Alongside cover stars Chloé Zhao, Steve McQueen, Sofia Coppola and Luca Guadagnino, the revamp sees new, bold typography and visible grids.
Founded in 1932, film magazine Sight & Sound has been at the helm of film publishing for 90 years. Today marks the launch of its revamp by London-based agency, Pentagon for its September issue and features cover stars Chloé Zhao, Steve McQueen, Sofia Coppola and Luca Guadagnino under the collective theme ‘Future of Film’. The September issue also features access to the magazine’s archive interviews through a quarterly collaboration with 90s publication Black Film Bulletin.
Pentagon’s idea for the revamp stems from a desire to tribute the publication’s long standing heritage. “It was a huge honour to redesign a magazine that holds such an extraordinary place in the hearts of cinephiles from all over the world,” says Marina Willer, Pentagram partner, in the release. “With a nod to the magazine’s amazing heritage, Sight and Sound’s new logo is a reimagining of a previous design from the 1970s, referencing an era that believed in film’s indisputable place in culture and society.”
In line with this theme, the revamp features a graphic language inspired by film clapperboards – the device used to synch picture and sound while making a film – “with bold typography and visible grids used throughout to add emphasis to the magazine’s rich content, give a contrast in pace and create layouts with real impact,” continues Marina. “The new-look Sight and Sound is a confident expression of the hugely respected brand, and will hopefully ensure that the magazine continues to appeal to film lovers old and new for years to come.”
Sight & Sound still includes many of its beloved sections including Editors’ Choice, a collection of recommendations by editors, and Dream Palaces – odes to cinemas by filmmakers and more. A new addition is ‘Talkies’, a section of first-person opinion pieces with columnists such as Pamela Hutchinson, Jonathan Ross and Phuong Le. Another is the ‘Director’s Chair’ column in which filmmakers share their views in each issue, with the first issue featuring Swedish director Ruben Östlund and documentary filmmaker Kirsten Johnson in the second. Another new page is This Month In… which presents an archive issue from the past. Issue one has published an interview with Bette Davis, which is arriving in time with BFI Southbank’s Bette Davies: Hollywood Rebel season, running throughout August.
The revamp also places the importance of diversity in film at its core. “I hope that you’re going to see more and more different kinds of voices represented,” says Sofia Coppola in response to the latest issue. “If you look back [at who was making films in the past] it was one group of mostly men. I’m always happy to see something I haven’t seen before and be surprised, so we’ll see.”
Steve McQueen, award winning director whose credits include 12 Years A Slave, comments; “I don’t know if cinema needs saving, but it’s definitely worth saving. Personally, I adore it. I love being in a cinema with an audience. I love the oohs and the ahhs, the applause, the titters, and communal viewing? There’s nothing like it.”
Images:
Marina Willer / Pentagram: Sight and Sound, September issue, featuring cover star Steve McQueen. (Copyright © Sight and Sound, 2021)
Marina Willer / Pentagram: Sight and Sound, September issue, featuring cover star Chloé Zhao. (Copyright © Sight and Sound, 2021)
Marina Willer / Pentagram: Sight and Sound redesign (Copyright © Sight and Sound, 2021)
Marina Willer / Pentagram: Sight and Sound redesign (Copyright © Sight and Sound, 2021)
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