CREATING A PROPOSAL AND PITCH FOR A MEDIA PRODUCT

 TASK 2: Creating a proposal and pitch for a media product (P1, P2, M1 U3 & P2 U21)

Learning outcome 1 (U3): Be able to create a proposal with sample materials from an original media product to a client brief

Learning outcome 2 (U21): Be able to develop a proposal and pitch for an original media product based on a given brief

PURPOSE:

My production design magazine aims to create a media product that informs film production lovers who want to learn more about films. The uses and gratification theory states the different reasons media productions are created, personal identity, information, entertainment, and social interaction. The purpose of my magazine will be to inform my target audience and to create social interaction between people. The production design includes aspects of film productions that many would not know, for instance, the creation of costume design. Therefore, another purpose of the magazine would be to include information that might not have been publicized which could create social interaction among people. 

Form and Genre of the Product:

The genre of the magazine is a film, therefor the content within the magazine revolves around the film industry. Specifically, my magazine production design will dive deep into the realities of the film production industry. The magazine will be distributed locally at first, this is done to introduce the magazine to smaller sample size. this way any negative comments can be resolved without causing a large disruption. The form of the magazine will be made as a hard copy and an online copy. The hard copy will be distributed locally for the price of £7.99. The online copy would be bought as a monthly/annual subscription (£5.99 monthly or £56.99 annually) so the magazine will become more accessible. The hard copy magazine will be in an A4 format (21x29.7cm) with approximately of twenty to forty pages depending on the industry that month.

 

Content:

The content of the magazine will review five different aspects across production design to ensure all interests are covered. These four aspects are costume design, props, lighting, camera angle/shots, and special effects. However, I intend to include these aspects by reviewing them within a film production and creating content based on the film. Additionally, each magazine will discuss aspects of different films but a film that was very popular that month would become the 'feature' of the magazine and be shown on the front cover to catch the interest of the target audience. For instance, in the month that Avatar: The way of water was released (16 December 2022) I would create content revolving around mainly the special effects used as the film is most well-known for its high-tech use of special effects that introduced an imaginary world of endless possibilities to the film industry. The content would hopefully include insider information about the creation of the film including interviews with those involved with the creation of the film.

Target Audience:

The target audience for a production design magazine initially is quite a niche, this is because the magazine is more informative than the conventional 'entertaining' magazine. Due to the magazine being distributed locally the target audience is already niche. It will be targeted toward young adults 18-34 years old. This is because I believe those that will have the most interest in this magazine will be people who are studying film or marketing in higher education as this magazine could provide them with beneficial information. As a result, the magazine will most likely attract an active audience as information can be interpreted and discussed.

The magazine will be targeted towards the lower-middle class; due to the price of £7.99 I'm not able to ensure many from the lower class will be able to purchase the product however the online copy is available for a lower price therefore both classes are part of the target audience. As a result, the magazine is distributed monthly, which gives me the opportunity to create a magazine suitable for different people within the target audience. For instance, if I were to feature the film Creed: ll a well-known sports drama on the front cover of the magazine then most likely consumers that month would be men from both classes, however, if I were to feature Legally blonde a romantic-comedy most likely that month the consumers will be a younger target audience of teenage girls 16-19 years old.

Resources and Personnel:

To create the magazine, I will need to require reliable resources and personnel who will help me with establishing a magazine that stands out on the shelf. First of all resources, the most important resource is connections. The unique selling point of the magazine is that it includes information that would not normally be found in other film-based magazines. The only way this data can be acquired is by gaining connections with people who have worked in the film industry. For this to be done I will benefit from a social media manager, this person will collect data from different resources and contact people within the film industry. For the creation of the magazine, I will benefit from an editor, someone who can create the layout of the magazine that fits its purpose. Additionally, a staff writer is crucial to the magazine, they will oversee putting all the information into relevant articles. This is crucial as the content within the magazine is evidently what causes the reader to continue reading and contribute to the business. Lastly, a researcher will need to be acquired to ensure that no legal or ethical issues that disregard the magazine's ethos will be crossed. This is crucial from the initial creation and launch of the magazine as the company promotes inclusivity. Especially as North London is very multicultural the magazine has to be cautious. 

To create the hard copy of the magazine I will need to hire a supplier who will evidently create the magazine and send them off to shops and customers. To create the online copy a digital editor (similar to an editor but more familiar with high-tech) will be hired to assemble an accessible app in which subscribers are able to view the magazines and be updated on upcoming magazines and content that might be included within.

