Serena Burden NEA

Completed NEA

Dear Moderator,

My name is Serena Burden. Welcome to my A Level Media Studies blog. This is a record of the work I have undertaken for the Making Media Non-examination Assessment (NEA) within the OCR H409 GCE A Level course in Media Studies.

I worked independently on Brief 3: Magazine and Online to produce the front covers and contents pages for the first two editions of a film magazine called Popcorn together with the magazine's accompanying website.

Research and Planning

Further down in my blog you will find evidence of my research and planning for this task.

Magazine Covers and Contents Pages

Magazine first edition cover and contents page

Magazine second edition and contents page

The link to my website, which was created using Wix, can be found at the link below.

The magazine consists of a homepage and a single linked page. This page can be accessed by clicking on Read More in the Warren's Wardrobe section

https://serenaaaaaa209.wixsite.com/popcorn

NEA Task 21 (Planning) : Photography Planning

1. Who will you be using as your models for each photograph (Bear in mind that your photographs need to show representation of two distinct social groups)

For the first edition, Joanne Inbaraj Jashua will be on the front cover and the content page. Joanne is comfortable in front of a camera and is easy to work with.

Zack Lambert will be on the second edition's front cover and content page. Like Joanne, Zack is easy to work with and is comfortable in front of a camera.

Wilbur Warren will be used on the website's linked page. Wilbur is very comfortable in front of a camera and is cooperative.

2. What thought needs to be given to the following elements of mise-en-scene?

Location for photography?

For Joanne, I plan on using the field by our school as it is a scenic location and perfect for both the front cover and the content page.

For Zack, I plan on using the drama room and the theatre with the lights turned off to create an eerie vibe which correlates with the second edition of the magazine, which is Halloween-themed.

For Wilbur, I plan on using the art barn to emphasise the theme of creativity and production.

Costume?

For Joanne, I've chosen a similar outfit to Darcy from the book the movie is inspired from, written in the stars. I plan on using a Yellow Polka Dot dress with a denim jacket to accompany the dress.

For Zack, I've chosen a Black blanket/cloak which goes on top a button-up shirt with a tie and a jumper with black trousers.

For Wilbur, I've chosen a long white sleeve jumper with dark blue jeans

Props?

For the second edition, Zack will use a light source/torch. For Wilbur, there will be different costumes in the background of the photo

Body language of model?

For Joanne, her body language will be quite open to show that she is looking for love - in relation to the theme of the movie

For Zack, he will be standing straight with good posture to look creepy

For Wilbur, he will lean against a desk with his arms crossed to convey that he is comfortable but also serious about what he does

Lighting?

For Joanne and Wilbur, I will use the natural lighting outside and inside. For Zack, the room will be dark and the only light will be from the torch.

3. Who will be taking your photographs and what equipment will they use?

For the photos, I will take them myself and I will use my phone and a phone tripod

NEA Task 20 (Planning) : Website Homepage and Linked Page

1. What will your website header on the homepage look like

Typography

I will use the Wedges font for the header, the same font I chose for my masthead

I will also use the Aberforth font for the strapline

For the general text, I will use a mixture of Poppins SemiBold and Barlow Medium

The header and strapline will be centralised

For a link, I will use the call to action on the second edition:

Warrens wardrobe! Check out this costume designer's top creations

2. What content will be on your homepage and linked page?

Homepage:

Latest magazines

Warren's Wardrobe - read more

Our Stories

Henton's Hacks - read more

Interviews with magazine cover stars

Linked page:

Working link will be Warren's wardrobe and 'special features' - it will lead to the same page

It will take the reader to a page with an about section and a direct quote from Wilbur Warren of Warren's Wardrobe with photos to accommodate

It will then show some other photos of Wilbur before going to a video from Wilbur

3. What original audio or audio-visual content will be included on your website?

A video from Wilbur talking about costume designing and what he does to get the right amount of costume

NEA Task 19 (Planning) : Contents Pages

Typography:

I will use the Aquawax font for 'Content' I will use the Rabbid Highway Sign II font for the date and for Cover story, Features and Other Stories And I will use the Pompadour font for the general copy

Content page 1:

Cover story

Spoken in the stars

A look into the novel inspired movie

Features

The timeless classic

Exclusive interview with Jake Nunya

Popcorn Picks

Our top 5 movies of 2023 so far

A new start

Ella Mordawska on her role in Shadow Island

NEA Task 18 (Planning) : Mock Up of Cover 1 and 2

First edition:

September 2023

Cover story -

Spoken In The Stars

A spin-off of the hit novel by Alexandria Bellefleur

Pull quote

'Why can't we make this real?'

