2. • The title of the issue is coloured in red to make the reader
stop and look at the issue which without it would be very
dark and would blend in to the background. It also
includes the textures from the original image in the
lettering giving the issue a more eye-catching and
“realistic”, 3D look.
• Empire’s logo is eye-catching because it is coloured red
which makes the target audience stop to look because
humans associate red with danger. This also helps to
make it more recognisable next time it is seen.
The Title
3. • The cover image depicts Leonardo DiCaprio standing with a
gun atop aerial shot of a city. This shows that his character is
extremely powerful with an almost god-like perspective on the
world.
• The gun suggests that he is a dangerous man, which is
reinforced by his facial expression and dark, sombre
appearance.
• His dark suit and grey suggest that he is a man who has seen
tragedy, but who also is prepared to kill. He is also not looking
at the camera but staring into the distance, as if deep in thought.
This shows that he is haunted by something from his past.
The Cover Image
4. • The colour scheme of the cover is mainly a dark one, with the background image
of the city, being a surreal shade of blue, suggesting unreality and also calm and
sadness.
• Leonardo DiCaprio is wearing black and his skin is grey, suggesting a dark theme
to the film and a sense of tragedy in his character.
• The main coverline, title and plug are in red to contrast with this dark image but
also to suggest danger in the film. It is also utilised to make it stand out among
other magazines who will be using brighter fonts.
• One plug is in in gold to tie in with its theme of “The Dream Movie Event of
2010” which has connotations with royalty and fame, necessitating the gold
colour scheme.
• The minor coverlines are in black so they do not interfere with the colour scheme
of the cover story and so they don’t distract the reader from the “main event”.
• The tagline “The Dark Knight Returns…”, the quote from the interview and
“Christopher Nolan” are all in white to stand out against the dark background.
The Colour Scheme
5. • The title font type is Empire’s own professional font that is
instantly readable and recognisable even when some of the
logo is hidden behind Leonardo DiCaprio’s head.
• The font for the main coverline uses the same textures as the
background which adds a 3D feel to the cover. It also tells the
reader that the film will be an immersive experience.
• The other coverlines are turned on their side to give the
impression that everything is rushing towards Leonardo
DiCaprio, giving gravitas to the cover story.
• The plug in the bottom left-hand corner uses a comic book
style font that is easy to read, but also draws attention to itself.
From this you can tell that it the article is serialised and comic
book-like style.
The Font Type
6. • From the look of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character and the
dark backgrounds as well as the main titles, I can tell this
issue is aimed at young action fans who are looking for a
“cool” film with a dark plot, plenty of violence and a
slightly surreal edge.
The Audience
