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

http://www.slideshare.net/daissjones/question-7-19193312

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

Before trying to create my own magazine I underestimated the reliance that is put into computer programmes to create the pages that we read and take for granted. Programmes such as Photo Shop, In Design, and Flickr are used daily, if not hourly and minute as a tool publish and then distribute media to the general public. From this project of creating my own magazine I have learnt the importance of such technologies with regards to putting together pages, covers and photographs.

THE PROCESS OF CREATING A PRODUCT WITH REFERENCE TO TECHNOLOGIES

Camera - In the media industry very high tech, expensive, cameras are used to photograph such celebrities and models to create the highest standard possible for their magazine. Without these in depth mega pixel cameras, photographs would not appear as appealing to the audience in the sense that they would be blurry. When it came to me photographing my model I found that I had trouble accessing a high mega pixel camera and had to rely on my I phone 5 camera. Although my phone camera is very useful I now understand that it was not suitable to use for this project, if I was to do the project again I would ensure that I was able to access a more appropriate camera. 

Photo Shop - This is the editing programme that the magazine industry use to edit their photo's to make their celebrities look 'flawless', hours on end are spent softening blemishes and editing the background to create the perfect imagery to be published within their product. I tried to consider how the industry used this programme when using it myself for my product in the sense that I wanted to replicate an image that would be featured on a real music magazine cover. Although I felt it was important to follow the common codes and conventions of a realistic magazine, I felt that it was important to challenge the ideologies in the industries and include a plain urban background to interact with my urban city living young audience. 

In Design - In Design is the programme used to create the set up, design and layout of the product. It is used in the industry as a simple to use base for pages, covers and contents pages. The industry are highly reliant on this programme as it is ideal to use to import images, add text and design the front page. I used this programme how any other magazine would with regards to the importation of images, text and design process to create the perfect magazine. I followed closely the codes and conventions of how a real product would look after being created through in design, however by adding a banner I feel that I stood out to the audience more that what I would have done if I followed ideologies of the front cover.

Question 4 + 5 - Who would be the audience for your media product and how did you attract/address your audience?

http://www.slideshare.net/daissjones/question-4-5-19192744

Question 3 - what kind of media institution might distribute your product and why?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSGhIUCxc4c&feature=youtu.be

Question 2 - How does your product represent particular social groups?

http://prezi.com/ot96nplgmhau/untitled-prezi/?kw=view-ot96nplgmhau&rc=ref-38506089

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

Similarities front cover 

Differences front cover

Similarities contents page 

Differences contents page 

Similarities Double page spread 

Differences double page spread 

Final double page spread

 

This is my final double page spread. As you can see I have inserted a photo which I cropped the background out of in 'photo shop', I chose to do this because I have seen it been done successfully in other music magazines. I intentionally kept the page on a grey scaled theme - this is because it then draws attention to the information highlighted in red and the picture of the artist, I also chose to do it because this page is more about the information featured on it as opposed to drawing the reader in, I found that in other magazines the DPS's that were complex drew the readers attention away from the writing. I feel that this simplistic page has been used effectively as I, myself notice the picture and the highlighted phrases and feel the urge to read the interview. 

double page spread progress

 I began by creating a traditional double page spread layout, the common conventions that I included were using a quotation as title, two thirds of the double page allocated to an image of the interviewee and using columns to report my interview. I highlighted 'doubting' in red as I felt that my artists negative attitude would draw in my target market, because they would want to see how he became something with a bad attitude. I have also began to write my article in the form of a Q&A, I used this because it was simple and I found it common when researching.

 Here I have began to insert a plain background of grey to highlight the information and the word and phrase highlighted in red. I have also completed my interview, for which I used as a direct Q&A as I felt this would appeal to my audience in the greatest sense. 

Chosen Double page spread image

I have chosen to use this image as I think it is a clear ideology that rappers are not to smile in photos, this photo follows that. By having his hair slicked over and his jacket round his shoulders he is also making a fashion statement which I feel is important for artists to do as they are view as role models. I plan to crop out the background and just use his body as I feel the background is distracting to readers.

