production plan

contents page for my magazine

front cover for my magazine

double page spread for my magazine

magazine pitch

R&B magazine pitch

• ·        Monthly issues
• ·        Specifically aimed at R&B and rap genre (as these genres are similar)
• ·        Target audience of under 25’s
• ·        £3 per issue
• 
  

The name of the magazine I am constructing is called R&B and focuses mainly on the R&B and rap genres of music. I have looked carefully into the target audience for my audience using questionnaires and focus groups and also into similar magazines to look at layout, content, mode of address, price and how often it’s published.

Research into target audience- from the research I have found that the target audience would be made up of equal number of male and female readers. I also found that the target audience will be relatively young as 70% were 25 or below from the initial questionnaire. I also found that the most popular price category was between £2.01-£3.00 and so my magazine will be priced at £3 per issue which is reasonable as it will be released monthly.

Research into similar products- I looked at three similar magazines: NME, Q and rolling stone. From the similar product analysis I found that the language used is mainly formal, although NME used more informal terms as it was aimed at a younger target audience than the other two. I found that the magazines tend not to directly address the audiences, which is something I will follow in my magazine. I also looked at the layouts used on front covers, contents pages and double page spreads which I can use when constructing my own magazine. I also found a lot about the content of the magazines which were all pretty similar so I will aim to include similar things in my magazine. From the conventions I have found from similar products, I will try to include many of these conventions in my magazine as they are successful for popular and successful music magazines.

I feel that my magazine will be successful as I have already identified the target audience that it will be aimed at and made it with what they want in mind as identified in my questionnaire. I also feel by following conventions from successful music magazines, my magazine also has a high chance of being a success. 

focus group contents pages

focus group double page spread

focus group front covers

draft text for double page spread

fresh from recording for the first  in def. jam studio after announcing the release of his new album later this year, we caught up with British raps hottest property to talk about his big record deal and his plans to crack America .  First thing we asked him?, well how long will we have to wait for the album to come out?  He told us the album is planned to drop sometime this June, however would give us no clues as to what its going to be called or whether rumours of a collaboration with Wiz Khalifa were true.However when asked about his plans to crack America he told us that its something he really wants and hopes will be a big success after good reviews from his first mix tape.  The rapper also added that he has finalised a deal to see him added to the line up at this years V festival , where he’ll be joined by boyhood hero Jay-Z who headlines the festival.. He told us “ it’s a dream come true to be playing at such a big festival and on the same line up as Jay-Z who I’ve admired my whole life, its massive!”.Dizmul has also been nominated for several breakthrough act awards including a nomination at this years Brit awards at the 02 arena.

research into institutions

Research into institutions

NME- IPC Media (formerly International Publishing Corporation), a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Inc., is a consumer magazine and digital publisher in the United Kingdom, with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year. The company caters for many different demographics and have published many different types of magazines and comics. The company only currently prints magazines and no other types of media. the target audience for nme is predominately teenagers,

 Current Publishing Divisions

IPC Media groups its current titles under three magazine divisions each focusing on a core audience.

Connect — mass market women

Southbank — upmarket women

Inspire — men

Q magazine- Bauer Media Group is a large German publishing company based in Hamburg, which operates in 15 countries worldwide. Since the company was founded in 1875, it has been privately-owned and under management by the Bauer family. It was formerly called Heinrich Bauer Verlag KG, abbreviated to HBV and usually shortened to H. Bauer. Worldwide circulation of Bauer Media Group's magazine titles amounts to 38 million magazines a week. Bauer Media Group has a 50% stake in the British television company Box Television, the other half owned by Channel 4. Box Television acts as the content subsidiary that produces several popular music television channels, which include: Q TV, 4Music, Kiss TV, Kerrang! TV, The Box,  Magic TV,  Smash Hits TV. This is an example of cross media convergence as the magazine advertises the TV channels and the TV channels advertise the magazine. Bauer group also publish popular rock magazine Kerrang!, which is also very successful but focuses on a different genre of music. The target audience targeted for Q is over 25’s and is based on popular music whereas the Kerrang! Target audience is rock fans.

