Magazine Potential Layouts

Below are three different sketched layouts of a magazine cover. The drawings are based on research of film magazines such as Empire, Total Film, and Sight and Sound. The sketches below are potential layouts for my magazine cover, and conducting this has helped give me a greater understanding of the conventions of a magazine cover.

Poster Sketch Layouts

Below are three hand-drawn designs of the layout of a poster. It is imperative that I understand that there are various different ways to create a successful design for a poster. Moreover, these designs have not only helped give me ideas for my final poster layout, but have helped me get a better understanding of what attracts a film poster to the audience.

Having looked at many posters and their layouts, and after sketching these three poster layouts, it is evident that the images, whether they be of recognisable stars, or of imagery associated with the genre, take up a vast amount of the space allocated in the poster. This shows that these images are what the companies producing the films want the audience to remember and be drawn to, more so than the name of the film, actor names, and the tagline.

Researching Magazine Cover Fonts

The magazine cover I make stands alone from the poster and teaser trailer that I create. This is because the poster and teaser trailer are part of the marketing campaign of the film, and therefore there would be similarities between the two, such as font. However, the only input the marketing campaign would have for their film on a magazine cover would be the selection of pictures they give to the magazine to put on their cover. They use their own fonts their own designs etc. Therefore, I need to choose a font for my magazine.

I studied various film magazines and found a pattern amongst them. The big, worldwide, film magazines, who have big interviews with the biggest stars, such as Total Film and Empire, have similar fonts. They are loud, sharp fonts. They are hard to miss, and reflect the size of the magazine. Smaller and local film magazines, ones that go under the radar, who focus on smaller and different aspects of the movies, such as Sight and Sound, have smaller, less 'out-there' fonts. This gave me a 

good insight into the marketing of magazines, and helped me find a suitable font for my magazine.

My Teaser Trailer and Poster Font

The font I have decided to use for my poster and teaser trailer is Headliner No. 45.

The reason I decided to use this font is because I believe it reflects the storyline of the film; it is a story with a lot of rough edges, it is about a man who is trying to make money any way he can, legal or illegal, and he ends up in need of money to the point where he is in deep and he is required to repay the people who have helped him in ways that he is not comfortable doing. This font I think reflects the main characters struggles in the film, and how he adapts in order to plough through it.

Potential fonts

I scoured dafont.com for potential fonts that can be used for the thriller genre, as my movie belongs to that genre. I looked at hundreds of fonts on the website, spending most of my time in their 'Eroded' section, as most of the fonts in that section belong to the my chosen genre.

The following are a list of fonts from 'dafont.com' that I feel could be used for my movie:

Fonts - Poster

In the following posts, I will be analysing various types of fonts from websites including 'dafont.com', 'fontmeme.com', 'linotype.com', and 'fontyukle.com'. I am researching these websites in such detail so as to gain an understanding of why specific fonts are used for specific genres of film, and what the font tells about the stories. Ultimately, I hope to have enough understanding so as to choose a selection of fonts that may be used on my teaser trailer and film poster, and narrow that down to my final font for my film.

Thriller Trailer #2 - THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

• This teaser trailer is unlike others because, as it is the final film in a trilogy, it includes numerous shots from the previous films. It does this to create suspense and build drama. The first shot from the Dark Knight Rises comes at 0:38.
• The opening shots, coupled with the voiceover and taglines, are used to build up the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman, and illustrate how far he has come, now he is at the end. This creates tension amongst the audience, as this unconventional use of previous material attaches them to the character they have grown to love, with the realisation that it is the end.
• Darkness is a common theme in this trailer. Very few shots cast a character or setting in light. The only time there is light is in the shots with Gordon, which illustrates he is a good man, and a ray of light.
• Very little context of storyline is given. This trailer ignores the fact that there is a general storyline and focuses on the battle ahead that Batman has to go through. Shots, such as Wayne doing press ups, and Batman's fight with Bane, highlight the physical aspect of the struggle Batman has to go through, but there is also an underlying mental aspect hidden in Gordon and Wayne's conversation. "The Batman must come back". Batman was believed to be gone according to Wayne, so it seems as if he will need to re-adjust to life back as Batman.
• Trailer does not give away any story line, other than the Batman returns, and that he's biggest task lies ahead of him.

