Evaluation: Question 7

7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learned in the progression from it to the full product?

 
My full cover                                      My preliminary cover

 
My full contents page                         My preliminary contents page

My final cover looks much more professional;

-          The editing of the picture for the final magazine looks more real as I had a better grasp of Photoshop,
-          The articles are in line (compared to all over the place in prelim),
-          The font is much more visible on the final one.
-          The font for the final one fits much better with the style of the magazine.
-          The picture in the prelim magazine looks as if it is spontaneous not planned.
-          The final has a bar code, allowing the customers to pay for it; however, it isn’t needed in the prelim magazine as it is free.
-          The title is much brighter in the final magazine, grabbing the consumers’ attention.
-          The layout of the final magazine is much neater and more professional than the prelim which is all over the place in terms of layout

I feel I have evolved much more advanced editing skills, especially on Photoshop. As the picture in the finished cover looks realistic, whereas the eyes and teeth in the preliminary task quite frankly look scary. This is because I didn't know when to stop with the dodge tool, now though, I feel that my skills are much better, and I know the limits when editing a person to ensure that they look realistic. I feel that without doing the preliminary product, however, my final piece would have been just as bad as my Photoshop skills wouldn't have been as finely tuned as they are now.

I have also learnt new skills on Photoshop, how to add makeup for example, which I did with the dodge tool on the cover picture as it wasn't quite how I wanted it.

When it comes to layout skills on InDesign, my skills have improved drastically, as I was new to using InDesign, and found it extremely complex, so not knowing how to layout a magazine didn't help here at all.
After looking at other covers for both tasks, I found it easier to see how to lay things out, however, for my preliminary products the layout is too spaced out and doesn't look professional (although that may have something to do with the fact that I just looked at magazines other students had made to help make mine). For my finished products I had a much better idea of what I was doing, and they look much more professional, this is shown a greatly with each comparison, as the article titles are all over the place on the preliminary cover, and are too spaced out on the contents page.
Another thing that has improved is my idea of what fonts should be used. The preliminary tasks use a calligraphy type font for the front cover in too many colours that doesn't look good, and a simple font for the rest of it that looks amateurish which looks even worse paired with the overly-big numbers.

I think I can safely say that I have learnt a lot more when it comes to what does and doesn't work in a magazine since my preliminary task, and that the preliminary task helped my to hone my editing skills.

Evaluation: Question 6

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

At the beginning of the course I found using technologies I used, i.e. Adobe InDesign and adobe Photoshop, very complex as I had not previously used them before. However, after using them for months and getting used to the controls and different features of the programmes through watching YouTube videos, teachers help, and general practice, I feel I have gotten a lot better at using them.
For example, at the beginning of the year, I would have found it difficult to tell you where the dodge tool was on Photoshop. Now I can move a person to a different place on a photo using the quick select tool, and fill in the missing space with the clone stamp, spot healing tool, and blur tool, making it look like it was always there.
I am a lot more comfortable with using the technologies now and have learnt many new and useful skills from them as demonstrated in my work.

Evaluation: Question 5

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

To attract my audience I included a wide range of artists and music in my magazine, both oldies and debuting artists. Because of this wider range, I believe that more people will buy 'M', as people who are familiar with a certain artist may see them on the front page, and because of that recognition, buy the magazine.
There is a large picture of the featured artist; Lola Summers, on the front cover of my magazine, in order to draw in fans of them. As she is young. like my target audience, it is likely more people would read it as they can relate to her more easily.
The bright colours on the front page; red, white and blue, as well as my bright masthead, help to attract my audience as they are more inclined to pick up something that look fun and interesting, as these colours are.
I have used a conventional layout to address my audience, as a confusing cover page is more likely to push potential buyers away, rather than attract them, so the title is at the top, the picture is in the middle and the article titles are around the edge, as most magazines are laid out.
Things like font were also taken into consideration, so I have used a bold font, as it looks exciting and grabs attention. The button on the cover looks different, so will attract my audience as they are individual and will appreciate something which looks original.

Evaluation: Question 4

4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

My target audience is fans of indie music aged between 18 and 21, as this was the age range which most people buying music magazines were in. However, as I feel that this is a very exclusive and small range, it will be extended to a secondary audience of 16 to 25 year olds.
The magazine will be mostly gender neutral, with a slight lean towards women as many music magazines are aimed towards men.
I am doing this because I feel there is a gap in the market for a younger, fresher magazine, and because of this, I feel that it would sell well.
The typical 'M' reaader will be young, fun-loving, up to date, and alternative (as this is the sort of music which will be featured in my magazine).

Evaluation: Question 2

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups ?

