Blackout Film Review

Final film review

Evaluation

I tried to copy the format of the review in Empire magazine I analysed ("The Man with the Golden Arm"). The spread is conventional of a magazine, with a clear house scheme (black, white and red), same typography throughout, border, page numbers, reference to the section of the magazine, split into clear columns, drop cap indicating the start of the article and a sign off by the author. I think all of these small touches have created a realistic spread. I also conformed specifically to the conventions of a film review- I used the 5 star rating system that most magazines use, added a box featuring all the key information (modeled off the information in Sci-Fi Now), a feature detailing recommended films for a direct comparison and numerous stills from the film. The main one dominates around half of the first page, and each has an inset caption for an audience not familiar with the plot. These all link the review directly to my film

The part I found the hardest was actually writing up the review. Because I had written, filmed and edited the film, I recognised the weakest parts of it, however to promote it in a magazine I had to make it sound as appealing as possible. I discussed the background of the film and the directors to give it context and then reviewed the cast, considering feedback I had been given by the target audience to make it realistic. I tried to include jargon to make the article sound as sophisticated as possible. If this were a real film review, it would be best received in a magazine dedicated completely to cinema, such as Empire because film noir is not a mainstream genre, and readers would understand the terminology. Audiences of a more mainstream lifestyle magazine may not be familiar with the codes and conventions I refer to in the article. Film magazine readers are also likelier to understand the intertextual references I make to other films, which they hopefully will have enjoyed. They are both modern films as opposed to classic film noirs, which will hopefully attract my target audience of young adults- they may not be familiar with the classic films of the 1940's and 1950's.

I created a mock-up of what my film review would look like if it were actually published in Empire magazine.