Final Contents Page

This is my final contents page design. I highlight that Charlie is the main feature by putting the coverline over his photo in the top half of the page. I think that the editors letter is authentic and that my page follows a clear colour them which is important for a magazine page. Only one other magazine that I found on google images used a photo to divide the bottom of the page however I found it to be a useful tool.

Contents page process

 Here I have created a layout for my contents page. I have used a recuring theme with reference to my front page's masthead, as you can see I have used the tagline and the same font to title this page. I have used two images, one coming from my cover and the other as a banner across the top. Ive then used the bottom left had side to insert the contents and in the right hand side I plan to add an editors letter.

Here I have began to insert the features into the left hand side and added another circle with page number - this is where my main coverline is going to be listed. On the right hand side I have inserted an editors letter as I found from my research that this is a popular aspect of a contents page.

chosen contents image

I have chosen to use this image to feature in my contents page. I am aware that to some it may be deemed inappropriate, however I am going to clearly state in my double page spread that what Charlie is captured smoking is purely herbal.

Final front cover

 

This is my final front cover. I have completed inserting the cover lines on the left third which completed the information on the page. I have tried to create a dark theme, giving a sense of  mystery which I feel ties in which the genre of the magazine. I tried to make it look realistic and professional, I done this by using ideas from other music magazines and this was my outcome.

Front cover process

Here I have put in my masthead and tagline, I have used a classical style of font which in my opinion connotes power. I have added my main cover line which links to my model inside a banner which has covered the inappropriate hand gesture I addressed in a previous post. I put the barcode in the bottom right hand corner because I noticed that the bottom of the page is the common place to put it. I have also began to add cover lines in the left third of the page.

 Here I have added another coverline down the bottom of the left third and plan to fill the rest of that side with other ones, I have used a black and white theme as it is eye catching. On the right hand side I have added the price into the right hand side and put in the issue number in a bold square above the banner. I have purposely left the rest of the right hand third clear to draw attention the the logo located just above the bold square.

Chosen front cover image

This is my chosen image for my front cover. I chose this because my model, Charlie looks very serious and almost has an intimidating feel about him which gives him power. I understand that the hand gesture he is making is inappropriate for a front cover and I therefore plan to hide it with a banner containing my main cover line. However I feel it is important to include the VOI JEANS logo on his polo shirt as it creates an appeal to the audience.

Captured images

 

 

I took these images with a filter already on my camera, at the time I flt it would be an affective form of photography, however now looking at the quality of the final photo's I feel that it has lowered the quality of my photos. I hope to regain some quality when I edit my photo's in Photoshop and use the high quality resolution in InDesign.

FLAT PLAN

Proposal for Music Magazine

Who are you aiming your magazine at specifically?
I plan to aim my magazine at a niche audience  (ages 15-25), the niche being those who have a particular interest into the British Grime music and the culture that surrounds it.

What will your magazine be about?
My magazine will give information on the latest tracks and artists surrounding the Grime and Rap industry. It will also address articles surrounding it such as fashion, gigs and other local events surrounding the industry.

What are your ideas for cover lines?
I hope to include catchy cover lines that will attract the reader, i want to use techniques to catch the potential audience's attention for example 'Devlin's deadly dealing' 

What title have you decided on and why?
I have decided to call my magazine 'Grime'. This is because it will immediately attract the niche audience that I require. I also find it catchy and straight to the point, if a title is to long it loses it affect.

What fonts do you want to use and why?
I plan to use old fashioned grand fonts for the titles such as Bernard MT. Then with the actually writing I plan to use fonts such as courier to make it more interesting and readable.


When in the year will is be published/How frequently will it be published?
I plan to design my magazine to be published as a monthly magazine, I initially considered it to be a weekly magazine however I decided against it when planning what content to include. When I decided that I was going to include upcoming events I realised I would be repeating myself.

