Research and planning: Magazine progress (12/12/14)

Contents page so far (mostly finished)

Research and planning: Plan for the week (08/12/14)

-Interview videos
-Social media feedback on masthead designs
-More model photos
-Continue magazine progress

Research and planning: Magazine progress (08/12/14)

Contents page so far

I have started my contents page and this is what has been completed so far.

Research and planning: Magazine progress (05/12/14)

I have changed the size and font of the masthead and put a background colour of black onto the cover. These aspects of my front cover have been changed as they now include some of the characteristics of a drum and bass magazine.

Research and planning: Start of magazine

This is what I have completed so far on my magazine. This is my first lesson working on the actual making of the magazine and so far I have placed a picture of sort of lasers, as well as a smoky appearance on the picture due to the decreased opacity, as a background to the masthead of the magazine 'Smoke n' Lasers'. The font also has a drop shadow on it to add to the smoky appearance of the masthead. I have put the magazine positioning statement underneath the masthead but also within the laser picture too. Next to that I have placed another concert picture and put within it the issue number in bold yellow text, so it is visible with the concert background behind it.

Research and planning: Plan for the week (01/12/14)

-Interview videos
-Social media feedback on masthead designs
-DSLR test shots annotated
-Start magazine

Research and Planning: Social media feedback on masthead designs

Research and planning: Other magazine photos

Research and planning: Model photos

Research and Planning: Plan for the week (24/11/14)

Plan for the week: 

- Publication plan- done

- Audience interview videos- still to do

- Equipment and software list- done

- Model photos- partially done

Research and Planning: Ideas for music magazine positioning statement

Ideas for positioning statement:

Drum and bass, in your face. 

Bringing the drum and bass world, to you! 

Enter the world of drum and bass. 

A fresh new insight into drum and bass. 

Research and Planning: Plan for the week (17/11/14)

- Music magazine cover page and contents page draft
- Publication plan
- Double page spread and Contents page analysis

Research and Planning: Sans serif or serif font?

I understand that I will have to use a serif font when writing my story on my double page spread. This is because it is widely known as being easier to read than a sans serif font and will be more appropriate for my magazine.

Research and planning: Research into artists associated with genre

These are 3 examples of artists that are associated with the drum and bass genre of music. The first picture at the top is a drum and bass duo called Sigma. They usually produce music which is reworking previous songs and using their vocals and making them into drum and bass tracks. This is effective for them and they have had two number one singles and sold millions of copies worldwide. Two of their tracks include 'Nobody to love' which was a rework of Kanye Wests Bound 2 and 'Changing' which was a collaboration with Paloma Faith.

The second picture is of British drum and bass band Rudimental. Rudimental collaborate with many artists to produce their tracks and are very successful in doing that, they were nominated for a mercury prize in 2013 and have received a brit award and a MOBO award for best album. They have received multiple platinum awards for record sales in several different countries. Two of their tracks include 'Not giving in' which was a collaboration with John Newman and Alex Clare. Another track of theirs is 'Waiting all night' alongside Ella Eyre.

The third and final picture is of British drum and bass music producer Wilkinson. He is quite new to the industry and his major breakthrough came in October 2013 when his single 'Afterglow' with vocals by Becky Hill reached number 8 in the UK singles chart. This particular song is a source of inspiration for the title of my magazine as near the start of the song, it says the words 'Smoke and Lasers', which is also the title of my magazine front cover. Wilkinson also does remixes of other songs and has recently done one of Ed Sheerans 'Sing'. An example of another track is 'Dirty Love' which is as a result of a collaboration with Talay Riley.

Research and planning: Publication plan

Research and planning: Plan for the week (10/11/14)

-Costumes and Props
-Research into artists associated with genre
-Contents page analysis
-Double page spread analysis

Research and planning: Double page spread research - different formats

Question and answer interview

This is a question and answer interview with Justin Bieber which mainly addresses the fact that he was bullied in school. The questions from the magazine reporter are in blue and Justin Biebers answers are underneath in black. There are quotes from some of his main answers, spread around the page in large, bold font, so they stand out and draw you in to read the article.

Top ten listing

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Factual info about artist

This article describes the new adventure Liam Gallagher took after going his separate ways with brother Noel after Oasis. It includes factual information about the type of music they put out and also where they plan to go and what their plans for the future are. The text is pretty much plainly in simple blocks and is an overview of the band 'Beady Eye'.

Festivals and events

This is a very unique and original double page spread which is talking about the Coachella festival, in California. It uses statistics and facts in a very attractive and appealing way. It is easy to read and gives clear information in a fun way for the reader. It uses shapes such as hexagons, triangles and circles to put across their information. The colours include quite deep blues, purples and greens which makes it easy on the eye.

Research and planning: DSLR test shots

These are some of the DSLR test shots I took on the camera. There are a range of shots such as close ups and medium close up images. There are also a range of pictures taken with and without the camera flash on. I understand that for the best quality of picture for my music magazine, it will be better for me to take my photos in natural light without the flash on. This gives you a clearer, crisper and more high quality photo overall.  

