I appreciate that this isn’t going to be marked but for the purposes of presentation I have chosen to include adverts in my magazine. When my magazine is finished, it will be presented via the Flipsnack platform. So that this works better, I have collected some images that country fans might respond to and that will go well in the magazine. I think that a music advert will work well on the back page and another on the very first page before my contents page.

Doing this has helped me to understand y audience better and research what they will respond to.  For a music advert, I will use either of the Taylor Swift promotions or the Carrie Underwood one as these are both female country legends which are perfect for my feminine issue of the magazine as well as country for the audience.

For the product advert, I thought denim, cowboy hats, boots, equine-related things, outdoor adventure to appeal to my audience. A lot of these ideas are from my research done on YouGov that explores what Dolly Parton fans also enjoy and engage with.

When searching for these my options were slightly limited as it must be A4 and have a high resolution to keep up quality imagery in the magazine.

 

I think that for my music magazine I will use the Taylor Swift album promotion at the back because it will appeal to the audience as Taylor is a well known female country star, especially this particular album.

For the first page, I will use the Levi’s advert because I think that it’s eyecatching, memorable and that my audience will respond to it as country stereotypes dictate that fans of the genre wear denim.

What’s New?

• Altered layout in an attempt to make the elements work better together
• Additional sizing and colour changes on ‘BIG’ and ‘NEVER’
• Hyphens removed from the article text
• Quotes and figures enlarged throughout text

What’s Next?– Screen Castify Feedback

Targets for Final Draft:

• Bring orange and white into contents page colour palette
• More country fonts
• Add detail into contents page
• ‘Addition’ Spelling correction
• Orange and twisted pugs
• Change date slightly
• Reposition coverlines so they are not fighting each other
• Experiment with coverlines
• Thicker masthead
• Less pictures of same stars on contents page
• Simple contents page
• Attach PDFs to blog posts
• ‘Continued on..’ moved to end of page
• Enlarge and experiment with ‘Big’ & ‘Never’
• Breakup DPS paragraph and sort fonts
• Arrange graphics to see more of star image

What’s New?

• PNG has been flipped and repositioned
• ‘Too big for my boots?’ The text has been altered so that ‘BIG’ and ‘NEVER’ are more striking
• Layout- I have moved my standfirst, one of the quotes and the star’s name in an attempt to make a more aesthetically pleasing page
• Added text ‘Continued on Page 26’
• Changed article font to a serif font
• Page numbers in the corners

What’s next?

• Turn off hyphens on my text to remain consistent with article conventions
• Altered colour scheme so that it isn’t identical to contents page
• Possibly pull more quotes or emphasize the bold ones further
• Move the star name so that it blocks less of the star image.
• Move byline so it doesn’t seem out of place
• Drop capital

Evaluating my second draft has helped me to self criticise my work and see how aesthetics on the page work together.

This is the second draft of my contents page, I’ve changed it quite a lot…

What’s New?

• General layout- I have altered the layout by removing the lines, flipping and shrinking the star image PNG
• ‘Contents’ title- The title has been enlarged with the lettering closer together and added bevel and emboss effect
• Coverlines- I’ve added a few new coverlines and taken out the majority of explanations about what the page includes
• Images- this second draft has two images of my own
• Colour scheme- I have found that pink contrasts well with turquoise so I have utilised this on the contents page
• Page number

What’s Next?

Although I do like some of the changes that I’ve made, after some feedback from peers and my teacher I might put the lines back in so that the page is more aesthetically pleasing as well as change the font of the text. Additionally, my colour scheme on this page is the same as my cover except the turquoise is the main colour whereas it is pink on the cover, I need to change this because they are too similar.

I think that creating this draft has helped me to further develop my Adobe InDesign skills and photoshop – I created the image at the top of the page. It has also helped me to learn the conventions of a contents page and how to incorporate them.

 

This is the second draft of my front page.

What’s New?

• Different colour scheme – the first draft has a warm yellow toned gradient background and orange text, in this draft, I have used pink and turquoise to keep it consistent with my double page spread but also because I learnt from my spread that these contrasting colours work well.
• Masthead – previously, my masthead had thin tall letters and arched down, this one has an arc going upwards and thicker, bolder letters in addition to shadowing to project it further.
• Coverlines – in this draft I have put one of my coverlines on a pug and changed the font of the others.
• Headline – whilst the text in the headline is the same, the font and sizing are not, I’ve changed both fonts and used different glow and shadow effects on the letters so that they are distinct.
• Star Image – star image on this draft is slightly bigger, I did this so that it fills the page entirely and so that I’m not forced to fix where the image is cropped at the arms.

