Magazine target audience

Our group found this information on empire readerships on the empire website.
Target Audience for Magazine

Conventions of magazine front covers

Some of the conventions that are included in magazine front covers are;

• Bold title.
• 1 to two people in main image.
• Text down the side detailing what is inside magazine.
• Normally some sort of exclusive feature.


The bold title is an obvious convention that you see in most magazines it because a lot of magazines titles are recognizable and used to see a magazine. The title is also normally very large and not too long for example ‘Empire’.

The second most important thing on a magazine front cover is the image you use. Generally the image is of the feature film that they are reviewing or previewing. The image usually relates to the themes that the film is looking to convey and features the main characters we followed this convention with our magazine.

The other convention that magazine front covers have is to include text down the side of the image detailing what is inside the magazine. This because people wouldn’t buy the magazine if there was no more information on the cover. Most magazines include information such as regular features or completions along with previews and reviews and exclusive interviews. The more stuff you include on your cover the easier it is to sell the magazine because people feel they are getting value for money.

An exclusive feature is a feature that only this magazine has. For example an exclusive interview with an actor or director who is featuring or filming in an up and coming production. Exclusives are very good at selling magazines especially with the larger magazines where they exclusive interviews with some of the largest actors on the planet.

Magazine front cover analysis

 This is a magazine analysis i made from a total film magazine cover.
  Total Film

Conventions of movie posters

Movie posters are made to link with the release of trailers and the films itself. They have to entice the people who see them to watch the film they are there as another form of marketing for the film.

After looking at a lot of different posters we noticed several things they all do the same they all have large bold test for the tile which ensures that the first things people see are the titles this means that they remember the name helping to ensure that they go and watch it. Most posters include a picture of the lead character and the name of the actor above them. This applies to posters for mainstream films which feature famous actors such as the I am legend poster which has will smith and they use will smith to sell it. Also normally posters include a strap line of some sort for example in ‘I am legend’ it is ‘the last human on earth is not alone’ this gives a little bit more information.

Horror posters often feature a sinister and scary image which gives ambiguity. They often sue low key lighting and feature one character which can range from a demon to a haunted house.
We realised that our poster would not follow all of these conventions because it is more of a teaser poster which means it is released a while before the film comes out this is unlike most posters which come out closer to the release of the film. However we still needed to stick to some of the conventions these included;
• A bold title featuring a relevant font type.
• A picture which links to film through the imagery.
• Low key lighting in the image.

I am legend poster analysis

The film is an action adventure, which looks at how one man would react if he were left alone in a city with creatures out to get him and wildlife running a mock within the city. It has been three years since the city was deserted and Robert Neville (will smith) has been left alone with just his dog. It is important to understand this plot in order to understand the poster. The poster gives a theme of desertion and destruction. You can see that Brooklyn and Manhattan bridge are both broken and decrepit this shows that something terrible has happened in New York. In front of the bridges is a dock with Robert Neville (will smith) and a dog standing on it walking away form the bridges. There is no indication as to why they are on the dock. You can just see that Robert Neville (will smith) is holding a gun this shows that he is in danger from something however once again it is not clear as to what this danger is.

On the dock itself there are cracks where grass is growing through this shows that wildlife has gotten out of control. There is not a lot of text on the poster itself. At the top is the text ‘The last man on earth is not alone’ it is not clear who or what is with him in the city but the fact that he is holding a gun points to danger. Above this text is the name of the main actor. This is obviously a big selling point for the company who produced the movie because will smith is a very high profile actor who ha done a lot of high profile roles in the past. The fact that such emphasis is put on his name shows that the actor is just as important as the story when it comes to selling a film. This however isn’t as relevant for us because less high profile actors do horror movies and also our actors are unknown and so their names are not as important as the story. The fact that the actors name is so important is emphasized by the fact that the title text takes up less room than ‘will smith’. The title itself has a yellow glow to it much like the background, which has

Yellow tint because the sun is in the background behind will smith. Also in the background you can very faintly see some text that is scrolling down behind will smith. Upon further inspection of you can see that it is speech which we hear in the trailer and the speech that Robert Neville repeats over again and again in a certain frequency to see if there is anyone else left alive. Although we do not know this just from the poster.

Overall the poster has a very eerie theme with the use of a dull yellow tone and a backdrop, which shows destruction in one of the most famous cities in the world. The combination of good imagery with imaginative text leave the viewer wanting to see the movie which is ultimately the main aim of any movie poster.

On set filming pictures

Animatic

This is our initial animatic although we have included background music we have not added sound effects.

There is likely to be final version with a proper ending likely to include more shots and the title of the film.

Vacancy On Violet Hill prop list

This is a list of the equipment and clothing we are going to need in order to film.

Visual props

1. Record player x 1.

2. Plates x 2.

3. Fork x2.

4. Knives x2.

5. Glass x2.

6. Chairs x2 (already there).

7. Table (already there).

8. Food (cold pasta).

9. Lights (already there).

10. Torch.

11. Boxes.

12. Picture of mother.

13. Axe.

14. Mirror.

15. Lamp.

16. Dust sheets.

17. Car.

18. Table.

Filming equipment

1. Video camera.

2. Tri pod.

3. Boom mike.

4. Torch / lamp.

5. Reflective sheet.

6. Spare battery.

7. Mini DV tapes x2.

8. Clapper board.

9. Marker.

Costume

Gary – Stephen – Father

1. Jeans

2. T-shirt / polo shirt

3. Brown leather shoes (casual)

4. Coat (casual indoor)

Cameron – James – Son

1. Jeans (casual)

2. T-shirt / polo shirt (plain)

3. Combat trousers

4. Plain hoody

This is an equipment list of the props and equipment we need for our photoshoot in order to produce our ancillary tasks.

visual Props

1. Axe

2. Light reflective sheet.

Camera equipment

1. SLR camera

2. Tri-pod

3. Spare battery

4. Memory card

Shotlist

This is the shotlist at the bottom are some shots that have not been numbered they are possible shots.

