Contents - Mock Up

I created a mock-up for my contents page. In this mock-up it shows that I have pretty much split the page in half, with a big image at the top of the page, this is because like the Kerrang magazine I looked at it mainly consisted of images, with I thought was more interesting, so I am going to do that, and I have also seen a few magazines with a similar design.

Contents Page - Research Continued

The contents page for NME has a lot more text on it, and much less images, it also does not use the word 'contents', however it is still very clear to the audience that it is a contents page from the bold text at the top 'NME THIS WEEK", which clearly shows that it is a contents page. The same font that is used fot the mast head 'NME' is used for it in the contents page as well, this happens throughout the whole of the magazine so that you never forget which magazine you are reading. The list of what is in the magazine is again on the right hand side of the page, and again it used its theme colours, which is this magazine are red, black and white.. the same theme colours I want in mine. The red, black and white in the magazine do help to suggest what sort of genre music will be in it. At the bottom it has an advertisement, but it is an advertisement for an offer on its own magazine. Its takes up a good amount of space, and as it is in a solid black box on a white background it automatically catches the eyes attention. The band index on the left hand side helps makes the magazine appeal to a wider range of the audience as even if the band/singer that one particular person like isn't one of the main stories, then it may still have a little section about it. In the centre of the page is a little paragraph of information about one story with a couple of images to go with it, this may attract the audience if they are just flicking through the contents page in the shop, and may persuade them to go and buy it so that they can read more about it in the magazine. 

Contents Page - Research

I then moved on to researching a couple of exisiting music magazines contents pages. Again, I looked at both Kerrang and NME, as they are a similar genre and style to the type of magazine that I would like to create. The contents pages for this Kerrang magazine is only about one third text, whereas the other two-thirds are taken up by images. All of the images refer to the text that is underneath them, the buyers can see from these images without looking at the text what will be on that page. The colour scheme on the front of this magazine would of been black and yellow, as these colours have clearly been carried through to the contents page. The colours yellow and black contrast each other, so therefore it makes them stand out a lot more. The text 'contents' is in the top right, this is due to the list of stories in this magazine is on the right, whereas the images are on the left. As we read from left to right the audience will come across the images before the text, this is because images are more interesting for the eye, and by seeing these images, it may make them want to read the text to see what else is in the magazine. In the top left hand corner is an editors letter, this is found in a lot of magazines, therefore has given me an idea of putting an editors letter in the contents page.  

Front Cover Mock Up - More Detailed.

I created a more detailed version of my mock up using an image from the internet, so this image will not be used in my final magazine. I used a guitar neck to banner the bottom and top of my magazine, this makes it look interesting and fits in with my rock genre. However, I would need to take my own photograph of a guitar neck in order to use though. I used the font that my target audience chose and I think that it fits my magazine. I chose the colours red, black, and white and they are all typical rock colours, which will straight away capture the eye of my target audience. From this mock-up I now know that I want to use just a solo artist in my front cover, I will also probably stick with my theme colours on my final magazine, however, I might alter whats on my magazine a bit and maybe alter the layout.

Fonts

Out of all of the fonts that I looked at these ones were my favourite, I late then rules out the second font as when I tested them all out I found out that the second font was too difficult to see on different coloured backgrounds. I then asked a few different people from my target audience and the majority of them chose the top font. I was happy with this choice as the top font was also my favourite. I believe that this one was chose as it was the most easiest to see, and as it was on a black background it stood out more than the other two fonts did.

Price

I looked at two other existing music magazines to find out what each one cost. From this I would be able to come up with a price for my magazine.

I found out that Kerrang costs £2.20p per issue and NME costs £2:40p per issue.

From this I decided that my magazine would be £2:15p per issue, I choose this price as it makes my magazine less expensive than both the other magazines, making it more appealing to buy, and by making it only 5p cheaper it makes it not look too overally cheap.

Front Cover Mock Up

I created a mock up idea for the front cover of my magazine, I created this by using the conventions of a music magazine that I already knew, such as mast head at the top, etc, and by looking at exisiting music magazines and seeing how there layouts are placed.

Images - Cont.

I also thought that this would be a nice setting for my front cover image, as again its outside and in a natural setting, which I think would suit my genre of magazine the best. The steps give my image different levels, so this means that my model(s) could be on different levels, and still be easily seen, this would look more effective then everything being on one level. I thought this would also look good with props, e.g. if I used a guitar and a model, then they could go on different levels. As the camera angle is looking up it would make my model(s) look suprior, as they will be looking down towards the camera. The grassy patch again like my previous image gives the photograph more colour and makes it more interesting to look at. The image isn't too detailed which means the audience's vision will not be distracted by what is going on in the background, as they will concerntrate more on my model(s).

