Double Page Spread Rough Cut

Blog 35:

This is my DPS draft.

The heading is a question- 'Who's Hilly?'. This suggests that you will find out who she is in the article (this is true). The 'Hilly' is in pink text, rather than black. This shows that she is important as her name stands out. It also shows her personality as being individual. 

As I said in my DPS reviews I have used three columns of text. I think this looks neat and professional. There are two quotes inserted into the article, which seems to be a convention of DPS. There is a pink drop capital, in the same colour that 'Hilly' is in. Therefore it not only fits with the conventions of a music mag, but fits Hilly's image. 

There is an introductory paragraph. This paragraph is centred on the right hand side of the page, and the important words are highlighted in the pink. 

On the left side of the page, there is an image of Hilly. The image covers the whole page and is a close up. It shows Hilly's quirky style as she is holding a leaf to her face and you can see in detail the feathers and braids in her hair. There is also two other photos of hilly in polaroids, which fit with the theme of my magazine. They have quotes in them, which is similar to the contents page and also the captions that come with photos on a DPS. 

Contents Page Rough Cut

Blog 34: 

This is my Contents Page draft. 

The heading is 'This Week' as my style model, NME, is also a weekly magazine. The name of the mag 'FIX' is repeated in every section of the contents page to make it link together. 

The large image is of Hilly, who the DPS and Front Cover is based on. On this photo she looks quirky and fits with the indie genre. Below, there is three polaroid's, in keeping with the theme on the front cover. My models from the cover, Amy and Cath are in the middle polaroid, and on either side is Amie and Jess, and Josh. 

In the corner, similar to NME, there is a offer box, which advertises savings on the magazine. It is in red as it stands out and sticks to the colour scheme. 

The text down the side has 3 sections; Weekly Fix, Festival Fix and Fix Favourites. In each section there are page titles that are in the magazine. This is similar to Q's contents page. 

Front Cover Rough Cut

Blog 33: 

This is my first draft of my Front Cover. 

The image of Hilly is a mid shot and covers the majority of the page. It was taken in the studio and was edited on Adobe Photoshop.  In the corner of the page there is a polaroid with my models Amy and Cath in. Their photo was also in the studio (see previous blog posts).

The font of the magazine title and all the fonts in my magazine were downloaded from 'Da Font'. The title of my magazine, as suggested on my 'Initial Ideas' moodboard is 'FIX'. I chose this as it is suggests that the magazine is a dose of music. I also think it is short and snappy and fits nicely on the page. The title of the article on my main artist, Hilly, is 'HILLY GRAIL'. I chose this as it is a play on the words Holy Grail- the definition being : A cup or platter used by Jesus Christ during The Last Supper or [a] thing which is eagerly pursued or sought after. I think this fits with Hilly's article as it is about her album of the same name. Therefore suggests that the album is also eagerly sought after. 

There is a barcode in the corner, on its side, similar to NME's. The colour scheme is red and black. This is because it looks bold and stands out. There is 'Free Festival Polaroid's'. This is because it will entice the reader to buy the magazine as it is free. It will also appeal to my 'indie' target audience as polaroid's are seen as being retro, which is a stereotype of indie styles. There is also a 'Plus' bar on the side with artists names such as 'Arctic Monkeys', 'Lana Del Rey' and 'The Black Keys'. I used these names as when I was doing my research with my target audience they mentioned these names as artists they were interested in. 

Update 3

Blog 32: 
So today is my Rough Cut deadline, and I have handed in my Front Cover, Contents and DPS, to get feedback on improvements I need to make and features to keep. I have been working hard for the past couple of weeks in photoshoots, on InDesign, Photoshop and researching to get these pages complete for the 1st draft. I will keep you updated with the feedback I get and I will upload the rough cuts shortly. 