What’s Next?

• Coverline Layout – I would like to change the coverlines themselves as well as the aestectis of them to make them bolder and seem like they suit the page more.
• Change or alter the font in ‘STAR’ as it looks like there is a period between the ‘T’ and the ‘A’
• Improve the cut out of the image – remove the white part of the bracelet.
• Make the names pop out more of the other celebs

This is my first draft of the double-page spread for my music magazine, I used Adobe Photoshop and InDesign to create this.

I like how my double-page spread has a simple two-tone colour theme- pink and turquoise, these colours contrast each other nicely as they are on opposite sides of the colour wheel. I like the image I’ve chosen and the way that I’ve cut it out and positioned the PNG to look as if the model is sitting on the coloured block. I also like the three columns of text on the left-hand page, I think this conveys that it is an article because columns are convenentional for this.

For improvements, I think that I need to put effort in to further communicate the style and genre by following the conventions such as having the page numbers in the corner. The star’s name also has to be moved because it will fall between the fold in the magazine, this could also give me the freedom and space to consider adding another image or just improving the layout of the spread in general. I would also like to manipulate the text, for example increasing the size of the word ‘BIG’.

Further, I want to change the text so that it has the conventional drop capitals. To make it easier to read, I am going to change my main text to a serif font, I also need to add text that indicates the reader to continue reading on the next page.

For this shoot, my intention was to take some funky photos for my double page spread so I played around with the idea of my star being crushed by a cowboy boot because my article is titled ‘Too Big for my Boots? Never’. Unfortunately, I had Covid the week that I planned to do this shoot so the actual shoot strayed from my Production Meeting Agenda. Regardless, I got images that I like and that I needed. I struggled with the depth perception of the boot image and couldn’t get the lighting correct to go along with it but overall I think that I’ve used Mise-En-Scene well to portray the country genre- my model wears a dark cowboy hat to give the slightly harsher vibe that I intended paired with black flared jeans and boho aesthetic flowy top.

I used camera angles and framing to get some interesting shots, such as her boot up close to the camera lens and lower angles to make it seem as if we should look up to her as a country idol. I also used props as I didn’t in my previous shoot, I think this was a good choice as the guitar and retro mic make the images look more natural and relaxed as well as further emphasize the genre.

Here are my contact sheets from the shoot…

Below are some of my favourites from the shoot, I like these because they portray the model as friendly and trendy.

I’ve learnt from this shoot that props are a very significant part of mise-en-scene and how much they can change the entire narrative of an image.

To prepare for my next shoot I have completed a production meeting agenda so that I know everything that I will need and can organise it to get the shots that I need. This will help me because it will make sure that I am fully prepared to get the necessary images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My magazine is going to include a double-page spread, to construct a well-written article I have structured a plan, written a draft and then used an MP3 audio recording to check for readability so that I can see what needs to be improved upon.

Article Structure & Plan:

DPS ARTICLE FIRST DRAFT:

“TOO BIG FOR MY BOOTS? NEVER”-interview with Nellie Westwood

Overnight country bombshell Nellie Westwood is becoming a household name but who really is she? Country Capital journalist Cerys Collins gets the lowdown on the personal life of Nellie and what led her down this track. She chats about her sudden fame, current love life, her  plans and how YOU can help and much more…

The name ‘Nellie Westwood’ has been buzzing around social media and the country community ever since the southern belle sensation went VIRAL after posting a Tiktok of her playing an acoustic version of her song- ‘Red Running Waters’. Nellie is just 17 years old and is now a star. When her family uprooted her Texan life to London, I bet she didn’t think that country would end up being such a huge part of her new life in the UK- but let’s just say I think the UK is chuffed to have her! 

Nellie explains the feeling of unforeseen fame, “Yeah it’s absolutely mental I mean it was like one day I was making riffs and exploring my creativity and the next my phone is flooded with notifications and I’m getting record label offers! I definitely didn’t see this coming.” The media has taken to her well, “Of course there’s gonna be haters but luckily for me, it’s early days and right now all I’m seeing is big love- 6.3 million followers within these two weeks and I’m even getting recognized out in Piccadilly when I’m with my friends. I don’t feel I deserve to be idolised this way- I’m just like everyone else!”

