Chosen Photos

I took a variety of pictures for my magazine and decided upon a final 3, which will be used on my cover page and over my double page spread alongside an interview. Some of my pictures came out blurry so I had to select the images that looked the most suited to be within a magazine.

I decided to use this shot for my front cover as she is smiling and it is close up on her features. The picture isn't blurry and the background helps to add to the attraction of the magazine.

I decided to use this shot inside my magazine for my double page spread, as when you enlarge the image, the individuals face goes blurry and this isn't suitable to be used within a magazine. Therefore I decided to use the image in a smaller size on my double page spread alongside the text for the interview to help the attention be drawn to the interview itself.

I used this image within my double page spread (interview pages) as I think the individuals face is smiley and she appears more relaxed and to be having fun, which is a typical convention within magazine interviews. The image takes up the whole page on my double page spread as when I looked into typical double page spread layouts in music magazines, they all did this with the interview filling up the remaining side.

Planning: Names, Fonts, Colour Themes

I began looking into possible names for my magazine and generated some ideas which I have kept linked to music so the audience can see the magazine is a music one. As my questionnaire suggested I use a pop or indie genre, I kept the names suitable to fit in with these.

Possible names for my music magazine

• Acoustic
• Soundwave
• Beat
• DTM (Dedicated to music)

At the moment I like the name "acoustic" as I think this could link with both indie and pop genre and is related to the wider theme of music.

Fonts

I like this font because it looks handwritten and it links in with the indie/pop genre that I would like to try to appeal to. However, when the text is used on top of an image, the background is block white and doesn't look professional enough to be on a magazine.

I also like this font as I think it's both bold and draws attention to the title of the magazine and the additional information in which I would use alongside it. I think this text would compliment a font such as Georgia or Times New Roman for the smaller information which I'll place throughout my magazine.

I like this font as it's tilted and as its in upper case it draws the readers attention to the masthead on the magazine. However, I feel although it suits the pop genre that I have thought about using, it looks more suited for a much younger audience rather than the 16 - 19 year old age range I want to appeal to.

I don't know if this font would look good on the front cover of my magazine, however for signing off the editors note I think it would be best suited as it would look as if I had signed the magazine myself. Although, for the cover I don't think the text is bold enough.

I really like this font as I think it's bold and it looks different so the text could be used to establish the magazine. However, as the text is from the Internet instead of already being available on the computer, when I place it on top of an image I get a solid white background which doesn't look right when put on the front cover of my magazine.

Possible colours

I could use more pastel colours throughout my magazine to link with the pop theme:

acoustic acoustic acoustic acoustic acoustic

However, I think some of the colours may appear too pale once on my magazine cover and I would only use a final 2 or 3 main colours for my final artefact. I could also use bolder colours to attract the audience:

acoustic acoustic acoustic

Although, there is little colours that work well together but they would show up better over images and plain backgrounds.

Planning: Photoshoots, Costumes, Locations, Interview Techniques

To help me decide on possible feature images for my magazine I looked at other images used for music magazines to help me look at possible costumes, props I may need, locations and where the individual is placed in the picture.

From my questionnaire I interpreted that the genre used within my magazine should be either pop or indie and I would use the models clothing and location to help interpret this. The above images are of similar images of those I would like to take, each showing the model in a different location or position on the screen and I have used them to help me think of ideas for images within my magazine.

Costume ideas

Dress and biker boots to help look stylish yet indie

Plain top with headband

Party dress

Shorts and a jumper

Chunky jewelery

Props

Microphone

Telephones

Chairs

Headphones

Stage

Mirrors

Locations

Woods/forest/garden

In front of a bold patterned wall 

No location needed (close up or head shot)

Possible interview questions

1. What genre of music do you consider your work to be?
2. Who are your major influences?
3. Did your parents encourage you to fulfil your music career?
4. Where have you performed? 
5. Do you only play your own songs at your concerts or do you include some cover songs too?
6.  What advice would you give to people out there who would like to make it in the music industry?
7. Do you write your own songs? If yes, how long do they roughly take you and what inspires you?
8. What's the best thing about being a hit artist?
9. If you had to describe your music in 3 or 4 words, how would you best describe it?
10. How does music effect you?
11. Do you have any other interests outside of the music industry?
12. How do you deal with all the new found attention of becoming an artist?
13. How do you deal with negative press?
14. Do you have any upcoming shows/singles/albums?
15. Any last words?

