The Conventions, The Producer and Target Audience

There are various conventions that I plan to keep in my magazine, based on the research that I’ve carried out.

On the front cover, I plan to have only have one image. This is because I don’t want the front cover to look crowded. Also, on my double page spread, I plan to only have one main dominant image. However, I do think I will include very small sub-images and fit them around the page. Thus making the interview more insightful into my artists ‘life’. For my contents page, I plan to add lots of sub-images around the page, this giving the reader more knowledge into what the magazine includes.

For my titles, I plan for the text to be big and eye catching. I will use a font that is easy to read, therefore neat, but not boring. In particular, for my masthead, I aim to use a font that is eye-catching. For me to achieve this I will make the text big, bold and a solid colour. On the contents page, I want to frame ‘contents’ at the top of the page, again in a big, bold font however not as big as the text on the front cover. On my DPS, I will have my artists name in bold font with ‘exclusive’ in a slightly smaller font. Around the DPS, I will include ‘pull quotes’ taken from my interview and edit them around the page – this also attracting readers.

The textual elements that I aim to include, such as my specific choice of lexis, will be targeted to my target audience (16-25). Therefore, I will have a wide vocabulary and will write correctly as I aim to stay away from using ‘too much’ slang words.

I do not think I will change any of my conventions when it comes to producing my magazine.

Based on the institutional research that I carried out, I think that my magazine would fall under the ‘Natmags’ or ‘IPC Media’ category. This is to do with the fact that it is a music magazine, with gossip elements. I think it fits in these categories, because it produces similar products such as ‘Cosmopolitan’ and ‘Reveal’ from Natmags. Also ‘LOOK’ and ‘Now’ in IPC Media. On top of this, both categories own music magazines – IPC Media has ‘NME’ and Natmags has ‘Sugar Scape’. Similarly, the two categories have near enough the same target audience.

My target audience is females aged 16 – 25 years of age. They will be interested in music, specifically music in the charts. Along with this, they will have an interest in the artist’s personal life and wants to find out ‘gossip’ about which the star is currently ‘dating’. With my magazine targeted to older teens to young adults, they will also have an interest in fashion. Therefore, in my interview, it will cover fashion aspects. I could maybe do this by asking questions of the artist like: "do you like being given free clothes?"

My magazine would be sold specifically in newsagents and in supermarkets such as Asda. These outlets would be interested in selling my product because they sell various other magazines in their stores too. On top of this, my magazine would also fit into their range, but still stand out from my competitors.

The Recce

1.    Are there any potential hazards that could pose a health and safety risk where your photo shoot will take place (trailing cables/traffic/other objects )? No, There are no heath and safety hazards for any of my models. Other than maybe one of my models tripping over on wires. 

2.    What will you do to ensure these risks are minimised? To minimise these risks, I will make sure that I work in a clean, tidy space and environment  

3.    Will the time of day/weather affect the outcome of the photos? Have you allowed for this? For my front cover image, I will need to take the photo in day life - this helping improve the lighting. However, some of my extra images that I will use in my DPS have to taken in the dark. I will do this intentionally. 

4.    Have you considered the background to your photos, particularly if taken outside? How will you ensure you will get the background you want? For my front cover, I will cut myself out of the image and place myself onto a plain background. On my DPS, with the photographs that will be taken at night - these backgrounds will be black. To get the background I want, I will position my models where I want them. 

5.    Have you considered lighting? What about the ‘problems’ of natural lighting, either outside, or streaming through a window? Will you need to use a flash? Have you considered reflective objects that might spoil the effect? To get a bright lighting for my face, I will use both natural light to my advantage and also a flash. On the images that I will take outside, at night, the flash may contrast badly with peoples faces and allot of colours may change negatively. 

6.    Do you need permission to take photos in the place/venue you have in mind? No, for where I want to take my photo's, it is outside of the venue. Therefore I do not need permission to take a photograph. 

7.    Do you need to book time in a room (eg the photography studio at Shiney)? No. 

8.    Are other people/crowds likely to be an issue for you? What have you done to ensure that it will not spoil the effect? For taking my photograph outside the Radison Blue Hotel in Durham, people may be an issue. However, to prevent this, I will go of an late evening time where people will most likely be out. 

9.    Are you reliant on lifts/props/friends’ equipment/models? How have you planned that these things will come together at the appointed time? Plan B? As I am the main model for my magazine, I will be able to know 100% that I will go through with the images. However, I am reliant on a friend taking my picture, I will need to plan time where our schedules are both free. If I am really not happy with the outcome of my photographs, I will resort to Plan B, which would be to make someone else the main model. 

10. Finally, have you thought of every eventuality…? The only main eventuality that has crossed my mind is that my camera may break, and/or die and I loose the charger. 

Photoshoot Planning

What emotional impact do you want your photography do have upon the reader? How?

I want my images to be eye-catching and put forward the message that the artist is ‘living the high life’. I want the reader to be intrigued by the look of my magazine. I aim for the reader to feel involved and part of the article story. I hope to achieve this by having the correct body langue position in my image.

What personnel do you need? Who are you going to photograph?

