Research and Planning: Pose Research. (Extra Post.)

What I've noticed from many other rock magazines such as Kerrang, are that the artists poses are much more open in comparison to other magazine covers. They seem to appear intimidating and edgy to some extent, and are very confident with themselves, in terms of their body language.

In a way, I've noticed that the lead singers/most significant band members have a slight high angle shot, which makes their appearance seem much more ‘in your face’. It doesn't seem subtle, friendly or even relaxed. Instead, it seems very energetic and even threatening, and that is what is going to inspire how I shoot photos of my models to match this theme.

The lead singers and most important members of a group are always presented closest to the camera, which is what I'll do in the photoshoot for my duo group. There's also much more open body language here, too. The arms are by the sides, presenting the artists as outgoing and easy to approach, and their expressions even look mischievous to some degree.

Research and Planning: Double Spread Inspiration. (Extra post).

I looked into a couple of different sets of questions to ask a celebrity-like figure, and these were my favourite results. Although the top set is much stronger than the bottom set, I could definitely use these questions as a springboard when making any changes to the questions I have on my double page spread. I particularly like the questions:

- Who inspired you ... etc. ?

- How did you get discovered?

- Who would you be ... famous?

- Favourite childhood memory?

- Most embarrassing moment?

Although some of these questions sound more like they come from a pop magazine, I could alter the bodies of the questions to appeal to my genre of magazine if needed.

Research and Planning: Social Networking. (1)

I asked two of my friends to look at my blog, and they both liked it. One commented on the masthead style and how they liked the design, so this'll influence me to keep it the same. The other thought my magazine production and blog was good in general, so I will keep to my theme from that and make sure my progress and efforts are consistent.

Research and Planning: Shot List.

My handwriting is terrible, so... 

1. Medium close-up, I'll use a medium close-up of one of my models on my magazine cover.

2. Long shot, I will use a longshot of my model in my contents page.

3. Two shot mid-shot, I'll use this for a picture of two of my models in my contents page.

4. Mid-shot, For my double page spread, I will use a large mid-shot. (On one side.)

5. Long shot, this will be on my double page spread.

6. Medium close-up, this will also be on my double page spread.

The reason I have chosen these, is because my magazine should consist of a variety of photos, so the pictures don't feel repetitive, similar or unprofessional. 

Research and Planning: Plan for the Weeks.

Plan for the Week: (30/11/15 - 06/12/15).
Monday and Tuesday: No Media lesson, continue to add extra posts. (See additional list on blog for inspiration.), take photos of different environments and settings, redraft pages.
Wednesday: Take indoor photos of models. If I have time, look over double spread story.
Thursday: Take outdoor photos of models.
Friday: TV Drama lesson, additional posts done at home.
Saturday: Rest day.
Sunday: Extra outdoor photos.

Plan for the Week: (07/12/15 - 13/12/15).
Monday and Tuesday: No Media lesson, continue to add extra posts. Edit and change other posts to improve, look over photos. Post all model photos and setting photos collected.
Wednesday: Continue with magazine. Begin to layout the contents and double spread page.
Thursday: Continue with pages, cover and double spread page.
Friday: TV Drama lesson, do more posts at home.
Saturday: Rest day.
Sunday: Evaluate model photos, upload progress of magazine, consider any changes for Monday.

Plan for the Week: (14/12/15 - 18/12/15; FINAL WEEK).
Monday and Tuesday: Go over all posts, fit in any last additional posts which could help finishing off the magazine. Behind the scenes post would be good on these days!
Wednesday: Finalise cover and contents page, check for spelling mistakes, last minute changes.
Thursday: Finalise double spread pages, check for spelling mistakes, last minute changes.
Friday: TV Drama lesson, come back at lunch and make the final magazine post.

Research and Planning: Double Spread Story Ideas and Inspiration.

Here is an idea I have for my music magazine double spread. My target audience requested stories and gossip about the artist, so some very heads-on questions about their private life should work to fit the target audience. :


From the very streets of Manchester to performances worldwide – Sam Bailey leaves us inspired by how a simple hobby became an international success overnight. We've seen her take the stages like no other. But now, it's time to dig a little deeper...


If you had to think back to it, what was your most embarrassing moment on tour?
– Oh god, don't even get me started! I've had a few mishaps here and there, but there's definitely a worst! Uh, [laughs] one of our tech guys had some difficulty with starting the track on the opening song. So I was left onstage, in front of thousands, just waiting in silence. I had to improvise small talk for about three minutes! Is there anything more awkward?!

