Statement of intent

My project will be a cover for an art/intellectual magazine, titled ‘Actorfied’, exploring the unique story of an emerging local actor, and how they challenged the traditional forms of acting. This magazine is devoted to exploring actors, and ideas that break the norm. The demographic of this cover will be teenage/young adult audience who have an interest in theatre, and gripping life stories. In terms of VALs Psychographic descriptors, this magazine will be targeted at Achievers, who can relate to the bravery and success of said actor, and Activators, who seek and take in the new and expressive ideas being portrayed. 

The cover will depict the main image being multiple versions of the actor overlapping each other as they circle props and masks around them. Each prop, mask and face will be a different colour representing each of the personalities and varying styles and roles that this actor can portray. I will not focus on making the circle of props/hats symmetrical as this magazine cover tries to embrace imperfections. For sections of each cover line, I will highlight or make certain words stand out so that the main message can be brought out in a much bolder and simpler way. I want the main image to pop out to the viewer, so I will use layering of graphics, probably red paint striking across the background, which will not only separate the image from the background but will also connote an artistic theme. In one of the cover lines, I specifically would like to create a form of binary opposition, where it’ll talk about going against the norm, however the word ‘norm’ will be in a different style compared to the rest of the text on the cover, bringing across the message that being different is the only normal thing. All of this will help in presenting an abstract view on this already predefined world of acting and should help to open the viewer to wider ideas.  

The motives for the audience that I am exploiting through this magazine cover is personal identity. According to the Uses and Gratifications theory, personal identity is something that the viewer will be able to see in themselves through the media text, and in this case, the magazine cover could inspire the viewer to experiment and try something new, unorthodox, brave, just like this cover is doing, just like what the actor’s message is trying to bring across. This cover also explores embracing difference, which will be heavily highlighted in the cover lines as well as a wide variety of unusual colours and visuals.