Research and Planning: Music Magazine Progress

I have started work on my front cover, and added finishing touches to my double page spread which included making a small album cover to add at the bottom of the interview which is the picture above.

Research and Planning: Music Magazine Progress

Research and Planning: Double Page Spread Story.

My double-page spread story so far.

From touring to snot bubbles, we get an exclusive interview with the latest rising star on the indie scene, Jenny tells us what it is like collaborating with rock royalty and what her first year in the business has been like. 

We are sat waiting in our studios, preparing ourselves for the rumoured huge entourage, and what we were faced with was something quite different, just Jenny and her best friend (also her manager). Oh and her dog.
So Jenny, no entourage of multiple bodyguards, and stylists for every mood?
No ha! I have no idea where those rumours came from, it’s always just been me and Alice (manager) and of course, Meg (dog).
So this year has been pretty life changing for you, you have been fast tracked into fame?
I know it’s crazy! One night I was just doing a performance at my local pub, it was only my second performance! And next thing I know, I’m recording with Mick Jagger, I’m still in shock.
We heard, so what was is like being in the same room as rock royalty?
Scary! I was so nervous but he was actually really nice but I simply couldn’t believe it was actually him.
You’ve recorded and released your debut album now, how was it?
Amazing! Sounds cheesy but I couldn’t I was recording my own album.
What was your favourite to record?
Well apart from the obvious (Casino Queen feat. Mick Jagger) I loved Promises, which is basically a song that says promises are just ‘fancy lies’ and I wrote it when I was 16, I haven’t wrote in such a long time, it was hard to get back into the swing of it.
It’s fair to say that you’v been a hot topic of the magazines recently, are the rumours of you and Brandon Flowers true?
Dear god no, I love Brandon but he needs a special type of girl, haha!
So is there anyone on scene?
There might be *blushes slightly*
We will leave that for our next interview then. What has it been like adjusting to the life of fortune and fame?
It’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever experienced, everyone knows who I am, and they are being nice to me even the old woman at the shop near me. I thought to myself, oh you’re being nice to me now!
Have you had any weird fan experiences yet?
Well, one guy sent me my face on a mushroom? I still have it, it’s the best piece of veg, I’ve ever had. I’ve also had a marriage proposal, which sadly I had to turn down because he was only 15. I also had some other proposal’s which I’m not going into.
He must be devastated, you are planning on doing a bigger UK tour next year after your small one was such a big success, are you nervous?
Terrified! But that’s what I thrive on, I love performing infront of my fans if I can call them that, it seems weird saying that, seen as those I’ve been around for five minutes and have really limited experience performing for crowds.
Well here at sound, we are definitely a fan, we loved your debut album and cannot wait to here more and hopefully some tickets for your next tour will be coming through our post?
Of course! VIP for my favourite magazine!

Research and Planning: Production Progress

Research and Planning: Double Page Spread Layout Research.

These are some layout ideas for my double page spread. My favourite is the one on the right and I like the idea of a black and white photograph and I think it looks really effective because the image is slightly out of focus so it works really well alongside the simplistic page layout of the story itself and the large title looks good as well so these are definitely ideas I will take into consideration for my own work and I like the Madoona pages for the quote that has been placed over the picture, it makes the picture less flat. I haved decided from both of the images my double page spread will be split into two, one page for the image and the other for the story.

Research and Planning: Plan Of The Week

My Plan of the week is:
-Work on the production of my magazine
-Upload my double-page spread story

Research and Planning: Music Magazine Progress

Research and Planning: Plan Of The Week

My Plan of the Week is:
-Continue with the production of my magazine
-Edit my photographs
-Write my double-page spread story.

Research and Planning: Make-up test shots.

These are some make-up test shots I did for my magazine.

 These are the eye looks I tested out, I did a smokey eye with blues which was inspired by something I saw and I wanted to test. I also then did a winged liner inspired by the Alexa Chung image I looked at. I then did a nude eye which I would probably use if I was doing a simplistic image.