What did you do during your days off?
– I wish I could say something productive, like exercise or paperwork or whatever. But honestly, I love to lounge around! Naps, all of that. [laughs] But I think everybody has those days!

Do you ever take ‘hater’ comments seriously?
– Hah! Not in a million years. I prefer to think about what my fans say to me. You always have to listen to the fans, you know? I took a lot of bad criticism seriously earlier on in my career, but now I've sorta learned to get used to it and always look on the bright side.

Where is your happy place?
– Oh man, there are so many! If I had to choose, I'd probably go for the studio. It's just so homely and cozy in there, and it's where I do my thing! Second best happy place would definitely be onstage. When I perform, it's a feeling like no other.

What's your secret to success?
– Oh, that's a thinker. I suppose I just never stopped doing what I love. When I see opportunities, I take them. I always have. I've always thought about making the right decisions, and doing what's best for my music. I could be out there drinking, smoking or whatever, like a real ‘rockstar’, but that just isn't my thing. [laughs] Be yourself, that's my secret.


Well, there you have it! Alternative Rock artist Sam Bailey speaks out about her secret to success and who she is off the stage! Don't forget to check out her latest chart-topper, ‘Wolfpack’ on iTunes, out now!


I'm considering adding an extra question to the list, but it depends upon how much room is taken up on my first page.

Research and Planning: Weather for Next Week.

This is the weather for next week. Thursday and Friday are going to be the best days to shoot photos outdoors, but due to there being a sunset around four in the afternoon, I'll have to take any outdoor photos early. Two of my models are out of college on the Friday, so I'll have them come in during that time to take outdoor photos, or I may take photos on the following Saturday or Sunday outside.

This is what the weekend looks like for my photos. Clearly, Sunday will be best to take outdoor photos, but they will have to be before sunset at three thirty, which can be done. So on Thursday or Friday next week, I'll shoot my indoor photos. And on the Sunday, I'll take my outdoor photos.

Research and Planning: Model Headshots.

These are the headshots of my chosen models for my music magazine:

I chose this model because she would have the appropriate appearance for a solo artist, and the genres mise-en-scene can be met easily.

I've selected this model because he could be altered into looking like a musician/duo member of a group. 

And I've chosen this model because he could also be apart of a duo group as a lead singer, his appearance is also ideal for an alternative theme.

Research and Planning: Extra Posts to Add.

The following posts are additional things I could add to my blog: (Inspired by A-Grade blogs.)

- Behind the scenes: I could take photos of what happened during the shooting of my photos, such as the props I'll prepare, the environment we worked in to get the photos and applying the model makeup/ doing their hair.

- Hair and makeup tests: I'll experiment using makeup and different hair products over the weekend, and talk about which results were the best and which will be appropriate for my theme of magazine.
- Locations: I'll take several photos of different places to take my photos, and also talk about which ones are best, in terms of theme/genre, risk assessment, difficulty of access and permission. Different locations will expand the creativity of my magazine, so this'll be good.

Research and Planning: Double Page Spread Analysis. (Redraft.)

This double page spread (top) has a full-page photo of Cheryl Cole on the left hand side. Like most magazines, there's a large photo of the artist because it shows off the model's personality through what they're wearing, their hair and makeup, and their pose. (Overall mise-en-scene.) So that has inspired me for my magazine to include on one side of my double page spread, a large photo of my model, either a medium shot or a medium close up. On the left hand side, is the name of the artist on the top with two different fonts, as more people would recognise 'Cole' rather than Cheryl, as if it's a signature name. I'll use that method in my double page spread for my artist. The double page spread also has a quote near the bottom left of the left page, and a quote draws attention to the significant areas of the interview, so I'll definitely use some form of quote from my artist story in order to emphasise my interview and allow my double page spread to look much more professional. I've noticed that there's an additional picture on the left page, which has a different setting and costume to the photo on the right. With variation, I think that makes an artist seem much broader and stylish. For my double page spread, I'll be inspired by these pages by having my model wear two different outfits, and be in two different settings. There will be a variety in my magazine that way, and it'll make my settings and ideas seem much more expanded and explored in options. The fonts are mixed between serif and sans serif, depending on placement and the body of text. So I'm going to use a specific number of fonts, and have them assigned to different elements of my magazine. For example, serif for my stories, sans serif for my quotes, etc.

