Image deadline

I have set a deadline for myself to help keep me organized and on track. I have set a deadline to have collected my images by Monday 4th November. This allows me time to plan and prepare but also allows me to collect my images in time to start creating my magazine.

Magazine Flat Plan

This is the flat plan I have designed for my own magazine. I have made the main image the focal point of the magazine and I am going to cover the whole page with it. Although the masthead will be over the image, the model in the image will be slightly covering the masthead. From my research I have noticed that images usually cover the masthead to some extent giving the impression the magazine is well established which I wanted to interpret into my own work. I have located the essential information in the bottom left third of the page to keep it out the way but still visible to the reader. I also placed a puff in the bottom right third of the page. I am also going to place it in a unique shape to make it eye catching and entice the readers.

This is the flat plan for my contents page. I have decided to include a note from the editor to create a friendly relationship with the viewer and to include a direct mode of address. I have also chose to use a large image related to the story on the front cover to keep it highlighted as the main feature. The header that will be there will include information such as date, issue number and a website link. I chose to advertise a website link as I have noticed from other magazines that many of them have an online version for people to view. I think this will be good to include as my target audience are very technology orientated and will be more likely to use the website.












This is the flat plan I have designed for my double page spread however it may change once the designing process has began. I have decided to dedicate one page to an image as I preferred the layout of other double page spreads I had seen that had gone with that style. I have also chose to place my masthead across the top of the page. I have chose this as it is primarily the first place people look when reading a page so I will have to ensure it is eye catching and enticing.

Fonts for my magazine

For my magazine, I have been looking on the website www.dafont.com to find fonts I would like to use.

For my masthead I have decided on the font Riot!

I chose this font as I really like it and it is inspired by the band Paramore. Paramore are a rock band that I would definitely consider featuring in my magazine. This means that they fit within my magazine genre and the text style will be familiar to my audience and may intrigue them into buying my magazine.


I also like the font Vegan Pizza.

I like the faded out look in the text and I think it would fit in well with my magazine. However, I am not sure where I would use this but if I did, it would probably be for the main sell line.

Some other fonts I like are:

Target Audience Profile

For my magazine I wanted to have a more in depth understanding of my target audience. I thought that this would help ensure that my magazine will be aimed towards the target audience and feature things they are interested in.






Name: Angel
Age: 16
Favourite music genre: Rock
Things she likes to do in her spare time: Go online, listen to music, use social networks, go to concerts, watch TV shows
Favourite bands: Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, The Brobecks, We Are The In Crowd
Favourite TV Shows: Supernatural, Hannibal, American Horror Story









Name: Cerina
Age:17
Favourite music genre: Rock
Things she likes to do in her spare time: Socialise with friends, use social network, go to concerts, watch TV
Favourite bands: You Me At Six, 30 Seconds To Mars, Fall Out Boy
Favourite TV Shows: The Vampire Diaries, Dr Who, The Walking Dead

Name: Jack
Age: 16
Favourite music genre: Rock
Things he likes to do in his spare time: Watch TV, watch music videos, socialise, work, go out
Favourite bands: 30 Seconds To Mars, Linkin Park, All Time Low
Favourite TV Shows: CSI NY, The Walking Dead










I can use this information to help me decide on bands to feature in upcoming magazines, and also to help decide what articles my audience would want to read about. By comparing the profiles, I can see links between bands, TV shows and what people like to do in their spare time. This allows me to see which features would be more popular and what the majority of my target audience want to see.

Semiotics and Symbols

In todays lesson the subject was semiotics and symbols.

Key Terms
Semiotics: the study of signs
Connotation: in depth/different meaning
Denotation: literal meaning
Subject Position: points of view

The theorists we looked at were Ferdinand Saussure who looked at semiotics in terms of language and how it is used, and Roland Barthes, who applied the idea of semiotics to Andy Warhol and advertising.

A handy equation to remember is:

SIGNIFIER + SIGNIFIED = SIGN

The signifier could be a word, colour, image or a sound.

The signified is the concept/meaning/associations that the sign refers to.

For example: The colour blue (signifier) is often associated with sadness or the sea (signified)

We also looked at signs and cultural difference. For example:

The colour white is known in the UK to symbolise purity, innocence and is usually associated with weddings whereas in China white symbolises mourning and is associated with funerals.

