Double page spread- Draft 2

Double page spread screenshot from rebeccamilesmedia

Here is my second draft of my double page spread. I prefer this much more to draft 1 as it is more detailed and colourful. I struggled with draft 1 because of software complications.

This draft has obviously has more had more thought been put into it. It has the magazine name (which has been changed for the article), page numbers, more pictures (which have been edited), a symbol at the of the article, a pull quote, a 'did you know' section, different colours/sizes/italics for the questions and answers and more colours. Over all I am very happy with this draft. 

Second Draft of my Front Cover

1st draft, front cover from rebeccamilesmedia
  For this layout, I chose not to use many pictures. I thought by using just one picture enhances the importance of it and the people in it. For my magazine, I decided to stick to the same font that is seen in my title. I thought this was effective and it is easy to read and professional looking but not overly formal. The colour I chose for the title was pink. I decided this because the magazine is aimed at a female audience, but also because pink symbolises love so it may give the reader a positive opinion about the magazine. I also included the same icon (the love heart) as I am using this as the magazine logo to make the magazine more recognisable and seem professional. I also included basics, such as issue number, date and price.

My Double Page First Draft

Screen shot of double spread draft 1 from rebeccamilesmedia

This is my first draft of my double page spread. I found this one most difficult to create than compared to my contents and front cover. This may be because there is much more to include. I struggled to fit all the interview that i typed up onto my spread so i said at the bottom to turn over for more, which obviously will not be included in the final design.
                    When I create my final draft, I will add more pictures to the double spread and also add more colour to the interview page. I couldn't do this for this particular draft as there was a software issue when I came to do so. However I am aware of what I need to add.
                    I am considerably happy with this draft but I know I will have to spend more time improving the double spread compared to the front cover and contents page. I am also considering changing the layout slightly by including the interview on the first page as well as the second.

My Pictures I Took For My Magazine

Here are a few of my pictures that I took for my magazine.I had no trouble thinking of ideas of poses that the girls could do. I found everything fairly straight forward, however I found experimenting with the different lighting quite difficult. I used girls who are all 11 or 12, which are the type of people the magazine itself is aimed that. I chose this girls as they are all good friends, showing the closeness o the group and reflects the friendly tone of the magazine that I wanted to achieve. I also chose these girls as they people my target audience can relate to due to age, gender, and personalities. Please take a moment to see the results:   

This picture has been taken from a high angle. I thought this was an interesting angle and I used it to show the effect the fan was making clearly. I put the fan on next to the background to make their hair look flawless. This particular photo was an experiment with the fan. I like this picture however as it shows the girls in mid laugh and shows real laughter without the posed look. 

I am going to use this picture to show how close the girl group are. I found the inspiration from the research I done when I looked at other photo shots of pop groups. All the girls look really close like they have been friends for years and been through a lot which I am going to betray in my article based on them.

I am planning on using this picture on either the front cover or contents page as although they aren't, it gives the impression that they are pointing at the reader with the caption '...they are just like YOU!' which adds emphasis to the addressing of the reader. They are doing peace signs as a message for peace in the world as I am planning on mentioning they are ambassadors for a anti bullying charity which will go onto give an idea of what their personality and message is. 


I am overall very impressed with my pictures so far and how they have turned out. I am hopeful that they will work on the magazine very well. 

Contents page - First Draft

Conents page first draft from rebeccamilesmedia

Here is my first contents page draft. I created it on In design, which is the appropriate programme to use. In this design, I used a mixture of both my pictures and ones I found on the Internet. This is because I have began to take my pictures (see following post) but I have no been able to take all of them as of yet. Although I am aware of the pictures that I do need and will be able to get them uploaded act before the deadline.
             In my design, I included colourful boxes for decoration which lay in the background. I chose this particular decoration as when I looked at pop music based magazines, they included a similar design which I have incorporated into my work. My own pictures that I used have been slightly photo shopped as i have boost up their brightness to make them clearer and seem more professional.
            All in all, I am very happy with how my first has turned out and I have established my colour and font scheme, and added basics such as page numbers. I still have pictures to add, and like my front cover draft, some of the story lines will change. They have just been included to give an idea of the layout.

