Case Study part 4: Double page spread

Analysing the double page spread of a magazine

The double page spread is about Amanda Seyfried who’s a very famous actress. This article occupies 10 pages in the magazine which includes 4 pages dedicated to photos of her. This article fits in with the target audience as the magazine aims for working females; Amanda is a very successful woman so the audience will want to read about her and her personal life as well as all of her successes.

The first thing that stands out on the first double page spread is the title ‘American Beauty’ which is in bold, bright red capital letters taking up half of the page. This straightaway stands out to the audience making them want to read it. The colour red connotes danger, passion and love so it’s quite an eye-catching colour and it contrasts the white background which makes it even more powerful on the page. American Beauty could be referred to Amanda herself and how she’s a beautiful woman and it’s also a very popular 1999 American drama film, so women that are familiar with that film will recognise the title immediately. Women are attracted to words that are associated to looks so ‘beauty’ will make them want to read on as it could suggest this article will talk about Amanda’s beauty in some way.

Above the main title you have a little paragraph of information which gives a very short summary of what the article is going to be about. They use a much smaller font but big enough for the reader to read, it’s also simplified so that the readers can have a quick overview. The paragraph includes alliteration of the letter ‘H’ by using the words ‘hilarious’, ‘heart-breaking’ and ‘honest’, and repeats that using the letter ‘F’ with ‘fertility’ and ‘feeling the fear’. Doing this helps makes the passage flow so it makes it easier for the audience to read and gain information quickly. By having this little summary it will then allow readers to have a choice whether they want to read on or not. The passage also says ‘it’s off camera that Amanda Seyfried will really knock your socks off.’ This suggests that there is so much more to the Amanda we see on television, which will make the readers want to find out more about her by reading the article, they will want to know how she gets through her problems.  This is also in black which stands out on the white and goes well with the main red title; you see a clear colour scheme running through which keeps the page looking professional.

On the right side of the double page is a close up of Amanda wearing a lavish red looking dress accompanied with bright red lips. This makes her come across as very striking and it catches the reader’s eye as it’s a very strong colour. With the title being red and herself having red elements it gives the page a sense of completion which engages the audience as its very pleasant to look at in terms of how tidy it looks on the page. Using a close up shot represents her importance as the article is all revolved around her and it will allow the audience to identify her and be familiar with who she is.

On the next double page spread, is where the article actually starts with a full page of writing on the left and a photo on the right. On the left the article is laid out in two columns so it’s easier to read, it will also keep the attention of the readers as the editor doesn’t want to bore them. In the middle of the page, the editor has picked out a quote and used a larger font so that the readers view it first. it could suggest it’s a very important moment in the article so it will make the readers look for it in the article and therefore read on. This is quite commonly done in magazines so that the readers are on alert and have their attention directed somewhere else, still keeping them interested in the article. It also starts off with a sentence describing Amanda before leading onto the article which gives the readers an insight as to what will be spoken about. The article uses black simple font which stands out on the white background. Italics are used for the questions the interviewer is asking so that there’s a clear difference which makes sure the readers don’t get confused. Using black simple fonts makes the page look professional and clean giving it a sense of sophistication.

On the right there’s a picture of Amanda, this time in using a medium long shot where she’s positioned right in the middle. She’s looking directly at the audience making eye contact this will make the readers feel more welcomed into the article as they are involved in it all. She wears a delicate dress with sequins and beads all over which have elements of red, again accompanied by her red lips. This follows through with the colour scheme keeping it consistent throughout.

The next double page spread is simply 2 images of Amanda one with a mid-shot of her looking away from the camera, and the other a wide shot of her jumping in the air wearing a dress. These two pictures are very different to each other which means it will make the audience want to look at them as there’s a difference. It’s also good to have a little ‘break’ from the article and not just have pages of writing as this will disengage the readers, so by having something visual it will keep their interests. For every photograph used there’s a little description of what she’s wearing so that the readers know and are able to look further if they want to purchase any of the items of clothing. There’s also a quote alongside one of the photos which is taken directly from the article, which talks about her experiences as an actress, this will interest the readers as she shares her personal experiences.

The following page also contains one image. This is a wide shot which covers both pages completely. This is different to the other images as its much bigger, the variation in pictures will keep the readers interested as they can see her in different ways, this includes in the different outfits she wears. In this photo she wears a more sophisticated outfit which includes a suit which readers will associate with as that is their uniform they wear on a daily basis.

On the last double page spread the editor uses the same layout once again with the left having two columns carrying on the article. There is also the use of the quote in the middle of the page standing out against the rest of the writing. This particular quotation is about her wanting to have a child. This will have an effect on the audience as they are women, so for women children play a huge role in their life. The article is laid out the same like the previous pages which shows consistency and the formality they are trying to present. Opposite there’s another picture of Amanda now with a close up of her looking away from the camera. She also wears the same outfit that is worn on the front cover which gives the audience a sense of familiarity and completeness to the article as it’s the last picture off her from the article.