Potential Layout of Magazine poster

In order to begin to design my magazine cover, I need to come up with a range of different layouts. I looked at layouts from a range of different mainstream magazines, this helped me gain an understanding of all the possible layouts, and how they may alter depending on the audience or the genre of the film.

Potential Cover Lines & Banners

In the research I have carried out on 'Cover Lines' and 'Banner' have illustrated the importance of these two elements in a magazine front cover, as  I have yet to analyse one without both these features. This applies to both mainstream magazine, featuring Hollywood blockbusters and independent magazines, featuring low budge British films.

Mainstream Cover Lines

Independent Cover Lines

Due to the importance of Taglines and them being an essential feature of magazine covers, I will be including a number of taglines in my cover. Below, I have come up with a wide range of potential taglines which could be included on my magazine cover. 

My taglines will specif to my genre and target audience, therefore, related to the horror genre. However, my magazine publication is aimed to be a mainstream, and therefore, is not specific to one genre, unless it is a 'Special Edition', where it would focus on just one genre - For example on Hollowean. Therefore, it is for this reason, my taglines will contain a variety of genres. 

1.Ultimate Review of 2015 - Banner in a circle.

2.Exclusive Interview with the mast of Horror 'Sam Raimi' 

3.Names of separate horror films - "Next in Line", "You can't run" and "Ghost Hunter"

4. More Screams than ever, its a Sam Raimi production!

5. Top 10 Horror Films of 2014 - Banner 

6. Exclusive insite to New release 2015 - 'Flash'

7. James Renner is back with style! - Cover Line

8. This year's most essential exclusive - Cover Line

9. Unseen 'Flash' Poster (Banner)

Magazine Questionnaire - Audience Expectation

In this post, I will creating my own questionnaire based on 'Audience expectation', in relation to my magazine cover. 

After completing my questionnaire, I will distributed thew magazine to my target audience; people living in London over the age of 15. The questionnaire will ask them what aspect they like most in film magazines. Despite this questionnaire no having as much equations as my last two, it is essential to understand that it is not the number of questions I ask, but the quality. The responses to these questions should provide me with a more detailed understanding to the key elements of a magazine cover. 

Graphs:

Introduction to Target Audience.

Part of the 'Research and Planning to my Magazine front cover requires me to have a detailed understanding to who my target audience is and what their interests are.

The underlining factor that is crucial for the success of any Film is the understanding of the audience's needs. When creating a poster, magazine cover and trailer one must ensure that the audience are completely satisfied with the what it is providing.

Potential names for my Magazine Cover.

The name of my magazine cover (Also known as the 'Mashhead') is the biggest font on the page, it is therefore crucial that I pick a well thought out name. I am looking for something catchy and noticeable. Through the use of Two focus groups, I was able to reduce my possible name choices to 6. For each possible name I have written a short summery of they overall opinion.

Below, I have attached an overview of the results I collected from both focus groups:

• Big Screen

A large percentage of people from my focus group responded possibly to this title as they said it was catchy and memorable. One person suggested that word 'Big', suggests that only big budget movies will be featured in my magazine.

• Red Carpet

The focus group suggested that this title was quite arthouse and did not really reference the film industry at all (Especially not the mainstream industry).

• Cinema 

From the feedback I have given, this name appears to be too plain. As a result it does not stand out to my target audience or appear to be catchy.

• HollyWood

The results indicated this this title was the least favorite, as it got the most negative feedback. It appeared to not be catchy or standout to my target audience.

• Big Budget 

The majority of responses to this title suggest that it was not successful as anticipated. The title did not appear catchy or stand out to my audience.

• A-LIST

This title was quite popular as the majority of people voted in favour of 'A-List'. One mentioned that the name suggests the content is of high quality, as the letter 'A', implies it is at the top of the list.

Analysis of Empire magazine.

In this post I will be analysing a number of different 'Empire' magazine front covers. I will evaluate each front cover, in terms of their conventions. I will then compare the conventions I found and compile a list of similarities and differences, in terms of conventions. I will then incorporate these similarities into the planning of my magazine cover, making it look more authentic and realistic, as they will contain real conventions.

Similarities and Differences

• - Dominated by Star - 

The first similarity I found when anylsing Empires magazine covers was that they are all dominated by the central protagonist of the film.