My Front Cover First Draft

Front cover 1st draft screenshot from rebeccamilesmedia

Here is my first draft. I completed it on Indesign. I found the programme fairly easy to use, but only by using the basics features. I found the more complicated features challenging to use. However once I got used to them i found it relatively easy.
Obviously, once I have taken my pictures i will use them but for the draft I used pictures from the Internet to get an idea of the layout.I used a picture of a girl band as the main feature as that's what I am planning to do when I create my final front cover. I'm fairly certain that the layout will remain similar with a similar colour and font scheme. However the headline will change and adapt to the picture I will use.
Overall I'm happy with how this turned out. I think it looks similar to other magazines I've looked at during my research. Also I included features that I know people want from my questionnaires. 

Examples of the Types of Pictures I Want to Take

Here are some pictures that I found from  'We Love Pop' photo shoots. These represent the types of pictures I want to recreate in my own way. I chose these photo shoots as they are for a pop magazine like mine.

In this picture, we see the band having a laugh. I want to have a shot like this as it presents them as normal people who don't take themselves too seriously. I thought is is effective as relates to the reader and presents the gener as fun based. You can also see the set of the photo shoot, and this gives an impression that the band almost 'recked' the set and again this shows them as fun and relatiable.  

Here we see a girl band and I am using a girl band as my main feature of the magazine. This particular picture shows the group as extremely close by the fact they are all smiling and hugging. This makes them come across as having friendly personalities. The fact they are looking straight in the camera smiling may be interpreted as smiling at the reader which reflects a kind personality. I may use a similar shot in my photos.








Here we see an individual shot of a band member. We see a glimpse into his 'charming' personality. Obviously in the magazine there were pictures of all 5 of the individual and members. I think this is an effective way of showing each individual members personality and people usually have favourites within a group. It is also a way of showing the differences between the band members and their personalities which may appeal to a wider audience. I may do this in my magazine.

Here's an example of the jumping shot that I mentioned in my last post. Obviously my jumping shot wont be into a swimming pool but I am using this as an example in the sense of taking it while they are in mid air. Again this brings the aspect of fun.

Plans for Pictures in my Music Magazine

                                  I have decided that for my double page spread, I am going to include an exclusive interview with a girl band. I am going to ask my sister and her friends to be the girl band. I want the pictures to be uncomplex, so just in front of a white background. This is going to give them a professional look. I am going to ask the girls to dress in trousers and a top of their choice, as I don't them to be too dressed up. I want young girls reading the magazine to relate to them. I am going to photograph them just having a laugh with each other, and looking happy etc. I am planning on two serious shots ;however to reflect how they are serious about their music. I have thought of a shot where they jump in the air and I take the picture while they are in the air. This will then be followed by the caption 'On top of the world.'
                                     As the interview is the main feature of the magzine, it will also be the main feature on the cover. I am unsure of other pictures as of yet, but im thinking of maybe photographing some of my frineds near a window to give the pictures differences. I may also photography intruments, such as drums or microphone to feature on my magazine contents page and to create a logo for the magazine.

Publication Plan

Name of magazine: Total Pop!

