Preparation for Evaluation

Upon completion of the assigned work task: to produce a magazine for an academic environment; as well as a music magazine; my preparation for the evaluation can begin. Many varieties of formats can be taken when producing the evaluation; although, the piece must be presented in an audiovisual way. This can feature many interesting styles, some of which include:
- A presentation which will be shown before the class.
- Video which can play on a may form film like depiction.
- A radio-like format, by using diegetic (sounds which comes from on-screen) and non-diegetic (sounds that were later added in during the post-production process) sounds the theme can appear to be rather authentic.


Choice of Audiovisual Genre for Evaluation:
Personally, I find the most interesting narrative for presenting an audiovisual product, when answering the seven questions, is to construct a docu-film/interview. I believe that this would be the most appropriate for three reasons: one of which being that I can use my past experience to create a piece that clearly presents the style; this is also my preferred sub-genre of media and so it seems relevant to produce this in a film-like style as that is the area I hope to work in; and finally interviews are one of the most broadcasted and popular formats on which individuals can learn about the media.

How Will This be Presented?
Having looked for inspiration on both television and the internet, I have utilised the sources to help improve what I had visualised. Two sources in particular have influenced my idea greatly; W Magazine's Lynn Hirschberg's Screen Tests; and The New York Times (NYT) Screen Tests. Originally, I had thought of a somewhat similar format prior to doing researching audiovisual styles. Despite this, I believe that I can bring something to the table that will alter this and create a unique; visually interesting; and appropriate product that can show my passion for film.

Both pieces that I'll use as inspiration feature a black and white theme which draws in the viewer to the interviewee. This really simplifies the discussion between the individuals so that the level is more of a relaxed tone, whilst all of the focus is placed on the subject/s. However, these short clips only use one camera angle which can become tiresome, particularly for the NYT Screen Tests which tend to be much longer. Due to this I've planned to elaborate this to present it more creatively and authentic format which can be seen on television.

I shall be maintaining the simplistic colour palette, as it represents the lack of limitation in the sense that the interview can target all because the clip has been simplified. Essentially this will show the videos credibility for influencing my work. Furthermore, I think that this allows for the viewer to be on a more personal and intimate scenario where the viewer's main concern will be on the interview and product as oppose to the person who is technically irrelevant.

As I touched on previously the examples which I have featured only used one camera angle which seems to come across as rather dull and conservative. By doing this no boundaries are pushed let alone allowing for exploration through experimenting different styles that in turn could make each screen test it's own. As a result of this I will use either two or three varying camera angles to represent some differentiation between lines; and therefore emphasising important points which may feature some tension so that the viewer is pulled in. Envisaging the product to have two/three camera angles the piece should juxtapose the black and white style so that it appears more interesting to the eye. These camera angles include a mid-shot from the front of the interviewee, with the subject being slightly off to the right and a black backdrop behind them to once again makes for an understated shot.

 

Following this shot is of the back of the subject, this shows the front camera which will take the primary shots, as well as the interviewer which should also allow the viewer to be a somewhat similar level as they would with the subject. Although, I expect it to be slightly different compared to the example below. but this should show an idea for how it should look.

The final shot is of the subject from the side, similar to a photograph of somebody's profile. Below is a comparable example of what I hope it to look like. The shot won't be of the individual directly turning their head, but instead be a side angle as they talk to the interviewer.

Completed Music Magazine Double Page Spread

Beneath is both the latest and last addition to my music magazine: Vinyl. After designing and producing a front cover; contents page; and now the final piece, my double page spread, my music magazine is complete.

