The document discusses conventions found in magazine covers and posters for horror films. Some key conventions discussed include: - Using a close-up of the main character's face as the central image. - Placing the film title at the bottom of the poster. - Employing a simple color scheme of black, white, and red. - Featuring serif fonts that appear distorted and off balance. The author incorporated these conventions found in research into their own magazine cover and poster designs to stay true to the genre of horror.

1. ANCILLARY PRODUCTS.
Chloe Mason

2. The main aspect I found
within my research was that
Existing products
the main images of the
magazine cover for a horror
film was normally a central
close up of the face of the
main character or villain.
I found this to be extremely
effective as it creates a very
intimidating and dominant
look to the front cover.
The colour scheme of this front
Another main aspect of the
cover uses one main colour of
front covers is the
red. The colour red connotes
composition of the cover
power and danger, both aspects
lines. I found that the most
of the horror genre. This is
common side of the page to
similar to the colour scheme I
hold to the cover lines was
have chosen because the white
the left side. This is because
contrasts boldly on the dark
conventionally the left side is
background and the red stands
the dominant side of the
out brightly to the target
page.
audience.

3. My product
For my final magazine cover, I attempted to incorporate all of
the main aspects that I had found within my research to
keep with in the conventions of my genre.
Using a similar image of a central close up I thought it
created a comparable effect to those previously addressed. I
found the image able to stimulate the identical effects of
intimidation and dominance, thus staying with the
conventions of the horror genre.
The fact the image is the main article of the page reinforces
the idea that this character plays a key role in the film and
the close up image also clearly shows all of the features of
the character, enhancing the make up and the sinister look.
The colour scheme I chose consisted of red, white and dark
grey. These colours were selected because of their ability to
boldly stand out against the black background of the cover
image. Also the red colours connote power, danger and
blood, all of which tie in with the conventions of a horror
genre. The fonts used were chosen because of the
connotations they give off. The pull quote underneath the
name of the film appears to written in blood and the other
fonts portray an askew and off balance feel to the page,
reflecting on the film its self and the genre of horror.

4. The mode of address
on the magazine cover The central image is a close
makes it dramatically up of the main character. The
clear that the issue is close up allows the audience
based on horror films as to focus on the sinister look
it clearly states in the protagonist’s eyes and
“HORROR SPECIAL”. the blood on her face.
Also, the name of the The face of the protagonist is
magazine instantly the main focus point of the
explains what the magazine cover, and this was
magazine will entail. a common convention of the
horror film magazine covers.
The most typical
convention I found to
be common among the
magazine covers I The pull quote creates a link
looked at was that the between the film and the
cover lines were based magazine cover as it uses the
on the left hand side of similar lexis to the film trailer. I
the page, this is found pull quotes to be a
because the left hand common convention of horror
side is considered to be magazine covers, as it gives an
the more dominant insight to the film and article
side. inside the magazine.
The colour of the font used on the
pull quote is red, which makes
the font appear to be written in
The colour scheme of the magazine cover uses white text to stand out on the dark blood adding to the sinister
back ground image. The red text connotes blood and danger and so ties in with the effect.
horror conventions. The texts used are mainly off balance and askew, suggesting the
events of the film will reflect these connotations, that mirrors the conventions of

5. The one thing that I found to
be the most predominant
Existing products
aspect of the posters I looked
at was that the film title was
most commonly situated at
the bottom of the page. This
means that the line of sight
will guarantee that the film
title will be the final piece of
information that the target
audience will read.
Another aspect I found to
reoccur on the horror film
posters is the use of long shots. Another fixation I found to be
The use of a long shot helps to common among horror film posters
show the setting, which is is the use of serif fonts. I believe
often isolated reflected on the that the projections look like they
main characters vulnerability. are trying to escape from the word
The use of a long shot here itself as if it has some form of
emphasises the protagonist life, reflecting on the genre of
being unaware of the villain horror.
behind her and to show she is
alone with them.

6. My product
After looking into the main conventions of a
horror film poster, I decided to incorporate all the
different elements of a conventional horror film
poster to stick within the conventions of the
genre.
I used a long shot image to emphasise the
isolated, dark setting of the image. This shows the
protagonist to be alone and vulnerable. Also the
low key lighting makes the atmosphere seem very
eerie and negative, reflecting on the conventions
of the genre.
I used a serif font as I found this to be very
common among different horror film posters. The
font I chose was serif, but also held an element of
an askew and off balance look, reflecting on the
film its self and the conventions.
The information on a horror film poster is usually
kept to a bare minimum so I decided to follow this
convention and only allow the name of the film
and the billing block to appear on the page, along
with a ‘based on true events’ comment at the top
to create fear in the audience.

7. Another convention I
found to be common
among horror film posters,
was the use of a simple
colour scheme. Black and The main image is situated in
white were the main the centre of the poster. This
colours used as they suggests the character plays a
contrast boldly off of the key role in the film.
back ground. As my main The mise en scene used in the
image uses low key main image imitates the
lighting, white was the conventions of a horror
one that would stand out movie. The long shot image
most. shows an isolated setting,
I then went on to use the suggesting the protagonist is
colour red at the bottom in a vulnerable situation. The
of the page. In doing this, I low key lighting signifies a
think I have made the negative atmosphere and the
piece of information stand make up and costume
out more than the rest of connotes danger and death
the text and in addition to as she is covered in blood and
this, incorporated dirt.
connotations of blood,
danger and power. This The film title font was chosen
also reflects on the make on the basis of the
up on the cover image. connotations it shows. The
font looks distorted and off
balance and the letters are
quite ragged reflecting on the
I used the billing block at the bottom of the page as horror theme and is
this is a typical convention found in horror movie conventional to the genre.
posters.