Rolling stone- Jann Simon Wenner is the co-founder and publisher of the music and politics biweekly Rolling Stone unlike the other two magazines which are published by companies.  Wenner also owns and publishes mens journal (aimed at middle aged men, mens lifestyle and culture magazine) and us weekly magazines (aimed at mass market women, celebrity gossip magazine). There are no subsidiary’s as its not owned by a company. Wenner only publishes magazines so there are no examples of cross media convergence. 

draft font ideas

Draft font ideas for my magazine

Destroyed aero

Cooper std black

Cinnamon cake

Harabarra

plane crash

Rockwell extra bold

Copperplate gothic 

from this I have decided to use harabarra as the font for my masthead on my front cover of my magazine. I downloaded the font from dafont.com 

contents draft layout

double page spread draft layout

draft front cover layout

draft colour scheme for my magazine

research into similar products analysis

Research into similar products analysis

Design- from the research into similar magazines I have found what designs are conventional in music magazines for front covers, double page spreads and contents pages. I have found that all 3 of the magazines I researched use one main picture on the front cover and takes up the most room on the page. I also found that the masthead is always the largest font used on the front cover, as the magazine name is a big selling point alone as they are all very successful.  I have also found that in the double page spreads all three magazine use drop caps to start the article.  I also found that most cover lines were placed down the left side of magazine covers and so I will use this technique in my magazine. I have also found that the double page paged spreads tend to only use one picture and often have it on one page and fill the other page with the text, which is again something I aim to do in my magazine.

Content- I found that all magazines advertise their best stories in the contents page instead of a table of contents summarising every page. On the contents page the main stories will be advertised with pictures and text, and the pictures used in the contents will be different to the ones in the double page spread and front cover so there needs to be a range of pictures taken. I also found that it’s conventional for magazines to use a subscription advert on the contents page. I also found that magazines often use a pull quote from the text on the double page spread. Most double spreads also use a stand first under the headline which gives a lowdown on what the article is about. I have also found that most of the text is in sans serif font but certain bits of an article use serif font (usually pull quotes or stand firsts) and or different colour font.

Mode of address- from the research I found that magazines with a vaster target audience (Q and rolling stone) address the audience differently than NME who has a specific genre it targets and so directly addresses the audience and uses words to directly address them. I found that NME focuses on rock and roll lifestyles a lot and speaks about sex, alcohol and drugs more as its aimed at a young target audience ( a similar target audience that would be interested in my magazine according to my questionnaire results) and makes them feel part of the lifestyle. Rolling stone and Q have vaster and older target audiences and so cover more genres and so do not directly address the audience a lot in the text. 

NME contents analysis

Typography—  sans serif font is used consistently across all of the page. The largest font used on the page is the headline/ title which is conventional as it tell the audience what page it is, the main article is placed in the middle of the page and so has more of a caption and also bolder text. The page numbers are placed on to of the pictures so they stand out more as they are the same colour as the text. The only serif font used on the page is in the plus column where it briefly goes through the other articles in the issue, serif font is used to separate it from the text surrounding the pictures as it is the same colour and size.

Layout—  the layout used is conventional as most magazines use one page for there contents as Nme do here. It is also ordered as each article featured on the contents page has exactly the same layout  with there picture with the page number on along with text underneath each picture expanding on each article (caption). They are all ordered  around the main article featured which has a larger picture and bigger font and is located in the middle of the page.  The headline/title is ‘inside this week’ which is unconventional as most magazines include the word contents and the magazine name which does not feature here.  The issue date is located below the title which is conventional . There is an advertisement in the bottom right corner to subscribe to the magazine for every issue, this is brighter than the rest of the page as it cant make the magazine allot of money and so stands out more.

Colour– there is a  consistent colour scheme used on the contents page ,which is black and white. The background d the page is white and all the text on the page is black, this is used as black on a white background stands out well and is easily readable. However is it unconventional to only use two colours on a page and usually  colour schemes contain more colours than this . The only exception to the colour scheme is the subscription advert in the bottom right corner which is brighter than the rest of the page using red and yellow so it stands out more and is used because it generates a lot of money for the magazine.

