MAGAZINE EVALUATION

CONNOR FITZGERALD, 1074

During the past two months, I was tasked with developing an original
magazine with a specific genre and audience. The presentation of the
magazine should include a front cover, contents page and double-page
feature article spread made up from photos that I had taken. My
magazine, Scene, is one that primarily focuses on filmography and work
being previewed and reviewed over a month, aimed towards a higher-end of
age group, roughly 16 and over, mainly to ensure that the calibre of writing
intended for the magazine be both appreciated and understood by an older
audience.
Several areas of research were carried out to make sure that my final piece
was as authentic as possible. For one, I looked into the varying
presentational styles from two different magazines from the same genre as
my own, being Empire and Total Film. By doing this, I could evaluate the
contrasting appearances and observe conventions of the genre of the
magazines which enabled me to include features that would be recognisable
towards an audience already familiar with magazines with films as their focal
point.
Each magazine, whilst fairly unique in their own right, shared some
noteworthy generic conventions between them, such as the main image of
the magazine always being that not of a starring actor, but of a starring
character, or at the very least being one that hints towards a character
involved in the main feature of that months edition. The copy colouring and
the background imagery contrast each other to make the copy stand out as
much as possible. There are additional features around the magazine itself to
attract readers that may not have been intrigued enough from the main
feature front and centre of the cover.
My target audience was to be one of around 16 and older, striking a more
sophisticated and stylish presentation that would be more appealing than the
outlandish presentation of that in the majority of the current market. By
targeting that niche market, it would help the magazine stand out because of
its differences, but it maintains its affiliation with the film magazine genre as
a whole due to the content covered when stripped down to a bare minimum.
As the target audience holds key importance to the success of any magazine,
I instigated a questionnaire asking about appropriate topics to the kind of
people that I was aiming for. To firstly check the validity of their answers, I
asked for their age group, and whilst 70% of them fitted in with my forecasts,
I decided to include those in younger brackets as well, as for the sake of the

magazines long term plans, it will be important that those at an early age
can start gaining an interest in the presentation of the magazine and will
then naturally find Scene more appealing in years to come.
Then I wanted to see what kind of audience that I was coming in contact with
by understanding them more through their hobbies and interests, and it was
beneficial to see that 60% of them matched with the film & TV sector.
Though it would be easy to discount the other answers, the genres that were
selected are host to many successful magazines such as gaming
with EDGE and fashion with ELLE, so therefore their opinions on magazine
would still be appealing to different market segments as well.
For Scene to build its foundations on a fresh look, it was important to only
take opinions from those who have stayed informed and updated in the past
year. Thankfully, all members taking part in the questionnaire had read at
least 1 magazine in the last 12 months, allowing them to have an opinion on
what to expect in the magazine industry.
Presentation stems from what hits the eye first, and in most cases its the
photograph that is heavily complimented by the colours subtly tied into the
background. The stand-out comments were that for what Scene is going for,
classy colours were needed and therefore after consideration it was
decided that beige would be the main theme of the sample cover as the
connotations it brings is one of calmness and serenity showing strict
contrasts to similar magazines on the market, as well as bringing an essence
of style.
Magazines have different things that can appeal to different people, be it the
presentation, contents or both. But when it comes down to what people see
as the primary focus when they first see a magazine, 70% are pulled in more
by the way it presents itself than what is actually covered in the magazine.
Whilst this shows that it is vital to convey the overall themes that the
publication would typically associate itself with, in the case of Scene being
one that is more up market, it does underline that there is still a strong
percentage of the audience that do take notice of the contents of each
edition.
The average price of a magazine in the UK in 2014 was around 3.65, but
when asked how much customers would be willing to spend on Scene, there
was a 40/40 split between the price brackets of 2-3.99 and 4-5.99. I
opted for the price of 4.99, as it wouldn't go far from the maximum 3.99
that people would willingly spend and would be seen as a sign of the
premium quality that it would be presented in. As it's also aimed towards
those 16 and above, it would be targeting people that are beginning to
receive income and therefore wouldn't struggle to pay for the magazine.

