Various magazine producers with the front covers annotated to see the generic conventions of a film magazine cover.

1. Magazine
research
By Jack Broom and Adam
Cadman

2. Empire
As you can see from the “I am Legend”
magazine cover, it has the main
protagonist (will smith) in the foreground
and the center to show that he is the main
character.
The typography of the magazine producer
“Empire” is behind the main character, to
make him stand out even more. It’s in red
as it best suites the action/horror genre of
film.
The date and the price has
been made to fit within the
poster. It is a small font, to
put more emphasis on the
more important text around it
and the main character.
The main title of the film. It’s
in bold and white font to
make it stand out,
especially against the
contrasting image of the
dark coat.
Some information about
the film: The actor, the
setting and the genre.
There is a dark silhouette in the
background, to create a dark v light
moment. This is just to show readers
that Will Smith is the protagonist. The
silhouette is also used to create a
sense of danger.
The protagonist is
holding the trigger of a
gun. This is used to
show the audience of a
threat that can be seen
in the film, without
giving away what.
There is fog below the title, to
give the film a sense of
mystery. This is also
emphasized by the dark
silhouettes in the background.

3. Sight & Sound As with the Empire magazine
cover, the typography “sight
and sound” is in the header
however, this time the name of
the producer is in the
foreground of the main
character, instead of the
background.
The background is a
dark colour to make the
main character stand out
even more.
The name of the film is in
a small white font. This is
to allow the viewer to not
divert all attention away
from the image of the
main protagonist.
The name of the main
cast is a larger, white
font, to fit nicely with
the screen, as well as
the dark contrast with
the darker clothing.
There is also extra cast
member names below the
main cast member. This is
again in smaller white font,
to not divert attention away
from the main image.
A text above is
a slogan for
their
international
magazine.

4. Total Film
The typography of “Total” is
embedded within the word
“Film”, to give it a unique
look. “total is in a large white
font, to make it stand out. It
also contrasts with the main
characters darker clothing.
The main character is yet again
within the center of the magazine.
This draws all the attention to the
main character.
More information about what the
magazine includes in a small
circle. This is in as small area to
again, not drawing attention away
from the main character.
“Massive Epic Movie
preview” – to make the
film stand out even
more.