2. My media product was a front cover, contents and double
page spread of a music magazine. When doing my research I
looked at various different music genres and magazines and
analysed what made them e.g. the written, symbolic and
technical codes.
3. I looked at all types of music magazines as I didn’t want to just get knowledge on
the genre I was doing( which was indie) but all different types of music
magazines, so this way I could get all the basic knowledge and understand what
goes into every magazine not just specifics.
By doing this I was able to get a great idea of the basics that go in a magazine and
then build on that and do more specific research into the music magazines that I
will be getting inspiration from.
4. The main sections that were clear for all types of magazines
were the title and images then there were other parts that
catered for specific genres.
•For example the type of image I found on NME
and Kerrang were very different to the type I
found on classic fm both in
clothing, models, make up, pose, lighting, ect.
•Not only were the images a lot different but
text and colour schemes were completely
different for example the styles of writing in NME
was very informal and casual, ‘chatty’ but the
style in classic fm was very formal and factual.
•So to conclude I decide that like NME it would
be best if I had the text of my magazine much
more informal to appeal to the kind of readers I
would be appealing to.
5. Front Cover
•With the title I thought it best to stick to convention
and have a simple but affective font that covers a
large section of the cover, as you want readers to
remember the name of your magazine.
•I wanted my title to stand out and catch people’s
eye so I took inspiration from magazines such as
NME and Kerrang (insert titles) and the way they
have used bold colours on top of each other to do My own title
this, which works really well with the indie genre so
with my title I layered a few coloured boxes and then
the title to make it stand out, which I feel it did.
6. On most music magazines they cut out the image on the front to place
it on different background which I feel is really affective so I put my
main photo on a different background such as a plain colour can really
make it stand out and by not having the original background it means
people focus on the ain picture on the front instead of being distracted.
This also meant I could cut the models on the front from different
photos and add them together on the front which I felt work so much
better than having them on one photo as it meant I could change the
position to fit on to the front better.
7. Here like mine I
think it works
But here I can see
how it can take
away from the
image
Cover lines was the next thing I noticed about magazine as most music magazine
try to avoid covering the main image with cover lines, but in the end I did put some
of my cover lines over the image at the bottom but at first I though this might take
away from the image but after looking at it I feel that due to the size I made my
image it actually works as I made a point of putting a ‘new band’ on the front so
when I read it actually led my eye to the picture as I wanted to know who ‘indie-
force’ were, so in the end I feel it worked out better.
8. The colours I used were a
mixture of the three main
ones feature on most of the
pages were maroon, black
and white but for the front I
wanted the magazine to look
interesting so without making
it look too cluttered I added a
few extra colours such as
blues and yellow but only in
moderation so to highlight
and draw the readers eye to
specific words.
9. Contents
For contents again I researched a few different
music magazine genres as I felt it gave me that
extra insight into the way to style my own
contents.
I thought it was appropriate to stick with
convention and have the word contents on
the top of the page, I saw most magazines
had it into the top left corner which I felt
was the best positioning as then I could
have more room for images and writing.
10. • Images was tricky in terms of how many to
place on the contents as I didn’t want to over
crowd the page in the end I went with three as
if welt that was the right amount for my
contents
• I had an image linking to my double page
spread as well as another artist so it featured a
few different style photos. I also added an
editor’s letter to my contents as I felt it gave a
better connection to the reader and made it
more of a chat than constant information
• I added page numbers to all of the feature
and had them corresponding to the double
page to make sure the magazine flows and
links up, I felt it best to keep the number like
other magazines as it helps guide the reader to
where each feature is.
• But I wanted to add something more to mine
which like NME I wanted separate sub-
headings to group features that are similar
together.
11. Double Page Spread
• I noticed that on most double page spreads they have the name of the
artist/s on the top, but I wanted to link back to the way indie/rock magazines
are much more informal and have a pun incorporating the mane of the band
as my title which I think worked really well as it gave a little personality to
the page
• I wanted this to go across both pages to link them so the reader can clearly
see that it is an interview and not too separate pages, you see this on most
double page spreads and I felt I should stick with this as it works best.
•To bring out the main parts of the page that I wanted to catch the readers
eye which was the band name and the questions of the interview so I put
these in a different colour which was more of an indigo again linking to the
band’s name ‘indie-force’ I also put the band name in a larger font size just
to make it stand out more.
•All magazines I research had one page mainly dedicated to an image of the
artist but I decided to go against this and have one big image in the middle
of the page with the text around it, I felt this worked better as it meant you
could follow the text round and it also follow the typical direction most
people’s eye read in.
•I wanted the image to capture the feel of the article so I made the model
have a fierce look and staring directly at the camera as I thought it gave
more of an empowering look which is what I wanted for the double page.
•To start I had a paragraph on the background of the band which is normally
the case and then I went into an interview which I felt was the best thing for
my double page, as my magazine is informal and the target audience from
15-16 upwards I didn’t want to have it covered in text and from other
research I did I found that most people like interview form as they feel it
connects them better with the artist being interviewed.
•I used a pull quote like a lot of other magazines to attract the reader’s eye, I
put it in a bigger font so it was clear it is separate from the interview. I also
took inspiration from other magazines and made the first letter of my
paragraph larger than the rest as I think it draws you eye straight to were
you need to start reading and gave it a much more layered look.
12. •I kept the same font as on my front
cover and my contents as I wanted
to make the magazine flow so by
doing this making it a nicer and
easier read.
• I used the same colours throughout
with a few changes to create a more
exciting page as well as in keeping
with the theme an style of the music
its representing which is indie/rock
• Overall I think the colour scheme
was successful as it goes with the
theme and style of the
magazine, however I do feel that it
could be improved by toning up the
use on different colours to give a
brighter look as I feel it can look
quite dark compared to other
magazines of its kind.
