In this prezi I explored the names in my mindmap and decided on which one was the strongest and which I liked the most. I made my final decision at the end of the press.
This taught me the strengths of each name individually and, therefore, has taught me which is the most powerful name and has given me reasons to justify this. I now know that I have the best possible name for my magazine.
This is what I planned for the month of September. I think I managed my time well and did the most work I possibly could. I am still getting used to managing my time and I will improve as the course goes on.
Here I made a mindmap of some potential names. This was really just a brainstorm for me. I looked at names relating to music that I thought carried strong sound. I will go on to analyse each other these names fully next.
This allowed me to express my initial ideas. I haven't really learnt too much from this but it has given me an outlet so that I consort through them and, therefore, choose the most effective.
I have chosen 'Jukebox.' To make my decision, I brainstormed a lot of different names using a mindmap then analysed each one individually. There were a lot of strong competitors but my decision came from which sounded the most like it could be a real magazine name. This was an important decision to make.
This is my first look into color and what color scheme I will use for my magazine. I looked at what associations different colors and different color combinations have. This will help me figure out what color scheme to use as I will know what tone each color will set.
This entire maze presentation documents what I've learnt from various colors but I feel that the most important ones who mention are that:
> The most powerful color here is red.
> Contrasting colors can be very powerful and attract a lot of attention.
I used emaze to do a presentation on color associations both on colors on their own and color combinations. This has helped me to understand what tone the colors I use will set in my magazine. I've yet to make a final decision though, when I do, this presentation will help me a lot.
In this maze presentation, I look at the generic conventions of products similar to my own. I look at the generic conventions that can be found on the cover, the DPS, and the contents page and compare them to each other.
I have learnt which conventions my competition play to. This can help me look at how I can stand out and ho I can adhere to my genre in equal measure. I will need to do a lot of things different in order to stand out different these magazines have become popular for a reason so I know that I must pay attention to some.
> I will ave my masthead at the top where it is easily seen
> I may or may not have my models face clear with eye contact
> I will have my central image take up the full page for full engagement
> I will have my image shot in the a studio
> I will have a short title
> I will have a continuous color scheme
> I will have my article written in columns for clarity
> I will use pull quotes
I will not use a closeup
> I won't have the central image take up the entire page
This is a mindmap I created looking at some of the reasons why I would choose a certain publishing institution - specifically Bauer Media Group, IPC Media, EMAP, and MAMA & Company.
I instantly leaned towards IPC Media. They seemed to have a lot of experience and really know what they were doing and they sell a lot of copies each year. They're also British based and I am creating a British magazine so this would help a lot. I would likely try and publish with ICP Media if I were creating a real magazine.
This is a short emaze presentation which details what I think makes my competition stand out on the market. Outlining these things helped me to figure out what exactly I could do to compete against them.
In todays lesson, we looked at how competitive the market is and I looked into what I would do stand out. I learnt the size of UTD's readership (180,000 per issue) and that this is because they produce a lot of content. I also decided that somewhere around the price range of $3.25 would be a good price. Because I producing a British based magazine, that would be around 2.50.
I also need to talk about my models as if they are already big stars to compete against magazines that can really feature big stars. I will also offer freebies and gifts.
I researched a little into my competition and what makes their magazines sell. I looked specifically at Q and Under The Radar. I applied this knowledge into deciding what I would do to compete against them. I then looked at four publishing insitutions and why I might choose them before deciding on IPC Media in the end. I also looked at some generic conventions with another emaze presentation. This helped me to figure out what conventions I will use in my magazine.
This magazine is a very popular one around my area and was the one that stood out the most to me in the store for multiple reasons. What I've taken away from this is to apply to my own magazine goes as follows
Front Cover
> I would like the name of my magazine to go behind the photograph of my model as I want them to be brought forward and stand out
> I want the language to convey that my magazine is exciting so I must use hyperbole and statements implying emotion such as 'angriest,'
> I would likely model to have significant accessories and/or props that not only match and clearly show my chosen genre but also create visual interest
> I want my models facial expression to match the tone of my magazine - I want them to look as if they are having fun to suggest fun content rather than looking serious to convey serious content.
> I will list well known bands as this will attract interest.
> I will not be using sub images on my front cover because I feel as if they detract from the dominant image slightly.
> I enjoy the ted, black an white color scheme and I think it is very powerful - I may consider using it in my own magazine however I need to look at color association before I can make this decision for definite.
Contents Page
> I didn't like this contents page and it didn't stand out to me.