 These are some of the lip looks I tested out, I tested a more bright red with more of an orange/pink undertone so it was still bold but more flattering for the paler skintone. I also tested out a matt purple which I think looks good but I would maybe want to use a shade darker. I then also try a nude lip which I will again use if I wanted to do a simplistic picture.

Research and Planning: Make-Up & Hair Ideas.

These are some ideas for the kind of make-up I will be doing for my music magazine. On the left image, I will trying to do the sort of make-up to the right of the image so a sort of pale face with dark eyes and a red lip, so it looks sort of grunge in a way and then for other places in my magazine I may use a darker plum lipstick (above) so it gives it a more edgy grungy look and stands out on the model.

These two images are what sort of hairstyle I would want my model to have, so preferably ombre hair but I know that is something I may not be able to find, but I would like a model with darker hair and slightly shorter so I could recreate this sort of messy bedhead style and a middle parting so I wouldn't mind working with a full fringe something that could be quite edgy.

Research and Planning: Interview Layout Research.

 (1)

 (2)

 (3)

(4)

I have decided I wanted to do an interview for my double-page spread so I though I would research the layouts of those pages, and I have found four which all have features which I would like to use in my own magazine. In (1) I like the title and the fact that it's a bit different and stands out, also it's a quote from the artist which is something I wanted to do anyway, so I could use that idea of making a quote into a title and make it stand out more. In (2) I like the idea of the question in bold and then the answer underneath rather than it being written in 'essay' format, so that is definitely something I will be using in my layout because I also think it breaks up the page more so it doesn't look like continous text. In (3) I like that one page has a full image on it and then the other is the actual story, I think this is something I would consider using because then the page doesn't look as cramped and it also seperates the two because not everyone wants to read the actual article, and I also think that this layout will look good with the question and answer layout in (2). The small feature in (4) that I liked was the fact that they had pulled out a quote from the artist and made it stand out more which I think looks really effective and helps to break down the text.

Research and Planning: Contents Page Stories.

Possibilities of stories in my magazine.
'ARTIST SPECIAL'
- Interview with the artist
     my double page spread, and interview with my artists about eveything but mainly the music and how they are where they are.
- Whats on my playlist
     the artists favourite songs and guilty pleasures from their iPod.
- Picture Special
     new pictures/posters of the main artist in the interview.
- Behind the scenes
     the people that help the artist i.e. crew on tour, bands behind them, supporting acts etc.
- 10 things I can't live without.
     10 things that the main artist cannot live without.

FEATURES
- People on the street
    artists/bands that we have found that sing on the streets, in town centres etc.
- Follow Me
    an article when one of the writers has followed an artists about for the day.
- Local Gig Guide
    local gigs of people that we think are worth looking at in that area i.e. in Manchester, London etc.
- Real Stories
    a story of the week, of how someone got started doing something they love from singers to backstage crew.
- In Right Now
    just a few fashion items that have been spotted on artists featured in the magazine which are avaliable on highstreet or replica's.
- Male VS Female.
    a section where a female writer and a male writer both give their views on something of the month, i.e. a new album or video etc.
- Now PANIC and Freak Out!
    advice from all different artists featured in the magazine, on how they stay calm.
- 5 Minutes with...
    a small interview with an artist besides the main one featured.
- Meet the new kid.
    a promotion section for an upcoming star.

REGULAR.
- Questions from you.
    questions from the audience to the artists being featured in the magazine.
- Sound's playlist this month
    the main songs the magazine think are good this month/new realeases.
- What's going on?
    events coming up.

REVIEWS.
- Of the Month
    single, album, video and artist of the month.
- Local Gig Reviews.
     small reviews from the local gigs of last month.
- Tour Reviews
     reviews of big tours/tour guides.

Research and Planning: Model Headshots.

Model Headshot (1)

I think that this model could possibly fit in with my magazine genre, because I think with my styling which I plan to be doing then it would work, the only thing is I was thinking about a model with shorted hair so I would maybe have to look at different hairstyles if I was using this model, I do like this model's look infront of the camera, I think she is captured well.