Research and Planning: Equipment and software list

-Tripod
-Camera
-Mac
-iPhone
-InDesign
-Photoshop

Tripod

Camera

Mac

iPhone

InDesign

Photoshop

Research and planning: Costumes and props

Drum and Bass artists wear a range of different types of clothing. Some of the artists are older and wear more green, brown and black clothing. Some of the younger artists wear slightly more 'out there' clothing and express themselves a little more. It is hard to pin down a certain style of clothing that represents drum and bass music as there is such a wide range of styles across the artists of this particular genre. This symbolises how it is possible for literally anybody, any age, to produce drum and bass music. My magazine is aimed at a younger audience and so I will be using a younger model and they will probably be wearing some sort of tracksuit or adidas/nike top or jacket. In the other pictures in my magazine, I will be going to a gig on the 27th November which will fit in with the drum and bass genre, so I will be using some inspiration and some photos from there hopefully.

Research and planning: Production schedule

Research and planning: Interviews

Research and Planning: Interview questions

Questions:

1) Is the name 'Smoke n' lasers' appropriate for a music magazine? 

2) What colours do you associate with Drum and bass music?

3) What gender should the cover model be?

4) Which artists would you like to see included?

5) How many stories would you like to see on the cover?

6) What shot type should be on the cover?

Research and Planning: Questionnaire results

The results of my questionnaire show that most people support the name 'Smoke n' lasers' for a music magazine. Roughly three times as many people said yes rather than no. There was a range of answers in the second question asking what colours you would associate with drum and bass music. The majority said Black and the secondary colours were yellow and red. The third question asked what genre the cover model should be, this result was overwhelmingly towards a male being the cover model as they probably understand that the drum and bass industry is more male orientated, although it is open to females as well. A large proportion of the answers to the fourth question were 'I don't know'. This is probably because the drum and bass genre of music isn't one of the most popular and the people I asked didn't have much knowledge of the different artists. Those that did have knowledge gave me some good answers that will be useful in choosing which artists to mention in my magazine. My fifth question was asking how many stories I should include on my magazine cover and the most popular results I received were 3 and 4. My sixth and final question addressed the shot type I should use on my cover. The result was either a mid shot or a long shot.

These results have helped me realise and understand what my peers would like to see and would be most interested in but ultimately I will have to make the final decisions on what to include, bearing in mind what my peers have said.

Research and Planning: Questionnaire questions

Questionnaire 

1) Is the name 'Smoke n' lasers' appropriate for a music magazine? 

2) What colours do you associate with Drum and bass music?

3) What gender should the cover model be?

4) Which artists would you like to see included?

5) How many stories would you like to see on the cover?

6) What shot type should be on the cover?

Research and planning: Double page spread analysis

This double page spread is in the dance music/ drum and bass genre and is reflected by the two DJ's up on stage performing in the large image on the left. They have mixing desks in front of them and headphones either on their head or around their necks. There is also people dancing in the background which symbolises my genre of music. There is a two shot that takes up the whole of the page on the left and really stands out when you first set eyes on it. Also, the title of the story is extremely large and bold and very hard to miss, it makes sure as soon as you turn the page you know what this story is about and you instantly want to read it. The font is much smaller underneath the large title and it fits perfectly onto the page. The two main guys in the picture are dressed in cool, trendy and hip clothing and look happy and jolly. This is all because the magazine are trying to represent the genre of music as modern and fresh and also sort of a feel good type of music. The audience of this magazine and this double page spread would be around 16-25 years old, similar to the audience of my magazine. This is because it will attract the main visitors to festivals and concerts of this genre and also the people that listen to this type of music and buy these music genre of magazines. 

Research and Planning: Music magazine contents page analysis

 

There is a common theme running through these two contents pages; they both include pictures of concerts and festivals. The first contents page at the top includes a picture of a girl on a mans shoulders at a festival. It is of a dance/drum and bass music festival and represents the genre very well as it has bright colours in the image such as yellow. The genre of the second magazine is also dance/drum and bass as it is two separate contents pages from different editions of the same magazine. The layout of both magazines is similar too, with a large image to the side of pages being numbered and the content of the pages being described in brief below. The only difference is that on the second one has a few more images at the bottom. Most of the images are from festivals and gigs and show happy people dancing and enjoying themselves. On the first contents page the girl is happy and smiley which represents the music genre as happy and feel good music, which I believe it is. The second contents page has its larger image of DJ fresh, a famous world renown DJ, which represents the magazine as a high quality magazine full of reliable news and knowledge. The audience of these magazines contents pages would be around 16 to 25 years old. This is reflected by the younger people shown in most of the pictures and the brighter, bolder colours used.

Research and planning: Music magazine audience presentation

Research and planning: Music magazine double page spread draft

Research and planning: Music magazine contents page draft

Research and planning: Music magazine cover page draft