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Dear Diary

Diary Entry #1

Today, when creating my film poster on Adobe Photoshop CS4, I had come across some problems. Out of all of the photo’s I had took of my main character ‘Ruby’ whom I wanted to feature on the film poster, my favourite one which I was determined to use, was of the wrong proportion and did not fit on a A4 poster template. Seen as this was the image I desperately wanted to use, I tried cropping, re sizing and even tried to mirror the image for a second time, asking my character to pose the same way. Unfortunately, the second selection of pictures were not as good as I wanted them to be, so I was determined to make my original favourite work. Finally, I was able to crop it down to size until if fit perfectly in on the page. This meant that there was no background at all, but in the end result, I preferred the fact that her whole face and hair covered the poster; it looked much more scary and effective.

Diary Entry #2

When I begun adding texts to the film poster, after I had already successfully choosen the fonts, and colours that I wanted to use, I then was unsure whether or not I wanted to feature a film company logo (s) and/ or a website. After experimenting with the two ideas, and asking my target audience which one they preferred, I chose that I was going to go ahead and use the film poster WITH the logo’s and website as I feel it defined the media text and also made it look professional.

Without

With

Diary Entry #3

When beginning to create my magazine front cover that will be promoting my film ‘Ruby’, the image I intended on using had mise en scene elements in the background that should not have been there and also, the ‘mother’s’ hair was out of place, and made the image look unprofessional and rushed. I scheduled to redo this image to see if I could capture the same pose, which I loved, but get rid of the unnecessary objects in the background, and the hair of her face.

Old

New



Diary Entry #4

After the problems that I had already encountered with the magazine front cover; the misplaced strands of hair, and then re taking the image to fix this problem, I have decided on changing the image all together as I would rather use an image of ‘Ruby’ as she is the main character, she would also create a symbiotic link between the poster and the magazine front cover, and also, adds a scary touch, which the mother would not. Here is the image I now intend on using, and with editing and text, I believe that this image will transform my magazine front cover into the one I desired creating from the very beginning. 

Diary Entry #5

Again looking at my magazine front cover, I have decided on making it a limited edition cover. This is due to the fact that, whilst constructing it, the way it looked with only one sell line stood out to me and as more text was being added on, it lost that sparkle of effectiveness that there was. I was therefore hesitant in ruining this vibe that it had to it, thus, decided to make it a limited edition cover. This also allowed more attention and focus to be put on the main image which on its own, is effective and would lure in my target audience.. Also, the idea of the ‘special edition’ gives the film a sense of importance and success, as it has to have an edition based on the film.  After looking at other magazine covers that have also done this, from EMPIRE magazine, I made my decision certain on wanted to do this. Here is my inspiration:



Practice Shots

Film Poster

Film Magazine Front Cover

The above images are a small selection from the many that I photographed. I managed to scale my favourites down to these remaining images. All of them, to me, are effective, and I am confident in saying that I have successfully achieved the look that I had hoped for. For the film poster however, the best shots were those of a landscape style which, due to me creating a portrait style poster, would involve me cropping and resizing the image, which may loose effectiveness. However, I am aware of this and if the images do not work, I am happy to re make the look and take more. Furthermore, I believe that these shots are the ones which I desire so where there is a will, there’s a way...

For the magazine front cover, the image that stood out to me more is the second one (single shot of Ruby). I feel that it is a much more conventional style picture for magazines and there is room for sell lines. With the first image, I feel that there would be no room for any sell lines and I also think that the character playing ruby looks more effective in the second image. I do however love the positioning of the first image and the pose of the mother thus I am going to try and use both images and then see what the best and most effective one is.



My Plans

Setting/ Location

I have decided to set the basis of my film in a house. For a psychological horror, this is a main convention which I feel will allow the audience to put themselves in the characters positions. This will also create realism, something that every film must include in order to create a film of a professional and sophisticated level. I am going to also use a few other locations, so the audience do not get uninterested in where the action is taking place, e.g. mental institution, but the majority of footage will be found inside of the home. Also, the home is a place my audience normally would associate with security and comfort, so the idea of a family home that presents scenes of terror and horror should unnerve them completely.