Thriller Trailer #1 - SKYFALL

• Protagonist seen in first shot of movie. Followed by voiceovers, and a man questioning him.
• Name of title brought up, attracts audience as we know it has meaning.
• Montage includes numerous action shots which have no meaning to the story line, but are necessary in relation to the genre. Music is fast-paced to reflect this, and create suspense.
• Sudden stop to a halt, and the title "Skyfall" is shown on a black screen. This is followed by a voiceover from Bond saying "They are coming to kill us". That is a sentence that causes the audience to ask questions, such as "Who is trying to kill him?", and wonder about what happens in the film.
• When Bond says "We are going to kill them first", the audience have a real buzz of anticipation because they have been given a big chunk of the storyline, without actually being told anything of note. This attracts them to the film and leaves them wanting more.

Although Skyfall is an Action Thriller, it does fall into the category Thriller

Comparisons of Teaser Trailers

It was evident to me, even before analysing teaser trailers from different genres, that they would be different, even if they follow and use the same conventions and principles of film making. However, even though I have watched numerous trailer and films throughout my life, it is intriguing to see, side by side, how film-makers portray films from different genres to the audience, in order to give a good, lasting impression.

The three films I chose to analyse were good choices because, excluding Insidious, which is the first of a set of films, Dumb and Dumber To, and Star Wars VII are follow ups to films that have had commercial success in the past. Therefore, they already had an audience, and although there are other audiences they could appeal to, they already had a platform to which to build. This, I believe, altered the way they portrayed the films in the teaser trailers, as they did not need to go over the top and reveal too much.

Fantasy Teaser Trailer - STAR WARS VII - THE FORCE AWAKENS

This teaser trailer is different to the previous teaser trailers analysed, as it contains very few of the conventions of a teaser trailer. This is not because of its genre, but because of what film it is. Star Wars is not just a film series, it is a market. People all around the world know what Star Wars is, who produces it, who starred in it etc. Therefore, it is understandable when production company logos, website links, cast and crew credits, quotes etc. are not included in this trailer, as it may not be deemed necessary, due to the hype around it. All that is needed in this trailer is images from the film, music, and an enticing voice over in order to get the audience excited and wanting to see more.

Comedy Teaser Trailer - DUMB AND DUMBER TO

This trailer contains all the typical conventions that are used to make up a teaser trailer. It contains the production company logos at the beginning of the trailer, and has the name of the film and the release date at the end of the trailer. It also contains numerous shots from the film, shot styles, such as fast cuts etc. and contains a voice over too.

Despite the many similarities in terms of conventions between horror and comedy teaser trailers, the difference in style is evident in the way the trailer plays out, and how it has a telling effect on the audience. In the horror teaser trailer I analysed, the shots included were used to build up to a greater purpose. However, in this trailer, the montage is filled with shots designed to attract the audience and humour them, rather than build up to a specific storyline.

Horror Teaser Trailer - INSIDIOUS

The trailer opens with a production company logo, and is followed by a quote "From the makers of Paranormal Activity and Saw", with effects used on this quote that is related to the genre, and is also accompanied by music that reflects the genre of the film. It is immediately followed by two quick flashing shots of a young boy, with lighting used in both to illuminate him in white, with darkness all around him.

Despite horror teaser trailers being very structurally different to any other genre, the conventions used are the same. This shows that, despite the vast array of genres, and style of film-making, there is still a mutually accepted way of producing films in the industry.

