Film Magazine Analysis (Shutter Island)

Film Magazine Analysis

The masthead - Total Film, is the biggest font on the page to catch people’s attention, state how important and influential the company is. White capital letters, in sans serif font, contrast against the background. The masthead is obscured by the main image. This magazine brand is very popular and fans will already know what to look for. The word film is included in the title so the reader will know what genre the magazine is.

The boldest colour of the magazine front cover is red which has connotations of blood and danger. It also suggests a warning and this conveys the genre of the film. Blue is used in the background for the main image. This creates a mysterious and dark mood, adding context to the image. The cover-lines are all backed by a red smudge which represents blood and reinforces the thriller genre. Colours appeal to a younger audience as they are bright and exciting. 

The biggest focus of the page is the main character from 'Shutter Island'- the key selling point of this magazine. The image of the main character is a posed, mid shot which is the largest image on the page. This tells the audience who the focus of the magazine is without reading the titles.

The character is posing, looking directly towards the audience which engages us and feels like direct communication.

The iconography of a gun and dark, smart clothes, suggests the character is a killer. This representation of the character will appeal to a male audience as they want to be able to relate to a strong male. However, the main actor, Leonardo DiCaprio will attract a female audience. The main cinema demographic for this magazine is 15- 28. I think this because the feature film has a BBFC certificate of 15. The fonts used are sharp, bold and masculine to link in with the representation and context.

An image of a character from Avatar is found on the right side of the page. This is recognisable iconography and readers will instantly know what is going to be discussed.

The barcode and publication company are small in the corner, this is so that they don't take attention away from the main image.

The strapline is the main feature film in red capitals. This colour and font reinforce the genre of the film.

Exclamation marks are used in the cover lines to excite the audience and exaggerate about the continence.

Pugs are used at the top of the page where an image from the inside of the magazine is shown to tell the audience what can be expected. This catches a reader’s eye as it is at the top and promises more information than you can find anywhere else.

The USP of this magazine is that the audience is promised an insight into filmmakers sketchbooks and reviews on more than three different films. Gratifications are what makes magazines popular and unique.

Attention is gained by the popular and well know title as well as the star power used on the front cover and the serious mood. 

Their website address can be found just above the title so readers can access more information. This is aimed at a younger, contemporary audience as they are more likely to use technology. The issue number and date of release is located above the website and masthead. This information is all in a small font as it isn't very important in relation to the rest of the page.

this cover is good as it effectively communicates to the audience the genre of film and what will be in the magazine. The cover isn't full up or busy with writing which could possibly push readers towards a different film magazine which promises more information inside.