My media product represents a younger indie social group through the use of brighter colours (red, white) which appeal to a younger audience, and the inclusion of obscure and indie artists in the content of the magazine.
The inclusion of top 10s and other such lists encourages the readers to get involved and go and see for themselves if they are really that good, and the interactive features of the completions and the website encourage readers interact with the magazine itself and have a say in what is written, making the magazine a form of we-media, written by the people for the people, because although it will be written by journalists it will have the readers input in it. This interactivity is something that appeals much more to a younger audience of around the age of my target audience, as this generation is a digital age, and people's opinion is something that is shared widely, especially the indie social group, as indies are independent thinkers so will all have their own opinion on things. If my magazine can include this feature then it will appeal to this social group more.

Evaluation: Question 1

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

My media product imitates the conventions of the indie-rock music magazines by sticking to the general bold writing, the fun-loving artists (which I have imitated in my photographs), and the colour red which seemed to be a very popular colour used for this genre.
I have chosen the same distributor (Bauer media) as many other music magazines, including 'Q'.
I have designed my double page spread article to be a Q & A, which is typical of music magazines, and have kept one page for the picture and the other for mainly writing. However, I have challenged conventions here by keeping the picture running throughout both pages and using the picture as a background to my article which worked as this was snow so the black writing showed up well.
My contents page was heavily influenced by 'Q', using a red, white and black colour scheme and keeping the article titles to the left and the pictures to the right. However, I developed the style to suit my magazine by having a letter from the editor, a column on the right hand side containing a list of artists, and a much larger 'monthly' section.
I felt that by doing this I could entice a larger devoted following as having more monthly articles meant that there was more for people to enjoy, whether they were into festivals or competitions. Another way in which I developed my magazine away from conventions was by including a large amount of content on festivals rather than artists (although I still had plenty of those). This meant that my demographic was kept to my younger target audience as younger people tend to go to festivals.

Contents page

My finished contents page:

I have added in another line at the bottom to create a slight border.
The letter from the editor has been moved to be smaller and I have moved the picture to the corner as the writing going around the picture wasn't very readable.
I have increased the number of articles and decreased the font size to make the page look more full, and given the feature of the issue; Lola Summers, her own section, named 'Summer special'. This part is boarded by yellow and the colour of the title and numbers is the same yellow, which is a summery colour.
The monthly articles section has been increased to fill up the space underneath the photo.
The fonts have all been changed to the same as on the cover; market deco, and the descriptions are all kartika. This is because I felt the other font; outsiders, didn't work with the genre of the magazine.
The title of the column; 'M's 10 debut acts' has been changed to 'watch this space' as I felt there were too many top 10s etc. in the issue.

Cover

This is my finished cover. The only thing I have changed from the last draft is the font, as I felt that the last font didn't fit with the style of the magazine. Now it is all the same font so it fits in better with the rest of the magazine. 

Double page spread

Draft 1:

 

The picture looks good for the background as there is not too much going on, and links in with the title well. The artist looks like she is having fun and so creates a sense of informality with the reader. Also the coloured model stands out well against the black and white background.

The split between the music artist’s side of the picture and the writing makes the page look neat.

The font is too formal for this magazine.

The use of the columned writing makes it look more professional as most magazines use columns to write their articles.

The different coloured quote looks good, giving an insight in to the article, however, it isn’t bright enough to draw the reader’s attention, this needs to be bolder.

The caption underneath the title gives a brief description about the article, helping the reader to decide whether or not they want to read the article. The writing is not very visible against the black trees, it needs to be bolder.

The title quote of the album name, ‘snowfall’ lets fans recognise that it is about the artist’s new album.

Final:

The shortening of the title looks much better and fits in better with the article content.

The font change fits in much better with the style of the magazine.

The underneath the title caption is much clearer as it has been enlarged and made bolder.

The quote is much clearer as the spacing around it is bigger and it has been made bolder and larger.





Cover drafts

Draft 1:

 

The masthead is bold and bright, which catches the consumers eye and draws attention to the magazine, helping it to sell.

The colour scheme is red, white and blue. I have taken inspiration from ‘Q’ and ‘Spin’ here. The colours complement each other and the repetition of the colours creates a sense of cohesion.

The typo of ‘Found out’ looks unprofessional; it needs to be ‘find out’.

The blue bars separate the articles, making it clear that they are different from each other and making the front cover neater by keeping them in their own section. I have taken inspiration from ‘Spin’ and ‘Q’ for this

The use of the logo in ‘M50’ gives the magazine its own brand and makes the list the magazines own.

The font sizes of the article titles and content are different, making the article titles stand out more than the content to catch the reader’s eye and then give more information.

The main featured article title is placed separately; this shows the importance of the article by making it clearer for the audience to read. The fact that it is closer to the top than the other articles shows that it is higher up in importance.