PROPOSED BUDGET 

Initially, a budget of £5500  will be set, this is to ensure all equipment is purchased so the company can consecutively release monthly magazines. However, the budget will raise or drop depending on the success rate of the magazine.

Camera- £600

Laptop-£800-£1500 ( depending on quality)

Editing applications -£200

Hiring Personnel- 

Actors for the Photoshoot

Magazine editor 

Photographer 

( At a daily rate of £300) £1800

Distribution and Marketing Methods:

Cinecloud had explicitly stated to distribute the magazine initially locally within North London. Therefore, the magazine will be distributed in local shops such as food shops, WHSmith, post offices, etc. Depending on the consumer rate the magazine will be distributed further throughout London. Locations that would be beneficial to sell the magazine would be museum gift shops and cinemas. Museum gift shops are helpful as the behaviour demographic shows that after people have gone to a museum they become more motivated and passionate to pursue their hobby; if the magazine was sold in The cinema museum based in South London the magazine would be more likely purchased. The marketing method I plan on using initially is TikTok. Many brands advertise their magazine on other social media such as Instagram or get a brand to sponsor them, however, I believe the most efficient form of advertising that fits our target audience is TikTok.  The use of TikTok will enable me to cost-efficiently and time efficiently create a short "advertisement" that would introduce the magazine to the public. Additionally, the algorithm on TikTok shows videos to people that correlate with their interests and location. 

We plan on distributing the magazine in North london locations such as studios. An example of this the location London North studis; this lcoation is based in Mill Hill and provides five different studios. We think distributing out magazine here will be beneficial as many indie films and tv programmes have been filmed here. 

 

SAMPLE MATERIAL: 

TITLE OF MAGZINE/MAGAZINE NAME: BEHIND THE LENS

CHOSEN FONT

CHOSEN FONT WITH MAGAZINE NAME

FONT STYLES

    MASTHEAD

    COVER LINES

BODY COPY

 

SKETCHED LAYOUT:

ARTICLE IDEAS:

Interviews with well-known costume designers, producers, etc - 

An interview with well-known people that work within the film industry is critical within a production design magazine as they would most likely discuss the creation of the film production they worked on. This information would captivate the target audience's attention as they aspire to and look upon people who have succeeded in the film industry. 

"Gossip" that reveals disclosed information-

Even though one of the magazine's main purposes is to inform a very common way to keep the audience intrigued is to write about something they might not know or that has not been publicized to the public yet. Due to the magazine being production design this "gossip" would not be on actors and instead would be about the cost of resources, the time taken to create aspects of the production, etc. 

Informative articles

The most critical article idea is informative articles. This is because my target audience is mainly young people who are currently studying film production or who have just begun working within the industry. Therefore informative articles that aid them to gain insight into things they might not have learned within their education would be significant and beneficial. 

MOOD BOARD:

COMPETING MAGAZINE

The American Cinematography Magazine 

The American Cinematography magazine also known as the ACS is an exclusive member-only magazine that creates a magazine about the technical side of the film industry as they discuss new equipment being used in films. Their USP is that they not only sell magazines but also promote themselves as an exclusive club that one can only get invited to in order to be a member. This creates an exclusivity that can be appealing to many people. However, based off of the behavior demographic of our target audience they might find it unnecessary and out of reach for them. 

Their first issue was 1st November 1920

Published monthly at a retail price of 48.49

Or

A one-year subscription of $29.99 (hardcopy)

Two-year subscription $49.99 (hardcopy)

Three-year subscription $89.95 (hardcopy)

Total Film

Total Film is a British film magazine that publishes magazines thirteens times a year, they publish their magazine monthly however during summer they add an issue. They launched their first issue in February 1997, the brand was then bought by Future plc in 2014 where they also collided with Gamesradar+. Content within the magazine is reviews of different films and features of personnel within the film industry. 

Due to Total Film being owned by a well-known large company, they are initially given a base of loyal customers who rely on Future Plc for the top brands related to the film industry. 

Total Film USP- “From all the latest blockbusters, comic-book tent poles, and sci-fi extravaganzas to the very best Oscar-baiters, arthouse masterpieces, hidden gems, and festival hits, you’ll find it at Total Film.”

Prices when sold at WHSmith

Cover price £5.25

12 months subscription £57.99

24 months subscription £108.99