Film Magazine Analysis - Empire

"Empire" is a well known film magazine that appeals to its target audience of young adults because of its bright colours and its well known modern, box office actors and actresses.

On this front cover of "Empire" the main image is of Daniel Radcliffe who is playing Harry Potter in the first part of the finale of the famous films written by J.K Rowling. This front cover has a variety of different elements to it the make the magazine appealing to the target audience.

Masthead

The masthead of this film magazine is partly blocked out by the main image on the front cover. However, the magazine is still recognisable by the target audience because it is such a well known film magazine. However, this masthead doesn't stand out from the page because of the dark background. The dark background and the red masthead don't contrast with each other, they just blend in do that the masthead doesn't stand out to the target audience as much as it should. This will make the magazine less appealing to the target audience because the masthead isn't as recognisable on the dark background.

Main Image

The main image of this front cover has direct address with the target audience, not only with the large main image, but with the smaller images that are related to the main image as well. This makes it more appealing to the target audience because it allows the main image to connect with the target audience so that they want to read the magazine articles more. The main image also represents what happens in the film as the 4 main characters are on the front cover and it also shows broken glass which represents destruction. There is also a small piece of text on the left hand side of the image that explains what film the image is about.

Skyline

The skyline on this front cover of "Empire" brags about the magazine and the articles that this issue contains as it says, "Our best preview issue ever!". This tells the target audience that there is going to be a big section of the magazine about the preview of the new Harry Potter film. This allows the target audience to know what is going to be featured in the magazine without having to open the pages of the magazine. The skyline at the top of the page is also in bright colours and this makes the features stand out to the target audience. However, the skyline at the bottom doesn't stand out as much but does have its own section of box of the front cover so that the text doesn't get jumbled up.

Anchorage Text

The anchorage text on this front cover is centred in the page so that it is the first text that the target audience sees, this is important because it is the feature that will make the magazine seem appealing to the target audience. The anchorage text on this front cover is white and this stand out against the main image and the background because it is so bright and contrasts with the other colours on the page. The anchorage text also has additional text to explain and support the anchorage text and the main image.

Sell Lines

On this front cover for "Empire" the sell lines are put into categories so that the target audience can easily locate what articles they are interested in. However, there aren't many sell lines on the front cover to make the magazine seem more appealing to the target audience. The colour of the sell lines makes them stand out from the rest of the page, however, the size of them is rather small and this could mean that they are hard for the target audience to read.

Layout and Colour Scheme

The layout of this film poster is quite hectic and there isnt a set order to the text, they just seem random and all over the place, especially with the sizes. The main layout is dominated by the main image rather than the text that makes the magazine seem appealing to the target audience. However, the colour scheme of the film magazine contrasts as there are both dark and bright colours, this makes it eye catching for the target audience as particular features stand out from the page.

Film Magazine Analysis - Total Film

"Total Film" is a well known film magazine that appeals to its target audience of young adults because of its bright colours and its well known modern, box office actors and actresses.

On this front cover of "Total Film" the main image is of Johnny Depp who is playing The Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's new film "Alice In Wonderland". This front cover has a variety of different elements to it that make the magazine appealing to the target audience.
Masthead
The masthead of this film magazine is partly covered by the main image, however, it is still recogniseable to the target audience because it is such a well known magazine. Also, the word "film" is easy to eastablish from this magazine cover. The masthead is also the biggest text size on the page and is in a completely different font to the rest of the text, this makes the masthead stand out from the page to the target audience.
Main Image
The main image on the front cover of "Total Film" has direct address with the target audience and this draws the target audience into the magazine. This is because the magazine seems more appealing as the image is connecting with the target audience. The main image is also of a familiar character and actor and this makes the target audience want to know more about their favourite character, actor and what their new film is.
Skyline
The skyline on this film magazine is bold and brightly coloured that makes it stand out from the rest of the text on the front cover. The skyline also attracts the target audience because it is telling them about what they can get from the magazine for free and this appeals to them. Aswell as a skyline at the top of the page, there is also one at the bottom of the front cover to tell the target audience what else they can find within the magazine. This makes the magazine seem more appealing to the target audience because they are getting more information at the magazine without having to open the pages.
Anchorage Text
The anchorage text for this front cover of "Total Film" is set to the side of the page so that it doesn't cross over the main image. The anchorage text of this front cover is also larger than the rest of the texxt of the page so that it stands out, however, the colour of the anchorage text is the same colour as the sell lines and this doesn't make the anchorage text stand out as much as it should do. This anchorage text also has additional text to helps explain and support the image and what is said within the anchorage text.
Sell Lines
The sell lines of a magazine are what make the target audience want to open the magazine and read the articles because they are of popular topics that the target audience is interested in. In this case, it is other popular films that are out in the cinema at the time this magazine was made.
Layout and Colour Scheme
The layout of this front cover isn't too crowded as everything is set to one side rather than on both sides and all over the place. This makes it look more professional and therefore appealing to the target audience. The colour scheme of this front cover is bright and intreaging colours that will catch the eye of the target audience and draw them into reading the rest of the magazine rather than just the front cover.

