Research into similar products: Ancilliary products: film magazines

As well as the moving image product that we will have to create, we have to create two ancillary products which are a film poster and front cover of a film magazine. In this blog post, I am going to be analyse several film magazines so I can compile a list of the generic codes and conventions of film poster. A film magazine is used as a promotion method for a film. Film magazines include empire, total film and entertainment etc.

Magazines:

This has the masthead 'HorrorVille' and has a main image of Pennywise who is the main antaganist in the film IT. The lack of colour and dark lighting are used to emphasis the horror genre. The magazine also includes secondary images of what else to expect inside the magazine and secondary cover lines. As well as the main cover line that matches the main image and lets the reader know about the It film. The magazine also includes the generic codes and conventions of a magazine: price, bar code and date.

This has the masthead at the top of the magazine in big bold letters 'Empire' with the main cover image of the three main characters in Harry Potter. The characters are above the masthead which emphasises how important the three characters are. At the top of the magazine there is a pug that says 'Free! Spectacular Potter Photo Special'. There again is secondary images and secondary cover lines to emphasis that there is more to find inside. There is also a main cover line in bold that highlights to the reader the name of the film. 

Codes and conventions of a film magazine:

• The Masthead - this is an obvious convention for a film magazine as normally placed in the left third of the magazine. This tells the reader the company of the magazine and normally highlights what sort of things are inside. 
• The main image - this is normally a still from the film or a shot of the acores and highlights to the read amd gives them a general idea of what the film might be about.
• Anchorage text - this is placed near the main image and may give a quote from the actor, a character or director which gives extra insight into the film
• Pugs and Puffs - they use the words 'free' or 'exclusive' to entice a reader to buy the magazine
• Tagline - this is a famous quote that is featured on every edition that is vital to that company only
• Barcode 
• Date
• Website
• Price
• Main cover line - this will advertise the film
• Secondary images and secondary cover lines - these promote whats inside the magazine