OCR Media Studies – A2 Level

Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio

Mind Map and Research

Name: Chris JacobsCandidate Number: 4068Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic SchoolCenter Number: 64135

Generation of Ideas for Ancillary Product 1) –

TV Magazine Front Cover

Source of Inspiration

History of the Product• First published in 1991 and went straight to number 1 soap

magazine where it still is today.

Publisher• TimeInc.UK• Publishing Director: Angela O’Farrell• Editor: Colin Tough

Circulation Figures – HOW many people read the magazine?• Has over 3.4 million readers a week• 2nd largest actively purchased magazine in the UK, consumed by

over 3 million UK citizens

Price range – 50p-60p

HOW does that establish WHO the target readership are in accordance with:

• Socio-Economic NeedsThe target audience will consist mainly working class individuals as class but as a socio-economic group it would be C1, C2, D and E. These ranks consist of supervisory, skilled and unskilled manual workers. In fact all six socio-economic groups could read the magazine but higher groups may not because of the low cost.

Source: http://www.mediauk.com:8080/magazines/141730/whats-on-

tv/readership-figures

Masthead Ideas

Possible Mastheads:SoapSide: This works well because of the use of sibilance in masthead which makes it roll off the tongue well which engages the reader.Weekly Soap: I think is a simple idea that works when comes to the idea of soap operas, and tells exactly in the title what it’s going to be about predominantly. Soapster: This masthead idea is good because of it being all one word which attracts the readers attention and once again easy to roll off the tongue.

Positioning of Masthead on the Page:Top Left of the Page: Most magazines adopt this idea of having their masthead in the top left hand corner of the page. The brand is easily recognised because apart from the main headline masthead in next thing that catches the readers attention.Top of the Page: On some magazines they choose to have there masthead spread across the top of the page because it is then clearly noticeable to the reader. This leaves a lot of space on the rest front cover for the stories which is what sells the magazines.

Verbal Codes:In some soap magazines they use words that can connote a certain meaning such as Inside. This connotes the intake of information by the reader and is an option I could use in my magazine.Soap: In most magazines ‘Soap’ is a keyword that is analysed because it displays the what magazine genre the reader will be consuming and what to expect.

Colour:This is a key convention for a soap magazine because it helps it gain brand recognition and stand out in the market.Red: This is popular colour for soap magazines because of the connotations it brings, with red being symbolic of danger and love. These two themes are commonly related with Soaps.White: This is normally common colour used in soap magazines because of the good contrast it has with the colour red.Both of these colours I would like to use in my magazine.

Possible Headlines:Who’s The Stalker: This headline will definitely draw in the reader due to the obsession of the public with wanting to know what is going on. It makes them think who actually is the ‘Stalker’ and make them want to buy the magazine to know when then episode is on and hopefully find out. The use of capitalisation of the words in the headline connote that this is the soap you have to watch this week and in the coming weeksdue to it covering most of the page.They’re Back!: This headline grabbed the attention of the reader because of the sensationalising of the punctuation that connotes the importance of the story. This entices the reader to purchase themagazine because hopefully they think they might be able to find out who it is that is returning.Rivalry Renewed: This headline grabs the attention of the reader due to the content that could included in this story, who’s rivalry is starting up again. This is also a key convention of Soap Opera narratives so readers will be drawn into buy the magazine due to a regular storyline they like. The alliteration used connotes to finding the answer to the question they want to know, who is this rivalry between and what is it about.

Main Headline Ideas

Where it will be positioned:Below the middle: I analysed a lot of magazine front cover for soaps and most of the time the main headline was positioned just below the middle of the page. This is most probably because of needing more over the page for the main image.

Slight Angle: Once again most of the magazine front covers I analysed had there main headline at a slant so to give it more of a edge and to standout on the front page. This makes the headline attract the

eye of the reader more.

Capital Letters: This draws the attention of the reader massively because heightens the importance of the story to the consumer.

Yellow Letters: I will use yellow letters because is a bright colour that attracts the eyes of the reader easily and by using the colour yellow it connotes a sense of warning to the story expressing how things aren’t all as it seems.

Images Needed

Main Image: All the magazine front covers that I have analysed were always an eye level mid shot so to be able to see the emotions of the characters. This is important because of the faces on the front cover from the main image is what draws in the reader to buying the magazine.Mid Shot: In most of the soap opera magazines I have analysed Mid shots are the most common because you can see as reader most of the characters body as well as a clear facial expression. This helps portray what the emotion/ mood of the character is so the storyline can be understood.

Cover Line Imagery:Outskirts: Most of the Soap Opera Magazines I have analysed have most of there cover line images around the outskirts of the page so not to obscure the main headline and main image.Box Outlines around the Image: This is once again to make sure that none of the attention is taken away from the

main image. Although they are done like this to portray their importance and being different stories.

Other Soaps:EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street: Using these Soap Operas in my magazine to support the new soap opera I am promoting is key because the readers are more likely to buy a product with shows they know and like inside it. This gains a wider audience for my magazine as a whole and will lead to expanding my target demographic.

Mind Map - Conclusion

Name: Chris JacobsCandidate Number: 4068Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic SchoolCenter Number: 64135

• What you need to do next So I can get a good idea of the codes, conventions and what content is needed used in a Soap Opera Magazine I will have to purchase one of the magazines. This will give me a clear picture of what is needed for my magazine to look professional and fit for purpose.

• What you’ll need to organise/arrange What I will need to arrange and organise for my magazine to be fit for purpose is a few things. These includes the images needed to be taken for my main image which I can take on the day of filming or in my spare time. Furthermore I need to find out a suitable font style for my Soap Opera magazine, for this I will use websites such as DaFont to find the right one.

• What software you will use to create the product and Why?The creation of my Soap Opera magazine will need the use of different pieces of software. They include Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Fireworks so to make fit for purpose. Photoshop I will need to make the magazine look professional because it has a range of tools that can assist me in making magazine look like a real magazine. Then Fireworks will allow me to edit my images so they are right to go on my cover, it includes removing backgrounds or editing colours.