How to set out my Magazine?

Deciding how to set my magazine is really important. The layout of the magazine is meant to indicate the purpose and genre of the magazine. For Example, Sugar magazine would be layed completely differently to The Radio Times as they are meant to be attracting a different target audience. The layout has to encoporate both size, colour, graphic and font appropiate to the style of the magazine. This means that any mistakes can have a huge impact on pricing and audience popularity. I am planning to not only do a double page spread, but a double page contents page, to showcase even more of my features!!

Layout Design One!!

I like this one because i think the image and the positioning of the writing makes the genre really clear.

 

 

 

Layout Design Two!!

This layout, i think is more typicial of a music magazine, particularly with the positioning of the pictures.

 

 

Layout Design Three!!



 

 

Even though these are just rough designs, it's still difficult to choose which I should use. They all have good and bad qualities to them.

 

Help!!!!Comment!!!

Treatment

SoulMate!, the new music magazine.

Target Audience Readers: SoulMate! is a new music magazine for teenage girls aged from 16 to 20. It's not aimed at a particular kind of girl and so it can be read by anybody. The music magazine is traditioanlly based around Soul/RnB genre of music and yet on occasion can stray onto other genres such as Rap or Classic Motown or Blues/Jazz, along with the mainstream rnb music of the time.

The readers of SoulMate! would be accustomed to the equal content between genders, because they live in a time where equal rights are expected. They enjoy the straightforward media content that SoulMate! displays, provides entertainment and enjoyment for mainstreamers, the more selective readers and those searching for new talent to benefit from. Additionally, the reader look forward to celebrity interviews within the magazine, as they can look to them for inspiration, confidence and as role-models. But also for someone who appreciates not only modern music but the impact that past music has had on today and how music has developed, loving the changes in beats, styles and rhythms. A SoulMate reader is fun and adventurous. They are willing to try anything and willing to experiment and try out new sounds and ideas, taking on board different perspectives and ideas. They are open minded and bright, being determined to be successful. A SoulMate! Reader ranges from slight unconfident, looking to the magazine for a confidence boost in the ambitions and opinions towards music, to confident, looking to the magazine to find new sounds and be willing to voice their own opinions. The reader takes part in a wide range of activities but has a strong passion for music. They play all kinds of instruments and looks to the magazine to explore and develop their music knowledge. However, the reader possess a strong desire to sing, maintaining not only an interest in talent shows such as the Voice but going out into the world and experiencing the thrill of taking part in live competitions and singing in front of live audiences. Most important, SoulMate is for someone who dreams big. They want the world and they are determined to get it, seeking everything they want out of life.

Styling

SoulMate! Is an A4 coloured magazine, containing mostly gossip and interviews from the soul/rnb world. It also looks back onto past music and its influences, along with recognising new sounds and movements and appreciating a new artist’s addition to the music world. It will also expand it audience through fashion, beauty, reviews and also personal and musical advice and guidance. Modelling on the cover will consist of celebrities and in the moment people in the music world, with no particular age range but based more on popularity/familiarity with the target audience. Each cover will display an ‘in the moment’ celebrity such as Joss Stone or Justin Timberlake, appealing to both genders and providing role models for both, along with talent show competitors ( such as X Factor star) being included.  The colours scheme consists of bold such as Red/Blue/Black/Purple (Orange/yellow occasionally), yet often using the colours to contrast with a white background.  The cover lines will include contemporary issues that will interest ever gender and is relevant to both current musical issues and to the genre, along with competitions and columns to encourage audience participation and free stuff to attract them.  The front cover itself will have a neat clutter look so that it is attracting, and look worth it yet not be too loud for the reader to look at, with bold and clear graphics. The pricing of the publication will be £2.50, an affordable for price, which is a little bit less than the average pricing making it more value for money.

Themes 

SoulMate will maintain the main themes within a teen music magazine such as fashion beauty health, along with celebrity news and music/film/book reviews. However not only will the magazine include that but it will also focus on upcoming artists, how they came about, with advice on becoming famous and focus in detail on some of the greatest music stars giving close analysis of their life achievements. There will be a strong focus on relationships from both a boy’s and a girl’s perspective, providing insight into the other person mind, encouraging strong relationship and strong friendships. The magazine will also feature real life issues along with different styles of rnb, creating diversity within the genre and encouraging other to look into different artists, enhancing their music knowledge.  The writers of each article will use common language so that messages can be easily conveyed and the articles can be enjoyed by all easily and creating interest.

Advertiser

The magazine adverts will range from fashion stores such as Top Shop or next but also advertise brands such as Converse, Nike.  Beauty and Health will be advertised regularly from brands such as Superdrug, The Perfume Shop and Nivea.  Adverts include affordable products for the readers of the magazine. Music will be mostly advertised though with Concert, Albums and Artists heavily endorsed.

Editorial Team

The team will be made up of a wide range of writers and designers all with experience from magazines such as Vibe and Q, also with advisors from magazines such as Soul Underground for the genre. With a mixed gender team, SoulMate can include a mix of new ideas appealing to both genders in our target audience.

 

My Photoshoot Pictures

During my photoshoot, using amina, i experimented with different angles and poses in order to find the perfect image for my magazines.

 My only issue with my pictures is that my lighting was a little off and so in some pictures the lighting is perfect and in others the pictures looked a little yellow. Also i did accidently get in the background, bits outside of the screen. But overall i am very happy with the pictures i have taken.

Photoshoot Plan

Photoshoot Plan

Camera Angles- The majority of the shots will be mid shots, as i feel it is unecessary to show too much of the model if it isn't related to the article title.

