drafting and planning

This is a rough draft for the ontents page of my magazine 'Ignite'.
I ensured the layout of the page was clear and simple so that it was cohesive, nothing too complex, this is so that the readers can quickly identify where they have to =go in the magazine to find what they want to read about. I discovered that this is a typical layout for a mainstream music magazine in my research :
http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/research-into-similar-products.html
I included the most important contents page convention, images, which dominate the page because they are the magazine's biggest articles and they can be recognised instantly by the readers without them having to read anything. The biggest image is of the main cover star, so the readers attention is instantly drawn to the main article and they are therefore more likely to read about it.
I also used sub-headings, made distinct by the boxes that they are in, and these help direct the readers to the list of content that they are most interested in.
I also created consistency with this contents page, not only through the images of the bands and artists whcih are advertised on the front cover but also with the masthead, once again positioned in the left third and, although it is not clear in this draft, the fonts and the colours (red and white) will also be the same.

organisation

These are the photos taken at the photo shoot for my next supporting band, 'Maverick'.
The two models have been positioned so that they look as though they are live at a concert to some extent, hence no direct mode of address.
I included two props, the guitar because they are performing live and a pair of sunglasses to show the cool attitude of the band's image.
I am going to use the image at the top because the camera is in a better position as it clearly fits both band members into the frame and i feel the blocking used in the bottom image isnt very effective as it doesnt provide the readers with a clear image of the band, especially since they are live on stage.
I also chose the top one because there is nothing in the background, it is pitch black, but lighting is still used effectively as it appears as though the band are in the spotlight which they would be in a real concert.
The costume and its colour was kept simple because this is a rock band who dont go over the top because the genre is quite serious, so therefore they are quite simple in their appearance

Organisation

These are the photos for my supporting artist, Jessica Rose, who will appear in the contents page.
I ensured to make the photos as realistic as possible which i did through costume as i think it reflects her image as a female artist. This is because the red roses connote love and danger and they also directly link to her name 'Rose'. Her dark hair and the black background also suggest that she has a dark and dangerous side which is part of her image.

I think i am going to use the image in the top left because i think her body language and facial expression here is the best in reflecting her sexy, flirtatious and also mischievous personality as a solo female artist in the hip hop genre. The others also show a lot of attitude but i feel the body language in the top left says a lot more about her provocative and dangerous personality

Organisation

Here are four of the images taken at my recent photo shoot.
The ones on the left i plan to use for my double page spread whilst i plan to use the ones on the right for my front cover. This is because it is a typical convention in NME magazines that the background behind the main cover stars is white because usually the main cover stars will be wearing a contrasting colour, black, and this contrast makes them stand out and look more important as they do not blend in with their surroundings.
I have chosen the image in the bottom right (the largest) to be the one that i shall use for my front cover. This is because, unlike the one above it, there is more attitude and attitude is key in creating a realistic and believable image for a band in a genre as serious as indie rock. Compared to the one above it, the model on the right has his arms folded, the one in the middle has his glasses tilted so that the direct mode of address is more distinct and more powerful and the one on the left has a more serious facial expression. These collectively generate more attitude which supports the image for this band, The Desperados, who are serious, dangerous but also cool.
The props i used, the black glasses, help compliment the black costume which together convey a hint of danger but makes the band look cool and modern which is another aspect to the image of The Desperados. This is important as the target audience for my magazine, Ignite, would be interested in reading about a young band who are of a similar age to them, especially if they appear cool and modern.
For the double page spread i have chosen the one in the top left. This is because unlike the one below it, the camera angle is better as it is head-on level with the band and generally looks better. However i also chose this image because of the lack of direct mode of address. This mixes it up a bit in contrast to the front cover and gives the band a cool, careless look because the band members are looking in different directions. However, the lead singer (middle) is still sustaining the direct mode of address, because he is the most important and influential of the band members and it maintains the interaction between the band and the readers which stimulates them to read.

Drafting and planning

This is a draft of an NME magazine and i produced it for three reasons:

a) To practise and become more accustomed to the editing process and the software i will be using for my official magazine

b) To enhance my drafting and planning

c) to further demonstrate my knowledge of the NME brand and to prove my skills in designing a magazine with conventions that comply with the style of the magazine and appeal to the magazines target audience

I like this draft mainly because of its colour scheme, red and white are the main house colours of NME and i made thorough use of these colours throughout my cover in order to create consistent, and overall, holistic magazine.

I also like the distinct cover lines which provide clarity for the readers and create a serious, formal approach which complies with the style of NME magazines.

However what i dislike about this, and therefore the reason why it is just a draft, is the abstract background, usually there is a blank, bright background whereas here there is a complex setting that distracts the readers. I also dislike the size of the main cover star, as i feel in comparison to most NME magazines, he is too small and therefore he doesnt look too important or authoritive, which he should be as he is the main cover star. I am also questioning whether it was necessary to include two secondary images to accompany the main image as they are not used too often in NME magazines but i think here in this context it works reasonably well.

Drafting and planning

I have decided to use this font for the cover lines and main cover line on the front cover of my music magazine. 

