Company Title

This is my recreation of the magazine title that will be on the front cover of my production piece. It will feature the whole way across the top of the page as this is the most prominent place for it to be.

Company Barcode

I recreated this barcode to be positioned on the bottom left corner of the front cover. This code allows computer systems to scan it and gain data about the object. It has been produced in a machine-readable format that can be decoded or recorded. The website is underneath so the readers can see where they can go for an online version with more information. The web address is a prominent feature throughout the magazine. the recurrance of it allows the readers to remember it so they can access the site if they have the internet nearby. It also features at hte same eye level as the page numbers which makes it almost impossible to avoid if looking for a certain page, thus making it more memorable.

Article Image

These are my models featured in the image for the article. They represent the higher and lower end of the age scale of which the magazine is aimed at: teenagers.
Safiya (left) is dressed in a casual black and blue dress to signify that the readers can look like the models. Clarissa (right) is wearing a floral pattern dress which is very 'IN' in the fashion world. the models are looking straight into the camera to appeal directly to the audience.

This image is the background for the first page of the double page spread. Initially there would be one image across both pages but there was a complication with the scenery during the photo shoot, so I decided to take two separate pictures then put them together on the final piece. The bright colours reflect the house style of the magazine as it attracts a young age range.

Article

Censorship, Whatever!

Who chooses what you watch?

Did you know that 72% of 129 parents would switch off or turn over as a result of seeing something ‘concerning’? Can you believe it? Imagine watching your favourite singer on the X Factor and your parent suddenly turns over the channel because she is wearing a dress that is a little short and low cut. Well not any more. Isn’t that how celebs dress these days? Clarissa wants to take charge ‘I’m tired of not being able to watch what I want’, says the 16 year old who is in the same position as many other teenagers, thanks to the parents that want to control their children. 12 year old Safiya feels the same way ‘I don’t have to listen to what they say; I can do what I like’. Both Safiya and Clarissa understand pressure and so TV helps remove some stress. How can this be done if parents get in the middle? Here’s their thoughts and how they deal with it.

What do you think about your parents’ censorship rules?

 Safiya: It’s not fair. I Waited until I was 12 and till it came on TV to see Pirates of the Caribbean, but my parents still won’t let me see it, even though I’m allowed to. They need to make some new rules that are better and give me more freedom to watch what I want.

Clarissa: I think it is cruel and unusual punishment. All I want is to watch my favourite programmes.  By keeping it restricted, it just makes me want to watch something more and discover more ways to do so. What other 16 year old is told what not to watch by their parents? Trust me, if I want to watch something, I will find a way.

How badly has the censorship affected you?

Clarissa: So much. I don’t mean to sound dramatic but I can’t live without watching my favourite shows like 90210 and TOWIE. My mum says they are glorified ‘teenagers’ that look 30. With these rules I don’t get to experience new programmes and broaden my viewing range. I can’t even watch Gok’s Fashion Fix with someone saying ‘we’re turning this over as this young lady is wearing next to nothing’. It was only underwear which I wear too.

Safiya: Really really badly. My parents were born in the stone ages so they don’t know what TV is like now. I don’t get what they see is so bad about TV. They have this parent vision that makes them able to see something that would ‘corrupt’ my mind.

Do you think you could do a better job?

Safiya: I know I can even with my eyes closed. I know what I should be watching, I have rights too! I can give myself so much freedom. Parents only want to keep you as a child and not let you explore the TV.

Clarissa: Of course, I can judge for myself what I should and shouldn’t watch. I’m 16; I’m not a child anymore. There is nothing too explicit that I don’t already know about by this age. I tired of not being able to watch what I want, when I want.

How have you escaped their watchful eye in the past? If you have.

Clarissa: In the evening, I would tell my mum that I am tired and go up to bed whilst she turns off the TV and also goes to bed. Then I come back down and watch what I want to watch without interruptions, usually. As I have a laptop quite a few of my programmes and movies I watch online. I mean who hasn’t lied about their age and ticked the box that asks ‘are you over 16 or 18?’.

Safiya: Once I was watching a film with my older sister who is 17 and my dad walked in to inspect the film she was watching. There was nothing on the screen that was ‘harmful’ at the time, so my dad left. He didn’t know that I was hiding behind the bed. My sister doesn’t agree with the rules either, so she lets me watch what I want and doesn’t tell on me. I don’t have to listen to what they say.

Have you ever been caught watching something you weren’t supposed to?

