Wednesday, 19 November 2014

Photo Shoots


Photo shoot 1 




As you can see I played around a lot with the type of shot used and the positioning of my model. I changed the background from white to black. I believe that none of these pictures were usable for my front cover, however it has made me realise what type of picture I want to attain from the next photo shoot that I do. I also realised that I want my model in more neutral colours as when she is in a colourful outfit it makes it hard to create a house style for the magazine. 

Photo shoot 2

As you can see from this photo shoot I have learnt from my last. I have made it very specific and have taken few photos as I knew what sort of photo I wanted. I used the black backdrop as I felt the pictures looked better and I also clothed my model in neutral clothing to make it easier to decorate the front page with any colours that I choose. I also played around with the lighting to get the best picture.

Photo shoot planning

Here I have researched what the different shots are. This is so that I can choose one for my photo for my front cover and also one for my double page spread.



 Long Shot
As you can see this front cover is a long shot. This is because the whole of the models body is in the shot. As well as this you get a feel of the surroundings. The purpose of this long shot is to enable the reader to also see the amplifier. This gives you an insight into the type of music.
 Mid shot
As you can see this front cover has used a mid shot. This enables you to only see half of the body. In this shot you can have more than one person but you can still see their face clearly. It allows you to see what the type of clothes the model is wearing and still have a good expression on their face.

Close up
Here you can see the close up. This is the most common shot that is used on magazines, especially music magazines. None of the surroundings are incorporated into this photo and you get a close up of the models expression. This shot allows you to exploit the colours visible and it puts an emphasis on the artist chosen.
I could also incorporate a group shot however I have chosen one particular artist therefore this shot will not be necessary. 

Which shot am I going to use?

I have decided I am mainly going to focus on a close up and a mid shot for my first photo shoot. This is because I feel my model has very good facial features that need to be exploited and therefore a close up would do this perfectly. I am also going to play around with the mid shot as I want to incorporate the clothing into my magazine as I explained my target market are fashion conscious.

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

Title Analysis

Research into titles

As you can here these are three of the most well known music magazines. All of their titles are short and snappy, this is something that I will think about when brainstorming my titles. 
  • NME- is abbreviated- this makes it relatable to the younger generation as they talk in text slang, therefore it will attract them
  • Vibe- Is instantly a word related to music, therefore if i called my magazine something like this there would be no confusion with what the theme of the magazine is 
  • Q- is just a very well known magazine, its short title makes it easy too remember

Magazine Title Ideas

As you can see I have brainstormed 10 possible magazine titles. I have developed the names by looking at previous magazines and also thinking of words related to that genre of music. As my genre is dance/house music, I need to pick a title that is appropriate and well suited to that genre and the target audience will instantly recognize and relate to when they see the magazine.


I have narrowed my titles down to 5, i feel that all of these relate well to the genre of music and the target audience will be able to identify the title and instantly recognize the magazine as as genre of music they like.


 I have chosen BPM which stands for 'Bass Per Minute' I feel that this title relates well to the genre of music and as well as this BPM is also a music festival therefore it will be easily identified as a dance magazine. The initials make it catchy and they stand out.

I have chosen DHC which stands for 'Dance House Central' I feel that this title fits well with the genre of music that i have chosen. 'Dance' is instantly recognisable and therefore the target audience will immediately realise that that is the genre of music they like. 'Central' suggests it is something of great importance and therefore the readers will be interested in whats inside the magazine. The fact that it is initials makes it stand out and unique from most other magazines.

I have chosen Bass, I feel that the word Bass is instantly associated with music and therefore it will not get confused with other types of magazines. As well as this, being three letters it draws more attention to the magazine. It also is similar to an onomatopoeia.
I have chosen HMM which stands for 'House Music Magazine' this is because i feel it is relatable to the genre of music i have chosen to do. Including music in the title makes it easily identifiable and the fact that it is house music again narrow`s it down for the target market. The fact that it is initials makes it stand out and catchy.


As you can see I asked the members of my class which header they think I should pick. The majority said DHC - the feedback i gained from them is that it is initials and a short word therefore will be easy to remember as it is catchy, it relates well to the genre of music I have chosen and it will be easily identified by my target market.



Cover Analysis-Detailed

Magazine cover 1

What does the title mean?