Hair, Costume and Makeup

I have decided to go with a more natural look, not using dramatic makeup and hair as the film needs to look realistic. The audience are also then able to relate to the characters, making it scarier when they begin to put themselves in their position. I also feel that in psychological/ supernatural horror films, you do not tend to see characters with overwhelming makeup; it is more subtle and realistic, not steering the audience away from the unrealistic goings on. I am aware that the makeup of the child needs to make her look distressed and troubled, making her look like she has been through a hard time, and is ready to seek revenge.  The mother’s makeup will change throughout the film, starting off subtle and normal, then as the film moves on, and the action builds, she will need to look tired and tormented. This could also reflect that we are getting closer to finding out what she is really like and that she is infact the antagonist. I am going to try and achieve the look where by ‘Ruby’ will look pale, but fresh faced, again reflecting a pure and innocent persona, but also reflecting the fact that she is a ghost, with no life inside of her. Under her eyes will be blackened to show the fact that she has been neglected, and with this she will look tired and mistreated.

‘Ruby’ will be wearing an off white night dress, reflecting her young age and her innocence. Also, I think this will also reflect the ghostly spirit side of ‘Ruby’ as the colour white, and a flowing night dress will present a ghost like appearance. I plan to dress the mother in day to day mumsy clothing for example, a t-shirt and jeans, reflecting that she is a mother, and also creating realism.

I am going to have Ruby’s hair in curls, reflecting a young and girly persona, but am going to make them look untidy, again reflecting the fact that she has been neglected. Also, before the audience become aware of the twist, this will also add a creepy flair to the film as her hair will look messy and UN kept, suggesting an unnatural and strange persona. I do not want her to look perfect as she has been in a mental institution for a couple of years, I therefore think that she should look hard done by and distressed, and by having messy hair I believe that I can achieve this look, along with makeup and costume. For the mother, I plan on having her hair in a bob as I think that this is a typically mother hairstyle, which will allow the audience to appreciate her age and make it more believable to the fact that that she is a mother. As the film goes on, the mother’s hair will become untidy and un kept, showing that she is being tormented by her dead daughter.  

Camera

Like any film maker, I am aware that I need to use a range of camera angles and movements in order to excite and keep my audience interested. I am going to be using the basic angles such as close up’s and extreme close up’s, to show emotion and fear, long shots and extreme long shot’s to show surroundings and anyone lurking in the distance. I also plan on using edits such as eye line matches, allowing the audience to feel indulged and involved in the action taking place. I plan on using high angle shots to make victims looks weaker and vulnerable, and low angle shots to make the killer look powerful and intimidating.

Here are some examples of the type of camera angles I will be incorporating in my film;

Extreme Close Up’s:

I will use shots like this to clearly and vividly show emotion and fear in my characters faces. For example, this kind of shot could be used with the sting at the end of the film trailer where a shot of Ruby flashes on the screen.

Close Up:

Like extreme close up’s, I will be using this shot to show emotion, but not at such close proximity. For example, the mothers reaction to her daughters ghost also with the film poster, this shot would be effective in showing emotion, thus making it effective.

Low Angle Shots:

I will use this type of shot to make the person/ object in the frame look intimidating and powerful. For example could be used on the mother at the end of the film trailer to show her in a dominating and evil.

High Angle Shot:

I will use this type of shot in my film to make victims look vulnerable and scared. This angle also makes them look small and unprotected, like they are alone, and scared. For example, this type of shot could again be used on the mother to show her as vulnerable whilst being tormented by Ruby.

Long Shot:

This type if shot will enable me to fit in the whole body of the character, and also showing some setting, but not a lot. By using this shot, for example, you would be able to show if there was someone behind them/or someone lurking in the distance. For example, there are a number of ways and opportunities for this type of shot to be used throughout the film trailer, and also on the magazine front cover to show two characters.

Lighting

Throughout the film, I plan on using a range of different types of lighting. I want to use low key lighting, to create shadows and to achieve that contrast between dark and light areas. I also want to use available and ambient lighting, making the film seem more natural, and realistic. Again, this will allow the audience to put themselves in the characters position, adding to the fear they will already be feeling. I will also try to incorporate profile lighting into my film, on the antagonist as I feel this is an effective way of reflecting and symbolising evil.