I will use this lesson to influence my magazine as it will help me pick the correct colours to use and will also help me look at all aspects of my magazine's connotations to ensure it portrays what I am aiming it to.

Models for my magazine

This is a screen shot of my conversation with a friend of mine who is in a band. I asked him if his band would be available and once he checked with them he let me know that they are. Now that they have agreed to pose, I will check the studio rota at college to find a time that is suitable for everyone. I wanted to use a real band to model as it will portray more naturally to the reader and there will be a real band dynamic.

Preliminary Feedback

The feedback for our magazine was very constructive. They commented that the colour scheme was a bight too bright and the image was a bit too stretched. The image was like this because it didn't fit the whole screen anf this was the best compramise. I will take this into consideration when creating my music magazine and opt for a colour scheme that fits well together but is not too overpowering and that any images used are in focus.

In my magazine, I was considering including a feature or adverts relating to mental illness. I wanted to do this as it is a rising problem in adolescents and needs to be addressed. I also thought that by including it a music magazine and possibly relating it to well known artists of my readers, it may make a larger impact on them. I was recently looking through a Kerrang magazine as it the main inspiration for my own magazine and I noticed these 2 adverts. They are both related to mental illness and offer support for suffers who may need it. After finding these adverts, this helped reinforce my idea of including them in a magazine.

 

 

 

The Male Gaze

This research will help me with my model's poses as some of the poses are for a more mature audience which is inappropriate for my target audience.

Mood Boards

I have created three mood boards on Pinterest for images and poses that I like and will take inspiration from for my own magazine. I have also pinned some images where I would make some slight changes or where I like the background and will experiment with their ideas.

Below is the link to my double page spread mood board:
http://www.pinterest.com/stphx/double-page-spread-images/

Below is the link to my front cover mood board:
http://www.pinterest.com/stphx/front-cover-images/

Below is the link to my contents page mood board:
http://www.pinterest.com/stphx/contents-page-images/

These mood boards have been valuable research as they have allowed me to view what professional magazines have used and have given me ideas for my own magazine. It also allows me to help establish my brand identity further and help me with ideas for my own unique selling point.

Camera Angles

Medium Close up

Medium Long Shot

High angle shot

Long Shot

Eye Level

Low Angle shot

Medium Shot

plan for my magazine

Thinking about the model for my front cover, I am going to contact friends who are either in a band or a solo artist to see if they will feature in my magazine. If not, I will ask a close friend or family member to pose as an artist.

Costume wise, I want the model to wear something eye catching but also comfortable to make the photo as natural as possible. There will also be props in the form of music instruments, although I will take shots with them and without them to see which ones I prefer. I currently own a guitar so I do not have to worry about borrowing one from a friend. I was also considering experimenting with colour gels on my photos. This entails holding a sheet of coloured gel over the lights whilst the photo is being taken. I will make sure to take other people with me to the studio other than the band and myself incase I choose to try this.

As for location, I was considering using a studio at college with use of the professional lighting. If needed, I would also ask my photography teacher for his input and advice. I was also considering using a local location such as a park. I want to try different locations to see which ones fit in best with the tone of the magazine. For the location shoot, I will keep an eye on the weather forcast to pick the best possible day for everyone. I am hoping to choose a day when it is sunny and there is no rain which may limit our options as we are now in the later months.

Recce Form

1.    Are there any potential hazards that could pose a health and safety risk where your photo shoot will take place (trailing cables/traffic/other objects )? All the lights are connected to tracks on the ceiling so there should be no cables around. There will be props present which may be a tripping hazard.

2.    What will you do to ensure these risks are minimised? I will enter the studio before the model/s arrive and ensure that everything is set up correctly and that there are no loose wires or cables. I will also make sure that there are no props lying around that could be tripped on.

3.    Will the time of day/weather affect the outcome of the photos? Have you allowed for this? I have planned to take my photos in a studio to have full use of professional lighting. This will eliminate any chance of the weather affecting my images. I have also thought of taking some photos on site in different locations. If I try this, I will ensure to check the weather both days before and on the day to check what the weather will be like. I am hoping to get a day where the sun is shining and there is no rain so I will take this into consideration when planning my images.

