'Sight And Sound' and 'Total Film' Magazine Comparison

As I analysed two different magazines review pages - 'Sight And Sound' and 'Total Film', I will now explore the possibility of placing the review in either magazine, dependant on the target audience and expected conventions of each. To do this I shall compare the two magazines, looking at placing the review in both. This will help me finalise the decision as to what magazine I should choose and who my film is more likely to appeal to.

'Sight And Sound' on the left, 'Total Film' on the right.

The information segment of reviews from each magazine is shown above. As you can see, 'Sight And Sound' magazine features a much higher amount of information. It tells the reader the date the film was released, the director, the region, the run time, the certificate and some of the features. The review in 'Total Film', however, only says when the film is released in cinemas, with a link to a website to find out more information. As I want my magazine review to be professional and informative, I think that my own review will, so far, fit better within the 'Sight And Sound' magazine.

'Sight And Sound' on the left, 'Total Film' on the right.

Each of the magazine review pages portray the protagonist of the films above the actual review. This allows the audience to see with whom they are expected to connect with before they have read the review itself. However, the image within 'Total Film' was significantly larger, and had a large number of images around the primary one. Although showing the image of the character looked professional, and follows the convention of the magazine, I feel that the method of showing just one image was more effective. I will follow the convention portrayed in 'Sight And Sound', and will show just one image for my review page. This will mean that my review will be more likely to be shown in this magazine.

'Sight And Sound' on the left, 'Total Film' on the right.

Both 'Total Film' magazine and 'Sight And Sound' magazine embed important quotations from the review within the page. This makes the important text stand out, and makes it more eye-grabbing. This means that the reader is more likely to see the desired information more effectively. As you can see from the image above, the embedded quote focused on the narrative and themes which lie within the films in question. I will use this method within my own magazine production to ensure that it conforms with the expectations of the reader. This will make the magazine review page as effective and professional as possible.

'Sight And Sound' on the left, 'Total Film' on the right.

The introduction to the review in 'Sight And Sound' is more academical, as it gives more information to the reader which they may find to be relevant. Although 'Total Film' gives information about the director and a brief summary of the narrative, 'Sight And Sound' goes even more in-depth. The tone of 'Sight And Sound' is more professional and formal, as it appeals to a more educated, older target audience. This is shown through the language used throughout the review page. 'Total Film', on the other hand, is targeted at a younger target audience. Due to the fact that my own film 'Flight', deals with dark themes due to the drug culture shown, I feel that 'Sight and Sound' will be the better choice to show-case my review. 

'Sight And Sound' on the left, 'Total Film' on the right.

The ending of the review is perhaps the most important segment of the whole thing. This is because this is the piece of information that the audience is left to think about after they have read the review itself.  The magazine review shown in the 'Sight And Sound' magazine ends with a question, whereas the one shown in 'Total Film' ends with a point about the future success of the production. I feel that the review within the 'Total Film' magazine ends more effectively than the one within 'Sight And Sound'. This is because the review is more finalised and gives a firmer opinion on the film. Upon creating my own review page I will ensure that the review ends more firmly than the one shown in 'Sight And Sound'. 

Overall, I think that 'Sight And Sound' magazine will be the more optimum choice to place the review page for my short film 'Flight'. This is because they are aimed towards a more academic reader, who reads the magazine for an in-depth insight into what the film is about. Although 'Total Film' is a professional magazine, read by a high number of people, I feel that this magazine tends to focus on larger, Hollywood blockbuster films as opposed to the niche genre within which my film belongs. Placing the review page within 'Total Film' may alienate the reader, as it is not normally the type of film that is reviewed within that type of magazine. Therefore, I have decided to place my review page for 'Flight' with 'Sight And Sound'. The conventions that the reader will expect to see within the 'Sight And Sound' magazine will have to be carefully monitored to ensure that magazine is effective and professional-looking as possible. This will mean that the ancillary text will represent the overall 'feel' of the short film itself.