Questionnaire Findings

Blog 31:
My Questionnaire findings have been helpful in the development of my magazine. 
I found that all 15 of my 'target audience' sample expected to see bold colours, information about artists and bands, 1 main feature and exclusives in a music magazine. 
My sample also agreed that they want to see 1 main artist, exclusive info and lots of colour on the front cover. They want to see pics, colour and detailled quotes on the contents and on the DPS they want to read about life and interviews from artists and bands. 
I made a pie chart of my target audience's interests. 

I found that all of my sample are interested in bands and music. The majority of my sample enjoy socialising, fashion and reading. Therefore I will include this in my magazine in order to appeal to my target audience.

I found that my target audience prefer small venues. 7 people from my sample dont mind where the gig is, as long as the music is good and there is a good atmosphere. I will use these findings in my magazine.

Questionnaire

Blog 30: 
In order to atract my target audience (indie and teens) I conducted a questionnaire to find out their personal views and opinions on music magazines. 
These are the questions I asked: 

·         What do you expect from a music magazine?

·         What makes you want to buy a music magazine?

·         What do you want to see on a front cover?

·         Contents page?

·         Double page spread?

·         What do you want to read about, in terms of a music magazine?

·         What are your hobbies and interests?

·         Who are your role models?

·         Do you attend gigs/concerts regularly?

(circle)

Yes                              No

If yes…

·         Where do you prefer a gig to take place?

(circle)

Small Venue                Arena              Stadium           Don’t mind

·         What are your personal views on the following genres of music:

Indie

Rock

RnB

Dance

            Thank you for taking part in my Music Magazine Questionnaire.

Photo-shoot 4

Blog 29: 
Last week I did another photo-shoot!!! 
This photo-shoot was with Hilly, my main model and Cath & Amy, who I plan to have on my contents page. 
For Hilly, as you know, I want her to have a unique fashion sense, so her outfit was another aztec playsuit in a beige colour. 
I wanted Amy and Cath's photos to be poppy-er than the other photos I have taken, as I wanted their band to be more of a cross over pop/indie group- like Lily Allen, Florence and The Machine and Icona Pop. Therefore their style is casual but slightly glamourous. The casual part is Amy's shorts and Cath's top, and the glamour comes from Cath's hair style and disco pants, whilst Amy has a floaty and detailed top. 
The photos turned out really well. 

Here are a small selection of the 270 photos taken!!!! 

Update 2

Blog 28:
Another quick update! 
My rough cut deadline is on 26th March so I have a lot to do before then, including finishing my article for my DPS and adding the details to the rough cut. 

Photo-shoot 3

Blog 27:

On Wednesday I did my 2nd photo shoot with my models Jess and Katie. 

It was just a small photoshoot and Katie wore a baggy jumper and leggings. 

I wanted Jess to have an edgy-retro look so she wore denim shorts and a baseball shirt. 

I got a couple of 2 shots and singles at this shoot, to get more variety and choice for my magazine. 

Photo-shoot 2

Blog 26: 
On Tuesday I did my first studio photo shoot. This shoot was with Josh, Amie and Katie.
For this shoot I took a mixture of shots with the canon camera. These include long shots, close ups, 2 shots, 3 shots as well as solos. 
My first model, Josh, came to the studio and I wanted his outfit to look quite casual and approachable, but to look slightly alternative as well, like someone from the Vaccines or The 1975. Therefore his outfit was a black bomber jacket, a maroon t-shirt, black jeans and Nike trainers. 
For Amie I wanted her to look feminine and edgy, therefore her outfit has a Florence Welsh style. Amie's outfit was a black and white daisy dress with black leggings and white converse. 
As for Katie, I wanted her to have a folk vibe, similar to an artist such as KT Tunstall. So her outfit was blue jeans, suede wedges and a floaty crop top. 
I have a lot of photos, whether or not I use all of my models I am still to decide but I have got lots of good photos that would work well in my magazine. 