Front page- i think a close up on the face would be very effective in standing out on the page and clealry showing the endorsement of the model. Also ( if necessary) it can easily convey emotion and make the model dominate and the focus of the page.
Contents page- I think the main feature image should range from a close up to a mid shot ( from knees and above) so the main focus is clear. To convey the genre of magazine, my band image will be taken with headphones on,  to also make the next biggest feature clear.

Double Page Spread - The main image, i think, must be dominate on the page so i will be using a high angle shot to make the model look bigger and to show the dominance i want. To further show the dominance of the model, the left side of the page will be filled with one image of the model, meaning the photo must have an effective use of space, both making the focus clear but also possesing the ablity to add plugs on the sides. n

Model- The main purpose of SoulMate! is to show cultural diversity within one genre. To say that any person can enjoy soul music, not matter what cultural background. I will be using 3 models, one single focus and the other two to be a band image. Using Amina i think will create that feel and also her features and general persona gives off a musical vibe for the audience to pick up.

Styling- The main magazine background will be white and so i want colours to make the model really stand out in comparison to the background of the magazine. Preferably i want the model to match the colour scheme but as the background is white the model can be adjusted to fit the magazine colour scheme.

Setting- The magazine main pictures are not intended to give off a particular message about the focus of the pictures and so using a white background gives off that effect. I want the model to be the main focus and the only focus of the picture and i feel that having a specific background will distract from the main focus.

Lighting- I want bright lighting to make the focus really clear on the page. Also by using bright lighting, it creates a happier brighter feel to the magazine, conveying the message that the magazine is something to be enjoyed.

Photoshop Practice

BEFORE.....

This is my experimentation with photoshop. This isn't the first time i have used photoshop (because i did art GCSE) but i discovered new tools that i have never really used before and are very useful.


 
The different selection tools were probably the hardest yet the most useful tool i used on this. There are so many different types, such as magentic ( which i used the most) and lasso. It's really difficult because you need a steady hand to make a perfect selection but for a first attempt i am pretty
proud of it.
The filter is the most inventive tool i think. There are so many different ways of adjusting the image on filter, adding textures and styles makes the pictures so much more interesting. I had actually used this tool previously but it is always fun to use it again.Also increasing canvas size gives you sooo much more space to work with and create a whole new image.

AFTER....

Photoshop isn't the easiest programme to use, especially if it is your first time, but given that it was my first time using both the magentic selection tool and adding text, i am pretty proud of what i have done.

Photography

Photography is defined by 'The art or process of producing images of objects on photosensitive surfaces' or 'The art, practice, or occupation of taking and printing photographs' ( http://www.thefreedictionary.com/photography)

I think that many, previously (myself included) have undervalued the importance of photography in magazines, and what effect they have on us the reader without us even knowing.

What I love about magazines is that they are entirely visual. They revolve around pictures and words and colours that attract their readers. If you think about it, if a magazine wasn’t attractive or appealing  to the reader then it would not get read and there would be no use for it. Despite what others say, I think that when a person reads a magazine they buy it for the pictures and the writing comes second. I think this is due to the fact that we as people desire a way to receive information easily and effortlessly. For me personally, I judge the article by the pictures it is presented with. It begins the interest of the reader. If they are attractive and interesting, I would then go on to read the article further. The layout and design on a magazine is crucial, and the photography is a major element. The photography help the reader connect in what the article is talking about. Particularly in magazines, photography tends to tell the story, and it is pretty easy to get the main ideas of the article from the pictures. After all a picture is worth a 1000 words. The picture summarises the article, saying who or what event is mentioned in the article. Often, the photography conveys strong emotional connection or metaphorical morale within them that sum up the opinion or the ideas of the article, engaging the reader’s interest.  I think that capturing a visual familiarity can encourage readers and create a deeper connection with the writers words and the message heard, enforcing interpretations and giving the readers their own ideas and opinions on what is being said.

Most publications place their most expensive adverts and most interesting features on the left side of the magazine within the first half and on the right hand side on the other half to encourage page turning and show the progression of the magazine.

What People Want in A Soul Magazine????

The most important thing about a magazine is the audience's interest. If there is no audience, there would be no point in having a magazine. In order to make the magazine more interesting to its audience, it's important to find out what they want.

There are various ways to examine the audience needs, such as Questionaires.

Age?

a)  Under 15      b) 15-18    c)18 - 25   d) 25 and over

Gender?

a) Female    b) Male

What is Your Favourite Genre of music?

a) Rock/Punk
b) Pop
c) Soul/RnB/Rap
d) Indie
e) Classical
f) Alternative

What Music Magazines have you read previously?

a) Q
b) NME
c)Kerrrag
d) Vibe
e) Top of the Pops
f) Billboard
g) Other

How much would you Spend on Music Magazines a month?

a) under £5
b) £5-£10
c) £10- £15
d) over £20  

How do you find out about New Music?

a) Magazines
b) Tv Music Shows
c) Youtube
d) iTunes
e) Spotify
f) Other

What type of colour scheme would you want to see in a soul magazine?

a)   Sunburnt colours ( Red, Yellow, Orange, Brown)
b)   Blue Sky colours (Blue, Light Blue, Purple. White, Grey)
c)   Natural ( Nude, Green, Brown, Auburn, light green)
d)   Opulent (Purple, Lilac, Violet, Thistle)

What Price would you pay for a Soul Magazine?

a) £1-£1.50     b) £2- £2.50     c)£3-£3.50     d)£4-£4.50 

How Regularly would you want the Magazine to be released?

a) Daily      b) Weekly    c)Monthly     d) Quarterly

What would attract you to a Magazine?

a) Freebies       b) Articles      c)  Celebrity Endorsement    d) Competitions     e) Others

Answer in the COMMENT sections please!!!!!!