Flat Plans - As Media Main Task - Rhiannon Sanders

These are the flat plans for my music magazine. Included is a Front cover, contents page and a two page spread.

My front cover will be the main focus of the magazine, having a good front cover is vital for a magazine as it needs to catch the readers eye, if it doesnt then they wont buy the magazine meaning that there is no income. The front cover includes the brand logo - Listen'UP. I chose this as the title as it it links to the idea of a music magazine but we can also play around with the design of the letters so therefore makes it original and different which relates to the style of the magazine as indie music is a 'different' style. My tag line -let the music make the choices. Refers to what the magazine aims to do; give you the low down on whats hot and whats not in the music industy but also gives us all a chance to view bands which we might not recognise.

The main photo is of UTURN and Daria - this photo relates to the main article in the magazine - the main flash this first story on page which is mainly there to show the interesting areas and indicate what will be included in the magazine. I have decided to use a full body shot as the positions the band members of U-TURN are very different from how normal band members would stand this adds to the individuality of the band. The individual style of each member works well together and helps bring the 'individual look of the magazine across. The text i will use here will be biggere and bolder that the other stories on the front page because being prominent will mean it draws the audience in. Also on my front cover there will main sells these are also main stories which will make the reader want to read the magazine but arent the main focus. Having these advertised on the front cover enables the reader to see what else is going on in the magazine. The main sells on my front cover will be the Innerpartysystem tour and the Tickets.

Similar to many other magazines i have used columns and rows to help me lay my magazine out so it will not look messy or to busy. The use of columns and rows in magazines can vary depending on the target audience with formal magazines it will straigh and simple so not to distract the reader away from the main stories. With my magazine i have made sure that there is order but made sure that its not too simple. By doing this i have been able to move the writing around and place it in random text boxes. With my target audience being a younger audience the different shapes and different layout of things helps to give it originality and fun.

The use of a barcode is necessary with all magazines as its the main tool used by all magazine companys to ork out how many sell and to whom the magazines are ebing sold. The use of this can help to make the magazine better and to gather information on what should be included. Although my barcode is big its not distracting. Placing it in the corner means it is easy to find and is not interfearring with any of the articles on the front of the magazine.

This is my contents page for my music magazine, the contents page is one of the most important pages of a magazine however people spend on average the least amount of time looking at this page. The purpose of a contents page is to inform the readers of all the stories in the magazine and what pages they are on. One or two stories may be on one page at a time as they may not be as interesting. The more interesting the stories the more pages they will cover they will also have bigger titles on the contents page as to be noticed quicker than the other stories. Many magazines will have pages where you the audience can get involved, these pages will generally be towards the back of the magazine and only cover one or two pages.

On a contents page there is normally a welcome note from the editor or from all the people who make the magazine. Instead of doing that i decided to do a summary of the magazine. The brief summary lets the reader know what the magazine is aiming to do just like a mission statement for a business does. I decided to place this in a corner as when you turn over from the front cover the top corners are generally where your eyes focus on first and as a result it will be read by the readers.

Like the front cover i have used a column layout however i decided to only use it in certain areas like the different photos at the bottom and on the magazine summary and on the rest of the page i decided to 'randomize' it, this helps to emphasise the genre of my magazine and adds a young look on the magazine. With the diagonal randomly placed stories it will make the reader want to have a look at them. However by doing this there is a downside, with the randomly placed stories it means there will be alot going on one page and as a result it will confuse the readers or clutter up the page. As a result i have tried to make the main stories stand out with bigger text and by putting random photos in different places it will cut it up into different sections. The photos i will use will be random photos linked in to different stories. For example a photo from a backstage party and from a live concert.

I have also decided to include a strap line; a line of text hich goes at the top or bottom of a page normally shown on the front cover, to advertise subscription to the magazine. Generally a strap line wouldnt be used for this but it is a good way to advertise something. The strap line will be in a bright colour so will be eye catching to the reader.

This is my double spread page in my magazine. One page is totally taken up by a photo and a title for it 'Who Will Win' the use of the a big photo makes a statement, By using a big photo it shows that it is the main story and is something the magazine would like you to take interest in. This photo will be of just Daria as it will link into the story on the 2page. For my photo i will make sure it is either a close up photo or a full body shot which will mainly be her and no background. I shall edit the photo so that it gives the individual funky look with it. By doing this it is getting her style across.

The 2nd page is a story all about Daria and how she is one of the upcoming artists of the year and is in competition with UTURN over the top stop for ListenUP's band of the month. The story will be in bold writing as it is easy to read. I have decided that there i should use a simple background as it will not distract the reader and will make it simple to read the story. There is alot of writing however it is split into sections so will mean it is easier to read. I have decided to use rows for the text but have not introduced columns onto the page.