• I chose this font because its big and bold, it will therefore link to the big image of the main cover stars and it reflects how big and important they are as the main features of the magazine. 
• It also provides clarity for the readers who would be able to instantly see who the main feature is because of how the font is bold but also clear and easily readable unlike other fonts
• Finally i chose this font because it complies with most of the fonts found in music magazines like NME, shown here in a previous NME magazine that I have analysed:

Drafting and planning

This is the official masthead for my magazine.

• In the end i decided to go with this font because its clear and distinct to the readers because its simple and isnt too bold. I also like the sharp edges on the 'N' because it gives a cool edgy look to my magazine
• For this magazine i chose to have red as the masthead colour because it has connotations of danger, making out that my magazine is exciting and contains content of a serious and potentially explicit nature which i aim to achieve with my double page spread
• I will be positioning it in the top left hand corner to comply with the 'left third' carried by almost all music magazines. This is because when the magazines are stacked, the brand of the magazine is easily visible from the side.
• I am choosing a size similar to that of NME's, big enough so its clearly visible but small enough so it doesnt draw attention away from the main cover star and main cover line.
• Around it i shall also palce my selling line as well as the date like many other music magazines like NME see here in an NME magazine i researched http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/magazine-cover-analysis-killers.html

Drafting and planning

I have decide that i shall include a selling line to accompany my masthead 'Ignite' as selling line's are a common convention of magazines in persuading the readers to buy the magazine and also because NME use a selling line so i want to replicate them by including my own.

I wanted it to link to my masthead which would help 'brand' my magazine making it unique and recognisable. However i also needed it to sound attractive to my target audience, mainly people who enjoy reading about modern music, so i needed to link it to that as well. On top of this it also needed to be short and sweet, something catchy that readers would easily remember.

It is for these reasons that i came up with this selling line:
'Setting alight modern music'

This selling line is basically saying that my magazine is setting alight or igniting modern music like a fire so that it can burn bright for all to see. the fire (the modern music) exists because it has been sparked by the magazine through its content (hence the name ignite) and by creating this fire it implies that the magazine is revealing modern music to the world by lighting it up because before it was unnoticed and unheard of so without this magazine you would be unaware of the hottest new music. This makes out as though fans of modern mainstream music (my target audience) will be missing out and therefore it persuades them to buy the magazine.

My magazine delivers on this promise as the main feature that i will be using in my magazine is a hot new indie rock band that are beginning their rise to fame.

organisation

MY SUPPORT ARTIST'S IDENTITY
This is the identity of my second supporting band/ artist that will appear as a cover line and a main feature in the contents page

• This support artist is called Jessica Rose and i called her this because she is in the hip hop music genre and its common for solo female artists in this genre to adopt a name that is short and sweet e.g Katy Perry, Pixie Lott, Jessie J. The last name 'Rose' also has connotations of love and so it complies well with her image
• Her image is one that is sexy and dangerous. This is a typical image for a solo female artist of the hip hop music genre. she also comes across as playful but she also has a lot of attitude which gives her a more dangerous edge.
• Like my main band and my supporting band i will use a friend to pose as this artist in my photo shoot
• To try and portray her image i will use aspects of the photo shoot: black and red clothing to connote danger but also love, direct mode of address and a sexy but dangerous facial expression which maximises the effect of her attitude to the readers. There will be no props because i want images of her to appear simple because she is a simple down to earth artist which is why she isn't afraid to express her attitude.
• She is going to be featured because she is revealing herself, e.g. her past, her personality etc. and my magazine would want to feature her because she is a popular artist of a popular  music genre so they want to be the first mainstream magazine to have exclusive information about her.
• She is 21-25 years old which is an appropriate age because its easy for a younger artist to portray a sexy and dangerous image and the target audience of my magazine 'Ignite' would be of a similar age so they would want to read about her because they feel they can relate to her attitude especially since she is revealing all about her personality.
• She, like my other featured bands, originates from the UK however she is already becoming popular in the USA and has potential to becoming a world wide pop star which fuels her confidence and boosts her image

Organisation

MY SUPPORT BAND'S IDENTITY

For my magazine i will also need to create some supporting bands and artists that will appear as cover lines on my front cover and will be main features in the contents page.

• I have decided to create one supporting band and one supporting artist
• The first is a band called 'Renegade' and i called them this because i think it complies with their rock genre because it sounds serious and potentially dangerous.
• Their image is one of a typical rock band - they are serious but also professional - they are not cocky or 'full of themselves' like my main band because they are older, more experienced and more mature.
• It will consist of two males, two of my friends who i have invited to my photo shoot to pose as this band, and i will take multiple images of them whilst they pose as though they are at a concert or festival
• to do this a fake microphone as a prop will be used, there wont be any direct mode of address (because they're at a concert performing live) and the lighting wont be that bright to give it a more natural feel.
• I decided to do this because its a common convention in music magazines especially my influence magazine NME, that at least one of the featured bands are featured because of their concert or tour and therefore the image used for them will be one taken live at their concert
• This also means that the cover line used and anchorage text about them on the front cover and contents page will be directly linked to the concert because that is why they're featured.
• The two members of this band will be aged 30-35 because this is the typical age of bands of the rock genre and i want this band to be a typical rock band because they are featured so often in mainstream magazines like NME which im using as my influence
• Like my main band, 'The Desperados' they originate from the UK however they have recently hit their prime and have just finished touring in the USA, so the concert that is being focused on would have taken place in America - these are the main reasons why my magazine 'Ignite' would want to feature this band - because they are a well known band and have just entered the international stage which is a big event for a rock band and therefore its something a mainstream magazine like NME would want to feature

drafting and planning

These are more fonts that i could use for my cover lines including my main cover line which will be the name of my magazine's main feature which is my created indie rock band, 'The Desperados'

