Coursework: Print brief research and planning

 Front cover

1) Research TV listing magazine front cover key conventions. Find at least five examples of TV listings magazine front covers and post them to your blog. This will give you a good idea of the type of magazine you need to produce.

2) Note down the design elements you notice in each front cover example you research and look for aspects you can use in your own work (e.g. camera shots, page design or cover lines). 

The subjects are giving a direct mode of address with them constructed in the center of the page. The cover lines are placed around them. Colour schemes match with each other.

3) What key conventions can you find across different types of front cover - e.g. title placement, cover lines, main flash or cover line, date/price/barcode etc.

All the titles/masthead are placed at the top. Cover lines are placed around the subject and not overlapping on their faces. The main flash is placed beside the main subject, referring to them in the copy. The date/price/barcode are either placed at the top or bottom corners.

Inside page feature

1) Now research inside page features from TV listings magazines. Post at least five images of magazine inside page features (they can be from different magazine genres if you are struggling to find TV listings magazine inside pages).

2) Note down the design elements you notice in each inside page feature example you research and look for aspects you can use in your own work (e.g. use of main/secondary images, page design, pull quotes, picture captions etc.) 

A lot of colour, multiple secondary images which are much smaller and put in a circle with a small caption. Some have their article on a double page spread. Mixture of different font types (serif/sans-serif). 

3) What key conventions can you find across different types of inside page feature - e.g. headline, subheading, main image etc.

Headline in a large font, bold, brightly coloured on the top of the page. Heading are put in either the center or the border.

Planning and sketching

1) Plan the content and cover lines for your front cover:

• Title (must be NEW original TV listings magazine you have invented): TBC
• Slogan: TBC
• Cover image: Protagonist of crime drama?
• Main cover story/main flash: Casting 
• Additional cover lines: other TV show spoilers? 
• Additional two smaller images: other charactera
• Font style / colour scheme, additional design aspects: black, white and yellow

2) Plan the images you will use for the front cover - use CLAMPS. One main image and two smaller images required to meet the minimum content in the brief.

Main Image: 

C: Suit

L: High key

A: Centre - direct mode of address

1st small image:

C: Casual shirt

L:High key

A:Positioned at the bottom of the page - direct mode of address

2nd small image:

C:Suit

L:High key

A:Positioned on the side of the page - Direct mode of address.

3) Plan the content for your inside page feature:

• Subject of feature: Interview with writer/director
• Headline: something along the lines of casting choice
• Subheading: TBC
• Main image: the cast
• Smaller images (need minimum of four across the three pages) 
• Font style / colour scheme, additional design aspects: Double spread page, housestyle colours as mentioned previously

4) Write the copy (words) you will use for the inside page feature - headline, subheading, article text. 

TITLE OF ARTICLE

Viraj Rattan, writer of acclaimed new crime drama 'SHOW NAME', talks about all male, asian casting and breaking stereotypes in the upcoming show!

Words: Sam Fletcher 

MAGAZINE NAME: It's so exciting to have you in the studio today Viraj! What an amazing trailer we've just witnessed here. So please, tell us a little bit more about the upcoming release, 'SHOW NAME'.

VR: Hey! Thank you so much for having me, I'm thrilled to be here. So 'SHOW NAME' is a TV crime drama (GIVE SYNOPSIS)

MAGAZINE NAME: That sounds gripping! Now, lets move on to the cast. I believe its a very unique dynamic here with it only being an all asian male cast. Tell me, how did you come to this idea? Because it's very rare, in fact, I don't think I've seen an all male cast, let alone all being asian. 

VR: Hahaha! I thought that would be a topic of discussion! Absolutely, you're very right, it is quite a unique and a 'quite out there' step to take. We have come quite far from pushing stereotypes away, which is great, but I wanted to take it a step further. I'm still seeing asian males portrayed as the villains or you could say as the 'threats' in society in typical TV dramas, and sometimes you just need to go out there and represent an individual for who they are, rather than coming to an assumption. I wanted to create something different, something people would still find thrilling, but also something complex and daring. 'SHOW NAME' has a diverse range of characters with lots of personalities, so it subverts a lot of what you see as a typical 'asian male'. 

MAGAZINE NAME: Wow, this is very daring but very inspiring! You're creating a 'new norm' which is absolutely great.

VR: Thank you so much! I'm just as excited to know what our viewers will think of it. By the social media comments, I can see a lot are looking foward! So I hope we get even more support as the episodes release.

MAGAZINE: Thank you so much for your time and we wish you every success with the release!

VR: Thank you!

5) Plan the social media content you will include in your print work to create opportunities for digital convergence e.g. hashtags, social media details etc.

I will have hashtags with the show name for audiences to interact with, an Instagram page for audiences to follow so they can see exclusive footage of BTS, interviews with the cast and crew and also interactive games for the audiences to play "Can you guess who the killer is?", and scenes/reviews of the show.

6) Research and select the font or typography you will use for your print work. This is a critical element of your print work - the brief requires a consistent house style running through all of your pages. 

I will use sans-serif font for the mast head, cover lines and copy to shows the modern element of the magazine. However where the names of celebrities are mentioned, I will use a serif font to show the authentic-ness and dominance of the stars.

7) Produce an A4 sketch of your front cover design and scan it/upload a picture to your blog.

8) Produce A4 sketches of your inside page feature with clear layout of where headline, subheading, images and text will appear on the pages. 

9) Create a new A4 portrait document in Adobe Photoshop (or Adobe InDesign) for your front cover design. Start to add text, check your font choices and put in the elements you have already planned/sketched. 

10) Create an A3 landscape document plus an A4 portrait document in Adobe Photoshop (or Adobe InDesign) for your inside page feature. Add the elements you can - headline, subheading, text etc.

 

Photoshoot

1) Who do you need to photograph for your front cover and inside page images? Remember, you need seven original images across the whole print production. 

I will use myself as the main front cover image, and for the smaller two I will use my cast members for one image and one random picture of my friend as a celebrity. For the inside pages I will use images of the interview and still images from the show. 

2) What camera shots do you need? Write a shot list for your photoshoots. Make sure you plan a variety of camera shots you will look to capture - medium shots, close-ups etc.

1. Close up of main cover
2. medium shot for smaller picture related to the show
3. Close up of a "celebrity"
4. I will use close up and medium shots in the inside pages from the interview and still images from the show.

3) Plan the mise-en-scene. What costume, props or make-up will you require for your photoshoots?

C: Casual clothes - yet has a modern and sophisticated element as they are celebrities

L: High key lighting - celebrities - center of attraction

A: Central of the cover - direct mode of address

M: None

P: Notepad - for interview pictures

S: A room

4) Finally, note down the time and date for your photoshoots. This may be inside or outside school (or a combination of both). You will have Media lesson time for this after the mock exams.

Outside of school at home.

Statement of Intent

1) Once you have completed your print research and planning, go back to your statement of intent and make sure you have included the print brief in your final draft. Then, submit the final draft statement of intent to your teacher.  

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