Font of name: Cooper Black

Positioning statement: Awarded best popular music magazine in the UK

Frequency of publication: Monthly

Price: £1.99

Distribution: UK- all newsagents

Rationale: (what is the thinking behind the magazine - have you
identified a gap in the market?): I am aiming my magazine at pop music rather than a certain age gap as I have discovered that although there are lots of pop magazines, they are more focused at age range rather than the music

Style: Professional yet fun

Regular content: gossip, what's out, tour dates, interviews, reviews, competiton 

Feature content in your issue: Interview

House style: what font will you use? will it be the same for
articles/headings/captions?: Kept the same for cover, contents and regulars but changes for interviews to relate to the topic

Analysis of my Questionnaire Responses

Questionnaire responses from rebeccamilesmedia
I found exactly what I needed from using my questionnaires. For example, I found a link between what age the person was, to what artist they are most interested in. I also found a link between the age group and the music magazines they read. For example, younger age groups read 'Girl Talk' whilst older age groups read more of magazines such as 'teen now'. This tells me that I need to focus on making my magazine appealing across age groups, as although both this magazines are pop based magazines, they have slightly different audiences in terms of age differences.  I also found that  people interested in pop or rock like to attend concerts whilst people interested in indie prefer the festival vibe. This will come in helpful if i decide on advertising a competition, as i could make attending a concert a prize rather than a festival.

Essay- Comparing 2 Double Page Spreads

                      The ‘We Love Pop’ double page spread is an interview with Tulisa. They kept the magazine logo in the corner; however they have changes the name to ‘We Love Tulisa’ so it relates to the interview and also makes to Tulisa seem powerful and important. Instead of a straight forward title, they have used an extract from the interview which may be controversial therefore encouraging people to read on. The introduction seems like they are having a general chat however they are still keeping it relevant to the interview. This makes the reader feel that they be having a friendly chat with Tulisa rather than just a formal conversation, and this will appeal to her fans. The questions again are in chat form but they are still relevant to Tulisa and her current jobs and activities. They are extracts and quotes from the interview scattered across the spread and this breaks it up into sections and makes it much easier to read. Another interesting way to make the interview easier to read is the way they have highlighted certain parts of Tulisa’s answers so if the reader only wanted to quickly read the interview, they have the opportunity to do so. The pictures are relevant to the questions and are position next to a specific question. For example, the picture of Tulisa with Co-judge Nicole is found right next to the question asking about if the judges get along. At the end of the first page, there is an arrow to indicate that the reader should turn over. Similar to this, at the end of the interview itself is a little heart (which relates to the ‘we love pop’ name) to tell the reader that they have come to the end of the interview.

                 The ‘Q’ double page spread is an interview with Biffy Clyro. It looks much more serious compared to the ‘We love pop’ interview and this, may reflect the audience of both magazines. The title is ‘A round with Biffy Clyro’ which refers to a round of drinks. This seems to relate to a more masculine thing to say so it may either reflect the type of band they are or it may reflect the ideal reader.  It also makes it seem more like a chatty interview and this is also shown through the questions. The questions seem more general chat questions which anyone could ask to anyone and doesn’t relate to musicians at all. This may appeal to fans as it gives them an opportunity to discover the real band. The layout follows a common interview convention, with the question being asked and the answer beginning with the band member’s name. In the corner is the ‘Q’ magazine logo, and also similar to the ‘we love pop’ interview, there is a Q and the end to symbolise the end of the interview.  The picture is an action shot, and on the picture is another image saying ‘Winner: Best Live Act’ which is represented through the action picture of the band.

            Although both these interviews follow common interview conventions, they also both have their unique ways of appealing to their target audience. I may adapt some of these techniques into my double spread layout, such as the symbol at the end of the interview and the quotes scattered across the pages. I may do something more like the ‘we love pop’ interview rather than the ‘Q’ one as I am also creating a pop magazine.

ESSAY- Comparing Magazine Contents Pages

Contents pages are a vital feature found in all magazines, including music magazines. They typically include page numbers to articles, pictures relating to the cover or article and a page number. 

