Print Brief Research and Planing

 Front cover

1) Research TV listing magazine front cover key conventions. Find at least five examples of TV listings magazine front covers and post them to your blog. This will give you a good idea of the type of magazine you need to produce.

2) Note down the design elements you notice in each front cover example you research and look for aspects you can use in your own work (e.g. camera shots, page design or cover lines). 

• Front-facing shot of the actor/actress
• In the middle of a pose or idle
• Specific fonts and colour schemes to show off important details
• Text overlapping the actor/actress or being cut off by them
• Uniform and messy
• Aesthetic

3) What key conventions can you find across different types of front cover - e.g. title placement, cover lines, main flash or cover line, date/price/barcode etc.

• Titles tend to be at the very top, big with slight cutting from the actor/actress
• Barcodes are usually placed at the bottom-right hand corner of the cover
• Dates tend to be at the top in small lettering on top of the title, however they also tend to move around, placing themselves on top of the barcode
• Prices are on top of the barcode
• Main flashes

Inside page feature

1) Now research inside page features from TV listings magazines. Post at least five images of magazine inside page features (they can be from different magazine genres if you are struggling to find TV listings magazine inside pages).

2) Note down the design elements you notice in each inside page feature example you research and look for aspects you can use in your own work (e.g. use of main/secondary images, page design, pull quotes, picture captions etc.) 

• Always falls between a double page spread
• Headings, subheading, etc. covering actors at points
• Fonts and text colours are used in order to cover meaning

3) What key conventions can you find across different types of inside page feature - e.g. headline, subheading, main image etc.

• main/secondary images
• page design 
• pull quotes 
• picture captions

Planning and sketching

1) Plan the content and cover lines for your front cover:

• Title (must be NEW original TV listings magazine you have invented): "Turn to the Action, TV!"
• Slogan: "Bringing the world of fiction over fact since forever!"
• Cover image: Faraan and The overSEER in poses inspired by the front cover for the Anime Series "JoJo's Bizarre Adventures: Phantom Blood".
• Main cover story/main flash: "Get your thinking caps on as we dive 'detective-style' into the "Diamond is Unbreakable" franchise's season 2!"
• Additional cover lines: "Deep dives from the cast!", "Scurrying for clues with the series' main cast member, Frankly Arapi!", "Intel on cameras with the show's head filming director.", "Going undercover for exclusive behind-the-scenes information!"
• Additional two smaller images: Cast and the filming director
• Font style / colour scheme, additional design aspects: Grunge theme while keeping in the theme of business. Muddy variants of normal colours - muddy blues, muddy reds, oranges, yellows, etc. A font style that fits the style of the series - NOTE: no fonts used in scripts should be used here.

2) Plan the images you will use for the front cover - use CLAMPS. One main image and two smaller images required to meet the minimum content in the brief.

Main Image: Faraan on his own - dynamic poses, unconventional camera angles. Keeping it informal but business casual at the same time.

Small image 1: Cast members - posing as they wish, unconventional camera angles. Same kind of deal with clothing(informal/business casual).

Small image 2: Film director - something involving a camera, or at least posing in a way that says "wow that guy really knows about cameras". Wearing all black if possible.

3) Plan the content for your inside page feature:

• Subject of feature: "Diamond is Unbreakable" Season 2
• Headline: "Scurrying for clues with the series' main cast member, Frankly Arapi!"
• Subheading: "Like an arms trade, but safer!"
• Main image: Faraan on his own - dynamic poses, unconventional camera angles. Keeping it informal but business casual at the same time.
• Smaller images (need minimum of four across the three pages): Small image 1: Cast members - posing as they wish, unconventional camera angles. Same kind of deal with clothing(informal/business casual). Small image 2: Film director - something involving a camera, or at least posing in a way that says "wow that guy really knows about cameras". Wearing all black if possible.
• Font style / colour scheme, additional design aspects: Grunge theme while keeping in the theme of business. Muddy variants of normal colours - muddy blues, muddy reds, oranges, yellows, etc. A font style that fits the style of the series - NOTE: no fonts used in scripts should be used here.

4) Write the copy (words) you will use for the inside page feature - headline, subheading, article text. 

One year and a couple months later, and here we are again - only this time, the stakes are higher. "Diamond is Unbreakable" broke onto the scene last year with a perfect display of acting including Frankly Arapi as the series' main character "Faraan", who undoubtedly kickstarted the series' notoriety - examples being the infamous #Faraansbbygirls hashtag that went trending on X(Formally Twitter)for days on end. Luckily for us, Frankly agreed to a small interview of sorts, giving his own take on the series and it's popularity along with some inside scoops on the second season for "Diamond is Unbreakable".

