AS Media Music Magazine AS Media Music Magazine Evaluation Question 1Evaluation Question 1

Gloria LaiGloria Lai

I have chose to stand by the set magazine I have chose to stand by the set magazine conventions mostly, although I have made conventions mostly, although I have made changes, breaking the rules of typography changes, breaking the rules of typography and the style I have written the article.and the style I have written the article.

PricePrice My magazine price of £2.99 lies within My magazine price of £2.99 lies within

the magazine prices. the magazine prices. Kerrang! – £2.20Kerrang! – £2.20NME – £2.30NME – £2.30Q - £3.99Q - £3.99

Although there are two diverse and Although there are two diverse and competitive magazines cheaper than my competitive magazines cheaper than my magazine, in theory, my magazine would magazine, in theory, my magazine would be hard to gain revenue as it has a very be hard to gain revenue as it has a very niche target audience when compared to niche target audience when compared to Kerrang! & NME so, it is theoretically a Kerrang! & NME so, it is theoretically a reasonable and affordable price for what reasonable and affordable price for what the magazine is. The print quality would the magazine is. The print quality would also be of much better than NME who also be of much better than NME who uses newspaper-like paper and Kerrang! uses newspaper-like paper and Kerrang! uses a similar print. The magazine would uses a similar print. The magazine would also not be as well known as Kerrang! also not be as well known as Kerrang! and NME as they have their own and NME as they have their own television and radio channels. Those two television and radio channels. Those two institutes are more prominent in the institutes are more prominent in the publishing and music world so they get publishing and music world so they get more readership, hence they can afford more readership, hence they can afford to decrease the price.to decrease the price.

Typography Typography

On my front cover, I have tried to stick by On my front cover, I have tried to stick by the rule of three fonts of the same the rule of three fonts of the same typeface. I mainly used Sans-serif types to typeface. I mainly used Sans-serif types to give the solid appearance of the magazine give the solid appearance of the magazine front cover. However I had challenged the front cover. However I had challenged the convention and used a serif font on top of convention and used a serif font on top of a sans-serif type for the band name in the a sans-serif type for the band name in the headlines. I feel this gave a better effect headlines. I feel this gave a better effect as well as it is fitting to the central as well as it is fitting to the central image’s theme and appearance.image’s theme and appearance.

Typography Typography My contents page followed My contents page followed

rule of three fonts orderly rule of three fonts orderly using the fonts: using the fonts: FranchiseFranchise, , Geosans LightGeosans Light, and , and AntipastoAntipasto. . Although I followed the rules, Although I followed the rules, I applied the use of layering I applied the use of layering to create a better effect and to create a better effect and save of space on the page. save of space on the page. Different use of width, height Different use of width, height and size adjustments also and size adjustments also gives a better result.gives a better result.

House colours House colours The house colours I used were The house colours I used were

purple and red, chosen purple and red, chosen because they were the most because they were the most popular and favoured colours popular and favoured colours in my Survey Monkey in my Survey Monkey research. research.

I personally would have I personally would have preferred a warm and cool preferred a warm and cool colour than two warm colours colour than two warm colours together as they don’t match together as they don’t match nor do they contrast very well.nor do they contrast very well.

To overcome the problem that To overcome the problem that they do not contrast well in they do not contrast well in situations where I needed to situations where I needed to use the colours, I added the use the colours, I added the neutral mono colours of black neutral mono colours of black and whiteand white

ImagesImages

The rule of thirds was applied neatly on the front The rule of thirds was applied neatly on the front cover to give the conventional outlook. It looks less cover to give the conventional outlook. It looks less symmetrical and busy.symmetrical and busy.

There were different angle shots varied across the four There were different angle shots varied across the four pieces of production work but mainly on the contents pieces of production work but mainly on the contents page and features pages. page and features pages.

The front cover pose and full body angle shot was The front cover pose and full body angle shot was inspired by how Q positions the artists whilst taking inspired by how Q positions the artists whilst taking the photo, hence following the convention.the photo, hence following the convention.

