Base Magazine Double Page Spread:

Question 7: Evaluation

Q7. Looking back at the preliminary task what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to a full product?

Since creating my school magazine for the preliminary task, my knowledge using Photoshop has increased considerably from my previous experience, my school magazine for the preliminary task, my knowledge using Photoshop has increased considerably from my previous experience, which was fairly decent. For example, I now know how to make elements of my magazine stand out visually by applying drop shadows and outer glows, which I was not too established with. In addition to this, I learnt how to select parts of photos using the quick selection tool in order to cut things out cleanly and sharply. An example of this would be the central figure himself on the front cover which gives the magazine a more dynamic, 3D appearance than my school magazine front cover. I have also learnt how to download newer and more interesting fonts from the website Dafont.com, increasing the visual appeal of my magazine. As well as this, the complexity of my pages layout has increased as I have learned how to use layers in Photoshop much more effectively. Furthermore, I have also learned how to use Blogger effectively by the practice I had doing my preliminary, which has enabled me to use the programme more effectively.

Furthermore, drafting my page layout and design atleast once enabled me to have a template when creating the real product on Photoshop. It helped in terms of column positioning, text positioning and even image position.

Overall, my understanding of the software has improved greatly throughout this project because at the start, my knowledge was not professional, and now I have produced a professional looking magazine using it.

Question 6: Evaluation

Q6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

This is the Dell inspiron laptop I used to create my magazine on. I did use the school Apple Mac computers during lesson times, but the majority of my work was done on this laptop to hopefully great effect. I found using this laptop more effective as it was simpler to transport around with me in comparison to a computer, so I could do my work in various locations.

I also used aUSB memory stick to transfer the work that I had done on the Apple Mac computer to my Dell inspiron laptop. This was beneficial, as I was able to do the work done in class at home, ever finishing it off or improving on it. I did have some trouble; however, as I had lost my first USB stick which contained my initial front cover. I should have prevented this by backing up my work, either on another computer, or on another memory stick if possible.

When taking the pictures used for my music magazine, I used a Canon camera. The camera had a wide range of lens sizes, lens zoom and shutter speeds which enabled me to take a variety of different camera shots, angles and views. The camera also contained a memory card, which was easily placed into the back of the laptop and assess the images via the desktop.I learnt how to use “Adobe Photoshop CS5” by creating my magazine and editing my photos during the preliminary task. In terms of using Photoshop, I found it reasonable simple as I have great experience using it for other subjects, as well as having the software on my laptop at home. I found using Photoshop highly beneficial, as it is again a software which I had vast experience using, so I could therefore use various tools and application on the programme to great effect.

Furthermore, I created a blog account using “Blogger” to post all of my research and planning for the preliminary and main task activities, as well as my final magazine and evaluation. Using Blogger, I found it primarily a success, as this enabled my work to look more visually attractive and aspects such as losing quality when printing your work was not an issue using this application. However, I found that using Blogger would not enable me to layout my text and images effectively, as well as the restriction of the template designs available which may have made my blog more visually creative. Overall, I have learnt a lot about technology on a whole throughout this project; before creating my magazine I had never used Blogger, an Apple Mac and even a Canon camera. In addition to this, I had never used Photoshop to create a music magazine, however I now feel confident in using the programme for other creative measures.

Question 5: Evaluation

Q5. How did you attract/address your audience?

I used a variety of techniques to try and attempt to address my target audience. The main technique, and most effective feature, of the magazine was the use of colloquial language – “Street Slang”. This in particular would relate to the target audience as they more than likely will hear the same language day in and day out, as well as using the language itself in there own daily lifes. The particular use of language, such as “Sickest”, “Crew”, “Cruisin’” and even “Thug life” are all phrases and words that the reader of this magazine will hear and use everyday, and for this, will look to buy this magazine as they can relate to what is being displayed and the genre itself. In addition to language, the use of costume and props where pivotal in addressing and attracting the target demographic. Two models in the contents page are wearing woolen hats, as well as hooded jumpers and large bomber ajckets. These all fit into the particular stereotypical outfits worn by people who both rap and listen to rap, which is something that I particularly wanted to emphasis this point to the readers so they can engage and read into something that relates to there gratifications. When looking at the figures used, they are all young; between the ages of 16-17. This further would attract my target audience as they too will be around the similar age group and gender and will therefore want to pick up the magazine and read into something that they can relate to its artists – being a teenager and male. Moreover, the non-verbal communcation used by the figures appears to be in some cases quirky and somewhat cheeky. This again relates to the target audience, who are stereotypical both quirky and cheeky, which furthermore will engage with the target demographic. It is beneficial to remember that 40% of all magazine purchases are determined by the content of the front cover, instead of brand loyalty. This is why the sue of a colloquial register, urban clothing and props as well as non-verbal communication all help the magazine to engage with the target audience.

