Welcome to my Media portfolio

Hello my name is Jemma Fisher.

I am an AS Media Studies student at the Douay Martyrs School.

My portfolio is on music magazines. Here i will present my research and planning, preliminary task and my final front cover, contents page and double page spread.

School magazine; Audience profile

For my preliminary task i had to create a magazine for 6th formers.

I created a audience profile. This gave me a clearer idea of what kind of magazine my audience would want and what their personality is like.

School magazine audience profile from jemmalaurenxx

School Magazine; Mission statement

I called my School magazine 'Break Time'. I wrote a mission statement which describes my magazine. Its purpose, price and what it includes. A mission statement is very helpful as it is helpful to know specific details about the magazine before creating it.

School magazine mission statement from jemmalaurenxx

School magazine mock ups

These are the mock ups for the front cover and the content page of my school magazine preliminary task.

School Magazine front cover

I made my final school magazine front cover. I used Jade innis as my model. I decided to use 3 main colours for the text. This is so it is not to bright and it makes it look more professional although the use of primary colours shows it is aimed at 6th form students. The sell lines are a mix of educational and fun which sums up the magazine perfectly. The main sell line is directed at the model on the front drawing in the reader and also makes the model on the front relevant as all magazines do.
I made my front cover of 'Break Time' on Adobe Photoshop.

The main task

Once i finished my preliminary tasks i was then able to begin the main task.

Here i am going to be doing research on popular magazines such as NME and Kerrang. I will need to look at front covers, contents pages and double page spreads. I will aim my music magazine at a specific target audience. I will use typical conventions of music magazines for my specific genre of music. I have chosen to do a rock magazine.

Introduction to rock music

I decided the genre of my magazine will be rock. I have chosen this particular genre because it is the type of music I listen to the most and enjoy. The thing I enjoy the most about this style of music is the realism and raw themes, there is no filter which makes this type of music very down to earth. The themes which are written into rock sounds are very relatable also.
I am a regular reader of a current music magazine 'Kerrang'. This will give me some extra knowledge and as a reader myself gives me an idea of the needs of my target audience of my magazine.

Bands which I listen to (in order of pictures)

• You me at six
• Papa Roach
• Thirty seconds to mars
• Slipknot
• Paramore
• Bring me the horrizon

Out of all of my favourite bands only one features a female. This shows it is rare to have a female of this genre of music.

Mission statement

I began by writing a mission statement. This helped me to think of ideas for my magazine. I decided to do a rock magazine as i listen to that genre of music and i have the most knowledge of the sorts of bands which fall into that category. Also i buy Kerrang monthly so i know how a rock magazine is laid out and which sorts of colours to use and what sorts of articles will feature.
 

Mission statement from jemmalaurenxx

Target audience profile

I then made a target audience profile. I was able to use myself to base my magazine around as i am the age my magazine is aimed at and i also enjoy rock genre of music. My magazine is based atstudents which i also am.

Target audience profile from jemmalaurenxx

Codes and conventions of the rock genre

Stereotypes are created by the way something or someone is precieved in the media, whether that be;

• Televison
• Internet
• Films
• Newspapers/magazines
• Music videos

Rock music is no exception to sterotypes. Rock music especially the artists of this genre are associated with sex and drug use and being very rebelious and distruptive, this is the classic view which was formed during the rock and roll era late 1940s-early 1950s.

What is associated with rock music?

