This document analyzes and compares the layout and design elements of film magazine covers for Empire and Fangoria. Both magazines place key information like the issue number, masthead, cover lines and barcode in consistent locations to inform readers. Empire often uses long shots of actors on covers with text in different colors against dark backgrounds. Fangoria's covers feature horror-related close-up images and a red masthead. The document also examines horror film posters for The Blair Witch Project, Scream and Sorority Row. Common elements include taglines, cast/crew credits and establishing shots, while each poster uses close-ups, text colors and fonts uniquely to attract audiences.
2. Issue number is placed near
the masthead to inform
readers it’s the latest issue.
Masthead is at the top so people
can see it when displayed in
shops. Similar to Empire’s
masthead, Fangoria’s is often red
too, as it is a prominent colour
that will stand out in shops and as
Fangoria is specifically a horror
magazine, the red links with the
idea of blood and gore; they also
have their own specific font.
Cover lines are placed on
the left-side third so they
will be seen if displayed
horizontally in shops and
inform readers what else is
included in the issue.
Barcode is placed at the bottom
so it doesn’t cover parts of the
main image; the price and
website are written on it to
inform readers.
Strapline informs readers
what’s inside and is placed at
the top so that it can be easily
seen if displayed in shops
though Fangoria is only
available online for the UK.
Cover lines are in a
different colour to the
background to make the
text easy to read but links
with the masthead and
main image.
The main image is a
medium close up which
attracts readers’ attention;
it stands out against the
black background.
The main cover line is placed at
the bottom of the page so that
the main image dominates the
cover – again, the colours link
with the image and masthead.
3. Masthead is at the top so people
can see it when displayed in
shops; as it is a well known
magazine, the main image is able
to cover part of the masthead.
The masthead links with the main
cover line and background image
which attracts attentions.
Strapline informs readers
what’s inside and is placed at
the top so that it can be easily
seen when displayed in shops.
Issue number and price
written above the masthead;
this is characteristic of Empire
magazine as the text it easy to
see and informs the readers
that it’s a new issue.
Cover lines inform readers of
other articles in this issue; the
lighter colour of the text
stands out against the dark
background.
The main image is a low angle
long shot which makes the
actor look imposing and
powerful – Empire often use
long and mid shots and rarely
use extreme close ups.
Button attracts readers’
attention as it is a different
colour to the background
image and the text is easy to
read. It informs readers of a
feature in the magazine.
Extra cover lines places at the
bottom to inform readers
what else is included and the
light coloured texts stands out
against the dark background.
Main cover line is placed in
the centre to attract the
readers attention; the font
and colour stand out
against the background
image.
Barcode is placed at the
bottom so it doesn’t
cover parts of the main
image.
4. Strapline with small images of
main actors in the film;
informs readers what’s inside
and is placed at the top so it
can be easily seen when
displayed in shops.
The sell line for Empire is “The
UK’s no.1 Movie Magazine” it
invites the readers to pick up
the magazine as it is written
under the masthead and easily
seen. This declarative
statement is an opinion
masked as a fact.
Main cover line is placed on
the left-side third so it will be
seen if it’s displayed
horizontally in shops. It
informs readers who and what
the main article is about.
Barcode is placed at the
bottom of the page so it
doesn’t interfere with the
main image and text.
Masthead is at the top so
people can see it when
displayed in shops; as it is a
well known magazine, the
main image is able to cover
part of the masthead.
Empire’s masthead is often
red as it is a prominent colour
that will stand out in shops;
they also have their own
specific font.
Cover lines inform
readers of other articles
included in the issue.
Which the viewer might
be interested in. The
buzzword ‘plus’ in bold,
is used here to grab the
readers attention.
Features are written on a
banner so that the text stands
out. The text is bold so it’s
easy to read and informs
readers what else is included.
6. The top half of the image
establishes the setting; this
isn’t common as most
posters focus on the main
protagonists and usually
show the main setting as the
background image.
The main image is an extreme
close up of a woman's eyes
looking directly at the
audience to attract attention.
The audience is supposed to
connect with this obvious and
striking display of fear.
The cast and crew are under
the film title in white so that
the text can be seen against
the black background; this
font is individual on the
poster and easily read.
Instead of a tagline, this
poster has a short prologue
and gives some background
information about the film
which intrigues the audience.
Its direct, formal and set in a
documentary type style,
playing to the scary illusion
that the film is based on true
events.
The film title is near the
bottom of the page so, like
the Scream poster, it fills up
some empty black space.
Production and distribution
logos at the bottom appeal
to the audience as they
show that well known
companies have worked on
the film.
7. The tag line is at the top of the
poster to lure the audience – the
first thing the audience notice
are the eyes which leads them to
read the tagline above.
The genre of the film is horror
but as it would be displayed
publicly, the image isn’t
explicit; however, but the
genre is still obvious to the
audience.
The main image is an extreme
close up of a woman’s face; she
is looking directly at the
audience which attracts
attention. Also, the fact that the
eyes are in colour and the rest of
the image has been desaturated
emphasises her fear.
The cast and crew are below
the title so the audience will
see who is in the film and
the production information
which will attract them –
especially as the actors and
production companies are
well known. The font is
simple and different to other
text on the poster.
The film title is carefully
placed at the bottom to avoid
covering the main image. The
text is visible and clear to
read.
The USP is placed at the very
bottom and attracts
attention as the white colour
stands out against the black
background and the font is
different to the other text on
the page.
8. The top half of the image
establishes the setting like
the Blair Witch poster but
the focus is on the main
image. However, the flames
suggest that the setting will
be destroyed during the film
–impending chaos is an
attractive feature for
potential thrill seekers in the
audience.
The tag line is placed
above the film title and
provides information
about the film but
without revealing too
much of the plot.
The film title is near
the bottom of the
poster so it doesn’t
cover the main image.
Special metallic font
used to imply the dark
edginess of the film.
The main image is of the
protagonists; they are all
female teenagers and so the
audience, stereotypically will
assume they are the victims.
They address the camera
directly to attract the
audiences attention.
The cast and crew are
under the film title in a
lighter colour so the text
stands out against the
black background; again
the font is different to the
rest of the text. The
distribution logos are also
at the bottom with a
website for the film.