Camerawork/ mise-en-scene– there are a range of shots used in the contents page, there are close ups , mid shots, long shots two shots and live action pictures all used in just the contents. There are no  costumes used in the photos which is conventional for music magazines where in the photo shoots artists nearly always wear there own clothes . However in pictures of the artist playing live there are usually instruments and microphones used.

Mode of address– the language used in NME is far more informal than in Q and rolling stone, this is because it is aimed at a target audience of mainly teenagers. The contents of the text is famous for promoting a ‘rock star lifestyle’ and even talks about sex and partying in the contents. There are not many complicated words used due to the young target audience its aimed at and also uses lots of wearing and slang.

Q contents page analysis

 Layout— the layout of the Q contents page is unconventional as they have spread the contents over two sides of a page, with each side mirrors the  layout  of the other as what's on the left side of one appears on the right of the other and keeps the same colour scheme. At the top of the first side it has the headline/title ‘contents’ which is the boldest text on the page. the main picture on each page is located on the  top right of the front and top left of the back page and has two smaller pictures located directly below it.  All text is placed down the left side of the front page with a small picture at the top of the column this is the same on the right side of the back contents page except it has a picture of the magazine cover at the top of the column.  The pictures all have the page numbers on them which are bold and easy to see. There is a small circle located underneath the title with the issue number printed on it. There is also a subscribe box located on the back page of the contents offering a discount if you subscribe for a year. Despite the amount on the contents it is an ordered layout. Another unconventional element is that they show a picture of two of the double page spreads in the contents.  The issue date and page number are also located at the bottom corner of every page.

Colour-  There is a consistent colour scheme used throughout both sides of the contents page, this is white, red and black.  Is conventional for magazines not to use more than 3 or 4 colours on a page so it doesn't look overloaded with colour. All page numbers are in red as they are easily recognised and do not blend in with the text. The majority of the text is in black as this is complimented by the white background and so is easily visible and stands out well.  Certain parts of the text have been put in red font in order for them to stand out more for example the ‘regulars and ‘features’ headings are in red which  clearly separates them from the article titles below. There is also a black text box on the bottom of the back contents page with white font on which is used to lighten up the page but is also more eye catching and so considered an important article.

Mode of address– the language used is quite informal as there is swearing used and phrases like bloke and pigeon crap this is because it is aimed at an adult audience and so wouldn't usually be read by children. The magazine does not use any words that directly addresses the audience and so is mainly in third person .  It would be considered an ‘easy read’ as there are not many complicated words in the text and so would a low age reading level.

Typography– the contents headline/title is the largest font on the page which is conventional as it tells you what page it is. Sans serif font is used throughout both sides of the contents and he same font type is used throughout. On the front page text column the first article which is related to the picture above it has larger font than the rest of the column and is in red compared to black for the rest. The article names are in bold so they are more obvious than the stand firsts below and are more eye catching. A slogan is used underneath the contents title ‘discover great music’ which is the magazines slogan will reappear a lot throughout the issue. The Q logo is also at the top of the page which is conventional as most magazines will put there logo/title on every page. The subscribe advert also has much larger font as it is  an advert for the magazine to make money.   There is also a review box on the back page which has a different colour font to the rest of the page (white) and is bold throughout the whole text box.

Camerawork/ mise-en-scene– there are a range of different shots used across the contents pages from different articles. Al the picture used on the contents page will have the page number written on the picture and will also be related to one of the stories advertised in the text side of the page., which will give more information about the article. the pictures have been specially taken for the use in the magazine however Q have also used pictures from live performances.  Another important point from the pictures is that they do not repeat the same pictures as those in the article and have separate pictures for the contents page. There are props used for certain photos like the blood used in the Lana del Rey photo-shoot and certain articles they have also used costumes like the  two men in the bear costumes in the 140 songs to download now article.