• Tattoos
• Piercings
• Guitars
• Drums
• Bands
• Funky clothing
• Dark themes and colours
• Loudness

Conventions of rock music videos


Camera shots
Most general music videos use a very large variety of different camera shots in them this is to give the audience a clear idea of the storyline, setting, theme and artists message.In rock videos these shots are used to emphasise the importance of the band and their message. Shots most commonly used are close ups and extreme close ups, these are used to show the lead vocalist and to show the different emotion. Long shots are also used however this is only used to show the full band. Camera movement in rock music videos is often used to a higher extent in music videos that tell a story with actors rather than band performance videos. Often in band performance videos there is a very large variety of shot types but sometimes lacking in actual camera movement

Mise en scene
Mise-en-scene includes;

• Props
• Sets
• Costumes
• Make up
• Lighting

The mise en scene for rock music are;

• Microphones
• plain clothing
• Instruments

The lead vocal usually gets very close up to the camera, this engages the audience and makes it more personal. singer screams into the microphone and either pulling it close or leaning into the camera. The way in which the music video is presented and what message it gives then shows the audience what the music is like and therefore gives them more of an idea of rock music usually adding to its steretype.

  Here are two screen shots from the music video Hollywood Whore by Papa Roach. The first image is of the lead vocalist. The lighting is very dark and miserable. One half of himself is shadowed, this shows he has a dark side to him. This may be a reference to his personal life as he has a drug problem which would be represented by the darkside where as he has a loving and caring wife and children which is represented by the light side. The darker colour may also represent death and mourning as the video is about a woman who become self obsessed and craving fame which lead to her eventually dying from failure and rejection.
The second image is of the entire band. This is different to the usual types of shots of the entire band as it is a medium shot. Here there are some typical conventions of the rock music genre. the guitar is bright coloured and stands out showing it is a very important iconography of the rock genre of music.

Questionnaire

I created a questionaire for my target audience so i could get an idea of what they like to see in a music magazine. Giving out a questionnaire to my target audience is very useful as it helps me to decide upon the content to include within my magazine.

Questionnaire from jemmalaurenxx

After giving out my questionnaire i collected in the results. I analyses all the feedback and came to a conclusion that most of the respondants had similar opinions on bands and what makes a good music magazine. I then put all the results from the respondants into graphs and analysed them, this was helpful as it enabled me to see what my target audience like and dislike, this also helped me to choose which features i will include on the front cover of my magazine.

To view my results please press the play button then use the arrows in the bottom right corner to change between each slide.
 

questionaire analysis 1

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Focus group interview

I sat down with Kerrie and James harper and did a focus group interview with them. I asked them various questions to learn further about what they would like to see in my magazine as they listen to rock music and also but Kerrang and NME.
I showed them these three magazine covers, each a different magazine.
 
 I decided to use three different brands of magazines because the brand identity is different and this may change the viewers point of view. Also there is different fonts and images.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Questions i asked

• Which genre of music do you think these magazines promote?
• Which features suggest this to you?
• Which is the most appealing feature for you on these front covers?
• Which of these covers would you be most attracted to? Why?
• Do you like the look of any of the artists featured on the front?
• What bands/artists would you like to see featured on the front?
• Do you think the content of these magazines truely reflect the tastes, personality and interests of a rock fan like yourself?
• DO you prefer lts of images on the front like kerrang? Or do you prefer one main image like on NME?
• Picking one magazine tell me the one thing more than anything else that makes you want to open up the magazine?

I think doing this focus group because it was a lot more direct than a questionaire. I was more of a discussion and i realised although rock is a category everyone has different opinions and specific likes and preferences.
Speaking to a male and female way very helpful as i was able to see the point of view from both genders. I found out images are important for a front cover as they attract the audience and bright colours are very useful.




Unfortunatly this focus group was not as succesful as i hoped it would be as it did not generate as much feedback as id hoped and the responses were quite limmited so i decided to do another one and get some more feedback and some information. The second time i asked three females the age of my target audience who were a lot more opinionated and shared similar views.

Kerrang case study

By doing a case study i was able to gain much more of an understanding of my target audience and also the magazine industry. I was able to find out information about who publishes Kerrang magazine and the styles and content the magazine consists of. This will help me a lot when making my own magazine.

case study

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Different interpretations of Hayley Williams

Hayley williams is one of Kerrangs most featured artists. She is the main image of a lot of their issues. I decided to analyse three of these identifying differences in colour schemes and poses and also the common features used when she is focused on.