Question 4: Evaluation

Q4.Who would be the audience for your media product?

The target audience for my music magazine is primarily aged between 16-21, predominantly male with a lower/middle class social background that can afford to purchase a music magazine weekly/monthly.

Typically, the ideal male would match to the one used in my “Base reader profile”. The male will have ideally just begin or left sixth form/college and has a vast knowledge and interest in UK based and American based rap and hip-hop. They class relaxing with their friends whilst listening to artists such as Lil-Wayne, Drake and Wiz Khalifa as a social hobby. Their free time may also consist of recording their own sub-type of rap music, such as "Grime" and "Acapella". Even though most of their money is spent on new albums and mix tapes, they do have some extra money to spend on clothing influenced by their favorite artists, such as baggy jeans, puffer jackets and chunky basketball shoes, although they would primarily be from cheaper stores such as JD Sports, TK Maxx and Nike town.

Question 3: Evaluation

Q3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I think that a media institution such as IPC Media would be the best to distribute my magazine. This is because, although it already distributes music magazines such as “NME”, “Uncut” and “Guitar and Bass” which do not follow my musical genre, my magazine is aimed at a much younger audience than these, therefore there is a gap in the market for it. In addition to this, the fact that it already distributes such well known music magazines means that they have the necessary experience and loyal consumerism who might be interested in a new branch of music magazine – “BASE”.

I did initially consider Bauer Media to distribute my magazine because it has over 80 influential media brands amd reaches over 19 million people. However, it already distributes music magazines with a very similar target audience and genre, for example “Kerrang”, even though it does not fit into my media genre. Therefore, it would be unlikely to distribute a competitor to one of its existing successful magazines.

Question 2: Evaluation

Q2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

I have chosen to compare this image of Eminem from “VIBE” magazine with my front cover photo from my magazine to explain how my magazine represents a particular social group.

The postures of both men are similar in the sense that they have both got their hands positioned in front of them, either crossed or near to their face. They also share similar facial expressions – both serious and staring straight into the camera, although my central figure appears to be smiling faintly to provide a less intimidating appearance. Furthermore, both men are displayed showing tattoos (in which my central figures where edited on). This provided a representation of this particular social class, the urban appearance, as tattoos are normally associated as a “trophy” of your time in prison and something that is somewhat rebellious. In addition, both men have the same use of lighting applied, a mid-shine which makes the faces appear brighter and visually appealing. Unconventionally, however, they appear to have different hairstyles – my central figures in longer, darker and slightly gelled up from the back, whereas Eminem has shorter, lighter and more severe hair. Overall, I think that these elements of the photos represent a normal young social group that my magazine reflects throughout – the people featured in my magazine are quite normal looking – there is nothing extreme or obscure about their appearances. Finally, I have chosen to select a white male, just as “VIBE” has done. Quintessentially, a black male rapper is normally situated at the front of a rap based music magazine, so I have unconventionally used a white male to break this particular stereotype.

Question 1: Evaluation

Q1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

My music magazine product both uses, develops and challenges the forms and conventions of other media products, in this case a music magazine. I have tried to follow the basic key concepts of a music magazine, in which I have placed my masthead at the top-centre of the page, in which the central figure is covering a small amount of the text to highlight his significance. I have used the font “SF Automation” as my font for the “BASE” logo in which I manipulated in Photoshop, using a gradient overlay and an additional shadow effect around the text. I stuck to the colors red and black because these colors seem to be the classic colors associated with the rap culture – the genre of my magazine. I believe the logo follows the conventions of some existing magazines, for example it could be compared to “VIBE” magazine, in the sense that this masthead is bold, bright and in block capitals. Furthermore, I have experimented with an outer shadow, which somewhat challenges the typical conventions, but I believe it works in its own right.

An example is the masthead used for the “VIBE” and “Q” magazine. The “VIBE” masthead uses big, block and crisp capitals as in contrast, “Q” uses a more simpler font with a shadow effect which I have also used.

However, the masthead for my magazine does also challenge the codes and conventions of real magazines, as the text is filled with a red and black gradient overlay. This challenges the conventions of other rap magazines because mastheads are usually one color, so therefore more simple. In spite of this, I think my masthead works because it combines the conventional and unconventional features of a masthead, making it unique and therefore more eye-catching and memorable.

I believe the mise-en-scene of my images follow the typical codes and conventions of other music magazine products. This is because I used a variety of settings for my photographs, ranging from a graphitized underground to an urban brick wall, similar to those used to those in magazines like “The Source” and “XXL”. These landscaped fit in well with the concept of my magazine, because they reflect the essence of the urban street culture associated with rap which is something I wanted to capture. In addition to this, the majority of my images follow the conventions of magazines by displaying the rapper as quirky, serious and not caring what others think. This non verbal communication is used effectively to portray their mode of address – they’re looking directly at the camera in most of the shots.

