Coursework - Photoshoot

Now that my flatplan and my research has been completed, I now know what sort of direction I am heading in towards creating my final front cover for my music magazine. The research has given me the background knowledge I need to understand and see what makes a successful front cover on a magazine. From this research I have been able to compose a flatplan design for my own front cover, although kept basic it allows me to follow certain guidlines along the way.

The next stage was to create my own photoshoot, using a close friend as a model and research on makeup / clothing and set design, I was able to get a clear idea on what I wanted for my front cover. Some of the images from the photoshoot are posted below, in a powerpoint presentation, which haven't been altered in photoshop;

Photoshoot

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Coursework - Flat Plan For Front Cover

Now that I have successful created and produced my own media pack for 'Outspoken' I now have a clear idea of where I would like my magazine to end up, hopefully finishing with at a professional standard.

The first step after producing my media pack was to create a flat plan for my front cover page. I successfully produced this on a word document. Having previously completed in depth research into music magazines I have a pretty clear idea on how I wanted my front cover to turn out. The image of my flat plan is shown below;

This is a screenshot of the flat plan I created on word for my final front cover design. I kept the design simple as I felt I could get a better understanding of it when I was in the process of creating the magazine. The title of my magazine is called 'OutSpoken' and this will be placed where my masthead is written. The reason for having 'OutSpoken' as my title for my magazine is because I feel it can express the views of artists which will feature in the magazine.

Overall this flatplan design has allowed for me to follow a guideline when making my magazine front cover, although some alterations may be made.

Coursework - OutSpoken Media Pack

Over the past few weeks I have photographed images of my model, researched and designed my very own media pack for my upcoming coursework of creating a music magazine. Using the likes of Mojo and Q music magazine media packs I have allowed access for readers to understand the thinking behind my magazine, to offer the opportunity to advertise within the magazine and to get a specific idea of who my typical audience member is. The media pack is a good understanding of what I aim my magazine to be and how I hope to achieve this.

Media pack

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Coursework - Magazine Analysis

In recent lessons, to carry out further analysis on music magazines we were studying the content of double page spreads from the well known likes of 'Radar'. The article chosen was a specific feature on Little Boots, who then (2009 - when the article was written), was a new and upcoming artist.

The image on the left here was the image that featured in the double page spread. Here I have written out the analysis in which we carried out in the lesson, analysing and comparing the image, headlines, subheadings, text and many more.

IMAGE - the central image here is one where the artist is looking directly at the camera, a popular feature with nearly all magazine cover pages and double page spreads. The keyboard strongly suggests the use of music within the artist and within in the text which was written on the right hand side of the page. The image is kept to a minimal use of colour, keeping it simple so the reader can focus on the image and text rather than it looking to busy and chaotic on the page.

HEADLINES - Although it is not shown in this particular image, the headline of the article was clear, stating the sub name or name of the article from the popular magazine NME, it read "RADAR, finding the best new music". The clear headline allowed for the reader to be attracted to the piece. 

SUBHEADINGS - The subheading of this article was "Little Boots, Our favourite new UK electro act". The importance for a subheading is to allow the reader to get a quick insight into what they are reading, therefore it neads to be catchy and involve the reader. We as a class decided that NME achieved this very well. 

TONE - The tone of the piece overall seemed to be quite informal and the large chunk of text was off-putting for me as a reader. The lack of colour wasn't appealing and the tone of the text didn't involve the reader and they used very simple language which made the piece seem informal, conforming to a sterotypical article.

PAGE LAYOUT - The layout of the page seemed simple, the use of the plain background gave off a sophisticated and clean look but overall the lack of colour was too noteable and therefore the consequence would be that this piece wouldn't attract a reader easily.

Overall the analysis of this article allowed for me to understand more easily what makes a double page spread successful and what the drawbacks can be, therefore I can input my own knowledge into creating my own double page spread.

Coursework - Magazine Analysis

When studying the front page covers of specific music magazines it is important to note their particular selling feature alongside noting what works well and what could be more successful.

Out of a wide range of magazines I chose this front cover on the basis that it all works well together. The colour scheme suits the outfit of the chosen artist and blends well with the colour scheme of the writing. I like the photography used in this magazine as the pose is kept simple but the use of the florals really emphasises the character of the magazine.

