Front cover mock ups

I feel this is the better of the two that I have created. The whit background works really well with the central image, also I  kept with my colour scheme of Dark blue, grey and white. I also feel that the pose that the model is in would be easy to replicate with my model. Underlining the text I thought made it stand out from other magazines if it was on a shelf. So overall I think this a good mock up that I have created.

I went for a different background for this mock up I thought it made the main image stand out making it look visually better to a consumer. I particularly like the font that I used for the mast head. what i could have done better though would be to fill the empty spaces a little bit more. The image I used was one out of my collection of final photo which I took so this has given me an insight into what my final design may look like.

This mockup I dont feel went quite well when I was creating it I was comfortable with photo-shop and I had problems trying to do simple things such as changing the colour of the text. However there are some good aspects of the cover the central image matches the colour palette. The font for stream also keeps in line with the tron theme. But from experience of trying to get a good shot from behind like the central image I don't think that I would try to replicate the shot used.

Article - Question and Answer

[Insert artist name] has gained a bit of attention in recent months, after being scouted at a small venue in Leicester. He has been attracting large crowds with people having to be turned away due to capacity at the venue. His new electronic style and influences makes his live performances stunning to watch. We caught up with him while he was on a break on his latest support tour for acclaimed band pendulum.

Welcome [Insert artist name] how are you finding you new found fame?
It’s been quite overwhelming but I’m really enjoying it. I mean only a few months ago I was a nobody, now I'm hearing my songs being played on radio 1 its crazy.

Your new album which is due out later on in the year, tell us a little about that?
I wanted to try and grab people’s attention by having a different style of electronic that nobody has heard before. It has a sort of energetic feel but you could listen to it while you were just chilling.

Your currently supporting pendulum on tour how well would say you get on with them?
All I can say is there an amazing lot and such a laugh to hang around with. And the talent they show when they play live its just breath-taking. I’m quite honoured to be playing with them. We’ve also been talking about doing a demo for a track so a few ideas are kicking about at the minute.

How do your fans respond when your onstage, do you get a buzz when you’re up there?
Its immense I mean it’s the best feeling in the world. When I’m playing it like nothing else matters and I get that vibe from the crowd it’s really hard to explain (laugh) but it’s awesome.

I know exactly what you mean, you’ve been compared to daft punk and the chemical brother would you agree with this?
That’s a tough one; I would agree that I take influence from them but not that we were in common. I mean daft punk and chemical brothers are two completely different extremes of electronic and I’m somewhere in the middle a bit of both if you like. So yes you could say there are some similarities but I only would take some influence from them.

That lead’s nicely on to my next question, so who would you say influences and inspires you the most musically?
There not really a particular group I say that I take my inspiration from a lot of different artists. Electronic band like pendulum and the prodigy are some that inspire me.

What were your musical inspirations when you were growing up?
Well my family's been quite musically engaged as long as I can remember so it just came natural to start playing. I would say the most inspirational to me when I was growing up though was my parents because my dad used to play the piano and mum would sing, not professionally but they gave me that pushed that started this all off.

So about this rumour that you had been on drugs in the past any comments you wish to say?
I knew this question would get asked sooner or later. Well it’s like this we all do things that we regret later on and this is one of them I admit I did some stupid things but we all have at one stage or another. You ask anyone I mean I’m not proud of it and just want to say that I’m clean now and have been for a while and I don’t plan on going back on that.

Could you tell us what it was like playing for your first gig?
I was really nervous, it was probably the scariest thing I did in my life but I just thought to myself this is the beginning so I’ve gotta make it look good because it’s the first gig. And with family were right behind me I knew that I would do it. I mean when got up on stage the crowd just went wild I felt like I was on top of the world. Then when I scanned the crowd I could see my family right at the front (laugh). It was a great night.

Sound like quite a concert, so what other plans have you got lined up in 2011?
Well I might be making an appearance at a festival I cant say when or were yet though so stay tuned. If my first album goes down well then I will move on to writing new material. But let just see how thing turn out.

If you didn’t become a music artist what would you be?
Hmm well I haven’t really thought about that because music was just the way I wanted to go when I was younger it means so much to me. However I did at one stage consider joining the army and to fight on the front line.

What made you think of this?
It was through my older brother who is a soldier I looked up to him when I was younger he a big part of my life.

And our final question is what genre’s of music do you listen excluding electronic and could you name a couple of artists?
 I enjoy listening to loads of stuff like rock, alternative you name it. Linkin Park are a good band Kasabian and I also enjoy hearing the Foo Fighters their awesome.