The costume and props used throughout “BASE” are typically conventional. This is because the rapper used in my magazine wore costumes which included big high-top shoes, a bomber jacket, white trousers and a blue Toywatch. All of these items could be found in real music magazines. In addition to this, the props features are commonly used in existing magazines as they are staples of the urban rap image – for example the black, iconic microphone used to produce and record there lyrics.

The people featured in my magazine throughout are quite unconventional. This is because they’re quite young and not as extreme or obscure in their appearance as some artists in rap magazines. In addition to this, most rappers in real magazines, for example “VIBE” seems to include a female in their magazine. Therefore I have been unconventional by not featuring a woman in my music magazine which may well not be effective for the female audience. However, because my target audience is male teenagers to late twenties, I have followed the needs of my target demographic. I think the unconventional choice of people in relation to existing magazines will not be a problem. This is because by using male teenagers on the front cover, contents page and double page spread, the target audience will be able to relate and aspire to be like them; the target audience are more likely to be interested in a single male rapper then a band that consists of females.

I created the title “LAWLESS” by using the “SF Automation” font on Photoshop and then by using another font “Ihminen” placed human figures on top of the lettering. Furthermore, I then added an outer glow and drop shadow to it. I think my title is slightly unconventional in the sense that the letters are positioned at varying angles, whereas real magazines tend to keep their headlines in a straight line. However, I feel that this will appeal more to my teenage/early twenties audience because of its visual impact. On the other hand, the title is conventional in the sense that it has the largest font size on the double page, as well as being bold and standing out with the drop shadow. In addition to this, the way the title appears looks slightly worn away and slightly rough, which is similar to real music magazines like the ones analyzed at the start of my project.

The written content of my magazine furthermore follows the codes and conventions of a real music magazine by covering similar topics in the questions. For example, it asks aboutwhat the rappers favourite song is, what fellow rapper do you admire/hate, what music do they have on their own IPod, how they came up with their name, who has been there major influence and there worst tune etc. All of these topics could be found in a real rap music magazine aimed at teenagers/young adults. In addition to this, the standfirst follows conventions by introducing the rapper at the start of the interview with a punchy line. Furthermore, the editor’s review is featured on the contents page has a chatty, familiar mode of address which is conventional.

The main musical genre of my music magazine is rap with hip-hop influences. This is quite clear throughout my magazine because of the props, costume and setting on display. For example, I used a microphone as the page numbers, used a variety of shots set in an urban setting, and have included a free rap mix tape on the front cover. In addition to this, the rappers and artists listed on the front cover and in the contents page are of the same genre. As well as this, the use of black, white, grey and red throughout my magazine (classic urban colors) and the mise-en-scene of the images emphasizes that “BASE” is a rap magazine. Real music magazines suggest their genre by the use of mise-en-scene of their images and the artists included, therefore my magazine followed the codes and conventions in this case.

The layout of my magazine is mainly conventional. This is highlighted on the contents page which displays an interview in columns beneath a standfirst and title. Moreover, the photos are arranged at angles (similar to printed photographs) with quotes scattered around the page. As well as this, my front cover follows layout conventions by having the masthead at the top of the page, a list of artists down the right-hand side and a main headline located down the left-hand side of the page.

The bar code positioning is also conventional, as it is situated at the left-hand side at the bottom of the page, which is familiar amongst many of music magazines.

My contents page contains elements that follow the codes and conventions of existing music magazines. For example, it features a subsciption area in which you can download the magazine on your mobile phone. However, in comparison to the contents pages I have viewed as research, the layout of my contents is not as regimented and spacey as “XXL” and “VIBE” magazine, thus making it slightly unconventional. In spite of this, I think that the arrangement of the photos, use of neat columns and fairly mix of simplistic and bold fonts would appeal to the target demographic more than a spacey, simplistic layout.

Original Photos:

In this photo, I have used a medium/long shot to establish the central figure on the front cover. I have positioned the figure in the centre of the page, and have placed the figure in front of the “BASE” text in order to highlight his significance and importance. I have used appropriate costume; I have made the figure wear a bomber jacket with his sleeves rolled up. This costume is stereotypical for one associated with rappers, as the “American sport” look is highly seen as fashionable in this culture. His body language is quite reflective and seems to be posing, which is a key convention in numerous music magazines. Furthermore, the use of non-verbal communication with the figure enables the audience to engage with the product further. His facial expressions, for example his indistinctive smile comes across as somewhat quirky and menacing which will engage with the target demographic who will be eager to read on into the magazine.In this photo, I have used a close up with the main central figure. The close up shot helps to establish the facial expressions, which are somewhat serious. I again have the figure dressed in an American bomber jacket, in which his body language appears to be quite distant, as if he was in some form of deep thought. Furthermore, his arms are crossed which again reinforces the idea of reflection which will engage the reader to read the magazine and to come to terms of what the figure may be thinking.