Update

Blog 25:
Just a quick update!
So far I have evaluated my front covers, contents pages and DPS's. 
I have researched into my genre and created my initial ideas and sketches. 
I have taken my first photos of my main model, Hilly. 
In the next few days I will upload my results from my questionnaires from my target audience and update everyone on my next photo-shoots which are studio shoots with my models; Hilly, Amy, Cath, Josh, Amie and Katie. 
Currently I am using Adobe Photoshop and InDesign to create my pages of my magazine rough-cut. 

Photo-shoot Photo analysis

Blog 24:

I have chosen three photos from the South Shields photo-shoot to analyse, to show my reasons why I took the shot.

1) Hilly Standing

I took a long shot of Hilly, standing in the wooded area of the park. She is wearing outfit 3 (see previous blog post), with the added prop of 'hippy' style sunglasses. In this photo Hilly is standings quite awkwardly with her hands hanging to her side and her feet close together. This fits with my genre of music magazine as I want to style her, as an artist, on Lana Del Rey or Bjork, and they both have a quirky/awkward demeanor. 

The sunglasses hide her eyes. I think this is effective as it looks like she is hiding something, which may entice the reader of the magazine if I were to use it. 

The natural framing of the branches above her look effective in this shot as her face is situated in the middle grid (rule of thirds) of the photo. 

2) Hilly Sitting

In this photo, Hilly is pictured in outfit 1. She is sitting on the stairs leading to the main park. 

In this shot, Hilly is looking off camera in an upright pose. This gives an almost regal effect to the photo and suggests she is important as the camera is looking up at her. 

3) Hilly and Tree

This is final photo I am going to analyse. Hilly is pictured peering from behind a tree. Her hair is draped behind her and she is wearing outfit 2. Hilly is looking directly into the camera. This is effective as it engages with the (possible) reader and if it was used in my magazine would make a good front cover as it covers many of the conventions I have seen in the magazines I have analysed. 

Photo-shoot

Blog 23:
On Sunday I did my first photo-shoot with my main model, Hilly Hannam. This shoot was on location. I decided to take the photographs of Hilly in South Shields, as there is a range of ‘outdoorsy’ backdrops, including a park, wooded area, a bandstand and colonial pillars and stairs. I thought this would be a good place to take my photos because as the magazine issue is festival themed, the outdoors fits perfectly.

I took the photos on a canon camera, and used the manual settings to change the shutter speed to alter how much light is let into the photo, and the zoom and focus to create clear and professional photos.

In total, Hilly had 3 different outfits for the shoot. The first was a pair denim shorts and a daisy crop top with white converse shoes. The second outfit was the same denim shorts, paired with an Aztec inspired crop top and white converse. The final outfit was a floaty, Aztec design playsuit, with black buckled boots. In keeping with the ‘festival’ vibe, me and hilly braided her hair with coloured feathers and backcombed it, to create a fun look, typical of a festival goer/performer.

I took a number of shots in each location in South Shields, varying from long shots to close ups. Here is a selection of photos I have taken. 

I am very proud of the shots I have got of Hilly, and I believe there are many I can choose from. 

Double Page Spread Analysis- 5. Q

5. Q

Blog 22:

My final DPS review is of Florence and The Machine. As in the previous DPS's there is a drop capital at the start of the article. The font is italic and is soft, it could reflect the personality of the artist. There is a small introductory paragraph underneath the title. There are credits of the journalist and photographer, also under the title. It is in a small font. The image is a long shot and uses the rule of thirds, as her body is centralised in the middle third. The image covers the whole of the left page and also extends slightly on to the right. The title is well thought out as it uses her song lyrics. It would appeal to her fan base and would also appeal to Americans as the word 'you' has been replaced with 'USA got the love'. There is three columns and the text cover the right hand side. 

Overall, I will use the three columns in my magazine as I think it looks tidy and I will also use an introductory paragraph as my research has proven that it is a convention of a DPS. I may also use the extended image as I think it looks edgy and 'breaks the rules'. 