Research and Planning: Production Documents.

These are my production documents and my model release forms. I've made a few notes on my chosen locations and any issues involved in using these places. I've also noted what equipment I'll need regarding which location I choose to shoot my photos.

Research and Planning: Progress Post for Magazine.

This is what I've done for my magazine so far. This is my cover, and the grey background will be replaced by a medium close up of my model. Along the top, I have the positioning statement, and my masthead 'ALTERNATIVE' will be below. 

I have the names of the artist in graphic banners at the bottom, the barcode and the month of the magazine. I still need to add my stories/coverlines, my cover-model signature printed on the cover and the issue number.

Research and Planning: Double Spread. (5 Pages.)

A lot of these pages have plenty of things in common due to the fact they are the same or similar genre of music in the magazine. Some of the things I noticed in which I should apply to my double page spreads are very bold titles in capital letters, which are appropriate to alert the readers of the most important stories. A lot of them have comedic elements or dry humour, to keep the readers entertained. Many of the colours are on a similar palette to one another, and they all have separate themes. For example, the All-American Rejects pages have a scheme of pink, red/orange, black and white. The most popular and common colours are black and white, black for background and white for large bodies of text. All of the double spreads contain artist pictures in which are usually medium/medium close-ups for solo artists and long shots for groups, so I will apply this tip to my magazine pages. The text has plenty of parts in which are significant to the stories, such as artist names, locations, questions and key words are in a different colour to the rest, which make those specific parts of the text significant and draw attention to the main subject of the story. In a way, colour-coordinating text breaks down a story in a magazine to short and snappy information, which will be appropriate for my genre. There are artist quotes placed on top of most pictures, which allow readers to feel personal with the artist(s), as if they're having a conversation. A lot of persona flows through when quotes are used, which allow us to learn more in depth about artists.
Overall, some of the themes and elements in these double page spreads will be used in my magazine, such as colour palettes and specific uses of colour, the medium close-up shots, the quotes and the titling. 

Research and Planning: Serif VS. Sans Serif.

The fonts of my magazine will vary between Serif and Sans Serif, depending on what they are used for in my magazine. For my cover, cover lines, titles and subtitles, I'll use a Sans Serif font in capital lettering, as most professional magazines use this to draw attention to more of the story titles and important sections of a magazine. For Serif, I'll use it for the stories in my double spread pages, and synopsis of stories on the contents page. 

Research and Design: Costume and Props list. (Shaped by Research.)

The costumes I think will be appropriate for my music magazine/three chosen models, will be themed for the Alternative Rock look. 

For my male models, I'm thinking that a formal and designer shirt may suit the theme, along with casual jeans and either black trainers or dark-coloured boots. Other costume pieces may include dark-coloured coats and rucksacks. Accessories may include dark watches; preferably leather; and belts.

For my female model, I'd like her to wear either a black jumper/jacket, or a checked shirt. She should also wear either black jeans or leggings. Some colour co-ordinations usually look good with a few colours, so perhaps a red shirt or cream jumper may work for the 'alternative' look, although I'm concerned as to if my models may also deliver on the rock look.

I'd prefer to keep many accessories to a minimum, as many alternative rock artists tend not to wear them during photoshoots. A lot of my clothing should be dark coloured, mainly because a lot of the music in the theme of alternative rock is supposed to be 'edgy' and cohesive to the look of a rebellious teenager stereotype. 

The props will be based off either music or hobbies. So, I'd like at least one of my models to be surrounded in a musical atmosphere to deliver on the look of an actual artist, and another artist to be in a placement of hobby. A few ideas I have for the musical background would be in some form of music studio at college, such as use of the drum kit or guitars. For the hobbies element, I'll let my models use either my skateboard or longboard at one of the skateparks near me, and take a few pictures of them doing their hobbies. Another hobby I could have would be photography, where I could have my model using a camera in a landscape setting. 

The reason I want very grungy clothes for my models, is because many alternative rock artists, bands and duos have a lot of dark clothing which can stretch from casual to formal - that's what inspired my choices for outfit. As for props, I feel as if the musical background allows my models to seem professional, whilst the viewers also feel personal whenever learning about the artist(s) hobbies. 

My target audience said they would enjoy stories about the artists, so hobbies and professional life will be subjects of interest, most likely.

Research and Planning: Equipment and Software List.

Here is a list of the equipment I will need in order to produce my music magazine:

• Photography Camera.
• Tripod for photography camera.
• Mac. (For editing purposes.)
• Lighting Equipment.
• Greenscreen for white background.

