Monday, 30 January 2012
2nd Draft of My Front Cover
Friday, 27 January 2012
Monday, 23 January 2012
Photoshoot!
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Above are several photos from my magazine photoshoot. Please comment your favourite pictures for my Front Cover and Double Page spread :)
Monday, 16 January 2012
Layout Designs
Below are three possible page layout designs for my front cover, contents page and double page spread.
Saturday, 14 January 2012
Planning My Photoshoot
When taking my photos for my magazine I need to consider the image which the photo portrays and if it relates to my original idea. I will be considering factors of Mise en scene.
Position in the Frame: For the front cover the focus of the page will be my model therefore it will be a mid-close up shot. As I would like my model to show emotion and appeal to readers. The background is likely to be a plain colour to bring the attention to my model. The photograph used on my double page spread will be focused on my model and features of the background so a balance with the position of the model and the influence of the background will be important.
Lighting: A majority of the lighting used will be unnatural. I would like to use overhead lighting on my model to create a soft, glowing and glamorous effect. Lighting will be soft to reduce the effect of shadows in the image.
Wardrobe: Baseline magazines targets a majority of mainstream music therefore my model will be wearing make-up and hair will be big and well presented. My model's clothing will be fashionable and colourful. If I choose to use props I am likely to include a guitar or microphone.
Setting: I am likely to use several locations for my photoshoot. The photograph used on my cover will be taken inside against a plain wall. For my double page spread the photographs will be taken outside, hopefully I will be able to take advantage of the good weather and make use of natural lighting.
Friday, 13 January 2012
Lighting Techniques 2 - Eve Hazelton from Realm Pictures on Vimeo.
As I will be taking my photographs for my music magazine at home this video is useful for me to understand how I can create my own lighting effects in order to get the best result from my photoshoot.
Factors which make a good Photograph
In my opinion a good photograph is successful in portraying a photographers idea and the viewer is able to see this from the photo. The photograph will have a good frame which shows all intended objects of the image. It may also use a frame within a frame.
This image is taken by Angus McBean.
Girl in the red coat - Schindler's List
Luna Sunset
High angle shot emphasisng the height of the buildings.
Close Up Shot emphasisng the position and detail of the insect.
This image is taken by Angus McBean.A good photograph also uses some colour. Colour maybe used to draw attention to a specific point in the image. Howver a simple black and white image can be just as effective. A good use of colour makes a picture more attractive to the eye.
Girl in the red coat - Schindler's ListA good image also has a structure. The photogrpaher is aware of the foreground and elements of the background which play a part of the picture. They must both work together to make the picture seem realistic.
Luna SunsetA photographer can manipulate our view of the image using photoshoot or even the angles at which the image is taken. This allows the photograph to portray the exact image which the photographer intended for us to see.
High angle shot emphasisng the height of the buildings.
Close Up Shot emphasisng the position and detail of the insect.
The Treatment
My Magazine: Baseline
Target readership
Baseline is a music magazine which is aimed at teens aged 15-18 years old who enjoy listening to a range of music genres. Parents of readers are likely to be in the C1 category with a few classed in the B catergory. This means that readers will not be receiving income and therefore relying on their Parents to give them finance for things such as magazines. There maybe exceptions as some readers may have part-time work outside of their education or be in full time work and therefore are able to afford this item. These readers are fans of mainstream music however they like the music of some artists in other music genres so can challenge media content with their demand for music. These readers enjoy fashion, are conscious of the clothes which they wear and the image they portray and they look up to certain celebrities with a good style of fashion. They tend to own popular gadgets and are aware of the latest trends. The average Baseline reader is confident and works hard in all aspects of life in order to reach their own goals in life. They have a strong interest in successful people around them and seek advice and gossip from them. Music plays an important role in their life whether through singing, dancing or listening.
Form and Style
Baselines is an A4 full colour magazine, it uses cover models of similar age of its target group. The colours used in the magazine are likely to be fun and attrective to express personality but are carefully designed showing maturity of the age group. Graphics used in Baseline will have a house style, colours layouts and images will be effective in portraying a fun an strong presentation of the magazine which is considered fashionable and attractive to its target group. The magazine is likely to be priced at around £2.95 which is just above the average of £2.70.
Themes and Typical Features
The magazine will contain music charts, latest news in the music industry, and artist features, gossip, interviews and concert advertisements. Issues are also likely to feature celebrities, contain music quizzes, competitions, regular concert calendars and upcoming artists. Baseline will use a variety of themes such as 'artist of the season' and 'genre of the month' which will be an important part of each issue. Features used in the magazine will have a strong focus on music artists and celebrities. The magazine will also briefly look at the latest news in the media. There will be pages dedicated to readers who are musicians, advice from music idols and information for artists looking to be signed. The mode of adress in the magazine will be casual and lighthearted to create the feel that readers are talking to a friend. Language used in the magazine will relate to its target audience, therefore there will be a use of colloquial langauge. This is appropriate as the magazine is directed at teenagers.