What kind of image do you expect to put on the front cover and how will you go about getting it?
I plan to use a male rapper, as the common ideology surrounding grime music is that it is male dominated. I aim for boys to look up to the model as a role model and for the girls to see him as a piece of eye candy, as well as being interested in the cover line. 

What are the dimensions of the cover?
My magazine will be a standard 8.5”x11”. this is the standard size for a magazine.

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Magazine Research - Do music magazines hold a responsibility to create positive profiles of the artists they choose to write about?

Magazines rely on the models that feature on their covers to appeal to their desired niche audience - as well of course as to sell the product. By using a large A4 photograph of a particular celebrity the producers and editors of the magazine are aiming to use these models as a selling point, as the hope is that the photo will catch the eyes of the required audience.

It is arguable that the magazine industry has a responsibility to give their audiences a positive impression of the celebrities that they feature in their magazines. This is especially important when it comes to the music industry as for the artists, interviews create a base for their reputation. For this reason it is believed that the writers have an obligation to uphold the current high status that the artists already withhold, if something and was to be written about the artist then they could hold the interviewer to blame for the bad publicity that they will receive post interview. For example when singer Rihanna got back her abusive ex Chris Brown, she relied on having positively publicity to support her decision and inform the public that she made the right decision to do so.
Another reason for which the magazines have a responsibility to create a positive profile of the artists they feature, is because if they are constantly writing negatively about those they interview, it reflects the company in a negative light. People may not want to buy a magazine if there is consistently articles being written in a negative way, for a 'light read' it may become too intense and they may stop buying it.
By writing about potential touchy subjects which are deemed either illegal or morally incorrect, they are given some readers the impression that they are supporting these acts and giving them the publicity that they do not deserve. For example, by mentioning somebody's past and including a criminal offence are the magazines supporting it or stating a fact?

In argument to my previous paragraph, other readers and those working in the industry do not believe that they withhold a responsibility to write positive press and that the truth is more important.
A majority of writers and editors believe that they have an obligation to print the truth about the interviewee and for that reason they print various stories surrounding all aspects (both good and bad) or a artists career and life.
Journalists do not hold themselves liable to what they print, if an interviewee states something whilst being asked questions, writers think that they have a right to then print that in their magazines. It is therefore the fault of the interviewee for mentioning something they did not want printed publicly.
The ultimate aim of the articles being written is to sell and to entertain the reader. It is proven that interviews withholding personal and negative information are found more interesting to read as opposed to constant positive stories which can be named as boring to the reader.

My personal opinion on the matter is that if the person is willing to state it in an interview then it should be able to be reported in the magazine. It is then up to the magazine whether they should choose to print it, it is up to the editors whether they take it upon themselves to include 'socially touchy subjects'.

Research For Music Magazine - Deciding what Genre

I have decided that I am going to design a urban music magazine, but I am currently unsure which style. Therefore I researched various styles of urban music magazines to analyse.

This is a rap magazine, it would appear to have a target audience of between 15-28 year olds who have an interest in the rap industry and the culture that surrounds it. It follows a common format of having the mast head along the top of the magazine and using one full page photo of a model and inserting cover lines into the left third. I like the black white and red them as it is eye catching and draws attention to the mast head. Unlike a majority of magazine cover formats, The Source has inserted a cover line above the mast head which is unusual. It is clear that the more important cover lines have been highlighted using red, red connotes power and stands out, for this reason it is an ideal colour to use to draw in the niche audience the magazine are aiming at. By putting in recognisable words and phrases such 'Hollywood' and 'Nas' the cover is appealing to a certain audience type. 

This is an example of a weekly R&B magazine, its target audience is those who have an interest in R&B music and culture (perhaps a youthful audience). It follows the common format of having the masthead along the top third of the page and using the left and right thirds for information. A commonly recognisable model has been used to attract the potential reader and his name has been stated in the left third - This is unusual for a magazine cover as the left third is usually used to address more than one cover line, however on this cover the smaller cover lines have been put on the right hand side. I like the simplicity of the magazine cover as it draws attention to the detail that is there, EG the T.I article - by using the similar font size to the title, the magazine is telling the reader that this is the main article featured within.