Film Poster Analysis - Mean Girls

As well as a trailer, a film poster was created for "Mean Girls". Here is the poster:

There are many different elements of this film poster that make the film look more appealing to the target audience.

Colour

The colours of this film poster fit in with the target audience of this film which is girls, this is because the title, the outfits and the name of the main character are all pink which is associated with girls. The colour of the background also makes the rest of the colours stand out from the rest of the page as the background is such a plain colour. However, the colour of the text is white and a darker shade of grey which also makes them stand out from the background, but not more than the title or the images of the film poster.

Images

The images of this film poster have the conventions of a chick flick because the images of the characters are only of females and this tells the audience exactly who the film is aimed at. The main character on the left of the poster is also larger than the rest of the characters and this shows that she is the most important character of the film; it also shows that she is an outsider because she is wearing a different colour and style of outfit than the other characters. The position of the character also backs up what is said in the tag line, “watch your back”, it shows that she is the character that needs to be careful and there will be conflict with and the image shows her looking over her shoulder in a scared facial expression. These images suggest a narrative as well as the tag line.

Title

The title of the film, “Mean Girls” stands out from the rest of the context of the page as it is bright pink and this colour represents the target audience of the film. This film poster doesn’t follow the conventions of a movie poster because it is central on the page, however it is vertical not horizontal. However, it is still bigger than any other text on the page and is capitalised like most titles on a film poster. Underneath the title there is also another short tag line and this also tells the audience that the film is a comedy and a romance.

Tag Line

The tag line “Watch your back” tells the audience that there will be conflict between the characters that are on the film poster. The tag line on this film poster isn’t centred on the page like the normal conventions of a film poster, however, the tag line is still one of the first things seen on the film poster as it stands out on the page and it is larger than normal tag lines on a film poster. It also has the release date underneath it in bright pink and this makes it more visible to the audience.

Billing Block

This film poster also has a billing block that tells the audience a variety of different technical information, such as the media institutions the director are the producers. However, it isn’t as large as most billing blocks and is more spread out on the page because it has a longer length. The billing block on this film poster also doesn’t follow the conventions of a typical billing block as this also follows the style of the title; it is vertical rather than horizontal. This leaves more room for larger images and more detail on the film poster. However, it does still have the box underneath the tag line telling the audience the age rating of the film.

Commendation

On this film poster there is no commendation from any media institutions (for example, a quote or a star rating system) and therefore this does not back up how good the film is to the audience because there is no one telling them how good the film is. Therefore it is left to chance for the audience to find out for themselves how good the film is rather than relying on a commendation.

Film Poster Analysis - Four Weddings and a Funeral

As well as a trailer, a film poster was also created  for "Four Weddings and a Funeral". Here is the poster:

There are many different elements of this film poster that make the film look appealing to the target audience.

Colour

The colours of this film poster fit in with the conventions of ‘love’ because there is a lot of red that is used for the text, such as the names of the main characters and also for the tag line. This tells the audience that the genre of the film will be romance. The rest of the colours in this film poster are natural colours and give the impression of a romantic city such as Paris. The colours of the main characters also stand out from the page because this tells the audience to look out for these 2 characters as they are very important to the plot of the film.

Images
The images of this film poster have the conventions of romance because the two main characters on the film poster are happy and smiling. This shows that they are happily in love, however, their eyes don’t quite show full happiness and this could suggest to the audience that there is a secret twist to the film. The background of the film poster also says a lot about the film although there isn’t much of it. It also suggests romance because it looks like a romantic city and also backs up the name of the film, “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, because of the church and this is where these types of events are held. These images suggest a narrative as well as the tag line.

