Coursework: Print Magazine research and planning

1) The front page for a new, original culture magazine that you have created:

• Title and masthead - Styx
• Selling line - Discover the inbetween
• Cover price - £2.99
• Dateline - 20/11/19
• Main cover image and at least two further smaller images related to the content of the magazine - One main image and 5 scenes from the drama
• At least 5 cover lines - Top 5 anticipated crime dramas/ Crime drama/film expo/ Countries you must vist/ 

2) A contents page (or one of AQA's alternatives listed above):

• Content that is appropriate to the conventions of the genre of magazine being created
• Each page to use original images as illustrations (the main cover image must not be repeated but the smaller images from the front cover can appear on internal pages)
• Internal pages should reflect the design codes and conventions of the genre of magazine being created

3) A double-page spread feature linked to your TV drama production as outlined in AQA's guidance above:

• Content that is appropriate to the conventions of the genre of magazine being created
• Original copy (at least 400 words)
• Each page to use original images as illustrations (the main cover image must not be repeated but the smaller images from the front cover can appear on internal pages)
• Internal pages should reflect the design codes and conventions of the genre of magazine being created

Print brief - overall minimum requirements

• A clear house style should be used in the presentation of all pages.
• A minimum of 7 original images should be included in the submission.
• All copy should be original and a minimum of 400 words should be
• submitted
• Work should be presented on pages that are an appropriate size or in proportion to the size of paper used by magazines

We recommend that all of the above should be A4 page size (with the double-page spread doubling up so A3 size).

Research and planning blog tasks

Create a blogpost called 'Print brief research and planning' and complete the following tasks to plan and prepare your print work:

1) Research magazine cover key conventions. Look over the magazine cover key conventions notes sheet and write which of these you will use for your magazine cover.

• Title
• Main image
• Selling line
• Barcode
• Date line
• Price
• Cover lines

2) Find at least five culture magazine front covers (either current or former magazines) aimed at a similar target audience to your project (adults interested in popular culture). For each one, pick out one design idea that you could use in your own print work. Some examples you may wish to look at include the Guardian Guide, Sunday Times Culture magazine, Time Out, The Face, the Radio Times, Aesthetica, the move and Paper:

3) Find at least three contents pages from culture, lifestyle or music magazines on Google images. How are contents pages designed? How do they use a combination of text and images to create an effective design?

4) Find at least three double-page spread features from culture, lifestyle or music magazines on Google images. How are they designed? How are text and images displayed? What design tricks can you borrow from your examples?

Planning, sketching and writing

1) Plan a title and slogan for your new, original culture magazine. Sketch out possible designs for the masthead - font, style, colour etc.

Title - Styx
Slogan - Discover the in between
Title in IMPACT
Slogan in ARABIC TYPESETTING
Black and white cover image
Smaller images in a film tape style shape.

2) Plan the content for your magazine front cover. Your double-page spread will be the main story but what other cover lines, images and more will you include on the cover?

Cover lines:

Top 5 anticipated crime dramas

Crime drama/film expo

Must visit countries

New Crime drama catching attention

Join the social media #HCM

Smaller images on the cover will be shots from different scenes from the drama


3) Write a list of the all the features, regular sections and more that will appear on your contents page. If you've chosen to produce a different internal page, plan that here instead.

• New restaurant opening
• Yamaha release new guitar
• New clothing line
• New avengers mini lego collection
• New crime drama 'Just Me' release

4) Create a spider diagram or bullet point list of all the issues or topics your TV drama addresses. How can you use this information to create a main feature for your culture magazine about your TV drama that will appeal to your target audience?

• Crime rates in London
• How easy it is to pickpocket
• The hardships of living in the UK 
• How pickpockets approach targets

The feature will be on a discussion between a reporter and an actress from the drama discussing the issues shown in this drama.

5) Write the text for your double-page spread feature. This needs to be a minimum of 400 words and be completely original and feature an aspect of your TV drama. Make sure you include a headline, subheading and any pullout quotes or sidebar contents. 




6) Produce an A4 sketch of your front cover including the key conventions and design tricks you have studied in existing magazines and then planned in planning task 1 above.




7) Produce an A4 sketch of your contents page. This can be a single page of A4 or alternatively a double-page spread (A3).



8) Produce an A4 landscape sketch of your double page spread design now you have chosen the subject matter.

Photoshoot

1) Which of your main characters will appear on the front cover of your magazine?

The main character/s of the drama. Either one of them or both of them.


2) What image or images do you need for the contents page?

A picture of someone playing a guitar and an image of mini avengers lego.


3) What image or images will you use for the double-page spread? Remember, you need seven different original images across the print brief.

A few pictures of the interview.

4) Write a shot list for the photoshoot. Make sure you plan a variety of camera shots you will look to capture - medium shots, close-ups etc.

Mid shot of the interviewer and the interviewee having a conversation.
A mid shot of the main character with cards falling in the background.

5) What costume, props or make-up will you require for the photoshoot?

The interviewer dressed smartly and the actress in dressed in casual formal dressing. Standard makeup and no props needed but a deck of cards.