The document provides requirements and research for developing a new real-life story magazine targeted at 16-25 year olds. It outlines that the task is to create covers, contents pages, and a website for the magazine launch. Research into existing magazines found that codes and conventions like shocking headlines, colorful designs, and prizes would not appeal to the target audience. Additional research with the target age group found they prefer a minimalist design with muted colors, sensitivity around topics, and social media promotions over puzzles. The document concludes with proposed codes and conventions for the new magazine based on this research, such as softer topics, cleaner layouts, and headlines centered at the top in a consistent font.

1. Coursework
Brief 3

2. Requirements of the brief
• You work for an independent media production company. You have
been given the task of producing one front cover and the contents
page(s) of the first two editions of a new real-life story 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.

3. Summary of brief requirements
• Statement of Intent (approx. 500 words).1
• Real-life story 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 mass
market audience that expects to be emotionally engaged.
There must be a clear sense of branding across the two elements of the
cross-media production.

4. Magazine cover and contents pages
At least four different main images using original photography across the magazine covers
and contents pages.
• Editing of magazine covers and contents pages (including photos, text, graphics, typography
and layout).
• Written text including elements such as the masthead, main coverline, selling lines, headlines,
captions, subtitles and copy.
• Barcode, date, edition and price information on each front cover.
• A different use of mise-en-scène for each cover.
• Representation of at least two different social groups (e.g. as defined by age, gender, race
and ethnicity, sexuality).
• A call to action pointing readers to the online website.

5. Web page
Original audio or audio-visual content appropriate to the online website.
• A minimum of two original images (with at least one different original
image on each of the
two pages). These images must be different from those produced for the
magazine.
• Appropriate conventions of website design, including an original title and
logo and a menu
bar.
• Text introducing the main features of the magazine.
• Working links from the home page to the other page.
• A range of appropriate media language techniques (typography, images,
fonts, backgrounds, logos etc.) as appropriate to the purpose of the website.

7. ‘That’s life!’- This is usually in white and have a block
colour behind it. The font is the same usually from
edition to edition which creates a brand identity for
the audience; the font is a friendly font which may
appeal to a female audience.
This magazine usually has a shocking phrase
in the middle that often fits with the colour
scheme of the cover. The caption makes the
audience interested as it is an unusual and
shocking story which ties the audience in.
This magazine usually uses a female
cover star. The woman is often smiling
and looks attractive. It may be
shocking to the audience that she is
smiling as underneath her there is
usually a shocking statement which
would make people worried or sad, so
her smiling is a contrast to the bad
thing that has happened in the
statement.
Codes and conventions of ‘that’s life!’-
o Same white font in same position and block
colour behind it
o Female cover star smiling in same place
o Shocking statement in middle to the left
o Multiple stories on the page
o Prizes and rewards on the front cover
o Colour scheme- red and yellow and often
white in it
Advertising the money and prizes to
be won which will encourage the
audience to buy it and do the games
to win. Also has it down the bottom
so there's multiple places advertising
it.
We can see it is only 79p which may
suggest that the magazines audience
is of a lower demographic- this is
reinforced by the money that is being
advertised.
The ellipsis keeps audience interested
as there's more to find out and
there's a direct link to the page which
helps the audience and saves them
flicking through to find it.

9. Chat is in a bold and friendly font with a block colour
behind it which makes this part of the cover stand out. The
‘chat’ is normally in the white font with red behind it which
creates a brand identity for the audience. Sometimes the
phrase with have the caption ‘LIFE!DEATH!PRIZES’ above
the headline in black and yellow.
Shocking stories on the cover that interests the
reader. ‘snatched, assaulted, murdered’ is a heart
breaking phrase that would interest the reader as it is
so surprising and awful to hear. The pictures below is
of a smiling child and a female ‘sex killer’ which may
surprise the audience too as they might think that it
is usually the opposite way round.
Extremely unusual stories
which may sound so
ridiculous to the audience
that it actually makes them
read it.
Chat seems to use red and
yellow which are bold colours
and helps create a brand
identity.
Smiling woman next
to headline is common
for Chat.
Codes and conventions-
o Headline in similar position and with a red
background and the same white font
o Colours red and yellow are common
o Shocking stories
o Competitions and prizes
o Female cover star smiling in similar
position

