My Final DPS

Out of all the trial and errors, I came to the conclusion to submit this one as my final DPS. I felt that this one had more features of an Indie/ Rock magazine and that it worked better aesthetically - the colours and layout - as opposed to my other choice. I also felt that this headline was much more interesting and eye grabbing than my initial headline. I was able to almost accurately to create what I had planned; a quite simple yet attractive DPS article.

I also later on added boxes to the page numbers and masthead at the bottom. I just wanted to add a little more detail. I also enlarged my headline making it stand out more.

DPS Drafts

1st Draft:

2nd Draft:

3rd Draft:

DPS creation stages

A rough step by step of how I reached my final DPS. 

1.

The original unedited image

2.

I brightened the image just a little bit more and added a yellow colour filter. I did this to achieve a more dreamy effect on my main image.

3.

I added an enlarged quote from my artists interview that i thought strongly related to the image and appropriate text. I felt that the quote linked well with the image as it is a long shot of my model holding the guitar whilst looking confidently and intimidatingly at the camera. This connotes power, hence 'take over the world'. 
I also added my masthead and page number at the bottom.

4.

For my final 1st page image, I finalized it by adding the magazine website at the bottom of the page (above the page number at the bottom right corner).
I also included the name of the feature artist my DPS is covering (at the top left hand corner).

5.

This is my plain, initial image that I used to work from for my second page of my DPS.

6.

I added more depth to the photo by increasing the contrast up to 75. I feel this made the image slightly less washed out, and more toned.

7.

I later on added inserted my headline (which was more of a title), then my standfirst. This helped with my positioning whilst adding the 3 columns for my article. I typed the text to slightly wrap the edges of my model.
I also decided to add extra information after the article to inform the reader that there is more information on my artist in the next two pages of the magazine. I again added the page number and masthead to the page.  

8.

My DPS then underwent a big transformation to become my final page 2. I changed the fonts or the article and standfirst (so that it wasn't all caps lock anymore) and it had the enlarged 'T' for the first letter of the actual article. 
I changed the font and wording in the headline to make it seem like less of a 'title' (so to speak). 
Also as an extra addition to the page, I put the website of the magazine underneath the small magazine masthead.
 I still kept the colour scheme of blue, black and white. 

9.

I had two ideas for this page for my first Draft... For the colour of the background image to be a mixture of a little bit of magenta and yellow using the colour balance tool. This created a more dreamy affect which linked to some of her music. I also kept the old fonts and headline for this one.

So I combined these two pages together to create my first DPS. (Final choice)

I also combined the these two pages together to make my second DPS

Magazine Double Page Spread Photo Shoot

This is a collection of the top 10 photo's from my DPS photo shoot.

My survey link

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GGVBNHC

Double Page Spread Analysis 1,2

1.

2.

Contents Page Analysis 1, 2 & 3

1.

2.

3.

I chose a contents from an NME magazine for ideas and inspiration for my own magazine as it is a really close relation to the basis of my magazine (for the genre). I like this contents page as I think the layout is really compelling. I like how NME have highlighted the best stories, reviews, and news. The composition of the articles and sections were sectioned off in boxes very neatly. I really find the use of images much better than bombarding the page with words because it's more visual and attention grabbing for the readers.

Artist Case Study - Arctic Monkeys

Music Magazine Planning

1. What Genre of music will your magazine cover?
   My music magazine will be influenced by a basis of Alternative Rock and a sub genre of Indie Rock music.
2. Who is the target audience? How old are they? Where do they live? What are their interests?
   - Male / Female Age 16-28
   - UK / US
   - Interests: Listening to music, partying, making music, drawing, tattoos, piercings
3. Whats the name of your magazine?
   I chose the name of my magazine to be '5 Stinger' Magazine. The name connotes sharpness which is connected to the vibe of rock and the sounds that can be delivered. Also 'Stinger' can be made into the word 'String' (minus the 'e') which is found on a guitar. As well as this, guitars have 5 strings so I thought it would be a creative way to play with the word as well as associate the name with the theme/genre (rock music).
4. What will your masthead look like? Do you have any ideas for fonts? - Bold lettering
   - Red
   - Sharp accents on the edges
5. What will be the focal image for your front cover be and why?
   Group of 3 boys and 1 girl or 1 girl with a close up shot taken slightly from above. I want to create a grunge or enigmatic atmosphere with the positioning and facial expressions which reflect the attitude with some aspects of alternative rock
6. What photography will be required?
   -Mid shots
   - Straight forward/ above
   -Plain white room
7. What Mise-en-scene will be required?
   - Outdoors; Alley, Green area, gates
   - Natural lighting
   - Messy hair/ neat, dark colours/ pastels
   - Jeans, flannel, boots, t-shirts, aviators, bowler hats
   - Cigarettes, guitars, head phones
8. What would be your sell lines?
   My sell lines would be including different bands - news on the hottest artists and hits
   Also I may cover some news on a band/artist.
   As well as this I may include some promotions and freebies contained in the issue.
9. What items and feature articles would you need on your contents page?
   I will include lots of band interviews
10. What is the focus of your double page spread? For my double page spread I would like to focus on an artist/group interview as well as a music feature from who I'm covering.
11. What photography will be required for the double page spread? Give specific details.
    - Images of EP / Album covers that I will create.
    - The bands / act doing a gig / concert.