Different interpretations of hayley williams from jemmalaurenxx

Front cover overview

By looking at Kerrang i was able to identify common features the magazines and their use of symbiotic links which make it easier for the target audience to recognise the magazine. Also i realised the magazine uses the main featured band to decide upon the mode of the front cover through colour schemes and layouts. 

My front cover overview from jemmalaurenxx

Front cover analysis

Part of my research and planning is to anotate two front covers for a magazine. These could be different brands or the same. I decided to use Kerrang which used 'Hayley Williams' from paramore and NME featuring 'Kasabian'. I decided upon these as they use a lot of conventions of a music magazine. I also chose these specific front covers as i was able to see the difference in how males and females are represented on a rock magazine.

Analysis 1 from jemmalaurenxx

 

Analysis 2 from jemmalaurenxx

Content page overview

By looking at Kerrang's content page i was able to identify select specific common features which make the magazine original. I was also able to see how organised a content page should be. 

Content overview from jemmalauren123

Content page analysis

I analysed two content pages. One was from Kerrang magazine and the other was from NME magazine. NME is a lot more colourful whereas Kerrang magazine features dark colours. They are two separate magazines therefore have their own individual layouts.

analysis 1

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analysis 2

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Double page spread overview

Looking at a variety of Kerrang's double page spreads which feature popular artists and bands over two pages i was able to identify the differences of them easily. Although they were very different and not identicle they do share some common features.

Double page spread overview from jemmalaurenxx

Double page spread analysis

A double page spread is a feature or article about a specific topic. The article is featured over two pages within the magazine. The band/artist featured must be very well known as a double page spread is the most important feature within a music magazine. This must make the read want to buy the magazine. It is a main selling point.

 

double page spread analysis 1

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double page spread analysis 2

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Investigating mise en scene

The definition of mise en scene is everything in the frame. I chose three female rock artists and analysed everything in the frame of the image.
The three artists i chose were from different bands.

• Hayley williams from paramore
• Amy lee from evanessence
• Morgan lander from Kitty

These three women have shwon me there are many female rock artists but there are not celebrated. This is why i have decided to aim my magazine at mainly this gender.

Investigating mise en scene

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Costume analysis

I looked at some current female rock artists. Here i analysed their hair, make up and clothing. This helped me to think of some of how my own models for my band and other artists will look.

costume analysis

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Costume ideas

From looking at different rock artists such as Hayley williams and Halestorm i was able to pick out some common features in their hair, make up and clothing which suggest they are from the same genre of music but have their own individual style because they are different people.
By looking at different clothing hair and make up styles of female rock artists i was able to think up ideas for my own models who i will use in my music magazine and how to show simalarities and differences within my two female models.

costume ideas

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Location and Reconnaissance

The locations which are featured in rock magazines are symbolise the origin of the bands and artists and also show the style music which they are from.
In my reconnaissance i presemt images of the park background for my images. The red and orange colours of the leaves symbolise the season of year. The park bench symbolises the traditional british look. Interviews of bands in Kerrang magazine are sometimes presented in a field or park which shows englands lanscapes and symbolism.

 

locations2

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Font ideas

I decided to look at some different fonts and decide on the one i would use for my mast head. On the first page i felt they were not appropriate and did not fit the rock music genre. I felt the word 'Smash' should look smashed and distorted and destryoyed because it is onematapiea of the word as breaking things is a stereotype of rock bands and should be ironic. This will also make it stand out. I used the website 'DaFont' to find fonts to fit this idea. The second page i found was a lot better and it was hard to decide on a final font.
I chose the final font which is called skratchpunk as it is quite suttle but effective at the same time because it is scratched and very distorted and it is what i had in mind for the font. This font tells the audience the genre of the magazine is rock. This is shown by the writing being big and bold which looks like the word is being shouted out, this is how rock music is accosiated as also. The font is not perfect and is scratched, this shows the magazine is raw and realistic and very down to earth, this makes it easy for the reader to relate to this magazine as it talks to them almost like a friend. This will attract the audience because it stands out. The font looks cracked and shows the reader the atricles inside vary in different bands, like a clash of rivals which excited the reader and makes them want t read on. It also shares simmilarities with Kerrang's font from being slightly destroyed however it is different at the same time which creates the magazines own individual identity.