1. Fade from black to production titles. The titles are de-saturated and grainy and occur as the sound track features the crackling of the vinyl record.


2. Reflective Media


3. Red moon Pictures


4. Long distance shot of Gramophone sitting on a small table at the end of a small hallway. The camera tracks forward slightly.

5. Extreme close-up of the Gramophone needle on the vinyl as the record turns. Sound bridge of cutlery sounds.

6. Shot above dinner table, Father is out of focus and close to the camera at close up distance, and the son is at medium shot distance at the other side of the table. The focus pulls from the son to the father as the father turns his head and asks ‘What’s that?’ referring to the music playing from the gramophone. A quick flicker of the lights occurs in the background.

7. Reaction shot of the father mid-way through turning his head from the last shot and looking just above the viewpoint of the camera at close-up distance.
(Do we want an eyeline match????)

8. Aerial shot of the two characters at the table, with the light bulb in view, flickering out.

9. Quick shot of the son doing a similar thing to the dad before the room plunges into darkness as the lights finally go out.

10. Pitch Black. He tells his son to stay where he is. Sounds of the father moving through the kitchen e.g. footsteps and opening a draw as the father takes out the torch.

11. Low angle shot of the father as the torch turns on and illuminates the area slightly. He starts to lift the torch.

12. Medium shot of the father as he turns around to face the dining table and starts to point the torch towards the general direction of the camera.


13. Point of view shot where the torch is pointed directly at the son’s chair, which is now empty.

14. Close up of the father’s face, demonstrating his reaction. He starts to move out of shot. The shot fades to black when he moves out of shot and bridges sounds of footsteps on floorboards.

15. The father calls his son’s name, and this audio bridges over the next couple of shots. Fades from black to close up of his feet stepping across the floorboards. Fades back to black.

16. Fades from black to a shot of a door from within a dark room as the torch peers around the corner and gets pointed directly at the camera and causes a lens flare. Fades back to black.

17. Sound bridge of the words ‘Daddy, I’m scared’ transition into the shot. Fades from black to a medium shot of the dad’s back as he walks slowly down the hallway from low angle (almost point of view from the son). The son steps into shot, his feet obscuring the view.

18. Medium close-up shot from behind the father as he turns around and starts to point the torch towards the direction of the camera / Medium close-up shot of the dad facing the camera. The Dad starts to turn and point the torch at the son, bringing some of the son’s silhouette into light.


19. Point of View shot of the father lifting the torch to his son’s face to reveal…wait for it…DEMON FACE! Orchestral swell and sharp dramatic audio.

20. The Light falls from the son’s face as the Dad drops the torch. The screen goes pitch black and goes silent

21. Small instrumental Crescendo. Cut to: lights back up with father and son in an embracing hug. Over-the-shoulder shot of the father’s face reveals that he has entered an anxious state. Dialogue from father “Everything will be OK”

22. Bleed on effect text: “A house of unseen evils”

23. Shot from the windscreen of the house. Camera movement: pan round to the father driving.

24. Shots of father and son unpacking boxes

25. Shot of father bringing out a picture of his wife. Over the shoulder shot + close-up reaction shot.

26. Shot of father standing in a doorway from behind. Father’s movement: turns his head as though he has heard something.

27. Bleed on effect text: “Will seize two lives” (after this point pace of editing increases, drums/music increases in volume + pace)

28.

29. Sound bridge: thunder. Shot of son pulling covers over his head (can have an insert shot of exterior of the house when the lighting strikes).

30. Cut to (this cut is timed with lighting from the previous shot) father looking at writing on a wall (just father in shot). Another flash from the lighting takes us to the next shot (fade to white, from white to Priest!!!! Or just another fade…)

31. Close-up of the priest as the sound bridges to him saying ‘It’s not your son, it’s the house!’ he could be holding the Dad on the shoulder, almost like he is trying to stop him from walking away

31. Cut to low angle shot of walls (father is slightly in shot) with the writing: “I will bury you”

32. Bleed on effect text: “And bury them” (Music/drums/whatever again, is becoming increasingly faster)

32. Cut to: shots of forest, man running through (tracking) with trees flashing across the foreground

33. Cut to: (transition=Wide timed with the trees flashing across the foreground) Cameron running through the forest

34. Cut to: In line with mirror, boy looking in mirror, hands suddenly come out from mirror and go to grab cam

shot of shadows creeping through gap at bottom of door more than one shadow

shot of windows bursting open and curtains blowing.

shadows creeping up the walls

shot of father bursting through a door with an axe in hand looking for son

Shot of son waking up in the middle of the night screaming.

Shot of them rushing/running through the house

Flash of lighting as gary/cam is standing at a window: silhoutte illuminated

Shot of gary picking up a teddy bear

Shots of forest (with man running- could have some shots of the boy)

Shot of axe (perhaps with man creeping around or swinging it!!!)

Shot from outside of the window when they are having dinner

Shot of son running down stairs