 

Historical genre research

Music magazine conventions

Music magazine conventions

• Gigs and tours
• Advertising albums/singles
• Reviews
• Merchandise
• Posters
• Activities and competitions
• Longest article (most pages) = featured article
• Featured artist/band = Front cover image
• Interviews
• Genre specific
• Latest news

NME Magazine

Music Magazine; Front Cover Analysis 2

NME is a renown indie/alternative rock magazine but in this issue they took a risk and featured other well known artists from other genres such as Adele (a Soul/ R&B artist), Kanye West and Tyler, the Creator (who are Hip Hop artists). Having said this, the main body genre of this magazine issue still revolves around Indie Rock.

The NME with Tyler, The Creator on the front features a gold border with the words ‘God save us from Wills and Kate’ at the top - a satirical recreation of 'God save the Queen'. The gold colour along with the red are colours associated with royalty. Seeing as this issue was published at the time of the Royal Wedding, the selection of costume and props such as the crowns, peals and bouquet were used in response to the extensive press coverage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. 
Again we see that this was after the time of Murison’s editing takeover, with the more streamlined logo, mature fonts and calmer/fresher colour scheme used. There is an advertisement for a festival guide inside, this created a selling point for the issue, and an anti-establishment theme seen in the quote from the cover star: “I don’t give a sh*t about the Royal Wedding”. The use of taboo language, combined with a feature on bands that “take on the establishment”, creates an atmosphere of rebelliousness that would appeal more to the magazine’s younger readers.

Music Genre Mood Board

Alternative Rock + Indie Rock

This is a collective mood board consisting of images that I thought best portrayed Alternative and Indie Rock music. 

I've included images that reflect the style and atmosphere of the music as well as some well know alternative/indie artists and bands such as Gwen Stefani, Paramore and Arctic Monkeys. 

I also added the magazine NME, and Xfm radio station which are based around my genres.

Music Magazine; Front Cover Analysis 1

‘NME’ is a music magazine that has been published weekly from 1952 onward  Although its sales have been in decline since 2003, NME has a cult following and is known to promote new bands that might not be interviewed or celebrated anywhere else. The current editor of NME is Krissi Murison, who has worked with the magazine as a columnist for several years.

In the first magazine cover featuring Lily Allen, the headline uses a scrapbook type technique for the font creating a more grungy vibe which is linked with her look and attire. There is a colour scheme of black, white and red and the distinctive NME logo is prominently displayed above Lily Allen’s head. The obviousness of the logo would make regular readers see the magazine instantly, and grab the attention of potential buyers who would want to know why the logo is so clear and uncovered. 
There is a red bar running across the bottom of the cover with band names in small white capital letters: the combination of the red colour, the ‘loud’ text and the names of the bands themselves tells the reader this is essentially a rock magazine. Circular puffs advertise features along the right-hand side of the cover. They feature page numbers, which is unusual in a magazine – usually the page number is only shown in the contents page.
There is a small black-and-white sub-image of David Bowie in the top right corner, and a smaller sub-image of Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys above the NME logo in the banner. The Bowie photo is in black and white to represent his status as a pop/rock legend, a singer with an illustrious history who readers want to know more about. The Arctic Monkeys are a band featured in NME very frequently, so having a picture of the lead singer would create continuity between issues and also pull in a regular audience.

Student magazine photoshoot

For my Front cover, I have chosen to use the first image because the angle looks much better as it isn't leaning too much at an angle like in the second image. I also think that in the first picture, my model looks more intimidating and assertive - that's the look I was going for with the facial expressions, showing a serious topic.

Final Student Magazine Contents page

Final Student Magazine Front Cover

School Magazine - Planning

What is the name of your magazine? What are the connotations of the name?
I chose the name of my student magazine to be called 'Student Now'. I believe that this was an appropriate name for my magazine as it is pretty straightforward and easy to understand, so it captures the type of magazine very well and it isn't very hard to remember.
I chose the 'Now' aspect of it to site that my magazine does cover the latest news and information, to keep the readers up-to-date.
I did also use this name to give out a small message to the readers; that if they do read and follow the tips in a magazine it can guide them to doing is expected of successful student, aiding them to be a good student of now.

