Making The Double-Page Spread

For my double page spread i chose to do an interview with what is portrayed to be a on trend, and influential Indie-Pop artist. In my research i discovered and recognised that the main feature within any music magazine was more than likely always an interview with a popular artist of that genre they are representing. I therefore carefully linked to the main luring and engaging feature on my cover (the interview with this on demand artist), to my double paged spread.

I edited the one image i took of my model in Photoshop using the 'Magnetic Laso' tool to remove the background of the image. I chose this image as i felt it was one of the strongest i took and feel next to the second image i shows gives a good contrast of angles and shots between the two, for both to be interesting and intriguing images yet put next to each other more.

I did this to then blend in another image i wanted to include to create a flowing and open double-page spread, which didn't cut in the middle. I therefore started to cut in part of the other background which i copy and pasted, and drag them over to this image to give the effect of it being one image.

I also chose to slightly overlap the image, onto the next page again to create a look of not segregating them as two separate pages but linking them as one larger one, in which i wanted to purposely create for a strong, open feature. This was in the models knee, the part of the picture which went most the the right, carefully placed to ensure the models face or outfit wasn't cut through the middle which could when printed cause a bad look but subtly with the knee to still fulfill the overlapping technique.

Once completed the photography for the double-page spread was done. I am very pleased with how this looks and feel it is a successful start to the Pages.

I then went on to add the iconic codes and conventions again. There may not have been as many within the middle pages of the magazine but even so each that was added, contributed to the realism of the magazine, giving it more of a professional look. This included a photographer label, to the images, in which all magazines use as a promotion for the photographer or even sometimes for legal reasons to name who took the image. I put this at the bottom of the page, as i felt it was the best position for it. I also added a page number one of the most common and traditional conventions of a magazine, again to add to the over realism of my magazine as an existing product. However to develop this and to add to the magazines house style i put the number on a slight slant. I feel tiny details like this, complete the page as an overall good styled spread.

I then added the Heading of the interview. I placed this in a space on the left side of the page. I did this to ensure it wouldn't overlap the statement photography and the model, and would also join the two pages together with the heading on one side and the interview on the other. I chose a plain font which was carried out throughout the magazine to create the house style and to add to the simplistic effect and look. I used an engaging headline, including words such as 'unfolds' also underlining this to put focus on this being a big and important thing making the reader want to read on with the interview. Again i filled in random spaces within the letters to the heading to show how it is the theme and iconic feature for the magazine, also being automatically linked to them when recognised. 

And finally i added the interview. I completed the interview in a question answer manor, which after looking through my research was a popular choice for most magazine to create a good, flowing interview. The interview included a subheading which again engaged the  reader and made them want to read on with in the interview, by including teasers such as, 'talks to CROSSOVER about her debut album' and 'her past secrets'. Also giving a brief summary of the artist for those who have bought the magazine for other purposes and not knowing the artist, or simply as an introduction to the interview. A subheading is another iconic convention of a magazine which is used in all interviews now. I related my tone of voice and language also to my target audience. From research a more laid back, conversational, informal tone of voice would engage them more and be something which is more regognised and admired for them. I also had to ensure, like in a real magazine production things such as spelling, grammer, and suitability were all relevant and checked.

When going through my research within magazine interviews i found collums were the most iconic and traditional forms of layout.

Therefore i also used this layout within my interview. This was again to create the best look of which an existing magazine would have, making my own look more realistic and manipulating the famous codes and conventions to my advantage to do so.

I also used more subtle codes and conventions, within my magazine interview in which magazine readers would be most familiar with and fins suitable for any interview. This was differentiating the interviewing questions and the answers by the questions most commonly being in bold. Also by adding a larger piece of text, usually a quote that was said within the interview again to lure in a ready to engage their attention and make the want to read it and finally adding to the realism a reference at the end of the interview to where the album being spoken about can be bought, in this case iTunes.

