This document provides an analysis of the layout, design elements, target audience, and purpose of several magazine covers. It examines the Empire magazine cover featuring The Hobbit, noting the simple yet sophisticated layout, colours evoking an aged legend, and main image exciting fans. It analyzes a Sherlock Holmes magazine cover's layout, colours signifying royalty, images maintaining stereotypes of strength and emotionless men, and purpose of escapism. Finally, it summarizes a Flipside magazine cover targeting teenagers with its variety of content, urgent font, focus on stars over titles, and image of a strong female Avatar character subverting expectations.

1. Layout: The Layout of this magazine is simple, but comes out as sophisticated and well organised, as it
draws the main attention on the only image that is featured on there. However, it still informs the readers
about other films that are mentioned in this magazine “DREDD, TAKEN 2”. All of the information that is
needed on the cover is there in an orderly fashion, for example at the top it relates to the image, the
subheadings and even the puff that informs the reader about The Dark Knight (Batman).
Title: The title relates to the whole effect of the magazine at has a timely appearance due to the old and
rusted colour that is in the “EMPIRE” name, it’s also the exact colour as “The Hobbit”. The E blends in with
the background, but then it comes out of the darkness with the M and P, this could be suggesting that
darkness is more stronger than light. The audience who knows the story line of this film could relate this
the title layout to the story as The Hobbit is the beginning of a dark era for this fantasy.
Sub-headings: The EMPIRE magazine, normally doesn’t hold a lot of information on the front, only the key
subjects, which in this case are the films, “Dredd, Riddick” and an exclusive. The sub-headings relate to
the whole theme of the magazine, this cover is showing that is mainly attracting the audience who prefer
action, fantasy and even sci-fi over other key genre’s, and also the puff of The Dark Knight signifies this
theme.
Colours: The colours create an old and legendary feel with the blends of dark blues, grey light blue to the aged velvet red standing out of the
dark blends. To enhance the idea of an old age legend, the title colours of “EMPIRE” and “The Hobbit” are in a mix of orange, browns and
blacks, this is showing a rusted metal effect, that it has just been left to decay. However it could also have a fire effect as it is the title of the
film looks like it is coming out of the darkness to be re-born, which again relates to the Title and the image as The Hobbit is the birth of the
legend, therefore the franchise is re-born.
Image: The main image actually shows the most anticipated scene of the movie, which will excite the target audience who have been waiting
for this moment. The image causes a sinister effect as behind Martin Freeman lies the twisted and recognisable creature of this legend
whose expressions seem very cynical and cunning. The facial expressions over Martin indicates fear, which subverts from the stereotype of
the strong, emotionally closed off, brutal and bravery, however due to the fact that he holds a sword suggests that the is actually brave and
highly independent as he is showing that he is willing to fight his own battles.
Use & Gratification: This magazine can be used for many reason, some people can use it for information about the films, actors, up coming
events and many more. Others may use it for social integration as they may want to find out why everyone is talking about this specific film,
so without being an outcast in the subject matter they find out what the hype is all about. Many people read magazines or even watch the
film for an escape from there own life, so having it be about a fantasy legend helps them indulge in this fantasy, so they can forget about there
own life and there own problems.
Target audience: The main target audience for this magazine cover would be the people who have are highly passionate about this film
franchise and action packed thriller films. They can be any gender of any age ranging from 16- 30, any sexuality and ethnicity. In a way this
magazine is a film nerds dream as it holds a variety of knowledge of old and modern films, but to anyone who knows how Empire work, they
will know that they will hit the jackpot for the information based on this film alone.

