The document analyzes the conventions used in the design of a movie poster and magazine cover for a comedy film. It finds that both follow conventions for their genres and forms. The poster uses a sans-serif font, colors like white and black, and positions the title, image and tagline consistently. The image depicts characters in casual costumes suggesting trouble. The magazine cover also uses basic fonts and colors, and positions the masthead, main image and information standardly. Both emphasize the comedic elements through visuals and language focused on humor.

1. Ancillary analysis
Typography
The font used in this ancillary
product for the hangover is in sans
serif font and is very bold and basic.
This helps to broaden up the poster
and isn’t too fancy which connotes a
basic feel. This is conventional for
comedy products to include basic
font styles. The font is all very bold
and the colors used are solid and
basic like white and black, which
suggests the basic comedy effect.
The font takes up a large proportion
of the screen and uses a
conventional route of the eye
format.
Image
The image in this poster is very
conventional it includes a range of
comedic features that make it
conventional for a comedy ancillary
product. The mid shot highlights key
features of the poster allowing us to
see the different characters
costume. All of the characters are
wearing fairly casual and dirty
costumes, which suggest they are in a bad position, which is a conventional feature of
comedy. Having a scadenfreud themed comedy is conventional and you can see by the
facial expressions of the character and state they are in something sinister has
happened. The monkey wearing a torn jacket costume also adds comedic effect to the
poster and suggests the trouble the characters have come into. The shot is very low to
the ground which also connotes they have hit the floor and are in a low place or
situation. The setting displayed in the background also looks very shabby and unclean
which adds to the bad situation they find themselves in.
Color
The colors in this ancillary product are all very bland such as white and brown which
suggests the characters are in a dark and troubled place. These colors also suggest the
film is aimed towards a male target audience because of the dark and depressing place
they are situated in. The walls are a musky grey color which also adds to the masculine
tone of the product.
Layout
The layout is conventional for form and the genre as it takes the usual route of the eye
with the header along the top of the product. With the main image in the center of the
poster such as the monkey which stands out as the eye catcher of the product. The
monkey is situated right in the center of the poster gaining attention towards him and
all the characters are mainly situated in the lower half of the poster which connotes the
dark situation they have found themselves in which adds to the comedic effect. The tag

2. line is also in a conventional area as they are usually situated at the very top or bottom
of the poster but usually stick close to the main title of the product. Also the company
logos along the terminal area of the poster are conventional as they are less important
for the viewer to look at.
Language
The language used in the poster connotes a masculine effect with the ‘wolf pack is back’
slogan suggests togetherness paired with the male characters on the front and a monkey
in a leather jacket. Also the actual title of the film the ‘hangover’ is a masculine title
already as it suggests parties and getting drunk which is related to a more male
audience. Also the ‘bangkok has them now’ suggests the trouble they have found
themselves in and relates to the masculine humor of laughing at others.
Conventions-Form/Genre
This ancillary product is very conventional for form as it features conventional
techniques in relation to genre. It is very conventional for genre as it creates a masculine
effect and also creates the comedic tone of schadenfruede. The language is also
particularly conventional for genre as it connotes the masculine audience and also that
the characters have found themselves in serious trouble creating the story to the film. It
is also an effective poster in relation to form as it features many typical parts of a movie
poster. For example the large header/title at the primary area of the page which a
slogan next to it is very conventional. To have the strapline close to the main title is very
usual to see and the font is particularly bold and is forefront on the movie poster. Plus
the main image is very centralized and is probably the most eye catching part of the
poster. With the route of the eye being utilized the image very easily highlights all of the
characters, which helps to shows their struggle and vulnerable point. Plus the poster has
the small logos along the bottom which show the different organizations and studios
involved with the production and distribution of the movie. Overall this is a very
effective poster and takes in all of the conventions of form. The layout is accurate and
shows all the elements of the poster plus the bold font style and image are also very
conventional.
Typography
The font type on this magazine cover is
mainly sans serif font which suggests the
film is fairly masculine and is a comedy
because it is basic and bold. The sizing of
the font is also very conventional as the
masthead is in the center and is the
largest most visible font on the page. With
the tag line and other sub headers being
smaller on the page and less important.
The smaller text is used to highlight
smaller features of the magazine which is
clearly aimed at a more male target
audience.
Image
The image used in the cover is a long shot
which shows the main characters of the
cover and their costume which focuses
the reader on the characters and they are
the center of attention on the cover. The

3. costume they are all wearing is fairly classic and old style especially the furry coat the
main character is wearing which is also humorous and used for comical effect as the
costume are all over exaggerated. Such as the large moustache and big fur coat it all
looks over the top and ridiculous. There are also other images of films at the top of the
magazine which is conventional for form but the main focus is on the comedy characters
who the audience can laugh at.
Color
The colors on the cover are all fairly bold and basic which suggests the magazine is
aimed towards a masculine target audience. The bold yellow colors over the main image
helps to take your eye towards that and adds to the over the top nature of the image and
the characters. The text is mainly white and bold which adds to the basic masculine
effect as it is easy to see and visually appealing on the cover. The characters costume is
all fairly bland colors which suggest the old fashioned clothing they are wearing.
Layout
The layout is fairly conventional with the primary optical area featuring some basic
information on posters and a sub heading which shows some of the information of the
magazine. The masthead is in a conventional place in the top half of the screen which
shows the title of the magazine and the cover story is situated in the center of the screen
which is also conventional for the route of the eye to follow into the middle of the
screen. The image is also in the center of the screen with the cover story which is a
conventional layout and in the terminal area and across the bottom of the magazine
there is some information about other films included in the magazine.
Language
The language on the cover is fairly basic and tries to boost the films credentials and just
discusses the different reviews available to the film. The language is more based around
being visually appealing so the audience can just glance and discover the information in
the magazine. The magazine uses very different language to the poster because the
poster is just based towards the film and can maybe use some more explicit themes and
languages. Language like ‘ultimate tv and movie winter preview’.
Conventions-Form/Genre
The magazine is very conventional because of the typical layout and styles of font and
color. Having the image in the center of the magazine is very conventional for form as it
is very large in the center and stereotypical to draw the readers into the magazine. The
use of basic language to suit the magazine and readers is also conventional for form and
the costumes and characters in the image make the magazine conventional in terms of
the comedy genre. The characters are wearing over the top clothes and look out of place
which makes it conventional for genre. This poster is conventional for form in many
ways, for example having the barcode situated in one of the bottom corners of the cover
is conventional. Plus the layout is effective for form as it tries to use the route of the eye
incorporating the different imagery and text. The magazine header is very bold but also
covered by the main image and focus of the article which is very conventional for form.
He magazine wants to show its brand but having the main actors dominating the cover
is very conventional. Plus we have the main cover story in the center of the cover with
its smaller cover stories and pull quote surrounding.