 (small piece of detail included within the copyright logo being put next to the iTunes tag for realism)

Here shows my final Double-page spread. I am very happy with this outcome and it is exactly how i wanted to portray the Indie-Pop style. I am also confident my interview is engaging and relevant to the style and genre, and my images are strong and influential.

Making The Cover

I chose the name 'CROSSOVER' for my magazine. I was definite with this decision and didn't have any other options to decide with. When carrying out my research I found the word crossover used within a magazine. I automatically found it catchy yet sophisticated. I researched more within the word and discovered it was a musical term meaning ''Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres.'' After discovering this and choosing my hybrid of Indie and Pop as a genre for my magazine I found it a perfect name and suit to its crossover genre.

The first thing I created when making my Cover of my magazine was the Mast head. For this I used a font website called www.dafont.com, this gave the magazine a more realistic look with professional fonts used by other magazines, especially ones similar within the same sort of music genre.

Above shows my final choice of font to use for my MastHead, (font name-coolvetica). I chose this one as I feel it adds to the simple yet effective look I am going for, in which I feel would represent Indie-Pop, I also made the letters all in capitals. This was done purposely to create a statement and dramatic masthead, in which would become iconic for my magazine therefore having to be projected as strong and superior when competing with other magazines in distribution and sales.

 However I was very unsure about what sort of font I wanted initially and Below shows experiments of fonts I tested with the name before finalising on this one. They were all fonts that I liked, or that caught my eye on www.dafont.com, which would be a good element to have in your own masthead, usually being the most visible part to a magazine when stacked, therefore arguably the most important. But I feel the one i have chosen is most suitable and the strongest option.

One I had chosen my font, I decided to use a White colour scheme. Although I felt this lacked the splash of colour it needed yet didn't want a coloured font. I therefore decided on creating a coloured background within random sections of the letters. I chose pastel colours for this, again linking to the laid back style of the Indie-Pop genre, with more dimmed and un-dramatic colours.

I felt very happy with this as the representing the title of the magazine and used this as the starting point for the Cover page. After deciding on the Image for the Cover page in my 'Photography for The Cover' section I then put my two key starting elements together to start to build the cover as a professional magazine page.

I then felt that adding the iconic codes and conventions of a real magazine would tie together the page as a cover, and create the realistic look in which I am aiming for as my magazine as a product. For example from my research one of the most iconic things included on a cover of all types of magazine was an issue number and price. I wanted to portray my magazine as an already successful product rather than a new upcoming magazine therefore thought carefully about the issue number deciding on 521. The price was also a major element, as from my questionnaire the correlation between younger people wanting a lower price became apparent. And after choosing a younger age range as my target audience I felt the price of £1.89 was a perfect balance, a fair enough price to compete with other high end music magazine and be affordable for them yet be suitable enough to ensure profit and revenue was strong. 

I chose to put the price and issue number in the MastHead by the title of the magazine, so it is easy for people to initially see, and see  the affordable price as a lureing technique for them to want to pick it up from a stand and buy it. Also to show the on going success of the magazine, creating a good reputation for the product.

A bar code was also added to the bottom right of the page, to add to the realism of the magazine, to give it the best possible look possible. I also got the bar code of the website www.dafont.com.

 

I felt the featured article should also be manipulated as a strong luring technique on the page, being larger than the other headlines. As the artist is being portrayed to be a popular, influential and in demand highlighting this will catch the eye of an audience and engage its target audience to who would essentially want to read this. I also carefully chose the grammer used, as 'revealed' is again a major luring technique, making the audience intrigued and what is being revealed making them want to know more, therefore purchasing the magazine. The colour and font were also carefully chosen to contrast with the more standardised/ formal fonts on the page, and a bright blue colour to catch the eye of an audience and to stand out on the page as the main feature.

