Evaluation

I looked to other blogs for inspiration when it came to evaluating. I saw someone had made a single video and I decided that I also wanted to create one video full of my content, rather than making several posts as I prefer everything to be in one place. Although the added editing made it more time consuming, I was happy with the final product. I still used different platforms such as Prezi and Glogster, they just all ended up in the same place.

Updated Cover, Contents Page (Creative Process Part 3)

The front page was something I was very unhappy with for my first draft. I felt that it wasn't a good reflection of the work put in, including research and actual creation, and so I spent some more time making feedback appropriate changes. Some of the feedback I got led to the font of the menu changing, and the added of the colour strip at the bottom and also the strap line.

I have made some subtle changes to my front cover and contents page. Changing font and adding content were the main focuses. I had wanted to change some of my photos, adding different models into the smaller photos however I didn't have the chance. This is one thing I would definitely change/ improve on.

First Drafts of Front Cover, Contents Page & Double Page Spread

Cover

Contents Page

Double Page Spread

Creative Process Part 2 (Fonts)

Once I had started creating my magazine I realised I had chosen the wrong fonts. I tried out 'Market Deco' (the font I originally chose for my masthead) and decided that actually it didn't look right for my masthead and then decided that I would have to change it and play around with other fonts until I found one I liked.

Here is the font I ended up going with. I chose it because it stands out and goes well with the theme of my magazine. I am glad I chose to spend time finding the right font rather than just sticking with my original one as I think my magazine has benefited from it.                      

Creative Process Part 1 (Cover)

This was my first attempt at a front cover. I liked the picture, Masthead and some of the fonts however decided that it needed a lot of alterations. The names were too faded and therefore not clear enough, I also didn't like the red or the 'Inside' section. I made a lot of big changes then, leaving only the picture and the masthead the same. I also thought that it was quite empty and needed some additional pieces of writing etc.

Photoshoot

There were lots of different aspects I had to take into account whilst taking my pictures, such as angles, shot, outfits, lighting etc. Therefore I had to take a lot, so that I had a wide range to choose from and ones I could use over the different pages I was making. The location I chose was my house, using a backdrop so that it would be easy to edit/fit in my pictures.

From this picture you can see the backdrop I used and the surroundings.

The first few pictures I took didn't go as well as planned. My models struggled to be serious and it I was still moving the lighting around and trying out different angles etc. However after I made Kira (Acting as Molly) and Sarah (Acting as Lily) change into another outfit and fixed the lighting, they got more into it. I tried to vary the shots I used throughout the shoot.

Mid Shot, however they were sat down and so it shows some of their legs as well as the upper half of their bodies.

Here I experimented with an Over the Shoulder shot of Kira.

I also took some close ups of both the models. Although I didn't think they would be suitable for my magazine, I still wanted to take some so I would have the option. 

After around 100 photos, I decided to move onto the next outfit, and here I focused on more

full length body shots.

After some of these I had Kira and Sarah be more interactive with each other, as the characters they were playing are meant to be good friends. 

Double Page Interview

Whilst I was writing my interview I changed my mind on the story behind the magazine cover and decided that they would just be a duo, as this would make things less complicated. Here is the interview that will be on my double page spread.

When did you decide you wanted to pursue singing as a career?

MJ: Hmm, only about a year before Lily suggested the idea of creating this duo. It’s such a tough industry and I’d always thought it too farfetched to think I could ‘make it’. As I got older it was just all I’d ever think about, much to my teacher’s delight, and I was super determined.

LS: Since I was about 5, there was no doubt in my mind that I would do anything other than sing!

What do you think it is about the duo that has attracted so many fans?

LS: I think that a lot of the fans like our ‘realness’. We are just like your average girls from school and we keep our feet firmly on the ground.  With so much fake running around in the media, I think it’s nice for them to see us dealing with the same issues as them!

MJ: Yeah definitely. It’s not enough just making music that people like anymore, you become a role model and have to act accordingly. A lot of musicians, especially recently, seem to have forgotten that.

What is the craziest thing a fan has done for you?

LS: It’s not necessarily ‘crazy’, but this one fan genuinely gave me a Tiffany bracelet that she had had her twitter name engraved onto! It was weird for me that someone would go to such lengths just for a follow. People think it’s weird that I actually wear a bracelet with some random fan’s name on it, but actually I love it and whenever I’m having a bad day it definitely brightens my mood!

MJ: I don’t think I can pick out the craziest thing; all our fans put so much thought and effort into anything they do for us!

So, your new album ‘Brave’ comes out on Monday! What was your main inspiration for the album?

MJ: Bravery! Haha, as cliché as it sounds, I think there are some really important messages within the album. We didn’t want to make some cheesy album about love, of course we have some songs on there about our own experiences, but what we really wanted was for the fans to get something from the album. They are all incredible people and they were our main inspirations.

LS: Couldn’t have put it better Mol.

So you’re two years into your career, where do you see yourselves in another year’s time?

LS: We’re very spontaneous people, trying to live life for the now and all of that. I don’t want to jinx anything by trying to predict the future!

MJ: Not only am I spontaneous, but also quite superstitious, so I definitely don’t want to make any big predictions. All I want is for us to be happy and healthy, anything else is a bonus.

Magazine Name & Masthead

I have chosen to name my magazine 'GO!'. I liked this as it was short but grabbed attention. I feel that it's quite fitting for my magazine as I want it to be fun and exciting.