> I would prefer my contents page photo to have been taken in a studio with controlled lighting.
> The language does feel right for their target audience and I may choose to use colloquial language too however the direct mode of address detracts from the functionality of the page
Article
> I need a visually exciting photo to make my articles stand out and look interesting.
> I like the fact that the heading dominates the page as I feel like it draws in a lot of attention
> The color scheme is very exciting once again and I would like to use black, white, and one primary color or powerful color but I do prefer the red to the orange
I wrote out and recorded a voiceover deconstructing a front cover, a DPS, and a contents page from the magazine Kerrang. This has helped me to understand certain aspect, because I had to look at why the editors make the magazine look like it did and what effects that had. I can apply this knowledge to my own work.
In this prezi I considered what costume I'd like my model to wear and what connotations certain accessories and certain outfits may have. I looked at three fashion Instagrams to see what is currently considered to be in style. I will look further into problems and solutions in the future.
During this, I looked into fashion and trends which taught me what's in style right now according to several fashion Instagram's that I follow. and I have also considered problems associated with costumes: size and contrast with text. I have proposed some solutions: not using stripes or contrasting colors on the front page, trying on clothes prior to photoshoot. I have also learnt that I have free reign with costumes so I will be able to do more or less what I want to do.
This prezi was to look at some of the different hairstyles that are out there, what they say about the model and the magazine, and and which are used in similar magazines. I could not really decide how I want my models hair to be done from this alone but it has given me some ideas of what I like and dislike.
In this prezi, I had to look at the three models that I'm considering and consider the restrictions I may face with their hair. I also looked at the connotations associated with different kinds of hair and what they say about the model. I then looked at what my competition does and noted that they usually have the hair loose as opposed to tying it up or putting it in any intricate style. I have considered subverting this and incorporating a fancy hairstyle in one page of the magazine however I'm still unsure so this has taught me that I need to experiment with this.
Here is my prezi on fonts and what I am considering using. I try to evaluate why certain fonts are used on certain pages and cover the front cover, the contents page, and the double page spread. I felt I was focusing too much on the front cover before. Font is very important and can set the tone or create branding. I feel it is important that my font is original but not so much that it deviates from set conventions and looks out of place and sets the wrong tone.
I have learnt why fonts are considered to be so important and the role that they can play in branding. I've also looked at the fonts used on various pages in different kinds of magazines and I've come up with some ideas for why they might be used. I know that my main body of text on my DPS must be easily readable and that my contents page must also be readable however I can use more creative title fonts on both. My masthead font will likely be quite plain and I'll go with a bolded straight font to match my competition and to make sure that it is universal for each issue however I plan to experiment with other fonts and try a range of things.
This is my first investigation into make up and what sorts of make-up that I will use in my magazine, with a focus on the magazine cover. I look at what sort of make-up looks are out there and why certain types would appeal. I also look at the make-up worn in magazines such as 'Under The Radar,' 'Q,' and 'The Fly.'
This has taught me the effects that some make up styles will have by looking into their connotations. I understand why natural lips would convey natural beauty and why dark links would convey rebellion. I also understand why some magazines would use the looks the do - as a full coverage make up would make their model more aesthetically pleasing. I also know now that my competition tends to have ether a dramatic eye or dramatic lips (but not usually both at the same time) and they tend to favor mainly a dramatic eye. At the end of my prezi I noted that dramatic eyes bring attention to the eye which adds emotion and establishes eye contact which can be powerful. I have also had some ideas about what I would like to do with my models - dramatic eyes infused with color, neutral lips, and full coverage foundation.
I have made four prezis looking at each subject that go into substantial details on the connotations of certain styles and what is used in similar magazines. This will help me make my final decision further down the line.
EDIT 28TH OCT: I RECREATED THIS BOARD WITH REALTIME BOARD WHICH YOU CAN LOOK AT [HERE]
This outlines some of the real problems and I will work to fix them in my final piece.
From my own knowledge and with the assistance of my teacher, I've addressed the major flaws in my work and this ensures that I will not make these same mistakes in my final piece. More specifically, it has highlighted to me the importance of getting professional photography done and refining my editing skills. I need to do research into my target audience to ensure that I can refine to language used to suit them and I need to pay close attention to my grammar. I think that my article would be more grammatically correct if I wrote it out in word and proofread it as opposed to typing it up in the photoshop text box. Additionally, it has helped me look at composition and made me realize the importance of working from an existing magazine. Whilst I do like my composition in this instance, I feel as if there is a large margin for improvement in the future.