Features -

The timeless classic

Exclusive interview with Jake Nunya

Also included:

John David Washington

Bill Camp

Ella Mordawska

and more!

Puff -

Popcorn Picks! Top 5 movies of 2023

Call to action -

Hentons Hacks! - Check out what Phil has to say on our website

Second edition:

October 2023

Cover story -

Hallowed-ween

The seat-gripping horror you must see!

Pull quote

'We cannot leave her behind... trust me'

Features -

That's where I want to be!

An interview with Mathew Lillard about the Five Nights at Freddies movie

Featuring:

Rhys Reynolds

Dianne Mckenny

Chaya Huffman

And more

Puff -

NEW MOVIES we can't wait for

and why you should see them

Call to action -

Warrens wardrobe!

Check out this costume designer's top creations on our website

At the bottom of each edition, there will be a bar code, price of £4.99, along with the edition number and date

NEA Task 17 (Planning) : Coverlines, Images and Page Furniture

Edition 1:

Edition 2:

Typography :

I will use the Aberforth font for the strapline

Whereas, I will use the Pompadour font for general copy

NEA Task 16 (Planning) : Masthead Design

NEA Task 15 (Planning) : Film Magazine 60 Second Pitch

Click this link to view the 60 second pitch

https://youtube.com/shorts/kO3M2p954cs?feature=share

NEA Task 14 (Planning) : Magazine Title and Strapline

NEA Task 13 : Research Into Existing Film Magazine Websites

NEA Task 12 : Research Into Film Magazine Contents Pages

are they single or double pages?
the layout of the different elements on the page
the different sections of the magazine that are shown on the contents pages
the actual content - what can be found inside the magazine?
the use of typography - font, size, use capitalisation/lower case, text direction, etc
the use of images
the use of page numbers

Sight and Sound

The content pages for Sight and Sound are double-sided (the images shown are from different editions). The layout stays consistent for both editions, having 'FROM THE ARCHIVE' and page 104 mainly centralised. 'REVIEWS' Is also in the same place in both, and the 'CONTRIBUTORS' section is also in the same place. The sections are the same in both editions, having 5 sections on either side of the 'FROM THE ARCHIVE'. The magazine offers discussion on movies, as well as reviews for different types of consumable content as content. Every title is capitalised, and the content is in lowercase. The 'FROM THE ARCHIVE' copy is larger than the rest of the font and is facing north to south. All copy is black. The images used are closeups of people and have been converted to black and white. Finally, the content page uses page numbers conventionally as the number relates to the content shown. Overall, the content pages of Sight and Sound follow the conventions of a content page.

Little White Lies

The content pages for Little White Lies (LWL) are single-sided. The composition and layout on both editions are very minimalistic, as there isn't much apart from the copy which is centralised. The sections are the same for both editions. Both offer 9 sections for different content in both editions. Some of the content is focused on the feature movie of the edition, but it also offers reviews and deeper looks into movies. The typography is simplistic and follows conventions as the the content is smaller than the sections. The colour of the copy is yellow in the Pink Flamingo edition, which compliments the black background. The colour of the copy is black in the Glass Onion edition, which also compliments the light blue background. There are no images used in either edition of LWL, apart from a tiny bit of ilistration which ties in with the front cover. The use of page numbers is also conventional as it directs the consumer to the page with the content on.

Film Stories

The content pages for Film Stories (FS) are double sided. The composition and layout is different to the previous two magazines. There is content in the middle with credits on the left and more content on the right. There are 21 sections of content in the magazine, and it offers reviews on movies as well as deeper looks into movies. It also offers recommendations, previews of movies, and letters set in by fans of the magazine. The font is conventional like the previous 2 magazines as the copy for content is smaller than the different sections. The images used highlight different pieces of content, and the first image usually corolates to the main cover. Like the other two magazines, FS uses page numbers conventionally as it directs the consumer to the different pieces of content.

NEA Task 11 : Research Textual Analysis of Film Stories Front covers

NEA Task 10 : Research Textual Analysis of Little White Lies Magazine Front Covers

NEA Task 9 : Research Textual Analysis of Sight and Sound Magazine Front Covers

NEA Task 8 : Research Into Existing Film Magazines For A Media Literate Audience

Little White Lies

Little White Lies is a magazine owned by the Church of London which has been publishing LWL since 2005. Their magazines are published bi-monthly and cost £10.99 per edition. The front covers of LWL have manipulated images with little copy. To complement the magazine, LWL offers an online website that contains more film and tv information.

