Draft Pages

This idea was taken from a variety of ideas used in different music magazines, one in particular I focused upon was Q magazine, using these conventions I created my draft front cover.

Above are my draft pages for my magazine, I have used many shapes and colours to show the placement of images and copy in the magazine. I will write in a further post the reasons for choosing the placement of each of these whilst also explaining how I think this would work the most effectively.

Questionnare Results...so far

1. They do seem more aimed at males, yes.
2. I would consider buying a new one.
3. usually buy kerrang
4. lots of images of bands and artists
5. not bothered about front cover image
6. gig reviews


1. definately
2. yes
3. no
4. can't find one I like
5. good bands and artists featured on the front. covering a wide range of music.
6. eye catching colours, bold headings, clash with the colours of the house style to draw attention, new artists but also popular old artists to widen target audience
7. 'hot' attractive male band member for example or a pretty girl reading the magazine as a media portrayal of a popular magazine
8. song writing, lyrics, sheet music, which bands are doing what, interviews.

Risk Assessment

For my photoshoot I will be required to consider each of the dangers and hazards which may occur during the shoot. One main concern is that the majority of my shoot will be in an outdoor environment. Below is the most important hazrds and the procedures that I will follow so as to prevent or minimise the risk of any happening.

Traveling to, from and around the photo shoot locations.

Walking to and from the locations could pose a potential hazard due to traffic on the roads. To overcome or prevent anything from happening here we will take extra care when crossing roads, small or busy and make sure that we are observant of any imminent dangers. We will also, as a precaution, prior to the shoot, note the locations of each crossing on the route to shoot locations so that we can plan a safer route.

Possibility of falling or tripping.

The locations of my photographs are in an outdoor environment so the possibility of tripping of falling will need to be carefully monitored. To ensure the best way to avoid accidents such as this we will, as a group, visit each location prior to the shoot, so as to note any evident obstructions or such which could threaten the possibility of a fall or injury. I will post at a later date these potential obstructions.

Lost Member of group (stranger danger)

To ensure the most prestigious care is taken when out as a group we will ensure that each member of the group is aware of one another so that any missing member will be able to be noticed as soon as possible. We will also ensure that each member has a contact number and that I will hold an emergency number for each member also.

Deconstruction of an image

This is a member of the rock band Slipknot. They are a rock band that was formed in 1995. This image clearly shows the tropes of a heavy metal rock band. This member of the band has a very disheveled look about him, stereotypical of most rock or heavy metal bands. The image has a raw, rebellious look typical of the ideology for a heavy metal band. The look is unkempt and is typical of the style they try to portray because of the genre of music they attempt and successfully are part of.

This is an image of the JLS band member Aston Merrygold. He has a clear boy band image, with obvious tropes common in all boy bands. These being: -

• clean shaven
• well dressed
• respectable image
  innocent
  
  
• 
  

The tasks I plan to complete by the 31st March

• Ideal reader picture with annotations
• Questionnaire results
• Who are the audience: - content of the magazine - images - colours
• Rough draft of pages I will create: - front cover - contents - double page spread
• Deconstruction of images: - Noel Gallagher - Chester Bennington
• Textual analysis of magazine
• Put pictures onto my mood board
• Risk assessment
• Shooting schedule
• Upload photos

Recce

For my photographs I was required to consider the location of each and the setting that would be the most ideal for my magazine. Many music magazines have their front cover image as a plain background with no specific setting, I feel that when I choose my model and take each of my photographs that I will follow this convention and have either a blank background or a simple one with little detail to it, prefereably for this shot it will be an indoor shoot. My photographs for the rest of the shoot, particuarly the ones I will use within my double page spread, I would prefer to be outdoor shoots as this will allow me to have more landscape and background to choose from. From this shoot I will also be able to take enough photographs to give me a vast range to choose the most suitable images for the articles.
My potential locations for my photographs include various places around Kettering.

My first idea is in a tree covered walkway near to the Kettering Leisure Village. I hope to take my photographs here as it will allow me to have a variety of pictures in an outdoors location which would also be fitting to the genre of the magazine. This location will allow me also to have many of contrasted shots with colour and darkness.

My second idea is a garden/field shot. It will be a lighter shot and most likely be a long shot when the pictures are taken. This will either be near to the Kettering Leisure Village area again or in a park. This shot will be better for the main image of the article as it will show the model more clearly than a darker shot.

My third idea is in a woods, near to the Brambleside estate in Kettering. This location would be ideal because it would be light enough for some light hearted shots but also then have some darker shots which could be fitting to the chosen genre also. I hope to contrast the dark of the woods with a brightness from the clothes of the model so that it allows the image to be more noticeable.

I plan to upload images of each of these locations at a later date.

Questionnaire - My questions

1. Do you feel there is a gap in the market for a music magazines specially designed for females?
2. Would you be willing to read and buy a new music magazine?
3. Do you read music magazines? Yes...... (go to question five) No..... (go to question four)
4. Why do you not read music magazines?
5. What music magazines do you currently read? Please give reasons.
6. What conventions do music magazines use which you feel work well?
7. Which of these conventions do you think will work well in a new more female music magazine?
8. What new ideas do you think could be incorporated into a new music magazine?
9. If the front cover was to have an image of a model on, considering it's a female music magazine, which gender would be best? Male or Female?
10. What articles most interest you when reading a music magazine?

I hope to complete results for this questionnaire by 20th March.