 This is a Hip-Hop magazine aimed at those who have an interest in the hip hop culture. The older model on the cover suggests that the magazine is also aiming to appeal at an older audience as well as the typical urban  music magazine readers. The only way in which the cover abides to the common cover formatting is by applying the title in the top third and making the font larger than the other cover lines, it also uses a recognisable model and using an image that features between their head and torso. The barcode is usually located along the bottom of the cover in either the left or right cover, on this front page the barcode is found above the little information that is given on what can be found within the magazine. The format seems to have no use the vertical thirds that many magazines abide by, only 5 cover lines given along the bottom. I personally feel that the magazine is solely relying on the model to appeal and sell to the customers but I don't believe that it will be enough to do so as potential readers rely on the cover to gain an insight as to what they can find within the pages.

Front Cover & Contents page

These are my two final pieces. As you can see they follow a similar colour theme and reoccurring font style. If I was to change anything about it it would be the lack of diversity in the pictures, however I am proud of what I have produced. 

Final Contents Page

Here I have added page numbers and article names and information. I highlighted the the titles by using a larger font and highlighted the main cover line that is featured on the banner on the front cover with capital letters so that it draws in the reader immediately. 

Contents Page Snapshot 1

This is my Initial design for my contents page.
I have put a white border around my title, to stand out. I have purposely made the font the same as the magazine title to create a recurring theme. I then used my college logo to show the audience the main theme of the content that will be found. The pictures either side of the SDC logo are to entice the reader. I plan to add cover lines and small snippets of information to the white space on the left third of the page.  

Front Cover - Final Design

This is my final design for my Student Magazine front cover. I used the left third of the page to add text, I learnt  that this was the appropriate place to put the text because of my research. I also added a bubble on the right side to tell the reader that it was free. I used a large font for this because I felt it is important and more appealling to a reader if what they are reading is free. However I deliberately left the body and face of my model clear as the image is arguable the first thing somebody would notice when browsing for magazines.

Front Cover - Second snapshot

As you can see, after establishing the layout of my magazine I began to add various cover lines in appropriate areas to attract the reader. I inserted the main cover line into the banner and slanted it at an angle so that it rebels for the other horizontal text on the page. I also have begun to add titles of stories that can be found inside, I done this on the left third as I found out from my research that this is the appropriate place to add text and information.

Front Cover - First Snapshot

This is the first snapshot of my Front Cover. I began creating my front cover by enhancing the brightness of my image to make it more eye catching, I then found a bold yet neutral colour to use as a banner to highlight the main cover line of the issue. I then added the title 'Mainstream' and used a american typewriter font - I used this as I thought the style of it connoted education and a working environment.

My Chosen Front Cover Photo

This is my chosen photo to use as my A4 image on my front cover. The reason I have chosen this photo is because it is a clear front photo of my model's face and body, he is also holding the college prospectus with the college logo visible to those who are looking at it. The brightness and contrast is also good so will need very little editing giving it a more natural effect. Finally the positioning of him in the shot is ideal for a cover as it has room above his head for the title and masthead, then each side of him here in potential room for coverlines, barcode, issue number etc. I do plan to edit the photo slightly to make my model appear more slightly to the right, creating room on the left for more information.







 included.

Potential front cover pictures

Here is the first picture I took of my chosen model Ollie. Although I personally like this picture I decided that it was not suitable for a front cover as only his profile is visible as opposed to the front of his face and I found out from my research that the face of the model is used to attract the audience into reading the magazine.

This photo is not ideal for a front cover due to the angle it has been taken at, as the model slants to the right, the photo does not create a clear mark for the left third. A left third is necessary part of a front cover as it is where cover lines are added to entice the potential reader.

This is the final photo I decided against using for the reason that he is sitting down. However I may try to use this photo elsewhere (contents page), this is because there is a clear use of branding (the shoes) meaning that it will appeal to a niche audience type through a shared interest in that particular brand.