Double Page Spread

Final

Mock Up - Double Page Spread

Contents Page

Final

Mock Up - Contents Page

The image of my artist is with his back to the audience making him seem detached and uninterested making him seem cool and important. I also want to keep the layout of the page simple like the image so that it keeps all attention focused on the artists image. I will edited this image to just having the artist in the background with a grey background.

Front Cover music magazine

1st

2nd

Final

Mock Up - Front Cover

Artist Profile

Imenz is the stage name used by the new up and coming artist George Foster. He is 15 years old and has been writing his own music, along with his friend of four years Andre Noel, for a year and a half and has finally released his new mix tape ‘Painted Over’. His music is a new take on the R’n’B genre as he does not have the common references to money, cars and fame but talks more about moral issues and achieving the best that you can in life. He aims to be a stable role model for the youth in a hope that they will choose the right path and he hopes to achieve this goal by passing on his message through his music. He was recently signed to a small record label called ‘Above’ (February 2011) but wishes to be signed with ‘Young Money’. George’s interest in music came about through listening to other artists and releasing they did not have a real message and wanted to hear something that had a meaning behind it. In the future George wishes to be as big as Drake and Eminem.

Do you prefer to be called by your real name or your stage name?
“Well Obviously I like people who are close to me to call me George otherwise I am used to answering to Imenz”

What inspired your stage name?
“Well I took the word immensesne and improvised with it”


How would you describe your music?
“I would say my music is one of a kind. It holds a real message behind it, I don’t talk about cars and money. I talk about real issues in life.”

What type of person is your music aimed at?
“My music could appeal to any type of person. Its aimed at anyone who wants to listen to the message I want to spread.”

Where do you gain most of your inspiration for your music?
“Life experiences, my mixtape is almost a diary haha”

Who are the artists that/What inspired your love of music?
“I listened to people like Drake and Eminem who had real meaning behind their music, I wanted to do the same. Also I wanted to share my experiences with the world.”

What is the inspiration behind the name of your mix tape?
Well I’ve made many mistakes in my past and music helped me paint over them and start again, that’s why its called ‘Painted Over’

How much time do you spend on working on your music?
“I’m always working on my music, if any thought that comes into my mind sounds good enough to go into one of my songs, I’ll write it down somewhere.”

What type of environment do you like to work in?
“I can work in any conditions. In a loud, busy room to a quiet, ideallic park.”

How does Andre contribute towards your writing style and sound?
“He helps refine the things I’ve written down thourghout the day. And if anything sounds better somewhere else he’ll rearrange it.”

Is there any other profession you would like/wanted to do?

“Well I love artwork, I would love to paint full time, but I’ve always wanted to do music.”

Where would you like to see yourself in ten years time?
“I would love to move to America…Oh and have a number one albulm.”

What advice would you give to yourself before you got signed?

“Don’t give up hope, you’ll get some where soon”

Reconnaissance

Helicopter pads are used as a form of showing success because if you are allowed at the top of the building you will either own it or be able to afford to use a helicopter as transportation. Success is the main focus in R'n'B lyrics and music. It can be seen as a metaphor; as if they are on top. It also places them in the city which emphasizes their urban edge.

The city at night shows the artist has an active nightlife. This could be seen as a sign of success as they are continuously being invited to different parties. It also implies that the artist’s music is influenced by an urban culture.  

A blank background allows all attention to be focused on the main image. It is also easier to edit as the background colour can be changed, objects can be inserted and shadows can be contrasted against the block background giving the main image a 3D look.

Costume Ideas

A black hoodie with a red logo is simple and doesn't draw too much attention away from the artist or masthead while allowing the artist to look relevant and on trend.

As I developed costume ideas I decided that a costume with more colour will suit my target audience better as it will attract them with the bright cheerful colours that make the magazine have a younger, fresher feel to it.

Costume Ideas

For the front cover of my magazine I would like the model to wear a purple hoodie. This will coordinate with the sell lines and masthead drawing more attention to them. The model will also be able to dress it up with a few iconography pieces, such as a watch or chain.

Costume Ideas

A typical look for R'n'B male artists is a simple black T-shirt. On many occasions they will have a slogan across the front. It will normally focus on their status as an artist, for example their name or something to do with money such as 'Get Rich'. They will also normally combine a simple T-shirt with silver or gold chains, sunglasses, watches, other Jewellery and hats or Bandana. All of these things are iconography for the R'n'B genre of music as they show off the artist success as they are able to afford to buy expensive things to wear. The simple black T-shirt contrasts with the extravagance  of the accessories draws more attention to them. 