Masthead:

• Font - For the entire magazine I have used three fonts, but I have used two of them the most. For the masthead I used Times Roman Numeral; I wanted to keep it simple as the quote was more important than the font. Whilst this was a contributing factor to the decision of the font, I also thought that it was necessary to use a different font to the one that I used for the "Vinyl Exclusive" line. By using what would be the trademark font for the brand, Trajan Pro, for the latter I didn't would to repeat it, and cause the reader to not be able to differentiate the relevance of only using the "trademark" font once.
• Language/Topic - When I was choosing what the topic of the masthead should be I wanted it to be dramatic; surprising; and lead the reader to question "why?". Due to the masthead being a quote, the reader would be able to learn of the reasoning behind it in the interview. Also, the start of the quote sounds somewhat negative which would cause controversy, whilst the ending of the quote juxtaposes this negative idea.
• Size - The size of the masthead compared to the rest of the article is clearly much larger to ensure that it draws attention. Despite the skyline being even bigger I don't think it draws away from the masthead. In order to follow it's dramatic theme the masthead needed to be big enough to pop out on the page.

Skyline:

• Font - As I mentioned previously the magazine's trademark font was Trajan Pro and so it seemed fitting to feature it in the skyline. On the other hand, as the word "Vinyl" was written in the same font on the cover page it had to be written in the same otherwise it would lose all meaning to it's recognisability amongst other journals.
• Colour Scheme - Similar to magazines such as Vibe, Clash, and NME the title on the cover would change with each issue: this brings a sense of novelty without losing it's history. As a result of this I think the theme, for this particular issue and each one, should be consistent throughout the piece. With that in mind I kept the colour palette the same throughout, from the yellow, black, white and greys on the cover to the same selection being used on the double page spread. Not only does this ensure that it maintains a professional appearance but also keeps some fluidity and therefore familiarity. Another point to that is the use of yellow for the "V", on the front cover I used this to add a pop of colour. This could in turn be an additional trademark with the separate colour on the "V".

Main Images:

• Left Image - Prior to this blog post I uploaded my magazine photography, featuring the original shots and edited versions. I chose to use this particular one because the reader is learning about the artist and so it will make them feel as though they know them personally. Due to the direct eye contact and body facing towards the reader it should also enable them to feel like they are getting to know them, like you would do in a conversation.
• Right Image - As the artist speaks of her rise to fame relating to London I thought it would be relevant to feature a photograph that was taken in the city. I took the photograph in London Victoria as I thought it would be representative of how she "would travel up to London at the weekends". In addition to that, I decided to make the photo blurry because it would more visually interesting. I thought this was necessary as the left photo hadn't been blurred, so that the audience could recognise her etc., which makes the piece flow better without looking incompetent.

Article:

• Topics - Evidently some changes have been made to the sub-topics (the questions and answers) because I thought that these would both work better together and be more relevant to what fans would want to hear. However, I kept the introduction as this is essential and typical of magazines.
• Layout - Bearing in mind that some minor changes have been made the rest is more or less what I had intended. By using yellow for the questions; grey for the answers as well as a subtle shadow and bevel: they seem to stand out rather well. I also decided to use yellow for the songs which tends to be done in mediums such as these. In my opinion using these techniques ensure that one can differentiate between the sections. Furthermore, I placed them in a column-like arrangement to help it flow.

Overall

To conclude I am proud of the end product, even though I made some small changes it appears to be very similar to what I had hoped for. Despite it being a separate part of the course, I believe that my abilities in using Photoshop have improved compared to my sixth form magazine. Looking back I think that the academic version could have looked better with some practice; but having practiced on Photoshop since I think it looks much better. Whilst that may seem like the only factor I believe that my time spent outside of school related tasks on photography has benefited my work considerably too. 

Music Magazine Double Page Spread Analysis: NME

Loud; vibrant; questionable: this is in essence a reflection of the artist herself. The following double page spread analysis is of the hip hop American Music Awards winner: Nicki Minaj. This particular issue of New Musical Express (NME) is an interview which is exceptionally different to that of the previous deconstruction. 

Masthead: In keeping with the design the masthead is bold and visually interesting, from using different fonts to different colours, the piece varies. 

