Film Review: Layout Research

After our film we needed a film review. For this we had to research different film review magazines and then considering all aspects such as font, layout and formality we will make a film review using the best suited magazine as a template.

 

These were the most appealing designs and magazines that suited my writing style and form of writing, in a more informal style. Therefore I have chosen to research these three magazines to come to the conclusion on which will be the best one to use for my film review.

Firstly is SFX. This magazine utilises a very scrambled design with pictures scattered, with text surrounding them. The articles are numbered and highlighted so the reader can follow what film and picture is being talked about. The writing itself if informal and addresses the general vibe of the film rather than going into depth about the exact production techniques used. The pictures used are also large and capture a moment of significance or a main character further intriguing the reader.  SFX also utilises a superhero/ hero sub genre throughout to maintain interest.

Next is Empire. Empire has a more formal layout than SFX with column writing with a chain of photos through the middle, more like a new article. The pictures appear in a circular form also capturing important pictures. The titles are in bold and are used at the top of the page. The writing itself however isn't very formal and still just highlights the overall film and its intentions rather than micro elements. 

Finally is Total Film. Total Film utilises a few large pictures within the top half of the page followed by columns of text bellow. There is also a pool quote within the centre of the left page, this is to attract the reader further by referencing the film or other films that would cause interest. Finally there is a insert on the right side, this can be sued to fill space, but very lightly talks about other films that may have relevance to the main talk point.

Overall I shall be choosing Empire to use as my layout for the film review. I have chosen Empire as they have a simple layout that's easy to follow and whilst also having informal text about the topic. I havent chosen SFX as they have a superhero sub genre which my film doesn't apply to and I haven't chosen Total Film not because of its poor layout, but because Empire has a better aesthetic.