Possible double spread content.

Within the task of designing and creating a magazine of our choice, the task was set to create a double page spread. Due my magazine being within the "Rock and Roll" genre of music, there is a very vague range of inside articles that I could include to draw an audience in. My influence magazines such as "Kerrang" and "NME" both include double page spreads within their magazines, as they give more insight into a specific topic or article. Taking into consideration the genre of music and magazine I want to go into, I wanted to either do an interview or an article about a tour or a bands/artists career. Photography for this specific double page spread would be important as it would have to link in well with the article itself, I would most likely get image on the double page spread to bleed as well, as it looks more professional and goes well alongside the double page spread itself. Using quotes from the article itself will also attract an audience, not only this but using actual quotes from an artist or band will be giving an audience a lot more and the feel of exclusively knowing what they actually think. Alongside this, the colour scheme and the house style needs to be continued through the front page, contents and the double page spread, which would make it not only look professional but attractive to an audience, like shown below:

Costume, Props, Models, Location.

Costume.

Within many Rock and Roll magazines around today, there is a specific house style which is regularly used, showing the main connotations of this specific genre of music. On the main front cover of any current Rock and Roll magazine, the masthead is usually written in a bold, eye catching colour. This helps the magazine stand out and catch the audiences eye, the masthead is usually in front of the main image as well, which also allows more recognition. For my own Rock and Roll magazine, I want to take inspiration from magazines which I read myself, magazines which interest me. Magazines such as "Kerrang" and "NME" are some of my favourite Rock and Roll magazines, which in turn, have inspired me a lot when deciding on how to design my own magazine. On the front of popular magazines such as these there are usually popular, young Rock and Roll artists/bands. Usually, these bands or artists have their own style, which inspires their fans. For my own music magazine I'd like to have my models dressed in quite casual costume, which at the same time relates to it's young, teenage audience. For example, I'd like my models to be dressed in well known brand t-shirts (vans, DC, ect,) something that the audience know and wear themselves. The advantage of well known brands on a front cover is that it not only attracts a specific wanted audience, it also advertises a certain style which this genre of music enjoy. The colour scheme would also be important, as I'd like the house style to reflect off the costume, like shown below:

Props.

The props for my music magazine are going to be quite simple and limited, as I personally think the less that goes into a front cover, the more effective and professional it looks. Of course, I will would like to all of the main elements, yet I don't want to overflow my front cover. The magazines I took for inspiration (Kerrang, NME) often take this simplicity idea, which catches the audiences eye. My main props would mostly just be additional make up, jewellery or accessories also maybe possible props would could improve the location (although I might just use a plain background, again to put focus on the main image.) Using a plain background also allows attention to be drawn onto the main cover lines and headings, which allows an audience to instantly take note of what the magazine is about and what it contains, like shown below:

Models.

The models I want to use for my magazine would most likely be young, teen models, who would instantly look relatable to the intended audience. This would have a positive effect on the magazine itself as it would look recent and modern, which would instantly attract a younger, teenage audience. I'm mostly going to use a single artist for my front cover, as it in itself would stand out a lot more than a band or a group of people, I have noticed this from buying magazines myself. I have people willing to do this for me, so it shouldn't be an issue to photograph.

Location.

As I mentioned earlier, I am most likely going to use a plain background, this way it draws more attention to the headlines and the main image itself. So, I am most likely going to use a plain backdrop, using one plain colour (either grey, white, ect). Like Kerrang and NME, who also use this kind of location to photograph, I want the main image to be the first thing the audience spot. This is mostly because it straight away highlights what type of magazine this will be, allowing it's main target audience to be addressed.

Audience Profile.

My magazine is aimed for those who base their taste in music around then Rock and Rock genre, mostly aimed for teenagers who want to achieve something or who are in the midsts of achieving something. Specifically, I wanted to aim my magazine for students, as they are the people who are more likely to enjoy this genre of music, also who are more likely to buy concert tickets and music physically or online. They would be post modernists, they'd also be hedonists, meaning they enjoy to have a good time, yet also leaving time for work. The main aim for my music magazine would be to promote artists, either with reviews, ticket sales, posters, ect. Although, unlike many of the main music magazines around at the moment, I'd also like to include independent artists within my magazine, giving new up and coming music a chance. On the jicnar scale, I'd rate my intended audience at c1-c2, as they are still learning, yet also achieving at the same time. I feel the connotations of my magazine would be most suited for a teenage audience as it would include the music industries most up to date Rock artists, up to date tour information and interviews. The main thing I wanted to include for my audience would be information they wouldn't be able to find anywhere else and so they'd buy this magazine to find out that information, which would again attract audiences to this specific magazine. Offering an audience something that they can't purchase anywhere else will not only attract an audience in but it'll confirm them buying the magazine in the future.