So just how popular is ‘Red Running Waters’? “I don’t even know the current numbers but last I checked the Tiktok it was at around 80 million views and 53 million likes– the song is slowly increasing in streams too, up to around a million now which is absolutely insane. The love for the song genuinely means so much to me because the song is very close to my heart. It’s about the sort of heartbreak that hurts so deeply that it just hits you in the face every day when you wake up and then that sinking feeling seeps in and hangs around for the day. I think it’s important to a lot of people because this feeling is so universal– just the agonising feeling that we may all feel this heartache forever but actually writing this song has shown me that this is not the case. Healing is a process, it’s a journey which means that it’s not going to happen overnight, nor is it going to be straightforward. The song is specifically about when you get stuck in the breakup slump and feel that you are back to square one but it’s good to remember that a slump doesn’t mean the progress is gone. It’s a process.”

A lot of young stars have struggled with accidental fame as it has caused them some emotional struggles such as country queen, Miley Cyrus who has had her fair share of media scandals- Nellie shares her fresh take, “I totally see how this attention can do that to a person- already I feel a lot of pressure and expectation from people and feel as though a layer of my privacy has been stripped away but at the end of the day I have such supportive family and friends that I know they’ll keep me grounded. Like will I end up too big for my boots? NEVER. One thing that always helps me keep my mental health in check is songwriting – to me it’s like journaling. That is something that can always remain private”

When asked what inspired her Nellie had lots of passion in her expressions, “Oooh well I love original Taylor Swift- in fact ‘The Way I Loved You’ was probably the song that sprung my country obsession. I like male artists too but Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton- that’s what I’m raised on and will always be my roots. Taylor is my main inspiration for so many reasons. I admire how her music has evolved throughout her career and that she’s not afraid to push the boundaries of country music and explore other genres. I’d like to do that – I don’t want to fit the country mould forever, I like to challenge boundaries. Also she’s a bad b*tch! If anyone is a country queen it’s Taylor -she never takes any patriarchal crap from the industry.”

Nellie shows her grounded nature as she expresses her appreciation for her fans, “Honestly I wouldn’t be anywhere without the support. Already my fans are everything to me and I absolutely adore them! I’d love to be more involved with them but at the moment everything is so mental. Although my new project in the works requires some help, I’d love to gather inspiration and drive from each and every one of them.”

So there you have it! Gorgeous rising star Nellie Westwood shares a slice of her life with us. A little insight to where her boots will be walking to next which I have no doubt will be a smooth ride to success. She’s one to watch in the country world for sure.

 

 

MP3 Recording of my First Draft:

Targets set for my self based on the audio:

-Look at improving the hook and using more magazine language to make the standfirst more interesting

-Use colloquial language so as to appeal to the target country audience

-Less repetition of the word ‘feeling’ and clean up paragraph on the meaning of the song

-Remember to include the byline when formatting or fix narrative when introducing journalist

-Ensure that there is something within the interview that applies to the Uses & Gratifications Theory – particularly be more specific in the last paragraph about how the fans can get social interaction from my article.

Finished Article:

“TOO BIG FOR MY BOOTS? NEVER”-interview with Nellie Westwood

Overnight country bombshell Nellie Westwood is becoming a household name but who really is she? Country Capital journalist Cerys Collins gets the lowdown on the personal life of Nellie and what led her down this track. She chats about her sudden fame, current love life, future plans, how YOU can help with her next project and so much more…

The name ‘Nellie Westwood’ has been buzzing around social media and the country community ever since the Southern belle sensation went VIRAL after posting a Tiktok of her playing an acoustic version of her song- ‘Red Running Waters’. Nellie is just 17 years old and is now a star. When her family uprooted her Texan life to London, I bet she didn’t think that country would end up being such a huge part of her new life in the UK- but let’s just say I think the UK is chuffed to have her! 

Nellie was open about her unforeseen fame, “Yeah it’s absolutely mental I mean it was like one day I was making riffs and exploring my creativity and the next my phone is flooded with notifications and I’m getting record label offers! I definitely didn’t see this coming.” The media has taken to her well, “Of course there’s gonna be haters but luckily for me, it’s early days and right now all I’m seeing is big love- 6.3 million followers within these two weeks and I’m even getting recognized out in Piccadilly when I’m with my friends. I don’t feel I deserve to be idolised this way- I’m just like everyone else!”

So just how popular is ‘Red Running Waters’? “I don’t even know the current numbers but last I checked the Tiktok it was at around 80 million views and 53 million likes– the song is slowly increasing in streams too, up to around a million now which is absolutely insane. The love for the song genuinely means so much to me because the song is very close to my heart. It’s about the sort of heartbreak that hurts so deeply that it just hits you in the face every morning and then that sinking feeling seeps in. I think it’s important to a lot of people because this feeling is so universal– it’s really easy to fall into the mindset that this is how it will be forever.

But that’s not true at all and writing this song has shown me that! Healing is a process, it’s a journey which means that it’s not going to happen overnight, nor is it going to be straightforward. Remember that a breakup slump doesn’t mean that all your healing is gone. It’s a process.”