The close up of the models face, and the fact that she is looking into the camera creates eye contact creates a link with the audience and encourages them to buy it as the front page model is looking at them. The picture also takes up the whole page making it look fuller and busier without looking cluttered.

The button makes the competition stand out. The fact that it looks as if it has just been stuck on to the cover makes it look casual and creates an informal link between the audience and the editor.

Draft 2:

The font types have been changed. This makes it look a lot better as the titles are in a different font from the information, making it clear that they are the titles. Also the font types fit in better with the style of my magazine and are more interesting than the previous font.

I have moved the font to the side. This makes it look neater; it also covers less of the model’s face, and is more visible on the darker background of her hair.

I have rotated the button slightly. This makes it seem even more of a last minute stuck-on thing as it isn’t even on straight.

 

I have added a bar code. This makes it look more professional as it gives the shop assistant something to scan when people buy it.

Contents page drafts

This is my first draft of my contents page:

The title is too small, it isn't clear enough that this is the contents page. However, the use and placing of the logo is good, as it creates a sense of cohesion, carrying on the logo from the cover. 

The colour change on the numbers separate them from the rest of the chunk of writing, making it easier to read the page numbers. However, I don't like the font for the numbers (or any of the page), it doesn't look professional, only messy and difficult to read. 

The page is too blank. It needs more article titles to fill it, and things need moving around so the page doesn't look so empty. 

The colours: red, white and black, continue onto this page, creating a sort of house style and a sense of cohesion throughout the magazine. 

The use of the column here makes the article stand out, thus the audience will be more likely to read it. 

The article 'Competition time' is not in line with the rest of the articles, making the page look messy and unprofessional. Also the gap underneath it doesn't look good. 

There is not enough written in the 'letter from the editor' is relation to the amount of space given to it. There needs to be more written here. 

My second draft:

The title is a much better size and font. It spans most of the width of the page, and the thickness of the bar makes the page look fuller, and draws attention to the fact that it is the contents page. Also the addition of the website promotes the online version and creates an interactive feature, so the audience can get involved.

The line on the left-hand side creates a border, boxing in the writing and making it look neater. The smaller grey bars between pictures and writing also have this effect, but to a lesser extent. 

The page looks busy, thus making the magazine look like it has a lot to offer. However, I think there could be more article titles. 

The subheadings, 'Features' and 'Monthly articles' are in their own boxes, and written in the same font as 'contents'. This separates the page out, so the reader will not be daunted or bored by looking at one massive chunk of writing. The use of subheadings also make it easier for the audience to locate the article they are looking for. 

I have added a different coloured box for the 'letter from the editor', giving it a clearer title and separating it from the rest of the page. 

The 'letter from the editor' also has more words in it, and looks fuller. The picture has been placed in the middle of the writing to create more room for the rest of the page, and to create a different effect in this part of the magazine as the writing goes around the edges of the picture

The page numbers are easier to read, and are separated from the article titles both by the different colour, and by the '|'. 

The enlargement of the titles makes them more visible than the less important descriptions, catching the reader's eye before enticing them to read on.

The column at the right-hand side looks better due to the smaller size of the circle, and the change of font. Although the spacing of the names is not quite right, I do not feel that it affects the page drastically as it is only the names of the debut acts. 

The bar on the picture makes it clear that the picture is part of that article. 

Editing

To edit the photos I used the dodge tool to brighten the eyes and teeth, and the spot healing tool to remove blemishes.
On the cover photo I also used the burn tool to darken the area surrounding the hair and face.
Editing the double page spread photo took a long time.
First of all I selected the model using the quick selection tool.
Then I moved her to another area of the photo. (I did this so I had an area to write on for my double page spread)
To fill in the blank space left by moving her, I used the clone stamp tool to recreate the trees in the background. This took a long time, as replacing the background from nothing meant having to line up trees etc. Because of this, any imperfections really stood out.
I used the spot healing tool to remove imperfections in the snow, the fencing behind the trees, and the bench.
I increased the vibrancy of the photo, and changed the background to black and white.
The edited photo before:

And after:

Article content

After looking at double page spreads I have found that many were in a Q & A format. This allowed the readers to submit their own questions to ask the artist, thus including an interactive feature in the piece.
The questions asked involved ones about the artist's personal life, their song style/content, and what they were planning to do next.
The Q & A format allows the reader to skip to a question they want to read, and it means that the reader get a more direct answer, rather than the artist rambling on about things that the audience isn't interseted in. It also means that I can set out the page in a neater fashion, question by question, with the answers written underneath.
I will write a Q & A interview article for my double page spread as I belive it is the best way to ensure that I can keep the page neat, and there will be something for everyone, as there are bound to be quite a few questions for the readers to sift through.