Time Plan.

This is going to be my main structure for my time management. I can always add tasks to my calender if and when I need to, which I most likely will. Doing this allows me to keep track of my work, also allowing me to see what tasks I have completed and what still needs to be done. I think time management is the biggest worry for me as I panic about what I need to do and if I'll have enough time to do it, so, keeping time this way will allow me to keep track, it will also allow me to work in a more productive manor. Also, it allows me to change dates around, this way I will be more in control of what I do and when I do it, this takes away the main thought of deadlines.

Research and Planning - Music Magazine.

Kerrang.

Kerrang, a popular Rock and Roll magazine is one of the largest, most successful teen, Rock magazines around at the moment. The magazine tends to target teenagers, whose music taste revolves around Rock and Roll, focusing mainly on today’s new hottest Rock and Roll artists/bands. The magazine focuses mainly on tour announcements/updates, posters, exclusive interviews, merchandise sales, etc. Even on the front cover of a magazine like Kerrang, there tends to be talkie headlines, persuading the audience to read into the magazine more to find out more about interviews and exclusive chats with the artists and bands. This type of marketing is typical for a Rock and Roll, music magazine as it allows audiences to read behind the scenes, finding out information they didn’t know. The front covers for Kerrang are mainly always the same as in they always use the same house style in every magazine; this way they attract the same audience in every issue.

The masthead for Kerrang is recognisable for the audience, which is always good as they are familiar with the magazine and they’d recognise it straight away if they saw it. Also, it stands out on the front cover as it is written in bold, usually in a black font as well. A “sell” is often used on the front cover of Kerrang as it helps them promote gigs, albums, etc. Using a “sell” and promotion also allows more independent, upcoming Rock and Roll artists/bands to be noticed, allowing them more recognition. A drop shadow is nearly always used in Kerrang, not just on the front cover but also in and around the magazine, allowing headlines and articles to stand out and catch the audience’s eye.

Kerrang magazine itself isn’t just a music magazine, it’s more of a promotion tool for bands and artists, allowing them to promote their music and tours to a wanting audience. The magazine reaches out to not just the same audience every week but also new audiences as they get interviews with the newest, upcoming artists, getting information for what the audience want. Like any music magazine, Kerrang often use a splash that bleeds over the front cover, this way it attracts the audiences eye as it takes up the whole front cover.

NME.

NME magazine is one of my personal favourite magazines, yet it is less of a Rock and Roll music magazine. It focuses more on mainstream artists, looking specifically into them as artists, who they really are, backstage and behind the scenes, etc. The magazine is also very well known for it's writing and photography, which is another aspect to why audiences like the magazine. The NME magazine tends to target a wider audience than say Kerrang, as they write about more artists which are in the public eye, more people want to read about them. Although, like Kerrang, the NME magazine does focus mainly on helping artists and bands promote themselves, which is easy when you have such a wanting audience. This magazine is particular is a lot different in terms of house style and appearance than say Kerrang. The magazine is a lot more neat and modern than say Kerrang, who's house style would typically attract avid teenagers who love Rock and Roll. Yet, like Kerrang, NME magazine uses the same house style and colours in every issue, which again, makes it more recognisable for the audience. The front cover to NME will always have a sell as well, which again helps promotion for up and coming artists.

Typically for the front cover of a music magazine, a picture boost is often used to draw the audience in, interesting them into reading more into the magazine. The main attraction of the NME magazine is that it has up to date, just happened news which isn't accessible anywhere else, which is another reason why audiences want to read this magazine. The magazine tends to reach it's desired audience by delivering what they promise, which is usually exclusive material. The magazine offers not only this, but like Kerrang, free posters, tour updates and sales, so it does give back to the audience. Also, the NME magazine always uses talkie headlines on their front covers, this is again to interest the audience into reading more.

Using this kind of promotion allows audiences to feel as if they are taking a deeper look into artists personality and who they are, which again, is what the audiences desire.