• Wording - The use of the word "gospel" is both a play on words in the sense that this interview is her philosophy on how one/she should act/be; that it could be reflective of her religious views with a twist of light-hearted comedy. As "Nicki Minaj" is replacing what is usually John, Matthew, Mark, or Jesus; whilst this may seem vain the likelihood is that it was to be interpreted as her being just as famous as those individuals, or that she is even comparable to them in the world of music.
• Sizing - "The Gospel Accoring To" is used mostly in good humour and is not the main focus hence the difference in size compared to the two. On the other hand the fact that "Nicki Minaj" is larger than the previous section of the title could show either her journey to stardom, or how famous she is and how much of an impact she has made on the industry.
• Colour Scheme - Looking at the page as a whole the colour scheme is clearly multiple shades of pink, then its quite simply black and white. Going by the seven areas of representation, pink tends to be related mostly to women and effeminate men which is what the majority of her following is. And so, this arrangement would be liked by her audience/fans.
• Font - By using this font that is rather similar to a handwritten style it can be associated with the Bible, due to the language which relates to the points I made previously. Whereas the following section of the title uses a more modern and bold font that juxtaposes the latter. Although this is open to interpretation, I believe that the predominant point is that it reflects her routes, where she's been and what inspires her song-writing, to where she is now both as an artist and as a person (due to the interview being about lifestyle).

Main Image: 

• Design - Although I have already touched on the colour scheme and the reasoning behind it, Minaj's outfit contradicts this perfectly. Whilst the colour scheme is in fact rather subtle because of the pastel shades of pink, the black and white zebra printed top seem to both juxtapose this but also complement it well. Once again this could reflect who she is an artist and the music she produces by wearing something that not many would dare to be seen in, apart from this it also creates a visually interesting page.
• "Icon" - The use of the"icon" four finger ring could be interpreted as something that represents vanity, which has been mentioned already, but could show her edgier side. By the piece of jewellery either showing her self awareness of her success or that it could be something she strives to be. Either way the accessory follows the light-hearted humour again which can be appreciated by the reader.
• Facial Expression - Minaj appears to have a moderately shocked facial expression, still face that doesn't show much emotion, the large open eyes, and the direct eye contact with the reader. Having most likely been described as an icon or being compared to those of whom are already, this may explain as to why she looks shocked whilst lifting her hand with the word "icon" on.  

Article:

• Quotes - The quote at the centre on the right hand page gets the readers' attention as it is both eye-catching and relevant to her approach in the industry which can be controversial, this may request some answers as her style can be shocking to some.
• Language - Throughout this article the sub-titles use language such as "thou", "shalt", and "thee"; by following the biblical theme its relevance is valid in the entire piece. This also maintains the fluidity of the comical side, instead of coming across as offensive its merely featuring her advice on how one should be and how she will change.

Opinion

To conclude, I like this double page spread and think that there are pieces which could influence my double page spread. For example, I prefer the use of the sections and spacing in the interview, which was featured in this magazine, as opposed to the columns in the Q magazine. In my opinion its more visually interesting and enables the reader to take a pick of what they wish to read first, even if there are numbers to create a sense of fluidity. Furthermore, I enjoy the various use of fonts due to it both looking more professional and captivating than using just one.

Music Magazine Double Page Spread Analysis: Q

My final piece for my music magazine requires an analysis of a double page spread so that the style of the product is coherent with that of conventional magazines. Below is a magazine produced by the popular music journal: "Q". The article features an interview with Shawn Carter, who is most commonly known as Jay Z, the appearance is simplistic yet still appealing to the eye, which is why I chose to de-construct this particular issue.

Masthead: Unlike most articles there is no masthead; this is unusual yet not totally ineffective. Whilst you could class the "J" on the right page as a form of title; or the the small title at the top of the right page: there isn't anything to draw the reader's eye in terms of information that gives an insight to the audience. Personally, I like the use of the "J" as it can imply that the artist is well known and that the letter alone would represent him. Whilst this may contradict the whole idea of it, as "J" could be anybody, Jay Z would be one of the first celebrities let alone musicians who would come to mind. Whereas the title above the article could also replace the main masthead, it's small, discrete but still maintaining some form of attraction. Centered in the top section of the page, it allows the reader to have an understanding of his fame, success and what they are about to read. Even though the information is limited, due to his status he is globally recognisable regardless of whether or not an individual listens to his music.