Potential Advertisers
There will be a range of adverts used in Baseline magazine. Typical adverts are likely to feature fashion, music, health and beauty brands. For example Topshop and Topman, Miss Selfridge, Hollister, MTV, Nike, and Beatz Headphones.
Editorial Team
The editorial team for Baseline will be made up of experience writers and designers who may have worked with other magazines such as Top of the Pops, teen brands and are reliable for the magazine. The writers will be male and female to allow them to relate to both male and female readers of the magazine. The magazine will publish in each issue an article from new writers who are able to appeal to the target audience and give the magazine fresh ideas.
Target readership
Baseline is a music magazine which is aimed at teens aged 15-18 years old who enjoy listening to a range of music genres. Parents of readers are likely to be in the C1 category with a few classed in the B catergory. This means that readers will not be receiving income and therefore relying on their Parents to give them finance for things such as magazines. There maybe exceptions as some readers may have part-time work outside of their education or be in full time work and therefore are able to afford this item. These readers are fans of mainstream music however they like the music of some artists in other music genres so can challenge media content with their demand for music. These readers enjoy fashion, are conscious of the clothes which they wear and the image they portray and they look up to certain celebrities with a good style of fashion. They tend to own popular gadgets and are aware of the latest trends. The average Baseline reader is confident and works hard in all aspects of life in order to reach their own goals in life. They have a strong interest in successful people around them and seek advice and gossip from them. Music plays an important role in their life whether through singing, dancing or listening.
Form and Style
Baselines is an A4 full colour magazine, it uses cover models of similar age of its target group. The colours used in the magazine are likely to be fun and attrective to express personality but are carefully designed showing maturity of the age group. Graphics used in Baseline will have a house style, colours layouts and images will be effective in portraying a fun an strong presentation of the magazine which is considered fashionable and attractive to its target group. The magazine is likely to be priced at around £2.95 which is just above the average of £2.70.
Themes and Typical Features
The magazine will contain music charts, latest news in the music industry, and artist features, gossip, interviews and concert advertisements. Issues are also likely to feature celebrities, contain music quizzes, competitions, regular concert calendars and upcoming artists. Baseline will use a variety of themes such as 'artist of the season' and 'genre of the month' which will be an important part of each issue. Features used in the magazine will have a strong focus on music artists and celebrities. The magazine will also briefly look at the latest news in the media. There will be pages dedicated to readers who are musicians, advice from music idols and information for artists looking to be signed. The mode of adress in the magazine will be casual and lighthearted to create the feel that readers are talking to a friend. Language used in the magazine will relate to its target audience, therefore there will be a use of colloquial langauge. This is appropriate as the magazine is directed at teenagers.
Potential Advertisers
There will be a range of adverts used in Baseline magazine. Typical adverts are likely to feature fashion, music, health and beauty brands. For example Topshop and Topman, Miss Selfridge, Hollister, MTV, Nike, and Beatz Headphones.
Editorial Team
The editorial team for Baseline will be made up of experience writers and designers who may have worked with other magazines such as Top of the Pops, teen brands and are reliable for the magazine. The writers will be male and female to allow them to relate to both male and female readers of the magazine. The magazine will publish in each issue an article from new writers who are able to appeal to the target audience and give the magazine fresh ideas.
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Review of Questionnaire
- A majority of the teens interviewed have read few music magazines.
- Most teens are unsure if they will read a magazine which is not focused on their own genre of music.
- The use of freebies is likely to encourage purchasing of my music magazine.
- The use of famous artists makes a magazine more attractive to readers.
- The most popular parts of a music magazine are the use of upcoming artists, photographs, interviews, concert adverts and feature columns.
- Section of music magazines which teens claimed to dislike are adverts, long pieces of text and dull desgins.
- Teens are more likely to read the next issue if they enjoyed reading a previous one
Monday, 9 January 2012
Friday, 6 January 2012
This information is from 2009. It talks about the recession having an effect on circulation figures, as I am in the process of creating my music magazine during the effects of the last recession. I feel this information is useful for me to understand how pricing, presentation of the magazine can affect readers.
Above is a print screen from Music Week website. It talks briefly about circulation figures from July - December during 2010. Mojos circulation figures grew by 3.2% in this time period whereas Kerrang's figures were down 2.4%. These magazines are both a part of Bauer media production and this information shows that magazine figures fluctuate reguarly and this affects each music magazine differently.
Thursday, 5 January 2012
QUESTIONNAIRE
PLEASE ANSWER!!
