Ancillary Product #2: Magazine Article Research // Biography, Comedy, Crime

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Immediately we see that this article is conforming to the conventions of a film article in how it's using a standard layout conventionally used by many magazine editors. For example, the article includes a headline, standfirst, body text and page numbers. As a double page spread, Empire magazine makes use of the two pages by having an image dominate most of the spread. This means that the article is more appealing to the reader because there is less text to absorb.

The headline and standfirst are the first indicators to inform us of the comedy genre. The use of words such as 'greed-guzzling' satirises the meaning behind the words, making it seem like a light-hearted film. Following this up with 'dwarf-tossing' would normally make us assume that the film has a form of bigotry to it. However, when paired with humorous lexis such as 'greed-guzzling' and the bright, positive lighting in the main image, this suggests that this the film is using the words 'dwarf-tossing' to convey the comedy genre because it is using 'black humour' to entertain the audience. It is very typical of comedy films to have characters who do/say outrageously bad things such as acting in a bigoted or racist way. Therefore, the standfirst is an indicator of the comedy genre.

The use of upper case typography for 'SO MONEY', which dominates the title of the film, helps to reinforce the crime genre by emphasising the focus on money. Wall Street is a place in America famous for the business and investments made there. Naming the film 'The Wolf of Wall Street' suggests there is a central character who is ruthless with money since wolves connote power and dominance. They also connote danger, implying the character this film revolves around has a corrupt control of money. This leads us to get the reading that where money and corruption are involved, so is the crime genre and so this is established through the title and heading.

In the picture we don't actually see a child on set: we only see the parents. The woman is wearing a particularly short dress which suggests the film has adult themes. The fact the film is about money also suggests this since money has associations of not just corruption but stereotypically it can be associated with sex and drugs. Both are themes to come under the blanket term, adult themes. Therefore this provides us with the reading that the audience must be adults.

(The film is actually an 18 rated film)