Ideas for Character’s Names

Young Girl/ Daughter/ Ghost

I want a name that will represent a young persona. It will be innocent and girly and will also sound creepy and eerie. I want the name to be able to stand out from the rest, allowing her to be the dominant character and for the audience to be able to tell this. After looking at all different types of names that would perform as I wish, I had decided on a name which is as follows;

Ruby- I think that this name represents a young, pretty, girly girl. I also think that the name ‘Ruby’ is eerie and I can picture it being used in a horror film. I will also be able to create symbolism as the definition of ‘Ruby’ Simply means "ruby" from the name of the precious, red, stone. The colour red represents blood and hell which would be a symbolic colour I could use throughout the film.

Katie- This name again represents a young image as it is a name that is very popular in this generation of children. This name doesn’t appear to me as scary and eerie, but it is definitely a young name, pretty and girly. I have also considered using this name as not the name of the main character in the film, but her actual name in the real world.

Other names that I have looked at include Polly, Lily, Olivia, and Milly. Although these names had appealed to me in earlier stages, as my research grows and I am getting closer to creating my film, I have settled on using the name ‘Ruby’ as I believe that it is a name that suits my narrative, character and overall film.   

Idea’s for the Name of the Film

For the name of the film, I have from the start, envisioned a shot yet sharp name for the film, consisting of two or less words. I think that by having a one word name for the film, or having a name starting with ‘The’ will make it stand out from other films and will also be memorable as it is only short and straight to the point. Some of the names that I have come up with are as follows:

‘Ruby’

‘The Secret’

‘Secrets’

‘The Hidden’

‘Never Forgotten’

‘Buried Secret’

‘The Reveal’

‘Ruby’s Last Birthday’

I think that all of the above ideas are good and represent a horror genre but I feel that the above names reveal too much of the narrative for example ‘Ruby’s Last Birthday’ suggests that she is dead, which we do not want the audience to find out until the end of the film. Something like ‘The Secret’ or ‘The Hidden’ lets the audience know that there is something to find out, and a twist to be revealed which I think will put less effect on the twist when it does happen. I am positive in believing that my next choice will allow my film to stand out from the rest, and will entice and encourage my target audience to come and see the film;

Ruby

I like this name as it reflects the identity of one of the main characters. I think that having the name of the film, as the name of one of the main characters suggests that the narrative is based around this character. I think that the name ‘Ruby’ represents a sense of eerie and creepiness, but at the same, represents a young, innocent girl which reflects the narrative, but in a less obvious way. I have always associated the name of Ruby with a horror film name as I think that it will be a memorable, creepy and scary name which will appeal to my target audience as some of the factors they desire to see when watching a horror film is eeriness and a creepy feel.

Ideas for the Tagline

I desire a tagline that will both effectively lure in my target audience and frighten them. I think that the tagline should be able to let the audience in on some of the narrative, for example, it should be able to suggest the genre and sub genre of the film, and should also set an overview of the basic narrative. Films such as ‘Orphan’ and ‘The Unborn’ both have taglines that I have found to be inspirational to me. For example, ‘There’s something wrong with Esther’ suggests the narrative and the genre of the film when accompanied by the other Mise en scene elements on the page and in the film. ‘I want to be born now’ is an eerie and scary phrase that suggests a kind of haunting, which is a main part of the narrative in the supernatural horror ‘The Unborn’. In my case, I want to have Ruby, the main character saying the tagline, so it comes across as more personal and eerie. Also, when the tagline is shown in the film trailer, as a strap, I think by having Ruby say the words would sound uncanny and make the audience feel on edge. Based on the narrative of my film, I want the tagline to represent the fact that the Ruby has been both abused and killed, but in a less obvious sense. One main idea that I have come across is;

‘I will never forget what you did to me’

I think that this tagline would be effective in suggesting both the narrative and the genre of the film. I like the fact that it has a double meaning; one being that Ruby has been abused, and the other being that she has been murdered by her own mother. I think that the audience will be able to suspect something strange, but they will not know for sure, allowing suspense and disbelief to be created when the twist has been revealed. I think that by having Ruby speak these words in the film trailer, and having them written on the film poster will create continuity as in the film, I also want Ruby to say these words, just before the mother dies. I think that it is an unnatural tagline suggesting the supernatural/ psychological sub genre of film and I also believe that this tag line will draw in my target audience encouraging them to go and see the film.

Idea’s For Characters

Ruby

For the character playing the daughter who has been sent to a mental institution, I decided to use the character below as with hair, makeup and costume; I am able to create an eerie and scary look, but also a sense of innocence and youthfulness. This character also has an acting ability and is able to cooperate successfully when given any direction.      