                                    The first contents page I am going to analysis is 'We Love Pop' which is a pop based music magazine. I paid particular attention to this contents as I am also making a Pop magazine. First thing I noticed was the continuing use of bright colours, which reflects the target audience which I'm assuming is girls aged 9-16, which is very similar to my target audience. There is a editors column which relates and gives extra exclusive content on the main article. I also noticed the title doesn't bluntly say 'Contents page' as it says 'WE LOVE THIS...' which may make the reader then feel that this is amazing content therefore encouraging them to read the magazine fully and then maybe also encourage them to read it monthly. The other features of the contents page includes; page number, pictures relating to articles, the magazine logo, and summaries or extracts from features. 

                                   The second contents page comes from 'NME' which is aimed at rock and alternative music. There is not a bright colour scheme compared to 'We Love Pop' however, there is a consistent use of red to make page numbers stand out. another thing that red is used for is to make the advertisement stand out. The advert is to promote the subscription deal of the magazine. The title, like the last magazine is not 'Contents page' but is 'Inside This Week' which although is not basic , it is also a lot more formal. The font constantly changes throughout page, but stays in a formal manner. This may represent that they want a wide range of different music tastes that are different in the magazine to be taken all seriously and are all just as important as any other genre. Again, they also use pictures and summaries and extracts.

                                 The next magazine is Q magazine. The target music genre is similar to the previous magazine but focuses slightly more on the rock side. A similar aspect is the use of red, used to to make page numbers stand out as well as feature titles too. The date can also been seen on the contents page. Something different that this page does is the title which plainly says 'Contents page' Maybe this was chosen to keep it simple and not over complicate things. This contents page, although formal in font, language and colours, also presents a comical side, with cartoon characters drawn around the double spread layout based on well know musicians. The pictures show a mixture of posed photographs and ones of performances. A subscription advertisement is also used which is maybe something i could interpret into mine.  

                                My final magazine is 'Mix Mag' which is aimed at people interested in dance music. First thing I noticed is the representation of girls on the contents page alone. It shows mostly females in a swimming pool in bikinis drinking alcohol. This magazine, however is aimed at both genders so this may be the norm in the clubbing scene. Even though the colours on the background and writing is quite plain and simple, the central pictures come off as quite vibrant. This may represent a club as the seating area is usually dark, but the dance floor, usually located in the middle of the club, is known for being bright and colourful from the lights. The features have been sorted into categories which I think is a good idea if someone was looking for a quick read and was trying to find the most things they relate to. I find the font interesting  as the letters seem to be divided in the middle, so as the magazine is aimed at both male and female, it could represent two people.   

                            From looking at these 4 contents pages, I have seen basics that i should interpret into my contents page including; page number of the contents page itself, thought into the title, colours and fonts which reflects the music genre and the use of the pictures. I have also thought of new ideas along the way such as using categorical methods, advertisements of extra features, and an editors column. 

                              

Questionnaire- Target Audience Research

Audience research for future music magazine questionnare from rebeccamilesmedia

                 At the top, I decided to write a summary of the purpose of the questionnaire to inform audience how much help it would be if they filled it out. I also made the questionnaire anonymous as there is more chance that the audience will feel it out more acutely based on their opinions, likes and facts.
                                 The first question i asked was how old are they so I could see if there is a link between age and likes and dislikes. I also included this so the audience know who I am aiming it at so if they're not in that age range they wouldn't feel it out and wont waste any unneeded time. The second most important question i asked as what sort of music they like so I know if i chose the right age range. I used a variety of open and closed questions so I could get a better understanding of what music certain age groups are interested in.
                               Similar to the beginning, I also said 'thank you' at the end after the questions so once again the audience will know how helpful they are being in the process of making my music magazine.

My Final Preliminary Task Draft for the Front Cover and Contents Page

Final school magazine layout from rebeccamilesmedia
I based my final design on the second draft that I have uploaded previously. I thought this was the best idea of a layout that I could think of so i decided to use it for the final draft. I appreciate that it is on PowerPoint and not on a programme software such as InDesign. This is due to problems with the computer network. When the software is working again, I will convert it to the appropriate programme. I decided to use PowerPoint for the previous drafts as I found it easier to move things about and express initial ideas, and then I will transfer the ideas this onto InDesign.