Layout

I'm going to analyse the layout of 'Q' and 'Spin', to help me decide how to layout my own magazine cover.

First of all; the masthead. Both have bright red mastheads with simple white writing, and both are in the upper left-hand corner. I like the simplicity of this, and also of the one letter title which Q has.
The featured article titles are both in the upper right-hand corner. This places these articles at paramount importance for each magazine, as they are at the top of the heirarchy that is the magazine cover, and makes it look like the title for that particular magazine issue.
They each use the red, white and blue colour scheme (it's more of a mint blue but this could be hinting at the British flag), although 'Spin' also includes black. I like the cohesion of these colours, and I think that it makes the magazine look neat and clean, so it is easier to read.
To separate the articles the magazines use small bars, this increases the spacing between titles, making it clearer that they are different articles, and adds to the neatness of the magazines.
I like the use of the button on the front cover of 'Q'. It looks as if it has been stuck onto the magazine as an after thought, that it is so new that it wasn't included on the cover for the first print. It also draws more attention to the preview (helped by the brightness of the blue), so more people are encouraged to read it.
The cover picture for both magazines is aligned in the centre of the page, so it is the first thing that the reader will see. Both artists are in enticing poses, 'Spin's Duffy is reaching out to pull the readers in, and 'Q's Florence fills up the entire page with her face (and hair) making the cover look like it has more to offer, and she is looking directly at the reader (as is Duffy), and eye contact makes it more likely that they will buy the magazine, as there is a connection between the artist and the audience.
The barcode is non-existent on 'Spin' and it has been shoved into the lower left-hand corner on 'Q's cover, showing the unimportance of the barcode, as it contains no insight to the content of the issue, and is only there for payment. However, it is still tastefully placed, and fits in with the rest of the cover's colour scheme.

In my cover I will include:
-A simple white and red masthead, in the upper corner of the page
-A red white and blue colour scheme
-A button like the one on 'Q'
-The main article title in the top corner
-The barcode in a lower corner
-A picture of the artist, in the middle, making eye contact
-Little coloured blocks to separate the titles

My Target Audience

My target audience is people aged between 18 and 21, as this was the age range which most people buying music magazines were in. However, as I feel that this is a very exclusive and small range, it will be extended to a secondary audience of 16 to 25 year olds.
This is a younger target audience than most music magazines (Rolling Stone's being 18 - 30 and NME's being men 17-30), and as well as this I feel that the magazine will be mostly gender neutral, with a slight lean towards women as many music magazines are aimed towards men.
I am doing this because I feel there is a gap in the market for a younger, fresher magazine, and because of this, I feel that it would sell well.
The typical 'M' reaader will be young, fun-loving, up to date, and alternative (as this is the sort of music which will be featured in my magazine).
To attract this audience I will include a wide range of artists and music in my magazine, both oldies and debuting artists. Because of this wider range, I believe that more people will buy 'M', as people who are familiar with a certain artist may see them on the front page, and because of that recognition, buy the magazine.
There will be a large picture of the featured band or artist on the front cover of each issue, in order to draw in fans of them, and a bright masthead will help to attract attention to the magazine.

Title

The masthead of the magazine is one of the first things the audience will see. If the magazine's name is bad, then the audience isn't going to buy it.
Other magazine names, 'Q' for example, are short and simple, and the use of only a single letter leaves the audience asking what it means. This trigger of thought can help ensure that your magazine is on their mind, and as they are thinking about it they are going to be much more likely to buy it.
As the masthead is short, it can fit into a top corner, leaving more space to advertise the contents of the magazine.
The colour of the masthead can also draw attention to the magazine, many music magazines, including both 'Spin' and 'Q' have a red and white title, which definitely helps to draw the reader's attention.
Taking inspiration from titles I have seen, I have decided to call my magazine 'M', which stands for music, an obvious choice, I know, but the simplicity of the masthead means that the reaader has more time to enjoy the magazine, rather than pondering on the title.
I also think that the white writing on a red background works really well, so I shall use this, however, I think a simple font should be used.

Evaluation: Question 3

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Having a distributor for the magazine is really important, as they will determine whether or not the magazine will sell.
I will compare two magazine distributors: Bauer Media and Gold Key Media.