Mother

For the character playing ‘Ruby’s’ mother, I have chosen to use the actor below. With hair and makeup she is able to pull off a sophisticated look, where we could believe her to be a mother. She has a normal look which I think is important for the mother to have in my film as we do not want the audience to find out the twist before the film tells them. I feel that by having a normal looking mother, I am able to keep the secret of her being the real antagonist, and it will come as more of a shock when the audience find out the truth, as she does not look like your average killer. 

Psychiatrist

The image on the left hand side is the actor who I intend on using, playing the part of the psychiatrist who finds out about the mother murdering and abusing her daughter, ‘Ruby’. He looks professional and sophisticated, some of the acquired traits when seeing this type of character in any genre of film.

Inspirational Director- Tim Burton

I constructed this powerpoint to show and reflect on an inspirational director that has encouraged my choice of genre, characters and so on.



(If a blank screen appears, use the zoom out key to reach the correct proportion)

The Pitch

This is a pitch that I presented to my Media Studies class. It is made up of a basic plot line for my film and is full of ideas and inspirations. The purpose of this pitch was to present it to members of my target audience to see what the response was, for example, it allowed me to ask questions and recieve feedback about how effective and interesting they though the story line was. 

 

 (If a blank screen appears, use the zoom out key to reach the correct proportion)

After I had presented the pitch to my Media Studies class, and had recieved all of their comments and suggestions, it aided me and informed me that more planning was needed. I had to make alterations to the killing of the mother as they said that it was too much of a 'let down' after such a great twist. The pitch enabled me to gain a target audiences understanding and interpretation of my plot thus allowing me to expand on ideas creating a fully effective and target audience aimed film.



Post Analysis Refection

By completing a wide range of analysis’s, looking at; film trailers, film poster’s and film magazine front covers, I have been able to gain a fuller knowledge and understanding of the general codes and conventions of the horror genre. Also, I have been able to gain a wider knowledge and understanding of the codes and conventions of magazines, posters and trailers, allowing myself to become aware of the certain things my target audience want to see, and find most effective.

From looking at a vast number of film trailers, I have learnt that in order to make the audience feel scared yet excited, you have to create elements of suspense and tension. This is done through all aspects of a film trailer, including; editing, sound, Mise en scene elements and camera. This made me certain that rather than focusing completely on the narrative of the film, although it is important, equally, I will need to make sure that I put as much effort into all other aspects of the film, as these too are what create effect and an overall success. I have also learnt about the structure of film trailers. From seeing a pattern in all film trailers that I have viewed, even the ones I have not analysed in depth, I have been able to recognise the common structure used. For example, they start off slowly, setting the narrative of the film, then they gradually build up, picking up in speed, leading to a fast montage of shots otherwise known as the climax where we finally the audience will be presented with a sting. Sound is a brilliant and effective way of creating suspense and audience understanding, for example in the film trailer the ‘Unborn’ towards the middle of the trailer, we hear a beating sound, which beats faster and faster, leading up to the exorcism. Also, throughout my time analysing film trailers, I know that everything has a place, and a meaning, so anything without meaning shouldn't be in the shot.

From looking at existing media texts in reference to; Film magazines and film posters (Horror) I have become aware of the conventions and codes that I am expected to use, and also I have learnt that in order to lure my target audience to the magazine my film is being promoted in, or the film poster, I need to be able to create symbiotic links between them all so my audience can recognise the similarities and the film itself.

The three film trailers that I have looked at have inspired me in a number of ways. For example, from looking at ‘Orphan’ and ‘Silent Hill’, alongside other trailers that I have not analysed, such as ‘The Unborn’ and ‘the Omen’, I became aware of the fact that I too wanted to feature a young child as the main character as I believe that it creates a scary and eerie effect that cannot be created from using adults as the main characters/ killer. From looking at the ‘Uninvited’ and the ‘Orphan’ I understood that I wanted to include a big twist in my film that will shock and excite my audience. I was inspired to do so as these films, after having watched them myself, made the situation much more scary and exciting after having out the twist. I believe that twists in psychological/ supernatural horror films are crucial in order to fully meet the needs of my particular target audience. Lastly, from looking at ‘The Strangers’ I was made certain that I wanted to set my film mainly in a home as I think the audience are able to relate to this type of setting, put themselves in the audience’s shoes, and therefore, scaring the audience as they will be able to picture the same events that are happening to my characters, to themselves. This will also be effective in the fact that audiences may be watching the film at home, which would therefore add to the overall scariness.