The word 'mix' is instantly associated with music- you think of mixing dj decks. this helps to portray the image of a music magazine. The word 'mag' has been shortened to give it an informal feel, and again appeal to the target market. Shortening the words is what teenagers tend to do in text talk therefore making the word abbreviated attracts the younger generation to the magazine. This magazine will initially appeal to those interested in music. 

Heading


  • The heading is spaced very close to the top- almost touching. This helps to create more space for the actual image.
  • The heading is spaced double the distance that it is from the top. this is because the heading is a long word so a lot of space is needed, however the font is still kept small to make the word fit comfortably on the page, as well as this it keeps enough space for the large picture on the background
  • The font used is EmBauhaus bold- it helps to create a fun aspect to the magazine
  • It is all in lower case, this gives it a sense of informality which will therefore appeal to the younger generations, it links in with their target market which is from about 16-30
  • All of the other wiring on the page is written in upper case- this helps to differentiate from the different aspects of the front cover
  • The heading is larger than any other writing on the magazine, this is so that it is obvious that it is the name of the magazine and it draws attention to the eye 
  • The colour is yellow on a brown background, this again helps to emphasise and draw attention to the magazine 
  • The 'i' on the header helps to make it unique and helps to identify the brand, it also creates a fun theme for the magazine as it is a music magazine therefore is very upbeat

Rule of 3

The page is split into 3 this helps to make the picture look more dynamic. your eye is automatically drawn to the center of the page as it is seen as more static. Having the models hands in either third it helps to create a welcoming effect as it draws the reader in, the hands help to entice the reader as they look like they are reaching out to grab your hand. The subject being placed near to the edge of the front cover helps the eye to focus on all of the picture and take all of it in. The rule of thirds help to make the photo more captivating and intriguing to the reader.

There are features on the side of that page. This helps to break the page up. This is because the writing is heavily focused on the right side of the page therefore adding in images evens it out. It also tells you what will be inside the magazine.



Information that is in the magazine is listed on the left hand side. It is white, this contrasts well with the brown background. The more important information is enlarged and made bold. The words loosely mould around the image.

The words 'David Guetta' are in bold and yellow, this is so that it makes a clear statement. The yellow against the dark background means that it will not be missed. It is the first thing that you are drawn to and instantly the genre of the magazine is easily identifiable. It is lower down in the page, this splits the page up. A serif font has been used. This contrasts with the sans serif 'mixmag'

Having a sticker on the front cover makes it more desirable. 'The Guardian' states that people are more attracted to a magazine or book if they have a sticker on them- therefore this creates a strong selling point for the magazine. Making it yellow keeps it within the house style, it also makes it stand out with the bold pink writing. Placing it on his right shoulder divides the page as it is a strong focal point.


This is more information. The white and yellow is the magazines house style. It works well contrasting the two together and putting them on a dark background so that they can be clearly seen.




Magazine cover 2

What does the title mean?

The title 'NME' stands for 'New Musical Express'. It instantly is obvious what the magazine is about and therefore will entice the music fans to read the magazine. The magazine is known for discovering and promoting up and coming artists. Their target audience is 16-30 year olds and the magazine is associated with newly found artists therefore the title is relevant and relateable and easy to understand.

Heading


  • The title has been abbreviated this helps to appeal to the younger generation as they use text talk. it makes it catchy and memorable as it is only 3 letters, it also saves space on the page.
  • The red writing on the white background is commonly recognized for the NME associated things- this helps to identify the brand
  • It is written in block writing to make it clear and it stands out
  • It is positioned roughly 1.5 cm from the top of the page and the same from the side- this gives it a floating effect and again makes it stand out

Promotion 


The magazine has used a promotional offer to entice people to buy the magazine. Featuring competitions on the front page of a magazine will help to increase sales as the public like competitions. As well as this it suits the target market as offering a chance to win festival tickets to 16-30 year olds appeals to them. As the magazine is music orientated using festival tickets as a prize ties in well as it will appeal to that target market has they have chosen that magazine due to their interest in music.

Unique slogan

This makes the magazine more desirable- making it a unique issue will make people more likely to buy the magazine.

Making the artists name in a bold striking colour will instantly attract the consumer. It is evident that red is the main colour used in the house style. It is also in a serif font, this contrasts with the bright red mast head that is also a serif font. Making it the center of the magazine gives it dominance over the page making it eye catching.

Including other artists from the same genre of music will also attract the target audience. Again the colours keep in with the house style which is red and white. 