Comparing Teaser Trailers and Conventional Theatrical Trailers #2 LIMITLESS

Similarities

• Both trailers contain production company logos, which appear at the beginning of the trailers.
• Both trailers contain images from the film.
• Both trailers contain the title of the film, which appears at the end of the trailers.
• Both trailers contain release dates, however, those release dates are different, with the teaser trailer saying "March 18", and the theatrical trailer saying "Coming Soon".
• Both trailers show an indication of the genre of the movie. This is because the only noticeable differences between the trailer in terms of the images, music, and editing used is that the theatrical trailer is longer and uses more images than the teaser trailer. Both trailers are edited in very similar ways, although the teaser trailer contains quicker cuts, and you get a good grasp of the storyline from both trailers, although a 30 second teaser trailer contains less of the storyline than a 2 and a half minute theatrical trailer.
• Both trailers mention the same website, shown at the end of the trailers. However, the websites are not shown in identical shots, with the teaser trailer showing the website under the release date, with a shot from the film rolling in the background. The theatrical trailer, however, shows the website at the end of the trailer in front of a black background, with other information such as the billing, containing actors and actresses.
• Both trailers contain voice over's by the same person. However, these voice over's are different. In the teaser trailer the voice over is of specific dialogue from the film that has been specifically used by the director. The theatrical trailer contains a voice over that, in specific parts of the trailer, is similar to that of the teaser trailer. However, at the beginning of the trailer, the voice over is not dialogue from the movie, but is instead the central protagonist talking to the audience.
• Both trailers contain very similar editing, such as fast cuts, flashes etc.
• Both trailers contain images of the stars, specifically Bradley Cooper.
• Neither trailer contains any references to awards won by anyone involved in the films.
• Both trailers contain music that reflects the genre, and fits perfectly with the direction of the trailers, for example, in the theatrical trailer, the music starts of very low key, but with the build up in speed of the trailer, the music speeds up also and increases in sound,
• Neither trailer contains any references to other films.
• There are numerous sound effects used in both trailers that reflects the genre.
• There is eye candy in both trailers, most notably Bradley Cooper, as well as extreme long shots of eye-catching buildings, and a beautiful looking woman.
• There is no reference to source material in either trailer.
• There are a variety of camera shots and movements used in both trailers.

Differences

• The names of stars are not shown in the teaser trailer, but the name of the main character 'Bradley Cooper' is shown towards the end of the theatrical trailer.
• There is a tagline in the teaser trailer "How much can you take?", but there is no tagline in the theatrical trailer.

Comparing Teaser Trailers and Conventional Theatrical Trailers #1 THE HUNGER GAMES

Similarities

• Both trailers contain production company logos, that appear at the beginning of the trailers.
• Both trailers contain images from the film, despite the theatrical trailer containing more images and giving the audience a better understanding of the movie than the teaser trailer.
• Both trailers contain the title of the film, which appears at the end of both the trailers.
• Both trailers contain the release date "March 23, 2012", at the end of the trailer.
• Both trailers advertise the website "Facebook.com/TheHungerGamesMovie", at the end of the trailers.
• Both trailers contain voiceovers, although they are not of a 'voiceover man', but instead contain dialogue from the movie put on top of images from it.
• Both trailers contain specific editing styles, with the teaser trailer containing numerous camera shots, and both long and slow cuts. The theatrical trailer contains flashes, quick fades, and a variety of camera shots varying from extreme long shots to aerial shots.
• Both trailers do not have cast, director, or crew credits.
• Both trailers do not reference to other films that have been directed or produced by the same people.
• There are no mentions of the names of stars in either trailer. However, there are images of the stars of the movie in both trailers.
• There are no mention of any awards that the cast, crew, or film have won or been nominated for.
• Both trailers contain music that reflect the goings on in the trailer, and the genre of film. An example of this is in the theatrical trailer, the music starts off relatively slow, but as the trailer continues, and shows the audience more of the film, the music ramps up a level to reflect the increase in intensity in the trailer.
• Both the trailers contain the same tagline that appears at the end of the trailer. The tagline is "May the odds be ever in your favor", and is identical in terms of positioning in both trailers.
• Both trailers do not contain any quotes that reference other films.
• There are numerous sound effects used in both trailers that reflect the genre of the movie.
• There are shots of eye candy in both trailers. However, these are different in both trailers. In the teaser trailer, the only eye candy is the explosion that occurs, but in the theatrical trailer, there is far more eye candy on show, for example, Katniss' 'Girl on Fire' dress at the opening ceremony, Katniss dressed up for her interview, and the capital shimmering under the light of the sun, to name but a few.

Differences

• A difference between the teaser and theatrical trailer is that the genre is not completely clear. This is due to the vagueness of the teaser trailer, as it only shows one scene of the movie, and does not give any information as to the storyline of the movie, although you can make the judgement that the protagonist is the only person shown in the movie, and so this may be a movie aimed at females. The theatrical trailer, however, gives a clear overview of the storyline of the movie, and so it is easy to realise that this is a film set in a fantasy world, and belongs to that genre, as well as being an adventure movie.
• There is no reference to the source material that the movie is based on in the teaser trailer, but there is reference to the source material that the movie is based on in the theatrical trailer.

Teaser Trailers - Conventions

Conventions of a teaser trailer include:

Production company logos - used to show which companies made the film and advertise these companies

Images from the film - these images are specifically chosen so as not to give away too much about the movie, while also creating anticipation and the "want for more" from the audience.

Title of the film - usually at the end of the teaser trailer

Release dates - for a teaser trailer this is likely to be "Coming Soon" or "Summer 2014" rather than date specific

Indication of genre - use of mise-en-scene or voice-overs should clearly show the genre of the film.