Magazine Front Cover Analysis

Throughout this project, when looking at film magazines, I have been concentrating on ‘EMPIRE’ magazine, more than any other, as this magazine appeals to those in an ABC1 bracket, which is the same as the target audience I am aiming my horror film towards. I have chosen one, among many of this magazines magazine front cover’s to analyse to gain a clearer understanding of the common codes and conventions you would see when reading a film magazine front cover. Although my magazine is aimed at females, I will still be able to gain a lot from analysis Empire due to the fact that it is such a successfull and effective magazine. It acts as a guideline as to what should be included and the codes and conventions to follow, and to challenge.

I have decided to look at the magazine front cover for The Twilight Saga ‘Eclipse’ because even though it is not a psychological/ supernatural horror, this front cover would appeal to a female target audience as this film is mainly aimed at women, as will my film, so using a media text aimed at the same target audience, may help me to understand what it is that they are looking for, or what grabs their attention. This front cover will attract a wider audience as it is a male aimed magazine, yet a tribute is being played to a girl-friendly film. Thus, not only will males pick up their monthly read, it will also catch the attention of a female audience.

Let us begin my looking at the image used on this front cover. It is a close up of one of the main characters in ‘Twilight’, Edward (Robert Pattinson). You can automatically tell that this film is a Gothic, Fantasy by the character positioned on the front. As this magazine is promoting a film that has been made into a sequel, fans of ‘Twilight’ will automatically be able to relate to the cover, and recognise the film straight away due to the main character being placed on the front cover, thus already knowing the genre of the film. If there was a person looking at this magazine, who has never heard of ‘Twilight’ before, they could tell the genre by the colours that have been used: Edwards pale face and strangely yellow coloured eyes suggest some sort of inhumanity, where when watching the film, you would be able to understand that he is in fact, a vampire. This therefore reflects the Gothic, Fantasy genre that ‘Twilight’ is. The same point suggests the narrative of the film, but also, due to the two additional images, on the bottom of the page, of the other two main Characters, Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner), also suggests the feud going between the characters, and the fight for Bella, which is the what the narrative of the film is based around. The main sell line on this front cover reads “TWILIGHT: NEW MOON. Edward, Bella and Jacob Interviewed!” which relates to all three images shown on the front cover and allows the audience to be able to know that the cover story is about this new film, which the magazine is promoting.

When looking at the film poster for the same film and then looking back at this magazine front cover, there are some links between the two. Twilight is a film known for releasing a number of different teaser posters and official posters so looking at all of them, we are able to see a symbiotic link back to the magazine as on all of these posters, Edward is featured. The colours used are similar, for example, the use of dark colours such as black, and dark grey are continually used throughout all the film posters, as are they used on this magazine front cover.

Due to the fact that a close up has been used, we are able to clearly see the expression that is on Edward’s face. He looks serious and powerful, which is two of his main traits as his character; he is a serious and cold person, and is very powerful physically and mentally. He looks like he is determined to do something, as his expression is stern and cold. This could reflect his goal to keep Bella free from harm and a broken heart. His face is pale and his eyes are yellow, reflecting the fact that he is a vampire as in the first film, Bella finds out that he is a vampire by piecing together a number of facts, two of them being this. The background is black, simply allowing the Masthead, image and sell lines to stand out, but also, to represent the idea that vampire’s aren’t allowed into the light.