     

rolling stone contents page anlysis

Typography— all page numbers on the contents page are in serif font as  is the text underneath each of titles the article titles, but the  article titles themselves are in sans serif font and bold, which helps the titles stand out more. The page is split up so that the cover lines are split up under what  topic there about, these titles are in  sans serif font again as they are meant to stand out more and are also In red font so they do not look like an article title.  The title of the magazine (Rolling stone) and the issue date are in small font under the title (contents) in the same font as the title and same colour which makes it look more professional.

Mode of address – the magazine does not directly address the audience due to the large and vast target audience rolling stone has. From the language used you can see that rolling stone seems to be aiming at a target audience of older people (over 25s) which is shown by the topics in the text like climate change which would not appeal to a young audience but also the way that they use lots of long words which would mean it had a high average reading age and hard for  younger readers  to read.

Layout—the layout of the contents page is conventional as most magazines use just one page for their contents. The contents does not contain every page number and only includes articles that they think are the most attractive under the title ‘features’ which is again conventional of contents pages. 3 pictures have been used and there page number is printed  on there rather than any text describing that particular article which again is very conventional for music magazine contents pages. The title/headline which says it’s the contents page is at the top of the page and Contents is the largest font (sans serif) on the  page which follows conventions as the title is usually the biggest font on a page. All pictures are on the left side and all text is down the right side.  All three of the pictures are equal in length going across the page and so looks organised as they all  line up.

Colour—there  is a consistent colour scheme used on the contents page and is not overloaded with lots of different colours which can make the layout look less professional and have to much happening. The colour scheme used is white, red and black. White is the background colour of the page and is also used for the title at the top of the page across the red box which helps the white stand out more on a red background which is Important for the title to stand out.  All article titles and text below them (stand first) is in black font as black stand out well on the whit e background. Red font is used to separate the articles into genre I.e. features, national affairs etc.  By using a different colour these are easily recognised and not confused with the article  headlines. All page numbers next to the text are in red font which makes them stand out from the title headlines. White font is used on the page numbers on the pictures as white best stands out on pictures.

Camerawork/ Mise –en-scene — a range of pictures are featured In the contents page so not magazine does not look repetitive and it is also important to have varied shots.  The shots used  relate to the text and so what's in the shot is very important. A close up  is used of a music artist and the focus is solely on her and the only prop used is something to cover her mouth which fits with the title where the word radical is used which suggest she is extreme and therefore not normal. The biggest picture is a live performance shot of a musician and so props used include microphones and guitars which are props you expect to see with a musician and fits the genre well, in both shots of the musicians they are not wearing costumes they are wearing there own clothes. There is also a shot relating to the climate change article which shows a bird in an area where  it has been affected which again relates well with the article. Overall the pictures and props have been carefully chosen to suit the article that there related to.

my magazine photos

  

   

i have taken a range of photos for my magazine i have used a close up, long shot and two shot of the artist with he's producer to use variety and range in my magazine. 

rolling stone double page spread analysis

Layout— the layout used for the double page spread is less common than used in nme and Q. the picture covers both pages in the double page spread which is unusual as many magazines have the picture taking up all of one page and have the other page filled with text.  Using this layout means there is less room for text and so does not have a lot of text on the double page spread however the article continues onto another double page spread. The layout is ordered and the text is ordered in columns in the bottom right corner of the page.  A watermark is also used as part of the headline.

Typography-  the kicker is in serif font with the rest of the article in sans serif font which is unusual as often when a drop cap is used it is usually the same style just bigger and often in another colour which isn't the case here.  A stand first is used in a larger font at the start of the article to give a brief lowdown on what the article is about. Part of the headline is used as a watermark ( the USA part) and so is partly covered by the picture, it is also in larger different font. Underneath the title there is a byline used telling us the journalists name and the photographers name.

Colour scheme—there are few colours used on the double page spread and the vast majority of the spread is black and grey. Using these dark colours helps to make the red (on the flag and her hair) look brighter and so stand out more. The background of the page is different shades of grey as is the watermark as its also part of the background. All other text is in black font which is unusual as often the headline and or the stand first is in different colours.  One of the connotations associated with red is power which Is fitting in the article as it talks about her being such a success story and how she has taken America by storm.

