Download magazine

Final Cover, Contents page and DPS.

I've taken away the strap line on the cover because i felt it didn't look quite right and there were to many colours. I've also got a new barcode that matches the barcodes that music magazines use. The masthead on the previous cover was to large. Therefore i found a new font using 'Da font' and reduced the size to fir the page accordingly.

As for the contents page I’ve included more information for reader, purely to entice them more. My previous contents page was far to vague and wouldn't interest my target audience. Including bands of the electro/indie genre has also benefited the contents page because readers will recognise the bands/artists they enjoy listening to.

 I've made a view changes to the double page spread. The sizing of the lettering was different in each text box so I have had to adjust the text. I've also added a drop capital (D) to highlight the beginning of the interview. The 'D' also resembles the 'Download' title.

Evaluation 7. Final

7. Looking back at your preliminary task (schoolmagazine task), what do you feel you have learnt in theprogression from it to full product? on Prezi

Evaluation 6 Final

Computer/Laptop: Allowed me to work from home as well as completing tasks in the lesson.  I was dependent on the PC's at school in order to construct the magazine using Photoshop.

Internet: By using the internet i could research music magazines already in the industry and come up with my own ideas. It also allowed me to access my blog, so i could update my work at each stage of the task.

Camera: My camera skills e.g framing have improved vastly during this task. The camera i used was a Panasonic TZ20, it was borrowed so i learn't from scratch how to use it.

Animoto: Using animo allowed me to put my work into a short video and display it to the class. For example i used animo to create my pitch.

Facebook/Twitter: I used these social networking sites when asking people about music magazines (questionnaire) and to also get some feedback on the images i took, which were well received.

Youtube: I listened to music with a electro/indie genre, to gain a better understanding of bands an artists i could feature in my magazine. 

Evaluation 5 Final

Media Draft 5

Evaluation 4 final

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The audience for my music magazine would be females and males aged 16-25 years old with a disposable income e.g students. It's also important that the audience have an interest in the electro/indie genre of the magazine as i have conveyed this genre with the bands features on the cover (Vex) and contents page, i've created a band that are of a similar age to readers and the language used in the magazine is informal, making it easy for teenagers/young people to read and enjoy.

audience profiles

Name: James Jones

Occupation: Student 

Age: 20

Gender: Male

Music taste: The Horrors, Howler, Bombay Bicycle ckub, Friendly fires. Here are just a few of his favourites and an idea of the indie genre James like to listen to/buy.

Location: East London

Shops: For clothing James often shops at highstreet and vintage stores such as, Urban outfittes, Cow, Beyond retro. When it comes to buying music James often downloads free mixtapes of new artists from Soundcloud. He occasionally buys vinyl discs from independent music stores as, in his opinion they have a nicer sound.

James Jones is similar to my audience profile. Music taste can be extremely varied, however my music magazine features indie, electonica bands as well as a mixture of the two. With James having an indie/rock music taste, disposable income (student) and individual style he would be a perfect example of the target audience i am aiming my magazine at.

Name: Kate fields 

Occupation: Part time photographer and student studying music/music production.

Age: 22

Gender: Female

Music taste: electronica/house music. Listens to bands such as SBKRKT, The xx, James blake, Gang colours and Shangaan shake.

Location: Manchester 

Shops: Kate buys most of her music online. She also creates her own playlists using different softwares, one being Spotify. As for clothing, she shops at Topshop, Vintage stores or charity shops due to her being a student and not having that much money to spend on clothes.

Considering that Kate enjoys listening to electronic bands and is studying music, she would fit the target audience that 'Download' is aimed at. The only issue with having an audience of 16-25 year olds is that some may still be in education/ at university. Meaning they most likely have depts to pay off or are tight for money. This is something i had to consider when making my music magazine. However i believe i have overcome the obstacle and priced the magazine reasonable (for a weekly magazine) at £2.75. 

Evaluation 2 Final

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups ?

Both bands that i'm comparing my band to have a same sex group. This is something i had to consider carefully, I didn't want the magazine to give off the impression that it was predominantly for women. However by having a girl group on the cover it also persuades men to buy the magazine (male gaze). Therefore it wasn't that much of an issue, I also researched other existing music magazines and they feature girls on the covers.