Sight and Sound

Sight and Sound is a magazine owned by the British Film Institute which has been publishing SaS since 1932. Their magazines are published monthly and cost £6.50 per edition. The front covers of SaS are minimal. SaS also offers a website with more content available.

Film Stories

Film Stories is a brand owned by founder Simon Brew since 2018. It offers a magazine as well as a podcast, which was around before the magazine. FS is published every 5 weeks and each edition costs £5.99. FS also have a website where consumers can access podcasts and reviews on films.

NEA Task 7 : My Target Audience

1: Why is the target audience important to Bauer?

Bauer claims 'We are guided by regular research and analysis of our markets and target groups, which allows us to understand our readers, users, listeners, and advertisers and know exactly how to engage, inform and entertain.'. A specific target audience for a company like Bauer would be important because if Bauer can release content for that audience then they would be compelled to buy it, bringing in the revenue for Bauer.

2: What is a media literate audience?

A media-literate audience is a group of people who consume media and are able to decode visual and hidden messages. This type of audience is also able to encode meaning in their own productions.

Target Audience Profile

Sam may be in the Sixth Form studying A Levels and preparations for university. If Sam is already at university they are likely to be studying at a Russell Group university and following a course that is recognised as being traditionally academic. If Sam is employed they may be at the start of their career and, therefore, not at the height of their earning potential yet.

Sam’s family background will have added significant cultural capital to their experiences. Sam will have been brought up in a household where there has been a clear focus on the importance of education and the opportunities that this can bring. Sam will have experienced holidays both in this country and abroad and their knowledge of other cultures will have been enhanced by this.

Sam is knowledgeable about current affairs but doesn’t access news via traditional channels such as newspapers or television. Sam would not dream of reading the red top or middle-market tabloids. If Sam had to, they may flick through The Guardian or i.

To keep updated on what is happening in the world Sam, like most others of their age, relies more heavily on their social media feeds. Social media is important to Sam but it doesn’t dominate their life. They are more likely to use Instagram and Tik Tok than Facebook and will be as interested in consuming as they are in producing content. Sam likes to be seen as slightly different to the average 16-25 year old and has an active interest in learning about the world around them. Sam is interested in reality television programmes such as Love Island but is likely to see it as escapist fun rather than a guide to how they should live their life.

Sam will make use of online sources such as Huffington Post, a site that features content from more than 100,000 bloggers (from politicians, students and celebrities to academics, parents and policy experts) who contribute in real-time on the subjects they are passionate about.

Sam is interested in all aspects of culture. They are interested in reading and are likely to always have at least one book by their bedside. Sam is more likely to read fiction than non-fiction and is able to hold a conversation regarding what they like and dislike in a narrative. Sam will enjoy music but doesn’t follow the crowd. Sam is interested in new music and takes pleasure in listening to artists that their friends may not have heard of yet. Sam is likely to be interested in attending festivals alongside friends.

Sam will take an active interest in film and is just as likely to stream content as visit the cinema. Sam enjoys watching Hollywood blockbusters but is just as likely to seek out the latest independent film. Sam is interested in all aspects of film-making and not just the end product and, because of this, is more likely to read film magazines such as Sight and Sound, Little White Lies and Film Stories than more mainstream magazines such as Empire and Total Film.

Sam has some disposable income but is still conscious of the need to save. Fashion is important but they are not a sheep who follows the same trends as everyone else. Sam will be seen by their friends as a trend setter and not a follower of fashion.

Sam is interested in issues that affect young people of the same age. These would include climate concerns and the impact of human beings on the environment.

NEA Task 6 : Understanding Audience (Mass Market)

1: What is a mass market audience?

A mass-market audience is a group of people who go to cinemas to watch blockbuster films. For example, The Super Mario Bros Movie which was released in April 2023, or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 which was released in May 2023. Usually, these audiences will go to big cinema chains such as Odean and Cineworld.

2: What is an independent cinema?

An independent cinema is usually a local cinema which is not owned by a cinema chain. Independent cinema will usually show blockbuster films such as The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but they mainly focus on more independent movies such as The Eight Mountains.

3: What is OnScreen magazine?

OnScreen magazine is an online and print magazine, that showcases the latest movies in cinemas, offers news for up-and-coming movies, reviews on current movies, and giveaways. The magazine they produce is bi-monthly, and it is tailored to each of the company's 70 + cinema partners, which are all independent. The magazine is free both in print form and digital form, meaning the consumer does not have to worry about spending money to receive news on the latest movies.

4: What different sections are there on the OnScreen website and how do these sections appeal to a mass market audience?

