Evaluation

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Film Magazine
Review
Evaluation Along With an Outline Of Key Changes and Implementations
Design Draft 1 Evaluation
I have used the Sight & Sound Magazines conventional formal layout.
However, this has been developed to include different font styles and
size. The title section label has been, developed to include a rounded
continuous outline in order to eliminate the sharpness of the original
quadrilateral. This softer approach is more inviting and to entice
consumption, the section heading has been labelled SHORTS and aligned
lower centre. The label’s traditional colour red has been, retrospectively
replaced with a dark shade of aqua. Psychologically, this colour is
associated to open lines of communication between both the heart and
the spoken word and it is also recognised to evoke an emotional balance
of stability, between work and play. Therefore, this colour acts as a good
entertainment, marketing strategy.
The synopsis and credit section has been uplifted with a darker hue of
grey. Although this is a conventional development, it may need revising,
as this may be too dark, for readers to easily consume the text.
Although I have used and developed conventional codes of the Sight &
Sound Magazine, I have failed to challenge others. Therefore, with this in
mind I will endeavour to implement several challenging design aspects
that will not hinder the formal and intellectual format.
Design Draft 2 Outline of Key Changes
 Decrease of one column in the review text section
 Colour injected into the review text section
 A black border has been implemented
 Synopsis and credit section box colour has changed
 Original image placed over a translucent original image
 Artistic value of line has been used to boarder the images
 White title and information text on a black background
 Titling banner more prominent as a section header
 Underlining within the sections under two characters

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Evaluation
The most significant change has been to the review text section. The
original three column layout has now decreased to a two column layout
to challenge the A4 conventional columnisation of a Sight and Sound film
review. In addition to this, a neutral beige/sandy tone has been
implemented into the review text section, as a background colour. The
attributes of this colour suggest warmth, whilst in comparison its neutral
element draws upon calmness, making it flexible and dependable.
The neutral tone of the review section off sets the harshness of the
black border, which sub frames the individual elements of film review.
This border helps to contain ones eye to the important features within
the review.
Due to the darkness of the original synopsis and credit section, I
decided to implement a lightened aqua hue. The psychological approach
to the colour will enhance a calming contrast between the review and the
synopsis/credit section.
To challenge The Sight & Sound magazine’s defined quadrilateral styled
original photography, I have chosen to place one opaque image over one
translucent image and use the artistic value of line to define the images
as a rectangle overlaid by a triangle. This artistic play with shapes
enhances the realisation that the short film is also an art form.
The titling section banner is more prominent, to draw attention to the
short format. Short films are becoming very popular with social media
and are viewed on many different platforms. Preferences are becoming
wider with different attitudes to different genres that may, up to a few
years ago been previously dismissed. Realist serials and shorts are
becoming popular with teens; therefore having a section dedicated to the
short may entice a completely new audience.
To attract attention, conventionally challenge and place a personal
Identification to my review, I have chosen to underline the first two
letters in the sections that require a heading. This not only differs from
the Sight & Sound magazine, but it also acts as an indicator to prompt the
consumer’s attention.
Design Draft 3 Implementations
The template design from draft 2 has been forwarded in order to
integrate a small blocked synopsis that follows the conventional style and
format of the Sight & Sound magazine, along with the cast and crew

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credits. Original photography has been used and altered slightly to
challenge the conventional code of the magazine. The top image has
been filtered and the underneath image has been made translucent.
Outline of Key Changes
 Credit and synopsis section has been split and each section is now
individually displayed
 Credit and crew section is aligned centre and to the far right
 Colour change to the film review section from a neutral dark hue
of beige to a grey monochrome
 Date has been included to the header banner
Evaluation
The issue date of the magazine is now prominently displayed in the
header banner and I decided to implement this as italic as this
information is different from the review.
I decided to split the credit and synopsis sections to contain each
highlighted feature uniquely within its own boundaries, as each sectioned
element is equally important as the other. The synergy shared between
each aspect, individually prompts a film, whether it is through the
director, cast, storyline or the critical review.
The major difference from design 2 to design 3 is the review
background colour. The new monochrome grey is representative of
maturity. It detaches itself away from emotion and comes across as
formal, independent and professional. For these particular reasons, I
believe it is the best option to host an academic and critical review and at
the same time, it challenges the conventional white background of the
Sight & Sound magazine.
The implementation of the two photographs in this design challenges
the conventional single image for a film review in the Sight and Sound
magazine. Not only is it two photographs, but they contrast each other in
format and style, almost igniting a hidden agenda. Representation of the
characters in the translucent photograph identifies their nature as binary
opposites, distinguishing the innocence and vulnerability of the
protagonist and the shady motives of her seducer.

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Design Draft 4 Implementations
 Written film review has been inserted into the designed hosting
sections
 Review author’s name has been placed next to the review title
 Picture description has been aligned centre in a white bold font to
contrast against the dark background
Outline of Key Changes
 The magazine issue date in the header banner has now been
aligned far right to give a more accepted formal appearance
 The word ‘title’ has actually been replaced with the films actual
title -Mouse
Evaluation
In order for me to improve on this draft, I need to conduct some primary
research. I will endeavour to design a digital questionnaire and launch
this on the social media platform – Facebook. All serious respondents are
welcome, but to secure informed constructive criticism I will personally
link the questionnaire to several media students who have a higher
degree of media literacy knowledge.
Tutor Feedback
 Solid first completed draft
 Contains many characteristic features of a Sight & Sound style
review, with references to previous work, nominations and genre
 Register, lexis and syntax are all appropriate to the context
 Page architecture is effectively thought through

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What I could do to improve:
1. Themes and issues need to be more clearly delineated
2. Link themes and issues to areas of representation
3. Refer back to Samantha Lay’s social realist production
styles
Final Design Outline of Key Changes and Implementations
 I kept the majority of my film review, but inserted ideas that link
the micro to macro in order to give a clearer representation of the
genre, characters and technical elements.
 Linked influences in Mouse to Shane Meadows 2006 production of
This is England
 The spelling error identified in the synopsis has been corrected
and changed to ‘the’
 The synopsis’ content has been reduced to allow for the extra text
within the film review section
 Magazine page number and the title of the magazine has been
inserted and aligned in the forth quadrant, lower right
 Copyright details within the credit section have now been
swapped over with the colour information
 Extra credit titles have been added to the credit section
 Subheading title fonts have been reduced in size from 16 to 14 to
allow for the extra text in the film review
 Film review font size has been reduced from 7.8 to 7.6 to
accommodate the extra text implemented within this section, it is
now approximately the same text size, originally found in the Sight
& Sound magazine

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Experimentation
My online audience research depicted that three active respondents felt
that a possible lighter background hue would complement the synopsis
and credit sections.
The editing software I used to produce my Here & Now Film
Magazine, page review was Canva. The colour options in this suite are
vast, and the shading bar effectively allows you to brighten or dull the
hue. The indicator was already at its lowest point so I was unable to
lighten the background hue without it transferring to white. I
experimented by lightening similar colours, in the text boxes, but this
gave a cartoony effect, which subsequently did not seem appropriate for
this style of film magazine. Therefore, the background section colours will
remain the same.