Practise Front Cover Shots

We have been practicing test shots for our Front cover in order to get a feel of the images that we will be using for the final piece. I have experimented with a variety of camera angles to see which ones worked and so these two pictures are the ones that came out the best and have the potential to appear on the real front cover. I have used miss-en-scene, such as props and make-up, as well as location in order to construct the desired representation that we want to create. The background where the photos were shot was plain in order to create a focus on the main image. We used make-up swell as edgy clothes in order to create a rock look. By using these props, we wanted our model to create a specific representation, which would match the magazine. We wanted her to look as if she is a rock star who musician is quite young, trendy and fresh. I feel that we have been able to convey this representation well within these practice shots.

The first picture is a close-up of the artist; the view shows her jewelry as well as her facial expression. The second picture shows more of the background, as it is a mid shot. We purposely dressed the model is all black and then used a colourful scarf to make a contrast. Overall, both images would work well on the cover of my music magazine; however, it is a known convention that magazines usually use a close-up on the front cover, as demonstrated from many of the magazines that I have analyzed. Therefore, in order to create a successful magazine, I will use a close-up on the front cover, and a mid-shot in the Double page spread.

I feel that this starter task has been beneficial to me as I have a better grasp on the type of representation that we want to create within our magazine and I also understand what camera shots work well on the front page of my music magazine.

Possible Locations

I have been deciding on possible locations where my photo shoot will take place. I want to use a variety of locations to create diversity and make the magazine more visually appealing. So far, I have decided that the main image for the front cover will take place on a blank background, as this seems to be a convention within the magazine industry. It allows more focus on the main image, making it central to the rest of the page. For my next location, I am considering a group shot which will take place behind a brick wall which has graffiti on it. I have chosen this location as I feel that it would match the theme of my magazine, which is rock/pop. It would also appropriate considering I am using a rock band for my Double Page Spread.

Applying Theory To My Magazine

The main character on our front cover will be a celebrity figure that we have created. We have decided to use a woman as the main image. The clothing, props and costumes have been carefully decided in order to create the desired representations. The image will both challenge and conform to gender representation because although the artist will be prone to the male gaze, they will not be represented as the typical feminine woman as her clothing will not be provocative as it will be oriented around the rock genre. The artist will be fitting of the typical representation of age as they will be presented as young, fresh and vibrant to the readers. This is important when considering the demographics of our audience, which are young people who enjoy music.

I have chosen to apply Stuart Halls theory of encoding, decoding, audience reception theory to my magazine. The theory of audience reception suggests that TV and other media audiences are presented with messages that are decoded, or interpreted in different ways depending on an individual's cultural background, economic standing, and personal experiences. This would apply to my magazine due to the circulation part of the theory, which implies that people view things differently in written form in comparison to visually. This is relevant to my magazine as I will be using a variety of images as well as written texts.

Also, the even though the target audience for my magazine are young people that like music, it would be open to many people of different cultural backgrounds, which means that it could be received in a variety of ways.

In comparison, the Male Gaze by Laura Mulvey is another relevant theory; however, there are aspects of it that does not apply directly to my music magazine. The Male Gaze can be broken down into three areas; How men look at women, How women look at other women and How women look at themselves. The main part of the theory revolves around how women are sexualised, especially within the media industry, to appear to a specific audience more. For my music magazine, there will be a female artist on the front page. However, her outfit will not be very provocative. The mise-en-scene will be used to create a rock feel rather than to sexualise her as the readers would see the artist as more of a musical inspiration rather than a sexual object.

 

Story Board For Photoshoot

Double Page Spread Templates

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In order to effectively construct and use market research to develop my ideas for my magazine, I have created two templates for my Double page spread. They are different in terms of layout and composition, as well as one being noticeably busier. The first design has a busier feel as it contain a lot more images then the second one. I have decided to include a pull-out quote on my DPS and a mid-shot of band. These features have been incorporated into both designs, but in different ways. The second layout is more simple and relaxed. It still contains many pictures and has a banner. This template has less writing then the first one and the pull-out quote is a big focus for this design. Overall template number two was proven more popular when we conducted our market research. Many people found that even though the layout was quite plain, in this case less appeared more. The audience also said that it was better to focus on particular features, such as the main image and pull-out quote, highlighting them so that they stand out on the page in comparison tot the other features. The second one being less wordy seems popular for our particular demographic as they are more satisfied with visual images rather then text. The banner seemed an interesting feature for the target market, especially if it contained competitions.

 

Having conducted and evaluating my market research, I fell that I understand the necessary things to make a successful magazine and to appeal to my intended target audience. As template two is the most popular, I will create my DPS adhering to that particular layout and set of conventions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Double Page Spread

I have chosen to analyse this double page spread as I would like to recreate something similar in terms of layout for my magazine. A large pull-out quote has been placed at the top of the page in an sans serif font, making it appear visually dynamic for the intended target audience, which are of a youthful demographic. The colour scheme is quite limited, consisting of Red, black and white. The simplicity of the black in the background with the bold red in the writing creates a contrast that makes the page stand out. There are also a variety of pictures used that contain a variety of camera angles. As well as the main mid-shot, there are close-up ups at the bottom. This is something that is very effective and I will be including a range of pictures in my double page spread. The banner at the right end of the page provides more information for the reader and sticks to the same colour scheme of red and white. A two-column layout has been used so that there is a balance between the writing and the pictures. This particular double page spread is less wordy, suggesting that its target audience are young people who prefer pictures to reading.