Earlier in the questionnaire, it was shown that the target audience prioritised
how the magazine looks. To build on this perception, it was important to
garner an understanding of what sort of look readers would want. Between
the choices of an overlapping layout with more free space or a basic, simple
structure, there was no outright winner. This shows that there is no
preference to how the magazine is displayed and allows there to be more
variety in presentational styles, from the simplistic layout of the front cover
and double page spread, whilst the contents page showcases an S which
offers a more complex design that will balance opinions fairly.
In the same question that inspired there to be more interest in how the
magazine was presented, it also showed that there were people that care
about what is being written inside. By getting an opinion on what could be
offered, it was more targeted towards the regular features that would be
displayed on the contents page. One important message was to see how
younger people are interpreting the film industry in the modern era, which is
presented in the 'Inside the New Minds' column. This felt particularly vital as
our audience will be relatively young and for there to be that sense of
representation in Scene, it will offer a more connected, recognisable and
enjoyable read.
In order for me to establish a clearer idea of what my vision would be, I firstly
created several mock-ups, one for each section that I would be designing for
the production side using pictures that mirror what would be appearing in the
main look of the magazine, whether it fitting the same themes or sharing
similar presentational features, which allowed me to fully gain an inspired
vision for what my final versions would have the potential to look like. Whilst
these were partly inspired by the block designs that were made earlier in the
process, built specifically for providing clarity to my vision, another major
feature that contributed to the formation of my magazine features was that
of the feedback that I received from peers as to what would appeal to them
as well as those that I had originally been focusing on in the questionnaire
results, for example whilst the mock-up contained a focal image that I was
aiming for, one person said that it looked more like a film poster than a front
cover of a magazine. Because of this, I had to adapt the look of the front
cover for the main production, such as including more images on the bottom
part of the cover to gain the feeling of it being more packed and having
different focuses whilst still having the primary outlook being on the main
feature that will be covered in the feature article.

^The mock-ups provided a clear outline of the final version of the

magazine features
One key feature of the approach I had of taking feedback from my audience
on-board was that of the users and gratifications theory, ensuring that it
covered all the necessary bases that it should, such as escapism, personal
identity and voyeurism. As the audience will be the ones to fully embrace
those emotions, it was vital that I listened to their critique to make sure that
the decisions I was making for the final design be the correct ones that will
particularly appeal to them.
For the main production process of the magazine I had to consider different
attributes of what an audience would pick up on. One of those things would
be the title of the magazine itself, Scene. Of course, the key indication here
is the genre that it covers, being that of film and television, by it connoting
towards there being deeper analysis of films and specific moments rather
than overall packages. It also shares similarities with the word "seen",
therefore showcasing and referencing to the reader that there will be reviews
of movies that have been viewed by writers of the magazine.
The colour of a magazine is not only there to give a nice appearance to the
edition, but can say a lot about what the publication as a whole stand for.
With both the front cover and the double page spread, the main colour that
is used is beige, connoting to a classy, sophisticated and mature read. The