THE DESPERADOS

THE DESPERADOS

THE DESPERADOS

THE DESPERADOS

THE DESPERADOS

THE DESPERADOS

THE DESPERADOS

THE DESPERADOS

I like these fonts because they are bold and are clear to the readers so they can instantly see who the main feature is and the font helps portray them as big and important. However some of these fonts, the ones that are smaller and not as bold, could be used for the other text on my magazine front cover and my contents page because they are just as clear but not as bold which they dont need to be because anchorage text is usually smaller because its less significant in comparison to the cover lines.

drafting and planning

These are the potential fonts that i could use for the masthead of my magazine called 'Ignite' http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/drafting-and-planning_18.html
               

IGNITE

IGNITE

IGNITE

IGNITE

IGNITE

IGNITE

I like all of these fonts because they are straight, clear and serious which makes them a more mainstream and conventional font found in mainstream magazines like the one im creating so i think they comply well with the style of magazine im aiming for.

organisation

MY BAND'S PROFILE/ IDENTITY

My main band that will feature in my magazine 'ignite' as the main cover stars are called 'The Desperados':

• Their 'image' is one that is rebellious and dangerous because this complies best with the serious indie rock genre and is similar to the image of indie rock bands like Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian which are the main influences for this band.
• They originate from the UK so their words dialect and slang (in the double page spread) may reflect their culture as a British band which will help create a better image and personality for my band
• Their ages will be ranged between 21-25 because they are a young and upcoming band. This age would also appeal to my target audience because they are of the same age and therefore they would be more inclined to read about a young band
• In my double page spread article i will also include information about the band's new album which is called 'The day left behind' because it sounds serious but also emotional and therefore reflects the mood of the music within the album. 
• This also links in with the band's name as desperado means outlaw so its like the band are putting their past behind them through their music (the name of this album) because they are outlaws in today's society which is also their motivation for this album.
•  This album is their first which has been the key to their success as a young upcoming band, therefore it needs to appeal to my target audience which is partly achieved by the name of the album and the mood it connotes which would be attractive to fans of indie rock. However i think i also achieve this through the tracks in the album:

1. How will you live without me?
2. the 25th floor
3. back and forth 
4. don't look back
5. shock parade
6. exclusion
7. see it in your eyes
8. fierce nights
9. gotta' run
10. falling through
11. stay another day
12. how will i live without you?

• These sound like tracks that would fit the indie rock genre well because they either reflect the emotions, feelings and experiences of a typical indie rock band which the target audience could relate to (especially if they're the same age, which they're likely to be) or they are abstract and random which would intrigue the target audience and make them want to listen to them so they could discover what they're about.
• This band would also do tours of the UK whih i could include information on in my double page spread however i could talk about the potential of a tour in America as this band is becoming more famous and popular worldwide
• I will include information about the album and tours because bands try and sell themselves when they are in magazine and i will do the same
• My magazine 'Ignite' would want to include a band like 'The Desperados' because its a mainstream magazine and therefore, despite indie rock being more of a niche genre, 'Ignite' would still want to feature the hottest up and coming bands  like they have done over the years with indie rock band, Arctic Monkeys.

Drafting and planning

The official name for my created band is 'The Desperados', this is mainly because i think it fits the indie rock genre well because a lot of indie rock bands, 'arctic monkeys' 'kasabian' have abstract names which intrigue its target audience. I feel this name intrigues my target audience in the same way because it has a cool mysterious ring to it. Also the word 'desperado' originates form the old American West which refers to an outlaw or group of outlaws, so it suggests that my band are 'outlaws' which helps create a rebellious and dangerous image for my band which fits my genre perfectly. This also helps me achieve my target audience because my band will be the main feature in my magazine 'Ignite' which has a teenage dominant target audience and therefore my audience could relate to 'The Desperados because they may feel like they are outlaws in today's society too ad will therefore be interested in reading about them in the magazine.

organisation

I am using this updated blog tracker in order to focus on my weakest area which appears to be target audience and organisation so in the coming weeks i know which blog posts i need to be producing in order to bring about a more even variety of blog posts

organisation

Final organisation for photo-shoot

link to early organisation of photo-shoot http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/organisation.html

• The confirmed date for my photo-shoot is the 11th of December
• I plan to use my own digital camera as i know this is a reliable piece of equipment that will produce a high quality image
• I plan to use my friends who will act as the featured bands and artists - 2 male friends and myself who will pose as my created indie rock band ; the main cover stars for my magazine - 2 male friends who will pose as another featured band who will appear in the contents page; a female friend who will pose as a solo artist also appearing in the contents page.
• I will take multiple photos for each band/ artist so i can evaluate which photos would be most effective in reflecting their music genre and the style of my magazine.
• I will use medium shots because they are the conventional shot type for music magazines, especially NME however i may use a slightly low angle for the featured band to communicate their power and importance as the main cover stars
• I am using dark sunglasses for the main feature to reflect their cool, rebellious image and because its a common prop used by indie rock bands
• I may use another prop; a fake microphone for my supporting band because i may decide to do the shoot as though they were live at concert
• I will use the lighting to create a brighter more clearer image for the benefit of my readers however i may not use brighter lighting for my supporting band if the images are supposed to be taking whilst at a concert (because usually its quite dark) 

drafting and planning

MY ARTICLE TEXT
following my research into different types of double page spread articles found in NME and Q http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/research-into-similar-products_25.html  i need to decide on which type im going to use for my own magazine.