Planning: Time Schedule

I have produced a time schedule for my final artefact so I am able to manage my time more efficiently. This will help me keep on top of my work and be able to complete my final magazine within the time deadline given.

I feel I managed to stick to this time schedule well during the production of my final artefact. I also kept to using the websites and sources I had suggested and went on to use others that were recommended when I would use the google search engine.

Planning: Draft Pages

I have drawn up some draft pages for my final artifact, which I will use to help me decide on possible fonts, layout of the magazine and help with my images (costumes, locations, models and props) which will contribute to the codes and conventions represented in my final piece.

Front Cover

My idea for the front cover would be to use one large feature image in which smaller images and cover lines would surround in order for the attention to be drawn to the middle of the magazine.

I would use two or three colours for the texts and select these colours according to what they're being laid over such as the feature image and the additional smaller images.

The masthead would be located towards the side of the magazine, being off center and towards the right or the left so the name of the magazine doesn't cover much of the feature image.

I have decided to use two lines on the top and bottom of the page with additional information and the bar code will be placed vertically along the bottom of the magazine.

I would like to use the same font for the cover lines and image captions within my magazine and have the masthead in maybe a font that I will associate with my magazine. The name of the artist/band located in the feature image will be in a larger front laid out across the image as I think this worked well.

Contents Page

For my contents page I divided my contents into features and articles and laid them out separately around the page and I think this worked well as the readers will know exactly where to find everything.

I would use the same colours and fonts used on the front cover to help these be associated with my magazine and I would use a font that looks like handwriting to sign off the editors note as I think this worked well.

I have placed a cover line along the bottom of the page which I will use for any additional features the magazine has such as posters, competitions and festival news.

I have used 3 small images on this page and placed them in the remaining spaces. They are surrounded by additional text and page numbers so the reader can take a quick glance and know where to look.

I have also placed the title of the contents page on the left so it's the opposite side from the front cover to establish a difference between the two, and I have laid an additional layer of text on top to help give a layering effect to the title.

Double-page spread

Again I have used the same colours for my text as the contents and front cover to establish to the reader the magazine has a theme.

I have put the question in one colour and the answers in another so the reader can easily interpret one from the other.

I would use one larger image of the band/artist being interviewed and lay out the interview questions around either the right of left hand side, in a column style.

For the other side of my double page spread I have used 3 small images instead of one large feature image. I would place these surrounding the remaining interview questions and would like to be able to rotate and put these images out on an angle to give the magazine an edge.

I would use a quote from the interview and lay this over the middle of the page in a different colour, yet still following the magazines theme, to help draw attention to the interview answers being given.

My double page spread would appear side by side but for the purpose of my drafts I did two separate pages to help me get the feel of how to use fireworks.

Planning: Features & Articles

To begin my planning I started to look into possible features and articles that are usually found within music magazines in general. I used this research to help me decide on certain features and article ideas that I should use in my final artefact.

Contents Page

Possible features and articles:

1. Exclusive interview with my chosen band/artist with photo shoot
2. New album releases (top 10 this week, etc)
3. Chance to win a pair of concert tickets
4. New bands/artists to look out for
5. Single and album reviews (star rating /5)
6. Posters

Cover Lines

Ideas for possible cover lines based on the above articles and features:

1. Look out for [Band/artist name], the newest craze in the charts!
2. Our top 10 albums this week, voted by you
3. Don't miss out on your chance for [concert name] tickets inside
4. There's room for new talent on the block, all the latest artists/bands you have to hear
5. [album name] ?/5, [single name] ?/5 or [album name] verdict
6. Plus grab your chance to have [band/artists name] on your wall with our posters!