The Onscreen website offers sections that give content that appeals to a mass market audience. On the main page, there is a row of hyperlinks that lead to different sections with different topics. 'Features' is the first hyperlink, and it shows the different movies, both mainstream and independent, that have just been released or are about to release. It then offers news and reviews on separate hyperlinks, giving opinions and news on new movies. It then offers trailers for movies so fans can see pieces of content within new films, and it also offers giveaways to get the audience to interact with the website and magazines.

5: How does the latest edition of OnScreen magazine appeal to a mass market audience? The latest cover of OnScreen magazine appeals to a mass market audience because:

The main image and story are about the new Indiana Jones film, as the franchise of Indiana Jones is mainstream and has been around for decades.

The puff offers prizes for the new Spider-verse movie, appealing to spider-verse fans as it's free content for an enjoyable movie

The content plugs at the bottom showcase new and upcoming mainstream movies which the consumer may want to read about

6: What is meant by cross-media convergence?

Two media products that are linked together and appeal to the same audience

7: Is there any cross-media convergence between the magazine and the website?

The magazine's third page advertises the website and claims to offer more information that the magazine does not contain.

The website offers each copy of magazine that has been released

NEA Task 5 : How Does Empire Appeal To Its Target Audience

NEA Task 4 : Research Into An Existing Bauer Film Magazine (Empire)

The Empire magazine is the biggest film magazine on offer, and it's able to keep an audience as it offers: print and digital magazines, a website, live events, and a weekly podcast. Using it's large platform in the film industry, Empire is able to meet with world class actors such as Tom Cruise, Ryan Reynolds and Quentin Tarantino. The magazine is also very reliable as it is able to fact check the content with world class writers and critics.

The target audience for Empire is predominantly male, with 3/4 of the audience being men between 18 and 40. Most of the audience are employed, in a relationship, and university educated, showing the intelligence of their audience. Empire, for some of its audience, is a way for the audience to escape from reality as it can be stressful in todays world. Every reader who reads Empire is passionate about film.

Empire offers a lot for their audience as content in the magazine includes: exclusives, on set content, a-list access, and authority. Empire was: the first magazine to do a talking cover for Deadpool 2 and Steven Spielberg Takeover, able to get exclusive on set access to Captain Marvel, featured in James Cameron and Lin-Manel Miranda, and was able to get a team of writers and editors who know their film facts

As mentioned previously, Empire offers a digital version of their magazine, along side a podcast and a website. The digital version offers excluvise video and animated pages. The podcast is in the top 5 of the ITunes chart as it has 51,000 weekly downloads. The website offers reviews, live casting decisions, and trailers. Empire also offers live events like their Empire Awards, which has seen people such as Mark Hamill and Hugh Jackman attend

.Empire also offers advertisements in the magazine, and a full page advert costs £4,900, with a half page advert costing £2,795.

NEA Task 3 : Research Into The UK Magazine Industry

The global growth of magazine publishing has a steady annual growth of 0.5% and 1%, which has been aided by mobile and tablet devices. This is thanks to certain publishers directing their content to a wider audience in the form of online digital content. Selected publishers use links and websites which are specific to campaigns, to build brand awareness with certain publishers who change the content of the magazine depending on the reactions from a live audience. An example of a publisher who created something digitally for it's audience, publisher GQ France launched a mobile app to offer online content alongside their print content. Instead of creating an online space for their audience, some magazine publishers update their magazines by improving the content to attract and gain more customers. Some consumers can be specifically targeted, as readers can personally chose what types of content they browse whilst searching for something to read. The future of magazines is interesting as there is a sharp increase of demand for interactive print magazines which engages the audience more than other types of print. The increased popularity of podcasts also helps magazines as it increases consumers who prefer a vocal format for entertainment compared to a narrative format. However, people prefer to read print in which they trust as 91% of UK magazine consumers say they trust the content they are consuming in magazines.

The migration of UK magazines to the internet has been aided by the COVID 19 pandemic that happened in 2020. However, with the pandemic there was a sharp increase in web usage and social media platforms such as Instagram became a visual rival for certain magazines targeted towards men. It would not have been long for magazines to go digital anyway as the circulation for print magazines has been in a heavy decline since the start of the 2010s. For example, Conde Nast was hit hard by the pandemic and no longer considers itself a magazine-based company, due to the switch to online content. Some would argue that despite not considering themselves to be a magazine company, Conde Nast still falls under the category of a 'Magazine-based' company as the definition of Magazine has been drastically changed over the last decade thanks to the influence of the internet. Alongside the definition of 'Magazine', the UK magazine revenue has changed drastically. Revenue for all magazine publishing companies has decreased and the pandemic was very influential in the decline of revenue, although throughout the 2010s, less people were buying magazines. This decline in print revenue has allowed for the digital revenue to catch up, as print revenue has fallen towards £200 million whilst digital revenue has risen above £300 million. Furthermore, two more factors of print magazine income have also seen a decrease in recent years. There are fewer print magazines in circulation, with circulation being more than halved in 22 years (1.6 billion in 2000, and 565 million in 2022), and consumers are spending less of magazines with only £669 million worth of magazines sold in 2020. Furthermore, the amount of titles that were on offer has decreased.