I will use this photo, as the medium shot works well with the other images on the contents page, which vary in shot length. This costume appears appropriate, as the red bomber coat goes well with the other red textboxes and text present on the page.

I will intend to use this long shot, as it captures the central figure in a new dimension as the other shots used are both long and medium. The shot also helps to establish further what the figure is wearing, which will build on the stereotype I am trying to build.

This shot is a medium-close up which has varying focus which I admire. The hand and phone of the figure appear to be more focused then the figures face and body, which provides a sense of mystery and ambiguity.

This medium shot is effective as it establishes the figures costume, props and non-verbal communication. I will use this shot additionally, as the figure appears to be wearing quite smart clothing, which will provide a different dimension to the genre of rap which may appeal to other particular audiences.

Base Magazine Front Cover

Base Magazine Contents Page:

Analysis of Music Magazine Key Conventions

One of the most generic conventions of Vibe magazine, and a constant convention throughout music magazines, is that its masthead has the same font and size (Large, bold and an easy font to read with the colours varying to issue type) and it’s always situated top central to the page. The readers, quintessentially occasional buyers, will acknowledge that the masthead will be situated there, so it isn’t always necessary to have it completely on show. The central figure, in this case, is covering the masthead which centrals the figure and enables the reader to acknowledge the significance and importance of this character to the magazine.The central figure/s helps to maintain a stereotype, as well as customer loyalty. They are always current and popular, either solo artists or groups, that fit the musical genre of Vibe (Predominantly Hip-Hop/Rap) and they are primarily male – in between the ages of mid-twenties to late thirties. They are mostly quite attractive and glamorous, which provides successful circulation of the magazine as the readers want to view their favourite artists and groups and aspire to have their prestige status. Customer loyalty is maintained primarily by maintaining features from issue to issue and constantly providing features which engage the particular audience. These include interviews with various acts and articles about current and relative artists, gig listings and free posters. In my personal opinion, I think that Vibe’s target demographic is predominantly young males from their late teens to early thirties (Roughly the age of the central figures and artists featured) I assume this due to the masculine colour schemes used; the use of greens and dark brown, the aforementioned male central figures and also the advertising featured which seem to appeal to the male market. These adverts include Rolex watch adverts, clothing brands such as Urban Street Wear and technology (i.e. IPhone 3 and the Blackberry Curve) which all belong primarily in the male market, as well as being vastly popular amongst the demographic.

On occasions, Vibe sometimes has female central figures. It isn’t often that a naked woman is featured on the front of a music magazine, therefore can be viewed as more appealing to the male target audience. The issue on the left breaks a lot of the standard Vibe conventions. The typical use of masculine colors is juxtaposed with a bright, heavenly white light with the contrasting red, which carries connotations of love and romance. Nudity, again something not often seen on Vibe covers, is seen as shocking. It is also unconventional across music magazines as a whole to feature a very revealing image of a attractive lady on their covers. This therefore indicates that Vibe are willing to offer some variety to their magazine to decrease tedium and to possibly appeal to other potential audiences while not totally changing the image of the magazine itself.

This contents page is quite simply constructed, however it is still effective as it provides a sense of class and elegance to the magazine. It features the first letter of the masthead, the letter V, but this time it is more faded and less dominant. The content itself is featured down the right hand side of a photo with the “Features” situated down the left. Underneath the photo of the central figure, is a very brief but relevant article. This builds on the interest of the contents page, as well as building on the simplicity of the design. The words “Contents” are situated at the top of the page in bold capitals which again signify the importance of the word and to indicate to the audience what the page involves. The colour scheme used – a low saturation with the use of greys and black – provide a sense of classiness and prestige to the magazine which will engage potential other demographics to purchasing the magazine if previewed. However, Vibe normally includes details of subscription to the magazine. A lot of magazines, not just musical ones, have a box of information on subscription on their contents pages. The contents page is one of the very first pages in the whole magazine itself, therefore acting as a tool of persuasion to the audience to subscribe to the magazine from the very start, resulting in a profit. Furthermore, music magazine also include the convention of adding various media platform links, such as internet sites (Facebook, Twitter and MySpace) that can be assessed by phone to subscribe the magazine on your mobile phone.

