3. The Vow
Within this romance film poster, we can clearly see a main image that covers the entire space of
the poster. The image that is shown within this space is of two people - who’re seen to be
connected through the use of touching. The denotation of this image is two people of the opposite
sex who’re expressing themselves through the use of touch. The connotation that we take from
this is that they’re in love. We take this idea from the image because of the way they’re looking at
each other and how they’re touching one another. Although it Is just two people touching, we
interpret it differently. Within the background of the image, we see a window of some sort and
some grass. The light colours of the background allows for the two characters to stand out on the
poster. The colours used within this film poster are natural and have been used to enhance the
overall appearance of the film poster. The lighting allows for the attention of the audience to be
put straight onto the two characters within the poster. By using dark clothing for the character’s
waistline, the audience is able to see he writing more clearly and is therefore effective. The text
that is present can be seen within different areas of the poster. The biggest text size that we see is
that of the title of the film. This is classed as the masthead of the poster. The words ‘The Vow’ can
be seen in the bottom third of the poster. Underneath the title is a smaller type of text. It reads
‘inspired by true events’. This allows for the audience to understand that the film has been created
based on real life experiences so is easily relatable. This could also be classed as a selling point at it
stands out for the audience and is relatable to real life so is more encouraging for the audience to
want to see it. At the bottom of the poster in small writing, we have the companies that are
responsible for all types of industries such as production and distribution companies. This is known
as the ‘billing block’. To the bottom left of the screen we have a yellow box that reads ‘check the
classification’. This tells the viewer that they have to check the classification of age in order to go
and watch this film. We also can see company logos at the very bottom of the screen which inform
the audience which companies are associated with the film. At the very top of the screen, we see
two names and they are automatically associated with the two people that can be seen on screen.
The two names ‘Rachel McAdams’ and ‘Channing Tatum’ are displayed in a yellow coloured font to
allow for the audience to see who is in the chosen film. This is therefore model credit as it indicates
to the audience who is in the main image and therefore who is playing the main roles within the
film. The text can be seen within the top third and bottom third of the screen. This is where your
eyes are automatically drawn too. This poster uses composition well in order to allow for the two
main characters to share the space with the text that can be seen.
4. Safe Haven
Much like ‘The Vow’ poster, the main image within this poster is of the two main characters who’re
seen to be touching one another in order to show their affection for one another. The image allows
for the audience to see clearly how the two characters feel about each other and therefore informs
them that the two characters are in love. In order to make the text stand out within the poster, the
text is white and a light blue compared to the darker colours that are seen on the character’s clothing
(a darker blue and a green). In order to make a contrast between the text and image, the creator has
designed the poster using light text colours which stand out against the image. The biggest text that
we see appears both in the middle and bottom third of the poster. This text informs the reader what
the film as called. This is due to the fact that the masthead of the film has been made biggest so
people can see it as soon as they look at the poster. The next biggest text that appears on the poster
is the names of the two characters who play the main roles in the film. The names ‘Josh Duhamel’ and
‘Jullianne Hough’ are positioned in the middle third of the poster. This can be called as ‘model credit’
because they’re the two seen within the main image. In the top third, we see the text which says
‘From the author of The Notebook and the director of Dear John’. By writing this on the poster where
it is visible, it encourages the reader to go and watch the film due to the fact that both ‘The
Notebook’ and ‘Dear John’ were huge films and were very successful in romance film genre. This is
therefore the selling line that can be seen on the poster. Underneath the film masthead, there is
small sized text that says ‘you know it when you find it’. This has been put in the bottom third of the
poster as it is the slogan that comes after the title. Underneath the slogan in smaller and thinner text,
we see the names of media companies who were involved in the process of creating the film. This is
called the ‘billing block’. At the very bottom of the poster in the same size font as the slogan, we read
the words ‘opens Thursday, February 14 valentines day’. By putting this on the poster, the eye is
drawn to it because it’s bigger than the text above it. The fact that they have put valentines day on it
encourages people to go and see it because it’s a romance genre film and is the perfect film to watch
on valentines day. Releasing it on this day would therefore encourage the audience to go and watch
the film if they see the dateline on the poster. Within the background of the image, we are able to
see what appears to be a beach – due to the sand and sea. This gives the audience an idea that the
film is set in a seaside setting or near a beach.