My Music Magazine Moodboard

My music magazine is going to be based on the popular music genre, hence the name 'Total Pop!' I tried to make this come across in my mood board by making it brightly coloured, which I think are associated with pop music. I also included relevant popular artists, and features that will be included.

     I chose to base my magazine on pop music as it is the music I usually listen to and therefore I will be able to know the artists, include features that are usually found in pop music magazines, and also give honest opinions if I decide to give an example of a review.

     In my magazine, I will include; new releases, reviews, gossip, 'get the look' fashion pages, advertisements/posters, and also include exclusive interviews with pop artists.

     I want this magazine to be aimed at anyone who has an interest in popular music. I don't want the magazine to be taken too seriously, as in a want to write it in a friendly tone but still get vital information across. I want people to enjoy reading the magazine weekly whilst still gaining knowledge of their favourite artists, receive opinions on new music, and know up and coming release dates.

Music magazine mood board from rebeccamilesmedia

Comparing Two Music Magazines Covers -ESSAY

There are many different music magazines available based on the different music genres. The two magazine covers I will be comparing are ‘Total Guitar’ and ‘Terrorizer’ Both these magazines fit into the rock music genre, however rock as many sub genres which these two magazines do not match. For example ‘Total guitar’ aims at tame and general rock fans, whilst ‘Terrorizer’ falls into the heavy metal genera. This means that these two covers will use slightly different techniques to advertise to their chosen target audience.

                             The first magazine I am going to analyse is ‘Total guitar.’ The title, firstly, is a bold, plainly coloured title which could reflect the seriousness of the magazine, meaning they may take their music seriously. The title follows a font scheme that is used in all issues. This may be to make it easy for a regular reader to find this specific magazine. The main feature of this issue is a Green Day interview. This is made clear by the fact that the green day logo is the first thing people will see, even before the name of the magazine, by placing it in the centre of the page in bright, bold lettering. The band is associated with bright pink colours and the fact that the magazine have used this colour to highlight other features on the front cover could indicate that the band are so important and successful that they are taking over the magazine and destroying their serious look. At the top of the magazine, other bands are mentioned and this could make the magazine appeal to a wider audience and in the long run make more profit. Also a free gift is advertised, which could encourage someone to buy the magazine even more. 

                          With the ‘Terrorizer’ magazine, the name of the magazine in a font that looks like it is dripping, which could be associated with blood and appeal to the target audience. The main picture is of a member of a band, who is wearing dark colours and is showing an angry facial expression which again could advertise the magazine to the target audience. There is little writing on the sides of the magazines, and this may be to show the background more clearly. The background is a gloomy sky affect, linking into the mood and tone set by other features of the cover. The colour of the writing is a white/grey colour, looking like a stone, which reflects the tone of the music, which is a hard rock. Two bars are seen going across the top and bottom of the page, which is seen on news channels showing breaking news, so this could show that their news is update and is a must to know and extremely important which again makes the reader one step closer to purchasing it.

                           From looking at these magazines, I have gained some ideas on how to layout my music magazine. For example I know to stick to a particular colour and font scheme which may reflect the genre of music the magazine is based on. I also know to advertise the main feature more than focusing on making the title clear, as I have learnt that people are attracted the magazine based on the main picture/title. An idea that I saw on the ‘Total Guitar’ magazine was to use a certain type of language technique, such as using pro nouns like ‘your’ to relate and connect with the potential reader.