The only thing about this magazine which I feel lacks success is that it is possibly to simplistic. The text, although effective, is difficult to read, however I do like the idea that the image is pushed slightly to the right with the text type kept to the left. Therefore I may use this idea in my final magazine front cover.

I particularly like 'Billboard' magazine because it focuses on its main selling point and the contrasts between the image, colour scheme, and text all works successfully. For this magazine I would say that the main audience is aimed towards a female side, prehaps late teens and early twenties. I have come to this conclusion because the colours suggest a more 'kid-like' feel to the magazine whereas the use of more whites and greys would suggest a more sophisticated older audience. But in this instance it works well and sells well.

When comparing this magazine to the one previously shown above I would say it has a more sophistaced look to it, therefore aiming for an older audience.

I like the unique factor of this magazine, the imagery and even the text type varies, its interesting and different to most magazines and I think this is what makes this magazine sell well. The background is kept to a simple grayscale colour which constrasts well with the black used in the image and the white text which makes it stand out boldly. The use of the 'puff' allows for certain information to stand out and become attractive to the readers eye although not taking away attention from the main feature.

Overall I like most things about this magazine however I feel that it suffers with a limited range of colours, sticking mainly to white red and black I feel that my magazine should include more colours to make it stand out.

In an overall conclusion, the amount of research that has been put forward into front cover page analysis has allowed me to see what makes a magazine successful and what the drawbacks can sometimes be. Therefore I now have a good amount of detailed information on magazines to allow me to produce a successful and sophisticated front page music magazine cover.

Coursework - Magazine Presentation

In order to gain marks on my overall course it was important to focus on the presentation side of things. Therefore I made a short two slide powerpoint comparing and contrasting the likes of music magazines such as 'Billboard' and features of their double page spreads. Within the presentation I spoke to my peers about the evaluation of the cover pieces and inside stories, in other words what I liked and didnt like about the pieces alongside what was successful and what could have been improved. Then, thinking ahead I focused on how this would help me with producing my overall music magazine.

Below is the overall conclusion to my whole presentation using the notes I made when presenting;

 What I Like About The Representation

I have chosen to analyse the magazine of ‘Billboard’. I specifically like this music magazine for many reasons;

Advertises popular and well known successful artists, such as Adele, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Katy Perry and many more.
It aims itself to meet the needs of a more feminine and sophisticated older audience.
It comes across as oversimplified but this gives the magazine a ‘fresh’ look. I am also drawn to the different uses of text font and text size. The important bits of information are noticably bigger while less important text tends to be of smaller size, some of which may even be in capital letters. I will bare this in mind when it comes to producing my magazine front cover.

What I Don’t Like About The Representation

The typography seems to be kept simple, the same font has been used on almost each piece of information portrayed on the front cover.

All the information seems to kept towards the top of the page instead of being evenly spread out throughout, this makes it seem like there is little information or news updates to be given in the magazine.

I also picked out the feature that 'Adele' is looking directly into the camera, as if she is looking directly at the audience, through research I know that this is important to have on your magazine front cover as it engages the reader. Therefore overall I like the outlook of this magazine and will try to emulate some of this within my own music magazine although altering some parts and adding additional information.

I particularly like these two examples of music magazines double page spreads.
I like the layout and overall presentation of the first one because the title of the piece really stands out and attracts the reader, as does the main image, which is kept modern and simple. However I think the text is kept in one main block which doesn’t engage the reader, it needs to be broken down to make it reader friendly.
I like the presentation of the second image because its colourful which attracts the reader, the title stands out and there is more than one image included. The smaller 'factual' boxes towards the right hand side of the page allow for the text to be broken down which makes it less daunting for the reader.

In conclusion I like both layouts of the double page spreads although I am aiming for a more feminie look within my final piece.

Coursework - Music Industry Details / Information

On the written side of my coursework I felt it was important to have details on the music industry itself as the overall aim of my coursework is to create a music magazine. 

The first research I did into the financial sides of the industry was where and how music can be accessed. This can be through a variety of things;

Downloads - Both illegal and legal downloads such as the use of 'ITunes'.

Physical Items - This can be through the purchase of CD's or records.