1. How many music magazines have you read?
a) 0 - 10
b) 10 - 30
c) More than 30
2. What is your favourite genre of music?
a) Classical
b) Country
c) Heavy Metal
d) Hip-hop
e) Indie
f) Pop
g) Rap
h) Rock
i) Other (If so specify... )
3. Would you read a magazine which is not focused on your genre of music?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Maybe
4. What price will you be willing to pay for a music magazine?
a) £0 - £1
b) £1 - £2.50
c) £2.50 - £4.00
d) £4.00 - £6.50
e) More than £6.50
5. Are you more likely to buy and read a music magazine which contains freebies?
a) Yes
b) No
c) I don't care about freebies, I don't use them anyway
6. Would you prefer to read a music magazine with lots of famous bands and activities involving the audience?
a) Yes
b) No I prefer a magazine which focuses solely on music
7. What is your favourite part of a magazines?
.........................................................................................
8. What do you dislike about magazines?
.........................................................................................
9, Would you pefer a music magazine with...
a) Focused on text
b) Focused on photos
10. How often would you like the magazine to be published?
a) Daily
b) Weekly
c) Monthly
d) Seasonally
e) Annually
11. What age group would you like a magazine you are reading to be aimed at?
a) 13 - 16
b) 15 - 18
c) 16 - 21
d) Older than 21
12. If you enjoyed reading a music magazine are you likely to read the next issue?
a) Yes
b) No
c) I don't know
1. How many music magazines have you read?
a) 0 - 10
b) 10 - 30
c) More than 30
2. What is your favourite genre of music?
a) Classical
b) Country
c) Heavy Metal
d) Hip-hop
e) Indie
f) Pop
g) Rap
h) Rock
i) Other (If so specify... )
3. Would you read a magazine which is not focused on your genre of music?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Maybe
4. What price will you be willing to pay for a music magazine?
a) £0 - £1
b) £1 - £2.50
c) £2.50 - £4.00
d) £4.00 - £6.50
e) More than £6.50
5. Are you more likely to buy and read a music magazine which contains freebies?
a) Yes
b) No
c) I don't care about freebies, I don't use them anyway
6. Would you prefer to read a music magazine with lots of famous bands and activities involving the audience?
a) Yes
b) No I prefer a magazine which focuses solely on music
7. What is your favourite part of a magazines?
.........................................................................................
8. What do you dislike about magazines?
.........................................................................................
9, Would you pefer a music magazine with...
a) Focused on text
b) Focused on photos
10. How often would you like the magazine to be published?
a) Daily
b) Weekly
c) Monthly
d) Seasonally
e) Annually
11. What age group would you like a magazine you are reading to be aimed at?
a) 13 - 16
b) 15 - 18
c) 16 - 21
d) Older than 21
12. If you enjoyed reading a music magazine are you likely to read the next issue?
a) Yes
b) No
c) I don't know
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Research
Magazines - Naomi Hodinson
This section explores tree magazine titles which together investigate the areas of genre, narrative and representation.
How do magazines differ to newspapers?
- Magazines come in a wide range of sub-genres
- Magazine coverage is often more detailed but with less timely information
- A magazine will explore and profile the issues and people involved
- Magazines are weekly, fornightly or monthly while newspapers are daily
- Magazines are more permanent (we keep them for longer than newspapers)
- Magazine consumers appreciate information which is specifically aimed at their needs and interests
Analysing a magazine: the cover
A magazine cover can be known as its face while books are known by their spine. A first glance should tell you if it interests you.
- Magazine title: what connotations does it carry?
- Strapline/tagline: can be linked to brand identity and house style giving ideas about its audience
- Fonts and Colours: their presentation can link to a target audience and their age group
- Main image: usually shows various representations of femininity across sub-genres
- Anchorage and cover lines: reveal great detail about title ideologies and target audiences
- Other tactics: use of celebrities, sensationalism and freebies
Analysing a magazine between the covers
There are several features of a magazine which I should look out for:
- Content page - an overview of the magazine with a sense of the magazines brand identity through mode of address and design
- Editor's letter - adds a personal touch to the brand identity and audience connection
- Two page spreads - prime unit for design
- Advertisements - give the magazine highly specialised audience, Proportion to content
The magazine industry is generally dominated by major publishers. For example, IPC, EMAP, Bauer, Conde Nast, The National Magazine Company and BBC Magazines. Globalisation of the magazine industry suggests that producers make stereotypical assumptions about their audiences. The magazine audience is fractionised with niche titles. Magazines have a defined and focused target audience. In recent years the industry appears to be doing less well with a drop in circulation figures. Felix Dennis says 'it is a long, slow sunset for ink on paper' (previous publisher of maxim).
Total Film
Future Publishing, £3.80 monthly. ABCs: 65,616
Total Film is a magazine published by Future. A publishing company which started in 1985 on a kitchen table and now publishes over 150 magazines worldwide. As it associates with magazines such as Official Nintendo Magazine, Digital Camera and Official Playstation2 linking to new technology so we can form ideas about its target audience and synergy.