Apart from the title on the photo and at the top of the second page there isnt much to stand out. The page is dedicated to the article and photo.

Rhiannon Sanders As Media Preliminary Task - flat plans

These are the flat plans for my college magazine, a flatplan gives me the main draft of how my magazine will turn out. They are simple and dont include colour/photos however the plan of where they go and what colours i may use could be included in this.

My flat plans were very helpful to me with desiging my front cover/contents page. I have kept the layout the same however i have changed a few things. On the contents page i decided not to include photos on the page as it would draw the attention of the reader away from what the contents page is designed for. It would also make it feel 'clutterd' or busy and wouldnt work properly.

Analysis of existing magazines - As Media Main Task - Rhiannon Sanders

Kerrang have gone for a big photo on the front, the band featured is 'Biffy Cylro' who are a well known band so without the use of colours/words the magazine has already started to interest the readers. The lead singers photo stands out against the rest and covers the title this gives the idea they are a big band and they mean business. It gives a sense of power over the reader. Kerrangs title is in simple colours (black and white) however it still has a big impact with a simple lined pattern on the letters by doing this it makes it stand out more. As no other magazines have the same sort of design on their logo it makes it unique and individual which means it is a memorable name and relates to the individual style of the magazine. The use of a simple red at the top and bottom of the page adds a impact and a slight bit of colour to the page as a result draws the reader in. The use of little photos on the page also shows what other interesting stories which will interest the reader are featured.

The contents page for kerrang uses the grid layout. Using the grid layout means things are set in order. Not only does it look neat but it also gives a nice layout for many articles to be included. The use of boxes to show a different article on each page means its clear. With a photo for each article it draws the readers attention to it. Colours are once again kept simple black and white for the main background/text and yellow for the numbers so they stand out. With the use of simple colours the reader isnt distracted away from the main things. With the use of one red square you will want to read it. By advertising subscription in this block they have made sure the reader has read it. The stories which havnt got as much priority are just listed to the right this gives good layout and doesnt mean they will take up too much space where main stories can be advertised. Language on the contents page is simple there are no main articles its just titles and page numbers so can be just left with box standard simple words. The use of different text to highlight the title of the page lets the readers know what the page is doing for the reader.

The band is presented as being a dark band this is shown through the photo and the style/presentation of the page. The photo is in black and white whichadds a different feeling to the image. Coloured photos give the feeling of warmth and if you can relate to it where as greyscale/black and white photos have a block where its us looking at them and gives a fierce loook towards the audience which suits there identity/style. The bold big letters have a sense of making a statement and have a 'solid' feeling so are strong and meaningful. With the black colour being used again it all adds to their identity. The use of black and white also adds an older feeling to the photo, this generally fits in with the age of the band. There is also a large amount of green used on the spread this highlights certain pieces of text which would interest the audience more than other areas. It also acts as a divider between the questions and answers which the interviewer has set. The language used in the article generally stays the same throughout however changes when the band members talk to the interviewer. With the use of bad language throughout the interview it could be agued that the article could be aimed to appeal to a wider audience by using phrases/words which are more suitable for an older audience. Having an interview lilke this means the audience are able to relate to the band and find out facts/information which they wouldnt get from songs/internet. Kerrang have used Slayer as a main article because the target audience will know who the band is as they are very well known.

This is the front cover for a NME magazine. The use of a big photo taking up the whole page makes a big statement the photo of The Wombats and the silly poses of the members links in with the story about them 'why britains gone silly for the lords of the indie dancefloor'. It also makes a link to the fact they are an 'indie band' and being different means they can get away with being slightly weird in their poses. The use of colours on the page are kept to Yellow, Blue and White mainly this makes the text stand out more on the photo as they are bright and catch the eye. With the use of bold big writing it will be the writing which the audience are drawn to first and not the photo this is a strange thing for a magazine to do as they aim to attract the audience by who is being featured in it. Having 2 mini photos on the front cover shows that there are other 'big stories' in the magazine but they arnt as big or important as The Wombats cover. The cover will appeal to the target audience - students - as its bright and makes a statement. Compared to 'gossip magazines' and others aimed at different audiences its laid out differently with slanted writing and there being no order of where things go.

The contents page is very jam packed which means that the audience may not read it all. This isnt an ideal layout for a contents page as you want the readers to read ALL of the magazine so that they want to buy the next one. The main stories such as ones linked to big name artists like on the front cover are in bigger which means they catch the eye of the audience.