Double Page Spread Analysis- 4. Q

4. Q

Blog 21

This DPS is from Q magazine. There is an over sized drop capital. This makes a bold statement on the page and is very eye catching. The image covers the left side and is a close up of  Lana Del Rey. It is half blue and half red which is effective as it looks original and suggests that she is an original artist. There is a page number and logo in the right corner which is a convention of DPS. In the top right there is a small heading of her name, which challenges the conventions of DPS as usually the titles are large and bold. This reinforces the suggestion that the artist is original. 

Overall I think I am going to use an image covering the left side. I am going to use the page number and logo in the corner as it is a convention. I am not going to use an over sized drop capital as I think it is too distracting. 

Double Page Spread Analysis- 3. NME

3. NME

Blog 20:

This is another NME DPS. This differs from the last NME as it is in more of a 'blocky' style. The large image covers the full left side and the title, rather than going across both pages, is centred on the left side. There is an introductory paragraph also on the left side. It is in white, which stands out against the darker background. The drop capital is in the colour scheme of the page, as it is orange, which matches with the title and the effect on the photo. There is a smaller image in the corner of the page, of the band performing. This suggests they are a dedicated band, that are 'all about the music'. There is a quote, like the previous DPS, and certain words are in bold, which suggests they are more important. In the bottom corner there is the magazine logo. 

Overall I will consider the use of the full image on one side. I like this as I think it looks tidy and not over crowded. I will use another picture on my DPS as I think it makes the page look more interesting and colourful. The format of 3 columns is another thing I intend to use on my DPS as it is a convention and looks neat. 

Double Page Spread Analysis- 2. NME

2. NME

Blog 19:

This NME DPS uses the 'Image Dominated' look. The image is of the Kaiser Chiefs, and all of the page is covered by the band. Similar to the MOJO DPS, there is a drop capital- as it is a convention. There is an introductory paragraph, in a bold font, but does not have any particular words highlighted. This gives the reader some suspense, wanting to read on as the journalist does not give too much away. The layout is over two pages, in columns, in a question and answer format. This gives the article a personal feel as it makes the reader feel engaged in the conversation between the band and interviewer. There is a quote in the middle of the article, that is boxed of in the style of the 'blocky' look. As it is centred, it makes it more important and attention grabbing. The title crosses both pages and is in the bands font. This gives the article a personal touch and brings the reader closer to the band. 

Overall I will use the inserted quote into my article as I think it looks neat and fitted. I will also think about the layout of my article, and I may decide to use a Q&A style layout, however I may find a style I prefer after analysing the other DPS.  

Double Page Spread Analysis- 1. MOJO

Blog 18:
Over the next few blogs I will be analysing 5 Double Page Spread's (DPS). I will be looking at 1 MOJO, 2 NME AND 2 Q. The first analysis is going to be the MOJO DPS. 

1.MOJO

In this issue of MOJO the DPS feature 'The Last Shadow Puppets'. At the top there is a striking title, with a gradient colour from orange to white. The title is in capital letters and stands out against the grey background. There is an introductory paragraph, which sets up the article. In this paragraph there is the key words (Alex Turner, Miles Kane, The Last Shadow Puppets) in a brighter colour. This makes them stand out and makes the reader aware of the subject of the article at a glance. There is a bold, white, drop capital which is a convention of a double page spread. In the bottom left there is an image caption. This stands out on Miles Kane's black jacket. There is credits for the photographer and journalist on the bottom of the right page. This is in bold, capitals and draws the readers glance all the way down the article. The image covers both pages, therefore adopting the 'Image Dominated' look. This completes the page, and there is not a blank space.

Overall I will use the idea of the drop capital as it is a convention. I may use the idea of highlighted key words on my DPS as I think it adds colour and allows the reader to find out the subject of the article easily. I don't think I am going to use the 'Image Dominated' look as I dont believe it fits with my particular genre. However my opinion may change after reviewing the next 4 DPS.  