Total Film Magazine has a house style its format and layout are extremely consistent.:
On the cover - features which are indicated in the cover lines
Plus - the section on features which didn't make the cover
Buzz -film news and goosip
Lounge - home entertainment news and features
Ever edition starts with a planner of the month's movie guide and a forum of readers letters and rounds off with quiz and film-related competition
The magazine is praised on its publisher website. Its forum section shows that its target audience are men as the letters within this section are mostly from men and advertisements appeal to young educated males. Total film uses a light mode of address avoiding being to specialised or 'laddish' and offers young knowledgeable film lovers a sense of humour. There are stereotypical representations as the magazine favours male actors and talented directed but features a few interviews with actresses. Future publishing claims that the average demographic for Total Film is 75% male and 26 years old these tend to be 'dedicated film-goers'.
Grazia
EMAP (Bauer), £1.90 weekly, ABCs: 227,083
Grazia was launched in Italy 1938 and is owned by Italy's market leading publisher Mondadori. Initially Grazia had a slow start but now features high-end adverts of designer brands such as D&G, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. The magazine is now owned by Bauer who spent a total of £16 million in the first three years causing sales to increase. Grazia circulation figures now stand higher than Vogue's monthly issue and it sells more than the market leader which is Glamour but it is claimed that Grazia is read by 'upmarket women' yet charges less than half the price for advertisements than Vogue and Glamour which are also fashion magazines.Grazia magazine created a new 'news and shoes' generic mix, it was Britain's first weekly magazine which combines glossy fashion with A-list celebrity gossip and elements of real life. This magazine has cleverly created a hybrid mix of popular genres. Observer woman said that it is 'tapping the psyche of British women'
Grazia offers its readers narrative pleasure through cover lines featuring celebrities, using sensationalism to create enigmas, a narrative format and structure with consistent design style. It is more accessible to the average women as it uses both high fashion and high street clothing and has obtained a gossipy house style usually featuring celebrities on the front cover e.g. Angelina Jolie or Kate Moss.
2000 AD
£1.90 weekly, ABCs: approximately 20,000
2000 AD emerged in the late 1970s with the era of punk. It was originally published by IPC Media but is now owned by Rebellion which owns intellectual property rights and is known for developing computer games. 2000 AD is a stable and growing magazine although marginally profitable, it carries few advertisements and includes graphic novels and games. Its genre is difficult to define as it has elements from a range of genres.
2000 AD features five different comic strips per week, Judge Dredd being a consistent fixture while others come and go. The strips are serialised and often end in cliffhangers. It uses aggressive characters, dark settings linking to the science fiction genre and could be criticised for using violent content and the way it represent women. Many of its strips cause different emotions among readers through the message which they portray or the representation of certain features. 2000 AD challenges its readers and is not just for children.
Grazia
EMAP (Bauer), £1.90 weekly, ABCs: 227,083
Grazia was launched in Italy 1938 and is owned by Italy's market leading publisher Mondadori. Initially Grazia had a slow start but now features high-end adverts of designer brands such as D&G, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. The magazine is now owned by Bauer who spent a total of £16 million in the first three years causing sales to increase. Grazia circulation figures now stand higher than Vogue's monthly issue and it sells more than the market leader which is Glamour but it is claimed that Grazia is read by 'upmarket women' yet charges less than half the price for advertisements than Vogue and Glamour which are also fashion magazines.Grazia magazine created a new 'news and shoes' generic mix, it was Britain's first weekly magazine which combines glossy fashion with A-list celebrity gossip and elements of real life. This magazine has cleverly created a hybrid mix of popular genres. Observer woman said that it is 'tapping the psyche of British women'
Grazia offers its readers narrative pleasure through cover lines featuring celebrities, using sensationalism to create enigmas, a narrative format and structure with consistent design style. It is more accessible to the average women as it uses both high fashion and high street clothing and has obtained a gossipy house style usually featuring celebrities on the front cover e.g. Angelina Jolie or Kate Moss.
2000 AD
£1.90 weekly, ABCs: approximately 20,000
2000 AD emerged in the late 1970s with the era of punk. It was originally published by IPC Media but is now owned by Rebellion which owns intellectual property rights and is known for developing computer games. 2000 AD is a stable and growing magazine although marginally profitable, it carries few advertisements and includes graphic novels and games. Its genre is difficult to define as it has elements from a range of genres.
2000 AD features five different comic strips per week, Judge Dredd being a consistent fixture while others come and go. The strips are serialised and often end in cliffhangers. It uses aggressive characters, dark settings linking to the science fiction genre and could be criticised for using violent content and the way it represent women. Many of its strips cause different emotions among readers through the message which they portray or the representation of certain features. 2000 AD challenges its readers and is not just for children.
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