This document analyzes two film magazine covers. For the first cover, the image takes up 1/3 of the cover and shows a protective male embracing a serious female. The text dominates over the image at a 2/3 ratio. The layout seems overcrowded with the large masthead and sell lines scaling down the image. Color is simple with a grey background and white/yellow text. The cover represents a protective action love story. For the second cover, the central image takes up most space showing an actor's grimacing smile in character. Text and image ratio is more equal with the image emphasized. The layout has multiple elements near the top making it crowded. Color does not follow one theme between the masthead,

1. Film Magazine Front Cover
Analysis
By Victoria Dixon

2. Here are the 2 film magazine covers I am going to analyse. I will comment on the
images, text to image ratio, layout design and spacing, mast head, sell
lines, graphics, colour and representation.

4. Image
• The image is just right of being central on the
cover and is quite a unusual image because it is
of 2 characters and the male is embracing the
female to show he is protective of her, both of
their faces look serious and quite sullen. It is
almost a full length shot, and only takes up
about 1/3 of the cover. It is covering a bit of the
magazine title to show it is almost domineering
the magazine.

5. Text to Image Ratio
• The text to image ratio on this
magazine cover is very dominated by
the text. The title ‘Total Film’ is about
¼ of the cover and the main sell line is
also very big. The text overall would
take up about 2/3rds or more of the
cover and there is only one image
which takes up about 1/3 of the cover.
• This is quite unusual to other film
magazine covers because the image is
usually dominating over the text.

6. Layout/Design and Spacing
• The layout of the film magazine cover is
quite similar to most magazines. The
image is almost central and the sell lines
are around the image. There is a main
sell line that is bigger than the rest of the
sell lines. It also includes a bar code and
the price.
• The spacing of the cover seems slightly
overcrowded with the big mast head and
sell lines and it seems as if theyve almost
had to scale the image down to fit it onto
the cover. This is different to the usual
codes and conventions of film magazine
covers where the image is usually the
focus point and everything else fits
around it.

7. Mast Head
• The mast head is about ¼th of the cover
and is in quite a blocky font to make it
stand out. ‘Total’ is small inside the F of film
but it shows that that isn’t as important as
the film bit but it is part of the title. It is in a
white colour to make it stand out but it isn’t
too in your face. The ‘Total’ is in red so even
though its small it stands out in that way.
Also the image is covering part of the title
to show that it is more significant and to
show most people already know the name
of the magazine so if a bit of it is covered it
doesn’t matter.

8. Sell Lines
• The sell lines are witty and also straight to
the point and very informative and make the
audience want to read more like all magazine
covers try to achieve. ‘King Kong’ and the
‘ultimate winter preview’ is the main sell line
and is bigger and bolder than the rest of the
sell lines and it goes together with the main
image. The sky line just has 1 word summing
up will be in the magazine.

9. Colour
• The colour of the magazine is quite simple
with a grey background and white and
yellow words. The background is
incorporated with the film being advertised
and the yellow makes the cover look more
energetic and exciting. The ‘total’ is red to
show that its not just a film magazine it is
Total Film making it sound a lot more full
up. The colour appeals to the audience
because it is not too striking but it is bold
and unique.

10. Representation
• The magazine is trying to represent a
strong man who is powerful and wants to
protect a woman. It represents the sort of
movie it is, which seems like an action
love story.

12. Image
• The image is central on the front cover and and is a
very enticing and intriguing. The facial expression is
a very grimacing smile and the actor is still in
character and it is a full shot of the actor which is
quite unusual for a front cover. The image takes up
most of the cover and on this cover it looks as if the
sell lines have been made to fit around the image.
There is a background to the image but it is hard to
see and isn't very important.

13. Text to Image Ratio
• The text to image ratio is quite usual
of most magazine covers, it is quite
equal, but the image is central and is
much more important to the cover.
And also covers the title.

14. Layout/Design and Spacing
• The cover is quite like that of other film
magazines, the image is central on the
cover and the sell lines are around and
covering bits of the image, and it covers
a bit of the title. There is a main sell line
that is bigger than the rest of the sell
lines. Which corresponds to the
image, It also includes a bar code near
the bottom without importance.
• The spacing of the cover seems slightly
overcrowded towards the top with the
big mast head and the title, skyline and
some of the image all near together.
This is different to the usual codes and
conventions of film magazine covers as
there is a lot of different covers and
there is quite a lot of space in the
bottom left hand corner.

15. Mast Head
• The mast head is about ¼th of the cover
and is in quite a blocky font. It is in a red
font to make it stand out, but compared
to the bright green main sell line it
doesn't stand out so much. Also the title
is covered by the image, this is to
emphasise the image and movie and
also to show that Empire magazine is
well known and doesn't need to stand
out as much as, say, a new magazine
does. It has already made its name as a
good film magazine.

16. Sell Lines
• The sell lines on the magazine all
seem to follow the same green colour
scheme. The sky line includes the
words ‘World Exclusive’ which shows
that you cant get this content
anywhere else. Also the ‘joker’ and
‘batman’ are both in there original
fonts from the film which isnt
following the magazine theme it is
following the film theme. It also has a
circle with extra content in it which is
important but different to the film
being advertised.

17. Colour
• The colour of the magazine doesn't
really follow one theme. It has the red
colour of the mast head but the colour
of the sell lines follow a different pink
green and white theme. The colour of
the image has a dark background but
the clothes of the cover star are quite
colourful despite it being a dull image to
symbolise he is a ‘joker’.

18. Representation
• The cover represents a dark film with
some dark humour as the character is
the joker.
• It will appeal to most film fanatics but
also people into action and maybe
psychological movies .