Importance of Front Covers Think about the number of magazines competing for your attention in a large WHSmiths for example. The front cover has to appeal. Think about the number of magazines competing for your attention in a large WHSmiths for example. The front cover has to appeal. The magazine front cover performs a crucial role in enticing a reader to the publication. The magazine front cover performs a crucial role in enticing a reader to the publication. A strong sense of the contents and style of the magazine must be conveyed by their front cover. A strong sense of the contents and style of the magazine must be conveyed by their front cover. Magazines aimed at men tend to fall into the all too easy trap of placing a scantily clad women on the front cover as ‘sex sells’. Magazines aimed at men tend to fall into the all too easy trap of placing a scantily clad women on the front cover as ‘sex sells’.

ANALYSING MAGAZINE FRONT COVERS ANALYSING MAGAZINE FRONT COVERS Tone and Style: Tone and Style: Explain why particular typefaces, types of graphics and other stylistic conventions are used? Explain why particular typefaces, types of graphics and other stylistic conventions are used? Sell-lines/Splash/Slogan Sell-lines/Splash/Slogan Explain the purpose and effectiveness of these. Explain the purpose and effectiveness of these. Masthead Masthead Connotations/ puns of title, font, size and colour. Connotations/ puns of title, font, size and colour.

Continued…… Competitions and freebies Competitions and freebies Why do the magazine include these? Why do the magazine include these? Main Image Main Image Use of a model- what kind of representation? How are they posed. No model –why not? Use of a model- what kind of representation? How are they posed. No model –why not? Target Audience Target Audience Who do you think the target audience is? Who do you think the target audience is? How does the reader interact with the magazine? How does the reader interact with the magazine? What else appears on the cover? What else appears on the cover?

Sell lines: ‘’meet the joker’ ‘PLUS!’List of films- new releases. Language Informal/Direct address quote. Form: Larger than A4, imperial Style: limited colour scheme, house style. Target Audience Male Age: Image Sinister image of ‘The Joker’ form ‘Batman: The Dark Knight’ Photography Long shot in a seated pose which is unusual. A production shot form the film. Why? ‘Empire’ – connotations of Grandness. Also an old cinema name

Front Cover Analysis Annotation task: From the magazine front covers annotate- using post its- the key technical and linguistic aspects. Annotation task: From the magazine front covers annotate- using post its- the key technical and linguistic aspects. What does the front cover image tell you about the magazine and its target audience? What does the front cover image tell you about the magazine and its target audience? What do the sell lines tell you about the magazine and its audience? What do the sell lines tell you about the magazine and its audience? What do the design aspects (layout, colours scheme, fonts) tell you about the magazine and its audiences? What do the design aspects (layout, colours scheme, fonts) tell you about the magazine and its audiences? What are the connotations of the masthead/title? What are the connotations of the masthead/title?

Front cover images Can be a ‘still’ from your film with actors ‘in character’. Can be a ‘still’ from your film with actors ‘in character’. Can be a studio shot of the actor/director. Can be a studio shot of the actor/director. Doesn’t have to feature a person on the front cover. Doesn’t have to feature a person on the front cover.