The band featured on the cover of the magazine match the social group i wanted to originally represent. I wanted strong female characters that would be photogenic, have a layed back approach and seem fun to be around, as well has having great musical talent. The girls on the cover of my magazine don't look too glamerous, they look fairly 'normal' meaning that young girls can aspire to be like them.

The top girl band (Warpaint) have a similar style to that of my band. Although their music style might be different in the sense that it's more indie/rock compared to Vex. Their costumes are similar my bands and strike a casual pose. However Stooshe (bottom) seem more miss matched and not very co-ordinated, their music style is more 'pop' and would therefore not suit readers of Download. The girl bands in all three photo's have a simular age group that match my target audience  (and audience profile) of male and females in the age range of 16-25 years old with a disposable income.

Evaluation 1 Final

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? (i.e. of music magazines)

 I have changed/developed some of the elements in my magazine to go against the 'normal' conventions of music magazines. For example the colour scheme (green,blue,pink pastel colours) do not match typical red, white and black colours used in music magazines such as NME and Q. The placement of the text on the double page spread is also a developed layout, although it is still in columns on the page. In terms of the masthead on my magazine, it is most similar to that of Wonderland magazine. I wanted a bold masthead that wouldn't clash with the busy background on my cover. The band is looking directly into the camera and so is Lana Del Rey on the cover of Wonderland, both displaying a relaxed yet eye-catching glare. The extended mid-shot of my band show off their individual style and figures that could potentially contribute to the male gaze. Another similarity would be the colour scheme on these two covers, both have used pastel colours. However in my magazine I made the conscious decision of not having too much pink because the girl band have a more feisty side and aren't the stereotypical 'girl band', also it could put male buyers off the magazine.  My magazine cover is minimal. This could go against conventions due to some music magazines (kerrang) being very busy and full of cover-lines. On the other hand there are some magazines that do use this minimal approach such as Indie magazine.

Evaluation 3 Final

Copy of 5. How did you address/attract your audience? on Prezi

Evaluation task 7 draft

Evaluation Task 7

Before constructing my music magazine I carried out an extensive amount of research on successful magazine's already being published to gain an insight into what is selling and what people like. From doing my research on music magazines I could then begin planning mine. I had to consider, layout, text (fonts), images e.t.c.

When deciding the layout of the text on my double page spread I had to consider and learn about the rule of thirds and whether my magazine would be bounded or stapled. I decided it would be best for the magazine to be stapled so that when it was published the model in the centre wouldn't have a distorted face.

Evaluation 6 Draft

Media evaluation technologies

View more presentations from mattie_white.

Computer/Laptop: Allowed me to work from home as well as completing tasks in the lesson.  I was dependent on the PC's at school in order to construct the magazine using Photoshop.
Internet: By using the internet i could research music magazines already in the industry and come up with my own ideas. It also allowed me to access my blog, so i could update my work at each stage of the task.
Camera: My camera skills e.g framing have improved vastly during this task. The camera i used was a Panasonic TZ20, it was borrowed so i learn't from scratch how to use it.
Animoto: Using animo allowed me to put my work into a short video and display it to the class. For example i used animo to create my pitch.
Facebook/Twitter: I used these social networking sites when asking people about music magazines (questionnaire) and to also get some feedback on the images i took, which were well received.
Youtube: I listened to music with a electro/indie genre, to gain a better understanding of bands an artists i could feature in my magazine. 

Evaluation 5 Draft

Media Draft 5

Evaluation 4 Draft

Who would be the audience for your media product?


The audience for my music magazine would be females and males aged 16-25 years old with a disposable income e.g students. It's also important that the audience have an interest in the electro/indie genre of the magazine as i have conveyed this genre with the bands features on the cover (Vex) and contents page, i've created a band that are of a similar age to readers and the language used in the magazine is informal, making it easy for teenagers/young people to read and enjoy.

audience profiles

Name: James Jones

Occupation: Student 

Age: 20

Gender: Male

Music taste: The Horrors, Howler, Bombay Bicycle ckub, Friendly fires. Here are just a few of his favourites and an idea of the indie genre James like to listen to/buy.