The final thing I added to cover was the other features within the magazine. These were carefully located on the page in the space over the background. This was to create a balance between the statement photography of the model, yet visible enough to also catch the eye for the audience to glance through and lure them in. What i included in this was again carefully chosen. After going through my research I discovered that popular on trend Indie-Pop artists at the moment included Florence and The Machine and Jason Mraz. Therefore felt it important, if i wanted to fully represent and  try to attract the Indie-Pop genre to include them in my magazine as shown to be most popular it would essentially increase the sales of my magazine with people wanted to know and learn about them.

In the first headline, i use the words 'New' and 'Reveals' to add to the luring in of an audience, also enlargening the artist name to emphasise who it is about, and representing them as a superior admired artist.

On the second i again enlargened the artists name, for the same engaging reason and to show the popular artists are involved inside the magazine, and also using the word 'Exclusive', as a major luring technique as not only does it rule out competition more yet it makes the reader want to have it as they feel special in that t hey know it first and could only get that information from there.

Again in the third the artist name is enlarged and the whole section in bold, to highlight an extra when buying the magazine, making the audience feel like they are getting more for there money and something back when purchasing the magazine, one of the most common persuading techniques on a cover page, in which i discovered through my previous research.

And the fourth a festival new update. This was to vary the content of the headlines, as i purposely didnt want to overload the cover with text, i felt it important to vary what i didnt include. Therefore just a list of interviews with artist may not have been as successful at luring in a buyer, compared to a varied which gives the idea of the magazine including more and being more interesting.

Here shows my final Cover Page, i am very pleased with this and feel the simple look represents the Indie-Pop genre perfectly and is a strong cover in which could compete with other magazines. It also gives a realistic and statement appearance, with a good colour scheme and strong luring techniques, essential on the cover for the audience to purchase.

Photography For Cover And Double Page Spread

Here show a few of the images I took in which would be considered for my final music magazine. When taking these images I knew I wanted them to be specifically for the cover shot and my double page spread. However not having a clear set idea or image I decided to use different props (chair, camera, electric guitar, chandelier, accessories) and experiment with angles, shots etc. I chose to use a girl for the cover shot out of personal choice and feel if used rightly it won’t affect the target audience to a specific genre. I also ensured the model looked, dressed and posed in a certain way to link to the genre after researching into the most popular for Indie-Pop at existing magazines, in my research section. The set and background of the images was also important for me to consider, as I used a simpler set, (cream plain background, painted walls and carpet in a corner, with an added effective looking rocking chair). This was used to emphasise the model as the key focus being portrayed as such a superior artist, and to create a good lighting for the images. However for a more realistic look this could be developed into a plain white screen background if it was possible, like existing magazines do.

For the cover of my magazine, I had a specific idea in my head of what I wanted to portray.
I am very pleased with the photography I have carried out for my magazine, and have chosen two images which i will consider for my Cover page, and two which both will be included on the double page Spread. I have also edited the Hue/Saturation of the images in the Photoshop Programme as i said i would in my 'Photography Development' section, to add to the house style of the magazine and to best suit the existing photography already, used in Indie-Pop magazines.
After creating my MastHead, I have inserted the two images I will consider for my Cover.

When choosing which image to use I have to take into account all the elements within each picture. Option one shows the model showing a more intriguing pose, with a confused face. I like this image as the props are also more involved within the model, and the sat straight up pose gives an open, easy on the eye appearance.
The second image however I feel is the one I am going to choose. This is because I feel within the photograph the eye contact the model is giving create a, dramatic and effective atmosphere and style. Also I feel it has a more realistic look to which an existing Indie-Pop magazine may use. Also as the head scarf, one of my purposely added props to fit with the Indie-Pop theme, is more emphasised within the second picture as it is not cover by the masthead. I also feel the picture is overall more effective as a cover shot, that gives an interesting take on the models personality, in which the target audience would know as one of their admired artists.