Bauer Media:
Advantages -
Bauer media has over 300 magazines in over 80 countries, and has more than 80 influential brands, this is more market leading brands than any other media owner. Bauer also owns 'Q' magazine, one of the influences and potential competition for my magazine.
Due to Bauer distributing 'Q', the UK's biggest monthly music magazine, it will have a good grasp of what is needed for my magazine to do well, as the genres of magazine are similar.
Disadvantages -
Although it is an advantage that Bauer distributes 'Q', it is also a disadvantage, with 'Q' being my main competitor. Due to 'Q' being the UK's biggest selling monthly music magazine it is likely that Bauer Media will put this magazine before my own, not putting in as much effort to sell as many magazines as they could, and instead spending money and time on 'Q'.

Gold Key Media:
Advantages-
It is the largest newspaper supplier, magazine distributor and targeted media placement company to the travel and leisure industry throughout the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Therefore it is a well experienced company, and will sell my magazine. They place quality magazines and newspapers in over 3000 hotels across the world meaning that people staying in a hotel could pick up my magazine, like it, and continue to buy it. It also means that the magazine would probably be spread across the world.
Disadvantages-
It doesn't specialise in music magazines so, although it does have experience selling magazines, it does not have the specialised experience for selling music magazines.

Weighing up the advantages and disadvantages from both companies I have decided to go with Bauer Media as they have much more experience in the music magazine industry. Although there is the chance that Bauer will favour 'Q' over my magazine, I feel that they will do a better job in distributing my magazine as they have much more experience in that particular field.

Rough Drafts

 Here are some ideas for the front cover of my magazine:



This is my first front cover draft. There is a girl jumping into the air, giving a sense of excitement to the magazine. Inspiration came from 'Spin' for this, as Duffy is in the middle like in this draft, albeit in a different pose. The articles are placed neatly at the side, separated by blue bars, which are similar to those in both 'Spin' and 'Q' magazine. In the corner there is a blue button advertising the competition to win Glastonbury tickets. I have taken inspiration from 'Q' for this, as the front cover I analysed also had a button on. The masthead is to the side, with a red and white colour scheme, similar to both 'Spin' and 'Q'. The picture

 

This is similar to my first draft in many ways, however, the picture is entirely different; it is a close-up rather than a full body shot, which makes the page look fuller, but not in a messy way. The picture in 'Q' is similar to this, and, as I thought it worked, I am going to use it in my own front cover.

Ideas for the contents page:

 



'Q' has provided me with inspiration for this page, as the layout is quite similar; the title and logo are at the top of the page, the articles go down at the left-hand side, and the pictures are at the right. I have also included a letter fromt he editor, to create a more informal atmosphere between the reader of the magazine and the editor. To do this I have also included a picture of the editor, so the reader knows their face. The titles 'features' and 'monthly' allow the reader to quickly locate the aritcle they are looking for.

I have kept the layout of the title, pictures and articles the same as on the first draft, however, I have moved the 'debut acts' article to the side, making it clearer to read and keeping the page neater. I also think the list format works better for this particular article.
I have changed the layout of the letter from the editor to allow it to fit more easily.
 











Ideas for the double page spread:

Here I have stayed true to the typical double page spread layout, with a picture of the artist on one side and the article content on the other. This makes the page neater as the picture and article do not cross over and are not competing for space. The title is large so that people will clearly see it if they are flicking through the magazine, and there is a small description of the article. The article is split into two columns in the traditional way to keep the page looking neat. The quote in the middle of the text highlights a certain point of the interview (it will be a Q and A), posing the artist in a certain light.  

Instead of splitting up the article writing and picture I have combined the two. The part of the picture with the artist on is on the left-hand side and the side with writing on is just background. The title is still large with a breif description and I have kept the layout of the article the same, with a differently coloured quote in the middle so it stands out from the rest of the article.   

Indie Magazine Double Page Spread Analysis

 Indie double 1 - Q magazine:

This double page spread links with the front cover of the issue, using the same close-up picture of the artist here as on the front cover, with some of the picture cut off. Readers will recognise the picture from the front page and so will have a basic understanding of the article without having to read anything.
The picture takes up an entire page, and if the reader was just flicking through, I think they would stop on this page, as the colour of Florence's hair is very bright and would definitely catch the reader's eye.
The exaggerated blue cat-eye makeup for Florence draws attention to her eyes which are looking at the camera, and thus look as if they are looking at the readers, which makes it less likely that they will turn the page. The artist's hair is also very full and glossy, and the red colour draws yet more attention to the pages.
The contrast between the colourful picture and the black and white text is extreme. Personally, I don't think the contrast works particularly well, however, both the fullness of the picture and the dense amount of text makes the article look like it has a lot to say.
The text of the article is set out in traditional columns, keeping it neat and uncluttered. The use of the larger font for the letter 'T' makes it clear that that section is different to the rest of the article, and catches the reader's eye whilst also keeping the article's graphology interesting.
The title 'Early on' is not set out in a straight line at the top of the article like most magazines. Instead it goes onto two lines, making it look original, and the more interesting and different an article looks, the more likely people are to read it.
The font used is very bold and like at cross between 'goudy stout' and 'times new roman', it looks very professional and prestigeous and gives the article class before the audience has read anything.

