Contact sheet of cover page photographs

Initial ideas and plans

Type of magazine

The genre of my magazine is a pop/chart magazine. I have chosen this magazine because there is a large gap in the market for a pop magazine that isn't initially for teenage girls.

Target audience

My target audience is both female and males from 16+. I have chosen this because there is hardly any other popular 'pop' magazines other than 'Top Of The Pops', which is aimed at teenage girls. I think older teenagers would be interested in this magazine because pop music is the popular music in the charts constantly so there would be a wide target audience for both genders. The social class could be anything from lower to higher class as the price is £1.20 it isn't too expensive as I am aiming it at mainly a teenage audience. The main music interest would be pop and chart music however; some chart music is from different genres so it wouldn't be all pop music. I would be aiming my magazine at all ethnicities.

Price and Frequency of Publication

The price of my magazine would be £1.20 as it is not too expensive for teenagers to buy as that is my target audience. Also, as it is out every two weeks it would work out £2.40 a month if you bought both issues in a month.

Issue Size

The size of my issue would be 55 pages as I wouldn't want my target audience to get bored of reading the magazine and skip pages. Also, as it comes out every two weeks my magazine would be packed with new music information.

Typical content

The typical content of my magazine would be interviews, gig information, the latest music charts; shocking stories of what 'pop' or popular music artists have been doing; although I don't want my magazine to be turned into a gossip magazine so there would be minimal information.

Sketches of cover and contents page

       'Priestley News' Magazine cover

'Priestley News' Contents page

Written planning notes

For the cover of my 'Priestley News' magazine i used:


-Puffs   (10% of student bus passes inside)

-Masthead (Priestley News)

-Barcode (In the right hand corner)

- Cover lines (Upcoming trips too..  New York, Scotland and Germany)

- House style (Simple and stylish layout with pale blue and black colours throughout the magazine cover and contents page to suit everyones taste)

- Main image (Medium close up of a girl)


For the contents page for 'Priestley News' magazine i used:

- I starred the cover pages to make it clear to the reader what articles were on the cover page.

-  Numbered the pages

- A note from the editor in the top right hand corner. 

- Pictures of the content of the magazine including pictures of the sports trophys and the drama department. 

- Sub titles which group similar articles of text together to make it easier for the reader to find what they are looking for. 

- The issue number and month is on the contents page. 

- Bold and highlighted text to show the reader important information.

Example Photo Shoot Planning sheet Photo shoot

Photographer:	Stephanie Molyneux
Date of shoot:	12/12/12
Call Time:	11:15
Title of shoot:	Amplified magazine shoot
Photographs required:	Front cover: Two girls on speakers Contents page: A boy looking confident and a girl posing against the wall
Lighting required:
Theme:	Pop, edgy, cool
Location of shoot:	PA.16
Meeting Point:	Outside the wicked
Wardrobe:	Causal, not too over the top
Hair:	Up in a ponytail, down, natural
Make-up:	Natural
Props:	Speakers, hoodie
Necessary Kit:	Camera, tri-pod
Others Present:	Nobody

Contents page conventions

Conventions are repeated and recognisable elements of a media text. The contents page i will be using is NME's November issue from 2008.


                                                                   The 'NME' contents title is in it's own unique text, like the title of the magazine except with a black background. This is a convention as only magazines have a unique font for their title and contents page title. 

Their are white sub-titles to catergorise the different parts of the magazine with a black background to it. The sub-titles group similar articles together which makes it easier for the reader to find a certain type of article.

It clearly has the magazines issue date on it.

The large main image on the contents page is usually the cover story for the magazine and as it takes up most of the contents page it is most likely to be the main cover story.

NME also has  speech bubbles next to the sub heading's which are on the cover:  

         
The magazine is also in the typical column layout for the magazine contents page which makes it easier for the reader to find what they are looking for.

It is all clearly numbered.

It also has special offers and puffs to draw the reader in; such as 'The UK's no 1 gig guide inside'.

Small text has been used for the content.
 
                             

Conventions of magazine covers

Company magazine

The main image on the front cover of Company magazinee denotes music and fashion icon, Florence and the machine. This is a convention because she is a highly famous person and fans who see her on the magazine would be more inclined to buy the magazine.

The cover line 'Florance behind the machine..' is directed linked to the main image which is a convention.

The masthead of the magazine is slightly covered by Florance Welsh head which shows that 'Company' magazine is an established and well recognised brand.

As the masthead is the only font which is large and pink it is showing that it is a magazine cover as the masthead font is always unique and isn't used for anything else.

Another convention is that the barcode is clearly noticeable.

An element of Company magazine's house style is pastel colours and italic fonts. This is a convention as the house style matches the audiences age and taste as Company's main audience would be teenage girls to young women.

 

Closer

 The messy layout shows that this magazine is different from Company magazine as that had one main cover story where as this magazine seems packed with celeb gossip stories, rather than just one main story to entice the reader. This shows conventions of pull quotes such as 'exclusive pics'.

 As the pictures are over lapped and squashed together this makes it seem like a regular 'gossip' magazine as it has four small stories about different celebrity's which makes it seem like it has more information where as they are only small stories.

The images and cover lines indicate the magazines content, each of these differ in relation to their target audience. Closer magazine shows a messy and cramped layout which makes it seem like a cheap magazine for teenagers.

The house style of this magazine is bright, bold and 'in your face' colours which is effective as it would get peoples attention if it was on a shelf in a shop. 

The bar code is visible. 

Another convention of Closer magazine is that the pull quote '2 for 1 at top UK attractions' would maybe entice a potential customer to buy it.

The style of the magazine is generally messy and cluttered which makes it seem like it is aimed for a mainly teenage audience.    

NME

 The barcode is clearly visible. 

The large main image, which is a medium close up of Morrisey, is shown giving direct address to the audience which was obviously shot to put on the front of the magazine. 

As Morrisey is a musician and singer, him being on the cover signifies that it is a music magazine.

The barcode is visible in the bottom right hand corner which is a convention. 

The puff 'In the studio exclusives..' draws the reader in and may influence them to buy the magazine. This is taken out of context to interest the reader. 

The house style of the magazine is red, black and yellow which are all bold colours which would entice the reader to look at the magazine. 

The layout of the magazine is crowded around the main image and it seems messy. Where as the style of the magazine makes it seem slick and cool. 

GQ

 

The layout and style of the magazine is very slick and sophisticated which gives the impression that it is for older, working men who have money. 

As the masthead is partially covered up by Kobe Bryan's head, this shows that GQ is an established and well recognised magazine. 

The cover line 'Mr. Clutch' links in with the main image of Kobe Bryant.

The content is mainly sports, girls and mens fashion.

The main image denotes basketball player and sports icon, Kobe Bryant, in a medium/long shot, giving direct address. This has connotations of confidence,wealth (by his slick suit) and that he loves his job; as he has a basketball under his arm. 

The barcode is clearly visible.

The house style of the magazine is blue, white and black with bold and italic text. This is a convention as it clearly shows the magazines unique style by the fonts and colours on the cover of the magazine.

The pull line 'The new look of all American Style' would interest any potential men who are into sports and girls as that is on the cover.