One of my ideas would be to place the cover lines surrounding my feature image and place them in front of the image so they are to be seen covering parts of the model(s). Also to have the name of my band/artist with a quote of something they said in the interview underneath.

I have created a questionnaire which will help me see which target market are interested in my magazine to help me organise my codes and conventions to suit them. This will help me create draft pages of my ideas to see what out of the ideas above works and which doesn't.

Questionnaire

What age range do you fit into?

15 and under I

16 - 19 IIIIIII

20 – 24 I

25 + I

Are you male or female?

Male IIII

Female IIIIII

Do you read magazines?

Yes IIIIIIII

No II

If yes, what type of magazine do you read?

Lifestyle I

Music IIIIII

Sports I

Celebrity (Heat, Look, etc) II

How often do you buy magazines?

Everyday

Once a week IIIII

Every fortnight II

Once a month III

When would you prefer your magazines to come out?

Everyday

Every week IIIIIII

Every fortnight II

Monthly I

If you were to read a music magazine, which genre would you prefer?

Indie III

Hip Hop II

Rock II

Pop III

Other (please specify)

What features would you like to find within a music magazine? Please tick all that apply

Interviews with bands/artists IIIIIII

Posters and competitions III

Album/artist reviews II

Upcoming release issues (gigs, albums, artists, etc) IIIIII

Other (please specify)

Which of these features would you spend most time reading?

Interviews with bands/artists IIIIIII

Posters and competitions

Album/artist reviews I

Upcoming release issues (gigs, albums, artists, etc) III

If you were to buy a music magazine, would a free demo CD encourage you to read it?

Yes IIIIIII

No III

From the questionnaire I can interpret that:

• my magazine should be aimed for people aged 16 - 19 of any sex
• the genre used should be either indie or pop
• my music magazine should be published once a week
• interviews and upcoming releases should be used most throughout my magazine
• a cover mount (demo CD) would be best used to encourage buyers

Research: Media Institutions

I've looked into media companies to help start thinking about the companies that may wish to publish my magazine. I looked into what types of magazines they already owned, anything else they may be in charge of and additional music magazines they already publish as this may effect if they would be willing to publish my magazine as well.

IPC Media

IPC Media own magazines such as: Nuts, Marie Claire, Look, NME, Cycle Sport, Hair, Livingetc, Loaded, Mini World, Model Collector and more. They own the majority of home and leisure magazines, with the exception of breaking into the music market with NME and the female market using Look and Marie Claire.

IPC Media own over 80 ranges of magazines. As they own NME on top of their other magazines, it shows that they would be prepared to publish my magazine as they are touching into the music market.

Although, as NME is targeting a similar audience and using the same music genre that I would like to target my magazine at, they would be unlikely to publish my magazine due to the fact the two magazines would be competing against one another.

BBC

BBC is a well known organisation owning television rights as well as magazines. The magazines it owns range from army information right through to kids television show magazines.



As they own a variety of different magazines it could be suggested they would be willing to publish a music magazine similar to mine as they would like to have something different and to help widen their appeal into the music market.

As the BBC does still own a wide range of music magazines such as Live Extra and Radio 1, they may not be willing to publish my magazine as this competition between existing magazines and my new addition could cause a strain on their turnover.

News Corporation

The News Corporation are a global corporation and mainly own newspapers such as The Sunday Times, The Times and The Sun, but have also dipped into the television, cable, film and radio market by owning Real Estate TV, Fox News Channel and SunTalk (which is also available on the Internet).

As the News Corporation haven't yet taken ownership over any magazines, this may make them more likely to publish my magazine and as they do not own any other music magazines, this would mean there would be less chance of competition between 2 brands of magazines within the company and could encourage them to publish my magazine.

By owning SunTalk radio station would mean they could be even more likely to publish my magazine as they have already indicated they want to appeal to music lovers.