Indie double 2 - Spin magazine:

This is a double page spread on Florence and the Machine.

On the right is a very large square picture of the artist jumping in the air, having fun. She doesn't seem to care that her hair is going everywhere which makes her seem natural, not bothering with a sythetic personality, she is also waering very little makeup, which addds to this. It is black and white, which fits in with the colour scheme of the page, and the artist is looking at the camera in a close-up shot.

The title font is very plain, and very big, and complements the page. I think that a more complex font would ruin the page as it wouldn't fit in with the minimalist black and white spread that it is.

The article is traditionally laid out in two columns, which makes the page look neat. And the 'T' in a bubble shows the start of the article. I think the big letter to begin the article works, as it sets the tone for the rest of it.

There is a short blurb under the title to describe the article. I think this is fairly important, as it helps the reader to decide whether or not they want to continue reading. So it is important that this part is well written, as it decides whether people are going to actually read the article.

Photo Shoot

For my magazine I will need lots of pictures of varying types.

Here are some pictures used in the front cover of actual indie music magazines:

 All three covers have a picture of their featured artist in a close up on the front page, looking at the camera. This looks good, so I will use this in my magazine.

Contents pages:

The three contetns pages have pictures of the artists, doing no particular pose, but looking natural and at the camera. I think that a natural pose picture could work well. There are also at least two pictures on each of the pages, so more than one picture is definately needed. I also think that having the pictures in squares works as it keeps the page looking neat, and, as the contents page coud potentially get crowded, it is important that it is neat.

Double page spreads:  

All of the photos are in black and white and are of the artist in a trademark pose, looking at the camera. The picture and writing are separate, keeping the pages neat, but there is no exact positioning of them. I like the use of the read 'L' on the Lady Gaga article.

For my front cover I will use a close-up picture of the artist's face, which will be emotionless.

The contents page will have a variety of pictures on it, describing some of the articles, and they will be square/ rectangle shaped.

The double page spread will be a full-body shot of the artist doing something fun, and will be in black and white. The artist will also be to the side of the article.

 

Rough drafts for pictures:

This is my idea for the front page picture: A close up of the artist's face, looking at the camera (so it is as if she is looking at the audience)  and showing little/no emotion. It will be in the centre of the page and will have article previews around it.

She will wear eyeliner and mascara to draw attention to her eyes.
I will need to take the picture when she is lying down, so I can spread her hair out.

This is my idea for an editor's photo, to accompany the editor's letter. It shows her in a fun pose in order to create a sense of informality with the reaader, rather than the big head of the magazine.

 It will be a medium-close up of the model looking into the camera, clothes will be casual, and she will have her hair similar to that shown.

For the double page spread I want to take a picture in the snow of the artist holding a snowball, as if thay are about to throw a snowball at the camera (so it will look like they are about to throw it at the readers), she will be smiling, creating a more informal atmosphere and making the artist look friendly and approachable, and have a background of snowed-on trees.
If there is no snow I will take a full-body picture of the artist singing into a microphone or jumping in the air.
For other photos I could take advantage of certain weathers, for example snow or sun. Another photo could be of someone sat on a wall, holding a guitar or just having fun.
 

Risk Assessment for the photo shoot:

Here are all the photos I got:

I want to use this photo for my front cover. The picture turned out well after planning, however, I will need to do some editing to get rid of the background.

This picture also turned out well after planning. Her expression, clothes and hair turned out better than expected too. This will work well as the editor's photo.

The model in this photo looks quite moody, like he doesn't want to be there. It's not fun enough to go in my magazine, so I won't use it.

This photo was really good, I like the snowball being thrown in the air. However, she isn't looking at the camera, which is something I wanted her to do.

This photo is great for my double page spread. I will make it black and white, and possibly attempt to move the model, as she should be at the side. I like the use of the snowball.

This photo of the model looking into the distance ponderouslyturned out well, and although it would be good for an editor's photo, I prefer the other one.

The lighting (which is soft) and the model look really good in this photo, relaxed and casual. Despite the fact that he isn't looking at the camera, I think this one could work for my contents page.