"Well, its certainly a lot to take in, you know? After the whole 'social media fiasco' including the hashtags on Twitter, along with edits on TikTok - I see everything you know - I knew we had something special, and yet we we are, all emotional but determined to see where the directors take the narrative." He started off by saying. "Of course, people may think this added popularity is a good thing - you couldn't have been more wrong. I can't even go Tesco without have a small line following me! Not that I hate it though..." He tells us with a wide grin. "Well for my character, Faraan, the stakes are higher for him this time. He's no longer dealing with street-level threats, this time going right for the heart of The overSEER's operation - The Network. A lot more about WHO Faraan is and the troubles he's gone through is revealed with the approaching climax of the season, which I'm not spoiling. Hint - you won't expect it. Be prepared for an emotional season, one that's also rooted in dark and miserable themes; a stark contrast to the first season." He goes on to tell us.

After boring Frankly with our questions for his character as well as trying to get the plot out of him, we took a stroll into what the world of "DIU" is like behind the scenes. He starts off by saying "Hectic. Absolutely hectic. Everyone is just rushing everywhere, everyone has no respect for each other an- no I'm joking obviously. It's a rather lovely environment, and we were lucky enough to keep the staff we had for the first season for the second. We're all like family, one that has learnt the routines of each other and live in peace. I may her exaggerated a slight bit, but for the most part, that's how it is." When asked about the cast, "The cast? Those are my brothers and sisters man. It's been such a joy seeing everyone mature and really find themselves as of recently - practically living with each other since the "Unbreakable" casting calls makes for a pretty emotional experience, an experience you can observe for yourselves very, very soon. I promise you, the emotional connection we have with each other is what makes this second season so good. I promise, I promise, I promise - You'll love it.

After talking to him for a little while longer regarding personal matters, he unfortunately had to call it quits in order to prepare for press tour. The time till the premiere of season two of "Diamond is Unbreakable" is rapidly approaching, will you tune in? Oh, and one more thing - which side of the knife do you belong to?

5) Plan the social media content you will include in your print work to create opportunities for digital convergence e.g. hashtags, social media details etc.

#DIUSeason3

#LossTipsLooseGrips

#Faraansbbygirls

#Letsstartariot

6) Research and select the font or typography you will use for your print work. This is a critical element of your print work - the brief requires a consistent house style running through all of your pages. 

Will leave until I start to work on the photos taken, thank you for understanding.

7) Produce an A4 sketch of your front cover design and scan it/upload a picture to your blog.

8) Produce A4 sketches of your inside page feature with clear layout of where headline, subheading, images and text will appear on the pages. 

9) Create a new A4 portrait document in Adobe Photoshop (or Adobe InDesign) for your front cover design. Start to add text, check your font choices and put in the elements you have already planned/sketched. 

10) Create an A3 landscape document plus an A4 portrait document in Adobe Photoshop (or Adobe InDesign) for your inside page feature. Add the elements you can - headline, subheading, text etc.

Photoshoot

1) Who do you need to photograph for your front cover and inside page images? Remember, you need seven original images across the whole print production. 

• Myself
• Bradley
• Other cast members

2) What camera shots do you need? Write a shot list for your photoshoots. Make sure you plan a variety of camera shots you will look to capture - medium shots, close-ups etc.

• Medium shots of the cast
• Variety of camera angles (diagonal, etc.)
• Myself - Medium shots at a diagonal angle. Dynamic poses however they must make sense to the show - can't be too far fetched
• Bradley - Action army man pose I suppose(get it). Something that shows that he's good with cameras(could have a camera in the shot, medium shot by the way. Something that shows how he is "good with cameras").
• Other cast members - The same style of shots as myself(it would be wrong to give different cast members different shots to myself - we treat everyone equal). Poses are allowed to be re done or changed for other cast members - they don't have to follow the same poses as myself.

3) Plan the mise-en-scene. What costume, props or make-up will you require for your photoshoots?

A spin on the costumes worn on "set", along with outfits that match the vibe of the show. Props used would have something to do with the series (example: magnifying glass, etc.)

For example, I could wear my rigid jeans along with my trench coat and something that correlates with my character. 

4) Finally, note down the time and date for your photoshoots. This may be inside or outside school (or a combination of both). You will have Media lesson time for this after the mock exams.

Half term (most-likely), if not - then probably in the time provided for us in lesson.