The masthead, ‘EMPIRE’, is big and bold at the top of the page. This is one of the first places we look when looking at a magazine front cover, so the need for it to be big and bold is completely necessary.  It is in a serif font, making it look powerful and this also allows it to appear more clearly to the audience who are looking out for their favourite film magazine. The masthead is also in capital letters, adding to the idea that the masthead must stand out above all other aspects, and also makes it look powerful and strong, reflecting the magazines position in the magazine industry; being the best selling film magazine in the UK. The colour of the masthead is a bright, vibrant red. This could suggest a number of things relating to the film that it is promoting; one being the passion between the two main characters, Edward and Bella, reflecting the fact that they are romantically involved due to the fact that the colour red is normally associated with love. It could also reflect the hate and violence between the two families, and the deaths of some people who have been attacked by the enemies. On the other hand, just simply looking at the colour, red could suggest power and confidence, again reflecting the popularity and success of this particular magazine company. The actual name of the magazine, ‘EMPIRE’, suggests power. It almost seems as if this magazine is claiming power over the films that it is promoting, and that the film industry is their domain, or ‘Empire’. The target audience of this film magazine is; typically male, early 20’s to late 40’s they are confident individuals, strong minded and love to watch a good film. The masthead reflects their passion for film, and the fact they too are successful and confident individuals. The style, size and colour of the masthead hasn’t changed since 1989, which creates brand identity, allowing the target audience of the magazine, to be able to recognise the magazine each month, and making it their signature style.

Moving onto the layout; it is a typically conventional layout for a film magazine front cover. The main image dominates the page, due to the fact that the human eye immediately looks here first when first catching a glimpse of any magazine. The image therefore must be large and clear, so that it can be easily seen from a distance. The masthead is conventionally placed at the top of the page, followed by the sell- lines being placed either side of the image. The main sell- line is spread across the bottom of the page, acting more like a banner. This isn’t a conventional part of a film magazine front cover, but this does allow some originality to shine through, and I also feel that it allows the main sell-line to stand out more than the others. The barcode is conventionally places in the bottom left hand corner, with the date placed just above the masthead. This magazine front cover is image heavy, meaning that there is much more image, than text on the page. This is due to the fact that film magazines, such as this one, are primarily aimed more towards the male gender, who finds magazines with less text more appealing, and easier to digest. Compared to a women’s interest magazine, such as ‘Cosmopolitan’ or ‘Gratzia’, film magazines barely have any text on the front cover which wouldn’t be as appealing to women, as it is to men.

Looking now at the sell-lines on this front cover, they are all relating to newly released films, or films that have already been released to the cinema. One of the sell-lines, placed on the right of the page, is about the different types of alien films that have been released over the past 30 years. The sell-line reads “23 PAGE SPECIAL! 30 YEARS OF ALIEN, NEW INTERVIEWS, RARE PHOTO’S”. It is large, and in a lime green colour, which reflects that fact that the subject matter of this sell line is Aliens, which the colour green is associated with. The fact that it uses the words such as ‘new’ and ‘rare’ makes the target audience intrigued, and wanting to find out more. They also suggest that they are getting the first sneak peak of these ‘rare and new’ photos, like the audience are being let in on a secret. This also allows the audience to be able to relate to the magazine, and view it as a friend. “FREE POSTERS”, placed above the mast head, in capital letters will stand out to the avid film watcher, who collects both films and iconic film posters. This will appeal to anyone looking at the front cover because when seeing the word FREE you automatically feel that you are getting value for money. The sell-lines on the left hand third are blunt and to the point. They basically state the names of some films; “Where the Wild Things Are” and “A Christmas Carol”. This is simple and clear, letting the target audience know that there will be something to do with these films inside, but cleverly not revealing as to what, making the audience want to buy the magazine to read on. As film is a main interest of the audience, this particular sell-line reflects their interests and would lure them in to wanting to buy the magazine. The main sell-line, reaching from one side of the page, to the other reads “FANGtastic Exclusive! Twilight: New Moon. Edward, Bella and Jacob Interviewed!” This sell-line relates to the main film that this promotional tool (magazine front cover) is promoting. The play on words “FANGtastic” is a clever device, reflecting the fact that Edward is of course, a vampire. The audience will be able to get the pun and will find it amusing. Any film fan, whether it be Twilight to Harry Potter would enjoy reading an interview with the main characters, so the fact that it says on the front cover that there are three exclusive interviews inside would appeal to the twilight loving fan that would buy this magazine. This sell-line is coloured yellow, relating back to the colour of Edwards eyes, and also, reflecting the name of the film ‘New Moon’, where yellow is the colour of the moon. Apart from the sell-line about the aliens, and “Twilight New Moon”, all of them are white. This is because of the dark background, and the white is able to clearly stand out. The whole of this front cover is in capital letters, again reflecting the success and confidence of the magazine, the film, and the target audience. Capital letters also stand out more and are therefore clearer to the audience’s eye.

