle of
the magazine, it reads
‘Charlie And The
Chocolate Factory’ which
informs the reader what
the feature of this issue is
and links to the image on
the front cover of the
magazine.
The large image is used as
the background of this
issue. The large close up
image of Johnny Depp as
Willy Wonka again,
visually, informs the
audience what this
magazine’s feature is and
what they can expect
within the contents of the
magazine. The image
works well with the actor
looking directly at the
camera, engaging the
audience.
In bold, capitals, in a darker, grey
coloured font, the magazine
chooses to use the word ultimate
again, showing the magazine is
the best movie magazine and
everything you would need and
want from a movie magazine.
The magazine has chosen
to put the barcode down
the right hand side of the
front cover. This is quite a
different place for a
barcode to be placed as
they tend to be in the
bottom corners on a front
cover. However, because
the barcode is along the
side of the magazine, it
still doesn’t detract from
the main focal points.
At the very bottom of the front
cover, what was mentioned at the
top of the front cover, is
reiterated. In a bold white font, it
begins to list the films that can be
found in the contents of the
magazine, followed by ‘And many
more!’ adding anticipation. There
are purple coloured starts
between the names of the films
that are listed, this gives off the
impression they are famous,
successful, popular films and
again implies exclusivity.

6. At the very top of the
front cover of the
magazine, in quite a large,
grey font it says ‘2007
MUST-SEE MOVIE
PREVIEW’, being in
capitals and the use
‘must see’ creates
anticipation and a sense
of it being exclusive. It
creates a sense of the
magazine being up to
date and modern, being
better than others.
In a very small font, it
reads ‘The Movie
Magazine’ which informs
readers of the purpose of
the magazine, the
contents of the magazine
and the type of magazine
this magazine actually is.
It’s in a smaller font
because it’s not the title
of the magazine and
doesn’t want to be
mistaken for it, it’s simply
to make the purpose of
the magazine clearer to
the reader.
In a bolder, larger, blue font
is the title of the magazine
at the top of the page. This
stands out against
everything else on the front
cover and captures the
reader’s attention,
informing them of the
name of the magazine.
The image used on the
front cover is a close up of
the main actor in the film
that this issue features,
Spider-man 3. The actor is
again looking directly at the
camera, engaging the
reader and giving a sense of
the reader being more
involved in the magazine.
This works well with the,
light grey, dark white
coloured background of the
magazine because it makes
everything else on the front
cover stand out and nothing
clashes with it.

7. Here is the sweet spot of
the magazine. It states
what the content of the
magazine is and suggests
to the reader what they
can expect to see in the
magazine, for example
the years greatest
performances with
Leonardo Dicaprio and
Kate Winslet.
This is the part of the
magazine that states the
name of the film that the
issue features. It is in a
bold, larger, white font
that stands out. The use
of the secrets of makes
the reader want to read
the magazine even more,
especially if they are a fan
of the film. It adds
suspense and
anticipation, making the
reader want to find out
what the secrets are.
This part of the cover
suggests the director (Tobey
Maguire and the write (Sam
Raimi are included in the
issue and reveal some of the
secrets that the issue
promises.
This is almost a second
sweet spot on the front
cover of this magazine. It
includes more
information and detail
about what the reader
can expect to see in the
magazine, allowing the
reader to decide whether
or not they want to
purchase the magazine
and find out more.
Here it says ‘10 BEST MOVIES
OF THE YEAR!’ and for those
that are big movie fans, this
may intrigue them and
encourage them to read the
magazine to find out which
movies have made it into the
top 10 best movies of the year.
This magazines barcode is
placed in the bottom
right hand corner. It is
here so that it doesn’t
detract from the main
focal points and stays ‘out
of the way’ of the rest of
the front cover.

8. I am now going to look at the similarities between the three film magazines to
make myself aware of the forms and conventions of film magazines, giving me an
idea of what I could include on my film magazine front cover for my ancillary task.
Below are the similarities I have noticed:
• All of the magazines have used used a large central image of the main character
that is in the film that is the feature of the magazine. This image is a close up
image.
• All three of the magazines have the title of the magazine at the top of the page.
• They all have a sweet spot, on two of the magazines (Total Film and Premiere)
there is text on both sides of the page.
• They all have a clear colour scheme, none of the colours on the front covers
clash.
• The actor that is the central image is looking directly at the camera in all three
magazines.
• They all have the title of the featured film on them, near the bottom of the page.

9. I am now going to look at the differences between the three film
magazines. This could give me an idea of what to include on my
magazine that some have and others haven’t. Below are the differences I
noticed:
• Only the Empire magazine has the price and issue date on it.
• All of the magazines have their barcodes in different places, however
they are generally kept to the side, out of the way, either in the bottom
corners or right along the side.
• Only the Empire magazine has the magazine’s website on it.
• Both the Premiere magazine and the Total Film magazine state they are
film magazines, however Empire magazine doesn’t.
• Empire magazine and Premiere magazine mention the director and or
writer of the featured film and Total Film doesn’t.

10. After deconstructing the magazines and looking at the similarities and differences between them, I
have been able to make some decisions about my film magazine. It has also allowed me to decide
which forms and conventions of film magazines I want to use and challenge.
I have decided that I am going to challenge the forms and conventions of film magazines by having
more than one person/character on my front cover. I am going to have the main actress as the focal
image and in a medium shot or a close up shot and have the two villains as figures in the distance, to
play on the horror genre of the film.As well as this, I have decided to use the forms and conventions by
keeping the title of my magazine at the top of the page like the other film magazines have. This is
because here I think it is most eye catching and allows space for other text that doesn’t detract from
the main image.
I have also decided to have the issue date and price of my magazine on the front cover, this is to
inform readers of the price of the magazine and what issue it is, only Empire magazine did this, so I
am both using and challenging the forms and conventions of film magazines. The magazine’s website
will also be used below the title of the magazine. I am also going to have the title of my film near the
bottom of the page, this is using the forms and conventions because all of the film magazines I have
looked at have also done this. It’s so that there isn’t too much text at the top of the magazine.
I will also have a sweet spot on my magazine, informing the reader about the content of the magazine
and what sort of features they can expect to see in the magazine. My magazine’s barcode will be in
the bottom left hand corner, this is so that it doesn’t detract from the rest of the magazine and the main
focal points of it, for example, the image, the title of the film and the title of the magazine. I will also
have the name of the director and main actress in my film on my film magazine cover, this is to inform
the reader of the people involved in the film, which could be their favourite actress, encouraging them
to purchase the magazine that has a feature on their new film.