4.    Have you considered the background to your photos, particularly if taken outside? How will you ensure you will get the background you want? When in the studio, the background will be plain white. This will allow me to keep focus on the models and to also have full effect of the lighting. I may also experiment with coloured gels to see the different effects possible. When shooting on location, I plan to use a background that is quite simple and does not have much happening in it such as a park to keep focus on the models.

5.    Have you considered lighting? What about the ‘problems’ of natural lighting, either outside, or streaming through a window? Will you need to use a flash? Have you considered reflective objects that might spoil the effect? In the studio natural light will not be a problem; however, a flash will be used to get the best quality image I can. When shooting on location, the main source of light will be natural light. I will take this into consideration and adjust my camera settings accordingly.

6.    Do you need permission to take photos in the place/venue you have in mind? I already have permission from my photography teacher at Shiney Row to use the studios there.

7.    Do you need to book time in a room (eg the photography studio at Shiney)? For my studio photos I will have to book time in the studio at Shiney Row.

8.    Are other people/crowds likely to be an issue for you? What have you done to ensure that it will not spoil the effect? They may cause problems on my shoot on location so to avoid this I will choose a location that is usually not very busy but I will also choose an unpopular time such as night or early morning.

9.    Are you reliant on lifts/props/friends’ equipment/models? How have you planned that these things will come together at the appointed time? Plan B? I will need props such as instruments for the models to wear. I have asked some friends who are in a band to pose and feature on my magazine. If this does not work, I will ask a close friend or family member to pose as an artist. I also own a guitar which can be used in the images.

10.    Finally, have you thought of every eventuality…? I think I have thought of everything however if I have not and a problem arises, I will deal with it rationally and think of the best possible solution I can.

Lighting Styles

There are two main types of lighting used which are high key and low key.

High key:

High key lighting provides a bright shot with minimised shadows. I plan to try out this lighting style when taking my photos to see the effect it has however I am unsure as to whether I will use it as it may not fit with the overall theme of my magazine.

 

 

 

 

 

Low key:

Low key is used to enhance shadows and create a sense of mystery. I plan to try this lighting style when taking my photos as I think it will add more depth to my magazine and it will be symbolic of the mystery of a new band or artist.

Preliminary task flat plans

These are the flat plans for our preliminary task. We focused to include the main points that are needed for the cover and the contents page. Unfortunately, when scanning the flat plans, our contents page plan was not fully scanned although it did consider the main features of a contents page.

Preliminary task front cover

This is the magazine cover that we designed for our preliminary task. The image we used is situated outside of the main building at college and features two AS level students.  We included a puff in the form of a free note book to keep in with the college theme. We used bright colours for the text to make it bright and eye catching to the reader. The essential information is located in the bottom right third of the page. It is kept seperate from the rest of the page to make it easy to view for the reader. We decided to charge 30p for the magazine as it is for college students who may not be able to afford a lot of money but also, many students may not be that interested in a college magazine so by only charging 30p they might decide to try it. We positioned the mast head at the top of the page accross all thirds. We chose the name Student Life as clearly represents what the magazine is and what type of articles it will include. Once it was finished, we realised that we did not include an issue number. If we were to redo the page we would include it. I think that we stuck to our flat plan for our front cover quite well. We used the layout of the flat plan to decide where our features would be placed.

This is the contents page for our preliminary task. We tried to keep the colour scheme similar however the colours are not a direct match. In my own music magazine, I will make sure to use the same exact colours to keep continuity and look professional. There is also a few places of blank space on the contents page. I will make sure not to have this in my own magazine. We kept the main feature of the contents page to link with the main feature on the front cover to give continuity and focus.

Voltz! Reader Profile (my magazine)

By using the research I collected using my surveys and poll, I have constructed a reader profile for my magazine. This allows me to further establish the brand identity that was created when I created my original mood board. 

Looking at my research, I realise that there is an opportunity for a synergy. My research shows that many of my readers use social network and enjoy going to gigs. I will use this and include a puff promotion and have concert tickets available for a reader to win. I will also think about connecting my magazine to social media. 

Research Findings

Before I began to design my magazine, I conducted research into my target audience to find out what aspects of a magazine are important to the readers and also to find out what they liked and their opinions on music magazines. This research will allow me to design my magazine around the reader and make it more appealing to my target audience.