Images

I went out and took photographs of places that I thought would be suitable to be the setting of my front cover image. I thought that this was a good place to take the photo's as the wall and chair with the grafitti on makes it look a bit more rough, which would suit a rock magazine. The red gives it that extra colour, so it doesn't just look all grey, and gives the image a more interesting look. I would shoot this with my model(s) sat down on the chair just to the right of the graffitti.

Final Name For My Magazine

After asking several different people I decided to name my magazine 'Unplugged'. The audience that I asked liked the idea of an unplugged guitar, and so I thought this image could feature on my magazine, which would back up the title. The audience that I asked also thought that the title 'unplugged' also sounded a lot more original than my other idea did, so therefore I shall be using this title.

Naming My Magazine (:

After coming up with the genre for my magazine, and looking at some exsisting magazines, I started to think up of some names that I could call my own magazine. My two favourite ideas were: Amped! and Unplugged. The first choice represents a guitar, which fits in with my genre of magazine, so I thought that would be a good choice. My second option could also relate to instruments, for example an electric guitar being unplugged, this again fits in ith my genre. However, I am still unsure which of the two options I think is most suitable for my magazine, so I will ask some of my target audience to see what they think.

Front Cover - Research Continued.

I also researched a copy of the magazine Kerrang!. This has much less text on than the NME magazine, however it still gives you a lot of information about what will be in the magazine via images, these are much easier to see from a glance than text would be, so the audience can quickly see whats inside it, in order to decide whether they want to buy it or not. The mast head is right at the top of the magazine, using the whole width of it, this is very easy to see, and would be easy to spot on a shelf, however, NME's would be a lot easier to see as it fits in the top left-hand corner. 'Kerrang' is in black, bold font, which contrasts with the white background that it is on, so it is clearly visable, the people in the main image are also wearing black and white which fit in with this theme, it suggests there good people, with perhaps a more darker side to them, maybe in the music that they play. Biffy Clyro is well known, so by putting him on the front of the magazine this attracts in the audience, also how the photgraph has been taken makes it look like he is looking out directly to whoever is holding the magazine, however the images at the bottom of different bands help to attract a more wider variety of audience. The main image also covers some of the mast head, however as Kerrang! is a well known magazine, this wouldn't effect it. This magazine advertises that if you buy this magazine then you get free posters as well, this is another technique of getting the audience to buy it, as if anything free is involved, they believe they are getting more for their money. The banner at the top of the magazine advertises a compertiton that may get the audience to buy it, the banner is in red, which stands out from the black and white theme that this issue of the magazine is using, all of the 'plus' parts of the magazine is also in red, so they are easy to identify, and the audience can see where to look to see whwat other things are in this magazine.

Front Cover - Research

I am going to research a copy of the magazine NME. NME always have their masthead at the top in the left-hand side corner, this is because it is a lot easier for customers to see from a glance what magazine it is when they are stacked on a shelf in a shop. The main story in this magazine is clearly visable via the image and the text; Green Day. The colour green is used quite a bit on the front of this magazine, including on the text 'Green Day', which relates to the word 'Green" in Green Day. By putting the word 'exclusive' in makes the audience want to pick up the magazine and buy it so that they can read the story. The image is off the main member in the band Green Day, playing his guitar. It looks like this image was took whilst they were playing a concert, by the expression on his face and his body language, also you can see a set of drums behind him, the image behind him however fades slightly so that it doesn't distract the reader from the main bit of the image. At the bottom of the magazine are some more smaller stories, so that if the main story didn't catch the attention of the customer, then maybe they may be interested in some of the smaller stories, therefore will bu the magazine, which is also the case with the side story in the box with the image. At the top of the magazine shows that there are some things to be won in a competition, this again is a way of attracted the reader towards the magazine and spending money on it to buy it. The colours are quite bright, and the red of the NME is the brightest which stands out more and therefore is easier to see.

Genre

I decided that the genre I am going to do for my music magazine would be rock, which would concentrate on mainly rock/indie music. I chose this because it is one of the genres that I am actually interested in. I will research magazines such as: NME and Kerrang! .

Music Magazine - The Beginning ;D

As part of my AS Level media coursework, I have to design a front cover, contents page, and double page spread for a music magazine of any genre that I want. I am using this blog to record how I create my magazine.

This is the mock up of my contents page, I left a fairly big space at the top of this page for an image of the Isle of Man college to go in, as I think that it would be suitable, and from this image it would be easy to see who the target audience would be; being students/parents of the college. The text 'Contents', then comes directly under this image so that it is clearly visable. Then the text appears on the left hand side of the page, I thought this would be the best lace to put it as we read left to right. Next to the text is several images that would relate to the text.