11. Take a break uses a female cover star smiling
to the right of the headline and she is usually
pretty. They are normally using mode of
address which helps to create a brand identity.
The headline is usually in white font
but the background colour changes,
but the background colour is usually
a block colour. The same colour and
font also helps create a brand
identity.
Take a break have the phrase ‘your bumper
monthly’ which is the monthly edition or it says
‘your weekly favourite’ and it is the month edition
it will usually have the month underneath the title.
Colours such as red, pink, yellow, and
blue seem to be very common in Take a
break which helps create a brand
identity.
Unusual stories which may sound so ridiculous to
the audience that it actually makes them read it.
Advertising the money
and prizes to be won
which will encourage the
audience to buy it and do
the games to win. Also a
holiday advertised to be
won which will further
interest the audience; this
may also show the
demographic of the
audience because upper
class people will usually be
able to afford their own
‘sunny holidays’.
Codes and conventions of ‘take a break’-
o Same white font in same position and
block colour behind it
o Female cover star smiling in same place
o Shocking statements
o Multiple stories on the page
o Prizes and rewards on the front cover
o Colour scheme- red, pink yellow and blue
o Often has a meal section
The meal section of the
magazine may be aimed
at the mums of their
target audience.

12. Codes and conventions learnt from my
research
o The title of the magazine is often in a white bold font with a block colour behind it
o Female cover star to the right of the name of the magazine, using direct mode of address and
smiling with not much of body revealed
o Many stories on the page and shocking things for the audience to read
o Colour schemes such as red, white, pink, blue and yellow
o Prizes and rewards on the front page to encourage audience to buy the magazine
o However, ‘that’s life’ has a target audience of 25+, chat has an average audience of 43 and take a
break have an audience of 25-54 year olds and many of these are mums.
o This suggests to me that I shouldn’t follow some of these codes and conventions as that will
attract a higher target audience then intended as I have a target audience of 16-25 year olds. The
stories may have to be adapted to the interests of my target audience, maybe with social media
being a convention of my magazine as someone over 25 may not be interested in that as much as
they are compared to other magazines that is made for people of that age. This suggests I need to
do some research into people aged 16-25 to see why or why wouldn’t they read it and what
changed need to be made.

13. Research for my audience
• I asked people 16-25 what they thought of a few of the magazines ive
looked at to see what they dislike and like about it
• The overall feedback I got- these types of magazines wouldn’t appeal to my
intended audience. The topics don’t interest my audience, they feel like the
magazine is too much/ clashing and that the layout is too busy and messy.
They also feel like there should be more sensitivity around topics eg. Rape
or murder as its disrespectful. My audience would prefer a minimalistic
look to the cover and less bold colours. My cover star would also be
between the ages 16-25.
• For example, using puzzles or prizes wouldn’t necessarily interest my
audience however, if I used the term giveaway that linked to social media,
this is way more likely to interest my audience.

14. My codes and conventions
• Change of topics eg. Fashion, gossip and beauty gossip and be more sensitive on topics so its not harmful
• Make more minimalistic and tidy
• Less bold colours, especially red and plainer toned down colours eg. Pale pink, grey, darker purple
• Female target audience and cover star
• Multiple stories on it but not looking messy overlapping
• Less unbelievable stories
• Clearer layout
• Less on babies and fiancés/ husbands
• Language suitable for my audience and language they may use
• Not puzzles and prizes and more social media giveaways
• Headline at the top of my magazine in the centre and the same font on every cover with a block colour behind it.
• Woman imposing headline in future editions, but for now just be slightly towards the right with a large story line to
the left
• Other stories around the edge of the cover, like other magazines do
• If talking about celebrities, use one appropriate for my audience e.g. Don’t use Amanda Holden and use someone
like Mabel for example

15. • Possible headlines/titles- current, present, modern
HEADLINE