Title
The title of the film, “Four Weddings and a Funeral” stands out from the rest of the context of the page as it is bright yellow and has a red heart next to it, this represents love. It follows the conventions of a movie poster because it is central on the page; it is bigger than any other text on the page. However, it isn’t capitalised like most titles of a film poster. The font of the title is quite wacky and cartoonish and this represents the comedy side of the film. Underneath the title there is also another short tag line and this also tells the audience that the film is a comedy and a romance.

Famous Actors
At the top of the page, there is the name of the two main characters of the film, one of which is a well-known American actress to attract the American audience, and this tells the audience who will be in it to attract them more to the film. They are also in the colour red which suggests that they fall in love with each other.

Tag Line
The tag line “He’s quite engaging. She’s otherwise engaged” tells the audience alot about the plot of the film. The tag line suggests that the couple fall in love but the woman is already with somebody else. The tag line is also centred on the page so it is one of the first things the audience reads apart from the title, however, the colour of the tag line blends in with the black on the image and this therefore makes it harder to read and makes it stand out less.

Billing Block
This film poster has a billing block that tells the audience a variety of different technical information, such as the media institutions (Working Title Films), the director are the producers. However, it doesn’t tell the audience when the film is being released.

Commendation
On this film poster there is no commendation from any media institutions (for example, a quote or a star rating system) and therefore this does not back up how good the film is to the audience because there is no one telling them how good the film is. Therefore it is left to chance for the audience to find out for themselves how good the film is rather than relying on a commendation.

Film Poster Analysis - Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

As well as a trailer, a film poster was also created for "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past". Here is the poster:

There are many different elements of this film poster that make the film look appealing to the target audience.
Colour

The colours of this film poster fit in with the conventions of the word “Ghosts”, which is in the title of the film, because the images of the girlfriends are in a white and light grey colour and this gives the audience the impression that they are in the past and are ghost like as these colours are associated with ghosts and haunted spirits. However, on the top image, the woman’s hand turns to a normal skin colour when she comes out of the photo frame (this is the same with the hair of the other women) this could suggest that the girlfriends are real and haunting the man.

Images
The images of this film poster have the conventions of romance and seduction as all of the images of the girls in photo frames are looking at the man in the middle of the poster in a seductive manner and this shows that they all have some sort of relationship with him. In this case, they were his girlfriends as this tells the audience this concept in the title, “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past”. The image of the woman holding the scarf that is around the man’s neck also shows that she is trying to win the affection of the man. These images suggest a narrative as well as the tag line.

Title

The title of the film, “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past”, stands out from the rest of the context of the page as it is bright red and in capital letters. It follows the conventions of a movie poster because it is central on the page, it is bigger than any other text on the page and the titles are quite often capitalised like this one. It is also the colour red which represents love and romance. Above the title are also the names of the international stars that tell the audience who is in the film and this is part of the attraction as they are familiar to the audience.

Tag Line

The tag line “You can’t always run from your past” is a memorable slogan that suggests to the audience the concept of the film - the girlfriends are coming back to teach him a lesson. The tag line is also in the middle of the page so it is one of the first things the audience reads apart from the title as it explains in a very simple way what the film is about and this makes the audience want to see the film more because they want to know more.

Billing Block

This film poster has a billing block that tells the audience a variety of different technical information, such as the media institutions (new line cinema), the director and the producers and it also states the release date of the film which was the 5^th January 2009. This billing block also has the name of the website in very small print underneath the big bulk of text so that the audience can find out more about the film that is being advertised. It also states, in very small print, the rating of the film which is PG 13 and this is inside the little table on the left hand side of the billing box.

Commendation

On this film poster there is no commendation from any media institutions (for example, a quote or a star rating system) and therefore this does not back up how good the film is to the audience because there is no one telling them how good the film is. Therefore it is left to chance for the audience to find out for themselves how good the film is rather than relying on a commendation.

Trailer Analysis - Mean Girls

Within the trailer for "Mean Girls" there are many different elements that are used to tell the target audience about the film and to introduce its genre.

Camera Shots

There are many different types of camera shots that are used within this trailer. Mid shots are used within this trailer to introuce the main characters and their personalities. This helps the target audience to understand how the different characters within the film play their part. For example, the image on the left shows another main character and that they personality is bold and out going.

