Masthead: This is the largest text on the cover. The world ‘Total’ is inside the letter ‘F’ so that they have room to enlarge and emphasize the word ‘Film’.
Graphics/effects: The lighthouse aligns with the straight line of the letter ‘m’ which morphs some of the elements into each other and creates an intertwined effect.
Main image: This is a full body medium shot of popular actor Leonardo DiCaprio. He attracts his fans and people who like the movies he’s in. There are many enigmas on the cover, which make the reader want to turn the page and read about this mysterious movie. For example, he is holding a gun and standing over a dead(?) body looking defiant and perhaps a bit shocked. He is a police officer (evident by his belt), yet he has his fist clenched. Is he a bad guy? Maybe he’s driven by revenge or justice. The floral pattern on his tie could show that he is close to his family since it looks like a present. Maybe his family has something to do with the story’s plot.
Background: The mist covers the background, which adds a dramatic effect and simplifies the layout, so it doesn’t look too crowded.
The sell lines are there to give more information on the title of the cover stories. For example, a picture of the movie Avatar would be vague in what the article is actually about. But the sell lines show that the article involves an interview with the director, which is much more intriguing for the reader, especially as the interview is something they probably haven't seen before.
Skyline: hypes the sketchbooks up as the ‘greatest ever’ which would make the viewer feel like they had to see them to experience this sensation. It would also see that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so the reader would have to look inside or they wouldn’t have this chance again.
The barcode, price and issue number are the smallest features on the cover because they are least eye-catching and intriguing. The price of the magazine is £4, which is the costlier end of the price range for magazines. This is why the creators wouldn’t want the audience being put off by the cost.
The colour scheme is blue, grey and black and there are many shadows, silhouettes and dark patches in the images. These all fit the mystery genre and really convey the morbid, twist filled themes of the film. There are many things lurking in the depths of the story; disturbing things which the audience can’t wait to be revealed.
2. Empire magazine
The Masthead is also the largest piece of text on this magazine. The magazine company wants to establish their brand and imprint the name 'Empire' into the reader's mind, so that they become a regular reader of the magazine. If they didn't make the name so obvious, the reader would probably remember the interesting content of the magazine, but wouldn't recall which company it was made by.
The creators have placed the James Bond logo above the title, to associate it with the main cover story that it's advertising. It is a recognisable icon to fans of the franchise and people within the magazine/film's target audience. Therefore it doesn't just look cool, but it acts as another element to catch the reader's eye.
The background is the famous gun barrel, which is also a signature device at the start of every James Bond film. This iconic feature will also attract fans as well as people who are familiar with the visuals. All of these elements combine to make a Bond theme magazine, which is more than just advertising the main cover story. The dedication to the franchise means the magazine is celebrating the film, which implies that it probably has some Bond related merchandise inside.
Daniel Craig (who plays Bond) and his co-star are at the front, with a 2 person shot where both people are looking in opposite directions. This could mean that the characters are partners, but in this case, it is showing that they are enemies. Furthermore, the way that Craig is in front of the other, with his brighter suit and confident pose; shows that he is the hero. Meanwhile the other actor stands behind, in a black jacket, with half his face covered in shadows. Needless to say, the dark aura around him paints him as the villain.
The main sell line is the title of the movie, which has its own font and design. There is little explanation given as to what the article is about, but the reader can assume that there'd be lots of news about the upcoming film.
There is a plug on this cover, which highlights an original feature (such as a guest editor). This is a rare treat for the audience, which further prompts them to want this 'special edition' magazine.
There are many puffs under the title, which shows that the magazine is packed with interesting articles. This widens the fanbase for the magazine (by attracting fans of other films) and also shows that the magazine is good content value for the money.
The other two main cover stories are in a larger font, on the bottom. They won't attract as many fans as the main cover story, but they are still emphasised because they are unique stories.
This cover uses a red font to draw the reader's eyes to the highlighted focus points. It contrasts the dark, black background; which makes it more noticeable and also bring some colour to the cover. Red can also connote blood, danger and romance; which are all themes within the Bond franchise.
The issue number, price and date are there to inform the reader of basic information; like how old the magazine (and the company) is and how much they need to pay for the copy. It is in a tiny font, because its function is not to convince the reader to purchase the magazine.
3. Sight and sound magazine
This magazine has a slogan, which boasts that the magazine is 'THE international film magazine'. This makes it seem better than the competition, by advertising it as widely popular -with the word 'international'. It says 'The' which almost implies that it's the only popular film magazine. In any case, the slogan makes the magazine look high quality by implying that it has a large audience and high praise. This must therefore mean it's good.
The masthead only slightly bigger than the title. The yellow and red colours don't blend in to the background, but instead contrast the rest of features. This makes it stand out, without having to enlarge the letters and therefore distract the readers from the other elements. They warm colours show that the film may be morbid and cold, but the magazine is always warm and welcoming. It doesn't matter that the colours don't quite go together; the magazine has its own brand identity which is the same and therefore recognised on any cover.
Leonardo Dicaprio's character is the dominant feature of the main image. He is placed in front of the Masthead and behind the title. By just by looking at the state of the actor in his surroundings, the reader can predict the plot of the movie. The character is probably stranded in the snowy mountains, trying to survive while fighting off a deadly enemy. But the lack of explanation is there to create some mystery regarding the situation so that the reader has to read the article and find out more,
The foreground, background and middleground create a 3D effect; which literally stands to the viewer. The text in the foreground are at the top of the hierarchy of importance.
The picture does well to attract the audience, but the text is what really intrigues them to turn the page. The title and cover stories are in a white font, to blend in (and also stand out) in front of the artic themed visuals. The general lack of colour creates the sense of life being drained, which matches the character in the photograph.
The plug and puffs inform the reader of the other articles within the magazine. But they are at the bottom of the magazine, so that the picture looks lonely and more intense. It is taken more seriously without chirpy little captions surrounding and crowding it.
Conventions such as the price, barcode and date are there for practical purposes like scanning at the checkout and informing the reader of what to pay. They are put to the side so that they don't interfere distract from the persuasive features.
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