Codes and conventions of magazine review page

Magazine film review pages are set out to review a certain film to audience members who may be interest in the films critics or in seeing the piece themselves. There are set codes and conventions for magazine film review pages which help audience identify them. Examples of magazines which include these would be ‘Empire’ and ‘In cinemas’.

  • Titles/Tagline: Many review pages will identify the title as a major selling point or a way to gain interest into the review. The title usually will be of a large, black font so it is clear to the reader what they are reading about. Typically the colours are natural as it is easier to read.  Taglines often sum up important details from the film and depending on the genre is a sometimes play on words designed to be humorous. Commonly the titles will relate to the reviews, therefore as someone who avidly enjoy films/reviews will be interested.
  • Director/actors: This information is also seen a main selling point as many people will identify famous actors/ directors that have already been featured in other films. In certain cases actors and a director will be captured in a shot with can increase the interest of the audience particularly if they are interested in both individuals
  • Rating: The critic will give the film a rating, usually out of five stars but it may be a summary of word if whether or not the film was worth watching. This helps the audience decided whether or not it is something they will enjoy. This convention is very simplistic and easy for the audiences to understand. This also gives a quick indication to the audience whether the film was good, this meaning they wouldn’t necessarily have to read the entire review if they wanted a quick look.
  • Plot details: The synopsis of the film allows people to see a summary of the plot before they read the whole thing. This means they can decide if it is something they will enjoy before they waste their time. These short summaries won't include ‘spoilers’ so the story is not ruined for the audiences. This tends to entice the audience members into watching it if they like the sound of the film. The audience will also often be able to relate to the review later on.
  • Quotes: sometimes magazine review pages will feature quotes, these will usually be from the film or from interviews. Having quotes from the film can entice the audience into watching the film as it is seen a a form of interaction. Any quotes that are from interviews show more in depth into the actors/directors.
  • Review: the main body of the review page is typically the review itself. The body tends to be an overall analysis of the film including both positive and negatives. Other areas may include the rating, the main images, any captions etc.
  • The use of a dramatic photo is used with the purpose of forcing the audience into wanting to see it - screenshots/ pictures. These photos should also indicate to the audience the genre of the film, providing a teaser.

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