Monday, 11 April 2016
PERLIMINARY TASK Contents Page Step By Step
For my contents page I first cut out images that I had taken on photoshop to later on use. To do this I used the magnetic lasso tool roughly cut out the image to remove of the background.
I then used the quick selection tool to crop around any uneven parts of the hair etc, to make the image seem more natural and seamless. However to improve this next time I can be more accurate with cutting around the image to make sure the images are smooth.
I also did this to other images I wanted to include on my contents page. I then used InDesign to start to create my contents page.
To start my contents page I made three columns so it looked neat and easy to read. I then titled the page with 'In this issue' stating to the audience that this is where you can find out what is in this month's issue. I then added the page numbers to short headings, so the audience will know what pages contain what. The short captions are there to give a brief idea of what is on the page and if they are interested they will read the longer description under the heading to decide if they want to read that article or not. I used the font 714 Shree Dengeree, I made the headings bigger and in a different colour (blue to fit in with the colour scheme) to catch the audience's attention.
I then added the images I had cropped to the middle and end column to add interest to the page but to also indicate to the audience the types of images and subjects that will be included within an article. To make sure they look at the right image for the article I have numbered the images with the corresponding pages.
Double Page Spread Step by Step
I first made the double page spread layout on In Design, and
used a black screen image from Google on one half and my edited band photo on
the other half. This is shown in my double page spread research as the main
subject of the interview/article has a photo of themselves on one whole page.
I then put the band’s name (Two Faced Serenade) across the top of both pages in a bright red colour so it stands out and pops against the black, white and grey colours. This makes the band’s title easily recognisable to outstanding fans or people that have never heard of the band before.
I then copied and pasted my interview from a word
document and placed the words into columns, it is common for magazines to put
interviews and articles into columns as it makes it easier to read and the
information looks lessened. This is also suitable for my target audience as
they will mostly be younger 16+ so they won’t get bored and overwhelmed easily.
I then put the band’s name (Two Faced Serenade) across the top of both pages in a bright red colour so it stands out and pops against the black, white and grey colours. This makes the band’s title easily recognisable to outstanding fans or people that have never heard of the band before.
Within my article I took out some quotes from the
interview and made them slighter bigger and in a different colour so they stand
out. I also deemed these quotes important information, as they sound important
and look important it would draw the reader into the article, and urge them to
read it. This is shown in my research also.
I also put on the page with the image “the band that are taking over Southend” this again would attract the reader into reading the article as it makes the band seem a big deal and something the audience should know about. I use red as a colour for this quote as it fits in with the colour scheme but also contrasts against the background so it stands out. This is also shown in my research but with more detail and not on the image, so I built upon this idea.
I also put on the page with the image “the band that are taking over Southend” this again would attract the reader into reading the article as it makes the band seem a big deal and something the audience should know about. I use red as a colour for this quote as it fits in with the colour scheme but also contrasts against the background so it stands out. This is also shown in my research but with more detail and not on the image, so I built upon this idea.
Finally I added an image of Two Faced Serenades new EP to
promote the band along with the interview. This technique is commonly used in
music magazines as it gives the audience information about the band’s music and
encourages them to listen to it, as if it is good enough for the magazine it is
good enough for them (the audience). I also put the Spotify to the band and EP
as many people nowadays use digital music streaming so it encourages higher
listening for the band and gives the audience options.
Wednesday, 6 April 2016
Contents Page Step by Step
To start creating my contents page I placed in a
black background, I used a black background as black is a colour that is highly
associated with rock music which would appeal to my target audience. I then
made the title ‘contents’ so my audience would be able to easily identify the
contents page, I also used big bold light red writing to back up this fact. Big
and bold is usually stereotypically associated with rock also backing up and
adding to the genre of rock for my magazine.
I laid out my contents
page in the way of a festival line-up as rock music is also associated with
festivals. For example the reading line-up poster inspired me to create my
contents page in this format.
I then included some images onto my contents page to give the audience
an insight to what may be in those pages listed. This is my contents page
research in the Kerrang magazine where there are multiple images corresponding
to the text.
I then came to realise that the text front was
to big for a magazine and wouldn’t look right against the rest of the magazine.
To fix this I made the text size smaller and added more pages and images to
fill the space. Next to the images I added the page corresponding page numbers
so the audience would be able to identify which page the image will be on. This
technique was taken from my contents page research as this was also used.
Furthermore I added
social media icons as my target audience is male and female the ages of 16-40,
this age group is most likely to use social media so this would help to sell
the magazine to an even further point.