Main Image: The close-up photograph of Carter relates to how the article is enabling the reader to learn more about him, it's as though there will be some familiarity in the sense that the audience knows him. With the use of red and blue lighting the theme still flows well, as red is Q's trademark the use of the coloured lighting shows some form of representation for the brand. As a hip hop artist the relevance of the sunglasses, short hair and necklace is quite significant; having being used throughout the industry with many artists it becomes a connotation and immediately recognisable.

Article: Personally I really enjoy the contradiction between the two pages; one is loud, vibrant and eye-catching, whilst the other is simplistic but still interesting. Due to the left page being so bright its important that the other is minimalistic and doesn't try to compete with the other's appearance. Black text on a white background is typical of any magazine simply because it doesn't need to stand out, the previous page already does this.

Opinion

Overall, this double page spread was styled to relate to Q's trademark, whilst this means that I can't really take much from it as it wouldn't be at all unique there are things that I can be inspired by. For my double page spread I have decided to utilise two photos as backgrounds (one on each page) but will use simple colours to draw attention to the article, which is somewhat similar to this example. I have also chosen to use a close-up of the artist on the first page, because it allows the reader to feel as they can relate to them by finding out about who they are.

Flat Plan for Music Magazine Double Page Spread

My final addition to my music magazine will be a double page spread, the topic will be the interview that was featured on both the cover and contents page. 

Masthead: Many articles in magazines feature bold quotes from the articles and use them as mastheads, I find this to be a good way to start the article rather than having a masthead that isn't as relevant to the text as a piece from the article itself. I chose this as the title because it's something which would surprise and result in the reader being drawn in. I expect that I will use the same font as the one I have been using so far, Trajan Pro, and that it will be bold so that it stands out on the page.

Images: I have two options here, either to have an image on both sides or just one on the right hand side; both sound good in hindsight but one is bound to look better than the other. What I picture for the first idea is that on the left I will use on of the images that posted previously of my friend, whilst the page on the right will be of an image I took in London to represent her career change. This will reflect her career within the industry, going from only playing her acoustic guitar to taking a big step in her life which changed it massively. Whereas the primary idea may be more simplistic, less manic, have a better layout and therefore appearance which is ideal for any magazine regardless of it's topic. With that in mind I will decide on what works best when I am making it on Photoshop.

Questions: 

- What inspires you?

- Who are your favourite artists?

- Will you be going on tour?

- Are you writing a new album?

- What do you do outside of work?

- What has been the highlight of your career so far?

- Questions such as these.

These are rather generic questions which fans would tend to ask, so I thought that these would make a good basis for an interview. Furthermore the whole concept of readers sending in their questions for who may be one of their favourite artists will attract an audience. On top of that the fact that it is an "exclusive" interview implies that this kind of opportunity is rare, so whilst this upcoming star gives her answers readers would be drawn in. As for the design, I will use a range of the colours that I have chosen so that there is so vibrancy and differentiation between each question.

Completed Music Magazine Contents Page

This is my completed music magazine contents page, personally I'm rather glad with how it turned out as I think it follows the theme that I was trying to create.

Contents Masthead: Clearly I have made the title of the contents page the same as the masthead on the cover, this ensures that it flows well and looks like it's been put together well. In my previous magazine I changed the font when I made the contents page, now looking back at it I think I should have kept the font the same because it looked as though it wasn't part of the same magazine. In addition to that magazines tend to keep the same font, unless something is being emphasised, as it becomes recogniseable and therefore a trademark. With that in mind I decided to keep it the exact same; which I think was a good decision as it appears to be more like a professional magazine as oppose to one that looks very amateur-like.

Cover Image: Prior to producing this contents page I had initially decided that I will not use this photo in my magazine at all. However, after some realisation during the process of making this on Photoshop I noticed that out of the images this would fit the best, and so I used it. Once again I have used a picture with a warmer hue so that the design looks good.

Contents List: With the cover lines from the cover being presented on the contents page I have also added three more articles which adheres to the genre. Due to the main article being on "Frankie" I thought it was important to highlight the main article by writing it in yellow, which also kept in line with the colour palette.