Another common look for male R'n'B artist is the shirtless look. It is a well known symbol of masculinity and this is what many male artist brag about in their lyrics. It is also following the convention of 'sex sells' by playing on the sex appeal of the artists in the hope that the public will respond by buying whatever is being promoted because of the artist being shirtless and therefore 'sexy' and 'desirable'.

Mise En Scene

Double Page Spread Analysis

The article on the second page is arranged into three colums which follows music magazine conventions.

The article itself has a clear baseline giving it a neater look and making it easy and clear for the audience to read which will appeal to the audience. The text is in black also making it easy and clear for the audience to read as it is just plain and simple and nothing is costantly trying to grab the audience’s attention.

The pull quote is at the top left hand corner of the page, where the audience’s eye will be drawn to first, as people tend to read from left to right. The colour also stands out from the rest of the article as it is the brightest thing on the page including the pictures.

Drake’s sense of style appeals to the magazine’s target audience as it is modern and youthful. It represents the type of person that would read the article.

There are two images and there are one of each page which doesn’t follow magazine conventions as normally there is one main image on a double page spread and the article is spread out on the other page or around it. Also they both take up half the page making them a main feature of the article. This emphasises his status as an artist as he is able to have two images in one article whereas most artists have one.

The image on left hand side shows Drake in casual  attire and he is laughing. This gives the impression that he is not working but ‘hanging out’ which is a contrast to the black and white image on the other side, where he is working in a studio with a serious expression. Showing that Drake has two sides to him when he is working to when he is having fun.

The layout is simple which keeps the focus on the content of the article rather than distracting from it with bright colours or a variety of images placed around the article.

The image takes up a whole page and a part of the next page. It is dominating the whole spread showing how dominate the artist is. It also shows his status as he allowed to have a large photo whereas other artist that are not as established as him would not be able to. It is also almost as big as a poster showing that his fans admire him and would probably like to have a poster of him to put on their wall.

The graffiti in the background emphasises the urban culture he is surrounded by. It also looks similar to the tattoos on his arm suggesting that he is similar to the city and urban culture around him. He is not looking straight into the camera making him seem cool and detached from the audience, giving him a superior aura. The chains around his neck look as if they are weighing him down, emphasising their value showing the success of the artist.

The artist name is in the top left hand corner of the page which is a main focus point as an audience tends to read from left to right.

The first couple of words of the text are a lot bigger and a different colour than the rest of the text making them stand out a lot more and drawing the reader’s attention to the beginning of the text and making them want to see how the sentence will finish. It is like a teaser of the text.

The pull quote is in black at the bottom and in big bold letters. It draws your attention to it. The content of the quote makes the reader want to find out what else is said about the topic. It gives away enough information for the audience to become interested but not enough for them to be satisfied causing them to want to find out more by reading on.

The actual body of text is arranged in simple columns only breaking for new paragraphs so it does not draw attention away from the content of the text by using bright, bold colours and fonts.

Contents Page Analysis

Front Cover Analysis

In order to create an effective and relevant front cover I need to understand why and what certain methods are used on the front cover of an R'n'B music magazine. Therefore I have analysed two magazine front covers similar to the genre I wish to create my own music magazine. I have commented on colour schemes, sell lines, mise en scene, ect. and how they effect the audience's view of the magazine.

Questionnaire Results

Questionnaire Results

What age group do you belong to?

All candidates answer with 12-16 so I will have to tailor the magazine to this age group.

Are you male or female?

The majority of my focus group are males so the magazine will have to appeal to a male audience. I can achieve this by using appropriate fonts, images, colours and articles to draw in their attention.

What feature of a magazine would interest you most? (Reviews, Interviews, Etc.)

As interviews was the reply that came up the most I will use this to attract my target market by interviewing the artist that will appear in the magazine.

What genre of music are you most likely to listen to?  Tick one.


R'n'B was the answer given the most so the type of artists, features and music featured in the magazine will relate to this genre of music in order to attract the majority of the magazine's target audience.


What type of magazine would you say you read the most? Tick one.


As music magazine was the main answer I will I will follow the conventions of a music magazine in order to make my target audience become comfortable with the layout and look of my magazine therefore making it more appealing to the target audience.