Of the 14 people I asked, majority said that they prefer rock music. This helps my magazine as it reinforces the idea that if I continue with my idea of a alternative rock magazine, it is appealing to the majority. It is also helpful as it allows me to see how many people will fit in with my primary audience - people who like the main music genre of my magazine - but also allows me to have an insight into my secondary audience who are people that might by my magazine if bands were included that fit more into sub-genres such as pop punk.

 

When asked the question ‘What is that maximum you would spend on a music magazine?’ the majority of people said between £3 and £3.99. This is useful information as I had previously planned to only charge £1.99 for my magazine. By collecting these results, it has allowed me to consider increasing the price of the magazine as many people would pay above my original price.

When I asked if people read music magazines, 57% said yes and 43% said no however when I asked if they would use a website linked to the magazine, 79% said yes, 7% said no and 14% said maybe. This shows that more people are more likely to view the website than the magazine. This gave me the idea to create a website with the magazine and to feature the same content to an extent. I would provide music news and interviews for people to view but it would not have as much as the magazine. I would hope that the viewer would enjoy looking at the magazine and it will increase their likelyness of purchasing the magazine to read the extra content.

The results show that the majority of readers download their music online rather than buying the cd. This is useful as it helps me to decide what articles to feature in my magazine. I would focus on the download charts as this is where most readers get their music but I would sometimes feature the CD charts as well to appeal to the other readers.

From my surveys, I found that in their spare time, the majority of readers enjoy going to gigs and socialising with friends. They also enjoy using the internet, going on social media, photography and watching TV. By knowing their interests, I will be able to construct articles that will interest them and make the reader more likely to buy my magazine.

Many people said that factors that attract them to a magazine cover are:

     Bright colours

      Interesting cover-line

     The main image

      The main sell line

This information will help when I come to the design of my front cover. I will then focus more on these items to ensure they are eye catching and interesting to attract readers.

Most of the people asked said that they would like to see exclusive interviews, album reviews and lots of images. All of these are easily acheivable and I will spend time ensuring that they are included when I make my magazine. Many people said that they read articles in full however, some people said that they usually only skim read them. I will use this information to make sure that the masthead and subheading are interesting and intriguing to increase the chance of people reading the full article.

Preliminary Task

For the preliminary task, I have to create a college magazine front cover. I also have to create a flat plan for both the front cover and the contents page. For this task I worked in a group with 4 other people from my class. We created the flat plans and then went around college and took images that would be useful for a college magazine. We then uploaded the images onto the computer and chose the best ones to be used on the front cover and what we would write about.

Magazine Mock Up

This is the mock up of a music magazine front cover. The main image I used is not an original image. It features Amy Lee, the lead singer of the band Evanescence, which I found online. I chose this image as she fits well within the genre of my magazine and the mode of address is direct as she is looking directly at the reader. I used reds, yellows, and black with white background for my text as it stands out from the image's background and is very bright and eye catching. I used a puff in the bottom right third which advertises a competition to win tickets to see Fall Out Boy; who are also featured in the magazine. I kept the sub cover lines a separate colour from the main sell line to keep the main focus on the main sell line as it is bright and bold. My essential information is located in the bottom left third of the page. I used yellow to make it easy to find against the background but also to fit with the main colour scheme of the magazine.

Preliminary Task Images

These are the images that were taken to be used for the preliminary task. I took a few images in different settings and I altered the camera settings as well. I did this to get a variety of images and to be able to use the one with the best quality. Not all images will be used as in some the wind was too strong but also some were either too dark or over exposed. Although, these images could be edited in photoshop if needed to improve the quality.

Simpsons Movie Poster

This is the poster I made to advertise the Simpsons Movie. I used photoshop and created different layers for each element. I began by creating a layer for the image of Homer. I then looked online to find an image that would be suitable to use. I chose this image as it shows the Homer that many people who are fans of the show; and the main target audience of the movie; would recognise. I then transferred the image onto the layer and edited the size. I chose to make the image the main feature as it is eye catching and the poster will be easy to decipher within a few seconds. I then created a layer for the masthead. I decided to stick to the original movie title as I thought it displayed all the needed information and fit well with the image I was using. I was then going to leave the background plain white however I thought it looked too bare and decided to colour the background. I did this by selecting a colour using the colour picker and then I used the brush tool to apply the colour. I chose to use a shade of yellow as it is the most associated colour with the Simpsons.