This double page spread from XXL magazine contains one central image which occupies one whole page has the effect of centralizing the image and highlighting the significance of the artist, in the case The Game. The image used is normally effective as well as the person is normally captured in a relaxed, everyday position which welcomes the reader to reading the interview. The color scheme used is fairly simple, which acts as a means of centralizing the image further and to not dominate the page. A key convention used which is evident in many other magazines, is a quote from the interview being enlarged. The quote used is often shocking in a sense of revealing the figures emotions and possible past to the audience. The use of this shock tactic again will engage the reader further and provide a further dimension to the page, making it seem more interesting and worth reading. Other conventions used, such as a dark, bold font for the artists name also enables the reader to acknowledge who the interview is about and to ensure it is easily Other conventions used, such as a dark, bold font for the artists name also enables the reader to acknowledge who the interview is about and to ensure it is easily read.

All of the above analysis and research of music magazine key conventions has helped me to come to these decisions about how I will construct and apply these conventions in my music magazine. Firstly, my central figure will be roughly the same age as the target demographic (Teenagers from 13-18) and will appear relevant to the music genre. I will not use many colors in the contents page and double page spread, as too many colors will create an eye sore and drown the main purpose of these pages, to provide a textual insight into the magazine and artist/s. The use of simple color schemes will also make my pages seem classier and more appealing, just as Vibe and XXL have successful achieved amongst their audiences. Furthermore, I will offer features that seem as though they would reoccur if the magazine was to be circulated every week (i.e. additional posters, gigs and stories etc.) Finally, I will use a large, bold font for the masthead to establish the magazine name on the page and to make it the most significant behind to central image, which will appear ahead of it. I will also use a variety of camera shots for each page, for example a Mid-shot for the front cover, a Long-shot for the contents page and a Close-up shot for the double page spread to capture the central image in various dimensions and follow the conventions of Vibe magazine.

Title Block Analysis and Design:

The title block on the magazine primarily is big, bold and bright in colour with the use of red. The colour of the font is always contrasting with the background, so it stands out and makes it as visual as possible for the viewer. The use of juxtaposing colours further establishes the text on the page, highlighting its significance to the viewer and making it a central figure. The font used is very simple but effective because it is seen and recognised as it establishes itself effectively on the black background, although this background is not conventionally common in the “VIBE” logo. Furthermore, the font used is clean and simple, which carries connotations of class and potential elegance in a genre that has proven to be the opposite; rap. The title block itself does not give away the genre of the magazine, but it tells us as the audience that the music content in the magazine is about the “VIBE” that is around in the music scene at the time and what you will get when reading the publication; a musical vibe. Finally, the font used is typical of rap magazines; large, central, essentric but simple, and block capitals. As my selected genre for my musical magazine is rap/hip-hop, the "VIBE" masthead will act as a major influence as to how my font will look itself.

The Q magazine logo is a single letter, the letter "Q". It is white on a bold red background, which establishes this iconic letter on the page due to the contrasting colours. The "Q" is somewhat ambiguous, as it does not give anything away about the genre of the music in the magazine, acting as a potential hook for the reader to pick up the magazine and read on. It does stick in the readers mind because it is a bold and prominent image on the magazine and in to in your head. The type of democratic audience I would say this magazine is aimed at from the title is an older one, preferbly from the ages 20 plus. I think this is because of the font; the letter is written in a classy, somewhat simple text. The font is or similar to "Times New Roman", even the name of the font carries connotations of old and quite boring writing, which will not draw in the younger audiences to read the magazine. If it was written in a bolder block letter font (similiar to that of "VIBE"), it would look more current and modern, furthermore engaging with the younger demographic. My targeted demographic audience is primarily from the ages 15-21, so the use of the more simpler font like "Q" would not be affective in promoting and earning circulation amongst the target audience.

Moreover, NME magazine's logo is in bold capitals, again with the persistant use of the sharp red on a black backround. The bold capitals of "NME" are used effectively as they stand out and signify the font on the page, which is conventionally quite crowded. The black backround amongst the red again enables the text to establish itself on the page, as these juxtaposing colours work well with one another. Additionally, a white border is placed around the text itself, with a shadow effect on each of the three letters. This again builds on the effect of establishing the text on the page and making it seem as if it is coming off the page ahead of the other text and images present. Due to the bold and clean font, i would target the magazine audience to be fairly young, between the ages of 16-25. Due to these three logos, it has given me a greater understanding as to how i shall make my magazine logo to create mass attention. With my own creation of my magazine logo, I will think about these certain things:

1.) What name should I use? How it relates to both the genre and the target audience.

2.) What colours should be used? Red and black with a shadow are good examples of contrasting colours which may make the text stand out on the page further.

3.) What font should I use? Should it be plain and simple, or bold and neat to target the specific audience.

4.) How big should the masthead be? Should it be fairly small and located in the corner (NME and Q) or should it be large and located central on the page (Vibe). Should the central figure be situated in front of the text to highlight his/her significance?

