Preliminary task

I have constructed a school magazine front page and contents page for the preliminary task. I used paint.net to add in the image and the masthead. I used the specific colour scheme of red, white and black as they are the school colours. I used microsoft publisher to add in the text boxes and shapes; I saved both files as JPEGS. This will help me in the future when constructing my final front and contents page for the music magazine.

Research into similar products

This is the first time I have looked at Q magazine. However, each of the magazine double page spread follow this rule. Here is one double page spread analysed on: photography, layout, colour and font; and here is another to show that the magazine follows a significant layout.

Research into similar products

I have looked at an NME double page spread of the band 'the teenagers'. I have focused on the colour scheme, layout, image, puffs and advertisements. This enables me to understand what typical conventions on a double page spread of a music magazine are; I'll be able to follow this as guidance in my future construction.

Research into similar products

Here I have analysed the contents page of VIBE and NME; two magazines I have previously looked at in terms of my research. I have focused on the titles, the main images, the list of topics, the advertisement and which artists appears on the page. This will help me to understand what the layout of my music magazine should look like.

Drafting and planning

I used the given picture of Trent Reznor and the NME magazine masthead to create a possible front page for NME magazine.
To begin with, I imported the masthead into Paint.Net to crop and resize the masthead; also to position it in a specific place - I stuck to the left third rule like NME  usually does to stick to the generic conventions of NME magazine's. After that, I imported the MCU of Reznor into a new layer. To edit the image of Reznor I used the magic wand to remove all parts of the image I didn't want to use, I used the deselect tool to enable movement of the image. I've positioned Reznor over the masthead because NME is a well known magazine and it's not unusual to have a part of the masthead covered - this also makes him seem very dominant and popular by having him positioned in front of everything else; it shows that this NME edition is focused on Trent Reznor.
On finishing the manipulation of the two images, I saved my work as a JPEG file and imported it into Microsoft Publisher. I used Internet Explorer to research a typical NME magazine and to understand what kind of cover stories I could include - I went on to Trent Reznor's wikipedia page and looked at the similar artist's on the right hand side of the page. I included a skyline which gives an exclusive offer to meet the stars of 2014 and a puff which displays the first taste of Renor's soundtrack - linking to the main artist. The main cover story and anchorage text connects with the main image. I used a screamer and 7 cover stories which keeps this full of information to keep the readers interested. I made sure I included the selling line, bar code and the company website. I understand the main image used is successful as Reznor is making eye-contact with the reader, enticing them in the magazine.
This creative NME task has given me a greater insight into understanding how to construct my own magazine front cover and I'll definitely be able to refer to this task when constructing my next magazine cover. I can take the layout as a template for my own music magazine as I could stick to the left third rule and use an MCU which I found is common linking to my second post on the 11th of September.

Research into similar products

Like Disclosure, artists such as Kid Cudi & Dan Black and Calvin Harris produce music in the same genre. I thought it would be useful to see magazine covers featuring these 'dance' music artists. Their resemblance resemblance is significant because Calvin Harris features is the same magazine as my artist Disclosure suggesting that they're similar music artists. Dan Black and Kid Cudi feature in Billboard, another popular magazine just like mixmag; each of the images look quite edgy and cool  which reflects the artists images. 

I can look at these images on the front pages to influence my front page image on my magazine. I have noticed that it is common to use an MCU on the front page of a magazine as 2 out of 3 of these covers show. The colour scheme on these magazines is also inspiring because the magazine's choose huge contrasts i.e. grey and yellow. I can think about this when constructing my front page. Also, there are other generic conventions I can include such as a bar code, big text, different styles of font.
All of these artists are similar to my artist so I want to keep the same sort of artist image and likeness - they all look quite cool.

Research into similar products

Here I have annotated VIBE, Billboard and BLENDER; to further my knowledge into the key codes and conventions of music magazine covers.

MCU upload for preliminary task

This is an upload of three MCU shots that I shall be using in the school magazine preliminary task.

Research into similar products

I have analysed VIBE music magazine as it will help me understand the codes and conventions of a typical music magazine. Another reason for my analysis of VIBE magazine is because it sticks to the typical conventions e.g. including puffs, anchorage text, direct mode of address etc. I now understand what sort of photographs I will need to take and which colours compliment each other. I am also now aware that other cover stories are very important as they entice the reader. I will definitely use symbiosis to make a connection between the magazine and the artist just like VIBE magazine does with Kanye West. I will include a dateline, price and web address which are extras in which this magazine does not include.

School Magazine Title Ideas

Here are some of my school magazine name choices:

STACS SCOOP

STACS STORIES

S'CHOOL

THE STACS STATEMENT

STACS FACTS

Reasearch into music magazines - Disclosure

Disclosure have featured on the cover of magazines such as 'mixmag' and 'NME'. I'll continue to research into these magazines when I'm planning and drafting my music magazine.

Research into music magazines - Disclosure

Disclosure may be found in house and garage music magazines.

Research into similar products

Here is some background information about my favourite band.
















By looking at this, I can come up with an artist image and background. For example: my artist could be a new and major phenomenon just like Disclosure. Likewise, my artist's album could do really well in the charts like theirs. I could feature images of the artist in the magazine like the ones on the Disclosure website. I could even feature images that are to do with the artist but not the artist i.e. similar artists that they work with or a picture away from their music career.

Because Disclosure have a website, in my magazine I could feature my artist's Twitter/Facebook page and include the magazine's website to show they have a huge well known career outside of their article in the magazine.

Research into similar products

My favourite band is Disclosure, featuring two male music artists.
Here is a link to the Disclosure website:

http://disclosureofficial.com/

I'll use the image of Disclosure to influence my music artist for my magazine. My magazine will be dance music artists and I can use Disclosure's music/appearance/popularity to mirror my own artist's.
If I do this, my artist image will be successful and fit in with artists of their own genre. 

First exercise, cropping and resizing

This is the first completed exercise in AS media. I had to crop and resize this picture and then add the magazine masthead. This shows I had to demonstrate ICT skills which will be useful for the preliminary task.

Hi.

Hi I'm Megan and this is my first post on my AS level Media blog.