The colours used on this page are simple - black white and red. This is a simple colour scheme however it still attracts the reader. With a simple red line to the side the colour makes you want to look at it so you will read the information. The categories given for the contents are in bold this helps the reader get to the area of the magazine they want quicker. The big bold writing is simple but effective. Having the photos 'mismatch' gives the feeling/look of a scrap book. Many young people make scrap books which then links the magazine to the audienence. By doing the scrap book look it gives it a unusual/new look which most magazines dont follow. the language used on the contents page is simple and doesnt have any puns/aliteration in. This then shows the audience its not really a page to concentrate on but instead just refer to it.

This is a typical 'all about the band' double spread. The name of the band 'the teenagers' links in with the photo of the band. The photo of the band has been taken in a bedroom with photos of typical things guys may have on their walls for example pictures of bands and girls. The colours used also link to the band with a stereotypical view that the colour blue is for boys it links into the band being an all boy band. The other colours used - black and white are simple but have a modern and simple look. Being an indie magazine means that they will generally be different from other magazines which this does. With the main spread on the band they have covered the page with a big picture this and the stories on the page fit in with the 'grid' layout which most magazines follow. This makes it look as if it has order and effort has been put into it. With most of the page being focussed on the band there is a little article on the side about 'what everyone is talking about' this shows that its not something which should be mainly read but as your on the page you might aswel read it. The language used is simple and easy to understand, this could be because of the target audience being students meaning its easier for them to understand but it also could be because of the way the band is and the portrayal of them.

Target Audience - As Media Coursework Main Task - Rhiannon Sanders

After chosing to design an indie magazine i needed to research into different magazines to see what to put into it and who it should be aimed at. I chose to look into Kerrang and NME.

In 1952 NME hit the shelves and now 57 years down the line its been named Europes biggest selling magazines and one of the longest running well known magazines in the music world. NME focuses on the indie genre of music and brings us all the new and up and coming talent and all the gossip on new albums/songs. The main audience for this magazine is aimed at men between 17-30 however recently the amount of magazines sold has been overpowered by women. With women now buying this magazine the editors are now including stories/music which may appeal more to women. NME are now adapting to many different audiences and as a result different age groups are now reading it. The price of the magazine is £2.20 this price reflects the sort of audience reading the magazine - students/low income.

Kerrang magazine was first published in 1981 and is a weekly released magazine. This magazine is slightly different to NME as its more aimed at the 'rock' area of music.Like NME it is known across alot of the world and as a result is becomming more popular so has widened its products to a radio station/concerts/TV channel and award show. This increases circulation figures and brings in more revenue.Like NME it is aimed at the same audience - 17-30 however in recent years it has been recognised that the magazine is now being bought by a younger audience because the stories are now appealing to a wider audience as they are featuring more 'poppy' rock bands such as 30 Seconds To Mars and Elliot Minor. The price of this magazine is also £2.20 this also generalises the audience to be students or people with a low income.

Introduction - As Media Coursework Main Task Rhiannon Sanders

For my main AS coursework piece i have to design a music magazine to a genre of my choice. The magazine must include a front cover contents page and a double spread including a main article.

To achieve the highest level possible i have to consider the audience and what stories will be most enjoyed by that audience. I will also have to include photos which i have taken myself and an article on the double page spread which i have written on a specific topic linked to the theme of my magazine.

To design the best magazine i can i will have to research other magazines from different genres. This will give me ideas of things to include in my magazine and the style for it.

For my preliminary task i had to design a college magazine with a front cover and contents page. This enabled me to learn how to use flat plans and imaging programmes which would help me for my main coursework. By doing this i learnt about colours, images and text and how different things can affect how the audience may look at it. This has let me get a general understanding of how magazines work.

For my magazine i have decided to design my magazine around the 'indie' genre this means i can include many different bands/artists as indie covers alot of different sub-styles. I was influenced to do an indie magazine from magazines such as NME or Kerrang.

Rhiannon Sanders AS Media Preliminary Task - contents page analysis

This is the contents page for my magazine, i used the same programme to design this.

Again i have decided to use column/rows for the layout of my magazine it splits up the writing and adds order to the page without using lines to distinguish a difference int the story.

On this page i have added a photo of the college logo which just adds the whole emphasis that its a college magazine. This is the only photo on the page which means it is eye catching to the reader.

On the contents page i have stuck to just using three colours: the ones i used for the title - pink and purple/blue and black. Using just the main colour as black gives a clear but simple look on the page, having just a little bit of colour means its more likely to stand out and be clear.

The size of the text differs depending on what its talking about. The little piece of writing about what the college magazine is about is really small as its not really that important where as the main stories and the page numbers are in bold and also very big which makes it the first thing you look at on the page.

Fonts only change between two, the one which is used for the magazine name on the front page and the one used for the rest of the writing, having a different text will make it stand out against the rest of the stuff on the page.

