Conventions of film magazine covers

These are some of the main conventions used in film magazines noticed after researching them:

Masthead -
Will be the largest text on the whole front cover as it will most likely be the name of the magazine. The masthead is traditionally covered slightly with the main image.

Anchorage text -
This is text that includes additional information that will be included in the magazine and will, unlike the masthead, overlap the main image - sometimes used to entice reader to buy magazine as will use predation tactics that will make the reader feel as if they are missing out of they don't buy.

Cover lines -
These will tease other unrelated articles that will be in the magazine, such as interviews, first looks etc.

Main image -
The main image will be the largest image on the front cover and will be the feature story that the whole magazine will be mainly dedicated to - usually shows the main protagonist/s or antagonist/s which the movies storyline focuses on.

Secondary images -
Unrelated images that will have connections to cover lines, showing what else is inside the magazine.

Barcode -
Barcode will be printed on the front cover of the magazine traditionally.

Date, issue and price -
The date, issue and price of the magazine will usually be included on the front cover under the masthead in much smaller writing.

Tagline -
The magazines main tagline that features in nearly every issue of the magazine, making it easily identifiable to the reader.

Buzz words -
Words that will entice the audience to look, read or buy the magazine, examples are "exclusive", "free","never before seen" etc.

Banner -
A banner may be included in the cover to provide additional information for the main image.

Film logo -
The film logo for the main image will usually be front and centre on the magazine so readers can identify which film is the main focus of the issue.

Thriller Movie Logos

The use of the yellow on the thriller poster is unconventional as the colour usually connotes positivity, happiness and joy. However using this will impact on the audience as they would be drawn to the new negative connotations it is being given. The san-serif font looks as though it has been scratched onto the surface of the poster which immediately draws thoughts of murder or violence as scratched are seen in struggles or fights. Also the use of slits that run through the logo draws comparisons to knifes and stabbings which are common occurrences in the thriller genre - the audience will easily be able to place the film in the genre and will be intrigued as to why slits have been used. The name 'House at the end of the street' draws on the ideas that a place that gives off the feeling of being safe and affectionate - a house - is secretly filled with death and horror. Audiences will get the connotations that even in a simple idillic house there could be something negative hiding in plain sight.

The use of the red font immediately connotes danger and warning to the audience due to its correlations with blood. This shows it fits in the thriller genre straight away as you would assume films with darker tone to have darker coloured writing. The use of the grey for some of the words in the film title is stereotypical as that colour also draws upon negative connotations such as dullness and sadness - all tropes that are seen in the thriller genre. The font for the film title is serif which makes it easily accessible for all audiences to read which will not deter interest. The name 'before i go to sleep' brings connotations of sleep being a time when humans are at their most vulnerable as they are not aware of their surroundings or what is happening in the outside world. 

The title is boldly in red with blood splatters behind it connoting that the film includes murderous or violent content placing it in the thriller genre. The use of the colour is stereotypical for the genre as it implies danger and horror which is commonly shown in the films. The san-serif font will make the title memorable in the eyes of the audience as blood splattered font is uncommon and shocking to some. Fans of darker genre films will immediately be drawn to the movie as it implies with obviousness that it belongs in those categories. The name 'red riding hood' is counter typical to the thriller genre. This is due to the fact that this connotes to the audience the idea of a fairytale thats springs positive and happy connotations into the audiences mind - however the font contrasts with these ideas.

Thriller genre conventions

The genre of 'thriller' has known to be fairly broad in its approach. The genre is known to include other sub-genres such as crime, horror and fantasy to name a few. However there are some notable characteristics to be seen in the genre as a whole;

Suspense
One of the main tropes known to be involved in the thriller genre is suspense. This is needed in order for the audience to engage with the film and actually enjoy the plot. Suspense gives the audience the thrill of being scared but at the same time excited to watch the dramatic sequences unfold. It is essential for the genre to include this trope. 

Mystery
In the majority of thrillers the plot will surround a mystery that has not yet been solved or is in the process of being solved. Because of this the audiences are left on the edge of their seat throughout as they feel the need to discover the truth of what is going on in the film. Also it is common to never solve the mystery until the end of the film but subtle hints are seen throughout which connect the mystery together.

Violence
Violence is a huge aspect of the genre and will be identifiable in nearly every thriller film. The violence that occurs on the screen is commonly used to identify to the audience who the main protagonists and antagonists are as the antagonist will most likely be the individual engaged in acts of extreme violence.

Crime
Crime is what the main plot will likely focus on. An example for the main crime that is seen in the genre will be murder. This is seen in thrillers a lot mainly due to the fact it is the worst possible crime we can think of that occurs in everyday life. The crime will likely feature a mystery behind it and it is up to the protagonist to figure out this mystery. The thriller genre also focuses more on the rational rather than supernatural which leads it to be more believable, and as crime occurs in the real world every day this is suited to the genre.

Poster Conventions

I discovered when analysing posters that the main characters will be in the centre of the poster. I believe this is to immediately show the protagonist or antagonist to the audience so when they go into the film they will immediately be aware of who the plot will focus on. Examples for this are seen in the posters for the dark knight and black swan.

However when i shoot the images for my thriller poster have decided to focus mainly on the character I am playing, 'Zac'. Even though the main protagonist in the film will be Stacey, the plot revolves around the suicide/possible murder of the character i am playing so believe this will have more impact on the audience that may want to see the film.

Actors names are clearly the most visible aspect of a poster that include 'star power'. This is so audiences will be more enticed into watching a film if it has a well established team behind it. Although our film will not have any notable actors involved in it I plan to use actors names still as i believe it will show the poster to be more realistic. An example of this would be for the poster for movie 'The Box'.

Critic reviews are a huge way to draw in audiences and sell a film to the nation. This is because audiences - especially older ones who are more likely to see thriller films - are highly receptive to movies that have a critical buzz. I will be including critic reviews in the poster that i will make for my thriller film.

Thriller Poster Analysis

Thriller Trailer Initial Ideas Pitch - Powerpoint

Thriller Trailer - Initial Ideas Pitch

 

 

https://youtu.be/UOs56zF0l6M

Remake of film poster using Photoshop