Since one of my ancillary tasks is to create a movie magazine front cover, i have decided to deconstruct some existing film magazines in order to get an idea of what is already in the market in order for my work to look as professional as possible. My first movie magazine choice is Total Film.
Main image:
The main image is placed directly in the center of the page and is partially covering the title of the magazine; amplifying the importance of the image, making it the primary focus and what the viewer immediately looks at. The purpose of making this the primary focus is to immediately promote the film. An engaging image, such as this one showing Matt Damon, means that it succeeds in doing so, as he has a large fan base and will attract many people into paying attention to the magazine. Additionally, the image itself is exciting and intense. The mode of address is direct, and the seriousness of Mat Damon’s face creates the impression that he is heroic man. This is furthermore emphasized by his military-like uniform, which gives off the impression of authority and protection.
Masthead:
The masthead uses the rule of thirds and takes up the entire top third of the magazine cover. It is in big bold letters and is partially covered by the main image, however just because it is covered, does not take away any attention from it, as it is still very easy to read. When companies cover up a section of their mast head, it is usually because they have faith that the magazine is well distributed enough that people will recognize it without having to read the entire tite. A smaller company on the other hand wouldn't partially cover their magazines masthead, as they would want it to get more recognition first. When doing my magazine, i want it to look as professional and well established as possible, therefore i think i will partially cover it.
Font:
The majority of text on this front cover is bold, and the words stand out just as much as the main image does in my opinion. The types of font used are very simple, standard fonts, which gives off the impression that the magazine is trying to get across that they don't need fancy presentation tools and customized fonts to deliver a magazine with good content. The largest fonts on the page are for the 'total film' title and 'valkyrie', as these are the two most important segments of the poster; the masthead of the magazine and the title of the film that's being promoted.
Colour Scheme:
The use of an obvious colour scheme (blue, white and black) allows the cover to look fresh and formal, much like the context of the main image (A figure in the military is expected to look smart and formal.) The dark background helps the whites and the light blues to stand out and contrast against it, thus making it easier for the viewer to read. The majority of text on the page is white, however 'valkyrie' is the big main word that is blue, which emphasizes the importance of this on the page.
Essential information:
Essential information for a magazine consists of the price, issue number, date and barcode. Something i like about this magazine cover is that the issue number, date and price are all located in the space available in the letter 'M'. I think it's very efficient as it is not taking up any more space than necessary, while also making the Title of the magazine seem less sparce. The barcode is towards the bottom of the magazine and has been rotated 90 degrees in order to take up less room. These are all features i will include when i create my own magazine.
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This is my second deconstruction of a film magazine front cover, however this time, it is Empire magazine. I think it is important to do deconstructions for film magazines because one of my ancillary tasks is to create a film magazine, therefore i need to analyze existing magazines in order to see what kind of conventions i need to include in my own product.
Main Image:
The main image of this magazine is very enticing and powerful. It is positioned directly in the center of the magazine and covers the entire middle column of the rule of thirds concept. Because of this, it is the first thing the viewer sees when they look at the magazine, as it is the immediate focal point. Also, the mode of address is very direct, as Captain America is staring directly at the camera (and the viewer). It is very recognizable as Captain America from Marvel as he is holding his signature shield and super hero uniform. This will attract existing fans of marvel super-heroes, and may entice these fans to buy the magazine.
Masthead:
The Masthead ("Empire") is wrote in large, bold capital letters. This is useful because it is one of the most essential features of the magazine, therefore it needs to be large and loud in order to show off the title of the magazine when it's sold on shelves. It is partially covered by the main image, which is a sign that the magazine is well established and well recognized. For example, the entire 'P' in the word empire is covered by Captain America's head, but it does not matter because the viewer still recognizes it to say 'empire', this is because it is a very popular magazine that most people have already seen before.
Color Scheme:
There are 4 main colors on this magazine front cover; red, blue, grey and white. This is appropriate as these colours also make up the color scheme of Captain America's uniform, as his body suit is grey and blue and his shield contains the colors red and white. By linking these two together, it makes the main image really fit in with the rest of the cover, and it emphasizes the fact that this magazine is focusing on the film Captain America.
Puff:
This magazine contains a puff in the bottom right corner, as it is advertising that there is a 'Big Scarface Special' on offer. I think puffs are good for film magazines as it is layered over all the other things on the page, therefore it stands out and attracts viewers to pay attention to it. Sometimes these will advertise a chance to win prizes, which i think is very effective and it is something i would like to use on my own magazine.
Essential information:
Essential information for a magazine consists of the price, issue number, date and barcode. On this particular magazine, all of these features are placed in the same area, just underneath the masthead. I think this is quite effective compared to the usual bottom corner positioning because it fills in more space, and i think it looks a lot better and more exciting when the magazine is busy. These are all features i will include when i create my own magazine.
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