Location: East London

Shops: For clothing James often shops at highstreet and vintage stores such as, Urban outfittes, Cow, Beyond retro. When it comes to buying music James often downloads free mixtapes of new artists from Soundcloud. He occasionally buys vinyl discs from independent music stores as, in his opinion they have a nicer sound.

James Jones is similar to my audience profile. Music taste can be extremely varied, however my music magazine features indie, electonica bands as well as a mixture of the two. With James having an indie/rock music taste, disposable income (student) and individual style he would be a perfect example of the target audience i am aiming my magazine at.




Name: Kate fields 

Occupation: Part time photographer and student studying music/music production.

Age: 22
Gender: Female
Music taste: electronica/house music. Listens to bands such as SBKRKT, The xx, James blake, Gang colours and Shangaan shake.
Location: Manchester 


Shops: Kate buys most of her music online. She also creates her own playlists using different softwares, one being Spotify. As for clothing, she shops at Topshop, Vintage stores or charity shops due to her being a student and not having that much money to spend on clothes.

Considering that Kate enjoys listening to electronic bands and is studying music, she would fit the target audience that 'Download' is aimed at. The only issue with having an audience of 16-25 year olds is that some may still be in education/ at university. Meaning they most likely have depts to pay off or are tight for money. This is something i had to consider when making my music magazine. However i believe i have overcome the obstacle and priced the magazine reasonable (for a weekly magazine) at £2.75. 

Evaluation 3 Draft

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Publishing a magazine is the process of production that involves making the media product available to the public. A publishing company will publish magazines, newspapers, literature and other forms of material. The publishing process involves development, purchase, copediting, graphic desing, printing and then the marketing and distribution, that also deals with electronic media.
I would use IPC media to publish my magazine because it  produces over 60 iconic media brands (including NME), with prints alone reaching almost two thirds of UK women and 42% of UK men. The IPC inspire division would best suit my magazine and be well representative of my social groups. This didvision of the company is prodominatently aimed at men, however NME reader are 24% women and collectively the magazine has medium age of 23. Which also matches the age range of 16-25 year olds that i am aiming the magazine at.
The distribution off the magazine can be carried out in many ways, one being to post the magazine to subscribers, the magazine could alos been sold in shops as this is a common way of distributing magazines. I could also publish the magazine online to make it more accessable for readers from different countries, such as NME who have 4 million unique users across the globe. This method would also benifit individuals who cannot travel to the shops that distribute the magazine. Magazines online have become increasingly more popular, with my target audience (16-25) being highly involved with developing technology. Advertising headphones, gigs, or clothes in my magazine would also increase the saleability of my music magazine.

Evaluation Draft 2

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups ?

Both bands that i'm comparing my band to have a same sex group. This is something i had to consider carefully, i didn't want the magazine to give off the impression that it was predominantly for women. However by having a girl group on the cover it also persuades men to buy the magazine (male gaze). Therefore it wasn't that much of an issue, i also researched other existing music magazines and they feature girls on the covers.

The band featured on the cover of the magazine match the social group i wanted to originally represent. I wanted strong female characters that would be photogenic, have a layed back approach and seem fun to be around, as well has having great musical talent.

The top girl band (Warpaint) have a similar style to that of my band. Although their music style might be different in the sense that it's more indie/rock compared to Vex. Their costumes are similar my bands and strike a casual pose. However Stooshe (bottom) seem more miss matched and not very co-ordinated, their music style is more 'pop' and would therefore not suit readers of Download. The girl bands in all three photo's have a simular age group that match my target audience  (and audience profile) of male and females in the age range of 16-25 years old with a disposable income.

