Research and planning - exploring key conventions of a magazine front page and applying them to research

What is a convention?

Conventions are features that every magazine front cover should have ,these add up to create an iconic basic layout for magazines.

Masthead

 

 

 

 

Usually positioned near the top of the magazine as it is the first thing the eyes are drawn to from a distance, it has to be iconic and catchy but also the colour and font has to represent the target audience as well as the actual word. A masthead has to be short but representative of your genre.

 

Strapline 

 



 A common feature is a strap/skyline that spans across the top of the front page that advertises an attractive event or product that the magazine considers to be a lure for the audience. It usually contains a command word such as 'must' or 'exclusive' to add an extra dimension to the uniqueness of the magazine.

 

 

 

Main image

 

 



 

 Direct address is vitally important in a main image because you want an instant connection with your audience. the mise en scene although looks simple in this example actually has a deeper meaning for the 'boring' colour. The photography isn't just about the character, the lighting, mise en scene and the angle of the shot all add up too create a certain representation of the story the magazine is trying to portray.

 

 

 

 

Anchorage text

 

 

Anchorage text adds to the form and style of the magazine front page , it has to be interesting as it is what makes the audience want to buy the magazine as it is showing off its contents. The font is smaller than the masthead however it is bigger than most other texts as it needs to stand out. The anchorage text is usually layered onto a type of medium to give it a sense of 'jumping off the page' to get your attention, usually by being in a different colour.