Website - reference to the film and/or production companies websites

Voice over man - sets the scene of the film

Editing - transitions often include flashes, quick fades and dissolves alongside more conventional cuts

Credits - including the cast, crew, director etc.

References to other films - "from the director of" etc.

Images of stars/names of stars

References to awards - won by cast/crew/film "7 time Bafta award winning actor" etc.

Music - related to the genre, and fits in with the images shown

Tagline - same tagline as to that on the poster of the film

Sound effects - used to create responses related to genre

Eye candy - someone who catches the eye of the audience, and would attract audiences

Reference to source material - whether or not the film is based on a book, tv series etc.

A variety of camera shots/movement

Teaser Trailers - Introduction

As I am going to be creating a teaser trailer based on my movie, it is important that I research a lot about teaser trailers, how they are made, what makes them unique, and the conventions used in these trailers. This will be helpful because it will prepare me for the task of making a teaser trailer, and will enable me to do the best I possibly can.

Magazine Cover #5 FILMMAKER

Filmmaker is a film publication that is published every 3 months that covers issues relating to independent film. It was founded in 1992, but now has a readership of more than 60,000. The magazine includes interviews, case studies, financing and distribution information, festival reports, and fimmakers on filmmaking in their own words. The magazine used to be available outside the US, but has not been on shelves since 2009.

This magazine cover has all the conventions of a typical magazine cover. The masthead is at the top of the cover and is the biggest font on the page. The dominant central image takes up the whole of the cover, and is related to the main cover line, which is bigger than the cover lines. Other conventions such as a bar code, date, banners etc. are present on this cover also.

Magazine Cover #4 AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER

American Cinematographer is an American film magazine that is published monthly. It is unlike the publications I have previously looked at because this publication focuses on the art and craft of cinematography, as well as covering domestic and foreign feature productions, television productions, short  films, music videos and commercials. It also emphasises its interviews on cinematographers, directors, producers etc. Articles discuss technical how-to pieces, discussions of tools and technologies that affect cinematography, and historical features.

The front cover of American Cinematographer also highlights the differences it has with Empire and Total Film. It has traditional conventions such as a masthead at top of cover, with it being the biggest font, and a main cover line being bigger than all other line, which is attributed to the dominant central image. The cover also includes other traditional conventions such as a slogan, bar code, date etc.

Magazine Cover #3 SIGHT AND SOUND

Sight and Sound is a smaller publication than Empire and Total Film, but contains similar conventions to the two of them. The Masthead is the biggest font on the screen, and is placed at the top of the cover. The dominant central image is the focal point of the cover and the main cover line contains a bigger sized font than the cover lines. Other conventions such as banners, date, and price are included on this cover.

Magazine Cover #2 TOTAL FILM

My second magazine cover is from Total Film. Total Film is a British film magazine that was originally published in 1997. Total Film is a very similar publication to Empire in many ways; not only are they British publications, they both sell worldwide, focus on Hollywood blockbusters, contain exclusives etc. Like Empire, Total Film offers reviews on new releases in cinema, DVD's, and interviews and news on the latest goings on in the world of Film.

This magazine contains many conventions of a magazine front cover. The masthead is the biggest font on the cover, and is placed at the top of the magazine. The dominant central image takes up most of the cover, and the main cover line is based on this image, and also contains a bigger sized font than the rest of the cover lines. Their are also other images, placed at the top of the magazine, so as to illustrate what characters/actors will be covered in this issue. These images are surrounded by banners, in order to separate them from the rest of the cover.

Magazine Cover #1 EMPIRE

My first magazine cover is from Empire magazine. Empire is a British magazine, and is currently the biggest selling film magazine in Britain. The magazine is not only published in Britain, but has a vast audience in America, Australia, Russia, Portugal, and Turkey. Their magazine attracts young adults and teenagers, roughly between the ages of 15 and 24. Empire is well known for organising the annual 'Empire Year Awards'. This is an awards show that is decided completely by the readers of Empire magazine. Empire is a leading publication of it's type, and contains interviews and movies of many movies, most notably Hollywood Blockbuster movies, as this is the main attraction to their audience.

This magazine cover contains many conventions of a magazine front cover. The Masthead is the biggest font on the cover, and is placed at the top of the magazine. The Dominant Central Image takes up most of the cover, and the main cover line is based on this image, and also contains a bigger sized font than the rest of the cover lines. Various other conventions are used on this magazine front cover, most notably, banners, a barcode, and a date and price. 

