NEA Task 12 : Research Into Film Magazine Contents Pages

 

Sight and Sound

Both content pages are similar. They both cover single pages but have lots of information on it. The fact that they cover single pages makes it more compact and easy to read. The layout is very similar having barely any images and focusing on being informative rather than trying to capture attention. It lets the cover do it’s job and focuses on promising lots of content to the reader.

It has multiple sections such as the section about the contributors. This not only gives a biography on them but encourages them to contribute more or start contributing because they will get to see their name and face on the content’s page of the issue they helped with him.

It includes page numbers so people can find which page they want to go to.

The typographical works of the contents page are pretty small but the page numbers are big enough to catch the attention of the reader.

Little White Lies

Both of these are similar however follow different colour scheme. The bottom cover page follows a blue colour scheme whereas the top cover page follows a darker colour scheme however both are designed in such a way that makes them extremely similar. The actual colour depends on the theme of the front cover and the "lead review". Both are very simple and minimalistic compared to that of the other pages, similar to the front cover page. The font size is relatively small but still readable and remains the same throughout both content pages. It has own issue number at the top of the page,

Specifically for the blue one, which is the content page for the glass onion one, they remain consistent by including the scribbles of the front page. It includes all the contents as it is a content page.

The page that relates to Pink Flamingos does not have such scribbles and is simpler with a colour scheme that is much darker as it includes black and yellow. However, the style and layout remain the same and consistently gives the wone content page a familiar look, so they are not unrecognisable. They also have text to explain what each particular page is about as well as their page numbers which is a common convention of all the magazines and film things that are available to purchase, and a common convention f any content pages that are in some sort of media.

Film Stories
This covers a double page compared to the other two. This means it has more information on it, and has a smaller font size. It doesn’t go into much detail has the other covers do and has photographed images on the front cover that allows an insight into some of the content. Both remain consistent in terms of colour scheme through the colour white, however the secondary colour changes from pink to blue. There are four images on each page of the main features. The font size is smaller than the other two due to the images. More information can be fit on this. This shows that the magazine is informative and has lots of information.

The consistent style creates a recognisable brand image so customers will know what they're purchasing. They show lots of sections, such as the section about the writer and publishers. This is so the magazine feels more human to the reader. The use of font is san-serif, representing the magazines cleanness and modern feel. The font is also capitalized for the titles, making it feel more dramatic and movie-like to appeal to their audience.

The layout is designed to put most of the focus on the images as nowadays more people are likely to focus on images rather then the large amounts of small text. 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

Film Stories

 Film Stories magazine was released in 2018 as a podcast and website, founded by Simon Brew. Video's are edited by Dan Cooper (@dcvertigo), and production is managed by John More (@ondrive2002) Over time, it has become much bigger and even released a monthly film magazine which was launched in November 2018. It costs £4.99, and each issue features at least 100 pages. It contains mixes of films popular and both unpopular, and regular columns on filmmaking, screenwriting and mental health.  A tpyical cover has it's logo above an image of the celebrity. It's logo usually contains two different colours that matches the theme and mood of whatever is on their front page.

https://filmstories.co.uk/magazine/ - this is their website.

the magazine. It makes use of headlines to catch the attention of the reader.

Sight and Sound

The Sight and Sound magazine is published by the British Film Institute (BFI) in Spring 1932. It conducts the "Sight and Sound Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time.". The magazine is published monthly, and you can purchase two versions: the print and digital. You can subscribe to the Print and Digital versions, however the Print still supplies with digital access. It costs £50 a year in the UK, however goes up by £25 to £75 if you aren't in the UK due to shipping costs. Digital only costs £35, and that remains the same most of the time.

this is the website - https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound

Little White Lies

The Little White Lies magazine is published by The Church of London, launched in 2005. Every issue contains in-depth reviews, interviews and editorals. It is bi-monthly, and the subscription cost £35.00. The typical front cover includes a main image that is dedicated to an upcoming theatrical release with the consistent logo at the top of the page. The back section is where they include the reviews, exclusive interviews and festival reports, . It usually does not have any puff or headphones. It has a website at lwlies.com.

NEA Task 7 : My Target Audience

 Target audience is important to Bauer as they have to create content that is appealing and consistent. By having a set target audience then they will be able to directly produce content that attract the interest of these people and therefore increase their sales rather than creating random content. Keeping this consistent encourages reader retention and keeps their target audience coming back for more editions.