Evaluation 1 Draft

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? (i.e. of music magazines)

 I have changed/developed some of the elements in my magazine to go against the 'normal' conventions of music magazines. For example the colour scheme (green,blue,pink pastel colours) do not match typical red, white and black colours used in music magazines such as NME and Q. The placement of the text on the double page spread is also a developed layout, although it is still in columns on the page. In terms of the masthead on my magazine, it is most similar to that of Wonderland magazine. I wanted a bold masthead that wouldn't clash with the busy background on my cover. The band is looking directly into the camera and so is Lana Del Rey on the cover of Wonderland, both displaying a relaxed yet eye-catching glare. The extended mid-shot of my band show off their individual style and figures that could potentially contribute to the male gaze. Another similarity would be the colour scheme on these two covers, both have used pastel colours. However in my magazine I made the conscious decision of not having too much pink because the girl band have a more feisty side and aren't the stereotypical 'girl band', also it could put male buyers off the magazine.  My magazine cover is minimal. This could go against conventions due to some music magazines (kerrang) being very busy and full of cover-lines. On the other hand there are some magazines that do use this minimal approach such as Indie magazine.

Me, working on my double page spread

Final Cover, Contents and DPS

I really like this busy cover of NME with Lana Del Rey striking a suggestive, fun and bold pose that is really quite eye-catching. I have been looking for a busy cover that works well and matches some of the conventions in my magazine, such as this one. The conventions of this magazine are similar to those in my music magazine 'Download' and therefore i can justify and have evidence that my decisions of layout and colours can work well.

After long deliberation and different layouts of my cover, i have adjusted the text/main cover line so that it stands out from the page because having the featured artists name stand out is crucial in terms of who and how many will buy the magazine. Although the Masthead fits more appropriately with the conventions of 'Wonderland' magazine, the image and colour scheme shows similarities of the NME issue above.

Text layout options

Option 1

As you can see i've changed the original double page spread layout and colours. The text remains white however the interview questions i have altered to black to make them stand out more. I've also put a box around the questions so the reader can pick out specific things they want to know. It's been slightly difficult placing the text on the page, i have to consider wether the magazine would be bounded together of stapled. I've chosen for the magazine to be stapled so that the model's face in the centre of the page won't be distorted. I'm still however working on the placement of the text and lining it up properly so it looks more professional and finished.


                                                                     Option 2

I think this layout of the text works better and is more conventional. I used the 'grid' on photoshop to make sure the text was in line. I've also added a 70% transparent background shape so that the text stands out on the page and the busy/bright clothing of the band doesn't detract from the text. The magazine will be stapled therefore the text in the center of the page doesn't distort the person in the middle of the page.

Inspirational covers

              The masthead that i'm working on for my music magazine

is very simular to Wonderlands.  I also really like the minimalistic layout and strong images they've used.

Draft Feedback

Magazine evaluation task

'Rhythm n beatz'- Level one, 17


The cover seems a bit vague and the colour scheme isn't really identified. The mixture of four different colours and the placement of them makes the cover look messy and ammeture. However the title fits well with the genre of the magazine.
The angle of the model on the contents page doesn't really work and is slightly distracting. It's also clear that the image hasn't been cut out well, making the contents page just look unfinished and unprofessional. 'Rhythm n beatz' focuses on one specific act and the act fits with the genre, however i think there should be some smaller images on the contents page to appeal to a wider audience that are interested in that genre of music.
The double page spread layout looks very basic and not particularly creative and the images are of a poor quality. The article itself is written well but it lacks content and the fonts are also pretty basic.Making the magazine unappealing and uninteresting to read/look at.


'Voice' - Level 2, 26/60


Good conventional colour scheme of red, white and black. The layout of the magazine is good and the text is appropriate to for the magazine and artist featured inside. However, again the photo is not a good angle or framed very well but it's clear this person has good photoshop skills when cutting out the image.
The pictures on the contents page are slightly ammeter and the numbers on the contents aren't chronological, making it confusing for readers.
The double page spread has a good layout but the colour scheme hasn't really followed through, perhaps a black background would be better suited. images work well with the style of the magazine and look professional. It's clear this person has used conventions of actual magazines e.g the use of the stamp.

'Drowned in sound' Level 3, 47


This magazine has an informative and interesting layout on the cover. I would say that the colour scheme is also to varied in this magazine, however there is attention to detail with the blue stamp on the cover and the models blue hair. I like the use of the 'free' banner, this is a good marketing technique, looks intriging and would attract buyers.
The contents page is well detailed and there is a clear/appropriate colour scheme.
The spy hole on the double page spread isn't really relevant because it doesn't pick out an important feature in the text.