Well thanks a lot for talking to us [Insert Artists name] we at stream wish you the best of luck in 2011 and hope to talk to you again soon.
Thanks very much I very much appreciate it.

Test Shots

After shooting some test shot I have short-listed 5 which I thought were the best.

This close up really works well because the first thing that you would centre your attention on the headphones around his neck. This would stick with my genre of electronic due to some of the artists being DJs. I could see this photo being on the Double page spread as one of the main images because he is a new artist this could be the introductory shot.

This shot makes the model look tall and authoritive which may suit as a front cover photo.  The only downside to this photo is chair on the left which we didn't move when we took the photo. Other than that I feel it is a good photo. The camera angle is a mid shot that is central. This makes him stand out which is why it would suit a front cover.

I like the pose in this photo however the way that the camera is angled makes him look less dominant. The way that Jake is looking away gives the impression that he is thinking and looking into his career in the future. It would also suit as one of the photos on the contents page.

The way the camera is angles for this photo makes it look quite effective. However the way that the headphones are positions makes it look a bit amateur. I will try to include  the camera angle in my finished magazine though. How Jake looks away at the camera makes it seem less synthetic and more natural. It would suit as a double page spread photo because then it could be used as the full page. The left side would be used for the article.

This shot would be suitable for the contents page it would not suit the front cover due to you cant see his face. But after you open the front cover you would recognise Jake. The one bad thing on this photo though is that Jake is not in the centre but that was my fault not being in the right position.

The Golden Spiral

This is an example of a golden spiral in photography. It’s based on a golden ratio that is meant to visually represent the part that our eyes are first drawn to. It was originally discovered by Pythagoras who was a philosopher and mathematician. By applying the golden spiral to pictures to our magazine images then it may make our magazines look more pleasing and draw the readers in.

Magazine Institutions

IPC (International Publishing Company) Media -

They are largest magazine publisher in the uk they own over 90 brands and sell 350 million magazines every year. The company operates under 5 devisions which are Connect, Inspire, Ignite!, Southbanks and TX.  Their magazines are designed for three core audiences: men, mass market women and upmarket women. Music magazines they publish are NME and Uncut. IPC magazines was established in 1968

 

Development Hell Ltd -

They are an independently run media group that is based in London. They publish the music magazines The Word and Mix Mag they are published on a monthly basis. In 2009 they aquired the world biggest clubbing network DontStayIn.com. They revamped mix mag after buying it in 2005 and gave it a new look and design. The World in 2007 and 2008 was voted UK's 'Music Magazine Of The Year' it was launched in 2003.

Bauer Media Group  -

Operates in 15 different countries, a german based company that was founded in 1875. Popular music magazines that they operate are Q magazine and Kerrang. They have offices in the following countries

Germany , USA, Spain, France, Austria, Poland, Portugal ,Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Mexico, China, Russia, Slovakia, United Kingdom and Nigeria. In their UK history they started by launching bella in 1987 which is a womens magazine.They also do a number of tv listings such as tv choice and total tv guide. Overall worldwide their circulation of magazines a week is 38 million

Artist Profile

Artist Profile

Magazine Pitch

My pitch I thought went quite well. The class knew what my concept for my magazine was and were able to ask me some questions. I was asked how how my magazine name was devised, how would I show inspiration from existing magazines in the final version, would my music artist include custom costumes such as a mask and what would my double page spread article would be about.

So my responses to these questions were that the name stream was one of a few names that I consulted with some other people, I then did a survey (shown in previous post) that asked which was the best and stream came up top It was also the name I preferred.

Secondly the inspiration I would want to emulate in my magazine was the type of design that Q and more up market magazines follow. I would also obviously show inspiration from magazines that talk about my genre like Mix Mag and DJ mag but the way that they are set out does not appeal to me. So I want to go for a Q magazine feel but with a different genre.

Thirdly I decided that I want to feature a solo artist and I've already thought of the person I want to photograph. I would have them dress casual but smart an example way of dressing would be a leather jacket with a graphic t shirt or a dark shirt with jeans.

Finally the idea at the moment that I have about the double page spread is an article that talk the process that goes into making an electronic genre song such as the equipment involved etc. Or may a question and answer session with the solo artist.

Making the pitch made me think quite a lot about the final design and I have made changes to it that where not in my original plan. But I think these changes have been made for the better so overall I think my pitch was successful.