All of the articles were effective in hitting their target audience however i think the one that i like most and the one that would suit my band best would be an interview.

This is because the whole article will be dominated by first person text from the band's perspective and i think this is the best way to appeal to my target audience because everything they read is straight from the mouth of the band which adds extra incentive to read the whole article. This would be better than using a third person writer with some quotes from the band because you wouldn't get as much interaction between the band and the readers.

Also i would like to use this article type because i could create consistency between my double page spread, contents page and front cover by using a special font/ secondary colour for the interviewer's questions which could be a running theme throughout the 3 pages.
Here is a draft of this type of article that i would use in my magazine's double page spread:

research into similar products

Magazine article text

I am researching into the different article text in double page spreads that appear in magazines like NME and Q since im aiming to replicate their style in my own magazine 'Ignite'.

This double page spread has its article in the form of an interview, the questions are distinguished by a white background whilst the rest is common black text.
The questions are all personal to the artist/band and in the answers they are often honest but try and get a cross their personality and their image as a band/ artist of a particular genre.
This type of article text is effective as often the questions asked are very revealing and are most frequently asked by the artist's fans the readers get satisfaction knowing the answers come straight from the mouths of the band/ artist.

This article text is a third person perspective of the featured band in which the focus is on the band's new album. The writer consistently uses quotes form the band to support his points and to interest the reader as they can see what the band themselves have to say about it. Its also a common convention that one or two of the quotes are picked out and made larger because they are of most interest/ importance to the reader which could hook them in to read more
This type of article text is effective because a third person writer is generally very informative in comparison to first person, (the band itself) because there's likely to be more fact than opinion.

This article text is also third person but is in the present tense so to the readers it feels as though the event being described is happening right now which is more appealing for th readers because its like a story. Through the story the writer gives an insight into the band and their experience during the event which is an effective way to interest the reader and inform them about the band.

research into similar products

These are two types of NME contents pages, the one at the bottom being the newest.

This contents page is very cohesive, this is because it has easy to read and identify sub headings which creates a distinct divide between each category of content. It is also consistent through the use of white text over a black background which links to the title 'this week' as well as the black text in the headline 'everyone got on board Africa exprez' which overall creates a holistic contents page. This is aided further with the main image of the featured band which is centred in the middle of the page so that it is surrounded by text. This creates a link between the image and the text as the headline relates directly to the image and the sub headings on the right use the image to illustrate its content.
The colour scheme also creates consistency because the secondary colour red that originates form the masthead is used occasionally to mark key textual features like the band names on the left and the page numbers on the right.



This contents page is also cohesive but does so using images rather than text. The main feature is presented cohesively as its larger than the other images and is centred in the middle and each image is accompanied by a distinct page number as it is in a bold font which instantly tells the reader where they have to go for each band/ artist. Consistency is also created well through imagery as beneath every image is a sub heading usually in the form of a quote and then additional information about that feature which instantly links to the image.
The layout of the page is also cohesive as each image and the text its linked to is sectioned off as the images do not overlap which creates a clear cohesive distinction between the features as they are all organised neatly into their separate areas.

Overall i like both of these contents pages however the most resent one from NME is more basic because it focuses on images rather than text and yet still maintains the simple and consistent layout that is cohesive to the readers, like in the one above, but being as images are more attractive and they can easily be accompanied by page numbers i would say that i prefer the bottom one. However both of these have still influenced my own work because they have given me an insight to the different types of contents page layouts which are still cohesive and still match the simple style and ethos of magazines such as NME.

Target Audience

As i am using NME magazine as influence for my own magazine 'Ignite' i have decided to research into NME's target audience because it will be the same as mine.

NME magazine is primarily aimed at a teenage demographic (between 13-19 years of age)

and targets this audience because they are writing about and interviewing 

artists of certain genres of music, like my music genre indie rock, which is the type of music this demographic listens to most. 

 NME targets the teenage audience not only because of the genre of music but also because of special features that would appeal to teenagers like 'The Inbetweeners' because it is a comedy that also targets the teenage demographic

Another way NME help target their audience is through house colours. Although my music genre, indie rock, is a more serious genre and NME complies with the genre through dark serious colours it does sometimes use a brighter more colourful secondary colour, like red, yellow or blue that appeals to a young demographic.

However although it mainly targets teenagers, statistics show that 24% of readers are above the age of 19, so the magazine still needs to remain formal and mature in terms of conventions like cover lines so that it appeals to a slightly older demographic who are mature. It also ensures that if a brighter secondary colour is used it is still used sufficiently and sensibly for the benefit of an older demographic as well as a younger demographic.