Streaming - A well known streaming site is known as 'Spotify', this is where you can access the music without downloading it.

I then continued my research into looking at record labels and independant labels. The difference between them is that major record labels have many businesses running and hold major artists, they are well known and very profitable. Whereas independant labels are the ones who run off one manager and hold three or four smaller artists, prehaps from local areas. 

Major Record Labels - EMI , Sony , Universal

Independant Labels - 679 Artists , Domino , Jeepster

When focusing on the promotional features of music magazines I came across a varied amount of points and ways in which music can be promoted. You can promote a lot of music through the use of TV interviews, getting your artist to appear as guests on well known chat shows, this can also include radio interviews. The money or profit made from this allows for the upkeep of the labels. Comercial Sponsership is also a popular promotional feature, again the money gained from this allows for the upkeep of labels. The main point of promoting a brand is that you are trying to sell a product to an audience which leaves them wanting more or wanting to purchase the product which always allows for a profit to be made.

When analysing the purpose of promotional features in the music industry, it is because;

It keeps the fanbase / audience up to date
Advertises the artist or brand
Useful for introducing new artists through interviews

Coursework - Local Interview

Over the past few weeks I have conducted my very own interview with a close friend who is aspiring to be an artist, not only does she succeed in writing and acoustically rehersing her own songs, she also does feature copies of previously recorded songs. I have chosen to conduct an interview with her because I felt it was important to get a feel for how I would like my final interview featured on my double page spread to turn out. Although this was extremely helpful in my research stage it was only a brief and general interview. 

Here is a mock-up of the interview; 

Amy-Leigh is living a life only few could dream of. Aspiring to be a successful artist she has broadened her music around the local area and it is only a matter of months before her music is heard and engaged with by the founders of music lovers. As we take a step closer to into her thinking behind her personal songs she reveals the longing she's been needing to release about all her hard efforts, will they finally pay off? 

Amy, your aiming for the indie-chic look today, is fashion something that's important to you?

Always, I find myself browsing all the time! I've always been a sucker for delving into 'vogue' but I am human, I love wearing joggers and a baggy t-shirt!

Don't we all! Do you think the media puts too much pressure on us to have a slimming figure?

Yes, whever you look there's always promotions for diets and healthy eating choices, whatever happened to ten being a size?

We agree. Do you believe more in the music than the image your providing?

I've grown up with music in my life for over twenty years, its the music that counts, a lyric can be so emotive and creative, something that your fans can connect with and I think if your fans understand your music then they'll accept you without thinking about it.

You've been sharing your music for more than seven years now, are you prepared to alter your style and play around with different sounds?

I'm always looking for a challenge and one that is difficult to overcome is what excites me about this industry. 

You haven't yet been signed to a major label, do you not think changing your sound will alter your fan base?

It's a difficult thing to decide. My fans are my fans because they love the music I write, it has a meaning and comes from personal experiences, but I think most would be accepting of what I have to offer! (laughs)

We'll always be listening! Is your music always related to personal issues?

Mostly, they come from the broken hearts and the issues with love.

Have you had your heart broken recently?

There's a be a few in my time...(laughs) 

The interview above was a small 'snapshot' of the overall interview I did with Amy-Leigh. I chose that part of the interview because I felt it educated the readers about her music with minor detail on her herself and also kept the answers quite light hearted in order for the reader to enjoy what they are reading for entertainment purposes. When thinking about my final interview in my magazine I will look to add more detail, make the questions fit the audience and the aim as well as using entertainment features. However this interview was only used for research purposes, and I believe it will help me get a better understanding when it comes to my final coursework.

Coursework - Music Magazine Interviews

Research into double page spreads produced by music magazines has allowed me to get a clearer idea of how I want my audience to percieve my given text when it comes down to creating my coursework. I have noted that almost all double page spreads will include a photographic image of the artist who's interview is being conducted, be it an extravegant image or a simplistic image. Therefore I can use my knowledge on photography in magazines as well as studio lighting and positioning to create the image I need for my double page spread.