•  - Big Budged Movies - 

The second similarity I found in all five Empire magazine covers was that they only feature big budget holly-wood films. In  my research and planning of magazine covers, I noticed that I had not come across an empire magazine cover which featured an independent British movie. This is because Empire only focuses on big budget movies and films with recognisable actors.

• Bold Font/Colours 

In all the five Empire Magazine front covers I looked,  had bold fonts and colours which stood out.
I believe these bold fonts and colours are used in order to stand out. the use of these fonts and colours could be to represent the magazine as something  I believe that these fonts and colours are used in order to portray the image of the magazine, which something 'Big' and 'Out-there', as they only feature big budget movies.

• - Cover lines - 

Another similarity I noticed in almost all Empire magazine covers was that they included 'Cover Lines' which usually references a list character/ Actors and Big budget movies.

Poster Questionnaire - Expectations of Genre.

I have attached a blank and filled in copy of my Questionnaire below. 

I have also produced graphs of some results from my questionnaire:

Blank Questionnaire         

                                                           Filled in Questionnaire

Graphs 

Below, I have created graphs on the results key questions of my questionnaire.I am going to break down each graph and evaluate the result. This will allow me to gain a better understanding on my target audience, in the sense of their expectation and interests of posters in general. I will then collect these result and incorporate the key points in the making of my poster, to ensure they are appealing and relevant to my target audience.

The theme of this question is based in the use of taglines. After carrying our research on what taglines are and looking at existing horror taglines, it has now provied me with a clear understanding of its importance. Taglines acts as an tool which provides information regarding the narrative of the film. In addition, they also indicate the genre of the film to the audience. It is for this reason why my result seem to be both logical and understandable,
as 'Genre' was the most popular result.

The theme of this question based on the marketing of my poster. As a result of advancements in technology and the increase of people using computers, it is therefore
understandable that 'Viral Marketing' and 'Trailers' are two most popular results. 

This question is based on the importance of movie posters in general. It is essentially asking the audience whether or not they find posters an effective source of marketing. The result clearly show the significance of posters, as the majority thought it was 'Crucial'.

This question gives me a more detailed understanding to where the majority of my target audience see posters in general. The results suggest the majority see posters on Billboards. This result is understandable, as a big budget film would invest a lot of money in promoting their film to the public.

Introduction to Questionnaires

As part of my primary research I set out by creating a questionnaire regarding relevant information of my audience. In my questionnaire I've included specific questions that are directed to my target audience, in terms of their expectations to the genre and conventions on existing media texts. This will enable me to source the specific conventions of the horror genre, and incorporate them into my film.

This will be followed by an additional questionnaire on responses to my poster layouts and conventions in my evaluation. This will enable me to gauge from the audience response, whether or not it was successful or not. This will be based on a range of factors, such as; Genre, Narrative and the comparison to existing media texts. 

My Chosen Certificate.

I have chosen the age certificate of my film to be 15. I have come to this decision for a number of different factors. Firstly, in terms of the horror genre, the age group is adolescent, meaning that they are in the process of developing form a child into an adult. Therefore, due to a large percentage of my target audience, still being in their late teens, if rated an 18, they would be prohibited form watching my film.

This correlates to my second point, having given my film a certificate of a 15, I am effectively targeting a more broader audience, as I have not restricted myself from ages 15+. This is beneficial as it would result to me having a larger target audience, meaning more to promote my film too.

15 Certificate BBFC

Analysis of 18 Certificate

Below, I have selected the following guidelines for a 18 that could be related to the Horror genre:

The Human Rights Act 1998, states that once over the age of 18 one is considered an adult and is therefore, free in choosing their own entertainment. Exceptions are most likely in the following areas;

• Explicit Images 

If majority of material contains explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by the content. These scenes would have to be removed or additional scenes will be required to justify the scene.

• Material harms audience. 

If material appears by the BBFC to either risk harm to individuals through their behavior, to society. For example, Detail portrayed of violence or dangerous acts or the use of illegal drug use (Which could cause harm to public health or morals).

• Breach of criminal law - 

According to the BBFC if there is any breach of criminal law or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence, then it is more than likely that it would not be accepted.