1. Public Enemies Harry Potter banner (1) Main image (2) Codes and conventions (3)

2. Having an exclusive Harry Potter feature above the masthead draws in a very wide audience, even more so than Public Enemies will because the Harry Potter franchise is so popular worldwide with all film fans whether they be casual or serious. Daniel Radcliff's profile shot in the top right hand corner, the place where naturally everyone looks when viewing a magazine front cover attracts film fans regardless if they are a fan of the main feature, Public Enemies. The black font of “On-set Exclusive” being set on the white background of the banner emphasises the fact that the article is not your average Harry Potter 6 article, it is in fact an on set exclusive that no other magazine has the rights to cover. Harry Potter’s serious facial expression compliments the general mis en scene of the magazine front cover, the blatant acts of criminality is a serious issue and this is reflected in Harry Potter’s face. If he was to be smiling it would not suit the front cover’s atmosphere.

3. The weapon, a Tommy Gun is prominent in the front cover and is pointing towards the viewers direction, however the gun is not pointing directly at the viewer conveying an ultra violent atmosphere. The character’s facial expression, a cold hard stare confirms the film’s genre as a gangster film such as The Godfather. The character is clean shaven which offers a clinical look to the gunman, and also the film. The character’s attire implies that the film is set in pre 40s America when gangsterism was at its peak. Appealing to retro film fans as well as new film fans that embrace violence. The mist at the bottom of the page covering the character’s lower body gives the magazine a very mysterious feel maybe suggesting that at times it may mean that situations are confusing and other times it may mean that the place is dark and there is evil present.

4. Exclusive feature banner which features above the main image. A common convention in film magazines such as Total Film. This is there for an added feature in case people do not like the main feature. The right hand third is taken up by the intro to an article called ‘Heroes of 2010” and then features three well known action films, it is very rare that the front cover of a film magazine does not advertise any of the content inside. This issue of Empire does not go against any codes and conventions. The constant use of the colour red could represent blood linked with the Tommy Gun that the character is holding. The use of the colour is clever because it is not too in your face but there is red text in the masthead, the right hand third and the bottom banner. Another code and convention that the magazine front cover follows it that of the easily seen price and bar code. Sometimes magazines like to hide this so you can focus on the contents and not the price. Empire likes to advertise its reasonable prices.