Friday, 8 May 2009
Evaluation Question 6
Although I already knew how to write blogs on the internet, the website www.blogger.com showed me a different aspect. I found that it was relatively easy to use, in the way that I could quickly and easily upload videos and pictures with ease. I learnt how to organise my work and use thinks like screenshots to make my blog stand out.
Photoshop Elements
At the beginning of the course, I had absolutely no idea how to use Photoshop, but after doing the tutorials, I learnt how to use a lot of different tools. The one that I learnt specifically to use the best was the clone brush. When I did the headstock masthead for example, I used the clone brush alone to rub out the fender signature on the original headstock but still giving it the wood effect. I think that the cursor can be quite awkward on Photoshop, but I think that it is just another feature to use and only more practice is required to get the full effect.
Quark
At first I really didn’t like Quark, I thought it was awkward, and there are definitely a few features that I really don’t like. The rotate function for example is very awkward. I definitely prefer Photoshop to Quark. There are some elements of Quark which are useful though, the guides to draw text boxes too are good, and it’s very easy to get all of the text boxes the same with the measurements tool. This is why I think that it was the most suitable choice to make my contents page. Though it is not as intricate as Photoshop Elements.
Evaluation Question 5
5. There were a number of things that I did to attract my target audience. The first reason is that it mainly features new, very niche rock music, rather than focusing on the indie rock scene which is growing rapidly. I think that the magazine will be successful because the magazine already shows that it is bringing some great information and interviews, finding out the most up to date information available in the world of rock. The front cover is really colourful and bright and features a picture of someone who could be seen as and ideal partner, therefore making the audience want to pick it up and read it.
Evaluation Question 4
To get my picture and text boxes to show up on the blog, i did this question on Microsoft word and then screenshotted it. To get rid of the bars i used to crop tool on Photoshop Elements.
Evaluation Question 3
The type of magazine that might make and distribute the magazine would be Bauer media. This is mainly because my magazine is fairly similar to their Kerrang! magazine in terms of musical genre and similar conventions and elements.
Bauer media is not a conglomerate, but an independent company that is primarily based in Germany. To begin with, Kerrang could sell both their magazine and mine together for the same price as a Kerrang – like a free gift. If the magazine began to build enough fans, then Bauer media may consider upgrading it to a full magazine.They could help to advertise the magazine by showing adverts on their radio stations and on their television channels such as Kerrang radio or Q TV.
Evaluation Question 2
2. The images that I used in my final product mediate a number of things. There were a number of stereotypes and things which were used.
The clothes that the band members wear throughout the shots detail not only the genre of music that they create but also their type of character as well. The main female lead singer for example, is wearing a stripy vest top in the magazine. On a musical level this gives us the idea that the singer is into rock/punk music, as the black and white colour infers connotes this. The fact that it is a strappy top shows the reader a bit of skin, which works in conjunction with the fact that she is at the front of the magazine cover to show her as the ideal partner, so that the male readers will be sexually attracted to her.
The male lead guitarist is wearing a plain black top, which connotes the kind of music that he creates well as black is stereotypically linked with rock music in general. This is also connoted by his quite long hair.
The male drummer’s hair in the band is also fairly long and this also connotes rock, while the grey hoody and red t shirt shows a more laid back attitude. This therefore makes the band cooler, and creates an image for the band as a fairly laid back but intense one also.
The small picture of the band on the contents page is very similar to the cover image, though the picture of the double page spread is very different.
The fact that the lead singer is jumping in the air while singing connotes the sheer energy of the band and immediately gives us the impression that they are performing live. This immediately gives us the stereotype of a rock band. This excitement and energy of the band is also connoted by the rainbow neon background.
Evaluation Question 1
1.
To make my magazine I used a lot of different conventions to make it look authentic. I tried to make my cover look a lot like this issue of Rock Sound magazine. To begin with I even used the same colour scheme to fit in with my magazine. One of the conventions which I used in my magazine was that I used a house style of Red, Yellow and White.
For my cover I used a number of different stereotypical features in just about every single music magazine. On the cover there is a masthead at the top, featuring the0 name of the magazine in bold letters with a special effect. There is also a price, issue number, barcode, and date of release like there is with every other music magazine.
As is similar to the cover of this magazine, I used a lot of different band names on the cover of the magazine. This is to create interest in the reader who is seeing the magazine cover from afar.