Photography Development

Here are the first images I took in the development in photography towards my music magazine. I am aware that the images are not perfectly suited to the chosen genre nor the poses, however used this an experiment to consider camera angles in more depth. Also to see what effects would work best in my magazine using Photoshop and publisher to develop my skills.

 In this first image chosen I first noticed that the original colours were definitely not appropriate for the magazine as the other existing products shown they use effects to dim the colours in the image to give a blended effect also reflecting on the target audience of a laid back manor with simple yet effective ways to enhance a photo without making any drastic changes. 

Therefore I used Photoshop to do this. I opened the picture into the ‘edit and enhance’ area on the Photoshop programme. Doing so by clicking, ‘Enhance’ , ‘Colour settings’ and ‘Adjust Hue/Saturation’. The adjusting hue/ saturation tool adds to the simple yet effective look similar tool to which the other magazines would have to create their effect, to add to the realism of the magazine as an official selling brand within the genre up against others.

Original image- before edits:

New Edited Image:

I then went on to do the same effects and tool on a second image. However this one looking into singular person shots, with medium close ups linking to what could be further developed into a cover image. Again the colours link to the realism of the image in the specific genre I have chosen, and the pose being more preferable to it.

Original image- before edits:

The editing in progress-in Photoshop:  

 

New Edited Image:

Original image- before edits:

The editing in progress-in Photoshop:

Here shows how the image is developing into the final edited piece, when adjusting the hue and saturation using the scroll bars. This also showed to be a quick and easy tool to use which create a dramatic effect on the images, and automatically made them more appealing and suitable to a Indie-Pop magazine.

New Edited Image:

After experimenting with Photoshop and discovering editing the Hue/Saturation of the images to reflect and show more similarities to existing photography in Indie-Pop magazines, was most suitable to do this I have therefore benefited alot from testing this out with some sample images and will definitely use this within my real images for my magazine.

It also gave me the opportunity to increase my skills when working with and around a camera, to ensure when I went to take the specific images for my magazine I would be suitable and professional, to save time when trying to create the image I want.

Indie-Pop Research

Indie pop (also known as twee pop or twee music in the United States) is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid eighties, The Smiths. Unlike Indie rock, Indie pop is more melodic, less noisy, and relatively angst-free.

While the term indie had been used for some time to describe artists on independent labels (and the labels themselves), the key moment in the naming of the genre was the release of NME's C86 tape in 1986. Although featuring a wide range of bands, including Primal Scream, Bogshed, Half Man Half Biscuit and The Wedding Present, it over time became shorthand for a genre known by a variety of terms. Initially it was dubbed C86 (after the tape itself), the more ambiguous indie pop, Cutie or a term coined by John Peel: shambling bands. Retrospectively, especially in the United States,the terms twee and twee pop were used, initially ironically, due to what commentators called the "revolt into childhood" of its followers.

Here are some Images i have collected, which i feel represent or show influence of Indie-Pop.

Again, here i have collected more images from research online. These images are all from existing magazines, which are all successful within the Indie-Pop genre. This therefore would be what should be influencing my decisions most, and giving me the most idea's to work with. It also would essentially be my magazine, as a product's, competition, therefore i need to ensure not only is my product similar in that it also portrays the style of Indie-Pop, but better in some way including a unique and original thing to make the target audience choose my magazine over theirs.

Looking at the images chosen they all show a similar theme within the magazines. This is the simplistic look with little overcrowding text, strong statement photography with emphasis on the models eyes always showing intensity. White font is also something that is apparent within all of the images. The images also show the same sort of edited effect of dimming the image and colours. They also show a quirky sort of theme, yet still powerful and effective. Showing how influential the style is and how the appearance of the magazine and the models is crucial. This all will be considered and manipulated into my own work, to fully represent the genre as a life style, fashion choice, and musical interest.
After researching this genre in more depth, i am confident with my decision. I feel it is a good opportunity to manipulate the hybrid between Indie and Pop blending the two to base it around such artists eg Ellie Goulding, Oasis, Florence and The Machine, Jason Mraz and The Kooks etc. It also gives the unconventional genre, a bigger target market therefore aiming at both Indie and Pop audience’s. Also, still being a fairly newish genre within the magazine industry giving an advantage and decrease in competition with other existing products again increasing chances of larger sales. I am also confident in that i can create a product that could easily compete alongside Indie-Pop magazines such as 'INDIE'.