Introduction to Magazine Front Cover's

Having analysed various existing film publications, I am now going to analyse various different magazine covers, from different genres, specifically focusing on their layout, style and content, as well as looking at their target audiences. As a result of this, I will have a better understanding of how magazines are formed and how important their front cover's are to attracting audiences, and this will aid me when I am required to design my own magazine front cover.

A Magazine Cover with Conventions

Film magazine front covers have many conventions. This front cover has the following conventions:

• Masthead - EMPIRE
• Dominant Central Image - Bard the Bowman (The Hobbit)
• Cover Lines
• Main Cover Line
• Slogan
• Web Address
• Date
• Issue
• Price
• Barcode
• Banners
• Other images
• Reference to free gifts

Conventions of a Magazine Front Cover

A magazine front cover is the selling point to targeted audiences due to the first impression that the contents contain. In order to sell magazines and attract customers, there are various conventions that all magazine covers contain, with the majority of these conventions being deemed as necessities in forming the layout of a magazine front cover.

These conventions are:

Masthead - This is the name of the magazine. It is commonly the biggest font of the page, so as to stand out, and is usually placed at the top of the cover, so as to be seen in shops on a magazine stand if there are other magazines blocking out the rest of the cover.

Dominant Central Image - This is the focus image that takes up a large chunk of space on the cover, usually in the centre.

Cover lines - These are designed to inform the reader as to what is inside the magazine. Cover lines tend to include movies that have recently come out, and stars or celebrities that will attract a certain audience to the magazine.

Main cover line - This is a cover line that is directly linked to the dominant central image. Will be the magazine's focus point in this issue.

Web address - Reference to the magazine's online website, which has different capabilities to the magazine.

Slogan - A phrase that is specifically affiliated to a magazine. Not all magazines have a slogan, so it is a personal decision whether to have one or not.

Date - Film magazines usually come out on a monthly basis, so it is likely that only the month and year would be located on the magazine, for example, 'May 2014'.

Price - The cost of the magazine

Issue number - Not always located on the magazine front cover. Reference to the number of magazines that the publication has produced, including the current magazine.

Barcode - Unique for each magazine. Present on all magazines.

Banners - Designs on the magazine so as to promote specific parts of the front cover, for example, offers, prizes, and specific parts of the magazine, such as dedicated pages to a certain film/actor.

Other images - To promote the magazine and its contents.

Reference to free gifts - Promotions for affiliated products that the publication provide, for example, free 3D glasses.

Magazine - Existing Film Publications

I will be required to design a magazine front cover on my created movie, as part of my coursework. However, despite this, I am unaware of many film magazine publications, so here is a list of film publications that I have researched, and information about them.

Popular UK music and film magazine. Features hundreds of music and movie reviews, interviews and news. 

Box office results, top ten, movie reviews.

One of the best film magazines online that examines classic, commercial, and independent films from a wide range of vantage points from the aesthetic to the political.

Online UK film magazine. Find reviews, features and interviews for new cinema and dvd releases, articles on independent, low-budget and regional film making, more.

Features news, reviews, top movies, upcoming releases, box office results (UK), forum, and more.

Features news, reviews, top movies, upcoming releases, box office results (UK), forum, and more.

Provides film news and gossip, movie reviews, video and DVD releases, Australian and international film industry information.

Covers cult films, underground shorts, alternative films and independent features.

Presents an insider's perspective on the world of independent filmmaking, including: interviews, case studies, financing and distribution information, festival reports, technical and production updates, and more.

Quality magazine providing articles on films old and new, foreign and domestic, narrative and documentary.

Movie reviews, news, and interviews for Hollywood, indie, and foreign films.

Site of Irish Film & Television Network. Covers film and television news, local and international festivals, film locations, Irish production and jobs.

Selected articles from the magazine on the art and politics of the cinema.

Guide to independent film and film making from around the world.

Hollywood's movie satire site.

Magazine explores the various aspects of film making from the perspective of the film makers themselves.

Reviews and previews of Hollywood movies and videos from the nation's critics.

Presents collection of essays, reviews, commentary, and discussion about cinema.

Newspaper providing movie reviews, box office info, entertainment and celebrity news, more.

Provides news and information on the latest Hollywood blockbusters, including exclusives and first look glimpses into the world of Film.