In terms of gender, NME has a unisex target audience however it is still male dominated as 73% of readers are male. NME ensures that they target this audience by including bands/ artists of all genders and generally having a formal, organised approach that can be appreciated by both genders.

NME also has a popular website  and offers digital subscriptions. This is also used by NME to target their teenage audience because most teenagers are in touch with the latest technology and music technology which NME makes use of by having a website with online features, which teenagers can make use of as they are technically able. 

Overall NME have a target audience of a younger unisex demographic which it appeals to through multiple techniques. Therefore I now have a good idea of who target audience is for my own magazine and i will ensure i use similar methods to NME's which will help me target this audience effectively.

Organisation

THE STYLE OF MY BAND

These are links to previous blog posts where i researched into bands that suit my genre of music 

http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/research-and-planning.html

http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/research-into-similar-products.html

These helped me because i want to create a band that is similar to their style since they have the same target audience, are under the same music genre and would be most likely to appear in my magazine 'Ignite' since its a mainstream magazine like NME, which these bands appear in frequently.

Therefore i want my band to have a similar style/image, this includes:

Lots of attitude - 

• serious facial expressions
• direct mode of address from most band members for the front cover image but may be lacking direct mode of address for contents page and DPS
• dark sunglasses as a prop
• body language, arms folded, hands in pockets.

Dangerous - 

• Red as a secondary colour which connotes danger
• Black/ grey clothing, consistent with text i.e. dark and serious font colours, black and red
• ambitious/dangerous main cover line, big bold and intimidating font for cover lines

Cocky and confident - 

• reckless and revealing in DPS article 
• informal
• controversial quotes and statements

target audience

SIMILAR BANDS/ ARTISTS
Like i did previously with the Arctic Monkeys, i have decided to research into a band that is similar to the one that i will be creating, Kasabian.

Kasabian appeal to their target audience of indie rock fans and fans of magazines like NME by creating a cool and rebellious image. They do this through multiple aspects, for example, in the image above, 3 of the band members are looking away from the camera and so this lack of interaction between them and the readers shows that they dont care and are therefore rebellious.
However at the same time they come across as cool as they are in casual costume and have casual body language/ facial expressions.
 One of the band members is in direct mode of address which shows that he is significant to the band and gives him more attitude compared to the others which is typical in indie rock bands as there is usually a stand out band member.
The colours used are typical of this genre as well, black and grey are running themes which connote a serious and emotionless attitude for the band which complies with the serious genre. However the colour pink is also visible which breaks the typical color scheme. This could signify that this band are unique as they break the colour scheme of typical indie rock bands and are therefore even more rebellious and out going. This could mean that they appeal to more than one target audience as the pink is quite niche and isnt mainstream like most indie rock bands.
Overall Kasabian try and create a typical image that complies with indie rock as a genre as well as the images created by indie rock bands in mainstream magazines like NME. However they add their own personal twist through the use of pink which implies they're unique and are trying to target more than one audience as fans of the serious indie rock would not be appealed by the quirky and carnivalesque style implied by the use of pink, which would be the kind of feature in niche magazines.

This will help me with my own band because i could consider using similar aspects that ive analysed above like the lack of direct mode address, casual clothing and serious, cool facial expressions.
I would use these so i could create a better image for my band.

Organisation

We were given the task of drafting a contents page and double page spread to accompany our draft front cover. We peer assessed each others work with how all of the pages together are consistent and holistic like real music magazines. My peer assessor thought i achieved this well. One of the ways they felt i did this was the use of images, i used images of the same cover star with the consistent use of sunglasses as a prop. This created a magazine that was consistent, in terms of style and conventions, but also coherent because the images were clearly aligned with text.

I can use this task to help me organise my magazine 'IGNITE'. This is because now i know what to include to ensure that it is consistent and coherent like other professional magazines like 'NME'. I know to use images of the same cover star from the same photoshoot, so when i come to do my photoshoot i now know that ill need multiple images from different angles.  I will put these on my front cover, the contents page and DPS to create consitency.

To improve i need to ensure that i use similar fonts with similar house colours to create consistency with the other pages, coherence for the readers and so it complies with the genre and the serious style of the magzine im creating

Drafting and planning

After looking into the style of NME magazine front covers and contents pages i now need to look at double page spreads that feature the main cover star. Like the front cover and contents page i would hope to replicate something similar to NME's style in my own magazine, Ignite.

From these double page spreads i can observe how NME (on the left hand side) have a certain style when presenting their main articles in comparison to other magazines like Kerrang who have a different style and so therefore i can see what i should and shouldnt be including in my magazine if i want to replicate NME's style.

• NME has a well organised layout that is very simple and coherent. They use different conventions consistently in a consistent layout, a big, main image on the left, common article aligned text on the right which is accompanied by a headline, a quote and sometimes a sub heading. This is a simplistic layout which reflects the simple style and design of NME magazines. However Kerrang is different as it has a more carnivalesque approach. This is shown by the fact that the layout is quite complex, it contains things like secondary images, a separate section of text accompanied by lots of sub headings and the headline is slanted which overall crates a more chaotic and tightly packed double page spread thats right in the face of the viewers which reflects the loud, carnivalesque style of this type of magazine.

