Magazine Front Cover Analysis

Magazine One: Empire Magazine

Masthead: 'Empire' being the masthead of this magazine is brightly coloured, red. This could connote strength and boldness which can also link in with the fact that it is on fire. The fire links in with the theme of the magazine as the masthead on Empire magazines are not usually on fire. It show the audience that the theme is probably something to do with danger. 

Tagline/Slogan: The tagline of this magazine is 'THE WORLD'S BIGGEST MOVIE MAGAZINE" This informs the audience that this magazine series will be about the latest films, screenings and big productions. 

Cover lines & Sell lines: The cover line "GODS! MONSTERS! HEROS! THE EPIC RETURNS! CLASH OF THE TITANS. FIRST LOOK AT 2010'S HOTTEST BLOCKBUSTER!" informs the audience that the main subject of the front cover will be about this. As Clash Of The Titans probably has a large fan base and was probably the new upcoming screening in 2009, it attracts an audience to want to buy the magazine and find out about it. The other cover line "ALL-NEW INTERVIEWS! NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PICS! 30 YEARS OF ALIEN" widens the target audience for the magazine by introducing a different theme but ill still appeal to the same wider group of people, an audience into fiction films and adventure. Sell lines such as "FREE! NEW MOON POSTERS!" doesn't only just widen the audience even more, maybe more to a female audience as Twilight is aimed more towards that target audience but, getting free things appeal to an audience. Promise of pleasure is used to make more people want to buy the magazine as they are given free things or the price is reduced for example. 

Central Image: The main image is of what the audience would assume to be the main character of Crash If The Titans, as the main image links in with the main cover line. He is dressed in armer, is holding a sword and is in a strong, bold stance. The conventions of the sword and armer are battle, fighting and danger, this tells the audience more about the theme of the magazine. This actor isn't named on the cover, which could also show that he either is so well known that his name isn't needed or that his importance to the subject isn't that relevant. 

Lighting & Colour: The lighting is directed mainly onto the left side of his body and his face. The lighting on his face could be used to show the significance of his emotion or just the importance of who he is. The colours of the background are mainly dark colours, this allows the main image to stand out a lot more and the little lighting on his armer can be seen. The colours of the cover lines, masthead and sell lines are bold, bright colours such as white, red and green. This allows them to contrast greatly to the background so they are clear and easy to read. The use of the green for the different cover line makes it stand it which tells the audience that that subject is just as important as the main subject. 

Mode Of Address & Lexis: This particular magazine uses informal language, words like 'epic' and 'hottest' shows this. It also show that the target audience would be of teens or young adults and mainly a male audience as the conventions of danger and war appeal stereotypically to a male audience. 

House Of Style: The masthead 'Empire' is usually in red in each issue, however editors may edit the masthead to fit the theme better like they have for this issue, they may also change the colour of the masthead. As the magazine is so popular when it comes to film, the main image often covers part of the masthead, this shows the importance of the character(s) in the main image but it also shoes that they are so well-known that not the whole of the masthead needs to be seen, they don't need to show they are important. The main cover lines will be to the left of the magazine and the main subject may also take up a large space to show its importance.