Masthead: ‘Sight & Sound’ is known for being a more upmarket magazine, its content focusing more on the ‘auteur’. Their target audience ranges from 18-50 year olds who are more interested in film more than the average person or are in fact professionals in film. The font is black contrasted with a yellow background to make it stand out and so that the name of the magazine is recognisable to the spectator.
Horror Magazine Analysis
Dateline: Tells the reader when the issue was published, also features a barcode and a stamp of approval from the British Film Institute, telling readers this is a recognisable film magazine.
Main Cover line: links with the main image stating what the primary article will be about. ‘Black Swan’ at the time was popular as it was a new film out, this shows that sight and sound like to keep up to date with the latest films. Cover lines: Gives the reader more insight as to what is featured in this issue, naming the film featured inside. Also below the cover lines is a sticker reading ‘every new film reviewed’ telling us that this magazine likes to keep up to date with all genres and doesn’t specify and niche market.
Colour Scheme: The colour scheme of this cover is mainly black, red, yellow and white. Red is used to connote fear/danger which links with the content of this issue – the horror film ‘Black Swan’. The majority of the cover is black as the background and costume used for the main image, this colour is associated with elegance and death, again linking with the context as Natalie Portman is dressed as a ballerina. Yellow is always used as for the masthead for ‘Sight & Sound’ as it is part of their ‘house style.
Main Image: The main image features Natalie Portman the actress who plays the leading role in ‘Black Swan’ no cover lines interact with the image showing that she is the primary focus of this cover. However Natalie Portman is still in character in the shot, giving the impression that the article inside will be solely about the movie. Direct mode of addresses is not being used on this cover to draw in the reader as Portman is looking away from the camera. It could be that this image is a still from the film.