There are several ways which I challenged this magazine cover as well as a lot of music magazines. In the masthead, I wrote the name of the magazine over the “Headstock” of an actual electric guitar. I thought that this was a good idea as it clearly displayed the kind of music that the magazine was about – rock.
The photos that I used in my magazine followed the conventions that I was taught. I made sure that the person that the reader would think was the “ideal partner” was at the front of the picture on the front cover. Another convention that I made sure was present on my front cover picture was that I made sure that each of the members of the band on the front cover were looking into the photo, and that the photo was a medium close up shot.
For my contents page I tried to copy the design of the popular magazine Kerrang! A number of elements that I copied were that I used big chunky letters in the headings, using drop shadows on each of the coloured text boxes to make them stand out. An element that I added on my own on the contents page is that the text box that I put the page number for my main article I slanted, so it looked like someone had just thrown it on. Also down the top right hand side of my magazine I pasted my original masthead and turned it sideways down the side to give a stylised effect that I think worked really well.
I used the main splash from an interview with Paramore that was featured in the Kerrang issue 1260 which was released on the 6th of May. I basically copied the design to make it look more professional, though I used a number of elements of my own. For my background shot, I cut out the members of the band on Photoshop, and put a rainbow neon effect behind them. I thought that this would make the page look more exciting. Something else that I did different from the magazine is that I made sure that all of the text boxes in the magazine were equally sized, this was different to the Kerrang issue, of which all text boxes varied in their height and width.
Hi josh.
I really like your draft products and I think you have worked hard on your final products. I think that your blog is really detailed. I also like the pictures you have produced for your fial product, they fit the required elements of what your photos should look like. The masthead, 'headstock' is a really good idea too, I think it is very creative. I like how on your contents page your masthead comes down the side. I would by your magazine if it were out in the shops.
Well done =]
Appendix 5
There were several ideas for my magazine before i decided on Headstock, here on the main ideas.
1. Niche 13- 30 year olds, male or female
2. Rock/Metal/Punk Music
3. Attaca – Italian term for a marking on a piece of music telling the Artist to “attack the song”. Play it with very little gaps. This connotes the fast rhythm of many modern rock songs.
4. The main featured artist – Avenged Sevenfold picture of band
5. Big Article about their new tour with band Papa Roach, telling readers that A7X are coming soon to the UK, detailing tour dates etc.
6. Other possible content – gig reviews on gigs that have recently passed by, and a top 10 albums of the month.
1. Niche – 16 – 25 year olds market, mainly male
2. Death Metal/Metalcore
3.Battleaxe – a hard metal weapon of war, which brings death. As the magazine focus would be of a death core genre, this fits.
4. The main artist, metalcore band Bring me the horizon.
5. Big article on the Oli Sykes urinating incident, including an interview with him and a band, finding out his perspective on the incident.
6. A section where the audience could send in letters so that the audience can read it and a prize for the best letter.
1. Aimed at a niche market of 14 – 40 year old males
2. Focused on both old and new punk rock music
3. Studs – gives the magazine a fairly sexual male tone and also connotes the kind of clothing worn by the performers of such punk music.
4. Main picture of Jonny Rotten, the most famous member of the sex pistols.
5. Main article on the sex pistols, interviewing them on a possible comeback tour.
6.Big page focusing on new singles released, a section on songs that you should download right now!.
Appendix 4
Appendix 4
1. Bauer owns Kerrang!, Mojo, and Q magazines.
IPC Media owns Guitar & Bass, NME, and Uncut magazines.
2. The subgenre’s of Bauer’s magazines, Kerrang!, Mojo and Q are, Rock/Metal, Classic Rock and Classic Rock/Pop respectively.
The subgenre’s of IPC Media’s magazines, Guitar & Bass, NME and Uncut focus on the instrument’s of guitars and bass’s, indie rock and old rock music.
3. All of the magazines cater for niche audiences, so to a greater extent than others. For example, Kerrang! Has a lot of different genres of rock music in its magazine. As each of the magazines only cater for a specific number of people, we can call them niche magazines.
4. Kerrang! – 63.5
Mojo –15.3
Q – 1.7
5. Kerrang and Q use synergy for example to sell magazine’s through various other formats, the magazines are advertised on the radio, for example Kerrang! Radio, and they are also advertised on the TV channels, Kerrang! And Q themselves.
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