Music Magazine

During the photo shoots, I tried to think out of the box when utilising props. I tried to use a mix of close ups and wide shots. However, I feel like I should have included more variety in angles. On the technical aspect, many of my shots’ exposure was too high, or dark, or the stars were out of focus.

I chose these 4 images as a representation of the shoot, as I believe these have been framed, angled, and posed the best, with the props used well. I feel like the 1st and 3rd images are the best, and will most likely use these images for covers, contents, etc. The expressions on both stars’ fits the genre quite well, with one being quite relaxed and laidback, while the other is serious, stern and looking for blood. The two images also tell a story, with the first image containing someone with a crown, implying they are the “king” of the hip-hop genre. The relaxed posture and expressions connote arbitrary indolence, decadent behaviour as he sits on the throne. In the second image, someone is playing snooker, aiming the ball at the crown, implying they have “conquered” or stolen the crown from the previous person in the first image. There’s a theme of continuity and a story in the images, which I think the audience will be able to denote.

We went to several locations, including alleyways, streets, and the snooker room. They all turned out well, with some shots utilising the chain brought quite well, and overall mise en scene turned out well. However, the shots in the snooker room turned out especially well; cinematic, angled well, and overall the most “controlled environment”- which made shooting there much smoother.

(added)

New: Santa hat, bright shirt to wrap around the jacket, crown- The initial costume looks pretty bleak but with some accessories it will brighten it up and make it look more unique.

I want my shoot star to look rough and edgy, but with some more variation in colour and light-heartedness mixed in. I  will bring the additional props e.g crown, jacket itself. The starts are in charge of bringing their clothing tailored to my criteria.

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I chose the “Cash For Questions” Q&A to anaylise,  written by Paul Stokes on the 11th of July, 2018, due to how much information can be denoted. The questions and answers are all on display, clearly, with little else filling up the page(s). Because of this, the information connoted and shown can be used to create a profile around the artist/band. You can learn things such as how they came to create their song names, the band itself, how they choose to portray/represent their genre’s style and theme etc.

The article is a Q&A, structured with questions and answers, being laid out with an intro first, then moving onto questions, then answers, questions then answers etc. Written in third person, it transitions to 1st person (with the usage of “I”, “me”, “we”) when the band answer questions. The writer is prodding often, asking specific, personal questions. It seems like the writer- a journalist- is experienced. Them being a journalist implies that they want more than just facts and information, they want to depict this information in a way to entertain the audience, through AIDA. Grabbing the audience’s attention through the headline, getting fans of the band to read. They also gain attention through the questions displayed under the title itself e.g “Hanging with Miley Cyrus”. Secondly, the desire to read the Q&A is emphasized/enhanced through the interesting facts being detailed. They want to get the reader to act, by enticing them with the information and popularity of the band. Through this, the presence of a journalist is clear with the questions asked. The anecdotes used meet the criteria for “Uses and Gratifications” – with the example given before of “Hanging with Miley Cyrus” relating to Entertainment and information, explaining the facts/story in an interesting way to entertain and keep the audience’s attention on the magazine.

The author asks questions that relate to “who, what, when, where, why and how”- for example; “When you were still called A, what would you say if people asked you what your band was called?”- The writer asks when they were called “A”, somewhat implying that they want to learn when it was (some context/backstory) and for the band to explain, what the band members themselves would say- giving more information, and through saying you and your, hooking them specifically to use first-person terms more often, and to explain their name.

After reading the article itself, the reader will have a much better understanding of the stars/band and feel more connected with them. With using specific quotes to have the band reveal more information, such as “People have criticised alt-J for being nerdy. To dispel that, tell us the worst trouble you got in school”. The answer will reveal personal trouble/experience the band have been through. Giving an insight into their lives, this seemingly “jokey”/lighthearted question actually reveals a lot about them, and how they grew up.

Overall, the tone of the Q&A somewhat fits the genre, with questions like “When you were still called A, what would you say if people asked you what your band was called?” relating to music. However, the tone does not feel like a rock Q&A, but it does feel like a music magazine Q&A. Personal questions link back to music, and how the band came to be/grow.

After peer review and self assessment, I have come to conclude that these 5 aspects are what I should be trying to improve (my targets)

1.  The text should be sorted into blocks, with barriers around. This would add a sense of depth to the page itself. As well as that, it would fill up a lot of the strange, empty spaces between.
2. More entities should be shown e.g. special effects, chains in the background- something to fill in the space and give something to look at; catch the audience’s view.
3. More vibrant colours; the only 3 colours are turquoise for the title, black text for the information, and the white title. There needs to be a more contrasting usage of colours and tones, to add depth and make it more attractive- so people purchase the issue.
4. While the structure itself is adequate, moving and changing the placement of some text will make it slightly better.
5. I need to use more unique fonts; include some variation in colour of text, typeface etc.

CONTENTS PAGE PEER ASSESSMENT

What type of shots have been used to create a variety of shot distances and how has the camera been used to communicate meaning?  

The camera has been used to take a low angle shot to make the model look very dominant and assertive, it makes the model stand out to other people.

What choice of Mise En Scene is appropriate for the star image and genre?

The black jacket and chains make him look really rough and edgy which suits the genre, the mic that he is holding shows that he is clearly a rapper or a singer.

 How far is the font used readable and reflects the genre?

The fonts used cover a wide range of rap/hip hop, they make the magazine look like a kind of documentary.

What technical conventions of a Contents page are present and used effectively?  