• NME uses a simple yet bold and serious font that reflects the serious attitude of the band and the serious, mainstream style of the magazine, whereas Kerrang uses a rough and edgy font that reflects the loud and wild style of the magazine.

• simple, easy going colours are used by NME to once again comply with its simple style whereas Kerrang uses more outrageous colours with the use of black and red which dominates both pages. These colours connote the more outrageous and rebellious style of this magazine.

• NME has its text separate and to one side of the page so its well organised and clear to read as its in its own section, however Kerrang has its main text in the centre so theres lots of things going on around it which overwhelms the reader and refelcts the wild and outrageous style of the magazine as it doesnt conform with the typical and neatly organised text of other double page spreads.

Overall this has helped me towards the making of my own magazine as i know now what to include and how to include it so i can replicate the simple and serious style of magazines such as NME in my own magazine rather than the wild and carnivalesque style of magazines like Kerrang

target audience

After collecting in my results from my online survey http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/target-audience.html  i can now identify my target audience better and see how i can improve my magazine through their input.

• I had originally assumed that my target audience would be teenagers however my survey has revealed that only 1 teenager has indie rock as their favourite genre of music whereas there are 2 adultsabove the age of 32 who have it as their favourite genre. Although the majority of the teenagers said they enjoyed indie rock , more adults have it as their favourite. This means that my target audience isnt just teenagers and therefore i should focus on a wider demographic. I could do this be ensuring that my magazine is more formal and appropriate for both teenagers and adults.

• 4 of the responses (that arent all from the same demographic) state that the house colours should be white black and red so by ensuring that such colours are used i can hit my target audience further. however i was going to use these colours anyway to suit the serious style of the genre

• 1 response from the teenage demographic said that they would expect typical rock instruments to be on the front cover and 2 responses in different questions pointed out the use of sunglasses as a prop because it shows attitude, i think i will more than likely include this because it will create a cool, rebellious image for my band. However, although it was an idea worth considering as it does relate to my genre of music, i dont think i will include an instrument as a prop because they do not appear often on magazines especially on mainstream ones like NME which i am using as influence for my magazine 'IGNITE'

• Most of the responses said they would like to read interviews in the magazine which i will with my double page spread however some said they would like to read about that band's/ artist's album, so in my double page spread i could include a section referring to my band's album, most likely in the form of a review. On top of albums and interviews some responses said they would like to read about gossip, new bands and also music technology, so these are options i can consider including in my contents page or the fron cover, most likely through  puff or even a pug, this would give my magazine variety and appeal to my target audience

Organisation

After completion of our draft front covers we had to peer assess each others work.
The improvement that was suggested for me was to cover more of the space around the main image. I could do this by adding in a couple more cover lines however i think another puff would be better because it would give more variety to the front cover and its a common convention for NME magazines.

This task however helped me a lot in the organisation of my magazine cover. A part from the improvement the rest of the feedback was very positive and appreciative of my front cover to the extent where i could use a similar layout and template for my final magazine cover.

I can do this through the style as well as the conventions that i used which complied with my genre of music and the 'NME' style of magazine. Therefore for my final magazine cover i should aim to:

• Use bold yet simple and distinct fonts that communicate the serious style of the magazine and the indie rock genre which provides clarity for the readers.

• A main cover star that dominates the page and shows attitude which compliments the serious fonts and the bold cover lines overall complying with the style of the magazine and the indie rock genre.

• Simple house colours that compliment the masthead. The same colours will be used for the cover lines and the main cover line to ensure a consistent and organised front cover. A bright and distinct colour may also be included (like yellow) to help emphasise any important or key details on the front cover, like a puff or pug.

Drafting and planning

 My NME magazine

This was a task we were set in which we had to create a cover in the style of our chosen magazine, for me its NME something I discussed in my previous blog post : http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/drafting-and-planning.html. the conventions and the layout had to comply with the style of our magazine and I think I achieved this well.

This is an original photo in which I try and present myself as a stereotypical main cover star. I did this through costume, I sported a suit because it is fashionable and professional and I wore sunglasses because its a form of disguise that adds a cool attitude to the artist. These create a typical image for an artist especially ones in mainstream magazines like NME.

I used a mid shot because it is a conventional camera shot used in music magazines. I also used a technique called direct mode of address which creates interaction between the artist and the audience. Finally I used bright lighting so that the artist is clear to the readers.

On the left is a screenshot of the magazine roughly half way in to the making.

I implemented a masthead of a similar size to the ones on the real NME magazine and edited the image so that it overlaps the masthead. This is a typical convention of NME magazine which demonstrates that the main cover star is more Important especially since the masthead is well known. I added a main cover line with anchorage text and used colours that complied with the house colours of NME. The font I used was big and bold, yet another typical convention which instantly tells the readers who the main cover star is and makes out that the artist is important in comparison to the other artists and bands shown in the cover lines.

I also feel that this created good typography because the font was professional and serious like the image. I also added in more common and much smaller conventions, like date, price barcode and a pug. These are laid out in the style of the NME magazine, so I think they fit in well.