Model Headshot (2)

I don't think I will be using this model as I did want to use a female artist which obviously this model isn't so I was to use this model, I would have to research into a whole other area which I haven't really looked at i.e. the male indie style etc. So I don't think I will be using this model purely because I wanted a female, but this model is obviously comfortable infront of the camera and would be easy to work with if you asked for a specific thing i.e. something not to serious.

Model Headshot (3)

I would consider using this model as obviously she is a female which is what I wanted to feature but the only thing is, I think the model looks more pop/rnb rather than indie alternative for my magazine so I would possibly look at a different model, although this model is photogenic and with the right styling I feel this model could work well.

 Model Headshot (4)
This is the model that out of all of them I would definitely use, she has the short hair which I was looking for the paler complexion and I feel she has an indie vibe which is what the genre of my magazine is and she would make a great cover model.

Research and Planning: Shot List

Research and Planning: Model Release Forms

These are my model release forms to say that I have permission to use the photos of the people I have used.

Research and Planning: Risk Assessment.

These are the risk assesment for the location I will be using for the photographs in my music magazine.

Research and Planning: Location Recce.

My location reece for the location(s) I will be using for my photographs I will be using in my magazine, and images of the location itself. Below is one shot of my location, just a plain white background and I made the lighting slightly darker because that is what worked when I used the flash on the camera which gave the best effect.

Research and Planning: Music Magazine Progress

 (1)

 (2)

 (3)

This lesson I have started the production of my magazine, I have created my masthead (1) and my contents heading (2) and my interview heading, for my double page spread (3)

Research and Planning: Plan of the Week

My plan of the week:
-Upload my location Recces and risk assessment and the pictures to go with, which I have completed just had the chance to upload yet
-And upload my model head shots, which I have took just not uploaded yet because of my internet playing up
-I was originally planning to do my photographs on Wednesday but my model cannot do it today so I think maybe I will be able to get them done this weekend but I'm not entirely sure.
-Also I will be adding extra posts about my magazine.

Research and Planning: Contents Page Stories.

I decided to research into stories for my contents page in my magazine.

In Q Magazine I found that the split the contents into three sections; features, every month and review which I think is a good idea to use in my magazine because it allows the reader to find pages easily in the magazine as well as the space being filled appropriately. As well as it being split into three sections within the first section 'features' there is another small section highlighted within which in this particular issue is the 'OASIS SPECIAL' and it just has a gold outline around all the stories relating to the title which is again something I would consider using in my magazine, because it helps to advertise the band/artists in the feature. I would also consider using a separate section for the reviews because that is something that I found in my audience research, that a lot of people wanted to read about. The sorts of stories that come up in this music magazine in the features section are; rock star fitness, around with, buskers and my brilliant career, which are all stories that are basically human interest stories with a music theme for example, 'rock star fitness' it's basically an easy fitness page but they have just added some music twist into it, and then named it something relating to music so it could fit into the magazine.
Within the special feature bit, they are all stories which are special to that particular artist, so picture pages and '20 greatest tracks' and then separate pages on the main people in the band in this case.
Within the review section, they are all reviews obviously just split into separate sections.
And then pages featured every month are simple pages like subscriptions, mail and crosswords etc so this is something I would consider using in my magazine.

Research and Planning: Artists I Would Associate With My Genre.

Existing artists that I would use in my music magazine would be;
Female artists.
I Blame Coco
Lily Allen
Florence and the machine
Karen O


Male artists.
Ed Sheeran
Jason Mraz
John Mayer


Bands.
30 Seconds to Mars
Hurts
The Verve
Oasis
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The White Stripes
Linkin Park
Kings of Leon
The Killers
Gossip
Bloc Party
Arcade Fire
The XX

Although my genre is indie alternative I will be using some different artists for example Jason Mraz and John Mayer aren't exactly indie but I think that I could find a place for them in my magazine but also I think that my magazine will be many different interpretations of indie alternative from the older indie artists (The Verve, Oasis) to new ones on the scene (Ed Sheeran).