And here is the software required to produce my music magazine:

• Adobe Photoshop.
• Adobe InDesign.
• Blogger.
• Moldiv Photo Editor. (For working from home.)
• Afterlight Photo Editor. (For working from home.)
• Microsoft Word. (For writing up analysis.)
• Microsoft PowerPoint. (For Statistics.)
• Microsoft Excel. (Also for Statistics.)

Research and Planning: Production Schedule.

This is my production schedule. The subjects in a green bar (on the left) are what I have done, earlier than the weeks above. The blue blocks are the tasks I have completed within the given weeks, and the red bar is what applies to film trailers, therefore I won't need it.

Right now, I need to work on getting more photos of my models, and testing out the equipment, outfits/makeup and location of shoots, in which I will find out more about over this weekend.

Research and Planning: Questionnaire Results. (Powerpoint).

   

These are my questionnaire results from my target audience questionnaire for the music magazine. 

http://www.slideshare.net/TiffanyKim1999/music-magazine-questionnaire-results-55050848

Research and Planning: Test Shots. (Extras.)

These are the extra pictures I took - they are not part of the previous task.

Research and Planning: Test Shots.

These are my test shots.

Medium close up inside, with flash.

Medium close up outside, with natural lighting.

Extreme close up, inside with natural lighting.

Landscape shot outside, with natural lighting.

Longshot inside, with natural lighting.

Research and Planning: Publication Plan.

PUBLICATION PLAN.

Name: Alternative.

Price: £2.49

Positioning Statement: My Music Magazine, Alternative, delivers on giving Alternative Rock and Rock fans more information about artists, concerts, and stories. It differs from the majority of music magazines, as it's genre is very particular, and it is themed with a specific type of music and artist in mind. Many other music magazines are often associated with Pop, Rock or Rap as examples, but Alternative has little to no competition, as it is original for a genre of music in which is growing in fans. It appeals to fans because of it's personal and professional elements, which is one of the several reasons as to why it will be successful. Ultimately, the magazine will be priced and sold much like any other magazine, yet it's base purpose is to introduce and inform about music artists in that theme.

Distribution: I would send this magazine to many music stores around a city rather than a town, so it sells out and reaches more music fans. I'd sell this specifically to music stores, as that is exactly where music fans would shop, so my target audience would be right there.

Frequency of Publication: My magazine would probably have one issue every month, so the subscription patterns and costs would remain quite low and consistent.

Rationale: My magazine would talk about new song/album releases, information about certain artists, and stories about studios, concert times and dates, and merchandise. 

Style/Layout/Colour: The style of my magazine would be quite a dark and grungy setup, with several dark colours and very contrasting colours. The layout should be simple, with some advanced formats, but all around easy to read and understand. And as for colours, I think a palette consisting of greys, reds, some shades of brown and I'll probably gradient some of pages for a nicer effect.

Regular Content: The regular content would be new music and merchandise, perhaps chart music of the month, and the editors section.

Featured Content: The featured content will have interviews with artists in the magazines, and maybe a story from them. I'll also have pictures of my models/artists.

Research and Planning: Magazine Page Drafts.

These are my drawn drafts for my music magazine. (Finally.)

The pages consist of my cover, which will have its masthead in which will be 'ALTERNATIVE'. Along the sides will be a long shot picture, a close up, three sets of cover lines and a solo artist name. There'll also be the barcode and price (£2.50). The cover lines will consist of stories in which will have relation to the double page spread.

My contents page will have the date of the issue and company name (Magazine Alternative) under the 'CONTENTS PAGE', a list of pages with a subscription box underneath, a long shot photo to the right. Underneath will be the magazine cover labelled, and (false) contact information to the company.

My left double spread page will be a story, as told by one of my artists, and two pictures in the middle. A long shot, and mid shot. The right double spread page will have questions and answers to the first artist/model, and there will also be questions and answers to artist two, along with that, will be some pictures of the aforementioned artists.

Research and Planning: Independent Research. (3)

I want my models to have props in the scene to which can relate to either hobby or music, in order to make the reader feel much more closer to the artist(s). I think a longboard/skateboard would be good if I were to include hobby, as it is targeted towards teenage and young adult stereotypes, so it can relate to my target audience. If I chose to make my models more musical, I think a guitar, a microphone or set of drums. This way, it'll stand out as a music magazine.