Designing Title Blocks - An Example:

For my music magazine, I wanted to ensure that I gave my magazine the best possible logo; seeing as the title of a magazine is one of the first things the audience look at (or look at for). I figured this would be a good place to start off my music magazine and the masthead "KING" would work best as it can be illustrated to great effect. I then had to decide which illustration to use, and then I had to decide which illustration was best suited for my magazine if it illustrated the word "KING" perfectly. From all the different fonts tried, I felt that font 2 best suited my magazine; as font 1 was too basic for my liking, font 3 was too structured and neat and font 4 was too amateurish. I also admired the crown on top of the "I" which reinforced the word "KING". The word "KING" itself carries connotations of wealth, hierarchy and status which is something that I would like my rap magazine to be based on; being the best music magazine on the current market. Title 2 was also most suited, as the text was simple, bold and the colors (Red and Black) used juxtapose one another so it therefore stands out in the viewers mind. The font used is also similar to the one used with "VIBE" magazine, therefore it will fit into the rap magazine genre a lot more:

I decided that "BASE" would be my chosen title (masthead). Once I had chosen my final name title, I then started to experiment on Adobe Photoshop. Adobe Photoshop enabled me to identify the different style fonts which meant I was able to choose from variety of choices. It also enabled me to select a wide range of colours, sizes, border shadows and outer glow. I had come up with six different font font styles which appealed to me most, but in the end I chose only one font style which is shown in logo 2. All of my fonts are in bold, block capitals which I intend on using in my final design. The fonts vary from Feast of Flesh BB, SF Automation, Docteur Atomic and Coalition. I personally believe that the SF automation font is most suitable, as it is similiar to the one used with "VIBE" and furthermore stands out on the page:

Once I decided on my final name title and style, I then decided to experiment on the colours and use of shadowing available. While I was experimenting, I came across some dull and boring colours, which lacked excitement and possible attention. I wanted a colour that I could keep consistent, a colour that would grab my readers attention, a colour that would stand out from the backround. The black and red gradient overlay I preferred more, as the colours are again contrasting and help the logo "BASE" to stand out on the page. I then went even further and created a black shadow outline on the text. This will again make the logo appear more significant, as it has the effect of making it seem 3D and as if it is coming off the page infront of the other text present:

By choosing the right font colour, I was then able to keep this colour scheme consistent throughout my music magazine. I am pleased with the colour and font I have chosen and I believe that it will attract the target demographic effectively.

