Movie Magazine analysis...

In order to plan my front cover, I have decided to do some research and look at professional and popular movie magazines and their covers. After this I will start a paper plan for my own movie magazine, with the help of the research that I have collected here...

Magazine Cover 1 - TOTAL FILM

The first movie magazine cover I'm going to analyse is Total Film. First off is the bold and big mast head. A sans serif font is used to make it clear, the lettering is in all caps, again to emphasise the name of the magazine. The colour used helps it to stand out from the background. Next is the unique selling points, these are things which make the magazine unique, on this magazine cover, the 'freebies' are what makes it unique; the 'FREE GIANT IRON MAN POSTER!' and 'PLUS DANIEL DAY-LEWIS | MEL GIBSON | BLU-RAY SPECIAL'. These are what the readers can get if they buy the magazine. The photo of Johnny Depp is big, so big it overlaps the mast head, this shows that he will be a key feature in the magazine, there is also a sense of direct ode if address, he is looking straight at the reader, therefore engaging with the reader. Next to the image The cover-lines link the image to what is being included in the issue. The cover-lines show what will be included in the magazine, again white used along with a sans serif font which helps bring it forward and not let is get camouflaged by the background. Finally you have media convergence - the website for the magazine is shown on the cover, and you have a cover-price. Additionally, puff words are used; 'FREE' 'PLUS' 'WORLD EXCLUSIVE' These words help emphasise the key features of the magazine, and make it sound interesting to the reader.

Magazine Cover 2  - EMPIRE Magazine

Second cover is from EMPIRE. There is a clear theme going on here, red & grey with white and black. The mast head, again is bold and in all capitals as like the previous cover, a sans serif font is also used so that the readers can understand what it says. Unique selling points are as said above the mast head; 'COEN BROTHERS! LONE RANGER! RYAN GOSLING!' There is also a '32-PAGE COMEDY SPECIAL' as well as additional gossip. These show some of the films and actors that will be included in the issue. The main image of the elves of 'The Hobbit'. They are slightly posed and/or stylised, the one that is drawing his weapon looks to be slightly more significant than the others, all three are looking towards the reader, thus showing direct mode of address, and therefore engaging with the reader. The image then linked to the cover-lines, these show what the main feature of the issue will be, in this case it's 'The Hobbit'. There is also a quote included which is called anchorage, and also shows direct mode of address, and engages with the audience. The font is very fancy, and links to the genre of the film shown. Again, there is media convergence, the website is shown on the front cover, puff words used; 'PLUS' There aren't as many puff words used on this cover, which suggests that because it's a popular magazine, they do not have to emphasise what is featured in their covers, whereas other magazines such as TOTAL FILM which aren't as popular or famous, use as many puff words as they can as they need to make their cover seem unique so that people will buy them. 

From these covers I have come up with a few ideas of how to set up my magazine cover, and what to include. I still need to come up with a name for my magazine, but I think after seeing these two magazines I have a pretty good idea of where I want to take this. Empire is a very good example of a successful movie magazine, that looks good, and doesn't have too much going on, on the cover, whereas magazines such as Total Film need to have slightly more going on as they aren't has mainstream as magazines such as Empire.