What will your front cover story be and how would you visualize this?
My front cover story will be mainly about extra-curricular activities and also just making your next move in life at college. This is to help college students to get more involved in activities that are fun, active or challenging. I would visualize this by taking a photo of a boy in sixth form that is playing chess. This directly corresponds with my chosen cover story in the headline because my model will be showcasing one of many ideas of possible extra-curricular activities that are available.

Who is the target audience?
For my magazine, I chose to target it at college/sixth form students that are around age 16-18 years old who are in the process of completing the AS and A2 courses.
I don't have a specific gender intended because I feel that all genders would benefit from the information in my magazine. But I would say that it is probably for students that want to get more out of their learning and using it effectively. Also students that are willing to try new things and aren't afraid to get involved.

What type of shot will it be?
I will use a mid shot at a medium low angle to get a more direct aspect.

What mise en scene will be required for the photography? 
Clothing: A clean black suit with a tie (preferable wearing glasses)
Location: Either a library, classroom or study room. I wanted either books or subject posters in the background.
Props: A set up chess table with pieces.

What would be your headline and how will it match the main image?
My headline will be 'Make Your Next Move' with a little sub-heading bellow it saying 'Go big on extra-curricular's'. This clearly links with my main image idea as make your next move is associated with the game of chess whilst playing. It is also a pun, mean that and making your next move in college and other activities.

Music Magazine - Front Cover Analysis

What genre of music does the magazine cover?

Billboard Magazine doesn't have a specific genre as they show different genres but the featured article for this issue covers Pop music.

What are the connotations of the masthead?
- It's called billboard so it could suggest that they feature the hottest music and artists that are at the top of the charts (and music billboard)

- Lady Gaga (the featured artist) is in front of the masthead (unlike other featured artists in other issues). This could signify he superiority to this magazine and in the pop music industry as a whole.

What can you say about the language techniques used by the headline and sell lines?

- They use satire in the headline to draw in the readers and make them want to read more on the showcased article. 'Lady Gaga. How She Writes Top Hits. Why she doesn't wear pants'
- Short, snappy sell lines contain enough information to grab the readers attention and understanding, but it also doesn't give too much away. This enhances the readers interest.

What can you say about the layout style, particularly style size of fonts and the colour scheme?
- The contrasting colours with the dark's and violet help to bring out Lady Gaga's  hair. Thus forth making her stand out more.

What can you say about the use of photography?
- The use of the close up shot and Lady Gaga looking at the camera makes the image more direct.

Does the front cover feature any other layout conventions?

- Some of the other conventions on the front cover include the price and bar-code at the bottom left corner of the magazine.

- There is also a strap line showcasing the slogan of the magazine at the top of the masthead. 'The Music, The Money, The Market Share

- The headline definitely links with the main image as it includes the name of the featured music artist - Lady Gaga.

Who are the target audience and why?
- Because this music magazine is quite pricey at £6 and change, I would say it is for young adults between 20-30 years old. I gathered this because usually adults around that age have money to spend as they are usually working. 

- As well as this, the featured music is targeted mainly for people around that age range. As well as this, people around that age range are usually really interested in the latest music. And billboard magazine does happen to obtain that.

My Student Magazine Sketch

My analysis on College Magazine

The masthead for this magazine is called 'College' which is clearly self explanatory, it shows the readers that this is a magazine targeted at college students. 

Underneath the masthead there is a sell line to the right that points out 'Lifestyle'. This gives the reader a clear idea on the theme of this student magazine.  These all do link with the main image because the the male student is carrying their textbooks. This image syncs well with the idea of lifestyle because he looks really relaxed, edgy and trendy whilst is holding his textbooks. This just says 'this is my lifestyle' to me. 

Also the fact that he is placed in front on the masthead shows that he is a really important part of the magazine.

The headline 'Dancehall's bright future' features 'Jeffrey Assassin' Campbell' which is about a up and coming music artist. This is in the upper part of the magazine in bolder and bigger font to show its importance to the magazine and connection with the main image.

To me, the sell lines were created and strategically placed in an effective way.  They used a rough summary of the topic of the article that would be featured inside the magazine but giving a catchy phrase. This really catches the readers attention and makes them want to know more. The yellow writing brightens up the page a little as well is bringing forward the text to make it really noticeable - as well as the variation in front size. The smaller sub-texts in white at the bottom of each sell line were also effective as it gives the students a little more about the articles - again making them want to read more. They also give a good insight into what is featured in the magazine. 

One technique on the sell lines that i really admire is the paint splat for the article ' Splat! lets go paint balling'. The use on onomatopoeia along with the paint splatter is very creative and fun.

Also another thing about the main image is, I think that the use of lighting really enhanced the picture, because the image is mainly black, the use of shadow and light on the background makes the black work well as it contrasts in tone.

The strapline is at the very top on the magazine in really small font. 'your executive guide to everything hip hop & happening'. So this means that it is quite a cool and possibly popular magazine.

intro

Media time :D