The document summarizes the process of designing a magazine cover and double page spread for a horror film magazine. It discusses using Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Word to design the layout. Reference magazines like Empire and Scream were used for research on conventions like prominently featuring a model on the cover. The cover image features a model in a hockey mask holding a knife. Color schemes of red, purple and green were chosen to evoke the horror genre. Fonts and visual elements like images, gutters and drop caps were used following magazine design conventions. The target audience is identified as males aged 18-35 of social classes C1/C2 who enjoy conventional horror film narratives.

1. Unit 51: Page Layout and Design-
Production Commentary
Daniel Hopkins

2. Slide 1: Design Programmes
I designed my magazine front cover and double page spread in Adobe Photoshop,
using various tools in order to make it as professional as possible and to the best of my
ability. Firstly, before I began work in Photoshop and before I had even taken photos
for my cover, I sourced fonts from the online website ‘DaFont’, which has hundreds of
fonts free to use and download. I sourced an eye-catching, visually striking font named
‘Crimes Times Six’, which I think suited the horror theme of my magazine. In
Photoshop, I used many different tools, including shadow, brightness, contrast and the
clone stamp tool. I changed the colours and size of the text to make them more eye-
catching, as well as adding a shadow drop to the masthead to add more depth to the
words. Throughout the editing process, I used many tools and elements of Photoshop
in order to create my cover and double page spread.
For the article writing stage, I used Microsoft word. I used this application as it is the
easiest piece of software to draft large amounts of work and easily save and export it,
as well as return and edit it. Also, there are many elements of word that allow me to
change the words easily and effectively, which helps leave my written work look
professional. Following my initial article draft, I gave it to a peer to mark. Once they
had done this, I redrafted my article once more and put it onto my double page
spread.

3. Slide 2: Formats
I have created a magazine front cover and double page spread as part of
this assignment. As my magazine has a horror film theme, I looked at both
movie and horror-related magazines. By looking at a wide variety of
magazines, I was able to get a good idea of what sort of cover I wanted to
create. I like magazines with bold and visually striking text and so I took
this into account when I was creating my magazine. I like to have the
model star in the dead-centre of the cover, with everything else moulded
around it. I also like for the model to either be full body or upper body, as
opposed to just face/ head. From my double page spread research, I
decisively decided that I would prefer to use images scarcely. Some of the
magazines I looked at during this stage of my research included Empire.
Scream and Fangoria.

4. Slide 3: Conventions & Visual Language
I have used a strong, distinctive font for my magazine front cover, that stands out effectively and serves it’s
purpose excellently. I have used several different colours on my front cover, as there are many associated
with the horror genre and I wanted to use them in some form. I used red, which is a classic connotation of
horror, because of it’s links to blood and death. I also used purple, because of it’s ‘spooky’ element and link
to films involving paranormal things such as ghosts and poltergeists. I also used green because of it’s link to
classic horror movies and the ‘monster themes’ of the mid 20th century. In accordance with this, the text
that was green on my cover was promoting the opportunity to win ‘classic horror memorabilia’. The primary
font I used on both the front page cover and double page spread evokes thoughts of slasher movies, due to
its harsh letters and blood-splatter appearance. I think that my image is a convention of horror movies and
magazines as the hockey mask is an iconic of the genre (Jason Voorhees- Friday The 13th). I also think the
model is appropriately dressed- all in black, wearing skeleton gloves and brandishing a knife. The background
is also gritty and I believe is a suitable background. It is almost as if the model is in the movie and at the
location where he intends to attack his victims. The masthead is very prominent and bold and thus is a
convention. For the double page spread, I used the same font in red- to fit with the theme of the article on
slasher movies. I also added a shadow effect to the masthead, in order to make it more bolder and striking.
In order to fit with the horror theme, I used a black background with white text. This helps it stand out more
and is also very effective for the genre I am using. On the double page spread, I also used a couple of images,
both related to the article. I also use another image, placed behind the text. I think this works very well and
the use of putting an image behind the text is a general convention of magazines. I also used subheadings
and a dropcap at the start of my article. Overall, I used many visual magazine conventions for my front cover
and double page spread. The colour theme of primarily black and red worked very well for the horror genre,
as did the fonts.

5. In the primary optical area, we can
see the beginning of the headline,
which is bold and clear, as well as
the knife that the model is holding.
The combination of text and props
makes the magazine easily
identifiable as a horror magazine. I
also chose to put the price, date and
issue no. in this corner of the
magazine. I did this primarily to fill a
gap and as there was no room
around the barcode in which I could
appropriately place it. However, I
have seen other magazines do this
and so I do not think it is breaking
convention. By being here, it also
allows people to quickly see the
price and the release date, as well as
the issue number.
In the weak fallow area, there is
typically not much to see on many
magazine covers and I have this
convention in place here. You can
see some text, including a
competition offer, but that is the
only thing of note. Our eyes
usually come to this area of the
magazine last.
In the strong fallow area we can
see the remaining part of the
masthead, as well as part of the
model. In this corner of the
magazine cover, you can primarily
see the gloved skeletal hand of the
killer pushing the mask to his face.
The ‘T’ at the end of the word also
stands out from the rest of the
letters.
The axis of orientation brings us from
the primary optical area to the
terminal area. As we go across the
magazine, we can see the killer
character as well as the headlines.
This step of bringing our eyes across
will allow us to see the main theme
and lead article for the magazine.
In the bottom right hand corner,
or terminal area, we can see the
barcode. The barcode is often in
this location as it is far away from
the main focus and content of the
cover. Also in this area, we can see
the remaining text of some cover
lines, which we will have seen
when coming across the axis of
orientation.

6. Masthead
Price and Date
Cover Line
Lead Article
Kicker
Barcode
Cover Model

7. Headline
Gutters Gutters
Kicker
Dropcap
Subheadings
Subheadings

8. Slide 4: Audience:
I think that the approximate age for readers of my magazine would be around 18-35. I believe that this age
range are the most likely to watch and enjoy horror films, so this is why I have chosen it. In terms of gender, I
think that my magazine is gender neutral, but it may have a slight leaning towards males. This is because the
cover image, as well as the double page spread images, all feature males. However, this is merely because
they are the characters and there wasn’t any intentions to make this specifically for one gender. For social
class, I would estimate that the demographic for this magazine would be C1/2 and down. This is because
horror is a genre that is quite niche and the films are often quite uncomplicated. They are also often films
that have a very simple structured linear narrative and many are conventional. I think that my front cover
meets the needs of the target audience because it is very conventional. It has a bold masthead, lead article
and kickers. It also has a prominent model, which is quite sinister and scary and is in line with the horror
genre that the magazine represents. I took the time to use props during my photoshoot, in order to add as
many conventions of horror to the image as possible. I wore the skeletal gloves, dressed in black, wore a
hockey mask and held a knife. Also on the cover, I promoted a chance to win some horror related
merchandise, which is a strong convention of magazines. It also meets the target audiences needs as it gives
them something to look forward to, as they could possibly win.