If i was to do this again i would add more photos at the side of the main stories, i would make sure these link in with what the stories are about there for it gives the reader something else to look at as it is rather plain. The use of a background colour would have also added another ideal effect to the page. Using a coloured background would make the black writing stand out more.

Rhiannon Sanders AS Media Preliminary Task - front cover evaluation

This is the front cover of my student magazine. I used Adobe InDesign to help me make my magazine cover. This programme is used by many companies to actually make magazines as its simple and has a wide rang of tools to make the magazine how you want to.

The layout of my magazine uses a column/row layout which keeps it looking neat. Using rows and columns means that the magazine doesn't look messy and you can choose certain blocks/rows to catch the readers eye.

I used a single photo on the front surrounded by writing. By using one photo the attention of the reader is drawn to it and then to the writing. Having too many photos on a page can mean the bigger stories on the page aren't acknowledged as there is so much going on on the page.

I stuck to using 5 colours on the page - pink and purple/blue for the main title, black for general writing and green/gold for the title of one of main stories. Having too many colours can look too 'busy' and will ruin the look of the magazine. Keeping to a few colours keeps it looking smart but simple at the same time. I used Pink and Purple/blue for my title as on a white background it shows up and makes a statement using bright colours like this also makes it stand out as the title. The black has been used for all the stories and general writing on the page as its formal and simple. Using the same colour for most of the writing means the reader will know its explaining different stories going on in the magazine.The colours used for 'hellosailor' are colours associated with sailors/navy. The colours also compliment eachother and stand out compared to the rest of the writing.

The size of the writing has different effects. The bigger the writing the more attention it will attract therefore i used bigger writing for the titles of the stories and the main name of the magazine.The '09/10' on the magazine is a way of notifying the reader of the magazine and telling them its a new term so a new magazine. Using a different style text compared to the rest of it has the same affect as using different colours however it doesn't stand out as much as the title.

On my magazine i kept the layout simple however i used different effects on my writing. Using different alignments and effects such as 'bold' and 'italics' can help seperate different bits of text without using lines or boxes. It also makes the page more eye catching as the background is simple. The different uses of alignment add to making the magazine look smart. Having writing scattered all over the place can make it look messy.

The use of alliteration on the story Lewes Look On Life' means it catches the readers attention. Having alliteration also means that it is more likely to be remembered as its using the same letter in each word of the title. In this case L L L.

If i was to re-do my magazine i would try and use the rows/columns to my advantage and put the photo in the middle which will have more of an effect than where it is now. Also by putting the image in the middle it means that we can move the stories round and not have them all on the side. i would also try using the colours in different ways and possibly use them on the background so that i have more colour on my page.

Rhiannon Sanders AS Media Preliminary Task - Photographs

These are the two photos which i took for my front cover of "Lewes'SHOUT out". I aimed to get a photo of a student outside of a Lewes College sign so that it gives a general link to the name of the magazine. My aim with the photo was to get a medium close view which would give the reader something to react and link to. Having just the sign in the background means that the eye wont be distracted by whats happening and at a quick glance you know what/where it is. I also chose a student smiling as it shows that shes happy which generally gives the view shes happy at college and what shes doing. A smile also attracts the reader as her face is one of the main points of the picture. the height of the photo was also vital to my design if i was to take a photo from above then it would give the sense of overpowering and therefore have a different affect than i aimed for. Being at the same level isn't overpowering and gives the reader something to relate to as its a pupil and its a magazine for everyone to read.

Out of these two photos i decided to use the first photo as it not only has a medium close view but is facing us. The image where she is looking to the side doesn't have as much of a welcoming portrayal. Both of the photos fit my target designs of the level, smiling and showing something to do with Lewes college.

Rhiannon Sanders AS Media Preliminary Task - introduction

For our preliminary task we have been asked to design a front cover and contents page for Sussex Downs College magazine, the target audience can be staff or students. To complete this task we need to include flat plans which are draft layouts of the design of our magazine including barcode, date and stories. A medium close up photo of a student as the main picture and a masthead and specific text aimed at your target audience.

My magazine is aimed at students of Sussex Downs - Lewes campus. The plan of "Lewes'SHOUTout" is to let the students know important things happening at college whether that be socially or important evens such as exams. The reason i did a magazine like this is because it enables students to have something which keeps them 'in the know' of college and to be able to express their view on things.

I decided to call it "Lewes'SHOUTout" because its simple but catchy. Putting Lewes into links it to the Lewes Campus of Sussex Downs. The phrase 'SHOUTout' is a popular name used to describe a newspaper as its letting people know about whats happing around them.
Using SHOUT in bold has made it stand out, by making it stand out it will bring the attention of the reader to it first.