The contents page uses a masthead which is an appropriate size compared to the other pieces of text, it has an issue date and the name of the magazine. It includes cover lines with the contents of the magazine including a quote from the model.

How has InDesign been used to layout the page to convey a brand?

Several shapes with text in them have been used to provide information about the product, the features and the brand itself.

 How well have the text and visuals been integrated together?

The text has a turquoise background which matches the Greek themed font. It suits the overall vibe which the contents page gives.

Where has Photoshop been used to manipulate the photos to enhance the star image or genre? 

Photoshop has been used to modify the lighting of the model to make him look more in place. It uses a more dim lighting to add a bit more yellow to him.

How is the language used appropriate for the genre and target audience?

The language used is very rough, old school and rude, it uses the stereotype that rappers grew up in a rough environment. 

The Contents page communicates a strong meaning, however it needs to use more of a variety of colors, fonts and conventional features. Low Level 4.

I’ve created a few designs for contents pages. I tried to change shapes and add/remove elements from the designs. I believe the last design I created is the best, in terms of structure and contents page elements, though should be tweaked and have more added to it.

(plug is supposed to be “pug” – in the last design)

For headlines, I tried to go for eye-catching, interest-piquing titles that would get the audience intrigued and read the magazine. For most of the headlines, I tried to widen the audience range e.g. “Reasons to Rap” (introduce more people into the genre, and increase engagement, as well as get the audience to act- AIDA). However, I feel like these aren’t necessarily creative enough; they aren’t that unique. I will need to come up with new ideas, though I believe these are satisfactory and work (for the time being).  I tried to use AIDA. For example, with “Hit Rapper’s new Protégé” I attempted to gain the audience’s interest and attention, have them desire to learn more and then act and read the magazine.

Overall, I need to exaggerate and use hyperbole more often, as well as think outside the box more.

These content pages have given me some inspiration. I learnt that having simplistic designs can be effective, but personally, I think using a combination of a lot of different images, and then empty spaces to connote a sense of depth and importance to subjects can be very effective. I will need to try and experiment with these ideas.

(Copy of document shared)

Other blogs, issues, magazines etc. often contain a USP different to others. This may be a unique brand deal with a company others don’t have exclusive access to, special, exclusive information delivered by someone with a lot of information on topics.

Because of this, the USP of “my” magazine is just that, exclusive contacts that can arrange interviews and obtain information on the latest hit rappers. As well as that, offering more personal anecdotes and view points. Also a unique brand deal.

Working on the draft of my front page, I learned that the edgy clothing pairs well with a darker background. The font and typeface used is generally acceptable, but in some instances  I need to change them for my actual front cover. Lighter colours are good for drawing attention and interest, but for a hip-hop magazine, I feel like it needs to contrast a bit better than what I have at the moment. Overall, I feel that the first draft is functional.

For targets;

• I need to use more interesting, contrasting colours and text
• Change some fonts and typefaces, make the masthead larger
• Try experimenting more with different backgrounds, make it more unique and good looking.
• Make the cover itself more “attractive” for the audience overall. Have some more eccentric themes and details.
• The language used is fairly boring. I need to spice it up with imperatives and more colloquial language (slang, “forceful” language). Overall, more heavy language- conventional magazine/front cover vocabulary.

At the moment it’s bland and pretty boring- which I definitely need to change and look forward to. I also need to utilize AIDA more often- I have some attention “grabbing” text- like the pug- but need to gain interest, and have the audience feel the desire to act and purchase the magazine based off the cover.

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Cover Draft1

For the cover shoot, I aimed to make my star look gritty, with a cocky smile and laidback persona. From the black leather jacket and chains, you can denote that the star is from a rough area, or at least wants the audience to think that.

These 3 images are the best at conveying what I wanted for the shoot, having the best positioning and framing. I believe I will go for one of the first two, as I believe they are the most unique. However, the second image feels too happy, with more of a genuine smile than a cocky one like intended.

I want the magazine to entice the audience, catch their attention, and interest them.  I also want to encode things, the cover image/star look to have connotations, and have the audience denote things, generating  more engagement and interest.

By using the camera and different positioning, I tried to take several unique photos in an attempt to create the best image to use for my cover, and the best to represent a genre but with a fun, eye-catching twist.

Using Mise En Scene, I wanted to convey a rough, but light-hearted character for my cover star. Through using a rough leather jacket, combined with a vinyl disc on the nose, I wanted to create a contrast, of edgy, gritty, but jokey and stupid.

With this “meeting agenda”, I have decided on several ways I want my star to look, and be represented. Since my magazine is hip-hop related, I wanted them to look ordinary, but extraordinary at the same time- to do this I can use more ordinary clothes that hip-hop artists may be seen wearing, but with a twist. I don’t  want my star to appear boring or plain, so I’ll  add several accessories and use expressions, lighting, and positioning to try and help me with this.

I want the magazine to entice the audience, catch their attention, and interest them.  I also want to encode things, the cover image/star look to have connotations, and have the audience denote things, generating  more engagement and interest.

Mastheads are vital for brand recognition and marketing. Having an easily recognizable brand name with a great font to be attributed to your magazine will mean more people will purchase an issue just because of the name- since it sticks out, and the expectations from it based on the genre the magazine covers being well known.

I have decided to use this design/font as my final design, as I believe “Archives” connotes libraries- and with this Greek/Hellenic design, it gives an old, even ancient feeling, which works and fits quite well. It also works with the library idea, as a collection of music. I think it will interest my audience, enticing them to act and purchase the magazine or at least view it, having their attention on it.