'Supremacy' Level 4, 50


Interesting and unique layout on the cover with conventional colour scheme that continues throughout the magazine. The only doubt about the cover would be that it looks more like a fashion magazine rather than a music magazine which shows a lack of understanding with the brief, but the magazine has been created well.
The images on the contents page are lacking in creativity and don't seem to be enhanced/edited. Making them look unprofessional. Although the contents page is well detailed and informative.
Again the double page spread is showing creativity e.g the huge drop capital. The text is layed out well and the colour scheme works.

Edited Photo's

 I edited the following images by using photoshop. I've edited this particular image by fading tool and then boosting the colour. This simply makes the image look clean and more professional. I didn't want to make this image look too edited because the pose of the models is fairly casual and relaxed.

For this quirky looking photo with the models looking suspicious, i decided to add a vignette effect that resembles a 'fish-eye' camera or a key hole effect that makes the photo look slightly eery. 

This was originally a test shot of one model that i used for the cover image of the magazine. This image has been enhanced through using different filters and then changed to tray scale that gives the image a smoothness and vintage quality. 

 

I wanted to do something a bit different with this image that i have also used for the cover of my magazine. I've made the photo look antique/vintage by boosting the colours, then saturating them and finally giving it an edge blur.

 

This photo could have been used for my double page spread, the framing of the image is suitable but i've added the vignette to this photo also. Enhancing the images brightness made it clearer and clean looking. As well as this i also boosted the contrast and faded some of the colour. 

Download Magazine Draft 1

Article Draft 1

The rowdiest girl band you’ll come across. Their music had been descried as a ‘Thought provoking mind field.’

The three-piece girl band ‘Vex’ are ready to take the music industry by storm with their debut album ‘Undercover’.

 Before we start can we just clear a view things up…Is it true that one of you has an alter ego and will they be joining us?

Sarah: Yes, Mickey is my alter ego and before you think I’m a complete weirdo let me just explain that my alter ego was created on stage recently when I just wanted to explore another side of me, Mickey’s pretty aggressive and will definitely be with us.

How do you feel about your debut album that's about to be released? 

We’ve worked really hard on our debut album and we want it to represent us in the right way. We all thoroughly enjoyed created it and writing Undercover and hope to just get it out to as many people as humanly possible.  

How did the band come about and where did the name ‘Vex’ come from?

We’ve known each other for about five years now, we used to go to the same college mind you none of us actually studied music or music production. Making music was just something we did in our spare time. To start of with we all had a mixture of music taste, from indie to electro to rock. So when music became more than just a ‘thing to do on a Friday night when we’re all skint’ we decided to combine our musical interest and that’s how Vex came about. 

As for the name ‘Vex’,  it pretty much represents us and our music.

Who would you compare yourselves to?

We have huge respect for SBTRKT, The xx and have newly become fans of The Weeknd. But we wouldn’t compare ourselves to any of them, although our music does have a similar feel.  We think our music is something people haven’t really heard of before, ‘vex’ are expecting big things in 2012. Be prepared for a new era of music.

Got any gigs lined up, or festivals this summer?

Yeah, we’re hoping to do a few local festivals and then who knows. Hopefully Vex can break into major festivals like Glastonbury. That would be amazing.

How are you enjoying touring the UK?

Steph: I always thought touring just wouldn’t be for me. I’ve always been a family orientated person. So when I’m on tour I miss my mum and get pretty home sick but we’re always at the other end of the phone. That’s the only down side of touring. The rest is just incredible; I love the feeling of playing to an audience, you get such a buzz. An audience that has never heard of you before is even better. Most people are just like ‘Who are these chicks? Their pretty decent.’ And that always makes us happy.

Chloe: Touring is just amazing, who wouldn’t enjoy traveling the country, see all your fans and having a great time with your mates? We had some crazy times on tour last summer. I think one of us even ate a sea urchin…that was pretty crazy.  laughs to herself

Sarah: Being such a new band that only a few know about means we don’t have the pressures of not being able to go where we want, or do what we want to do.

