Research of front cover 3

Research of front cover 2

Kerrang magazine’s always have the same masthead. This is the smashed/cracked Kerrang logo. This shows the grungy/rock genre. Also there is the feature this is directed towards the main image and tells the reader about the main article. Also there is banners these make the text stand out. The cover lines is distributed around the front page to show the reader what issues are encased in the magazine. There is also puffs on the magazine promoting features in the magazine, Kerrangs house style is white and black, and also all kerrang magazines have a barcode this makes it easy to buy the item.  The target audience of this magazine is for teenagers, boys and girls. The main image is of a model looking away, this is different as the model is looking away from the camera whereas the normal thing seen is of the model looking into the camera or direct address.

The magazine is breaking conventions by making the model look away from the camera and by using a medium long shot. Also they are breaking conventions by having the models head in front of the mast head. Here Kerrang are using the theory of the male gaze on in this case the female gaze. 

Research of a front cover 1

Here's an image I found of Amy Winehouse on a Q magazine. I chose this image due to the fact how she is posed but also on how the magazine is similar to all the rest of Q's magazine. The mast head is the same it is always a white Q in a red square. This is known as the masthead underneath this is the slogan of the magazine. This is the advertising to persuade people to buy it.

 Also there is a quote from the artist which entices the reader. All over the magazine there is sell lines. These are used to tell the reader about what articles are in the magazine.

Anchoring text is also used on the front cover to show what the image is relating to, in this case it is relating to Amy Winehouse’s death and how the music business is coping with the shock a year after. Also there is a barcode and date/price this is essential in a magazine this makes it easier for people to see how much they will be spending. On the front cover there is also puffs this gives information about the content of the magazine. The main image is centred on the front cover with the model looking into the camera. The image is of a medium shot, with the model looking into the camera it gives the impression the model is looking directly at the reader.

Amy here is being represented as a innocent woman although many people knew about her bad habits at this time. The creators are using the theory that a star is just a image and how they are no longer a person. Amy is clearly represented as a star and not as a human and how her face/style is so iconic to her image.   

Mojo and Classic rock grid

Media Terminology

Today in class we learn't about new terminology which we can use to deconstruct a music magazine, these will help us with what to add to our magazine.


Anchoring - the intended meaning of a media text; what a text shows or represents
Audience - the group for whom a media is intended
Bias - prejudice in favour of or against something
Broadsheet - a serious paper aimed at professional, upmarket people, previously in a large format but now mostly compact
Connotation - meaning which is suggested by a media text
Deconstruct - to take part/analyse
Denotation - describing what you see in a media text
Editorial - a newspaper article written by or on behalf of the editor which gives an opinion on a topical behalf
Genre - group of texts that share certain characteristics; classification
Masthead - the title of a newspaper or magazine at the top of the front page
Narrative - the way in which a story is told in both fictional and non-fictional media texts
Objective - not influenced by personal feelings
Representation - how the media shows us the 'real world'
Sensationalism - exciting or shocking reportage which is intended to interest the public, without necessarily being accurate
Strapline - a few word sentence to accompany a brand or product
Structure - in newspapers, the way an article is organised
Subjective - based on or influenced by personal feelings or opinions
Tabloid - a compact paper, designed to appeal to a mass audience
Text - any media product (eg. advert, photo, film, video game, web page...) or piece of writing
Values and ideologies - systems of beliefs which determine how power relations are organised within a society

Evaluation of preliminary task

This is my college front cover. In this blog I have used screen grabs to show the simple elements I have used to create my front cover. I have used pugs to show different articles from my cover and I have used a logo to pull my magazine together making it look more realistic.

Contents page

Here is the design I have created for my contents page, it is simple and effective and shows clearly where everything is to go. 

Final collage magazine on adobe elements 11

This is my final design for my college front cover. I do like it and believe it looks great for my first time using adobe elements 11.

Draft for my college magazine

This is the draft for my college magazine it is a simple daft with images and writing where I would like everything to go on my magazine.

