Magazine Analysis

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Main ImageThe main image on this magazine is the main character, which is very typical in these types of magazine, especially in the horror genre. It needs to stand out against the background so that it catches the attention of potential buyers. For this reason the image is placed upon a plainer background. The main image also shows props, such as a large knife/ sword, which is a clear indication of the sub genre this movie will fall into. The use of the discoloured and dirty mask expresses how conventional this movie may be, and due to the uniqueness of this mask, it is more likely that the film will be memorable, sparking a larger audience. Lighting that is used in this image specifically highlights points on the antagonists body such as the face and his weapon for a dramatic effect on the audience. It also creates darker shadows on certain parts on the body such as the torso, indicating his costume and the darkness inside of him. This dark shadow cleverly merges into the background which is again typical of a horror magazine. The use of the dark lighting that surrounds his eyes is another strong connotation to evil and gives a sense of no identity , no soul, and an incapability to have any human emotion. All these aspects combined helps draws n the audience and attract them into buying the product.

Layout & FontsThis horror magazine has a conventional layout, with the main image being in the centre, and the cover lines being placed three quarters towards the right of the page. The masthead is in yellow which challenges the usual themes of the colours red and black (which symbolises death and despair), in contrast, yellow symbolises happiness and brightness which may intrigue the audience as this particular aspect is not conventional. The masthead is designed to look like it is painted on to a plaque of wood, keeping up with the woodland theme. The name of the magazine itself has clear indication of what type of genre it is presenting, the name ‘Scream’ implies that the films they advertise are mostly slasher films, that will make the audience scared of what is to come. The cover lines have a trend of using informal sans- serif fonts with bold and eye catching colours. This allows it to reflect the themes of horror and stand out against the darker background, providing a key point of attraction for the reader’s eye. The cover line and additional information is separated by using a slightly smaller font with a white colour. This helps guide the reader’s attention down the page while providing small snippets of information to entice them to open and read more. Other main features such as the barcode is discretely placed underneath the cover lines so that it blends in and doesn’t look too off putting for the reader.