Researching and Analysing film magazines

Analysing film magazine covers

Through research I have come to the realisation that a film magazine gives publicity to recently released films and gives an insight on the film and sometimes has special features within the magazine such as interviews with the main characters/actors-actresses. They also give ratings and a detailed reviews on the film they are featuring to allow the readers to get to know a bit of information about the film and whether they recommend to watch it or not. Below I have analysed a few film magazine covers.

Main Image: As with most film magazines they tend to use the main character as the main image and tend to have the main character looking directly in front as if they were to look at the audience. Leonardo Dicaprio is also a very well known actor that has been involved in many successful films which helps to promote the film. This would attract his fan base as well as those that just enjoy the films he is in.

Masthead: In this film magazine they have made their logo/title memorable as they have put ‘total’ within the first letter of the word ‘film’. It is also very unique how they made the masthead blend in to the background to look like it is buildings recreating a scene image from the film. As it looks very creative and unique, it could attract people as it is something different to what they usually always see on magazines. It is also huge and bold that helps it to stand out.

Cover line: This magazine had used ‘Inside the ultimate head trip’ as their cover line. This can attract and engage audiences that like to be puzzled or to know the answers of questions. ‘Inside’ could make the readers think they are going to see things that are not seen by everyone but merely only if you understand the full story from a different perspective.

Colour: The magazine kept the colour scheme similar to what the theme was in the film, and their posters/advertisement. Blue and grey also compliment the black suit that Leonardo is wearing. The colour red is used to highlight and bring out important information to catch the attention of the audience.

Main Image: Terminator was a very successful film that had created a huge fan base. The magazine has put the T-101 in the front cover and looks like it had been killed. It looks as if it had been defeated and those who have seen previous films know how difficult it is to get rid of the T-101. since terminator salvation is a spin off from the original terminator with Arnold Schwarzenegger, it would attract audiences having seen two new actors as the main characters for the film. 

Colour: The colours used conveys a  message to the audience of terror and darkness. The red could symbolise blood and the dark colours could initiate that there’s no light.

Text: The magazine used ‘ World Exclusive’. This would  attract an audience considering that they state their magazine article on Terminator Salvation is exclusive and first in the world.

Masthead: Once again like the other magazine, they have embedded ‘total’ into the ‘f ‘from ‘film’, but it looks as if they cut it out of the letter ‘f ‘as you can see the background through the word ‘total’ which looks very unique. The masthead is also white which contrasts with the background colour that is dark. This helps for the masthead to stand out on the front cover.

Text: The magazine included ‘The Summers Darkest Blockbuster’. The audience may interpret this as something mysterious and packed with action/thriller. Summer and Darkest also contrast each other as Summer is meant the be the lightest it is in the year.