Magazine Cover Analysis

This "Total film" poster for "Inception" has be laid out to suit the style of the film and includes information about other films.  It also includes different denotations and connotations.  These are the key factors that will effect how successful your magazine cover is and will also contribute to the total number of views your film will have.

Almost all of the magazine covers I have looked at have included a big picture of their main character set in the middle of the page with a title and short sentence beneath it.  On this particular magazine cover the main picture is of Leonardo DiCaprio wearing a suit and holding in his gloved hands a silenced pistol, although you can not actually see all of it.  The connotation of the gun along with the gloves and suit gives us the impression that this character will be sinister.  The fact that his face is shaded on one side could possibly give us the impression that Cobb, the name of the character on the cover, has two different sides to him or perhaps a hidden secret.  The title and general wording on the cover is in a font which is sharp and formal looking which means it will be taken seriously my most when the look at it.  The title of the film and magazine is bigger than the other writing on the cover.  The graphic designers would have done this so that when people glanse at it they will be able to read the title first, which may draw them into the magazine and if it doesnt then at least that word may stick in their head which will help to premote the film.  Bold colour has also been used to draw the protential customers in, however they have only used it on a couple of lines as if they use it too much of it it will create the opposite effect, so nothing will stand out.

Behind the wording and the picture of Cobb is a back ground of an urban environment.  this relates well to the film as alsmost all of it is set in these urban environments which inturn adds to the uncertenty of the film.