Where are you most likely to buy a magazine? (Supermarkets, News agents, Etc.)


Newsagents and supermarkets are my target audience's main source of magazines so I will have to make the front covers of my music magazine appropriate to be sold in this environment. By making it friendly to all areas of the public and making it stand out on a shelf.

How much would you be willing to pay for a music magazine? (Between £2.00 and £5.00)

As most of my target audience are still in education so they are are not willing to pay over £4 but are willing to pay around £3 for a good quality music magazine as it is a keen interest of theirs and find that it is worth the money.

How often would you like the magazine to be issued?


My target audience would prefer to have a monthly issue as there will be more content in the magazine as it will cover a larger amount of time meaning that more has happened in the world of music. It also allows it to become more of a treat than a thing of everyday life making it seem more exclusive.

What colours would you prefer on the front cover? (pick three)


Purple, Black and White were chosen for the reason that it looks sophisticated but young at the same time. It will appeal to the type of people in my target audience.

Do the features in the magazine matter in your choice of magazine when you like the artist on the front cover?


As the answer was mainly yes I will have to gather some features that will attract the type of people in my target audience. Such as gigg dates, interviews and reviews.

What type of ‘freebies’ would appeal to you more?


The target audience said they would appreciate any type of 'freebie' that is associated with music as it will tie the whole magazine together and give it a more professional, official feel.

Questionnaire

Questionnaire

1.       What age group do u belong to?  Tick one.

         12 – 16

         16 – 25

         25 – 35

         35 – 40

         40 – 50

         50 – Onwards

2.       Are you male or female?

         Male

         Female

3.       What features of a magazine interest you the most? (Reviews, Interviews, Etc.)

4.       What genre of music are you most likely to listen to?  Tick one.

         R’n’B

         Hip Hop

         Classical

         Rock

         Heavy Metal

         Indie

         Pop

         Rap

         Alternative

         Other   -  Specify:

5.       What type of magazine would you say you read the most? Tick one.

         Music

         Lifestyle

         Gardening

         Cooking

         Fashion

         Cars

         Other   -  Specify:

6.       Where are you most likely to buy a magazine? (Supermarkets, News agents, Etc.)

7.       How much would you be willing to pay for a music magazine?

8.       How often would you like the magazine to be issued?

         Weekly

         Every fortnight

         Monthly

         Semi-annually

         Annually

9.         What colours would you prefer on the front cover? (pick three)

·         White

·         Black

·         Pink

·         Blue

·         Purple

·         Gold

·         Orange

·         Yellow

10.   Do the features in the magazine matter in your choice of magazine when you like the artist on the front cover?

11.   What type of ‘freebies’ would appeal to you more?

Music Magazine - Target Aundience

Target Audience

   The reader of ‘Arise’ is someone interested in music between the ages of 16-25. They are a person who is passionate about R’n’B music or music in general and wish to view it as an art form rather than a source of entertainment. They will be as passionate as the magazine about creating a better view of R’n’B culture in the way they lead their lives and the quality of the music they may create themselves.

   The reader of ‘Arise’ can be in any line of employment and can lead any kind of lifestyle (married, single, family). The thing that these readers will have in common is their passion for music.

   A motivated and inspired person will be the kind of reader that ‘Arise’ has. They will have strong opinions and get them across effectively but never forcefully. Their voice is always heard but they allow others to be heard as well. They are respectful and encourage other’s passions and interests. Even if they dislike something they will voice this by offering constructive criticism. Their interest in music is a main part of their personality and they seek out good quality music and are open to any type of music. They are an open-minded and imaginative person. They believe in giving everything an equal chance to prove its worth and are excellent judges of talent and character.

   The main hobby and interest of readers of ‘Arise’ will be music. Whether it be creating music or listening to it. However they will have a well rounded interest in the rest of the world, like sports, acting and etcetera. In their free time they enjoy expanding their knowledge in any area of life as they strive to be an educated, well rounded person. They enjoy being part of a diverse group of friends and value each one of them differently. They value family and spend time being a part of one.

   All types of music are of interest to the readers of ‘Arise’ as they are open to different kinds of art. However their main interest will be R’n’B music and this will be apparent in the way they seek out R’n’B music, or anything to do with R’n’B, through the use of the internet, other magazines, films and gigs or festivals.

   Overall the reader of ‘Arise’ can be any kind of person as long as they have a strong passion in music and aim to increase its reputation as a form of artwork.