Magazine Publishers

Magazine publishers are the reason for magazines being successful. They are responsible for managing circulation, sales, production and editorial. Some publishers act as an editor to a magazine, but most like to leave initial ideas to other employees. Here are some well known publishers:

Bauer Media

 Bauer is now the largest consumer magazine publishing company in the UK, playing a primary role in the Women’s Weeklies, Women’s Interest, Women’s Lifestyle, TV Listings, Puzzles, Men’s Lifestyle, Music & Film and Specialist magazine markets. They have roughly 400 magazines, more than 100 websites and around 50 radio and TV programmes They produce magazines such as 'Take A Break', 'Bella', 'TV Choice', and many puzzle magazines. Their main ethos is to continue to innovate, driving its business and the ever-evolving magazine market forward. The main business of the Bauer Media Group is print business. Nevertheless, the company is reacting to the growing importance of digital media at home and abroad with investments and has established a position over the last few years with a broad range of digital products.

Source: http://www.bauer.co.uk/

National Magazine Company

The National Magazine Company is responible for Hearst Magazines UK.Its major interests include magazine, newspaper and business publishing, cable networks, television and radio broadcasting, internet businesses, TV production and distribution, newspaper features distribution and real estate. Hearst Magazines UK publishes 20 consumer titles in the UK: All About Soap, Best,Company, Cosmopolitan, Country Living, ELLE, ELLE Decoration, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Harper’s Bazaar, House Beautiful,Inside Soap, Prima, Red,SugarScape, Real People, Reveal and Zest. The group publishes three magazines, Men's Health, Runner’s World and Women's Healththrough Hearst-Rodale UK.

Source: http://www.hearst.co.uk

Future Publishing

Future publishing is an international media group responible for Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Digital Camera, CrossStitcher, Total Film, T3, Digital Camera, Computer Arts, Windows: The Official Magazine and Guitarist. Founded in 1985 with one magazine, today they have operations in the UK, US and Australia creating over 200 specialist publications, apps, websites and events.The publishing company hold market-leading positions in thier core sectors: Technology, Entertainment & Video Games, Sport & Auto, Music and Creative. Future attracts more than 38 million monthly unique visitors to thier digital properties websites; and they deliver over 100 digital editions and bespoke apps on tablet devices.They sell 2.2 million magazines every month, and export or syndicate to 89 countries, making them the UK's number on exporter and lisencer of magazine content.
Future is the Association of Online Publishers’ Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year.

Source: http://www.futureplc.com/

IPC Media

IPC Media is repsonible for magazines such as; Soaplife, Now, Teen Now, TV Times, Style at home, Shooting times, Pick me up, Uncut, TV Easy, NME, Look, Boat Owner, In Style, Ideal Home, Marie Claire, Horse and hound, Good to know recipes, Essentials, Feelgood Games, Golf Monthly, and cycling weekly amongst many others.IPC Media is committed to working in partnership with its consumers, advertisers, business partners and employees to deliver exceptional value, service, innovation and creativity. 

Source: http://www.ipcmedia.com/

Conde Nast 

Responsible for magazines such as; GQ, Vanity Far, Glamour, Vogue, GQ style, Tatler, Easy living, Brides, Love, Weird, Conde nast Traveller,  The world of interiors, and other magazines,Conde Nast is home to some of the world's most celebrated media brands. Conde Nast Combines the power of their brands, the passion of their people and their broad consumer reach to help support meaningful change in the community and the world. 

Source: http://www.condenast.com/

BBC Worldwide

BBC Worldwide is the commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). We exist to maximise the value of the BBC's assets for the benefit of the licence fee payer by creating, acquiring, developing and exploiting media content and brands around the world. We also focus on creating value from BBC content and showcasing British talent both in the UK and international markets. In the past five years the company has invested over £1bn in the UK's creative sector making it a major supporter for this increasingly important part of the 'UK plc'. We also sell programmes and formats produced by more than 200 different UK independent producers. In 2011/12 the company saw sales rise by 5.4% to £1085m - exceeding the £1bn mark for a fourth year.BBC Worldwide's total returns to the BBC rose by 19% to a record £216m in 2011/12, taking the returns to over £1.3bn since 2004. In April 2009, the company was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise recognising the company's substantial growth in earnings over the past three years. BBC Worldwide operates under the BBC Charter and Agreement, which sets out the following four commercial criteria with which our activities must comply. BBC Worldwide must:

• Fit with the BBC's Public Purposes as set out in the Charter;
• Be commercially efficient;
• Not jeopardise the good reputation of the BBC or the value of the BBC brand;
• Comply with the BBC's Fair Trading Guidelines and avoid distorting the market

Source: http://www.bbcworldwide.com/about-us.aspx#about 

Hachette Filipacchi 

Hachette Filipacchi was founded by Louis Hachette in 1826 when he purchased the Librarie Brédif. Hachette was purchased by Matrain 1980, a firm associated with Tenot & Filipacchi. Hachette Filipacchi was nationalised in 1981 but remained a publicly traded firm.In France, Hachette Filipacchi Media publishes 47 magazines, including Action Auto Moto, Elle France, Entrevue, France Dimanche,Ici Paris, Joystick, Le Journal de Mickey, Parents, Paris Match, Jeune & Jolie, Pariscope, Photo, Première, Télé 7 Jours, Top Famille Magazine and TV Hebdo. It also publishes dailies La Provence, Nice-Matin or Corse Presse. HFM also owns 25% of Éditions Philippe Amaury, which publishes Le Parisien, L'Equipe and other sport magazines. 

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachette_Filipacchi_M%C3%A9dias




 

My Preliminarly Task 2nd Layout Idea

Layout of school mag from rebeccamilesmedia
I have created a new idea on how to set out my school magazine front cover and contents page. Although I have posted a plan before, this plan has pictures included.

Introduction to Photoshop

 In my last lesson, I started practising using Photoshop, and I created a film poster (see link) To be honest, I'm personally not all that proud with the finished product, as I had trouble with my desktop. However I do understand what I did wrong and know the basics of Photoshop even though it doesn't show strongly.  
                     Firstly, I added the needed background, and 'Rasterised' the layer. Then I changed the gradient to give it a faded look. I did a similar process to this on the 3 pictures of the actors and the effective image, but I also cropped these pictures so it didn't have a white background, and therefore looking like it blended in. I then added text, which included the title of the film, and the actors names. Then lastly, I added the film credits and the age certificate of the movie.
                    Although it doesn't come across very well, I understood the process and I put the fact of my disappointing work down to the problems I had with my desktop. So in conclusion, I feel relatively confident about using Photoshop in the future.


                                   

Task Ideas for My Preliminary Task

Following on from my last post, I also have to begin gathering up my ideas for my articles which will be advertised on both my title and contents pages. Again, these need to reflect the school theme of my magazine and link to the community feel I want to achieve. The articles I wish to use include; 
'How to handle the amount of work'
'Where to go for what?'
 'Where to study within school'
 'common facts of the sixth form' 
'What to Wear'
' Whats going on around school'
'Whats been Happening?'
'Notices'
'Agony Aunt'
I will include more articles to advertise, but I know that when I get onto the task of taking pictures (refer to last post) I will get more inspiration for further articles to include in my preliminary task. 

Uses of Photographs in my Preliminary Task

Ideas for my Photographs to use in my Preliminary Task
For my preliminary task (Ruislip High school Sixth Form magazine) i need to use a vast number of photographs. One of these must be of a student at work in a medium close up shot. For this, I was thinking of including a picture of a fellow student completing work on a desktop. Before i take my photographs, i wanted to gather up some ideas of what sort of photographs i need to personally take. 
                           As my magazine is school based, the pictures must reflect this theme, as well as bringing the article's information to life. This means that my pictures will be taken around school. One of my magazine's articles will include life as a sixth form student, so i will take pictures of;  the reception area and the office (so students know where they need to go if they have a query with something in general), pictures of the study room and LRC (to show students places for quiet study) pictures of the common room and outdoor area (to show students where they can socialise) and pictures of classrooms around school (so students know where the majority of their lesson will take place.) These pictures will be used on my front cover and contents pages to advertise certain articles. Whilst i have a strong Idea of these pictures, I will take at least around 50 pictures so i will have more than enough when it comes to completing my ppreliminary task.
 My Photographs     
Here are some of the photos I took around the sixth form area to use in my preliminary task.