Research

The first thing I had to when starting the preparation and planning for the magazine was to decide what genre to do. I started this by firstly looking at already existing products and how each genre is portrayed through colour schemes, layouts etc. For example when looking at NME, it shows a clear identity, of bold colours with a busy in your face layout, linking to what their target audience would want to see on a magazine of their choice.

In contrast looking at another genre, Indie, shows a simpler, yet just as effective cover, with obvious statement photography. Comparing the two my personal preference is definitely a more effectively simple Indie genre to be a intriguing and unique cover. I also feel that as I would know more about the style of indie and what sort of audience an indie magazine is aiming at, it would be more of an advantage to work within that area. This is My favourite genre, and would feel most confident representing them.

I did also consider doing a country pop magazine looking at covers, such as the one shown below, and their personal style portrayed. This was also the style of magazine that i would preferably buy, however had a final decision of, Indie-Pop was decided after the results of my questionnaire also showing a larger interest in that specific genre and area.

By also looking at Pop, I discovered the knowledge of not just using one genre but by taking two and forming an even bigger tareget audience meaning more sales, as it combines two genres for either Pop or eg Rock fans or Pop-Rock fans. The stereotypical look for the Pop magazine is brightly colours, and busy with an engaging large cover images.

This then led me on to comparing two magazines, to get an insight into what iconic codes and conventions are used within different types of Genre of Magazine, and how the different types develop it to suit their target market/audience. And how this creates a strong magazine which flows and has a clear style (House style), for a successful magazine.

NME is a weekly magazine, aiming at a young male or female target audience however not being age specific but genre specific. This means the people who would additionally be attracted to the magazine would be people whom listen or enjoy that type of music more so than how old they are. Similarly Grazia also don’t aim at a specific age audience, however aim at fashion conscious young woman ranging from teens to middle aged. Who may also have a interest in the latest celebrity gossip.

This therefore links into Grazia using an extremely famous on trend super model (Kate Moss), which would draw in that kind of audience. Also using her gives the magazine an advantage hinting at her being a fashion icon therefore the magazine being a fashionable thing to refer to when buying. This is also done with NME for the same reasons with them using The Wombats as there main cover attracting their target audience, portraying that Indi scene with a what it shown to be a wild photo in which people can idolise.

The magazine layouts are also very similar both using typical magazine layout styles including a Mast head, Main headline/story etc. There main logo of the name of the magazines also show to be a considered part to the cover in which NMEs is bright and bold, crabbing the attention of the buyer, yet Grazia’s showing to be already a famous and recognised brand therefore not even needing the whole name to be shown (Kate Moss’ head covering the Z). Leading onto the specific colour pallets chosen, with Grazia using girly fashionable colours linking to their target audience and to give an initial view as to if the magazine may be slightly gender specific. NME however as said before chooses bright, in your face colours showing the magazine with attitude and how they want to be portrayed to their target audience. Also by using this colour scheme repeatedly, creates it as a famous part to each issue and automatically recognisable.

The photography of each main image on the cover differs in that Grazia’s being a ‘snatched’ photo of the celebrity most likely from paparazzi, where as NME being a posed and planned shot.

The font also links to the layout and how the magazine wants to create its representational image, with Grazia using a sophisticated mature font, and using a clear theme of similar fonts  throughout the cover, whereas NME having a more clashing approach with many different written fonts and bold letters to create a fashionable messy look hinting at a laid back approach linking to the Indi aimed target audience. Also the mode of address in the language used both show  a similar tone when speaking to the audience.