Final Notes: So far I have kept the colour palette to just white, grey, black and yellow; because of that I'm not going to add any more colors. In my opinion this selection of colours work well with one another and still maintains some vibrancy.

Opinion

Overall, I'm happy with how this looks and how it complements the magazine cover. When comparing this to the previous sixth form magazine that I made it's evident that some progress has been made which I'm pleased with. From my point of view this is still relevant to the target audience, being a younger audience between the ages of 15 and 25, as I think it remains youthful but also has a combined sense of maturity which is attractive to adolescents.

Flat Plan For Music Magazine Contents Page

After completing my cover page for the music magazine my next task is to produce a contents page. As you can see below I have drawn a brief flat plan of what I hope it will look like.

Masthead: I expect that the font of the masthead shall be the same as the one that I used for "Vinyl" on the cover. Due to the colour palette being a combination of whites, blacks, yellows, and possibly green and blue I shall keep the title as yellow and/or white to stick to the previous theme. With the amalgamation of the same editing being used for the photos and styles for the titles the magazine should flow nicely.

Cover Images: After deciding that I will once again create another collage I am currently choosing between sticking to that or taking just one of my chosen five photos and using that. I feel as though a collage won't work as well and the page would look much better if I were to use just one image instead of six.

Contents List: In order to keep the theme of the magazine the same I'm going to be using one of the two fonts that I have featured so far and the colour palette to be the same to maintain some vibrancy.

Completed Music Magazine Cover

This is my completed music magazine cover. From my point of view my skills and understanding of Photoshop have improved, not to say that I now completely understand it but more than I did prior to producing this piece.

Masthead: The masthead is more or less the exact same as I mentioned/featured in a previous post but there has been one slight adjustment. Which is clearly the "V" being yellow so that it there is some theme to the cover and that there is also a pop of colour.

Main/Cover Lines: I wanted to keep this simple as I wanted the main focus to be on the subject on the cover; so I kept the fonts simple (Trajan Pro and Times New Roman). By featuring four colours on the cover lines it clearly outlines some differentiation  and also draws the viewer's eye to the texts. The main subject consisted of a brief insight into an interview with an alternative/indie rock artist; whilst the remaining articles are simply to draw in readers and those who are interested in those particular groups. As a result of Coldplay being a well-known/popular band, and the article on the "Top...Songs of 2015" being something that would attract potential readers these articles would help the magazine's success.

Opinion

Overall I think that everything on the magazine works well together even though I did make some minor alterations such as the removal of the skyline; the barcode and price being both moved and separated; as well as the main cover line being placed in the bottom left corner as oppose to the right. Having said that I believe that it's very similar to how I pictured it and because of that I am pleased with the end result.

Edited Photos

In a previous post I mentioned that I had wanted to edit the photos that I was considering to use for my magazine. Below there are three copies of each photo, the first being the original whilst the following two have been edited.

Originally I chose five photos, which is the amount I have here, but I removed one of my preferred options and swapped it for the photo on the second to last line. Personally, I prefer this selection and not only have I used one of them for the cover but shall also use the others, and possibly some other photos I have, for the rest of the magazine.

Whilst the first photo on each line is the unedited original copy the remaining two have been reworked. The middle photo, on each line, has a cooler temperature which is the result of the exposure being increased; as well as the contrast being intensified; and a cold filter being added to layer it. As for the the last photo I have repeated the exact same steps but instead opted for a warmer filter and heightening the temperature.

Overall, I favour the last option as the warmer appearance is more eye-catching and sends off a better message than the dull middle option. Therefore, I am going to be using the last images for my magazine simply because I think it is also important to keep a consistent theme so that it flows better.

Prior to this post I had not featured the photo above primarily because I wasn't keen on it; but after editing it just to see what I would think I realised that I liked it much better the other picture. In fact I've decided that I am going to use it for the cover of my magazine as it connects the reader with the musician, due to the subject looking into the camera; and that it shows her musicality by holding the guitar.

