Conventions of film magazine front covers:

Masthead: A film magazine front cover always features a masthead, and it is usually at the top of the cover, as it attracts readers, as when it is stacked in the shelves the readers only see the top of the magazine. The masthead is usually in big bold letters, so it is clear to see, and the colour of it usually reflects the colour theme throughout the front cover, this therefore links everything together on the cover, but also the colour theme usually represents the genre of the magazine. For example a red and pink colour theme suggests it is quite feminine and aimed at women, which could suggest that the genre of the film magazine is romcoms, and they usually advertise romcoms. Also on some well known film magazine covers, the main image sometimes partially covers the title, and this represents how it is a very famous magazine that you don't need to see the full title as you will still recognise it, and I have found that this is very common on the cover of TotalFilm, as it is a very well known film magazine. This is the magazine's 'Alice and Wonderland' over, and the masthead is partially covered up.

Images: The convention of the main image is that it usually takes up the whole of the front cover, and is the main focus of the cover. The main image usually takes up the cover, as it is what attarcts the reader to the cover, and is the first thing they see, so therefore the image is usually quite dynamic. The main image on a film front cover usually represents the image, and is usually quite exciting as it is what attracts the reader to go to see the film, and this is seen on the TotalFilm Terminator front cover, as it is very dynamic. Also you can clearly see the genre of the film from the image, you can clearly see it is Action as they have weapons, and soldiers. The image usually represents what the issue is going to be about, and also the cover lines of the cover usually reflect the image on the cover, and the genre of the film on the cover.

Cover Lines: Every magazine front cover features some cover lines, and the cover lines represent the genre of the magazine. For example NME magazine usually has cover lines about indie bands, and music festivals, and cover lines to do with the genre. Film magazine front covers usually have cover lines about new film releases, interviews with actors, film lists, and other things to do with films. Also if the film magazine is a magazine that usually advertises Action films, than the cover lines usually reflect this, such as interviews with Action stars, and the latest Action films being released. Also there is usually a main cover line on the cover that reflects the image. For example on the Empire front cover, the cover line on the image is the name of the film, and a sentence about the film. This is a convention of film magazine front covers as it attracts the readers as they want to read the film, but it also advertises the film.

Extras: A convention of many magazine covers is that they usually feature something extra on the cover to encourage the readers to buy the magazine. For example many film covers advertise a free poster on the cover of a new film, or sometimes the poster is of the film that is the image on the front cover. Also on many film front covers they advertise a chance to win a ticket to a premier of a new film, and this again is a way of attracting the readers as it is a very exciting competition, and the chance of meeting famous actors, which therefore attracts the readers to buy the magazine., it is also a way of advertising the film as it suggests that it is a good film, which in turn makes you want to go and see it. I am going to use some of these ideas on my own magazine front cover, and I am going to advertise a chance for my readers to win a ticket to a premier of a new film.

Issue number/Date: This is a convention of magazine front covers, and the date is usually featured at the bottom of the cover, with the barcode, which is also usually at the bottom of the cover. The issue number is usually featured on the magazine front cover, as it helps the reader if they want to write into the magazine about a past issue; and if they need to refer back to a past issue. Also the issue number helps the editor of the magazines if they need to refer back to a past issue in the magazine.