text of the copy and banner used for the front cover is mainly presented in
plain colours, such as black or white, and is done as such to retract attention
from the franchise itself and avoid generic conventions, unlike others such as
Empire and Total Film, so it can stand on its own and instead naturally divert
the attention towards the content actually worked on around the cover and
on the inside. This is particularly shown on the contents page when in the
centre of the page is a black S, signifying both the uniform of the
presentation as well as the flow of the organisation in the magazine, and
helps emphasise the colours of the images more and shows the importance
that Scene puts on its features.
A difference in font sizes is not only to convey a suitable style, but also to
distinguish certain purposes of each piece of text. For example, on the front
cover the Autumn blockbuster is here and interviews with are written in
the same size as it compliments the title of the subject, being Eyes Half
Closed, that is written in a much bigger font size. However, whilst the
interviews with section was presented in the same font and size, there was
still a graphical difference by the actors names being highlighted in bold, in
efforts to attract the audience to names that they may recognise with a
subtle addition. The smallest pieces of text are those that are used on the
front cover is for articles that are listed under Extras, and although it could
be inferred as treating those features as less important than the main
spread, I chose the smaller font sizes as those looking for those sort of things
could get information should they require it, though also complimenting to
ensure that the majority of attention garnered is for Eyes Half Closed. As for
the masthead of the magazine, it is measured to a size that fits inside of the
borders of an A4 page, as well as suiting the rest of the magazines style by
standing out yet also submerging itself and almost psychologically fitting into
the background, and the rest of the banner, such as the magazines slogan
the reel look behind the scenes and the months edition made to fit along
the bottom of the title in a parallel and stylised fashion.
Imagery is one of the leading features in the presentation of something,
particularly of a magazine, demanding thought in not just how the images
look, but how they serve as a companion to how the magazine appears in
the first place as well as what kind of connotations a reader can gain from
something as simple as a camera shot. On the front cover, three images are
used in particular, being the couple image as the centre piece and two edited
images nearer the bottom of the page covering the Extras. The close-up
profile of the pair looking at each other gives the connotation of one that you
would see in something like a prison shoot, perhaps leading the audience to
believe that the characters are quite troublesome and mischievous, allowing
for the photography to grant the characters some sort of personality which
gives the text the opportunity to play on those expectations, or for the article
to give further credence to the selection of camera shot. The two other
camera shots featured on the front cover were wide pan shots, that were

meant to convey the feeling of more openness in these certain situations as

well as contrasting the main feature in a similar fashion to how the font that
represented them did with the text affiliated with the the main feature. The
same type of wide shots are used for all of the images on the contents page,
though this time for a different intention, being to try and showcase a wide
variety of topics throughout the magazine, and therefore these images
should include as many different visuals as possible the better it would be to
get across the feeling that was being aimed for. For the double page spread,
extreme close-ups were used not only to have another attempt at
establishing a personality of the characters that the article could then play
with, but also to give the feeling of a closer inspection based on what was
seen on the front cover in the feature article.
Of course, imagery is not only important for how it is displayed through the
choice of camera shot, but also what is actually shown in the image in the
first place and what it gives off to your audience. The pictures that I chose
for the front cover were used in conjunction with text to create a desired
effect, such as the copy being placed in the middle of the pair that were
looking towards each other, connoting to the reader that something is
coming between them in the storyline of the movie itself. The picture for The
Boat Party is represented by a group of boys together, suggesting to a lads
holiday comedic film, and the photo chosen for Masked Crusaders is one
for character development once again to entice a certain audience, this time
for the certain criteria of mise-en-scene that it appeals to, such as the
lighting being dazed and unclear, shrouding the characters of the piece in
mystery, and the costumes that theyre wearing, being quite quirky and
unfamiliar to the target audience of Scene, is something that adds to the
slightly stranger characters in the fictional film. In the contents there was
also great deliberation with the kind of pictures that would be suitable to
accompany the text that helps it appeal to the audience whilst also fit with
the text and article. This is shown with features such as reviews, which has a
photo of a firework in the background, that is specific to a certain movie yet
is also vague enough to typify the rest of the showings for that month. The
selection for the picture to epitomise what the article feature Inside the New
Minds was quite important based on the fact that it was inspired by Scenes
target audience to empathise with their needs, and as the imagery that pops
into mind when thinking of a stereotypical teenager is one of either rebellion
or education, I opted for the latter as it would help the magazine maintain
its upmarket exterior, picturing a typical classroom background with
students and whiteboard to boot. With the double-page spread, I felt that it
was important to mirror the picture that attracted the audience to the
magazine in the first place with the delineation of the movie. Therefore, the
poses of the characters are the same, but from a different angle on the
characters as well as half of their faces being cut off. That cut was deliberate
as it does tie in with both the design of the banner of the films title as well
as the wording of it itself, being that the eyes are half closed and thus the