Opinion

In conclusion, I am happy with the photos that I have opted to use and hope that they work well with the magazine. Although I haven't mentioned the colour palette that I will be using, because I didn't know what would go best with the edited copies, I have decided that I am going to stick to black and white but also feature colours that pop like yellow, blue and green. Despite the fact that this may change later on in the process I believe that these colours work well with one another, and are also gender neutral which will mean that the target audience will not be affected.

The Masthead

A magazine's masthead is necessary and without it's recognisability it could lose all meaning to it's name. Throughout the history of a magazine the masthead is likely to evolve so that it stays current but still remains true to it's previous design apart from a minor twist. With that in mind I want to create a title that not only appears but also sounds timeless, hence I have placed a selection below that hopefully befits that.

Why Vinyl? The gramophone record was the original form of medium on which music could be played and has since affected the industry massively. Although vinyl records went out of fashion a couple of decades ago, as CD's began to revolutionise the accessibility to listening to music, they have gone on to become increasingly popular. As a result of this I think the name is rather befitting due it being ageless and something people of all ages can relate to, even if the magazine isn't targeted to all ages it won't be strictly exclusive to the demographic.

One:   - The first option is Basic Sans Heavy SF.

           - Combination of a larger size of the "V" whilst the rest of the word remains smaller.

Two:   - The second option is Trajan Pro.

Three:   - The third option is also Trajan Pro.

               - Combination of a larger size of the "V" whilst the rest of the word remains smaller.

Four:   - The fourth and final option is Plakette 5 SF.

In my opinion all of the fonts above would work, but I think the third and fourth example would look better. Whilst the third option is different to other magazines it isn't bold like most, whereas the fourth option is the complete opposite of this; what with it being bold like most mastheads but also appearing rather similar which could be a negative aspect. Overall, I'm going to try both of the fonts on the versions that I will create in order to reach a final decision.

Music Magazine Photography

Ultimately I had decided that the photography would follow a minimalist theme, which I had mentioned in the previous post. I had also stated that I wanted the photos to take place by a red brick wall and the river Medina; as a result of this showing the artist's background of hard work and that she didn't have an easy beginning in the industry. 

Furthermore, alternative/indie rock artists typically veer off from the norm whilst creating music and having a presence which is unlike most singers. Finally I think these photos reflect that idea because the photos show her style that brings both a natural and relaxed feel.

After narrowing down the seventy photos that I took to my favourite five, I'm going to edit them so that I have a few variations of each photo. Due to this my selection will be wider in order to establish that the magazine will not only look visually interesting but also as if it would be a successful publication.

Personally, I visualise at least two versions of each photograph, one being having a colder temperature whereas the other will juxtapose that. As for the other variations that will quite simply come down to some experimentation in order to workout what works and what does not.

Flat Plan For Music Magazine Cover Page

Below are two of the flat-plans that I have drawn up, and could possibly use as the basis for my completed magazine cover and contents page. Although the two designs are not as minimalistic as I had previously wanted, I thought that I would create these and also make two other designs, one for each page. As a result of this, when it comes to the production of the magazine I can make two versions, and then go on to use them to make a final decision.

Masthead: As of now I haven't decided on what font I wish to use for the title, let alone the cover lines and so on. However, I imagine that the font will be that of a large and bold design which will capture the audience's eye and become a recogniseable feature. Obviously this is a very important feature because of the impact that it can have on the product's success. For example, fonts that have been used for such brands as: Coca Cola; Google; Adidas; H&M; Disney; Rolling Stone and so on are very identifiable. Typically magazines use fonts of a large and bold style, and so it seems suitable to ensure that the masthead follows this.

Main Cover Image: Ideally I want the main cover image to be simplistic but also clearly be relateable to the music industry and representative of the genre. So, I picture it as a close-up portrait of a friend of mine who will be holding an acoustic guitar in front of a red brick wall, or by the river Medina in Newport. This may reflect the artist's musical background and their routes, therefore it wouldn't be irrelevant to the genre let alone the magazine.

Final Notes: As of this moment I have not yet decided on what colour palette or article titles I will use as I would prefer to test it out when the magazine has the cover image on it; that way I will be able to make several versions and be able to choose which one I'll use.