Contact sheet - photography prep for magazine

SAFFRON

 

„

WILLOW

RUBY

My NEA Pitch

NEA Audience research

 Audience research

Target demographic;

• According to the brief it needs to be "primarily a 16-25 year old middle and up market who like to be engaged"
• My main target audience will be females ages 16-25
• ABC1 demographic profile
• Students, sixth formers, uni students, early-career young adults
• Those interested in the reading of mental health, self-image, beauty standards and wellbeing
• Social-media active (instagram, TikTok, pinterest)
• Regular consumers of health and lifestyle magazine content
• Tech savvy 
• A lot of teenagers are often engaged in the spotlight of skincare shown by influencers - they often compare themselves to these people - a magazine to prevent negative self-image and promote body positivity - focusing on mental health

Audience needs;

 - My magazine should aim to reassure the audience about body image pressures 

 - Honest conversations about cosmetic enhancement - due to my demographics ages being so easily manipulated by social media about aesthetic surgeries

 - Representation of different life stages of womanhood - peoples experiences as they have grown up - peoples personal self-love - elder models talking about their past regrets and their beneficial actions in the past that affects them today - practical well-being advice alongside visual storytelling

What my demographic engages with in popular culture in;

SOCIAL MEDIA

• Instagram - body positivity influencers, wellness creators, expensive skin care routines
• TikTok - mental health awareness, 'real vs filtered' identity content, cosmetic transparency trends
• YouTube - fitness journeys, self-confidence advice, lifestyle vloggers
• Pinterest - self-care aesthetics, motivational imagery, fitness inspiration

CURRENT SOCIAL THEMES

• Feminism and female movement
• Identity and self-perception
• Ageing anxiety beginning earlier due to social media exposure
• Ethical debates around cosmetic surgery

ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES

• Reality documentaries about transformation and well being
• Lifestyle podcasts about confidence and self-improvement
• Streaming content exploring identity and modern womanhood

How does this link to my health magazine ideas?

- Due to my target demographic engaging with the pop culture list above, they are more likely to respond to relatable real-life models rather than celebrities

- The empowering coverlids I will aim to use should also be engaging for the audience instead of pressure-based messages

- I will also focus on visually engaging content due to the age group being more interested with intriuging visual features rather than a lot of text to read. However, along with this visual engaging element, my content will be advice-led.

NEA initial ideas

 Media Coursework ideas;

Health Magazine - 

• Mental health; behind the scenes of someones life - people covering up their feelings (incorporate that into the front cover image)
• Mental health (focusing more on appearance) - the overuse of plastic in faces and how its unhealthy in the long term
• Women's health - use different social groups (possibly use different ages - elder model about the health they focused on in their past life and how its affected them today) 
• Women's health - skincare, body care, daily self-care and advice to those around them
• Mens mental health - how its avoided and they are seen as vulnerable when their own mental health is mentioned
• Health in exercise - women's sport and how it positively affects lives and health as you grow older

Images Inspo;

- Self care, self positivity - body dysmorphia - mental HEALTH

Music video summary

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuwfgXD8qV8&list=RDuuwfgXD8qV8&start_radio=1

Richard Dyers Star theory

Katy Perry’s “Part of Me” music video strongly reflects Richard Dyer’s Star Theory by constructing Perry as a carefully manufactured star image that audiences can both admire and relate to. The narrative shows Perry transforming from an emotionally vulnerable woman after a breakup into a strong, disciplined Marine, reinforcing Dyer’s idea that stars are built on contradictions—in this case, vulnerability versus strength. While Perry is already a highly glamorous pop star, the video presents her in minimal makeup, military uniform, and physically demanding training scenarios, making her appear more “real” and hardworking. This relatability helps maintain audience loyalty, as fans feel she represents resilience and empowerment rather than unattainable perfection. The video also reinforces her established brand as an independent, confident woman, showing how star images are constructed across media texts to promote both authenticity and ideology.

The “Part of Me” music video closely follows Andrew Goodwin’s theory, particularly the idea that there is a strong relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics about independence, self-worth, and emotional strength are directly illustrated through the narrative of Perry leaving a toxic relationship and joining the Marines, visually representing the line “This is the part of me that you’re never gonna ever take away from me.” The video also demonstrates Goodwin’s concept of music videos promoting the artist’s star image, as Perry is central to the narrative and remains the clear focus throughout. Additionally, while there is limited sexualisation compared to other pop videos, Perry’s presence still aligns with Goodwin’s idea of looking, as the camera often frames her as a powerful and inspirational figure. Overall, the video uses a clear narrative structure to reinforce the song’s meaning and strengthen Perry’s brand identity.

Big Issue front cover