This is the completed front cover, to do so I had to add in cover lines.

These featured well known artists that would most likely appear on an NME magazine and I also used colours that contributed typographically to the cover. This is because the fonts again matched that of the image and the main cover line but also because of the colours. Like the main cover line I used red for the artist’s/ band’s name to emphasise their importance but I also used navy blue for the text because it complied with the colour of the jacket in the image. I was able to use typography because i covered it in a previous task: http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/drafting-and-planning-investigating.html At the bottom of the page I included a list that is used in a lot of NME magazines. In one of the cover lines I used language techniques like a triple and alliteration which are typically used in NME magazines because they are more appealing for the readers.

I managed to do this because of my knowledge of codes and conventions demonstrated here http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/drafting-and-planning-codes-and.html
my research into NME magazines http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/indie-rock-music-magazine-analysis.html
and finally my practice with making NME magazines http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/drafting-and-planning-magazine-front.html

research into similar products

seeing as I have now chosen to use the style of mainstream magazines like NME and Q for my own magazine 'Ignite', I will need to create a contents page that complies with this style.

Therefore I will aim to create a contents page similar to these:

 I will do this by using the typical contents page conventions in similar style to the two images used above, examples are as follows:

• A main image that dominates the page and is aligned clearly and distinctively from the contents list, secondary images and main heading. It will be accompanied by a page number and possibly a small description to interest the reader in reading the main article.
• A simple, coherent, well organized structure that consists of a contents list, a main image, secondary images, sub headings and page numbers that will achieve the simple purpose of navigating the readers to where they want to go. it will not be over crowded or complex because that would defeat the aim and tarnish the style of this type of magazine.
• sub headings accompanied by brief descriptions. These will be kept simple because that is the style of this type of magazine but also need to be interesting so that the readers want to buy and read each aspect of the magazine
• A consistent colour scheme that provides clarity for the readers and contributes to a well organized layout whilst making any important features distinct from the rest of the page/ text. This is shown by the red lining in the 'Q' image separating out each sub heading and the red distinct box at the top. This is shown in the NME magazine by the white text over the black boxes which makes each sub heading distinct and the page numbering is in red, so it can stand out and be found quickly by the readers, providing them with clarity.

research into similar products

When I come to draft and create my rock music magazine, called 'IGNITE', I will need it to comply with the style of most other rock music magazines. I have already researched into music magazines that fit my indie rock genre however I haven't decided on which specific style. here are two magazine covers that fit my genre which I could use to aid me in the style of my own magazine :



Conventions:

Both of these covers help me as they contain similar conventions and they both fit my genre so I definitely know what to include in my own magazine:

• Puffs and pugs - some overlap the masthead
• Blocking is used effectively in both - distinguishes lead singer
• Mid shot (fits in band members as well as costume which defines their attitudes as a band)
• listings - demonstrates other content
• main cover stars overlap masthead - they're more important
• skylines - demonstrates more content - clear to see as they're at the top of the cover

Style:

They may have similar conventions but they have completely different styles which is where I need to make the decision on my own magazine's style:

• Main cover stars - In rock sound the lead singer has an immature, playful facial expression - this creates a more quirky and therefore  more niche style to this magazine - the band are also wearing casual yet fashionable clothing, creating a cool but more niche style, as the costume isn't very professional
• This is unlike NME which has a more main stream style - they all have a serious facial expression and are wearing more serious black clothing which connotes an image of danger for the band and complies with the more serious style of this magazine
• Rock sound also has bright colours and quirky fonts for its cover lines typical for the niche style of this magazine
• In comparison, NME has dark and plain colours a part from the main cover line and it also has bold professional fonts which also conforms with the serious, mainstream style of this magazine

The verdict:

Thanks to my research I know exactly what conventions I need to include to make my magazine cover fit my genre however I need to use them to a certain style and that style is going to be one that matches the likes of NME, one that is serious and more mainstream. This is because I want my created band to have a serious and bold attitude so a quirky niche styled magazine wont be appropriate. I am also using my favorite band the arctic monkeys as an influence and they are more mainstream which is another reason why I want a professional mainstream styled magazine similar to NME. Therefore my magazine cover will consist of conventions that fit this style, a main image that is serious with dark yet still fashionable clothing, big bold professional fonts that provide clarity for the readers , simple layout of cover lines and puffs organized coherently and a house colour that is simple but carries connotations that will suit both the image of my band and the style of the magazine

organisation

self assessment of codes and conventions task

1. i feel i have justified my decisions well on my blog post, i explained which codes and conventions i included and for what effect (like the connotative effect of colours)
However to improve the front covers, i could have used more detailed cover lines and secondary images in all of them to make them more realistic. Also i think when adding in codes and conventions i need to consider what one would work in each magazine and which ones wouldn't work rather than just adding in the same conventions for each because each magazine should be different because of their different styles

2. I plan to use this in the future for my drafting and planning of my own music magazine because it has helped me in finding out what codes and conventions work best and has also aided my knowledge on what to use for each different style of magazine.

drafting and planning, codes and conventions

We were given the task of completing 5 music magazine front covers using our knowledge on codes and conventions. Each cover had a main cover star, masthead and barcode and it was our task to add to it. I was able to do this task because of my knowledge of codes and conventions shown in this previous task: http://stevesasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/in-one-of-my-media-studies-lessons-we.html

Here I implemented a main cover line

that matched the masthead, both in font

and in colour and for the other cover lines

I also used red and black which altogether

created a consistent colour scheme.