imagery is half cut off as if the viewers sight is only half there, teasing the
audience to what the characters are hiding. The characters expressions also
give a sense of juxtaposition as one has their eyes open, giving a sense of
that character being more open-minded in their approach to different
scenarios, whilst the man has his eyes closed, perhaps suggesting that he is
blinded by certain things that happen to him during the story. The female
character having her eyes open is also used to entice the audience by
breaking the fourth wall and allowing for a connection to be established
between the image and the reader, allowing for a sense of voyeurism, and
the pair have not had editing or filters applied to them, giving the couple a
more organic and real feeling to maintain that connection and help the
audience apply themselves not only to the duo but also to the article that
they embody.
Although the main pull of the magazine is through presentation, a lot also
depends on how the publication displays itself through the words on the
page, and the way that it is written has to be considered for the style that
youre going for as well as the target audience that it is being written for. It
would be very easy to stick to the chic approach that Id been basing the
imagery selected on, but I decided to gravitate more to what an age-group
such as the one that Scene would appeal to would appreciate, based on what
Ive seen in other magazines that Id conducted research on before this. The
generic convention is for the copy to be written in a way that is easier to
communicate to its target audience rather than coincide with the typical
design of the overall magazine, and therefore I have opted to write my
pieces, as shown in the double page spread, in an informal manner. It
connotes the feeling of the reader being involved in a conversation, and this
just being one persons opinion, inspiring what would be a younger
generation to think about certain projects and open their minds about
different topics.
If the target audience is satisfied by what is covered in an edition of a
magazine, the better the chances are of that edition being a success, and
one way to ensure that this contentedness is achieved at a maximum level is
by operating around the uses and gratifications theory. Escapism is shown
through the opening of the double page spread article, where it describes the
invented turmoil that the production of Eyes Half Closed faced, allowing the
reader to get an insight into a world that is different to theirs as well as being
intrigued into the surroundings that are set. In the Coffee in New York
segment, personal relationships are formed between readers and celebrities
in an effort to make these actors seem more accessible from older
generations, in this case being Robert De Niro, as well as it being in a
conversational setting such as a cafe, to give it a more laid-back attitude.
Personal identity partly went along with the picking of suitable photos for
Eyes Half Closed for both the front cover and the double page spread, as
the lack of editing on the picture gives the character a much more natural

guise whilst also having quite simplistic expressions that an audience can
relate to either themselves or someone that they know of. Inside the New
Minds helps propose surveillance to the audience, by learning about how
those that they can either empathise with or are slightly unaware of offer
their opinions, allowing people to take peoples viewpoints into consideration
when looking at the film and TV genre in a grander scheme. With the Coffee
in New York section, it not only showcases personal relationships but also
allows for voyeurism to be explored in a greater manner, such as hearing
about stories that a screen-great like De Niro would have to share. Self-worth
is one of the most important components of the uses and gratifications
theory, as it helps the reader gain something from the magazine on a deeper
and more personal level, and is something that I tried to capture when
writing the copy for the Eyes Half Closed article, creating it as something
that has an inspirational backstory to it that has the potential to inspire
others to not give up on things that they are doing in their private lives.
Another key thing to remember whilst constructing the magazine and how it
would present itself is to bear in mind the legacy of Abraham Maslow. His
philosophy of including certain aspects to something that would touch an
audience is something that must be implemented in order for the reader to
relate to the copy. Scene plays on the audiences social needs in helping
them feel as though they belong to a group, mainly captured in the feature
Inside the New Minds, as should the reader fit into the category of around
16 years and older, coinciding with my target audience, they can empathise
with the messages that the article tries to convey and feel a part of a larger
community should they either share or contrast the opinions that are offered
in the piece. Social needs are not the only section of Maslows philosophy
that Scene makes an attempt to cover, as things such as Coffee in New York
tries to appeal to the audiences esteem needs, as actors that feature in the
article may offer advice and guidance to people that aspire to achieve similar
features to a certain person within the industry that would have the
possibility of inspiring an audience of this age group.
Imagery and text for a magazine go hand in hand with each other, and they
help add up to what, if done right, contributes to a definitive layout and
appearance that is distinguishable from those throughout the industry. For
the front cover, it is structured in such a way that it helps attract the
audience to the main feature of the edition, and the mirroring image looking
inwards to the copy is once again serving as a direction towards the
information that would help the audience keep more in the know. Even
stylistic choices help act as subtle pointers to how the features work, such as
the bar listing the extras is designed as a +, showing that the below
features are additional to the content that would normally be in the
magazine. The contents page is very vital to the navigating of the reader
throughout the edition, and therefore the layout of that page is particularly
important, and in an effort to make my contents page seem fresh and

