Magazine Genre Research - Real Simple

Real Simple is a food magazine, this particular copy - Holiday Shortcuts and Recipes- is a Fall seasonal edition. RealSimple is part of Meredith Corp. which is one of the largest content companies in the world and the largest magazine operator in the United States. They distributed over 6.8 million copies in fall of 2017 during which the magazine peaked.

The cover of the magazine is laid out in a simple holiday theme. The dishes seen are round and are disproportionate which creates a sense of family and simplicity. On the left side, there is a third of a plant centerpiece and ruched up tablecloth which the plate of mashed potatoes sits on. The vibe conveyed is homey, authentic, and traditional which is expected during the holidays. The food images on the cover and throughout the magazine were taken on location, the main film studio for real simple is in Birmingham, Alabama.

The title of the magazine is in two shades of red; a darker wine red and a light red and the sub heading or the edition name is in large black letters. The article previews are scattered on the side alternating between black and red. Overall the color scheme is predominately red which gives the setup a feeling of authenticity and holiday. Everything from color scheme to subheading fonts are fall/thanksgiving related.

The table of contents is uncomplicated and neatly organized making the magazine easy to follow. Short previews of the articles are given via a picture and caption. I noted that in the table of contents 3/4 of the page is covered in pictures: three medium ones lined up at the bottom of equal proportion and then a large one on the top left of the page. An interesting aspect about RealSimple magazine is that at the bottom of every page the magazine name, date, and page number are included.

The actual content is equally distributed among ads, however advertisements take up about 50 to 60 percent of the pages in the magazine. There is a variety of ads but most of them are food related.

Camera Shots Activity

Wide shot

Low angle shot

Canted shot

Mid shot

Extreme Close up

High angle

project selection- Final decision-

In the end, I came to the conclusion that choosing to do the magazine project will be the best choice for me. It took me a while to finally decide, but after evaluating the pros and cons of each: it became clear. Photography and design have always interested me and this is a great way to expand on my current skills. The main theme of the magazine will be colorful, artistic and appealing food. I am a culinary student and would love to schedule photo-shoots in the kitchen as well as have amazing food be featured in the magazine. Since we are in the fall/winter seasons the magazine would center around southern holiday food. I will be working independently without a group, although this might prove to be a challenge; I believe having full control of the course my project will take allows me to grow more as a creative person. I will be in charge of all the decisions made when editing, scheduling, designing, and photographing.

Project Selection- Magazine

Deciding to do the magazine could be a good choice for me to help develop my editing, interviewing, writing, and photography skills. Journalism provides me creative freedom and new manner of expressing myself. The magazine analysis I did in class sparked an interest in printed media like National geographic and Times magazine. Most of the project would be done online and edited on computer applications which is a challenge for me as I am not exactly tech savvy, but i do enjoy photography and finding a way to bring meaning to an image. Art has always been a part of my life since childhood so producing an artistic product would fun for me. The magazine project also gives me the chance to learn how to interview people for an article and how to plan a photo shoot. Working independently also suits me because I would be responsible for all the work being done therefore I can learn how to time manage while staying on task.

-Project Election- Film

When considered which project I should pursue, the film initially called to me. In class when we watched the making of  'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' I felt immense admiration for all the actors, crew, camera-men, editors, producers, and director. It made me realize how many obstacles and challenges must be overcome: what is really takes to make a film. The most important aspect of production that I learned is that a film is made three times: when it is written, filmed, and edited. As always challenge comes with opportunity. Film production allows for creative freedom in the sense that with my group I have the chance to create an original piece.  working in a group is convenient because I would not have to do the whole process alone, but it is also restricting due to clashing creative views between peers. For these reasons I would prefer to work independently but a film is not something that can be possibly done by one person alone. Deadlines must also be considered as filming can have numerous setbacks while scripting, casting, filming, and editing.  I participated in a few middle school productions which would be an advantage due to the fact that I learned how a performance should flow. All in all, despite the hardships, the film project is very rigorous, exciting, and interesting.