I aim to be the model in the photo; therefore I will need to rely on someone else to take my images. 

For extra images in my magazine, to help put forward a profession and realistic look, I hope to get a few photographs of my friends. For these, I will be in full control of the positioning.

What props will you need?

In my magazine, I aim to be in my prom dress and put forward the idea that I have recently been to a music award event. 

As my main image on my front page, I want to have a close-up shot of my face. To decorate the image and make it more ‘fancy’, I will use a classy but simple, silver tiara band. Along with this, I will use silver earrings to match with the tiara.

How are you going to emphasise colour?

On the front cover, I will have a close-up shot of my face – therefore I want to make my eye colour stand out. I will do this by using green eye shadow around my eye.

Also, by wearing a grey top for my dominant image this will emphasise both my eye colour and hair colour. Thus, drawing the audience in.  

Have you briefed your personnel/models?

Because I am the model of my magazine, I will have to brief the photographer. I will have to tell them how I want to be positioned in the shot, and what kind of shot I am aiming for.

For my extra images, which use other models, I have told how I want them to look and how I want their body language to be like.

What lighting will you need? Any other equipment?

On my front cover, I want the lighting on my picture to be very light, making my face look bright and eye-catching.

For my extra image on my double page spread, I want the lighting to be quite dark (when at the music awards), which I will achieve by taking them at night.

Where will you shoot? Will you need a backdrop?

For my main images, I will cut myself out and place myself onto a plain background. Therefore, I have no specific background.

Make-up? Costume?

For my costume I will be wearing my prom dress. I will do my make-up tastefully so it looks classy and inviting. 

Front cover, contents and flat plans with written rationale

I have made 3 flat plans to give myself more understanding of how I want my magazine to look. I made my flat plans using Photoshop which, again, gave me more experience and practice in using the software.  

 Front Cover:

 

Rational on front cover flat plan:

My main dominant image that I am using of the front page, contains light shades. The model for my main image will be wearing a grey top and will have silver jewelry on. My models eyes are blue-green and her lips are pink. Therefore I'm planning on using a three-shade colour scheme. These colours will consist of pink, blue-green and white. Hopefully, by using this three-shade colour scheme, it will look neat, professional and organised. I also think they will contrast well with my main image.

My image that I am using on my front page will be a photograph of myself - as I'm being the model. It will be a medium close up shot (MCU) and the lighting will be bright. With the image being bright, this will make it eye-catching to an audience. Also, it makes it appear more feminine and open, which I think would help attract a female audience.

I want my body language to be inviting and engage with the audience. For me to achieve this, I will need to make sure my body is facing towards the camera. I want my face to look confident - I will achieve this by looking straight down the camera lens.  

At this moment in time, I am planning on having a light pink background. Also this colour background would contrast well with my three-shade colour scheme.

I don't want my front cover to be too crowded. I am aiming on having one main headline, which will be my 'Exclusive Interview' article on my DPS.

My masthead is "Sizzzzle" and will have the strapline "WARNING! Contains hot goss..."

This main headline will be in quite a large font, in comparison to my other sell lines. I am planning on having 3 sell-lines on my front cover.

For my main headline, it will say "'Niamh' an EXCLUSIVE interview with the hot new music artist on the scene"

One sell line will be "Scorching Singles", with this being alliteration it may attract some of an audience. "Pop takes over" will be another sell line, and finally "Sugar and Spice" will be the last. I think these are short and snappy sell lines which create humor and would make the magazine more inviting.  

Contents Page:

Rational of contents page:

Along the left had side of my contents page, I plan to have a rectangular section displaying both the 'Top 20 singles of the month' and 'Top 20 albums of the month'. This will be wrote in a small, but readable font. I will have the section coloured in a light blue, and use the colours black and pink to colour the texts.The actual title of the page 'contents' will be written in the same font as the magazine's masthead - I plan to colour this in a plain black font. 

For my extra images on my contents page, I will use a photo a photo of my main artist. Another will be of 3 boys, whom will act as a young boy band. Finally, for my third extra image, I will use a picture of a guitar and put forward the idea to expect to find an article on the latest music equipment.

In the section where I will write in the contents of my magazine, I aim to come up with some catchy headlines and write them in there. Again, this text will be in a small, but readable font. 

Also, on my contents page, I am planning on advertising a competition at the bottom. At this moment in time I think I will have it to 'win a day with Niamh'.

Double Page Spread:

Rational of double page spread: 

For my double page spread, I am planning on having one main dominant image, which will be of my artist. Around the page, I also want to add a couple of extra images which will connect with the article and show insight into her life. I think the images that would be best to choose would be Niamh with her friends. 

The headline will be 'Niamh: Hot new lifestyle'. This will be in a bold, hot pink font. The connotations that this colour has is that Niamh is a fun, young and bubbly girl. 

In the article, it will talk about 'how Niamh's life has changed'. Also, it will give elements about how her lifestyle has changed - therefore putting across elements of gossip in the music magazine. Along with adding elements of her lifestyle, the magazine will be based around her music. I will ask questions that a reader would want to know and ask themselves. Therefore, this will add to making the article more interesting and inviting. The font for the article will be in  a small, but readable font.