First, the prologue – On the 19th March 2020 I felt as though I was at the end of my tether with all things Pandemic related. I didn’t know whether I should have still been travelling for work, I didn’t know what would happen if we had to close or how I would get by if closing meant I didn’t get paid. It was all too much and I was at, what I thought, was my most anxious and possibly my lowest ebb for a long time (it wasn’t, things did get a lot worse for a while, but that’s another tale). Then a short but friendly message of concern from someone who was a relative stranger gave me a chance to express those concerns and the follow-up reply wasn’t about how everyone was going through the same thing or comparing situations, it was simply encouraging, helpful and quietly hopeful. Since then I have sought to repay that kindness so enough of the “Me Show”, I’d like to tell you about a fabulous magazine called Film Stories.
I have written about Film Stories on a different blog, but that particular site will be taken down in the not too distant future so I get to gush about this publication all over again on this site!
Why so enthusiastic about a film magazine? Surely they are all the same, stick the flavour of the month blockbuster on the front, include stories about the hottest stars in the movies at the moment, bish bash bosh, job done right?
Film Stories is different. For a start, they actively encourage new writers to pitch articles so fresh voices are heard in every issue. Since the majority of its sales are via the website it doesn’t need to compete visually with newsstand magazines which means the covers have been far more diverse than you would normally see, and the same with the content. I was hooked from issue one by an article on Trucker movies! This isn’t a magazine filled with articles listing the top ten films of a genre over and over, here you get proper, old school stuff that doesn’t just scratch superficially at the surface but allows for the flow of a writer’s passion for their subject.
As far as new movies are concerned, the magazine’s emphasis is mostly on British films but the type that tends to fall through the net of most media because they don’t have the right “sizzle” or “pizzazz” or whatever the current buzzword may be. The folks at Film Stories know that this is where the cinematic gold is. As much as I love a big old blockbuster, some of my favourite films are quirky oddities with small cult followings.
There’s no snobbery in these magazines, no judgement about the types of film you “should” be watching, just enthusiasm and a healthy respect for the given subject.
Alongside the main magazine is Film Stories Junior. Aimed at a younger audience and including articles and reviews from young writers it encourages that early love of getting lost in movies and nurtures the next generation of movie-goers.
And it doesn’t stop there. Beyond the printed medium, there is the Film Stories Podcast, the excellent website and all the regular social media accounts. Those social media accounts have led to an ever-growing and ever more lovely community online, particularly on Twitter, a rarity these days. There is support and positivity every day – and caffeine!
Are you sold yet? Check out the links below for more information.
Film Stories Website – news, reviews, features.
Film Stories Magazine – an actual, tactile magazine full of great features. (Also available in digital form, but it’s not the same as waiting for the latest issue to drop through the door and tearing off the wrapper to eagerly flip through the pages deciding what to read first, trust me!)
Film Stories Junior – same as above but aimed at a younger audience.
Film Stories Podcast – digging into stories behind popular films.
Film Stories on Facebook
Film Stories on Twitter
Epilogue – Thank you Simon.