Long Shots are used within the film trailer for "Mean Girls" to establish the setting of the film which is set in a high school. This is so that the target audience knows where the main part of the film is taking place so that they are able to understand the film better. It also helps the target audience to relate to the film because the target audience are of a similar age to the characters that are within this film. In this screen shot, point of view (tracking shot) is also being used to show the target audience what the characters are seeing in their world. This helps the target audience to understand what the characters are seeing in their own environment and this helps the target audience to understant the plot of the film more.

Close ups are used within the trailer for "Mean Girls" to highlight some of the main characters within the film. For example, the image on the left shows a close up of the leading man of the film who is portrayed as the typical handsome teenage boy. A close up is used to show off the fact that he is the typical handsome teenage boy to show off his features to the target audience. This close up of the leading guy is also used to show the target audience that there are a few male roles within the film, however, the film is mainly dominated by females for the main roles and this highlights that the film is aimed at women.

Camera Angles

There are a variety of different camera angles that are used throughout the trailer of "Mean Girls"  to show the different aspects that are within the film itself.

Panning is the main camera angle that is used within the trailer. It i used to show the target audience the different cliques within the setting of the film. For example, when all the characters are in the canteen and panning is used to show all the different cliques sitting at their individual tables without mixing with other cliques. Panning is also used to show the different areas within the school, for example, the classrooms.

Low Angles and High Angles are another camera angle technique that is used within the trailer. These camera angles are used within the film trailer to show the target audience a hierarchy within the school between the cliques. Below are 2 images, one of a low andgle and one of a high angle. These printscreens are one after the other and they show the hierarchy between the 2 characters within the film.

Left: Low Angle

Right: High Angle

Edits and Transitions

Within the trailer for "Mean Girls" there are a variety of different edits and transitions that are used.

A zooming effect is used within the trailer to show close ups of both characters and the settings of the film. Close ups of the characters are also used to show the target audience that the characters are of a similar age to them and this helps them to relate more with the characters within the film.

The trailer for "Mean Girls" is edited in a way so that it highlights and tells the narrative of the film by showing all the evil and devious plots and wars between the main characters. For example, in the image on the left, a phone conversation is being held and this is where one of the evil plots is taking place between 2 of the main characters. This is edited so that you are able to see both of the characters at the same time.

Jumping is used within the trailer to show the difference between the character's appearances and the differences in their personalities. For example, when they are introducing the "Plastics" clique within the film, the trailer jumps from scene to scene showing the different personalities of each of the characters within the clique. Jumping is also used to show off different parts of the school as it helps the target audience to understand the space of the school and how the characters behave within the environment.

Reverse shots are used during conversations between characters to show their relationships and their behaviour towards each other. This helps the target audience to understand the conflict that will occur between these characters.

Mise En Scene

Within the trailer for "Mean Girls" the mise en scene of everything that is shown suggests the genre of the film, which is a romantic comedy.

Most of the main female characters within the trailer are wearing the colour pink. This suggests that the target audience is females because it is a colour that is associated with females rather than males. It also shows that the film is dominated by women.

The different outfits of the characters show the different personalities within the different cliques. For example, in the image on the left the character is made to look sweet and inocent but really she is the "Mean Girl" of the film who is cunning and devious at the same time.

The mise en scene of the film also includes the setting of the film. The setting of most of the film is in a high school. This shows the target audience that the characters are of a similar age to them and this helps the target audience to relate more to the film and the characters that are in it. The mise en scene also shows the target audience that the school has a lot of different cliques in it. For example, in the image on the right, the school is crowded and all the characters have different personalities. This shows the target audience that each clique has their own identity and personality.

Sound

There are many different types of sounds that are used within this trailer to help the target audience to understand more about the films narrative.

The background music of the film trailer is upbeat and modern. This attracts the attention of the target audience because it is the style of music that they are used to and it also draws them into the film as the background music makes it sound exciting and fun. The background music of the film also makes the main character of the film seem sweet and inocent at the start of the trailer but shows how she progresses to be just as devious as the main characters.

The dialogue that is within the film trailer helps to explain the narrative of the film by telling the target audience about the devious plots that the characters perform within the film. This also draws the target audience in to the film because the trailer shows the excitment and deviouness of the film and its characters.

Here is a link to the trailer of "Mean Girls"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBAYiBoy43M