My Magazine

I have done a questionnaire which I asked to people buying music magazines, to help me decide on certain things in my magazine:

From my questionnaire I have gathered that the majority of people who buy magazine are 18-21. So I will aim my magazine at around this target age. I have decided to include articles on both new and old bands, in order to encourage a wider range of readers, thus enabling me to sell more magazines.
The price will be between £3 and £4, which most people asked were happy to pay, and will be sold monthly, the regularity at which most people buy magazines.
I decided to include a competition in my magazine, as most people would enter one if it were in a magazine they were reading. The prize could be festival/gig tickets, according to the most popular free gift, as giving them away with every magazine would be too expensive. The chance of winning an expensive or rare prize could make the magazine more appealing to people, so they will be more likely to buy it.
Although the most popular free gift was tickets, I have decided these are too expensive, so downloads will be the most common free gift, as it was the second favourite.
Despite the fact that most people said no to subscribing, I feel that a good free gift could encourage more people to subscribe, making the magazine have more definite buyers, thus making it have a more stable income.

Indie Magazine Contents Page Analysis

Indie contents 1 - Clash magazine:

This contents page is very busy, keeping the reader interested as they've got loads to look at. The use of bright colours such as the blue, red, and pink, also do this as each one (although they do work together) seems to shout out at the reader, each one desperately trying to grab their attention. Unusually, this contents page is set out over two pages. This shows that the magazine has plenty to talk about, as they couldn't fit it all into one page. It makes the readers feel like they have gotten their value for money, and if the reader thinks it's a good price for what they're getting, they are more likely to buy it again. However, it appears that the reason behind the double page may be that each article as a fair bit of detailing with it (that, and there is a lot of pictures).
The black writing on a white background ensures that the writing is clear. Although this is fairly boring, it is broken up by strips of colour and plenty of pictures which keep it interesting.
The article titles are split off into different sections, organising the contents page so it is easier for the reader to find which page number the article they want is on. The coloured subheadings stand out too, making it look more fun and original.
The pictures are nicely set out around the page and each one is different to the others which keeps the page looking lively. The pictures are all very colourful (helped by the colourful page number bubbles which draw attention to the pictured articles) which adds to this. Also, for people who don't particularly want to read the entire contents page, they can just look at the pictures for a bit of insight into the magazine.
The 'T' has the issue number on. This is very creative and keeps the magazine clean and organised. As it doesn't matter much which issue it is, if the reader doesn't see this it won't impede on their understanding of the magazine.

Indie contents 2 - Q magazine:

The magazine's logo is small and in the corner of each title ('QContents' 'QReview') this reminds the readers that they are reading 'Q' (as if they didn't already know) and subtly hints to them to buy more of this magazine, drilling the 'Q' into their thoughts.
The date and issue number are in the top right hand corner of the page, out of the way but still visible to the readers. Again, this part of the page really isn't that important so having it small and out of the way is fine.
The picture of 'The Courteeners' is the main focus of the page due to its massive size and placing, this highlights how important the feature is to the issue.
Like the 'Clash' contents page, this one is split into sections, making it easier for the reader to find what they're looking for. Regular readers who are used to the format, will be used the 'Every Month' section, and may be drawn to favourite articles and writers.
There are coloured bars for each subheading, drawing attention to the titles to help organise the page. The white writing on the coloured bar stands out really nicely too.
The page numbers are small and to the side of each title, and coloured differently according to the section that they are in.The neat placing of these make it easy to locate the article in the magazine.
There is not much writing on the page (not that there can be much thanks to the massive picture), keeping reading to a minimum and the contents page short and simple (as, let's face it, the contents page isn't that important. Really, it's only for finding out where the juicy articles are). This ensures the readers can quickly find what they want to read without wasting much time.
There is a colour scheme of red, white and black. The use of it throughout the page gives the magazine a sense of continuity and cohesion, which makes it easier to read.

Indie contents 3 - Spin magazine

The magazine title is placed in the upper left hand corner, like with Q magazine, again, this doesn't take up much space as it isn't the main focus of the page.
Unlike the other contents pages, this one focuses more on the picture of the artist, which is clearly the featured article of the issue, thus the large medium close-up, action pose picture of Duffy is relevant, if only to this issue.
There is a distinct lack of article titles on the page, however, this may be due to the fact that they are only the featured articles of the month (i.e. the ones the magazine is focusing on) so there is less of them in the whole magazine. They are also extremely detailed for a contents page, which emphasises their importance to the issue.
The majority of the writing is placed along the left-hand side, making more room for the picture. (The quote in the corner details the picture, so it is not placed with the rest of the writing)
Page numbers for the articles are placed neatly at the side of each title, and coloured slightly differently to show it is not part of the writing (although you'd think that, being numbers, you could tell this anyway). They are clear so the reader can easily locate the article in the magazine.
The colour scheme for this page is quite dull, which draws attention to the brightly lit picture of Duffy, with her colourful pink ukulele (and puts the page behind her in her shadow. Luckily this doesn't impose on the articles or title, otherwise they'd be fairly difficult to read). The main colours appear to be; grey, blue and pink.

