Onset Mag case study.
Minimalist film magazine layout, oversized typography, and cinematography spreads.
The brief.
The problem. An indie cinema publication needed a fresh redesign that honored 35mm film stills without cluttering the page with excessive graphic ornaments.
The solution. High-contrast black-and-white editorial spreads with numbered chapter cards, stark red accents, and expansive full-bleed cinematic stills.
The process.
Three phases. No hand-waving. Here is how the work actually got made.
Frame-First Layout
Formulated aspect-ratio preserved image containers for 2.39:1 anamorphic stills.
Numbered Chapter Marks
Created giant numeral chapter headers establishing an editorial cadence.
Print Finishing
Selected heavy velvet-touch covers with silver foil title debossing.
The impact.
Design that moves metrics — shelf presence, engagement, and revenue.
Subscriber retention
Year-over-year, post-redesign.
Issues redesigned
All shipped under the new system in 2024.
Indie film mag
By Stack’s 2024 global reader rankings.