Images for Magazine

 Here are a few photo's that i am considering to use on either the double page spread, cover or contents page.
Make your own slideshow with music at Animoto.

Draft Cover

Test-shots

These are the models that i will be using on the cover of my magazine. They will make up the girl band 'vex'.

This is my front cover mock up for my music magazine. The cover will include  mid-shot of the band, barcode (located in the bottom corner), Strapline and cover lines advertising what will be in the magazine. The title will be either blue, green or pink (pastel colours). I haven't yet decided on the final colour of the title because it all depends on the cover image and what the band are wearing and if the colours clash e.t.c. 

I've decided to keep my contents page pretty minimal making it easy for readers to identify acts they are interested in by having the large page numbers. I will have some images of the main featured band (on a double page spread), a single artist and then maybe a pretend live gig, to match the conventions of music magazines such as NME and Q.

The double page spread needs to have an interesting appearance to match the electro/indie theme. Therefore i will have the left page focused on the band with a large image of them taking up most of the page (could be used as a poster). The background of the image will continue to the right page where there will be an article and another small image of the artists because form looking at my questionnaire i've gathered people seem to like looking at pictures as opposed to reading through a lengthy article.

Band Profile

Name: Vex

Short Bio: Five piece girl band 'Vex'  are a group of friends currently making music in Brighton.  The girls consider themselves as strong and independent. Vex have a unique style in music but also in their dress sense. If you have the chance to see Vex live at one of their exclusive gigs you will most likely see them sporting a jazzy pair of leggings with a tee-shirt thrown on and ‘keeping things casual’. The five piece have been together for two years now and their music is only getting better. Aspirations for the girls would be to have a number one album sometime in the near future.
Music style: Indie/electro

Inspiration: The xx, SBTRKT, Warpaint and U&I.

Music Magazine Questionnaire

1. How much would you spend on a weekly music magazine?
 Anonymous: £3,£2.50,£2.00,£2.50 

2. How often do you buy a music magazine?


Anonymous: 
Never. 
once a week.
Two or three times a week on the way to work. 
As much as i can.

3. What attracts you to a music magazine?


Anonymous: 
The cover image.
 The price.
Who's on the cover. 
The colour scheme and language used. 




4. What colours would you like to see on the cover of an electro/ indie music magazine?

Anonymous: 
Green/yellow/blue.
 something bold and eye-catching.
Colours that work well together. 
Pastel colours or just black, white and red. 

5. What kind of artists do you listen to?


Anonymous:
Coldplay, The script, courtney pine.
Warpaint, Arctic Monkeys, The Maccabees. 
Blood red shoes, Band of skulls.
SBTRKT, U&I.
James Blake, The Weeknd. 

6. Do you visit gigs/festivals if so, which ones?


Anonymous: 
Yes... Rihanna,Coldplay and Tina Turner.
Glastonbury, Reading and leeds, Benicassim. (x3)
Download festival (x2), summer sundae (local). 

7. What music magazines do you currently buy?


Anonymous: 
Idon't but any.
NME, Q.
I love fakeI-D and Indie magazine. (X2)

8. Do you prefer male or female artists to be on the cover?


Anonymous:
 I don't mind if they are male of female. it's about the music. (x2) 
 I prefer strong female artists on the cover.
 I like to see male bands on the cover of good music magazines. 

9. Do you prefer to look at pictures or read articles?


Anonymous:
 Pictures  are more interesting but articles are also informative. 
I would rather look at pictures. (X2)
 I like reading about the artists but i also think pictures are important. (x2)

Cover image Ideas

My music magazine 'Download' will feature a 4 piece girl band on the cover. I have studied girl bands that are current in the music scene to help me work out what kind of image/costume and poses i want to have with my band. I like the idea of having over dramatic poses, to make the image more interesting to look at. It also portrays the bands personalities. The high angled shot of the band below make them seem less significant and the reader get an overview of the subject being photographed. However i would prefer to use a eye-line/mid-shot that conventional magazines use and that i know work well. Or  a side angle shot to create more dimensions in the cover image. Costume wise i would have the band dress in casual/smart edgy clothes and it's vital that the costumes my band wear  co-ordinate with the pastel colour scheme for the magazine.