Indie Magazine Cover Analysis

I am going to analyse some indie rock magazines, including "Clash", "Spin" and "Q".

Front cover 1 - Clash magazine:

The masthead is large, spanning almost the entire width of the page. Unusually for a music magazine, it is in front of the artist's picture, however, it works well as it only covers part of his hair. The white contrasts nicely with the background, and the bold font really makes it stand out, so it is more likely that a potential reader will pick up the magazine.
The font is very simplistic and thus easy to read, which is important in a magazine; if the audience cannot read it they are not going to buy it. Although each font for each part of the magazine (i.e. masthead, article titles etc.) is slightly different, they are not so different that they do not work well together, and because of their slight differences, they compliment each other.
The article titles are all lined up nicely at the sides of the cover, making it organised and easier to read. The variation between the white, yellow, black and red fonts keep it interesting, and the reader can distinguish between the article titles and their descriptions.
The background is very simple; a gradient going down from a darker to a warmer yellow, but the simplicity works well with the magazine, drawing attention to the articles and picture. The warm colour of the yellow gives a sense of friendliness, and the brightness of the colour will catch people's attention.
The colours used all work in cohesion, complimenting each other as they are all quite 'warm' shades. This makes the audience more likely to buy the magazine, as they don't clash, and none are fighting for attention.
The picture of well-known artist, James Blake, in the middle of the page will encourage his fans to buy it. Thus the use of a celebrity on the cover increases sales.
The barcode is found at the upper right-hand side of the page, which is unusual for a magazine (they are normally found in the lower right-hand corner). This quirk could hint at the induviduality of the magazine.

Front cover 2 - Spin magazine:

The masthead is unusually in the corner of the page. This doesn't draw much attention to it, especially as it is under the artist's head. However, the magazine is well-known so this is not a problem; its fans will know what to look for. Also the smaller masthead leaves more room for article previews.
I like the white on red look of the title, I think the simple white font on the red box works really well.
The font is very simple, like 'Clash', (this is a continuous feature so I will take it into account) however, 'Spin' magazine uses a much thinner and longer font, which clearly goes with its house style. The titles are neatly placed at the sides which, along with the use of the white background, gives a fresh, clean look to the cover. The black for the titles stands out more than the light blue for the details, asserting its authority as the more important.
There is no barcode which is unusual for any magazine. It is probably placed elsewhere on the magazine, leaving the front cover with more room to display more of its content.
Duffy is leaning forwards with her hand reaching out, as if enticing the audience to come closer and buy the magazine. The picture is centred, so attention will be drawn to her. Her fans will want to buy this issue to find out what is written about her.
The use of the white background is very clean and fresh, and the shadowing behind the picture looks very proffesional; the photographer clearly knew what they were doing. The other colours stand out really nicely on the white because it is so neutral.

Front cover 3 - Q magazine:

The title is big, bold and in the corner. The shade of red is really bright, (and works very cohesively with the artist's hair) which draws potential readers attention to the cover. The fact that the title is only one letter, 'Q', creates a sense of mystery, what does Q stand for? (It stands for Quinten Richardson, the creator of the magazine, just in case you're wondering) Of course, potential readers might be more inclined to buy it if there is this sense of mystery, as the magazine might hold the answers inside.
The font is very plain, but bold, the fact that it is all in caps makes it seem as if the articles are being screamed at the audience, which I don't particularly like, as I feel a magazine cover should be friendly, however it also makes them look exciting, thus making the reader think that the content is exciting.
The white writing stands out very nicely from the darker picture, so is easy to read. If the audience can actually see the article titles they are going to be more inclined to buy it, so obviously having clearly visible titles will aid the sale of the magazine. Like the other magazines, the articles are very neatly placed at the sides, leaving more space to see the artist as the main focal point.
I really like the blue circle on the right-hand side, the colours (the red of the hair, the blue of the circle and the white) work extremely well together (especially the blue and red) and the bright blue draws attention to the Zane Lowe thing.
The barcode is neatly placed in the bottom left-hand corner. I think this is a good placing, out of the way but still visible enough for the shop assistant to scan it.
Florence fills the page with a close-up, eliminating the need for a background. Her face is still centred, meaning that the readers can still clearly see her with no writing on her face. Her pose, looking at the camera, enticing the audience in, with her hands neatly placed on her face. The focal point of the picture is her eyes, as the rest of the picture is so perfect, and her eyes are the only place which really stand out. This makes it seems as if she is looking at you, so you should buy the magazine. Also, as I've said for the other front covers, the use of a celebrity will really reel in the buyers, as the artist's fans are going to want to buy it. Thus the more famous the celebrity, the more readers there will be.