HORROR POSTER AND MAGAZINE COVER ANALYSIS

Parveen K

In the preparation of designing a horror magazine cover, I had decided to do rough sketches in order to keep my ideas open and clearer instead of rushing into it. After research of other horror magazines this helped me fill in more ideas which will attract my target audience into wanting to read it.

- After research into horror magazines/posters and relevant images to fit into it, I had taken some of my own and chosen my final image relating to some of the ones I had researched such as mirrors and premiere.- I decided to use the image of a close up shot showing only half of my face. I did this because it relates to the code of a horror genre as only showing half of the face, hides the full emotion of the character, so in my image, a screaming mouth is portrayed. - Also using my own hand I had taken pictures as if I was being strangled. To make this look like another persons hand, I had changed the color of the hand to a lighter tone that my face making it seen more realistic with the use of special effects on Photoshop and also working around the shadow on the top half of the face to help fade it in to the black background.

- I came up with the magazine title of ‘OPEN SET’ due to the fact that it was opposite of close set which is done to symbolize that the magazine is open to information that happens behind public discussion in terms of film and media. The ‘OPEN SET’ has the shadow effect as it is done to help it fade into the magazine into the black background effectively. I had also decided to place my horror film tittle across the bottom in bright red to stand out to consumers with a black lining around it to go over the arm. - Issue numbers are essential for a magazine as it helps consumers keep up to date with your magazine and read issue after issue.

A banner is used on most magazine covers to entertain and inform consumers when buying magazines and pull attention.

A banner is used on magazines to show that it’s a purchase and is mandatory in order to get a distributor for your magazine.

Stories and other information of what is posted in the magazine is always placed on the left hand side due to the fact that when consumers shop for magazines, the first thing they see is the left hand side and the stories that are placed on it.

Competitions on magazines is another way of drawing your audience closer. The great thing about entering competitions to magazines is that they typically ask for a quick response that means that you don’t have to worry about a time consuming process.

Referring to other films will pull audience towards the magazine as if their familiar with the other film, they may want to watch the new film addressed.

In the preparation of designing a horror poster, I had decided to do rough sketches in order to keep my ideas open and clearer instead of rushing into it. After research of other horror magazines this helped me fill in more ideas which will attract my target audience into wanting to view it.

Throughout designing a horror poster, after intense research I had picked one of my chosen images as also a scream with a half face shadow creating a sense of mystery will question my targeted audience.

I then decided to make my image a bit larger than its original size allowing it to cover the spare space on my poster. I also edited the tone of my face to a red shade knowing that my red title would blend in with the image.

After researching horror posters, I decided to add a slogan which is done to pull the viewers attention and to question them, giving away hints of the narrative. I had also played around with different styles of fonts, colours and sizes until I found the font styles that contributed into the look of a horror setting.

My final piece, looked like this. After exploring with Photoshop, I had done more research into what else posters contained. Therefore I added credits, ratings, websites and logo’s. This is what makes a poster look professional and attractive to look at. Most of the font that was used on the poster, especially the credits was a traditional font called ONYX which is used is many posters which made my poster look even more professional.

How has technology played part in you ancillary tasks?

• App’s such as Photoshop played the main part in my ancillary tasks as this was the app that allowed me to edit and design my pieces and add special effects. However if this was done through app’s such as Microsoft word or publisher, the final result would not be effective enough to pull my target audience.

• Also a high megapixel camera with extra focus, gave me the opportunity to take great pictures in order for my magazine to look professional and at a high standard. If I had used an ordinary camera such as a phone camera, my final images would not look skilled enough to be on a poster or a magazine.

How effective is the combination of of your main product and ancillary texts?

• I have designed a poster effectively as the audiences are given a small clue as to what the film is about as the slogan talks about a deadline. This is effective as it fits in with the genre, which is fact and fiction of a serial killer as the audience is left guessing and anticipating about what the narrative may be. This also fits with my trailer, which follows the horror’s codes and conventions of fact and fiction horror by using hand held camera shots so the audience is left unsure.

• Both my horror poster and trailer are effective together as they both help the viewer to decided whether this is their type of horror film, this is beneficial as I want to reach my target audience in order to get the best responses. The title deadline relates to my target audience of ages 15-25 as between that age gap are usually people who are students who therefore are familiar with the term ‘deadline’ as the narrative of the trailer also relates to students.

• One consistent theme seen through out the poster and the trailer is the colour pallet I have chosen, firstly the colour red was used in the trailer as it falls into horror code and conventions, of red symbolizing blood/gore and horror and danger. As this is an important aspect of the trailer I felt it was appropriate to carry it out through out the poster, this helps create a link between the trailer and the poster.