modern to appeal to my target audience as well as add a slight elegance to

the design with the flowing S, similar to the one that is shown in the
masthead on the front cover, providing consistency throughout the
publication. In the upper half of the S, each section is covered though then
sizing of it, be it by the height of the image or the reduction of length due to
the natural shaping of the S gives the audience a clear indication to what
features will have heavier focuses placed upon. All of these in the upper half
are the features that are exclusive to that edition of Scene, whilst those in
the lower half are what are typical regular features for the magazine, such as
Reviews and the Inside the New Minds and Coffee in New York segments.
It appeals greatly to a newer audience, anticipating that if people have been
attracted to the magazine by the content on the front cover they would
always look towards the top of the page, making navigation easier for new
readers and allows them to discover other features later, whilst the more
loyal audience is expected to look throughout the magazines contents and
give them a wider variety to choose what segment of the magazine that they
want to start with.
A magazine has the capability of using enigma if the front cover is designed
effectively, and is engaging enough to capture both the interest and
imagination of the reader. For example, the main feature on the front cover is
concluded by teasing the audience about more inside, hinting that there
are different things regarding the movie that have yet to be revealed to a
potential fan base of the movie. Also, the Extras section at the bottom of
the page is still visible through the female characters hair, leading the
reader to inspect where the rest of it goes to, especially due to the fact that
the last clear part that is exposed is much more, keeping the reader in
anticipation.
To make the magazine have a sense of authenticity to it, even though it is
important to differentiate from those in the market, it is equally important to
establish key generic conventions that appeal to those that are interested in
the genre of magazine that Scene tries to fit into. For instance, the magazine
writes its articles in a similar informal approach just as Empire and Total Film
do, as well as the stars on things like the front cover or the double page
spread in Scene not being presented as themselves, but rather the
characters in their respective movies, such as the actors shown in character
on both pages as they would be seen in the film itself, proved by the
screenshot of the movie used on the contents page, just as Empire did with
their feature article on Jurassic World, where whilst actors conducted the
interview from a behind the scenes perspective, the promotional pictures
were conducted with them portraying their characters. However, whilst
Scene does share attributes with other publications in the industry, it does
stand tall on its own standards and reputation. This is firstly shown on a
stylistic basis, such as the way that Total Film and Empire present their logo
in a bold and brash red to both attract audiences with bright colours, I

decided that to distance itself from the competition Scene would be shown in
a slightly chic mode, using an exquisite characteristic that relies more on its
contents and the professionalism and finesse that is shown through the
delivery. The contents page is also an accurate representation of the efforts
that were made to try and individualise Scene, such as the way that it
doesnt go through too many articles or features, instead opting to notify the
reader of only six, showing trust in the audiences independence and
maturity to look through the rest of the magazine to discover different things
that are more appealing to the individual.
Trust in its readers is what defines a magazines success, be it whether it
trusts the audience to connect with the text or how it trusts a reader to take
a gamble in purchasing the content in the first place. That unfounded respect
that Scene places in its audience is something that helps the magazine not
only make it different from others in the film and TV genre, but unique in its
own way.