This magazine is promoting the film ‘Jennifer’s Body’, a slasher horror about a newly possessed cheerleader who kills off her male classmates. Total film is the 2^nd best selling magazine in the UK, following EMPIRE. I am going to be analysing this particular magazine front cover, looking at how the cover lures in its target audience and how it is being used to promote to help encourage people to go and watch the films that are featured on the front.

Starting with the main image; like any conventional magazine front cover, the image dominates the whole page, due to the fact that this is the first thing the audience see when looking at the cover. It therefore needs to be the biggest, boldest image, that when the audience see it, will draw them in straight in. Against the crisp white background, Megan Fox stands tall, in an electric blue and yellow cheerleading outfit. This automatically catches the target audience’s eye as the majority of film magazine readers tend to be male, and Megan Fox is voted by them as one of the sexiest women alive. The male target audience would instantly be lured in, wanting to take a closer look. As she stands with one foot against the wall, we can see a remaining bloody footprint on the floor, where her foot once was. Her laces are undone which suggests some kind of rebellion, and the idea that if she slips, say with a knife, she might accidently hurt somebody. Similarly, her hands are pressed against the background, like she is scratching it, with blood dripping down. As blood is one of the main sights that you conventionally see in every typical slasher horror, this suggests the narrative of the film, letting the audience know that it is a horror film. Also, the stern, evil look upon her face could also add to the fact that the audience are led to believe that it is a horror.

The two film posters that were released to also promote this film are as follows:

The two film posters that were released to also promote this film are as follows:

Both of these posters have a symbiotic link with the magazine front cover which allows the audience to recognise that they are promoting the same film, and to also help give away a bit more of the narrative. First of all, Megan Fox is the main focus of the image, again straight away attracting a male’s attention.  In all three pieces of media text, the words ‘Jennifer’s Body’ are coloured red, symbolising blood and murder, typical slasher film. One the film poster where Megan is sitting on a chair, at a desk, her rucksack placed behind her has marks of blood underneath it, where it has been moved. This is the same as in the film magazine poster with her foot and her hand. Also the use of typical school girl props, e.g. the cheerleading uniform, the blackboard and the desk, are all apparent throughout all three of these, linking them together through imagery. On the magazine front cover, Megan’s hand is covered in blood, and then when looking at both film posters, appearing somewhere within, there is hand appearing out of somewhere. In the first film poster, on the left, Megan is sitting upon a school desk, where we can see appearing out of the desk lid, a hand. Again, looking at the second poster, this time on the right, we see a hand popping out of her bag. This reflects the fact that this character is the antagonist, killer. The image is a long shot, showing Megan’s whole body, and allowing us to appreciate the bloody foot print. We are able, even with it being a long shot, able to also see clearly her facial expression, which is important seeing as we need this to figure out the films genre. Her head is covering part of the masthead, suggesting her power she has over these people’s lives.

If we look at the masthead, it is large and bold, and would stand out amongst a range of different magazines. The masthead is always placed at the top of any magazine front cover as it allows the audience to recognise their favourite brand. The fact that this magazine is called total film, automatically tells readers that this is a magazine about films. So a fanatic film fan would be lured in, wanting to find out more about their favourite films, adding to their geek obsession. The name itself suggests to the audience that whatever they want to know and find out about films will be in this magazine due to the use of the word ‘total’. It implies that it has total control over the film industry and you will find the best and more up to date information when reading this magazine. The masthead has the words FILM in capital letters big and bold across the top of the page. On the letter ‘F’ in smaller characters, the word TOTAL. This is a quirky and clever way of incorporating the two words together, so they can both fit on the page, and still be clear and visible. It is crucial for any magazine front cover that the mast head is the largest and most bold piece of text, separating it from the sell-lines and making it clear that this is the name of the magazine. The mast head is red and white, both colours that stand out and make a statement. The colour red suggests confidence and success, reflecting the magazine brand. The word ‘total’ is in white, allowing it to stand out against the word ‘film’ that is in red. I also feel that these two colours represent the English identity of the magazine brand and the target audience as these are two of the main colours seen on the England flag. This would again allow the magazine to appeal to the typically British male who may be reading the magazine. Similar to EMPIRE magazine, TOTAL FILM’s masthead never changes. It stays in the same position, the same font is used, and the same colours, each month. This creates brand identity and enables the audience to be able to recognise it each time they see it on the shelf. It also suggests that the masthead was successfully put together, and that there is no need to change it, as it already appeals to the correct target audience. 

