Film Magazine Website Analysis

 

Film Magazine Website Analysis

Sight and Sound

The web banner consists of the BFI logo, which when clicked on directs the viewer to the homepage. On the left there is a menu tab that can direct the viewer on where to go. The visual layout of the website is simple and changes monthly to match the colour scheme of the latest issue. In this instance, the colour scheme black, pale blue and a dusty white. The main page consists of bold black font reading “Sight and Sound”, establishing the name for the reader. Within the text, is an image of Wes Anderson, which is where the pale blue and dusty white colours appear. The image is grainy and slightly white washed, creating a stylized vintage effect. Upon scrolling down there is the same image, but without the text over it, with a link to purchase the magazine in which he features in. The text stating “the latest issue of Sight and Sound” encourages the reader to be up to date with the newest stories and to feel involved in the world of the magazine. A line below the text provides insight into other elite figures who will be interviewed in the issue – celebrities with name recognition like Spike Lee and Sydney Sweeney. Scrolling down further there are more links to previous issues, such as “The Greatest Films of Al Time” issue which is a decadienal event. The intensifier “greatest” suggests the prestigious element to the list, possibly enhancing reader’s want to discover. There is an image paired with this too of Citizen Kane, granting the reader a small glimpse into what may be on the list. Further down are links to latest stories and reviews, with a line of purple being weaved into the colour scheme now. There are links to follow the magazine on other social medias and opportunities to sign up for the weekly film bulletin.

Yours Retro

The banner of the website has text which directs the reader to sections of the magazine which may be best suited to them, e.g., “Home”, “Buy Latest Issue” and “Cover Gallery” are all options. Below that features a wide image of Marilyn Monroe, an elite and recognisable figure who suits the essence of the magazine. Paired with that is the logo for the magazine with the tagline “Rewind with Yours Retro, Classic film, music and nostalgia.” The colour scheme for the website is red and white, matching the logos colours. This creates a clear viewing experience upon scrolling down the site. There are words in the text such as “rewind” and “escape” that portray to the reader that this is a nostalgic magazine that will evoke serotonin. Moreover, the text stating the reader can “discover exclusive images, must-read features and jaw-dropping secrets” suggests exclusivity and the urgency to read these issues. On the right-hand side is a small image advertising the latest issue and the opportunity to “BUY NOW” written in uppercase further emphasising that urgency. There are red buttons which provide as links to “GET THE LATEST ISSUE HERE” and to “SUBSCRIBE TO YOURS RETRO”, the website giving many opportunities for the reader to do this as they scroll through the website. There are more advertisements of the previous issues down the right-hand side to subscribe to previous issues, constantly reminding the reader to subscribe. In the main section, upon scrolling down, there’s more information provided about the latest issue, paired with the cover image. This may help to convince readers to purchase, especially if the issue features some of their favourite stars and films. Like with the banner, there are more options for the reader to be directed to elsewhere on the website such as for music, stars and television, appealing to a wide range of audiences. At the bottom of the page there are also links to their social media accounts so the reader could access more content if they desired.

Empire

Empire appears to use their website as a way to focus on online reviews and articles, rather than advertising the latest issue of the physical magazine. The colour scheme is red, white and black and this is consistent across the entire site. In the top left corner of the banner reads “EMPIRE” in uppercase and a thick, red font to reinforce the website’s brand. There is also a menu tab on the right which—when clicked on—directs the reader to sections on movies, tv, gaming, shopping and podcasts. This menu tab displays to the reader that they do not only discuss movies, but a wide range of medias as well as articles on shopping. The main image is is from an upcoming superhero movie about Blue Beetle, with a watermark stating it is an “EMPIRE EXCLUSIVE.” The uppercasing may draw attention to the text and could convince the reader to explore the article further. Below that are smaller images paired with links to other new articles and the date of their publication. Further down, there are links to more recent articles that write on the newest film and television, keeping their readers up to date. There is a section dedicated to the latest movie reviews with star ratings provided to help guide the reader as to whether they too should invest their time in a film. Scrolling down so more, readers are given the opportunity to discover more from the latest features, latest television, latest gaming and latest shopping section. The bottom of the page provides social media links for the reader to find more content.