3. GENERAL CONVENTIONS
• Film Magazine front covers are usually conventional no matter what genre, for
example, the actor that appears at the front is always in character and the
masthead is in the same font in each issue (to maintain brand identity) and the
colour always matches the movie (red for action and slasher, blue for supernatural
or gothic).
• The masthead typically appears at the top of the cover with taglines 2/3s across the
page. The main image is seen to sometimes be emerging through underneath the
taglines to seem more powerful.
• Similarly to the poster, the magazine layout is set for the route of the eye so that the
main image and masthead is the first thing people see.
4. MAIN IMAGE
• The main image always takes over the magazine, and is placed in the middle. The image links in with the text in some
way such as colour, and font to intrigue and captivate the correct target audience for that specific sub genre.
• What is very apparent throughout each front cover is that, the lighting is dimmed around the antagonist/protagonist to
make them stand out. The camera angles are either a close up or medium shot. A close up is usually used when the sub
genre of the film is supernatural, this is to show a regular face mutated into an unnatural, inhumane face. Doing this will
scare the target audience as they may not be used to seeing a human faced deformed. However, in some slasher films, a
close- up is used when the face of the antagonist id deformed such as in ‘A nightmare on Elms Street’, Freddy Krueger's
face is clearly deformed, making him the last thing a person sees before they die very frightening.
• Conventionally, a medium shot is used to promote slasher films, this is to show the costume and weapon (usually bladed)
of the antagonist.
• Mis- en- scene in horror is typically black or various dark shades to connote death and sadness, this reflects the theme of
the movie. For example, ‘Shutters Island’ is a psychological horror and so a lot of deep blues and whites are used. This is
because blue and white relate to the feeling of being relaxed, or being in therapy. However, it could also connote with idea
of isolation and loneliness (the idea of being trapped in your own mind). The main character is also wearing very typical,
everyday clothes, which makes the audience think that there is something deep and twisted in him as his exterior appears
to be normal.
5. TEXT AND TAGLINES
• The text that is used always relates back to the main image and
the Masthead is usually large and in the same font to maintain
brand identity and symbiosis. The masthead is usually in red
when representing horror as it connotes with blood and
violence. The masthead of ‘Fangoria’ is sharped at the edges to
have a fang effect and to emphasise the name of the magazine
(making it memorable) to customers.
• The colour of the text is specifically used to make the cover
more aesthetically pleasing to the customers. One aspect that is
very conventional is the colours black and white in texts. This
may be to contrast good and evil and the traditional ideas of
God and the devil.