Mise-en-scene— a USA flag is used in the picture as its directly associated with the article as the article talks about Florence and the machine in America. There is also some kind of stool/table used which she is sitting on but is covered by the flag so we are unable to see, this is useful as it means they can use a shot of her sitting down. 

 Mode of address-  the language used is formal as there is no slang or swearing in the text. The magazine does not directly speak to the audience and is written in 3rd person which is recurring for the whole of the rolling stone magazine. The article is written in a style that is aimed at fans of the artist ( hence the title : USA got the love, adjusted from her song you got the love) which people who do not follow her wouldn't understand.

Camerawork—a long shot is used of Florence welch sitting on a table/stool covered in an American flag. It’s a long shot as you can see all of her body and the surroundings in the shot. It is conventional to use longer ranged shots in double paged spreads as often the picture shows the artists whole body. The picture is more on the left side of the spread however the shot crosses over onto both pages of the spread, something that is unusual in terms of layout. It is slightly more to the left so it does not interfere with the text which is located to the right side of the right page.

rolling stone front cover analysis

   

Route of the eye— the route of the eye goes along the masthead at the top through the main picture of ke$ha which takes up most of the route of the eye and along the bottom of the page where there has been no text placed which is very unusual as this is where the cover story  is placed but instead has been placed in the top left corner of the cover.

Layout— the layout  used is a very common layout, the masthead is located at the top of the magazine and is the largest font on the page. The main picture of ke$ha  takes up most of the of the page but is located more to the right of the page with all cover lines down the left side of the page vertically aligned. The picture has been brought to front as the top of her head covers part of the rolling stone logo, this is a common feature of magazine covers to have the  picture cover part of the masthead. There is no text across the  bottom of the page, which is unusual  as many magazines use this space to advertise the cover story.  The layout of the page is ordered  with all  the cover lines vertically aligned down the left side of the page.

Camerawork— a close up shot of ke$ha has been used as the main shot on the front cover, it’s a close up as you can only see her from chest upwards. A close up is used as she is a famous star and so by using a close up she is easily recognisable and is a big selling point for rolling stone.  The shot is in black and white which is an unusual technique for a front cover which is nearly always shot in colour, however it does fit well with the dark colour scheme used on the cover. Another  unusual part of the shot is that you can only see one side of her face which is unusual for a close up on a front cover where  usually the whole face will be shown.

Typography— the rolling stone logo is the largest font  on the cover which is usual as it’s the masthead . The logo is the same as used in every issue. The cover story is the second biggest font on the cover and is  bold and in complete capitals as is the stand first  unlike the rest of  the cover lines which are in  normal sans serif font. All cover lines keep the same font throughout the cover and the same colour which keeps a consistent look about the magazine.

 Colour– the colour scheme used on the cover of this issue is predominately black and white , as the picture has been taken in black and white to fit the colour scheme and all the cover lines are in white text . The masthead is still in red font as this is the colour of the rolling stone logo in every issue and so has not been changed, this also helps it stand out more from a dark background. There are also orange lines used to separate the cover lines from each other but neither the red masthead or orange lines are particularly bright  which fits with the dark colour scheme used.

 Mode of address– the magazine does not directly speak to the audience due to the large target audience rolling stone has it would be hard to direct such a vast and different audience. The language used in the magazine is formal as it also talks about films and politics and so has an older target audience than a magazine like NME which has a young target audience.  There are no words at all  directly  aimed at the audience E.G. You and we. Although the language is formal the word ‘sleaziest’ is used in relation to the ke$ha article which suggest some articles are more aimed at specific target audiences inside the main target audience.

 Mise-en-scene—there are no props used in the shot and no special background used. This is so none of the focus is taken away from the cover artist (ke$ha) , which the editors believe is a powerful enough image to sell the magazine without any props or backgrounds. The clothes used are her own and she isn't wearing a special outfit for the photo shoot, however her clothing is dark which fits in with the colour scheme of the magazine cover.