This shows to conclude that both magazines portray a completely different representation of themselves through their front covers, yet use the same techniques and skills to do so.

This is also essentially, increasing my knowledge within all the elements of a magazine, and widening my ideas and thoughts within my Own magazine i am going to create. Therefore being another beneficial way of researching, before the start of the production process.

The questionnaire I also made to contribute to the research within the type of magazine I want to create, and how I will portray the magazine was made and given to people of a variety of ages, with both genders to get small yet wider insight into just general popularity, then again to the people I would focus on to be my target audience for the magazine. This then gave me a wider knowledge of what to focus on within my music magazine giving me an advantage to create the what could be viewed  as, as the perfect magazine for the buyer in which they see fit as to why they purchased my personal brand. It also gave me an insight in what my initial ideas could be improved upon and even creating a unique selling point in which could separate me from the other existing magazines in this genre, in sales.

Here shows my final questionnaire ready to be used in research.

I handed out my questionnaire to 16 people, of a wide variety of age groups and styles. This was to get a wider view of research, and to emphasise the target audience I will choose and how to appeal to them. The feedback from my questionnaire also gave me an insight into how to represent the specific chosen Genre best, which showed to be very beneficial. It also lured me more into the age range of what i wanted to focus on most and how there answers reflected on my decisions within the Magazine.

I analysed all the responses and created a bar chart in the Microsoft Programme Ed excel.

 

The Pie Chart below shows the statistical answers, represented in a Pie Chart, to the question 'How you would purchase the magazine?'. It shows that purchasing a magazine from a shop is the most popular choice, and possibly one of the easiest options. Therefore when making my magazine I need to take into account what people would want most, and how I would Distribute my Magazine as a key element to successful sales. There was also a correlation between the age of the individual completed the questionnaire to who chose to purchase it from a shop. It was not so much a younger teen but more older, reaching into the lower 20's. This I should also consider when choosing my target audience, to make sure, what was most popular from that age group is what I portray into my Magazine.

 

The next Pie chart I created was again to record the statistical answers to the question 'What appeals most to you on a magazine cover?'. Again it shows an obvious most popular answer being Value for money. The was also a correlation between the age of the people that filled in the questionnaire to who chose the price option. It showed that the more younger age grouped would rather a lower price, therefore if I chose to aim my product at a younger age range I should take this into account.

I found creating the questionnaire was very beneficial, it gave me a clear idea of where I want to go next within the creation of my magazine. For example showing that most of the people that completed the questionnaire showed that they aren't subscribes to any magazines. I could therefore also use this as an opportunity to manipulate this into my magazine, and include a subscription opportunity, to create its popularity and also engage the younger audience to become more familiar with it.I also found the question 'What improvements to the cover/contents page of your most purchased magazine would you make?'. This was the perfect opportunity to manipulate their favourite magazine in what they already find suitable and develop their faults to create that persons perfect magazine, increasing the sales and popularity of my magazine within similar opinions come from the same targeted people due to age/style/interest in music etc.

Here shows a Completed Questionnaire and how this added to the development of my research.

Other research I did included, buying other magazines and simply reading through them, increasing my knowledge and terminology of existing magazines and the usual codes and conventions they include, to make my magazine as realistic as possible. Also looking online at Secondary research, and to look into more depth at possible Genres I would want to chose to represent, ensuring if I do, I do successful.

For this I used search engines such as:

After researching into the types of genres of music magazine, carrying out in depth comparisons between two magazines to highlight the changes of iconic codes and conventions within different Genres, creating a questionnaire to get an insight into the most popular and best choices in which I should take when creating my magazine to create the best possible magazine for sales and distribution and finally looking through search engines to increase my knowledge within the creation of a good successful magazine eg appearances, types of distribution, and iconic codes and conventions I feel confident to go on to the next step of making a final decision on my Genre

I  would like to represent and go on to the production process of my magazine.