Bands that will be featured in 'Smash' magazine

By carrying out some research on different bands which are commonly featured in Kerrang magazine i was able to select the bands i would like to feature in 'Smash' magazine. By doing some back ground i was able to fdind out how each band was formed and where their band names came from. By the bands influences upon music gave me an idea of what style my target audience likes and what bands they would most like me to feature.

These are the famous existing bands which will be featured in my magazine.
 

band features

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These are my own added bands which will be featured in 'Smash' magazine including my main featured band 'Chained Confessions'

 

featured bands

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Mock ups

The above images are the original copies of my mock ups. Drawing these were very helpful as they help me to decide on how my models will be positioned and what way they will be interprited. This will also make me much more organised when it comes to doing my final pieces.


This is the front cover of my magazine. The band are positioned the typical way of bands on the front cover, the status triangle where the main singer is positioned at the top. When it comes to my final piece the models heads will be over the mast head.











This is the content page. The models are also featured on this and they make a banner for the top of the page. The different featured articles are written in categories so it is easy for the reader to find their way around the magazine.

     This is the double page spread for 'chained confession'. The models are featured in a park which is typically british because they are a british band. The opening paragraph is written at the top then the rest of the text is written in article format. The article is a interview with the band where the magazine asks the band questions about their new upcoming album. The title of the article is a pull quote.




I photo copied all three of my mock ups so i could try out different colours and decide which was best suited. I found the best colours to use and coloured them in.

Practice shots

Before taking my final images i decided to take some practice shots. This was to help my models to feel comfortable and confident having their photos taken. This was also to ensure the lighting was right. This helped me to see which camrea angle was most suitable and whether i was standing in the right place when taking the photo.

 I decided to try out having a guitar in the image. This was because rock music is usually accociated with intruments.  However i decided not to use this image as it is an accoustic guitar rather an electric which is the type most used.










This is another image i took to practice my final shot. Although the background is completly plain and the camera position and angle is good the way in which the models are standing was not quite right. They look almost next to eachother. Usually the way the models stand is in a triangle shape showing their role within the band. The female on the left is also standing to far to the left forming a gap in between the band which does not look very good.

 

This image is of the models for my posters at the bottom of the magazine. The postition of the camera seems to high up and slightly tilting over the two girls. The lighting is also to dark although this couple be edited on adobe i re took the shot with a light on on and it looked much better.







This image of another poster. This is of a male rock artist. The camera angle seems slightly tilted, however the lighting is good. I decided not to use this image as his facial expression does not look right for the front cover of a magazine.


I found taking practice shots very helpful and had i not taken them i would not have had a variety of images to choose from and also i would not have ffound fault in my images.

Final pieces

One of the models I had intended on using was unable to attend the photo shoot so I had to use a different model. I seceded to take the images on a blank background and have all the photos medium shot. I took many images which gave me more variety and choice when deciding on which to use in each piece of work. I used the mock up as a guideline however I made some changed. The content page didn't look very good with just the image of the band, I went back and looked at other content pages from Kerrang and realise I needed a screen shot of the double page spread and the same of the band again. When I was making the front over I kept looking at it and thinking it had something missing because it looked to plain, once again I referred back to other Kerrang magazines and realised I needed to use a small summary of the double page spread under or above the main sell line to make the reader want to read on. I used 'Tracks, Tours and Tormented Pasts'.

The first image is my front cover. The second image is my content page and the third image is of my double page spread.