'Sight And Sound' magazine target audience

I have explored the possibility of placing my magazine review page within a wide range of magazines. These included 'Total Film' and 'Empire'. However, from looking at the type of films they features, it was clear that they tended to focus more towards Hollywood blockbusters. 'Sight And Sound', however, steered more towards a wide range of audiences, focusing on films across all genres. Due to the fact that my film appeals to a niche audience due to the genre of social realism, 'Sight And Sound' seems to be the ideal choice of magazine to place my review within. Once I came to that decision, it was clear that I needed to do some research into the target audience of the magazine.

The pricing to purchase one magazine is £3.95. 'Sight And Sound' also offer the option to subscribe to12 issues for £38.00. The pricing of this magazine is around averagely priced compared to other magazines, with 'Total Film' and 'Empire' being priced at £3.99 for one issue. This shows that the magazine is aimed at the middle-class worker, who can afford to purchase magazines about films for their leisure. The magazine is not being targeted at students as a cheap option, as it is not being marketed as an inexpensive magazine. However, it also shows that the magazine can be easily accessed and purchased for film fans around the country.

Above is an image showing the cost of 'Sight and Sound' magazine.

The 'Sight And Sound' website says that "A Sight and Sound magazine subscription is essential for anyone serious about film." This shows that the magazine is targeted at readers who wish to gain an insightful review on films that are both current and have been released in the past. The magazine focuses on presenting ideas that are critiquing the productions which are reviewed, and allows the reader to think for themselves about what the film is trying to say. The tone of the writing is professional and formal, which further shows that the target audience is not at students. I would say that the age which the magazine is targeting is 25+. This is because people of this age are more likely to want an insight into what themes the film deals with, as opposed to the narrative structure of the productions the magazine reviews. The content of many of the magazines seems to be text-heaving, showing that the magazine is targeted at those who want to read about film reviews, as opposed to look at imagery that lies within the film. The following extract is taken from 'Sight And Sound's website: "Sight & Sound is the UK's original movie magazine. Every month we deliver the most informative commentary on film and television, covering each new cinema release and extensive DVD reviews. Award-winning, provocative, in-depth and cutting edge, Sight and Sound's features cover the issues and film-makers of the day with the highest quality journalism." This shows that the magazine is targeted at those who wish to receive high quality reviews of the latest film and DVD releases.

Overall, I feel that the review page for my short film 'Flight' would fit perfectly within 'Sight And Sound' magazine. This is because of the darker themes (such as drug use) that the film deals with, meaning that it would not appropriate for those under 15 years of age to see. 'Sight And Sound' will also focus on imagery and mise-en-scene which lies within my film, whereas magazines like 'Total Film' would steer towards the narrative. Due to the fact that 'Sight And Sound' focuses on films which are released all over the globe, I feel that the British themes of 'Flight' would fit well within the magazine, as it would offer an insight into British culture for other readers globally to see.