I also organized the cover lines around the main

image which created a clear layout. In the

the cover lines I used red to emphasize a

word's importance to the viewers that would also

make them interested.

The anchorage text also entices the readers

to read the article as it briefly reveals what the

article is about and its separated out into three
main lines, 'drake, revealed, the man...' which is a typical convention of music magazines

 Here I used a similar font for the main cover line

that is big and bold, which gives clarity to the

potential buyers and its a typical convention for

music magazines.

I implemented a puff with 'exclusive' this is in contrast

to the text around it so it stands out and intrigues the

potential buyers who would be attracted to it and seek to find out more.

I also added in a secondary image which is another

convention that visually communicates the other content

in the magazine.

The colour scheme contains lively and bright colours

because of the warm lively colours of the image

as well as the bright happy facial expressions of the cover stars

Here I used a soft and round edged font which matches

that of the masthead and complies with the gentle

calm nature of the main image. The colours also comply with this as they are soft and match the tint of the image.

The font that I used for the rest of the text is quite quirky, which complies with the Niche market that this magazine would be aimed at.

I also included two more typical conventions, a puff and

a band list. These help advertise the variety of content within the

magazine and demonstrates that there is more than one reason to buy it

Here, I added in anchorage text (the main cover line was already there) to entice the reader about the band being featured and I used a font that matched the cover line and the formal, conventional style of this type of magazine.

I made it the colour red so that it complied with the masthead and the other cover line to create a conventional colour scheme with the connotative effect being that kings of leon are a dangerous buy band, a typical image.

I also included a secondary image of the arctic monkeys which are another boy band that would more than likely fit the genre of music this magazine is aimed at.

Here I used an edgy font that is bold and clear which communicates the serious style of this genre of music but also helps to generate a fear factor in combination with the image. This would be one of the conventions of a niche magazine of this kind.

 I used the colour red again to comply with the masthead and the serious, dangerous style of the magazine.

I then implemented an artist list in the secondary colour, white, as these aren't as important as Marilyn manson or nine inch nails the second featured band/ artist. The font I used for this is edgy and serious but is simple and clear, so its still in compliance with the serious niche style of this magazine

drafting and planning

http://www.visualthesaurus.com/app/view

This is a link to a valuable online resource that I was informed about called 'The Visual Thesaurus' where multiple words are gathered automatically that all string from one word (that you enter).

I have recently used this to gain ideas towards the name of my indie rock band. I enter words that would partly describe the image of a typical rock band, and therefore my own band, with words like 'rebel' or 'intimidate' and I look for similar words that are intriguing and are relevant to the genre.

Here are some words that I found by typing in 'rebel' and expanding on some words to fin others, these could all potentially be the name of my band:

• Maverick
• Renegade
• Rise or Arise
• The Freedom Fighters
• The Desperados
• The insurgents
• subversive
• The crusaders 

I like the sound of these names especially since they carry meaning, however quite a few indie rock bands have random, somewhat ambiguous , yet intriguing names. For example 'The Arctic Monkeys' so I may wish to consider coming up with some names that are random but have a ring to them.

This type of name would demonstrate that indie rock is a unique and quirky genre that doesn't comply with the typical conventions of most other music genres

drafting and planning

MAGAZINE NAME IDEAS

recently I have been brainstorming ideas for the name of the music magazine that I will be creating. I wanted to come up with a name that was not only unique but also short, sharp and intriguing for my target audience. Here is a selection of my favorite names:

• BASS - I like this because its short and simple and it comes from the bass guitar which is a common yet very popular instrument present in almost all indie rock music, however it could be seen as a bit boring and not very unique.

• ROYALE - I like this name because its sounds very prestigious which reflects indie rock as a prestigious and high quality genre of music however i think it suits pop as a genre rather than the more hardened rock genre

• INDIE SOUND - I like this name because it does what it says on the tin, its simple yet bold and really gives indie rock music a name for itself however it is very similar to 'Rock sound' a popular rock music magazine so its not very unique

• IGNITE - I like this name because its unique and out going, it describes indie rock music as fiery, passionate music that really packs a punch, and this boldness could really intrigue the target audience however its questionable whether it would suit this genre

• STRIKE - i like this name because its short, sharp and sounds very powerful and superior which creates a good image for the indie rock music genre however it could be seen as a bit too bold and hardcore for this genre

After evaluating these names i decided that the one that is the most unique and intriguing that would also fit the genre best would have to be 'IGNITE'.

Target audience

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B3D9B5M
This is a link to a website called survey monkey that allows you to create a survey for other people to fill out online. I created this survey (the link above) to help me find out more about my target audience (people interested in indie rock music) which will aid me in the drafting and planning for my music magazine

organisation

i used a tracker to highlight where my strengths and weaknesses are in my current blog feed. It showed me that i have plenty of research and planning, however i lack a variety of posts, so i now need to focus on different areas like, target audience and organization