Making the picture center of the page conforms to the 'rule of thirds'.  Tyler the Creator is in the middle of the magazine because he is the main feature. He is an important figure in the rap industry and therefore he will be vastly recognised, this will entice people to buy the magazine. Accessorizing him in a crown and jewels portrays a controversial message, as by wearing things associated with the royal family he is creating a mockery of them. It links with the quote and gives you an insight into the article inside.

Target Audience

Defining my target audience

My target audience is not gender specific, this is because the music appeals to both men and women. The rough age bracket is 16-30's. The music is generally enjoyed by the people of this age as it is usually played in a clubbing environment, although taking into consideration 16 year old's cannot be in clubs they are introduced to the music by festivals and own knowledge of the DJ's. Many youths are big fans of this genre which is why it has had so much attention world wide in festivals such as:

  • Creamfields
  • Reading and Leeds festival 
  • WE ARE festival
  • Tommorrowland 
  • Boomtown
  • Electric Daisy Carnival 
  • Global Gathering


My target audience can be associated with weekend drinking and casual drugs, this is due to the type of events that they attend. The origin of drum and bass music has an influence on certain aspects of a persons life style e.g fashion.

Other aspects that my target audience are generally associated with:
A specific fashion following
live-for-the-weekend type people 
Party-goers
Social media - Instagram, Twitter
Music sites- Soundcloud, Spotify



Fashion

Girls 

  • Typically my target audience would wear crop tops and leggings out.
  •  In the summer time they would wear shorts and accessorize very simply, perhaps with some earrings and a necklace. 
  • At festivals they will commonly be seen with bum bags and most likely trainer
  • To events it is vital they can dance therefore suitable foot ware is always chosen 
  • They typically care about their appearance so their makeup and hair will always be done nicely

 Boys

  • Typically my target audience would wear jeans and designer t shirt out and a man bag
  • In the summer they would wear shorts and a top, and a man bag with trainers
  • At festivals they will wear similar attire
  • Trainers are essential for the boys and the most expensive brand the better






Cover Analysis

Magazine Cover 1


  • In this magazine the model is in front of the heading-this draws more attention to the actual model- it creates a sexual aspect to the magazine due to the provocative clothing that she is wearing, this again draws the reader in as they are intrigued as to what the story will be about.
  • The header is big and bold- it contrasts well with the blue background as the white becomes more prominent and stands out. The header is big so that you are still aware what the name of the magazine is without drawing your eye away from the model
  • There is minimal amount of writing around both edges-this shows you the basic stories that will be inside of the magazine. 
  • 'Keri Hilson' is put in a bigger font- this is to show that she is the main aspect of that magazine story.
  • the models body has been twisted slightly to the left- this aligns with writing on the right hand side that goes down in a curve- this is the way that the readers eye travels therefore you take in all of the front cover rather than small sections.
  • The barcode is down the side of the front page- this aligns with the first letter of the heading

Magazine cover 2


  • In this magazine the heading is in front of the models face- the writing is big and bold, however does not cover much of the page, it is very close to the top of the magazine- this is to draw more attention to the model, rather than the name of the magazine.
  • The page has been split into three, the models hands are in line with each other and they separate the page up into three
  • The hands of the model then draw your eye down to 'David Guetta' which is also bold and big, this links to the main story which is then written under his name
  • smaller pictures are featured in the top right hand corer, these are the other stories in the magazine, it splits up the front cover and helps the eye to travel around the page
  • The use of a circle is on the page above his right shoulder, this draws attention to the readers eye as it is unusual and does not follow the pattern of the page layout, as well as this it is yellow and pink- this is the house style used to keep the theme running- it also stands out on a brown backdrop
  • The bar-code is on the right hand corner-floating- this is so attention is not drawn away from the model and the story.

Magazine cover 3


  • In this magazine cover the model is again in front of the heading- this helps to draw attention the the real story
  • The heading is aligned to the left- this helps the eye to follow the models face and then go on to whats free inside- this will appeal to the reader and make them more inclined to buy the magazine if they are getting something for free
  • The models head is in the center of the page with writing around the outsides- this helps to make him the center of attention.
  • The quote from him is just above his left shoulder- this will again appeal to the reader as they want to read more of the story
  • His name is in bold across the middle of the page, again this makes it clear who the story is about 
  • the writing is red which contrasts well with the whit background- it makes the heading and key information stand out 
  • The writing goes down in a slant angle towards the bottom of the right hand corner-this helps the eye to travel around the whole of the page and take everything in.

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