5. The Fault In Our Stars
This poster for the romance film ‘The Fault In Our Stars’ isn’t quite the same as the two film posters
that I have analysed. This film poster is quite simple but uses bold colours and contrasts to inform the
readers. The biggest similarity between this poster and the previous two are that the two main
characters cover the majority of the space. The main image that we see within this poster is the two
characters laying on the grass. The female character is seen on the left-hand side of the poster
compared to the male character who is seen to be on the right-side. The two main character are
laying in different positions but their heads about in line with one another. Their heads are
positioned within the top and middle thirds of the poster. The colours used within this image are
sharp and consist of both dark and light colours. The female wears a light covered t-shirt and a black
leather jacket compared to the male who wears a grey coloured t-shirt and a brown leather jacket.
They’re both laying on the grass which is a dark green in order for the main characters to stand out in
terms of skin, face and hair. The composition of the film masthead is within the bottom third of the
poster. The masthead has been placed in front of the females body in which the text therefore
contrasts against the black leather jacket. Underneath the title in smaller font size, there is a piece of
text that reads ‘one sick love story’. The use of the word ‘sick’ can create a double meaning for the
film. The fact that we can see the female character’s tube which connects to her nose allows for the
reader to tell that she is not well. The use of the word ‘sick’ is a denotation as we see it as simple just
a word, but the connotation that could be interrupted from the word is that she has an illness and is
not well so therefore ‘sick’ could be referring to her illness rather than meaning ‘good’. Underneath
the slogan at the bottom is the date in which the film is released (June 6). This is classed as the
dateline. At the very top of the poster, there is small text that says ‘based on the New York Times #1
bestseller’. This is called the ‘selling line’ which is the one line that encourages the target audience to
go and watch the film. The text within the poster uses two different colours – white and blue (which
is the two colours associated with the book). In tiny writing in the bottom left hand corner, there is a
small image and next to it there is text that says ‘#TFIOS’. In the top right hand corner there is a
website address that can be accessed by the public.
7. Glamour
When you look at this Glamour magazine cover, straight away you are able to tell that there is a colour scheme. The text
is seen to be only two colours – black and pink. These two colours have been used to stand out against the white
background. The pink has also been used as it is commonly associated with being ‘girly’ and ‘feminine’ and therefore
enhances the femininity of the magazine. By using a feminine colour, it makes it easier to distinguish the target audience.
The main image that we see in the centre of the magazine is of celebrity ‘Cheryl Cole’. Using a famous female celebrity
like Cheryl encourages people to buy it – including her fans. We can see Cheryl holding a yellow camera in her hands that
are positioned to the right of her face. The composition of the masthead is in the top third of the cover. It reads
‘Glamour’ which indicates to the audience what the magazine is about. Above the title in smaller font it says ‘Britain's
no1 women’s magazine’. This is a selling line and has been put above the title as you are more likely to look at it. By
putting this on the magazine, it encourages women to buy it because it’s been so successful. By also having that text
written on their magazine cover, it ensures that they’re linked to the popularity that they have. Underneath the
masthead to the left, you can see really small text that gives the audience the website that is related to the magazine.
Underneath the title to the right is the dateline. This text is seen to be in capital letters and is small. This informs the
reader when the magazine was published. When you look at the magazine, you can see that there is text on both sides.