Uploading images using flicker

Here is a screen grab of my flickr page to show I have created and posted my 3 best images. 

Planning: Rejection of images

I have chosen not to use this image as the model's glasses had changed colour but also the sun was in her face which made the image look different and not front cover worthy. 

This image will not be chosen as it is fuzzy and the model had moved her face. 

Planning: Selection of images

I have chosen this photo because the model is based on a simple background, with a folder this makes her look ready to learn also I like the way she is very cheerful in the image and is giving the impression she is happy to be here. 

Planning: Idea's for the photo shoot.

Ideas for my college photo shoot:

Who? The model I am using is my friend Sarah, this is because she will adapt well to many different types of settings due to her school boy look.

Where? I would personally like a slight grungy background either using the ally way next to 6th form or using the trees. Or even the back of Glanford as it looks slightly grungy.

Costume? The costume I am choosing with be simple comfy attire, either a hoodie and jeans or a nice t-shirt. Nothing too smart as I want to show the chilled aspect of sixth form.

Makeup? For makeup I was thinking something minimal nothing too much as not many people do come into college with extreme makeup. I want my model took look very natural in front of the camera, this will give the image that the magazine is promoting naturall beauty and how easily it is to access.

Props? My model will be holding a folder and pen this will show she is ready and committed to her college life.

Planning: Logo

Over the past couple of ays I took into account that most magazines have a logo so I thought mine should to. I have gone with the idea of calling my newspaper "Sixth form sense". I used an app called Phonto to create, edit and finalise this logo.

Although I do like this logo I believe there is improvements and changed to be made before it is truly finished.

Key: Genre

Genre

Genre is established through codes and conventions, a code gives a meaning or symbol to a image of piece. When a code is used repeatedly it becomes a convention, genre is also a set of recognisable conventions which are usually through familiar narratives or mise-en-scene. 

Hybridity is the combination of 2 or more genres to attract a wider audience, for instance: romantic comedies. These hybrids are then called sub genres. 

Genre functions like a language, it is a set of rules and vocabulary with which organise meaning of films, texts, music and many more items. 

Hodge and Kress define genres as 'typical forms of texts which link kinds of producer, consumer, topic, medium, manner and occasion' 

Genre is controlled by both the producer and the audience, the audience may be wanting something new, this then drives the producer to create something to appeal to the audience using this knowledge.  

Steve Neale also said that genre is about 'repetition and difference' 

These are all the things we learnt in class to help us with establishing what genre we want to focus on. 

Research front cover: Q magazine analysis

I have chosen to analyse this image due to the unique front over style. In this image you can see the iconic symbol of the Q logo the Q logo in every magazine is on the left hand side with a red background and a white Q. The colour red is greatly symbolic and polysemous.

In this magazine there is many different indexical signs which have been placed together to create the genre of the Foo Fighters. This genre is of rock or heavy metal. The use of fire in the lead signers mouth can be symbolic for hell or death due, also inside the fire there is the rest of the band, this could represent that he's eaten them all.

The stanza and close shot draws the eye to the singer and the way he seems to be screaming which also relates back to the genre. the writing around the image is white and red also symbolic. The red could could represent hell and the white could represent items such as heaven and peace.

I like this front cover the most out of many I have seen because of the unique and abstract way they have presented the band to draw the reader into buying the magazine.

Pliminary task

For our first lesson in media we was given the task to start sketching a design for our college front cover and start creating ideas for what we would like to do.

 This is my first design, I have chosen to place the subject in the center as that will direct more eyes to the writing on the page. Also I have added lots of boxes where items will go. I have created a logo and also placed a sketch of a model.

Research: Kerrang front cover analysis

Over the holidays I found many images of magazines I liked the look of. Kerrang is one of my favorite magazines ad I found this front cover the most appealing to my self.

 I believe I prefer this front cover due to the way it has been laid out, the lead singer is right in your line of sight which draws your attention to the cover, also the writing is very large and also very vibrant. This also draws you into the magazine and catches your eye. I really like this front cover and I feel like I might use some of the techniques my self.