2. Layout: Again this one has a simple
layout as everything fits in together and
in perfect place. It’s organised and gives
of a sophisticated effect, which relates to
the main image as Sherlock Holmes does
give an impression of sophistication in
his profession. The main attention is on
the two characters, but it also gives the
audience a variety of attention with the
sell line with the golden colours and the
different images of the other films that
are featured in this magazine.
Puff: The Puff is normally used for a
sneak peak and to grab the interest of
the reader as it informs who is the most
richest character at the time, it helps
with the theme of: Royalty.
Target Audience: This magazine looks like it’s for the
ages of around 16- 30 of any sexuality, ethnicity and
gender as the colours relate to both genders with the
blues, golds, reds and whites. For social class the
magazine looks like it is available to the unemployed
and employed, mainly under the category of E to C2.
Colours: The main eye catching colour that is
featured is the blend of blues in the background to
resemble a new stormy sky, and the gold which is
used on the PUFF and the sell line. Along with them
you also have the choice of red and white. All of these
colours help signify royalty as the golds blend in well
with the other sophisticated mix, it may indicate an
importance to the magazine, for example it could be
creating an effect of “it is important for you to find
out about what we hold.”
Image: The main characters are using Direct Address which is a useful device into attracting the audience as it seems like they are telling
there audience to “find out our story”. The main image maintains the stereotype of man as it seems like they are strong, fierce,
independent, loyal (to each other), emotion less and brave. The other images each show a still of a particular scene in the film they are
featured in, with the sell line also explaining the film and the actor that is featured. A key pattern that is enhanced by the actors facial
expressions is that it is giving of a despair and urgent look, for example with the second picture of Rachel Weiz shows that she looks
distressed and maybe hopeless, we also see this in Will Ferrell's last picture as he looks almost broken. All of this can capture the
audiences interest as they might question- “Why are they so down in the dumps?”
Use of Gratification: As I have said before, people tend to buy a magazine for many reasons, some to escape from there own reality or even
value there own life with the actors they admire the most. To people who are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, may want to read the articles so
they can talk to the Sherlock fan base on social network sites such as: Tumblr, Twitter or Facebook. Some may admire Robert Downey Jr
for his life story of hitting rock bottom to reach the very top, so they may just buy the magazine to admire the actor and his progress on his
triumph. Others may just want to read it to forget about there own problems so they read about the challenges that the actors get into.
Font: The font is clear, eye-catching and easy to read and understand. The font of Sherlock Holmes, is all joined together, this could suggest
that there is no way of escape from the main character, or that the character may be closed in. The other font however is apart from each
other and more thin then the title, this could signify that Sherlock Holmes is out of the ordinary, whilst all the other names and writing
follow the same genuin pattern- Thin and Lose.

3. Layout: This layout is completely different, there is more to look at than just one picture like
Empire has. Even though it is different in it’s features, it is still organised and very well laid
out, which makes it seem busy and full of information. This magazine differs in many ways,
the main point is that it is not just a film review magazine, this magazine offer game, TV
shows, Gadgets and many more reviews, therefore it gives the reader more of a variety.
Font: The font is effective because of it’s eye catching colours and thickness of the letters. It
screams a matter of urgency to the reader that they have to meet the stars, the red helps send
out this message.
Title: This magazine is highly different to the previous ones, the Title is normally one of the
devices to attract the reader, but this magazine doesn’t need to mention the name of the film
in fancy font, instead they have used the title in a little anchorage text which is above
“Meet…”. This shows that the magazine doesn’t need any fancy material to mention the name
because they are assuming that the reader already knows it or have heard of it before, which
suggests that the only important thing to do with the film is the character and actor herself.
Target Audience: Due to the indifferences and subjects that it holds it seems like Flip-Side is
mostly aimed at teenagers who are most likely unemployed, but may use there pocket money
to purchase this magazine.
Colour: Again a simple pattern of colours is used to alert the reader and direct them exactly on where to look and get information if
wanted. You have the red which certainly alerts the reader on where to look, the main connotations are: danger, lust, passion whether
that’s the passion of reading or even the passion of films and actors. Other colours such as white and black signifies opposites, but in this
case it is an effective way on getting the attention. The blue creates a calming effect, but due to it being on the actual image the connotation
is changed.
Images: The main image that grabs the attention is the main star of the hit movie AVATAR. This character isn’t using direct address, but the
reader can see that she is strong and fierce by the usage of her eyes being alert and also full of wisdom. This subverts the main stereotype
of the women because they are normally tend to seem weak and vulnerable. Other images are backed up with anchorage text to alert the
reader on what is in store in this magazine, a key effect which is highly noticeable is the second picture up top where it looks like this snow
boarder is leaping of the page, this can create a wild and dangerous effect.
Use and Gratifications: This magazine looks like it is mainly aimed at people who want information or possibly an escape route from there
own life as they read about the actresses life as she takes main role and the other articles that are in store for them. The use of the layout
informs the reader on what is in store for them so the main Use and Gratification is information, within this information it can be used for
social interaction with there friends or the fan base for this specific film or actress- which is commonly found on websites such as Tumblr.