A media literate audience is someone who is intelligent being a both a consumer and producer. They can decode, evaluate, analyse and produce multiple forms of media using technology. They aren't passive and usually can recognise hidden perspectives and see the effect media has in culture.

They are more likely to engage.

This is the target audience:

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 group of like-minded customers who share similar needs.

2.       What is an independent cinema?

An Independent Cinema is a cinema that is unlike the large chains. They usually show independent, foreign or non-mainstream films. They are usually much smaller, and they do not target a mass market audience. They gain their reputation through showing a selection of high-quality but not mainstream films.

3.       What is OnScreen Magazine?

OnScreen Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine that has lots of information on the new movies that are arriving in cinemas. They do previews, features, quizzes, competitions and reviews. They provide this for completely free in print and digital formats, usually supplied at people’s local cinema. They have 20 years of experience in the cinema industry; however Onscreen Magazine specifically was launched in July 2013.  They supply in 70+ Independent Cinemas.

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

The website has features, which shows some movies that are featured. This appeals to those who want quick information on some of the biggest movies who is coming out, as they might be time poor. They also have news for detailed regular updates for people who aren’t as time poor, as it contains more information on these. They have also movies for people who are planning to go to the cinema, as they have “In Cinemas Now” “Coming Soon” “Undated”. This allows people who are passionate about films to let them know which films they can see right now and which films they can see later once they come out.

5.       How does the latest edition of OnScreen magazine (May/June 2023) appeal to a mass market audience?

It starts on page 7 with a “what’s on” page which talks about the new releases that are being released in May and June. This appeals to the mass market audience as they include most of the very high-profile releases such as Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3. The Mass Market will want to see these films. They then have some information of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Fast X which are both part of existing franchises which will have their own set of fans as well as the casual movie-goers who will go just because it is being shown at the cinema. It has some information on the Boogeyman which is written by Stephen King who is very popular and has created many iconic horror movies, which will appeal to the Mass Market as a lot of them would have seen one of his horror movies before. On the next page, it has good girl goes bad and true prodigy’s which both set to release in June. And, then finally, it has Spider-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which will also have existing fanbase. These will appeal to the Mass Market as most people have heard of Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse. The colours are bright and vibrant, which will be eye-catching for readers. It includes a lot of images and movie posters in order to advertise the quality of the

6.       What is meant by the term cross-media convergence?

This is when multiple products come together to form one product that shares the same advantages as everyone.

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

There is cross-media convergence between the magazine and its website. This is because it is printed and on a website, allowing the advantages of having access to it at any time through its website, while also being able to read it at in independent cinema.

 

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

 

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

 Empire is, as they say it in their media pack, the world's most influential film and entertainment brand. It has many forms of media such as a print magazine, podcast, website and a digital edition. They collaborate with big film studios and filmmakers to create their content and make it specialized compared to anyone else within the industry. Some of the examples of the things they have done is having interviews with huge celebrities such as Tom Cruise. They have even shot videos with Ryan Reynolds. The average empire reader is aged 18-40, employed, in a relationship, educated at university and time-poor. They like film as Empire is a film and entertainment magazine and use it as a form of escapism, so Empire will attract them the most due to this as it offers that within it's content. However, they may also see film as a way to gain insight into other words so that they can find out things they wouldn't usually know about. Empire's job is to create, inform and entertain 18-40 year olds. They tailor their content towards this age range, but not too much as they have a large target audience who might have different interests, which allows them to include a broader range of content.

They have exclusives, such as the world's first voice-responsive talking cover for Deadpool 2, they have set visits, such as visiting the set of Captain Marvel, they have A-List access where they have featured James Cameron, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Simon Pegg and Olivia Colman, and they also have authority as they know things that others might not, allowing people to gain fast information and insight into the worlds that these films talk place in. They are also available on multiplatform. They have digital editions, podcasts with an average of 51,000 downloads per week, Live events and a website that is fast in bringing the user the first with movie and TV news. It also allows ads for other companies to advertise like traditional magazines such as the Big Issue. For a full page advertisement, it costs £4,900. It's  cheapest option is half a page which is £2,795. It's most expensive option is a DPS Advertorials, which is £12,103. However, they also allow inserts such as bound-ins for £50 per '000. A loose insert costs £35 per '000. his is not as expensive compared to the large amount of money that newspapers charge just for a full page advertisement. 