A lot of young stars have struggled with accidental fame as it has caused them some emotional struggles such as country queen, Miley Cyrus who has had her fair share of media scandals- Nellie shared her fresh take, “I totally see how this attention can do that to a person- already I feel a lot of pressure and expectation from people and feel as though a layer of my privacy has been stripped away but at the end of the day I have such supportive family and friends that I know they’ll keep me grounded. Like will I end up too big for my boots? NEVER. One thing that always helps me keep my mental health in check is songwriting – to me it’s like journaling. That is something that can always remain private”

When asked what inspired her,Nellie was passionate in her response, “Oooh well I love original Taylor Swift- in fact ‘The Way I Loved You’ was probably the song that sprung my country obsession. I like male artists too but Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton- that’s what I’m raised on and will always be my roots. Taylor is my main inspiration for so many reasons. I admire how her music has evolved throughout her career and that she’s not afraid to push the boundaries of country music and explore other genres. I’d like to do that – I don’t want to fit the country mold forever, I like to challenge boundaries. Also she’s a bad b*tch! If anyone is a country queen it’s Taylor -she never takes any patriarchal crap from the industry.”

Nellie showed me her grounded nature as she expresses her appreciation for her fans, “Honestly I wouldn’t be anywhere without the support. Already my fans are everything to me and I absolutely adore them! I’d love to be more involved with them but at the moment everything is so mental. Hopefully they’ll stick around to help me when I begin my next project – ‘letters to heal the heartbroken’ . I need their feelings as my lyrics. More details are coming soon!”

So there you have it! Gorgeous rising star Nellie Westwood shares a slice of her life with us. A little insight to where her boots will be walking to next which I have no doubt will be a smooth ride to success. She’s one to watch in the country world for sure. Keep an eye out for next month’s edition when we bring you exclusive details on her future work – including a surprise collaboration

To explore how language is used within magazine articles, I have analyzed a copy of Billboard Magazine- June 20, 2015 ‘Adam Lambert: Don’t look back’ by Shirley Halperin.

 

The journalist has used the 5 Ws and an H technique to appeal to the reader’s interests. For example in terms of who, Halperin has centered the article around Adam Lambert and uses a large image of him on the first page featuring large text calling out his name, this attracts the reader because they will want to read about this star if they are interested in new and emerging music. For the what, the article includes exclusive details directly from the star in an interview that explores his darker side- emotionally and aesthetically. The article is featured in a segment by Billboard called ‘The Beat’ which is described as ‘the pulse of music right now’ so everything that is new and powerful amongst the industry. This article is allowing the readers to feel as though the star is one of us, showing that their star identity is down to earth and struggles just like everyone so that people can relate to him.

 

As for the structure, it’s an interview which is made clear because it has a constant stream of quotations from the star. The text is arranged chronologically through the columns so that we feel we are having this conversation with Adam Lambert. All of the text is organized around a central image of the star, perhaps to demonstrate that he is the main focus of this double-page spread.

 

Maybe slightly unconventional to the regular interview style, the journalist isn’t present throughout the ideas explored. Shirley Halperin is credited immediately so we know that there is a journalist behind this but all of Lambert’s answers are introduced into the text like a stream of consciousness from Adam as opposed to the generic question and answer structure- we don’t know exactly what the interviewer is asking the star. This is impactful because it illustrates a more personal persona and a soft, relatable star image. It’s written in 3rd person as the journalist introduces the topic but the main contents are 1st person accounts from Adam Lambert to keep it intimate. The first page includes a clear cut introduction containing hooks about what is coming up but it doesn’t have a definite conclusion as it is left on an ambiguous rhetorical question to keep the audience interested in the star.

 

The journalist has used lots of alliterations to create a fun and flowing playful text which helps to convey the friendly star identity of Adam Lambert such as “Lambert is donning drop-crotch”. The whole point of the article is that it explores how Adam feels about his ambiguous music journey so the tone of the interview represents this as it is fluid and charismatic. Metaphors are present for example, ‘Music and fame sometimes fill the void, temporarily” this depicts the loneliness that Adam feels which a lot of readers relate to that feeling. 

 

Additionally, it’s full of quotes from the star himself which is significant because Billboard’s demographic is young aspirational people who probably often feel the same sort of isolation so the fact that he can joke about it and be open appeals to the audience-the reader will experience comfort in the normality of this star and feel seen.

 

In summary, the journalist uses rhetorical questions along with various other audience targeting techniques to make the audience feel that they are genuinely engaging with the star.