The font used for my masthead is extremely important as it will be one of the first thing a potential reader sees. The font I choose to use will have to fit my theme, but also suit being a masthead font. It is important I don't use an illegible font, or one unsuitable for a magazine.

The first lettering I looked at was 'Cookies'. I really liked it as a font, and thought that it went well with my theme however I decided that it wouldn't stand out enough to be a good masthead font.

The second font I looked at was 'Little Bird'. Although I like the style, the lettering isn't really appropriate for a magazine mast head. It isn't eye catching enough, and could get lost in the page.

I decided that 'Market Deco' was my favourite font, and felt that it was the best for my magazine. I also asked for opinions off my classmates and they agreed with this idea. It is not too bold and therefore won't take the entire focus however it is legible and has a 'magazine' type feel to it.

Double Page Spread Layout

Contents Page Layout

Front Cover Layout

This is the layout for the front cover of my magazine. I have designed it like this due to research I have conducted into existing music magazines.

Costume and Mise-en-scene research

The main two magazines I have looked into for research are 'Top of the Pops' and 'We <3 Pop'. These are the two main 'pop' magazines that exist at the moment and I am planning on aiming mine at the same audience, plus slightly older. Therefore looking at these seemed to be the most logical.

As you can see from these two covers, and from what I have found after looking at multiple covers, they both use blank backdrops rather than a mise-en-scene such as the woods. I have decided that I will also use a white backdrop, I think this will make the composition of the magazine a lot more simple and will stop the cover becoming too busy. 

I will have my models in multiple different outfits. They will all be quite bold and on trend, as I feel this is important for the cover.

 I like this tartan dress as it is on trend, and allows Rihanna to look 'cute' but at the same time is bold and suits her style.

I also like this monochrome look that Kylie Jenner wore to the American Music Awards and will take some inspiration from it. Although not an artist Kylie Jenner is extremely influential and also at the age of 16 fits in very appropriately for my magazine.

Artist Identity

I have decided to have two models, both solo artists who have come together for a collaboration. The names I have chosen are Molly Jackson and Lily Sainty. The reason for choosing these is because they not only fit the magazine but also the models I have decided on. They will both have very different personalities but will fit together well, each will also have a different style . I have decided on Kendall Jenner and Caroline Flack to inspire me on style and hair etc.

Molly Jackson

 Lily Sainty

Music Magazine Mood Board

Here is the mood board I put together to represent the 'mood' I would like my magazine to have. On the board there is a mixture of pictures, however most of the reflect the styling of the models. The main style inspiration I have chosen for my magazine is Alicia Silverstone, in particular her character 'Cher' from 'Clueless'. My reasoning for this is that she fits in very well with my targeted audience and using inspiration from this style will hopefully help attract readers.

   My main aim is to keep the magazine from being childish, as I think too much pink/girlyness can come across as being linked with the likes of barbie etc. This way I can hopefully attract a slightly wider audience range rather than restricting it to mainly young girls. 

Magazine Questionnaire

I asked 20 people to complete a questionnaire on music magazines. This was so I had a better idea of the market and could justify any decisions made concerning this area.

Here is the questionnaire I designed:

        

These are the results I got:

From these results I know my target audience will be female 10-14 year olds. Pop was the most popular genre of music so as I had planned my magazine will be of the pop genre. As the target audience are quite young I will have to make my price slightly lower as to be appropriate. Competitions, photo shoots and Gossip were the three most wanted features and so I will not only add these in but make sure they are age appropriate.



My Time Plan

As time management is not my strong point I have decided to create a schedule for the research and production stages of my music magazine.

Magazine Questionnaire...15/02/14

Magazine Mood Board...17/02/14

Artist Identity...18/02/14

Costume and Mise-en-Scene Research...19/02/14

Front Cover/Contents Page/Double Page Spread Layouts...04/03/14

Magazine Name & Masthead...05/03/14

Double Page Spread Written Interview...06/03/14

Blogged Photo Shoot...07/03/14

Creative Processes...11/03/14

First Drafts...13/03/14

Double Page Spread Analysis

Multiple different features have been used by Q magazine to make this double page spread interesting and appealing for the customer. For example Q have used something out of the ordinary for their text, using underscores in between words instead of spaces 'IF_I_HAD_TO_GET_A_DAY_JOB_I_COULD'. This makes it a bit more interesting for the reader. 
The main picture was chosen tactfully, the lights behind the artist draw lots of attention to the page and makes the entire spread much more lively and enticing. To some people the amount of writing may appear daunting and so the picture is a great way to draw them in.

Contents Page Analysis



In contrast to other contents pages, this one has a picture of the actual cover on the page so that the reader can find the corresponding page number to an article of their choice; this makes it easier to navigate around the magazine. The contents page is split into 6 other sections: We <3 shopping, All about you, Wins & offers, Celebs & gossip, we <3 boys and 3D posters. The Magazine is aimed at young teens, so having the clear layout of information makes it more appealing to the younger audience.
 From the colour scheme, fonts and pictures used it is obvious this magazine is mainly targeting (young) girls. Pink is most commonly used on the page, and the general connotations of pink are girly, pretty, barbie etc. The use of a curly font used also links back to being aimed at girls, as it is usually thought to be girks who pay attention to small details such as cursive font.

Magazine Front Page Analysis

 

 

 

Genre

The genre I have chosen for my magazine is Teen Pop/Pop. The reason for this choice is that I feel although the target audience is mainly kept to one group of people, it is a large group. Many young girls and some boys enjoy magazines such as 'Top Of The Pops'. 

                 Here are a few covers that I will look at for inspiration!