Total Film has a conventional magazine layout. It is image heavy, carrying little text, appealing to the male target audience who find image more attractive than words. The masthead is conventionally placed at the top of the page, with the image dominating the rest. It is essential that the image dominates the page as this is the first thing the human eye will see when looking at a film magazine as it is where the eye will look first. By making the masthead and main image dominant of the whole magazine, they stand out among the rest which is important due to the way we look at a media text. We begin by looking in the middle, so whatever is there, and in this case the image, must be large and necessary to the target audience whom it is aimed at. Then our eyes move upwards, which makes it crucial that the mast head is short and sweet and large enough to lure the audience in. The sell-lines are then places either side of the image, with the barcode at the bottom. By following simple codes and conventions such as these, you are guaranteed a professional look, allowing the audience to be aware that this is a magazine.

Moving on to look at the colours in more detail; the only colours that have been used are: red, blue, white and black. These are all simple colours, allowing no attention to be drawn away from the main image. They are also simple masculine colours, appealing to the likes of the male target audience that film magazines are largely aimed at. As I mentioned before, the used of blue, red and white reflect both the magazine brand and the target audience’s British identity. These three colours are those that make up to English flag, therefore appealing to those typical, proud British men who are out there. These primary colours are also able to stand out against the white background, making the magazine clear and easy to read. As this magazine cover is mainly promoting ‘Jennifer’s Body’, wherever this film is being mentioned, the font is red, for example ‘The deadly Megan Fox’ and ‘Jennifer’s Body’. This creates a link with the image as the blood is also red. The audience will therefore be aware that these sell lines are linking to the image they are looking at, allowing them to know what the film is called. The use of the colour red being used throughout the front cover also suggests the narrative of the film, and the genre. Red is a colour mainly associated with blood, guts and gore. It is also seen as the colour of evil and hell. By using this colour, it reflects the fact that this is a horror film and that this character is the killer. The other sell-lines, not relating to the main image are coloured in black. This still makes them able to stand out against the background, but they are not too overpowering for that the main attraction is taken away from the featured film.

The sell-lines on this magazine are placed either side of the main image. The majority of the sell-lines are in capital letters and are black. This allows them to look simple and bold, standing out and also appealing to a simpler target audience of males. On the right hand side of the cover you will see a group of 6 sentences. These are all referring to different films, for example ‘#59 The Final Harry Potters” and “#6 The Deadly Megan Fox”. The fact that the target audience buy film magazines to read about films means that this sell-line would appeal to the audience as they will believe that they are going to be able to read about these different films. The fact that all of the film title/phrases has a ‘#’ and a number beside them suggests that they have been ranked, or voted for, so the audience will also want to read on to see who came where, and why. They will also look and may feel the same way as to where they have been placed in the vote, feeling a connection with the magazine and the other members of the target audience who voted. Another sell-line states “A ton of exclusives!” which shouts out to the audience as the word ‘exclusive’ suggests that they are about to see something that no one has yet seen, making them excited and feel like they are being let in on a secret with the magazine. This contributes to the idea of magazines acting as a friend/ companion to their target audience where they can share jokes, information and pictures. The same sell line then goes onto say “and 94 more movers, shakers, movies & makers!” the mode of address is quirky and fun, making it more of an enjoyable read, and appealing to a happy, confident and fun individual. The fact that it uses numbers suggests to the audience that there is so much more to see, encouraging them to buy the magazine. Another sell line, towards the bottom of the page reads “PLUS, 128 films reviewed!, 31 in cinemas, 62 on DVD, 15 on Blu-Ray, 20 hidden elsewhere!” again the use of numbers addresses the idea that there is so much information in this magazine just waiting to be read! The use of the word PLUS, and the fact that it is larger than the rest, and in a different colour gives off the impression that just when you thought you couldn’t fit anymore information into this magazine, there is more. Where it says ’20 Hidden Elsewhere’, the audience are unsure of what this means and will therefore want to read on, to try and find what they are talking about. This sell-line is about DVD’s and the cinema, two of any film magazine’s main topics, and two of the target audience’s main interests. This sell line would therefore appeal to a DVD collecting reader or a regular attendee of the cinema.