Each individual section consists of different fonts, colours and sizes. Underneath the website is a section about how to
look at a party. The biggest and most bold part of this section is the number ‘775’ which is seen to be pink. This is called
the main cover line as it is the cover story that stands out the most. Below that are the words ‘ways to’ which are in
capital letters and black font. Following that underneath are the words ‘nail your party look’ – which are also in capital
letters, but this time it is in pink. Finally, underneath that is black font that is lowercase and smaller than the text above.
Having the different font size and colours for the same article allows for the audience’s attention to be put into the most
important part of that article title. At the bottom left of the magazine cover, there is another piece of text that refers to
another article. At the top of the text, there is a pink box that contains white writing. The writing is fairly small but stands
out against it’s pink background. Underneath the box is some text that uses a blank font and capital letters. The fact that
each word has a full stop beside it indicates that it’s important for the audience. Underneath this text, we have even
more text that is smaller and in lower case letters. Within this text, there are bolder words that are in a pink coloured
font to make them stand out. These words are £20 and ANYONE. To the bottom right of the page, there is two lines of
text that feature different colours and font sizes. The word that stands out the most is the word ‘EVERYONE’ which
entices people to read it because it applies to them. Above that is another piece of text that is in lower case and uses
small black font This indicates that it isn’t as important as the other stories but still plays a role in the cover. Above this
text is a piece of text that contains 2 different font colours and three different sizes of font. The most important part of
the text is in bold uses a pink coloured font. The other two parts of the article are smaller and in black font. Finally, above
that text is another piece of text that uses 2 diferent colours and three different font sizes. The biggest part of the text is
in black font and in bold because it relates to the person whose in the image on the front of the magazine. This can be
classed as model credit due to the fact that it relates to the model who is seen on the front of the magazine cover.. By
using these distinct colours, it makes the magazine look organised and professional – which in turn encourages the
audience to buy the magazine itself.
8. Men’s Health
When looking at this magazine cover, we are immediately met by a male who is seen to be posing by crossing his arms. This is
the main image within the cover. When we look at the celebrity who is posing on the cover, we can tell that it is David
Beckham. By putting a famous sporting celebrity on the front of a health magazine, it encourages the targeted audience to
buy it because they know that David is sporty and in good shape. He is positioned within the middle and right third of the
cover. He is seen to be overlapping the masthead of the magazine – which is located in the top third of the cover. The
masthead is in a red coloured font which uses both capital letters and lower case letters. When looking at this magazine
cover, we can tell immediately that there is a colour scheme. The magazine uses red, black and grey font colours within the
text that is present. We can also see a yellow that appears as a box underneath some of the text. The background of this
cover is white. David is also seen to be wearing a white short sleeved t-shirt. This has been done to ensure that his body/face
and tattoos are standing out to make him more attractive (they’re defined/sharp). Above the word ‘Men’s’ in the masthead,
there is really small font that reads ‘tons of useful stuff’. This can be seen as the selling line for people to be encouraged to
buy it. Above the whole of the masthead, there is a piece of text that is in black font and capital letters. It reads ‘THE
INCREDIBLE 24-HOUR FAT BURN!’. This has been put above the masthead to encourage the target audience to look at it. It
therefore encourages people to look at the magazine and read the article as losing fat is important to most people – so they
can become fitter. Underneath the masthead to the left of the page is a yellow box that has black writing in it. It reads ‘free
workout poster’. This has been highlighted in the yellow box in order to capture their attention. By using the word ‘free’ it
encourages the audience to get the magazine because they’re think they’re getting something for nothing. This can also be
seen as a selling line as it encourages the audience to buy the magazine. Underneath this is a large title that is a black font.