 I Blame Coco

 Karen O

John Mayer

 Hurts

 The XX

Research and Planning: Location & Mise-en-scene Research

I did some research into locations for my photos to be used in music magazine. I research into cover from Q Magazine which is one of my biggest influences images like the ones of Lady Gaga (above) both of which are very plain images with a plain background especially the first of the two where it is just her against a plain white background, whereas in the second one shadows play on the background making it seem grey so for my background on my cover, I will be using a plain background and I will make sure my location is next to a place with natural light so next to a window because all the shots I have researched have been shot inside and then once I have a lot of natural light I will be able to play around with shadows around the model. I also researched into contents page shots  and I found the I Blame Coco shots from a contents page (above right) and again they are very simple shots with a plain background, shot inside with only the shadows of the model working against the background. Some shots I found from inside a magazine were both of Lily Allen (top right and top left) And the first shot (left) is the only image I found with some mise-en-scene in it, and it's a different type of shot to all the others with it being a landscape long shot and it still has a very simple feel to it and I do like the effect of the sofa in the photo but I wouldn't be able to get something like that but maybe I could create something using an interesting piece of furniture in my shots. Another thing that features in that photo are panthers which obviously is one thing I will not be able to use but if I did want to include something like that I could include an animal like a black dog so the shot has something interesting to it. And the last shot I looked at (top right) is a close up shot again with a plain background and doesn't have anything in the shot apart from the model which I think looks really effect because then it doesn't take away from the styling and model. Another thing I have noticed with a lot of photos for my genre is that they are black and white which is something I would consider using inside my magazine, maybe for the contents or double page spread but for the cover I think I will use the plain background but keep the shot in colour.

Research and Planning: Plan of the Week.

My plan of the week is:
- Produce my model head shots as I was unable to do it last week.
-Do my location recces and my risk assessment, because my location wasn't available last week so I wasn't able to get them done.
-Start writing my double-page spread story.
-Due to my location being unavailable, I wasn't able to get my magazine photos started so I will be starting them hopefully end of the week or maybe next Wednesday.
-And produce some extra genre posts. 

Research and Planning: SLR Test Shots.

 These are the shots I took from inside. I think that the second one is probably the best quality, the lighting and focus are quite good on this shot, and think that this shot, the positioning could of been improved but the shot does work quite well, because it's an interesting position. The last one, I wanted to test a group shot inside and I think the lighting could of been better because the foreground looks brighter and the background looks really dark and the focus is slightly off but I like the positioning in the shot. The first shot is not a very good shot, because the focus and lighting are off and it looks a little too yellow but I like the positioning of the shot, because it's different. Comparing these inside shots to my college magazine shots, I think I prefer the positioning and lighting in my college magazine photo's only because it isn't as harsh as these shots from inside and also the focus on my college magazine shots is better than the majority of these shots. But I prefer the positioning of these shots, i.e. the mid-shots but I also think the first shot has an interesting positioning.

I prefer the shots from outside because I think the lighting is a lot better, so for my magazine I would definitely consider doing an outside shot or doing it somewhere with a lot of natural light. The first shot is slightly out of focus but I wanted to test out a group shot outside and I think that I looks ok, I would of liked to get an entire long shot of all the people but my positioning isn't the best. I like the second picture because the lighting it bright and the focus is pretty good on the photo, I like the mid-shot and the middle positioning of people. I think I prefer the lighting in the outside shots compared to my college magazine photos because it's brighter and seems more vibrant without looking to fake, it looks natural and also I like the second photo because it's a mid-shot and that is a shot I would consider using in my magazine rather that the medium close-up shot used in my college magazine.

These are more shots from inside and out that have been unsuccessful. The first one (above) I feel looks a little bit to plastic, I'm not sure why the shot looks like this but it wouldn't be something I want to use. The second shot (left) I don't think is a good shot due to positioning and the last one (below) I think the lighting is far to bright, I don't know whether I would want to use a close up shot in my magazine but I know that if I did I would try to find somewhere with more natural light so the flash wasn't needed because it looks to harsh.