There were no outstanding problem with costume and There were no outstanding problem with costume and props as the models were dressed appropriately for props as the models were dressed appropriately for the photographs.the photographs.

I took a lot of photos with the models in different I took a lot of photos with the models in different settings and poses to experiment in order to find the settings and poses to experiment in order to find the perfect ones.perfect ones.

StyleStyle

On the front cover, I On the front cover, I think there is little think there is little white space but the white space but the amount of visual amount of visual clutter is enough, not clutter is enough, not overflowing text so overflowing text so that the text was that the text was filling every space filling every space because it would look because it would look messy and messy and unconventional. unconventional.

StyleStyle

The contents page has The contents page has white space in between white space in between photos to give the design photos to give the design a clean and modern a clean and modern appearance. The visual appearance. The visual clutter is everywhere on clutter is everywhere on the page but well planned the page but well planned and designed. The and designed. The contents page generally contents page generally just follow the just follow the convention.convention.

Written contentWritten content

The features pages interview article did not fit in the The features pages interview article did not fit in the convention of a Q&A interview because I wanted my convention of a Q&A interview because I wanted my target audience to read the article as an “article” with target audience to read the article as an “article” with paragraphs instead of just reading the question and get paragraphs instead of just reading the question and get the answer quickly. The article I wrote was to get the the answer quickly. The article I wrote was to get the attention of the readers, to make the reader feel like he attention of the readers, to make the reader feel like he or she is finding out more about the featured’s personal or she is finding out more about the featured’s personal life as well as their music life.life as well as their music life.

Layout ConventionsLayout Conventions

On my front cover I used On my front cover I used a lure as a typical a lure as a typical convention to “lure” the convention to “lure” the reader, tempting them to reader, tempting them to buy the magazine. buy the magazine. Usually, the magazine Usually, the magazine offers free posters or gifts offers free posters or gifts or perhaps competitions. or perhaps competitions. I decided that those I decided that those aspects of a lure is not aspects of a lure is not necessary for my necessary for my magazine so I used the magazine so I used the lure to inform the reader lure to inform the reader of a special “30 pages of of a special “30 pages of review” instead.review” instead.

Layout ConventionsLayout Conventions

The masthead is a The masthead is a convention that is used convention that is used on every magazine as it on every magazine as it is an essential feature of is an essential feature of the magazine. I placed the magazine. I placed my masthead on the top my masthead on the top left corner like a lot of left corner like a lot of magazines, I researched, magazines, I researched, have done. The central have done. The central image overlapping the image overlapping the masthead on top is masthead on top is another typical feature another typical feature in a magazine like Q and in a magazine like Q and NME, I also adapted to NME, I also adapted to that convention.that convention.

Images: mise-en-sceneImages: mise-en-sceneThis image on the left is one of the experimental images I took. The mise-en-scene here looks quite simple with the band members posed in quite unusual positions.

The mise-en-scene is supposed to represent a drama scene at a climax, the tall curtains (which I later photo-shopped red as most seen in drama theatres) and a wooden stage with only the ladder as a prop.

The models were positioned in the shown poses because I wanted to create a theatrical (relates nicely to their band name “Theatrical Wonderland”)and exciting photo for the front cover.

Images: mise-en-sceneImages: mise-en-scene I used this photo in my I used this photo in my

contents page because I liked contents page because I liked the mise-en-scene and how the mise-en-scene and how everyone is posed. everyone is posed.

The mise-en-scene consists of The mise-en-scene consists of a dark, damp-looking wooden a dark, damp-looking wooden shed/shelter wall with the shed/shelter wall with the band infront. The scene is an band infront. The scene is an outdoor shot as the floor is outdoor shot as the floor is concrete with wet autumn concrete with wet autumn leaves. leaves.

The mise-en-scene allows the The mise-en-scene allows the ‘reader’ to understand a dark ‘reader’ to understand a dark and wintry theme to the band. and wintry theme to the band. The band, with three sitting The band, with three sitting down and one standing, at down and one standing, at different heights. different heights.