This is a practice double page spread I did with a focus on understand how some of the language used in an interview would work and how you could go about recording an interview like this. My two friends did modelling for me and I used their photos. This was also good to practice as I wasn't before aware of quite how hard it was to edit photos and I'll certainly need more practice with it.
Eve may end up being a model in my final product though I've yet to look into that so I'm still unsure.
Initially, this taught me how difficult photoshop was going to be to use and gave me an outlet to mess around with my existing ideas and see how well they'd work together. I've yet to do substantial research so all of this is subject to change. What I will come to learn from this will come heavily from the feedback I am given when I learn how to improve as this will tell me what I will need to do differently in my final piece in a way that is specific to me.
For my homework, I was asked to create a practice article, which I did. I feel as if I could've used language better potentially and I will explore that in further drafts. For now, the draft I completed is a learning experience and it has taught me a lot about how making the article will be. I have also created a MURAL on the problems with my draft.
EDIT 28TH OCT: I had to recreate this on a different website because my MURAL account was locked because I didn't pay for my account.
THE ORIGINAL MURAL WAS LOCKED AS I DID NOT PAY FOR MY ACCOUNT. I RECREATED MY BOARD WITH A FREE ALTERNATIVE THAT CAN BE VIEWED [HERE]
This board was done to analyze the language used in some big magazines. The language that I use in my own magazine must appeal my target audience and cause interest.
Magazines tend to use language that humanizes the artist and makes them seem like a regular person. They also boast 'exclusive' interviews or 'new' content that try to make their magazine stand out above competition. Also, the language they use tries to be shocking and exciting - especially titles and bylines.
I created a mural with pictures of various front covers and covered them with virtual post it notes marking out features and language that stood out to me. I will use this to aid my deconstructions in the future.
EDIT 28TH OCT 2016: The board had to be redone as my mural was locked due to me not paying for a premium account but I have recreated it with a free alternative.
This is a short video created with PowToon to showcase some conventions that I will use in my magazine and some that I will subvert. It covers a basic overall brief.
This video made me do some research and helped me to outline several useful things
> Magazines that will inspire me
> Artists of my genre
> My target audience
> Conventions I want to use and subvert (though this is subject to change)
I made a short video using PowToon that answered the questions I was asked in my given proposal table. I used PowToon as I want my blog to be media-rich and not just full of text. In this video, I described further my aims with this magazines, which conventions I think I will use and which I will try to subvert, and similar artists and products.
Clicking HERE will take you to my Pinterest board. I have collected a range of inspirations here.
Doing this has helped me to look at other magazines of a similar and different genre. This helps me to collect ideas and inspiration for my own product.
Friday, 9 September 2016
This Prezi was done as an introduction presentation for my course. It shows what I know about magazines, specifically magazines of my chosen genre, from my own knowledge. I will apply the conventions outlined in this presentation in making my own magazine.
Going through my initial ideas helps me to outline my own aims with this course and choose a direction for my magazine. I can refer back to this at later points in the course to check my initial ideas against the product I am creating.
When centres choose briefs to offer to candidates, they should be guided by their strengths in terms of resources and expertise. Centres should also bear in mind the key areas: forms and conventions, production contexts, the role of technologies, audiences/users and representations.
The set briefs are as follows:
Preliminary exercise: using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of a new school/college magazine, featuring a photograph of a student in medium close-up plus some appropriately laid-out text and a masthead. Additionally candidates must produce a DTP mock-up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate their grasp of the program.
Main task: the front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine (if done as a group task, each member of the group to produce an individual edition of the magazine, following the same house style). Maximum four members to a group.
All images and text used must be original, produced by the candidate(s), minimum of FOUR images per candidate.
enhance candidates enjoyment and appreciation of the media and its role in their daily lives;
develop critical understanding of the media through engagement with media products and concepts and through the creative application of practical skills;
explore production processes, technologies and contexts;
become independent in research skills and their application.
I created this blog successfully and used a template to format it. The current layout is subject to change however it's presentable for the time being. I wrote up a welcome post, a post outlining the aims of my course, and a post with the brief of my coursework and what I will use my blog for. I also set up a Pinterest account so that I could use it to create and inspiration moodboard of other magazine covers and articles that interest me. I made short comments alongside every image. I also created a short prezi looking at some common features in magazines and what makes an indie magazine to outline my base ideas. I feel as if I've made a good start with my blog.
