Codes and Conventions of Film Magazine Covers.pptx

1. Magazines
CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF FILM MAGAZINES

2. Examples of Front Covers

3. Front Cover
Masthead: The masthead is essentially the name of the magazine, it is normally placed in the top centre of
the front cover, and it is typically in a bold colour to stand out and the text is larger than the rest features
on the cover. On popular magazines, the masthead is sometimes partly covered by the main image, but
due to its popularity, the audience will still be aware what the magazine title is. The font should be bold
and should fit the genre of the magazine, with film magazines the font is often bold and in capital letters,
looking very strong.
Main Image: On film magazine covers there is often more than one image featured on it, so the main
image must try to stand out from the rest. It must grab the target demographics’ attention immediately
and make them want to read more about the main image. Essentially the main image has the job of selling
the magazine, much like the main image on a film poster must sell the film. Often, the person on the front
cover is giving a direct mode of address, I find that this is much more effective by looking straight at the
people viewing the magazine as it will make them more likely to pick it up and purchase it.
Sell lines: They are often referred to as ‘Cover lines’ . It is the writing that features on the front cover of a
magazine. They are typically set on the side of the cover to frame the main image. They are used to inform
the readers what the magazine contains.
Main Anchorage Text: This tends to be big and bold text, standing out form the rest of the text on the
magazine, possibly overlapping the main image slightly. It is often linked to the main cover story. The font
and colour must be eye catching for the audience to want to read about it. It is used to inform the readers
the main story in the magazine. If a magazine features a particularly popular upcoming film, then this issue
may have higher sales. Film magazines are known to feature big blockbuster films opposed to smaller
films made by unknown production companies.
Skyline: A skyline is a line of text across the very top of the magazine cover. For film magazines, it can be
used to provide various information, such as promoting the release of new films, interviews with cast/crew,
or sometimes a list of the best films, it can also feature a tagline of the film featured in the main image on
the cover.

4. Examples of Contents Pages

5. Style: the title "Contents" is in bright colours (red and white) that overlap each other. This makes it stand out to the
reader due to its massive size and its colourful front. The bright colours are again used to stand out in the dark
background. In relation to Empire and the theme of film, the "contents" title could have the effect of a retro film
marquee that is in display in cinemas in Los Angeles (the capital of filmmaking), film marquees glow and are bright with
bright colours and are lit up in the night, the "contents" title is bright, and it is lit up in the dark background, which
makes it seem like a near marquee, and it sticks to the theme of film because the magazine is Empire.
Colours: the colours that are used in this are mainly colours that are bright, such as red and white so it can be seen
through this grim and dark background, and thus that will make it stand out in the darkness as well as making it easier
for consumers to read. The bright colours also act as a match to the "CONTENTS" title and could have the effect of a
film marquee.
Layout: the magazine’s masthead on the top is small, as it was already established
on the front cover, it is used again to show continuality between the contents page and the masthead, clearly
established with the line (and could be the header of every page. This is also used in terms for brand identity so that
audiences will be able to recognize that this is from Empire.
Fonts: the font for the empire font looks like a retro front that was used in 1960/70s films, which could portray the age
of Empire as having originated from there.
Date: used to inform audiences that this magazine issue is not outdated.
Fonts - the fonts remain different throughout the contents page; looking at the numbers, they are sans serif in font, and
its use with the background gives the font a near ancient and gothic look and that's what makes it stand out in the
ancient background.
Background and main image: the background of this contents page is very conventional and creative, it doesn't use a
standard colour-filled background, but instead of that the magazine "Empire" has used an unorthodox background,
which is the mise-en-scene of a film (everything on the camera, including sets, props and clothing etc.) as the
background. This is to establish that Empire is a film magazine and thus they have gone with a creative outlook to their
background and placed an actual film frame in their contents page, which will intrigue the reader vastly and will also
give them a brief look into what the context and tone of the magazine actually is.
Contents Page

6. My
Inspiration
(Front Cover
#1)

7. My
Inspiration
(Front
Cover #2)