Diploma in Creative Media Production & Technology

Unit 8 Project Proposal

Christopher Bellard
Candidate Name

Candidate
Number

Journalism (sports)
Pathway

Final Major Project - Rugby League Magazine

Project Title
Section 1: Rationale (approx. 100 words)
I feel like I’ve progressed quite well in the first seven units, and have learnt things that I
can incorporate into my final major project. I learnt how to use Photoshop when making
my horror film poster. I learnt how to use a DSLR Camera and take professional photos
with it when also making my horror film poster, as well as when doing my photography
assignment. I learnt how to analyse magazine front covers when doing semiotics for unit
4. I learnt how to conduct an interview when doing my radio and podcast projects.
Learning everything I have done in the first seven units has helped me decipher what I
enjoy the most and what I’m good at. I have then applied all of this to my personal
interests and aspirations in order to come up with a media product to do for my final
major project.
Section 2: Project Concept (approx. 200 words)
For my final major project, I will be producing a Rugby League magazine. For this
magazine, I will be creating a front cover, contents page and double page spread. For
my double page spread, I’ll be conducting an interview with someone who plays for or
works for a professional rugby league club. In terms of secondary research, I will be
researching what makes a good magazine for each of my components and finding
examples of existing magazines. In terms of primary research, I will be analysing all the
components of magazine products, creating a list of codes and conventions for each
component based off of my analysis of each one, record and set up a focus group and
researching what my audience expects from magazines and a magazine like this in the
form of a questionnaire. In terms of planning, I will be creating a proposal that outlines
what’s going to be in each part of my magazine, creating a photography list that outlines
all the photos I’ll be taking, writing out a set of questions I’ll be asking my interviewee,
doing some background research on my interviewee and drawing a rough sketch of
what my magazine is going to look like. I will be doing my research in the first 2 weeks
of my allotted 7, with my planning being done in the 3rd week of the 7. This then gives
me 4 weeks to do all of my production, post production and evaluation.
Section 3: Evaluation (approx. 50 words)
Throughout the project, I will be doing regular reflective diaries to reflect on every task
that I do. I will be evaluating all the feedback I get on my work and will use this to make
decisions on what I need to do to make my production work better. I will be doing a final
evaluation which reflects on everything I’ve learnt, developed, struggled with and
anything I can improve on if I ever did the project again.
Proposed Research Sources and Bibliography (Harvard Format)
Bigman, A. (2013) This is how you rock a magazine cover design.
At:https://99designs.com/blog/tips/how-you-rock-a-magazine-cover-design/#:~:te
xt=The%20basis%20of%20most%20magazine,dark%20background%20or%20vice
%20versa (Accessed 28/04/23).

Browne, S. (2022) 10 tips for designing magazines.

At:https://www.toastdesign.co.uk/magazine-design-articles/10-tips-for-designing-
magazines/#:~:text=A%20good%20contents%20page%20allows,or%20all%20of%
20the%20above) (Accessed 28/04/23).

CompleteSports. (2022) How To Write A Good Sports Article. At:

https://www.completesports.com/how-to-write-a-good-sports-article/ (Accessed
28/04/23).

Fussell, G. (2022) 10 Tips for Designing High-Impact Magazines. At:

https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/10-tips-for-designing-high-impact-magazines-
-cms-25956 (Accessed 28/04/23).

Keung, L. (2023) How to Make the Best Magazine Cover Design (Anatomy of a
Magazine Cover). At:
https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/how-to-make-the-best-magazine-cover-design
-learn-the-anatomy-of-a-magazine-cover--cms-35126 (Accessed 28/04/23).

O’Neill, L. (2015) 5 essential cover design tips. At:

https://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/5-essential-cover-design-tips-91516
920 (Accessed 28/04/23).

Nugno. (2019) What makes a good magazine layout? At:

https://medium.com/@bynugno/what-makes-a-good-magazine-layout-1afb293dc3
c8 (Accessed 28/04/23).

WebMaster. (2020) 7 Tips for Writing Your First Article In a Sports Magazine. At:
https://www.scacchoops.com/7-tips-for-writing-your-first-article-in-a-sports-maga
zine (Accessed 28/04/23).

Wikihow. (2023) 3 Ways to Write a Sports Article. At:

https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Sports-Article (Accessed 20/04/23).
Project Action Plan and Timetable
Week Date Week Activity / What you are intending to do -
Beginning including independent study
1 24/04/23 Pitch, proposal, examples of existing
sports magazines, analysis of existing
sports magazine front covers, contents
pages and double page spreads
2 01/05/23 Analysis of existing sports magazine
front covers, contents pages a double
page spreads, researching what makes a
good magazine front cover, contents
page and article, codes and conventions
of a sports magazine, experimentation
and questionnaire
Resources / What you will need to do it -
including access to workshops
Panasonic Video Camera, access to
Google Drive via an electronic device
(phone/computer/laptop), access to the
internet via an electronic device
(phone/computer/laptop), access to
Adobe Premiere Pro via College
computers/laptops, access to wix via
computer/laptop.
Access to the internet via an electronic
device (phone/computer/laptop), access
to Google Drive via an electronic device
(phone/computer/laptop), access to Wix
via computer/laptop, access to Quark
via College computer/laptop, Panasonic
Video Camera, DSLR Camera.
3 08/05/23 Focus group, proposal, photography list,
risk assessment, location recce,
interview questions, magazine sketch,
production schedule and interviewee
research
4 15/05/23 Production and post production
5 22/05/23 Post production
6 Feedback on magazine, final
29/05/23 amendments and evaluation
7 05/06/23 Feedback on magazine, final
amendments and evaluation
Access to the internet via an electronic
device (phone/computer/laptop), access
to Google Drive via an electronic device
(phone/computer/laptop), access to Wix
via computer/laptop, group of people
with a base knowledge of Rugby
League for focus group, phone for
location recce photos.
Access to Google Drive via an
electronic device
(phone/computer/laptop), access to Wix
via computer/laptop, access to
Photoshop via College computer/laptop,
access to Quark via College
computer/laptop, DSLR Camera, Radio
Room for interview (if more practical),
Zoom Recorder for interview (if more
practical).
Access to the internet via an electronic
device (phone/computer/laptop), access
to Google Drive via an electronic device
(phone/computer/laptop), access to Wix
via computer/laptop, access to Quark
via College computer/laptop, access to
Photoshop via College computer/laptop.
Access to the internet via an electronic
device (phone/computer/laptop), access
to Google Drive via an electronic device
(phone/computer/laptop), access to Wix
via computer/laptop, access to Quark
via College computer/laptop, access to
Photoshop via College computer/laptop,
DSLR Camera (incase I need to take any
more pictures).
Access to the internet via an electronic
device (phone/computer/laptop), access
to Google Drive via an electronic device
(phone/computer/laptop), access to Wix
via computer/laptop, access to Quark
via College computer/laptop, access to
Photoshop via College computer/laptop,
DSLR Camera (incase I need to take any
more pictures).