In what ways does your media

product use, develop or

challenge forms and conventions

of real media products?

MAGAZINE COVER

Fahmi Nassir

Dean Mullings

Practice

Before we made the final draft of our magazine cover, or even started our first one, we decided to make a sample just to familiarize ourselves with Photoshop and Illustrator once again. We also wanted to get used to the “Sight and Sound” magazine format. We noticed at the end of our attempts at this sample that we used the wrong fonts

and we used this as a lesson for our real magazine cover.

Background photoIn the making - I

In order to create this effect we simply duplicated the character to make 3 copies of the same character on top of each other. Then we selected one of the duplicate layers on the character and shifted them 4 times to the left. We then repeated this process

with the other duplicate layer, except this time we shifted it to the right.

Background photo

We made this effect on the characters in the photo to link it to the effect used in the hanging scene. Instead of showing a 2D image which could

represent feelings that are superficial, we decided to give it this effect to represent anger that is ready to erupt and the effect is used to represent a

raging, steaming motion so the image doesn’t look so still.

Background photoIn the making - II

We done the same effect to the KKK character. The reason why we specifically wanted this effect is because it resembles tension, anger and violence; these are typical

thriller themes. Whilst including these themes, we had to make sure that we didn’t let the images look too scary because then it would seem like it’s preparing you for a

horror rather than thriller.

Background photoIn the making - III

We then put the KKK character in front of Fahmi on the photo to give off that “you don’t know who lies beneath the mask” type of feel. It also helps give off an “unknown identity” look because of the effect we put on these two characters. The black and white effect was also used to help contrast the two character and give off a “Black vs. White” atmosphere

but in a twisted way because the “White” helps the “Black” defeat itself.

Cover text and imagesIn the making - IV

First of all, with putting together our magazine cover we had to take care of all the compulsory aspects. Seeming as our magazine is a “Sight and Sound” cover, we had to

make sure that the “Sight and Sound” logo and the “BFI” stamp were not covered by any other part of the magazine as that is typical “Sight and Sound” conventions.

Cover text and imagesIn the making - V

Many “Sight and Sound” magazines have a “EVERY NEW FILM REVIEWED” stamp logo on the mid-left section of the cover, so we chose to follow these conventions and include that

as well.

Cover text and imagesIn the making - VI

This is the magazine cover after we included text. “Sight & Sound” use text on their magazine covers to give the audience a brief idea of the main stories/content included in

the magazine. We also had to make sure that the heading font was ‘Arial’ and the description font was ‘Times New Roman’ as this is the house style that “Sight & Sound”

follow.

Cover text and imagesIn the making - VII

We then added in our film title to the bottom of the magazine. We decided to keep the font that we use in our other media products that involve our title, because it kept to our house style. To get this font we searched through a website that allows ‘free for personal use’ access to certain fonts. This particular font was called ‘Credit River’. We chose this because we felt that it complimented our title really well with the bold letters and the shape of them. It helped give off a war type feel to the title and made it look more fierce and outstanding.

THE END