Safiya: Actually, there was a time I was watching a programme with my sister and I didn’t hide in time for my dad’s inspection and so he sent me out of her room and told her to lock the door. He sad ‘I’m sure this film isn’t suitable for you and I’m pretty sure this isn’t your room either.’

Clarissa: Yes, a few times. I was watching Burlesque the movie when my dad walked in and said “what is this filth you’re watching” just when Christina Aguilera was performing her solo in a bra and knickers outfit laced with pearls. It was rated 12A so it wasn’t like I was watching anything I wasn’t legally allowed to.

What advice can you give to our readers?

Clarissa: I would say the best way to avoid criticism from parents is to go online, if you have a personal computer/laptop, to watch your favourite programmes or movies. If you are over the age, it shouldn’t be a problem to see something at the cinema or buy on DVD. Another good way is to go to a friend’s house whose parents don’t mind what their child watches.

Safiya: Watch it in secret; if someone walks in quickly change the channel and pretend you’re watching something else. I do that a lot.

Article plan

First paragraph is background infomation on the topic:

• Quote from model: 'I'm tired of not being able to watch what I want.' says 16 year old Clarissa
• Fact: Did you know that 72% of 129 parents/carers would switch off or turn over as a result of seeing something 'concerning'?
• Relation to a real life scenario: Imagine watching your favourite singer on XFactor and your mum suddenly turns over the channel because they were wearing a short dress with a plunging neckline. Frustrating right?
• Quote from personal experience: 'In my house I used to have no control over what I watch'
• Use second person to relate to readers: You don't have to put up with it
• Quote: ''I'm 16, I'm not a child anymore'.
• Introduction into her opinions: Here's her thoughts and how she deals with it.

Questions

• What do you think about your parents/carers censorship rules?
• How badly has the censorship affected you?
• Do you think you could do a better job?
• How have you escaped their watchful eye in the past?
• What advice can you give to our readers?

Quote on image: 'I'm 16, I'm not a child anymore'

Competition: Win two tickets to any 18 rated movie of your choice. For your chance to win visit http://www.company.co.uk/

This image or a similar image will
accompany the competition text.

Images

This is a sample head shot picture of my model who I will use on the front cover and the article.

Company is a fashion, celebrity and lifestyle magazine and so the model on the cover must represent an element of being fashionable, as well as a popular person that is likeable. The readers need to feel as though they want to be her and dress like she does as they think their life will suddenly be better.
For my front cover image I would have my model in a blue, one shoulder gathered dress. It has a satin waistband, a short, wide batwing sleeve and is draped just above the knee.
The model is looking straight into the camera showing confidence and also as if she is looking directly at the readers. The 'hands on hips' stance also portrays her confidence and her feminist spirit and power. The model will wear make-up that looks natural as this is a positive image towards women showing that you can look natural with applying large amounts. She will have a loose wavy hairstyle which can be easily replicated by any of the readers.

This is a sample long shot image of my model for the article. She is dressed in Jeans and a simple Jumper to relate to her audience. I may change the outfit to make it seem more glamorous as she is representing a famous, inspiring figure. She will keep the same hairstyle and make-up as on the front cover. For this image I will change the pose to one hand on the hip still projecting confidence. The model will use a fierce facial expression to show she is in control of her own life, her own censorship., relating to the article

Headline

As my article is about censorship I think the title should link to the content. It should be able to relate to teenagers, catch their attention and make them want to read the article.
Some ideas I had for Headlines are:

• You decide how to censor
• Censorship, whatever!
• Who chooses what you watch?

I have chosen to use 'Censorship, Whatever!' as the headline as it is catchy and relateable to a teenage audience, and 'Who chooses what you watch?' as the subheading. This question causes the readers to think and simultaneously invites them to read the rest of the article to gain some advice.

Front cover and feature sketch

This is a sketch of the layout of the front cover to show where all the images and text will be placed. I used the codes and conventions of the Company magazine cover to recreate a rough idea of what it will look like.

This is a sketch of the double page spread of my article. It shows which title I chose and how the layout will look in terms of basic content and design. After analysing the feature from the original magazine I could recreate it in my own version.

Final Choice

My final choice of style for my practical piece will be the Company Magazine. I chose this one because I liked the interview style layout. This would fit with my article as the question-answer format suits my content and aim of asking teenagers about their veiws on censorship. This way I can get an opinion of a teenager and then tell them what they can do to avoid being caught waching a movie or TV programme they are too young for. By using models similar to the age of the target audience of the magazine, they may find the stories about avoiding parental censorship humorous as they may have used the same efforts to come to the same conclusion. The language is colloquial and therefore relates to the target audience, as well as being easy to read by the younger teenagers.