Initial Sketches

Blog 17:
Today I am going to show you my initial sketches, the first plan of my magazine layout and style. I have used my style model, NME and a guide, as well as inspirations from Q magazine.

This is my sketch of my front cover. I am currently unsure on the text to fill the boxes, but similar to an NME issue I would like to have a box of text at the bottom and similar to Q a text box down the side. I have planned to have a mid shot of my main model, Hilly, on the cover, possibly with her head covering the logo of the magazine. I have designed my magazine to have a similar logo to NME. It is short and catchy and in a red font, as I have found the red NME font stands out on the page. I have decided to use a 'polariod' theme throughout my mag, as I think it fits with the indie genre and makes the layout look interesting and original. I have made the issue of the mag a 'Festival Issue' as I think it gives me a basis to work on and can use a festival 'vibe' throughout. 

This is my drawn draft of my contents page for my Indie music mag 'FIX'. I have decided to make it a weekly magazine, like my style model, NME. Therefore I think I will use the title 'This Week' to header my contents page. As NME does, I am going to have an advertisement for a special offer in the contents page. I think it is a good idea as it will catch the readers attention, and will make them more inclined to buy the mag. Continuing with my Polaroid theme I have drawn three polaroid's at the bottom of the page, which will include the major features of the magazine, similar to the blocky style used by NME. I will have a larger image dominating the page of my major article, Hilly. Down the side, similar to an issue of Q, I will have the weekly features and other stories, featured in the magazine.

For my Double Page Spread (DPS), I am unsure on the details of the article(i.e Title, story). However the layout I would like is shown on my sketch. I would like to have a large image dominating the left side and a title overlapping that, like most double page spreads. The article will have 3 columns, following the conventions of a DPS. I would like to use a smaller image in the corner of the right hand side, as I think it will stand out and wont be too boring. 

Contents Page Analysis- 5. MOJO

5. MOJO

Blog 16: 

This is a contents page for the magazine 'MOJO'. Unlike the other four contents pages, this one does not use the 'blocky' look. Instead MOJO uses the Image Dominated look. There is one clear image, covering the entire page. The page is places on top of the image. The text includes a date and the magazine title is used as the main title of the page. The image is a mid-shot and it is taken in black and white. This black and white effect on the image fits in with the colour scheme of the page as the writing is black and white. The page numbers and titles are in a contrasting red colour. This makes it stand out against the black and white background and draws the readers attention to that specific point of the page. There is a quote in the bottom right hand corner, from the artist. This entices the reader as it makes them want to find out what the whole article is on. 

Overall I think I will use the technique of different colours to stand out. However I am not keen on the Image Dominated look, as I think it can look boring and detract from the text- especially if its in black and white. Therefore I do not think I will be using that layout for my contents page. However my opinion may change later. 

Contents Page Analysis- 4. Q

4. Q

Blog 15:

Contrasting with NME's similarity between the two contents pages, this Q contents is quite different to the previous Q review. The similarities are the heading is the same(although in different fonts), there is a similar colour scheme, and there is a bigger image. However, unlike the previous contents page, there is 4 photos, rather than 2. This could be because it is a 'collectors edition' as stated towards the top. Also contrasting is the use of bright, non colour scheme, colours, down the side of the page. This stands out and may appeal to certain types of people because of typical stereotypes (blue for boys, pink for girls). The house style is the 'blocky' look, however the layout is different to the previous. There is a description underneath every title, giving a taste of the story. This is good because it entices the reader to want to read more. 

Overall I like this 'blocky' look as it gives a lot of information and looks neat and tidy. I think I will use the idea of multiple images on the contents page as I think it makes the page look vibrant and more eye-catching. I also think the 'review' section is interesting as it looks original. Therefore I will think about using 'review' on my contents page.