The target audience for my magazine that I will be creating under the same company which is Bauer Media Group is much different, as this one features a much more older range of ages than mine. It has a wide range from 18-40 year olds, whereas mine is much smaller and is from 16-25 year olds. This means my content will differ to the content on this newspaper, because it is a niche audience who has different interest to someone who is 30+, who may be more traditional in the way that they get their news and media They would probably prefer more behind the scenes and how things are made because there are other ways to get news nowadays such as social media or news websites that most 16-25 year olds do, so they would only buy it if they got something exclusive that they wouldn't receive on social medias. My audience are also middle and upmarket media literate. This might mean they are not university educated, which is different compared to that of Empire, which means my content will probably be less complex and be more simple and easy to read. There is also no guarantee whether they are in a relationship with my magazine, whereas it says for Empire's target audience that they are but not necesserialy married, which fits with their younger audience of around 18-20. So therefore my content might not be as directed at relationships as other content.

NEA Task 3 : Research into the UK Magazine Industry

 

The UK magazine publishing industry is a changing industry. It is expected to continue growing by between 1% and 0.5% every year until 2026. This could be because the introduction of smartphones and tablets have allowed us to have more access to these things, contributing to their popularity massively. Publishers are creating content more digitally than they did before, as this makes the customers feel more engaged. They attract readers to this websites and places where they can access all the information through campaign-specific links and sometimes interactive advertisements that are printed. GQ France are an example as they have recently released an mobile app that uses content on printed magazines and allows them to be used on digital devices. Companies might find magazines as a profitable way to market product and services. This is because audiences can be targeted through the use of conventions and images, and it allows them to be more abstract and creative.

The demand for this type of advertising is increasing. Visual platforms however are challenging print, due to covid 19 and the move online. This is causing a print decline that will happen overtime until print is no longer sustainable for the companys to use. Roger Lynch said his business wasn’t a magazine company as their website is the most popular with their audience. Almost nine in ten people who responded to a 2021 survey that was conducted by the professional publisher association said magazine did not describe their organization, showing that they have changed overtime due to the move to digital media. Print revenues have fallen because of this. For example, in 2015 they generated around 659.5 million, however now they are only generating just above £200 million whereas digital has increased to £250 million, which is more than the amount of print revenues are producing nowadays.

Magazine circulation has decreased from 1.6 billion down in 2000 down to 565 million. Spending on magazine has fallen as well with £669m on magazines in 2020, less then half the 1.4bn spent in 2000. News and current affairs magazines are also decreasing due to less of culture of magazine subscriptions in the UK. Subscriptions in 2021 accounted for 27% of the magazines circulated in the UK. UK never had subscription focus because of newsstands where most people would get their news from.

Magazines are projected to have accounted for almost £560.4 million of ad spend in 2022, which is a large ammount. 63% of UK adults read magazines digitally.

NEA Task 2 : Research into Bauer

Bauer Media Group is one of the worlds largest privately owned media businesses that was founded in a town in Germany also known as Hamburg. They are Europe Largest Magazine and see themselves as a market magazine. It was founded around 1875 which is 147 years ago meaning that it is a business that has been in the industry for a while. It has given them 140 years of publishing experience that makes them one of the most experienced in the industry. They are mainly publishers and that has been the heart of the organization ever since they were create by Johann Bauer. It is run by Yvonne Bauer currently, however in the past has been managed by five generations of family. It owns multiple well known brands, with 600 magazines and 400 digital products. It also has other media like radio and TV stations, which there are roughly 50 of, as well as postal, distribution marketing and services and Print Shops.

Some of it’s most well-known brands is Empire which is a film magazine launched in 1989, as well as Cosmopolitan, Tele and Maxi. They also own some lesser-known brands such as Greatest Hits Radio, HEAT, Mustard and TotalTV guide. It's radio brands are Kiss FM UK and Magic. Currently, it is operating in 14 different countries that include Denmark, Germany, Israel and the UK, and employs 15,000 employes showing that it is a large company. They cover a range of interests.

They also have 200 million customers across all the countries that they operate him, however have only got 25 one star reviews on trustpilot as people have recently not been happy with them, someone even saying that the app spams them and is useless. This is said by someone called JH. 

In the UK, it has two divisions. The original UK business, when trading, is called H Bauer Publishing. It has a sister company owned by CEO Paul Keenan called Bauer Media (Bauer Consumer Media Ltd).

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.