Textual Analysis: Music Magazine Double Page Spread

The double page spread denotes a central figure (male rapper Nas) looking directly into the camera. It is a medium close-up shot revealing his arms, shoulders, body and head with his waist downwards not visible in the shot. The background (which occupies one page and half a page) appears to be denoting gym and boxing equipment such as: punch bags, gym mats and weight machines. To the far right of the double page spread, there is a text box containing text for the rappers interview with the magazine with an extended quote from the interview situated at the bottom of the text box. Situated at the top of the text box is the rappers name in which the font is large and dominates the text, as well as being in an old fashioned script font. Furthermore, the first word of the interview contains a large capital C which is the largest font on the page, marking the significance of the interview, which is a popular convention amongst many magazine double page spreads. Mise en scene can be analysed to deconstruct the directed meaning of the double page spread. The rapper in the image is seen wearing particular “Costume” in which a watch, chain, diamond ring and vest are denoted. The burnished watch displayed by the rapper carries connotations of prestige and wealth and esteem as a large watch is an item quintessentially associated with the wealthy, upper-class market to provide status. The diamond ring deliberately displayed by the rapper again connotes wealth, prosperity and status as it is an item that is often associated with loyalty, therefore portraying the artist as possible loyalty within the rap culture. As well as this, the chain displayed around the rapper’s neck further builds on the connotations relating to wealth and riches, further amplifying his status as being prosperous, possibly due to his career. In addition, the figure is shown wearing tattoos amongst his arms, which is a common theme amongst musicians and amongst urban street culture which connotes the rappers status of being a street rapper who prides himself on his urban background stereotype and image. The rapper is also shown wearing a white vest, which is an item used for perhaps exercise or to perhaps stay breezy which carries connotes that he is possibly working hard or trying to adapt his body which may be metaphorical for his rap career. The use of props is evident in the background with various gym equipment such as Everlast punching bags, gym mats and weight machines. These pieces of equipment, for example the punching bag, carries connotations of preparing for a fight and practice to improve your boxing technique which is significant as it may reflect that the rapper may be preparing for a battle with his career for the better or worst perhaps, or against another rapper which is a popular custom within the rap world for opposing rappers to make tracks about one another to depict who is better. The setting appears to denote a dreary, old fashioned gym with windows looking out to a cityscape of some sort. This brings to mind the fictional fairytale story of Rocky, who was a boxer who trained in a old fashioned, archaic gym but strived to reach the big time and conquer the world of boxing. This may be symbolic in the life of the rapper, who possibly is fighting a battle to reach the top from the bottom, reflecting his “Rags to Riches” background. The windows carry connotations of freedom and ambition which is emblematic as the rapper may have ambitions and strife towards being a worldwide phenomenon and becoming one of the best rappers of his generation. The deliberate use of low-key is quite homogeneous, in which the image denotes a shadowy directional lack of lighting shining on the right side of the rappers face and body deliberately leaves the other side of the rapper dark and ambiguous. This carries connotations of vagueness, anonymity and suspense which portrays to the reader that the artist may contain a dark and mystifying side, which automatically brings a stereotype to the artist. The low-key lighting which is partly shining on one side of his body connotes heaven and evangelism which displays the rapper in a good light and juxtaposes the typical stereotype of a rapper – one of being appalling and uninfluencial. As well as lighting, the use on non verbal communication (NVC) acts as a means of communicating with the viewer with no words said. The photo is of Nas, in which his body language is posed in a fairly relaxed, reflective manner in which his waist and upwards is visible as if he was sitting on a chair. The fact that he may be sitting down brings a sense of welcoming to the page and invites the reader to not feel threatened by the image. His hand signals show that his hands are together in a thoughtful, reflective manner to display that he is in clear thought. This enables the reader to interpret this in a variety of dimensions, for example the rapper may be thinking about his future or possible past that his influenced his life which may all be revealed in the interview on the opposite page which engages the reader to read this. The fact that his body language is reflective may also indicate he is aspiring to be more established and known in the rap world. Furthermore, his facial expressions denote his eyebrows pointed upwards and his eyes fairly open indicate to the audience a sense of desire and willingness. This again builds on the rappers image of striving for the better and trying to reach the heights of the rap industry. The most dominant text on the screen appears to be the rappers name, Nas, in which the font is appears to be in the Vivaldi font which is an old fashioned font, carrying connotations of elegance and class which provides the reader with a positive image of the rapper. It may also suggest that XXL magazine, even though lists itself under the rap culture, is one of class and provides stories and news that is not what many stereotype rap as “trashy”. This is something its readers can rely on for accurate and challenging journalism. Furthermore, the letter C is put in a bold, red old fashioned script large font to begin the interview with the rapper. This is a common convention amongst music magazine double page spread, and is used as a signifier to show the beginning of the interview. The font is again in an old fashioned Vivaldi font, again carrying connotations of classiness and elegance which may be indicating that the interview is not just trashy but provides a stylish approach. The use of technical codes creates meaning in the particular image. The shot size used is a medium close up, which enables the reader to view the figures facial expressions significantly to understand the figures emotions being portrayed. The shot also enables us to view the figures body language and hand signals, in which he is positioned sitting down in a reflective manner. The lens type appears to also be standard which again enables the image to be established on the page, and the camera angle appears to be straight-on which engages the reader, making them feel part of the page as the image is situated in the viewers point of view.

Textual Analysis: Music Magazine Front Cover

The magazine cover denotes a coloured photograph of a central figure (male rapper T.I.) looking directly into the camera. It is a close up shot revealing his shoulders, hands together and head leaned slightly sideways with the rest of his body not visible in the shot. The background of the photograph is a dark blue, with the photograph covering the whole of the magazine cover. Behind the male is the iconic Vibe masthead, and in front of the male are 5 separate coverlines in white and red. The male photographed on the cover’s name is in a bright white and there are some sentences in each cover line that are coloured in red. A bar code is also evident in the bottom left corner of the magazine.

The Vibe masthead is very distinctive – it is a simple, bold red that is very large and dominates the page which enables the reader to acknowledge the significance of the title and allows the reader to view the font clearly. The font used appears to be SF Automation, in which the letters are denotated as being block capitals. The usage of block capitals and the blood like red carries connotations of violence and bloodshed which provides me with the impression that the magazine – predominantly displaying rap culture – can be linked to the brutal side of rap wars between different artists, most notably The Notorious B.IG. and Tupac, which led to the artists being shot dead by one another after conflict. As well as this, the sharp red juxtaposes the dark blue background which furthermore builds on establishing the magazine name on the page and enabling it to be read precisely by the reader. Obviously, the word “Vibe” is used in musical terminology, suggesting that this magazine has all of the connotations associated with music, rhythm and beat, again indicating to the reader that it is a music magazine. The word “Vibe” itself, relating to rhythm and beat, is a phrase in which rappers and hip-hop artists can relate to as their music contains rhythm and vibe making the magazine seem vastly musical and flowing. The name “Vibe” itself tells the audience that this magazine is all about music and musicians.