It can be difficult to understand the size of the UK magazine media market, as previous figures show that it is in decline. However, a lot of money is put into the magazine industry thanks to companies wanting adverts in the magazines. In 2022, companies such as Apple and Sainsbury's collectively spent 560.4 million on advertising in magazines. Another factor that plays into the size of the UK magazine media market is the audience. It is estimated that 76% of adults in the UK consume magazine media, with 63% of UK adults consuming magazines online.

Compared to the newspaper market, magazine ownership is more diverse. For example, Media conglomerates Bauer Media, Immediate Media Company, and Future PLC made up 37% of 2020 circulation. Furthermore, these conglomerates and many others in the magazine publishing business are family owned, with examples being the Bauer and Hearst families. An example of how big these publishers are is Bauer's TV choice magazine, which has a monthly 1.04 million circulation. Another conglomerate like Future has benefited in recent years as their publications owned almost doubled between 2019 and 2020, as it increased from 17 to 30. Futures' revenue has also benefited recently as it quadrupled between the years 2016 and 2019 (221.5 million)

NEA Task 2 : Research into Bauer

Bauer Media Group is a Multimedia Conglomerate based in Hamburg Germany. It is the largest magazine publisher in Germany and offer a diverse cast of options with titles such as Cosmopolitan and Empire which are a Woman's magazine and a Film magazine respectively. The family owned company was founded by Louis Baker during 1875 in Hamburg Germany. Later in 1903, his son Heinrich Bauer joined his fathers business as a partner in 1903 before it branched out.

The Bauer Media Company has a big name for itself as it is fully operational in 15 European countries including the UK, France and Spain. As well as magazines, the company owns 150 audio brands, such as KISS and Absolute radio which brings in over 20 million listeners, according to the Bauer website. According to the Bauer website, the company also offers price comparison and digital marketing services. However, it is more recognisable for its Magazines and Radio stations. From these services, the company makes lots of revenue as it averages 2.2 billion Euros (£1.9 billion) annually. The company claims to be on a journey to become the 'most environmentally-friendly, inclusive and socially responsible company we can be' according to the Bauer website. The company is owned by Yvonne Bauer since 2010, and is also the CEO of the company. She is joined by Anna Sedgley, the Chief Financial Officer, Paul Keenan , Chief operation officer, and Dr. Gerald Mai, the Chief Legal Officer.

Bauer claims, according to the Bauer website, to own 'some of the most popular brands in Germany, UK, Poland and France' and also claims to produce 'Expert content, engaging experiences and relevant services'. The company owns the 'popular' magazines: Cosmopolitan and Empire (as mentioned previously), as well as Tele and Maxi. The company also claims to have the 'Highest circulation and reach in Germany, UK and Poland' as well as 'Nearly 1/3 of magazines sold in the UK are Bauer titles'. Some UK magazines that apart of the Bauer brand are: Grazia, Yours, Tv choice and Take a Break.

References

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/bauer-publishing-group-history/

https://www.bauermedia.com/

NEA Task 1 : Introduction To Set Brief

Requirements of the brief

You work for an independent media production company.

You have been given the task of producing the front cover and contents page(s) of the first two editions of a new film magazine that is being launched by Bauer and two pages for the working website for the magazine.

Contents pages can be either single or double page spread.

The web pages must promote the new magazine to its target audience and enable fans to interact with the content.

Summary of brief requirements:

• Statement of Intent (approx. 500 words) : to be completed after research phase of NEA.

• Magazine covers and contents pages: Two or three pages for each of the first two editions (based on choice of single or double page spread).

• Magazine distribution method: Content must be suitable for retail distribution.

• Number of web pages: One homepage and one linked page.

• Cross media production target audience: A primarily 16–25-year-old middle and upmarket media literate audience.

There must be a clear sense of branding across the two elements of the cross-media production.

NEA Rules

The following rules MUST be adhered to:

Do not reproduce an existing media product.
Group productions are not allowed. Others may act in or appear in the production and/or may operate lighting, sound, recording or other equipment under your direction.
You MUST only use original footage, images and/or text within your production.
You MUST NOT use any found images