 One of the criteria's that I need to meet is to use a picture of a student working in medium close up. Here is the picture I intend to use.









Here is a picture of the outside area where students can socialise. This will fit in with the topic I plan to advertise on my contents page which is 'where to socalise' or something along those lines.

  
Here is a picture of the entrance to the sixth form part of the school. I'm thinking of maybe including this on my front cover. As the door is open, it implies a 'welcome' feel and may encourage the reader to read the magazine.  

Detailed Description of Ideal Readers and Themes of My Preliminary Task

Write up of Lesson

* Describe your ideal reader:
my ideal reader is an 16-18 year old sixth form student who attends Ruislip High School

* Describe your reader's typical day: 
My ideal readers day consists of: preparing for school which includes organizing homework or folders for that day, then they should try their best in understanding all pieces of new information. Socialising with friends is a common part of everyday life, and when they come home, they should hopefully get on with homework/extra work. My magazine will help them have a simple timetable for the day and gives ideas on how to manage these key events of everyday life.

* Sum up your magazine in one word:
essential

*Write a pitch to advertise your magazine:
My school magazine is a survival guide to the Ruislip High school sixth form. It answers questions on life in this sixth form, gives ideas on what to wear, how to manage work,  tells the reader what events are happening/happened around school, and also has an advice column for social or work problems. This magazine is an essential item for life as a Ruislip high sixth form student. It also gives the school a strong sense of community whilst also focusing on personal achievements. 

My School Magazine First Layout Idea

Here is my first layout idea for my school magazine. I decide on a simple layout which appears formal to reflect the school theme the product is based around. Please view my layout draft below

School mag plan from rebeccamilesmedia

Magazine Ideas-Moodboard

I created a mood board to present my initial ideas that I would like to include in my school magazine. The ideas consists of; school work tips, homework tips, fashion ideas for school, and an advice column for issues within school. Please view my mood board below. 

Sixth form survival guide from rebeccamilesmedia

Analysis of contents pages

In media this week, we analysed 4 different contents pages using this chart. I never took into consideration the techniques used to make contents pages, but all in all I found them all very welcoming and, like the cover, encourage the reader to read the many articles/interviews

Magazine Cover Analysis

This magazine is aimed at teenage girls. To make the cover appealing to them, the editors have filled the magazine with celebrities who's fan bases consist of teenagers. The main interview is advertise clearly, using the picture of one direction as the background for the cover, as everything else is layered on top of the picture and therefore is the biggest thing on the page, and again showing it is the main feature. The magazine name 'Teen Now' is the top layer. I think this is effective as it is like you are peeling back the layers, the same way you would read the magazine. Most of the features are advertised on the front, such a posters, interviews and fashion pages. The colour of the title is pink, which can be associated with love, therefore implying that you will love the magazine. The second part of the title is white, which is associated with purity. This could imply that the magazine is suitable for a teenage audience. Instead of using particularly persuasive language, the magazine have added little circles with words such as 'wow' which is telling you how the features would make an impact on you. Lastly saying the word 'plus' makes the impression that you're getting more than what you pay for, which is a further reason for a teenager to but this magazine.   

Media Intro

I've had my first few media lessons and i'm really enjoying them! I enjoy learning more about things that i see and use eveyday but never really thought about in detail before. Today we were analysing magazine covers and i cant believe i've never noticed the impacts they have on me! The certain colours they use to make you feel a certain way, the pictures they use, the fonts they use to atrract my attention, and also the words they use to persauade me to buy it. I had so much to say about the features. Its given me the confidence to do well in this subject.