Mise en scene can be deconstructed to interpret the magazine covers true meaning and come to a negotiated reading. The rapper in the image is seen wearing a particular “Costume” in which a watch, hat, chain and jacket are denoted. The shiny watch displayed at the bottom of the page carries connotations of clear prestige, wealth and power which enables the reader to acknowledge the rappers wealth and status as a large watch is an item which is quintessentially associated with the upper-class market. As well as this, the chain around the rappers neck has cleverly been pictured by the editor, as it again carries clear connotations of prosperity, power and affluence which build on the rappers image of being successful and possibly showing off his wealth due to his “Rags to riches” background which is common amongst many rappers. Finally, the hat worn by the rapper is very common amongst the urban street culture which connotes the rappers status of being a street rapper who perhaps prides himself on his urban background stereotype and his rapper image. The lighting on his hands may also indicate that he bears a “Godly” image, perhaps amongst the rap institution.

The use of lighting has been successfully effective by the editor. The use of low-key lighting is quite homogeneous, in which the image denotes a shadowy, directional lack of lighting shining from underneath the rapper. This carries connotations of mystery, suspense and ambiguousness which depicts to the reader that the artist contains a dark and mysterious side which may be revealed in the latter of the magazine. The low-key lighting also carries connotations of heaven and evangelism which displays the rapper in a good light and juxtaposes the typical stereotype of a rapper – one of being appalling and uninfluencial.

As well as lighting, the use of Non verbal communication (NVC) acts as a means of communicating with the viewer, without any words said. The cover photograph is of T.I., in which his body language is posed in a suggestive threatening manner; he is leaning forward into the reader’s sight. The fact that he is leaning forward indicates to the audience that he is a dominating character and contains an attitude which again can be related to the rap culture. T.I.’s hand signals show that his hands are together in a contemplative, reflective manner to display that he is in clear thought. This enables the viewer to interpret this in a variety of dimensions, for example thinking about his life or events which occupy his life, providing an insight into the magazine and the interview exposing the rappers emotions in the latter of the magazine. The fact that his body language is reflective may also indicate he is aspiring to be more established and known in the rap world, which is evident in the coverline which indicates people “Comparing me to Tupac” who was one of the most established rappers in history. Furthermore, his facial expressions denote his eyebrows screwed downwards and his eyes squinted to indicate to the audience a sense of antagonism, resentment and attitude. This again further builds on the rappers notoriously bitter stereotypical attitude, possibly towards the world or current state. His facial expressions, which are clearly indicative towards the reader, may also act as a means of highlighting T.I.’s repulsed attitude towards the people.

The main coverline that relates to the photograph says: “T.I. Exclusive…people have been comparing me to Tupac.” Again, Tupac was an extremely popular artist amongst many rap followers, which is effective as it is a bold statement that engages the demographic as Tupac is renowned as one of the greatest ever rappers of his era. The different coverlines used, such as “Keri Hilson”, “Jay-Z” and “2010 in review” implies that the magazine doesn’t concentrate on just one genre of music, and doesn’t only focus on music either, but is diverse on what it chooses to write about which targets a variety of different demographic readers. The use of other media platforms, such as the Blackberry scanner code, enables the reader to assess the magazine on other platforms such as mobile phones which enables it to be viewed no matter the situation, e.g. on the train or bus, increasing further circulation.

All of the coverlines use a basic font, connoting class and simplicity. It suggests that Vibe magazine, even though lists itself under the rap culture, is one of class and provides stories and news that is not what many stereotype rap as “trashy”. This is something its readers can rely on for accurate and challenging journalism.

The use of technical codes creates meaning in the particular image. The shot size is a close up, which enables the reader to view the figures facial expressions significantly to understand the figures emotions being portrayed. The close up shot also enables the shot to dominate the page, making it central therefore most important. The lens type appears to be standard which again enables the image to be established on the page, and the camera angle appears to be straight-on which engages the reader, making them feel part of the page as the image is situated in the viewers point of view.

When I consider all of these points, I would suggest that the most likely target demographic audience would be predominantly young, urban followers of hip-hop culture, roughly between the age group of late teens to early thirties and primarily a male audience. They are likely to not be enormously knowledgeable, possibly well read, wealthy (Most probably middle/lower class) and would have an interest in American Hip-Hop/Rap popular culture with a defined interest in a wide range of rap platforms in a range of musical styles and in the music industry generally.

Introduction:

Hello, my name is Declan Molloy, and as part of my AS media coursework (which counts for 50% of the AS grade) the brief requires me to create the front cover, contents page and double page spread of a new music magazine. I am also required to use an image manipulation program, for example Adobe Photoshop cs5. I have created this blog in order to record my research and planning which willhelp me to produce a successful magazine. All of my research, production and post-production evaluation will be located in the following posts. Thank you.