Photos of Artist

I based the images i took on the popular female rapper Nicki Minaj.
Here are some shots that are similar to the ones i took.
All the images were taken using a 10 megapixel camera. Most of the pictures I have taken are mainly close up shots, although the artist is wearing sunglasses she still has that connection with the reader. This maybe making the reader want to see what is under the sunglasses.
The mise-en-scene I used for my photos fits with the genre of RnB and Hip-Hop as it gives an urban feel. For example the brick wall background shows an urban environment, and the artist wearing sunglasses and a leather coat also fits in with the mise-en-scene as it gives the artist and cool look.

close up

close up

Long shot 

long shot

close up

  

close up

long shot 

Long shot 

Computerized Front Cover Drafts

I was able to use Indesign to test out some of drafts to see what they may look like. Here are three examples:

This first draft uses a tester shot i took of my artist.

I think the first draft best shows what I intend for my magazine cover to look like. However, I do like the background of the second draft but I don't think it will be suitable as it is too dark.

Double Page Spread Drafts

Looking at the three double page speads that I researched from my three chosen magazine gave me an idea of what a double page spead layout should look like. From this I was able to draw some drafts for what i potentially want my magazine to look like.

Out of all the drafts i like the third draft as the picture doesn't take over the and entire page.

Contents Page Drafts

Here are my three drafts for my magazine contents page, again I stuck to using two colours for the font. All of the drafts are also labelled.

Of all the drafts I like the second one best as it shows an equal amout of images and text.

Magazine Cover Drafts

After deciding on the name for my magazine I began drawing drafts for my front cover.
Here are my hand drawn and labelled front cover drafts, I stuck to using two colours for the font to start, although I may change them later.

Magazine Name Brainstorm

I decided to brainstorm some names for my music magazine, I thought of names that related to my chosen genre of RnB and hip-hop

In the end i decided to go with the name Beatz & Vibez as my magazine name.

Plan

•I also brainstormed some names for my magazine.

•I have again made hand drawn plans for my magazine to give myself an idea of what I want my magazine to look like and also to try out different layouts.

•I have done 3 hand drawn plans each for my front cover, contents page , and double page spread. I also made some of my drafts on the computer.

Research

•My magazine represents young people this is shown through the type of images I have used. It is also shown through the mode of address, it is not at all formal.

•My magazine also talks about thing that young people enjoy such as fashion, reviews of the latest music and what musicians are doing.


My chosen genre is RnB and Hip-Hop, throughout history in RnB women have had equal status.  Whereas in Hip-Hop males have been very dominant. Only recently have females began to break through and become equal to men in this genre. Female rappers such as Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim have paved the way for up and coming female rappers.  Typically in this genre females are represented as being eye candy for the males for example wearing skimpy outfits, the lyrics used by male rappers and being stared at by men, Gaze Theory is often used to represent this. Whereas males are represented being dominant, rich and powerful this is often represented by them having a lot of money , driving nice cars , being followed by a huge entourage and having a lot of tattoos. 


Hip-Hop appeals to a particular kind of audience as some young males want to emulate rappers for their status. This also appeals to some young females as they wouldn't mind being the girlfriend of a rapper.  However both males and females enjoy the lyric used by rappers.
Where as RnB appeals to a wider audience 


Over the years  the lyrics used in Hip-Hop have become very controversial, even being accused of  glorifying gang culture and violence. 

50 Cent rapper 

Nicki Minaj female rapper 

Day 26 Male RnB group

Destiny's Child Female RnB group 

Research

•My media product would be for people that enjoy RnB and Hip-Hop/Rap music, this is shown as the name of my magazine ‘Beatz & Vibez’ reflects language used in these genres of music. My magazine also represents these genres by the sort of artist mentioned such as ‘Lil Wayne’, ‘Lupe Fiasco’ and ‘Kanye West’

•My magazine would be distributed in all shops,newsagents and by ‘Beatz & Vibez’ through their website using magazine subscriptions.

Conclusion

•From the research I have done about music magazines I have learnt that there are many common conventions such as a constant colour scheme on the front cover, also the fact that the masthead is always one of the biggest elements on the cover.

•I have also learnt that contents pages are split up in to sections such as ‘ features, fashion and reviews’.

•However from my research I have also discovered that layouts of magazines are very different for example the layout of contents pages and also front covers.

Music Magazine Research Information About Q Magazine

•http://www.qthemusic.com/

•Q is a music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, with a circulation of 130,179 as of June 2007.

•Q magazine was founded in October 1986 by Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth.

•Q magazine features reviews of new releases (music), radio, television, film and live concerts.

Music Magazine Research Information About Vibe Magazine

•http://www.vibe.com/

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Vibe Magazine was founded in 1993 by Quincy Jones in partnership with Time Inc.

•It has featured artists on the cover such as Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce and Lil Wayne. In total Vibe Magazine has sold over 50 million copies before it stopped production in 2009.

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Vibe magazine features RnB, Rap and Hip-Hop music.

Music Magazine Research Information About Billboard Magazine

•http://www.billboard.com/#/

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Billboard Magazine was first founded in the 1920s by William H. Donaldson and James H. Hennegan.

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Billboard Magazine is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, it is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world and has sold over 80 million copies since it was created.

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Billboard magazine talks about most genres of music including  pop, hip-hop, RnB and Indie.

Music Magazine Research

Here are the codes and convention of double page spreads of existing music magazines.

Music Magazine Research

Here are the codes and convention of  existing music magazine contents pages.

Music Magazine Research

I researched codes and conventions of existing popular magazines such a BillBoard , Vibe and Q. My main focus was Vibe Magazine as it focused on my chosen genre which is RnB and Rap.  First i researched magazine covers.

Research into Existing Music Magazines

Here is some research I did into existing music magazines before creating my own.

Main Task

The Brief for the main task was to create a front cover, a contents page and a double page spread for a music magazine.

What I Learned and Evaluation

•My media product uses conventions from real media products such as images relating to the magazine, as seen on the school magazines I researched, and issues regarding the chosen subject e.g school , exams . However unlike some of the other school magazines mine has a contents page

•From creating my school magazine cover and contents page I have learnt how to use adobe illustrator more effectively, which I think will help me when making my music magazine. It has also given me a general idea of what a magazine layout will look like, this has taught me that a lot of planning goes into creating a magazine cover.

Final product

Through my drafts i was able to produce a finished school magazine front cover and contents page

Magazine Front Cover

 Magazine Contents Page

Development

Here my first draft for my school magazine front cover



Build up of contents page



Research into My School Magazine

 

•Here is an example of the questionaire I gave to my peers In order to help me know what I would put in my school magazine.

•The results show that people would be interested in having a school magazine

 From the results of the questionaires i was able to go on and create my school magazine

School magazine Research

First I started by researching the codes and conventions of existing school magazine front covers and contents pages. Here are some examples of school magazine contents pages and front covers.  

•In conclusion I have learnt that the school magazine covers I have evaluated seem to have the same layout for the front cover E.G.  A title and name of the school and a few pictures to show what the school is about.

•However I have seen that not all of the school magazines have contents pages and one even had the contents page on the front cover. The magazines that don’t have a contents usually seem to have a page instead telling the reader what the school is about. I will incorporate the idea of having the title and school logo on my contents page. I will also incorporate the idea of having a contents page with a bit of text showing what the school is about.