Coursework: Preliminary Exercise 2025 - Print

 Preliminary exercise: Celebrity Gossip Magazine

Your preliminary exercise involves creating and editing a front cover and single page spread - similar to your coursework. The magazine needs to be appropriate to the print brief we have been given in terms of content and target audience. 

The magazine must include:

Front cover: Title for the magazine and original masthead design; Selling line; Cover price; Dateline; Main original cover image; At least four cover lines.

Single page spread: Headline, standfirst and subheadings; Original story for single page feature

(approx. 350–400 words) that links to one of the cover lines on the front cover; Main original image (different from that used on the front cover) plus at least three smaller original images.

Both: Clear brand and house style for the magazine, including use of images, colour palette and

fonts.

Key writing and editing skills

Watch this great introduction to article writing - it covers the basics of the creative process:

Magazine examples

Here's a reminder of some magazines you can use as inspiration for your preliminary exercise:

Preliminary exercise tasks: Celebrity Gossip Magazine

Task: Create a front cover and single page spread - similar to your coursework. The magazine needs to be appropriate to the brief we have been given in terms of content and target audience. 

Length: approximately 350-400 words

Equipment: Smart phone or a school camera (limited numbers available); school computers/home computers Note: you may need to bring in the cable to capture the videos from your phone or use data to upload to Google Drive / iCloud.

Groups: None. You MUST work individually. However, other people can appear in your photos or operate equipment (e.g. camera) as long as they are directed by the candidate submitting the work. You may want to get into groups of two or three to help each other complete this task.

What your magazine needs to include:

Content: 

- A front cover and single page feature for a new celebrity gossip magazine, aimed at an audience demographic of NRS social grades C2DE.

- The double page feature must focus on a celebrity influencer who is launching their new book. - - The book is about making positive lifestyle changes.

- Two pages in total, including at least three original images.

Camerawork:

- You must include at least two unique shots but you will hopefully include much more from a wide variety of shot types (e.g. long shot, medium shot, close-up, extreme close-up, over-the-shoulder shot and either a high or low angle shot.

Features:

Front cover

• Title for the magazine and original masthead design

• Selling line

• Cover price

• Dateline

• Main original cover image

• At least four cover lines.

Single page spread

• Headline, standfirst and subheadings

• Original article for single page feature (approx. 350–400 words) that links to one of the cover lines on the front cover

• Main original image (different from that used on the front cover) plus at least two smaller original images.

Deadlines

Planning and filming: This week's lessons.

Editing and final deadline: Next week.

Specific deadlines: see Google Classroom.


Initial Tasks: planning

Before creating anything in Media you need to plan out exactly what you are going to do. You need to complete the following planning tasks on your blog before you can film anything:

Create a blogpost called 'Coursework preliminary exercise' and produce the following.

1) Write a 100 word statement of intent explaining what you are going to make for your preliminary exercise.

Statement of intent: 100 words explaining what you plan to make.

Example statement of intent [199 words]: 

I plan to produce a two-page spread for a magazine focusing on a celebrity's recent fashion choices and lifestyle. The article will analyse a well-known figure's style evolution, from their early red-carpet appearances to their current, more refined looks.

The first page will feature a large, high-quality photograph of the celebrity in a recent, iconic outfit. The accompanying text will provide a brief introduction and an overview of the celebrity's fashion journey. I'll use a clean, modern font for the headlines and body text to give the spread a sophisticated feel.

The second page will break down specific elements of the celebrity's current style. I'll include a series of smaller photos, each highlighting a different outfit or accessory, such as a handbag or a pair of sunglasses. The text will offer insights into the designer brands they favour, and I'll add some quotes from fashion experts or the celebrity themselves to make the content more engaging. The page will end with a "get the look" section, offering readers affordable alternatives to some of the showcased items. The overall tone will be informative and aspirational, allowing readers to feel connected to the celebrity's world while also providing practical style advice. [199 words]

2) Write an outline for your preliminary exercise on your blog. This needs to include talking points and photo lists. To see how a magazine is presented, and to look at professional examples, check out the following link which gives lot of tips and tricks on how to layout and plan your magazine.

3) Casting: Who will be in your magazine?

4) Plan your locations: Where you will shoot your preliminary exercise? (You can take photos off-site if you wish to do this for homework - this is what we would strongly recommend). Important note: You CANNOT take any students out of any other lessons OR disturb any other lessons in the school. If you wish to take shots in-school then you will need to shoot with Mr Ray supervising or after school with a Media teacher present. 

5) Write your shot list: every shot you plan to film. This needs to be far MORE shots than you will actually use in the final edited version - plan extra angles, close-ups, long shots and more. You can find an example shot list here. This is for a narrative film but the layout will be the same.