I have also learnt that all the interviews begin with the writer's explination of who the artist is and a brief outline of what the interview includes. So it is largely important to focus on this when doing my music magazine as well as ensuring the artist fits the needs of my audience and bodes well with the genre of my magazine edition. When analysing the text, as in questions and answers, it is clear to say that the questions are kept simple but to the point, this allows the reader to stay hooked on what they are reading and get information fast that is also easy to locate. The answers on the other hand tend to be more humourous and light hearted, of course depending on the chosen artist to interview. This is largely important because the reader needs to feel connected to the artist and to feel as if they are there in the interview. I hope to promote this in my music magazine as its mission is to create detail on a level the audience can connect with.

Normally on the top of a double page spread is the artists name alongside a quote featured from the interview that has taken place. I have learnt, as a reader, that this quote needs to be intriuging and eye catching, so altering the text type is essential, playing around different colours is also essential, therefore as a conclusion I will look to have a go with doing this on my double page spread. 

I found this feature page on double page spreads which was shown in an edition of Kerrang music magazine. I was particularly drawn to this image because of the simplicity of the piece allowed my attention to immediately go to the "ABSOLUTELY!" and it was this which made me recognise the importance of having a quote which is going to grip the reader. I also like this page because the text is easy to navigate and the headings in white (The questions) break down the text block, making it less daunting to read. I like the idea of making use of a plain background and really enlarging the foreground image of the artist, who looking directly at the camera. As previously researched this makes the reader feel connected with the magazine and the article in which they are reading. Overall I see this double page spread as being very successful, the use of a neat border brightens up the grayscale background, the only critisism is that prehaps there is not enough text to provide the reader with adequate knowledge, therefore in my music magazine I would make the photographic image smaller and provide more text. 

This double page also features in the magazine of Kerrang. I have chosen this piece because it appears so chaotic and packed full of information that it actually works well and wants me as a reader to understand what is being written. The use of the image of the world at the top of the page makes the reader assume this could be a travel topic, prehaps someone going on tour, but I like the idea of having an image that is not the artist themselves but is related to the feature story in some way. The only negative about this is that the amount of text placed together in one block is enough to turn the reader away, if it was broken down into smaller sections it may be more inviting for the reader. In conclusion I like this magazine although I will not look at using it for emulation as the colour scheme and overall outlook on the piece appears, to me, to be leaning on a more masculine and male audience whereas I am looking to create an upbeat signature magazine which is more gender bias towards females. 

Below are a few images of magazine double page spreads in which I have chosen to select because of their appearence and because I was easily drawn into wanting to read more. These are the double page spreads in which I think are successful; 

 
 

Coursework - Music Magazine Photographers

I have conducted research on the type of photographers popular music magazines use as their portfolios in their magazines. Such photographers are found in magazines like mojo, kerrang and Q. 

The most common names for music magazine researchers is Andrew Cotterill, Andy Fallon, Paul Harries, Mick Hutson, Rodger Sargent and Andy Willsher.

Images such as this one have been previously placed in popular music magazines, supplied by the list of photographers shown above. I particularly like the look of this photograph and the band it is representing.

I have done this specific research on photographers because I believe it is important to get an understanding on all sections of music magazines. Photography work is widely incoporated within magazines and I feel that having researched into it I can have a better grasp on a professional look when it comes to completing my coursework.  From what I have gathered, self portriture work is the most common use of photography within magazines, whether or not it portrays a specific part to music or just the artist. Therefore I have concluded that in my final music magazine I will use specific portriture work with an indie twist on the look as that is what I am aiming for. I will also ensure that the artist is looking directly into the camera as this is what many of the magazines achieve with their photography work. This is because it engages the reader and makes them connect to the artist that is being previewed on the front cover.

The Use Of Artificial Lighting In Photography:

When photographers use artificial light they are drawing with light, and photographers normally the light in a way that makes it look natural. Therefore when positioning the lighting you are going to use it is essential that it is positioned where the sun might be in relation to the subject. This is normally fairly high and coming from behind the camera at an off centre angle. The beneficial points of using studio lighting is that you have total control over both the direction of the lighting and the effect of it, creating an image you want to achieve is always successful.

Overall after this research it has become clear that using a studio would allow me to achieve a professional outlook on the photography side of the magazine, therefore I will use this reseach and apply it to my photography work which will be portrayed in my overall music magazine.