Q Double Page Spread

The following is a Double page spread from Q magazine that I will be analysing. The first thing that the reader's notice on the double page spread is the extreme close-up of 50 Cents face. The emphasis on his face draws in attention and lets the readers know that the article will be about him. The page has also been divided into two separate  areas to create a contrast. The pullout quote at the bottom of the page strikes a reaction from the readers as something controversial or bold is usually put to intrigue the readers. In this case, the quote entices the reader to read the article, as they want to discover more about him 'getting shot'. I will be using this convention in my magazine as I feel that giving snippets of the article is an important feature within a double page spread. A Serif font has been used for the headline, which adds a sense of maturity to the magazine as 50 Cent is known to be an older and more established artist.  It is also in a large size to draw in the reader’s attention. His name '50 Cent' has been coloured in green so that it stands out from the other bits of the text. Also, 'hell' has been written in an italic font for effect. This is because the language is informal as it is a form of slang whereas the rest of the headline is in formal language. This makes the headline stand out and gives an insight into the type of language that will be used within the main text. A double column layout has been used so that the page seems balanced in terms of writing and pictures. Overall, there are a variety of conventions that Q's double page spread displays that I will use when designing my magazine. 

Draft Contents Page Template

The above image is the proposed layout for the Contents page that we have constructed based on the verbal feedback of our market research. Our research indicated that although we are sticking to a theme colour, it is important to incorporate other colours to give the magazine a vibrant feel. The contents page appears fresh, colourful and dynamic.

I have adapted conventional elements into this sketch, as well as having rough ideas of bringing originality to this magazine. I now need to work on choosing appropriate magazine features that will appeal to my target audience, and interest them.

Kerrang Contents Page

I will be analysing Kerrang magazine contents page. Kerrang focuses on rock, which is clearly seen from the pictures on the contents page. The first thing that the reader notices is the variety of colour presented on the page. Kerrang, in the same way as Q, sticks to a colour theme (of Yellow, Black and White) but also has incorporated other colours onto the page, making it appear more lively and eye-catching. The main image takes up most of the page and is very effective due to the British flag being held by members of the band. This also suggests who the target audience are people in Britain. All the people in the image are making direct contact with the readers, making it more personal and relatable. Both the words 'Contents' and 'This Week' have been highlighted in yellow, adding a pop of colour to the magazine, and abiding to the colour scheme. The top half of the page also contains pieces such as a double page spread from within the magazine. Page references have also been placed by these to indicate where they are located. This has been done so readers receive a glimpse of the magazine so they know what they will be reading.

The bottom half of the magazine contains an editorial. This is something that I would like to use in my magazine as I feel that it adds a more personal touch to the magazine as there is some interaction between the editor and reader. This is a typical convention of a magazine, which is very appealing to the readers. The headlines are all in a bold font, with black and yellow contrast so that they stand out. There are also more pictures such as Henry Rollins. This makes the contents page more alive and more visually appealing to the reader. Unlike the previous contents page that I have analysed, Q magazine, this one is less wordy and more visual, therefore catering to a target audience who may prefer images to words.

The words ‘5 posters’ has been highlighted and outlined in a red colour. This graphic work adds to the visual appearance of the page and makes the magazine seem less serious, catering to a younger target audience. There is also a competition on the right-hand side of the page. This captivates the reader’s attention and persuades them to purchase the magazine. In effect, this is a marketing method to convince people to buy the magazine, which has proven successful with many other magazines, and is therefore a common convention of a contents page. The competition is linked to the genre as readers have the chance to win a rock star's ‘bandana’. This is very important when including a competition on the contents page as it must show a clear link between the theme of the magazine and the prizes offered.

 Overall, the Kerrang contents page includes many codes and conventions that I will be incorporating into my contents page in order to produce a successful piece.

 

Q Contents Page

I have chosen to analyse Q contents page as I wish to create something similar for my magazine. The layout is very simplistic, which makes it very easy to read. The font used for 'Contents' is again very simple; sticking to the theme and so is the writing. There is only one main image that takes up most of the space on the page, which is a mid-shot of a band that helps to emphasise that this is the main feature within the magazine. It also instantly catches the reader’s attention and adds to the 'rock' feel of the magazine. A smaller image has been used at the bottom of the page in order to give the readers an insight into the magazine. The colour scheme consists of Red, White and Black. These colours all stand out as they contrast. Although only three colours are used, the page looks relatively colourful due to the bursts of red colour on the headlines, which capture the reader’s attention and make it easier for them to navigate around the page. For my contents page, I will be sticking to limited colours; so far these are- Red, Black, Blue and White. I believe that these will create the same effect. A page reference has been pulled out of the side and placed onto the main picture. This is effective as the reader knows what page to go to in order to read about the main feature- The Courteeners.