Music Magazine - Genre

   The genre I have chosen for my music magazine is R'n'B (Rhythm and Blues). I have chosen this genre as it is a personal interest of mine so I am familiar with the genre. This genre is also popular with my age group so my research of the target audience will be accurate and useful. I also hope to create a different view of R'n'B by concentrating the magazine on the music rather than the image and reputation of the artist. 

Evaluation of Preliminary task

Evaluation of Preliminary task

   In order to complete the preliminary task a school magazine front cover and contents page had to be created. It had to be aimed at an audience attending sixth form, so the age of 16-19, and had to be related to education and school. So the front cover and contents page had to be created to fulfil these specifications. This preliminary task was given to complete so that when it came to creating a music magazine ideas from the school magazine could be used and also see what would work and what could be improved on. It was also to familiarise ourselves with Adobe Photoshop and researching target audiences and planning.

   My magazine followed magazine conventions in the fact that the image dominates the front cover; the font is the same throughout the front cover and the contents page, creating brand identity, etc. There is a mast head and a banner. The date is placed just underneath the masthead. Also the sell lines are on the left hand side as this is the first place to be read. The symbiotic link between the front cover and the contents page is created by using the same font for titles and images from the front cover are also placed on the contents page.

   
   The magazine presents itself as a school magazine by the headline stories on the front cover such as ‘How to balance your school and social life?’  Also the image of someone studying and the name of the magazine, ‘Above Average’, also indicate that it is a school magazine. The audience will know that the magazine provides entertainment because there are articles about music, fashion, etc. This is something that will appeal to the target audience.

   The front cover of my school magazine was created to appeal to both male and female students of sixth form. In order to achieve this I made sure the colour scheme and the sell lines were relevant to both sexes. I also made the image relate to a sixth form student as it was of a student carrying a folder like most sixth form students would do.

   
   The main strengths of my production pieces are that it appeals to the target audience. It is simple and straight to the point. It fulfils all aspects of a school magazine.

In order to improve my practical work I could improve my Photoshop skills to improve the images on the front cover.  I could also make the symbiotic link between the front cover and contents page more apparent.

   This assignment has taught me the importance of researching a target audience in order to create a product that will appeal to them. I have also learnt how to use mode of address, colour schemes, etc. in order to draw in a certain type of audience. When it comes to completing the main task I will take several pictures for the front cover so that I will have more choice when it comes to decided the look of the magazine. I will also consider researching my target audience a lot more than in my preliminary task so that I will have more information when it comes to designing the magazine to appeal to a certain type of audience.

Above Average Mission Statement

02/10/11 Mari-Anne Foster

Above Average Mission Statement

   Above Average aims to provide its readers with the relevant information to make their personal experience of sixth form as enjoyable as possible. We also seek to change the view of an average school magazine and create a magazine that will interest young adults, as well as educating them.  We hope to achieve this by mixing young adults interests such as; music or fashion, with the more academic side of things like university open days and revision guidelines. However the main mission of the magazine is to provide students with the information and guidance they need to gain the most out of their time in sixth form.

Main aims of Above Average:

•   Encourage balance; work and play go hand in hand.
•   Encourage students to believe that each one of them can be above average with hard work.
•   Become a source of useful information, relevant to students’ lives.
•   Be entertaining and educational.

Target Audience Profile

02/10/11 Mari-Anne Foster

Target Audience Profile

    My magazine ‘Above Average’ will be aimed at teenagers of both genders from the age of sixteen to nineteen. The magazine will also be aimed at the sixth form of The Douay Martyrs secondary school so it will have to be relevant to the school and their education situation.

   

    Teenagers at this age have a range of interest and hobbies, such as; music, films, sport, fashion, etc. So this will have to be incorporated into the magazine in order to gain more attention. There could be a fashion page to interest girls and a sports page to interest boys. There could also be a film and music page to interest the majority of the target audience.

    The target audience will have certain values based around family, friends and their careers. The way the magazine could facilitate these interests is by offering advice in these subjects, such as; problems page or an agony aunt.

    The most fitting audience theory would be ‘Uses and Gratifications’ so that the target audience will seek out the magazine for a certain purpose like guidance or support in their education. In order for the magazine to attract the target market it will have to provide this and other needs such as university open days, course information and how to balance school and social life. This magazine would be used for educational purposes, guidance and support.

Front Cover sixth form magazine

Preliminary Mock Up