Dear Moderator

Heya!

This is my AS Media blog which features my progression throughout the year, including:
-First college magazine
-Research and planning
-Final music magazine
-Evaluation

My evaluation starts from the 9th of March, and my research and planning from September 2011. My completed music magazine is right after this post, so feel free to scroll on.

I hope you enjoy my posts!

Many Thanks

Philippa.

Thursday, 15 December 2011

Rsearch and Planning - Continuation of magazine

This is what I've done so far of the magazine, I've just cropped out the picture so far and have yet to photo shop it.

Research and Planning - Production plan

I'll complete this document over the holidays because I yet have more photo's to come.  The document is put up on this site to show it will be completed.

Rsearch and Planning - Production plan

Monday, 5 December 2011

Research and Planning - Contents page

I've started the base of  the contents page layout, following he theme of the T being extended. Hopefully trying to fill it up next lesson.

Research and Planning - Title idea

 

I liked this style of titled text so that's  the reason why I decided to use it for my magazine.  This is also taken from the NME magazine, and shows I can do similar things that relate to this genre.

Friday, 2 December 2011

Research and Planning - College magazine progress

The black boxes in the T will be where I'll slot a photo in and add a main story header to them, maybe featuring on a double page spread.

Rsearch and Planning - Plan for the week

My plan for the week is to:

Finish the main title of the magazine, and the style of it.

Get the main story onto the front cover.

Maybe draft out certain stories that will appear on the front cover and feature on the contents page.

Start to think of what story I'll have on my double page spread

MAYBE  draft photos for front cover

Thursday, 1 December 2011

Research and Planning - College magazine progress

This is my progression so far on the front cover.  It's the main story header, in progress but clearly the rest of it is all over the place as I haven't completed it.  I also changed the bottom of the T

Friday, 25 November 2011

Research and Planning - Music Magazine Interviews

I went around the college asking random students questions that were suitable for my magazine, and would help me receive some feedback about what I should put for content, and the suitable photo's. The questions were general and not too long, things like ' What price would you expect a indie type of magazine to cost? ; What photo would you prefer to see on  the magazine cover: a band shot or a solo shot?' etc etc.


Research and Planning - Beginning of Music Magazine

So  today in lesson, I decided to try the title I thought would be suitable for my magazine, and I think it is. I chose to do the long T so that text on the front cover can go inside, giving it quite a different look and could attract attention.  The colours are bold but I am yet to decide whether I'll change the other letters red too, which is depending on the fact if I choose to have a black background, or a white background.  This will also depend on the main photo I decide to use.

Thursday, 24 November 2011

Research and Planning - Location Images

I thought this would be a good background and location for an image. Considering most bands have a photo against it. It's plain, not busy but it gives off that attitude.  You can tell it would be suited to a rock and roll or indie band, due to the fact that if it was something else like dance/R&B it would be more suttle, and not rough.  The lighting on this would go well too, and contrast well with plain clothing that I plan to use on the models for my magazine. The genre would be percieved well through this type of background, overall.
This is also a suitable location or  background for my photos.  Considering I'm aiming for a mysterious attitude off the band, this fits in.  It's a bland background in a deserted area, yet the only problem with this is, it isn't 'rock' enough so it would have to be for a more indie band.  Also another problem would be this is a hard location to find considering the place where I live, otherwise this would definitely make a suitable location.

Research and Planning - Places for magazine photo


I really like this idea of a scene when interviewing a band or something. The main singer could be in the chair like he/she because they're the main important person , whilst the rest of the band are caving over the chair with a serious face, only half of the face will be shown to emphasize the expression of mood. It would also suite the genre I'm targetting too aswell, mainly because R&B arists wouldn't give off this expression with the set-up.




I love this scenary, it would fit so well with a popular band. It's quite mysterious and bright, but it would match something punky or plain that's in fashion... the 'indie' style.  It would be different as well and not plain, contrasting well with the rest of the magazine - making it look quite professional. However, finding something similar to this would be quite difficult due to whereabouts I'm located.

Sunday, 20 November 2011

Research and Planning - Female costume




I would choose this outfit if I was modeling a girl for my magazine.  The outfit's clearly all back, and this is what needed to emphasise the detail and emotion in the models face.  It also makes the background contrast more, which gives the picture, purpose. As you can see from the previous bands like I posted, the one that included the female (Paramore), her clothing was bland too.  The fishnets give off a funky attitude, which is suited to the genre and appeals to the younger generation - which is what this magazine is aiming at.  It'll attract people to the magazine, who're interested into this type of fashion and music, but yet haven't heard of the band.  It's an eye opener. :)

Thursday, 17 November 2011

Research and Planning - Suited genre, attitudes.

http://www.the-masterplan.com/1.jpg

Oasis give a really intimidating attitude, which is quite youthful and 'cocky'. The shot type is low-angle which achieves this look, especially with the lead singer looking down at the readers or viewers like an 'oi' look and the only guy not looking, turning his head to look at something else which is distracting. It's also similar to a long shot, so you can see what stance they have, which is also 'cocky' and dominating over the viewers.  The facial expression of the band members is really bland and moody but it suites this style so it's quite perfect for what audience it wants to attract.


http://images2.layoutsparks.com/1/214868/paramore-riot-band-rock.jpg



I like this photo mainly because it's different from the rest of the original 'moody' attitude even though it's put in the same magazine and appeals to the same audience. The main singer is reaching out to the camera, with a different facial expression, which is quite wacky and weird - but that's good because it's different and shows a bit of individuality compared to the rest of the magazine.  The rest of the band have different facial expressions, but they aren't boring.. especially the guy on the left making the hand gesture.  It creates quite a fun atmosphere within the picture and implies the genre of the find is quite pop rocky, which it is.  This is also perceived through the colours of what the leaders wearing, with her bright orange make up and the guys behind her are dressed in black, making the colour stand out more.  The background is bright and eye catching too.  Overall this is quite a different photo compared to the other band photos captured on this type of styled magazine.  It will probably appeal to people at the lower age boundary.



















