Planning:Reflection on moderator's report

Top 10 tips from the moderator's report:

1. The best candidates included page numbers on the images anchoring them to the written contents, and appropriately laid out and sized text

2. Need to use a range of appropriate media language techniques (typography, images, fonts, backgrounds, logos , etc.) as appropriate to the purpose of the website; original audio or audio-visual content appropriate to the online website

3. There needs to be a clear sense of brand identity continuity throughout the magazine and website.

4. You need well-considered and appropriate photography being used and an overall design aesthetic being carried across both editions of the magazine, including the contents pages, and to the websites

5. To use Indesign and Photoshop as Photoshop isn't as good as Indesign when it comes to handling text and web design.

6. Students who did the most research and planning into the codes and conventions of the style of their magazines did the best.

7. Some of the most interesting work questioned issues of normative gender stereotypes.

8. The worst marks were given to those who did not fully complete the brief's objectives, e.g. 2 models from 2 different social groups

9. Lower marks were awarded to those who had generic mis-en-scene, e.g the back of the school field

10. You need a consistent high quality throughout, both the magazine front covers and the contents pages to be awarded top marks.

Planning:Pitch

Planning: Moodboard

I looked at Time magazine, The spectator, The Big Issue, Dazed and Gal-dem. I especially liked the format of Time magazine, the colour red is a really big part of their brand identity especially since red generally signifies importance. I particularly like the play on words "Lights. Camera. Power." of the front cover with Kate Winslet. Both her and Adele are dressed in red attire to really highlight their importance and to again promote brand association. The side portrait shot of them looking into the distance highlights their features whilst their half crossed arms with one hand raised signifies importance and femininity. Also the red contrasts the plain blue background which i think i will incorporate. They have not been portrayed overtly sexually which would best suit the message I want to come across in my magazine covers of independent and successful women who are not only on the magazine covers for the male gaze but for their minds and talent. Moreover, I really love the simplicity of the cover, not too crowded, the models are those in focus.
     I also looked at The Spectator, although the
 caricature style of the magazine isn't the look I want for my magazine, I can appreciate the satire of  topical issues, which agrees with the socially and politically conscious target audience that they would need to have to understand the jokes, which is the same as the target audience for my magazine. I also like the bold red mast headline, similar to Time which I think I will incorporate into my magazine.
   The Big Issue is also very much my inspiration for the mental health coverage, the colourful palette is the look I'm going for and I want the model to have bright colourful makeup or outfit. I also like the illustrations around the main image to really give the magazine a colourful fun look. They use a high level of intertextuality to engage with their readers which I also want to incorporate.
     Although Dazed and gal-dem aren't current affairs magazine, I love their women empowerment features and movement which I also want to include. The San serif bold font of all the magazines is a really good idea I want to add, and also I prefer capitalised. I will really experiment with the direct close up shots of the models for the front covers as it really highlights them and what they're meant to represent to the readers.