This has been underlined using a grey colour. By making this text large, it encourages the naked eye to look straight at it. This
cover story is the main cover line because it is the biggest of the stories that can be seen. Underneath this, there is text that
readers ‘see results in just 8 days’. The words ‘just 8 days are in a different colours to the ‘see results in’ to make sure that
the audience pulls their attention towards the timespan rather than the other information. Underneath this text are two
separate texts that are the same size but different colours – one is red and one is black. The use of the same font size means
that the articles are of the same importance. Below the two texts is another piece of text that is different sizes and font
colours. The title of the article ‘instant energy’ is in big grey letters to attract the attention of the audience compared to the
subtitle that is small and in black font. Underneath that text is an article title about money. This has been put in black font in
contrast against the white background. This therefore pulls their attention to the article. Finally, underneath the money text
is a large text that reads the number ‘792’. This has been done to attract the attention of the audience towards the number.
Underneath the number is a long yellow box with black coloured text inside it. By making the number large, the audience is
encouraged to see what the number is related to and therefore reads the yellow box text underneath. To the right of David
Beckham is two other pieces of text that both have different font sizes and colours in order for the audience to determine
which is the title and which is the main focus of that specific text. In small writing there is a piece of text that talks about the
’10 best style tips’ with two arrows underneath it. This indicates to the audience that it is not the most important part of the
magazine so doesn’t need to be in a large font. Below that is an even smaller piece of text that is about the model who is on
the cover. This is known as the ‘model credit’. This has been made small because it is not a priority for the audience to know
who the model is due to the fact that he’s already famous so people should have an idea before having to read who it is.
9. Empire
Within this magazine cover of the cinema magazine ‘Empire’ we are immediately greeted with a
photograph of someone in a red and gold suit. This is the main image within the cover. His composition is
centred. We can tell that this person is related to the film ‘Iron Man 3’ because the text can be seen in bold
red text to the middle left of the actor. This cover story is seen as the main cover line and is therefore the
biggest within the set of stories. The relation of the name of the actor and the main image indicates that
they’re crediting Robery Downey. Jr and therefore it is the ‘model credit’. Below the title of the film, there
is a piece of text that is smaller and in white. By reading the text, it is obvious who the person on the front
cover of the magazine in. This can be noted as the model credit. Although Robert Downey Jr. is overlapping
some of the font, we are able to make out what the masthead is called because the cinema company
‘Empire’ is known largely by most people along with the magazine itself. Above the masthead is a piece of
text that talks about ‘Star Wars’. The text is in two different colours (red and gold) and is in capitals.
Between the ‘M’ in the title, there is tiny text writing. We can tell that this is the date line due to the fact
that it has the publication date of that specific issue. This is tiny due to the fact that it is not important for
the reader to see/read. Underneath the title to the right is a small piece of text that is in white. It informs
the audience that the magazine is the biggest in the film industry in the world. This is defined as the ‘selling
line’ which is used to try and grab the reader’s attention and encourage them to buy the magazine.
Underneath that text is a name of a actor which is in a white font. It is a bigger size than the font below it
which indicates that it’s more important. The text below is in red and is slightly smaller as just mentioned.
At the bottom left of the cover, there is some text that is of a small size. When looking at the text, we can
tell that they’re for two separate articles. We know this because of the colours and sizes. The red indicates
the title of that specific title and the white font gives a brief couple words about the article. Above this text
is a gold coloured text that simply says ‘plus’ This indicates to the audience that there is more which is
featured within the magazine. Below the masthead of the magazine to the left is a black coloured banner
which reads ‘the original avenger’ in white writing. By looking at the magazine, we can clearly tell that
there is a colour theme within the cover. The three main colours which are present are red, gold and
white. Due to the fact that the armour in which Robert Downey Jr. is wearing is gold and red, the magazine
has decided to colour co-ordinate with it to make it look more effective and professional. When looking at
the image and what is going on, we are able to tell that he is standing in a surrounding that looks like the
sky. This looks good against the colours of the magazine and also the colours of Robert. It allows for him to
stand out more within the magazine cover itself. When we look at Robert and his armour, we can also see
sparks. These sparks indicate to the audience that the film in which he stars in is an action film. This is due
to the fact that sparks usually relate to fires, which is considered an action movie.