This third photo is a band called 'The Courteeners'.  They're mainly the indie side of the genre I'm aiming at.  Their mood expressed through this photo is similar to Oasis's ( the first photo I did ) but they have changed  the way each person is stood; where and what stance.   The main leader, as usual is always at the front and the main attraction, because this way the audience will know what band this is, as they have the main recognition. His facial expression is quite bland and he's staring out the reader.  It suites this genre a lot  because most other bands within this sector do the same too, it's just become a "trend".  The band member at the back, sat against something is giving a ' can't be bothered ' stance and look which is probably why he's had a long shot on him.

Research and Planning - Double page spread analysis


 This double page spread is  taken from an NME magazine, and the reason why I chose to do that is because of the genre.  This band are the style that my target audience are suited to, and its genre is implied throughout the different techniques and features used. They're quite pop/retro/indie band which fit to my magazine due to it being a varied one.

The target audience from this double page spread will be people who are interested in the NME style, which is quite popular at the moment.  The Vaccines are people who are becoming more noticed so it seems right for the magazine producers  to put in a new band that people seem attracted to in this genre. The whole style of these pages show that it would appeal to a student type of person, probably 16+ hence it's vintage colours and retro style. It's quite 'young' as well and stylish so it appeals to this  target audience, as it's the "fashionable" to be in it. They'll probably be middle-class because it doesn't look like a cheap magazine with the large image used and with it being a personal interview with a popular band.

The layout of this double page spread is exceptionally appealing. The large image is attractive and gives  the main dominance so it tells the audience straight away what exactly the page is about, so people will actually read it etc. It makes it look important. The blue little tabs around  the page gives it that little bit of quirkiness which will make it eye catching compared to the others, the most.

The representations on this magazine page due  to this band make it seem 'popular'. Their whole fashion fits into the latest style which makes it even more appealing.

The media language in this page is varied.  The main person in this band has a photo of a medium close-up, giving him important, showing he is the leader etc. The rest of the band is like  a medium shot, as they're also part of it. The reason for this is so  that you can see the attitude of the band. Their attitude is quite serious and severe, moody as well... but it all fits well into the style of what this magazine wants to achieve  and receives the audience it wants to attract. The Vaccines clothing is quite recent and is todays fashion, so it matches perfectly and is up to date with what the audience WANT to see. They're basically like the 'indie/pop/rock' idols NME people want to have.

Research and Planning - Planning for this week

- Publication plan needs  to be done

- SLR Cameras - completed

- Extra research and planning posts

- Double page spread draft

Friday, 11 November 2011

Research & Planning - SLR Draft Camera Shots

This photo has a obscure angle that makes it different to other photos that are taken from just horizontal or vertical angle.  The way it's taken shows great detail from surroundings, like the scenery and he brightness from the sun on the right hand corner.  The sun gives the model in this photo that special effect and stands out from the rest, which looks pretty good. Overall this photo just captures  the whole mood of everything in the photo.



I used a pretty strong focus on this photo, aswell as zooming in to get a long-shot but keep surroundings in at the same time, with great detail. It captures his mood and what he's doing and the background just gives the better effect considering the lighting isn't too distracting and theirs great focus on the persons face still.

 The angle on this photo is taken from a high angle and just adds a bit of attitude to it, like someones intimidating - just makes the photo more interesting. There's a sharp and high amount of lighting on the faces compared to outside due to the flash we used and we were indoors. If you wanted a crystal clear photo with detail this type of lighting would be recommended.

I used the zoom in feature on this to make it look as though it's a medium close up of what she's doing. The focus is sharp and provides detail of her image, especially her hair and the outlines.

Thursday, 3 November 2011

Research and Planning-Costume & Prop List 2

I've decided to make a second costume and prop list but for a female, for my music magazine. This will also suit the genre I'm aiming for and will give off that 'certain' attitude'.
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Research and Planning - Costume & Prop list

The costume and props I'm going to use will be related to the genre that I'm choosing to do my music magazine on. The fashion will be related to 'indie' which is the main clothing in main cities and in Britain.



This style will attract the target audience and appeal to the music I'm proposing.
I'll get this costume easily due to the fact that I know the model already has this type of clothing and hairstyle because he's also part of the audience I'm aiming for, which makes it easier for me to take a good photo in this 'mood'. Also, I may choose to change my style depending on whether it'll turn into a solo artist or a band image, or whether it'll be a female or male. This would most likely be my costume for the model if it was going to be a male solo.

Research and Planning - Equipment and Software list

The thing's that I'm going to need when desiging my music magazine to make it effective and proffesional will be:

Photoshop
Indesign
Pen
Paper
SLR Camera
iMac
Variety of coloured pencils