Tuesday, 15 March 2016
Front Cover Step By Step
Firstly I cut out the image I wanted to use on my front
cover, using the quick selection tool. I then put that image onto an A4 size
document on Photoshop with a plain white background as white is the colour I
want the background of my magazine to be. The cut around these images looks
rough but I made it that way to represent the genre of rock as stereotypically
rough and raw looking images, people represent the genre of rock music.
I then added a mast head to my front cover in bright red
bold writing so it stands out and is right in front of your face which again is
stereotyped with rock as it can be very bold and in your face. I titled my
magazine ‘ROCKIN’’ as this is a clear indicator that the magazine is of a rock
genre straight away as rockin’ is an abbreviation for rocking which is associated
with the rock genre.
I then added a main cover line for the Two Faced Serenade on
the front cover in the same big bold red writing to represent a bold rock band
but also so it stands out so my target audience can instantly recognise the
band and make a decision if they should read it or not. I also added a short
description underneath ‘Two Faced Serenade’ of ‘local love and dream venues’
this gives the audience an insight to what the interview/article might be about
and interest the audience to an even further level.
I then added a further cover line, of ’20 biggest rock songs
of all time’, which would also interest my target audience as rock music is
their main music genre to listen to.
I
then added a barcode and a brown strip at the bottom of the magazine for a puff
to go onto. The puff is ‘free mp3 download of new Catfish and the Bottlemen’s
Soundcheck’. Catfish and The Bottlemen is a big rock band with quite a big fan
base so putting a free mp3 of their new song would appeal to a larger audience
if they don’t like any other bands in the magazine, it also adds more appeal
and desire to the magazine.
I
then added Catfish and The Bottlemen’s logo next to the puff so the audience can
identify the band with ease as a logo is memorable.
Finally I added a website underneath the barcode for the magazine, as it would appeal to my target audience as they are a younger audience and the younger generation are familiarised with the internet. Then I put in the issue number and date so the audience can keep track of the magazine issues, the issue number and date is also a common convention on magazines in general.
Friday, 4 March 2016
Write Up Interview Second Draft
Two Faced
Serenade are a cheeky band from Southend-On-Sea, Essex. Members forming this up
and coming band consist of local boys Ryan on drums, Ellis, guitar and vocals,
Dylan, guitar and vocals (sometimes) and Jack, guitar (and also vocals
sometimes, when his voice is at full capacity). All of them meeting through
secondary school, college and through each other all having a passion for
music, to which led to them starting a band. Ellis learnt to play the guitar
and instantly wanted to play with other people to create awesome melodies. “Yeah
sitting in your room playing the guitar is great but, obviously when you’ve got
a drummer and in my case guitarists to play with obviously that’s something
else isn’t it!” They both also share a passion with each other for not
particularly liking other people, making this band a bunch of gossipers.
This leads
us on to the name Two Faced Serenade, before Two Faced Serenade they were S.O.S
(which they hated), Fear of Flying and Seeing Other Signs, until eventually landing
on Two Faced Serenade. This being the band name as a collection of people are
two faced and they were singing so they were serenading them with the beautiful
sounds of their music, to which I would expect to hypnotise the two faced into appreciative
creatures. I entered the small and dingy practice room they were in and sweet
tunes hit me instantly making the small space seem exciting and full of energy,
all concentrating and messing around to make a melody with hints of jazz as
each band member likes to bring in elements of their music tastes into their
songs, as each individual is an entirely different musician, so they come
together with their differences, to create wonderful songs. Writing songs
neither comes easily or hard, each member having selective roles in the
process. First the song is written and then the jamming out process begins to
which they pick a riff they like and then work on it to put together a whole
new song. Not aspiring to be like anyone else, big inspirations and musicians
of favour come from The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Jimi Hendrix. Jazz is an
influential point for Jack as this is his favourite genre, but he only brings
small elements of this into their songs “I wouldn’t want really to be the music
taste I like, like I wouldn’t want Jazz or something like that to aspire to be”.
Growing up
in Southend-On-Sea, Essex it can be hard for bands to be heard and noticed.
Chinnerys played a huge role for Two Faced Serenade, it’s one of the most
popular music venues in Southend where people can go for cheap musical
entertainment and to discover new bands, this being a massive help to the boys,
in making them confident in performing live and getting a glimpse of the soon
to be mega fame. All the hard work pays off though as the boys have played at
venues such as The O2 Academy Islington and The Garage London. The dream is to
play at the O2 Brighton and The O2 Academy Brixton which in my predictions will
become reality very quickly. The feedback and the energy from the crowd being
one of their favourite attributes of playing live, along with the look they
give each other as they see the crowd they are playing to and everything clicks
into place. The favourite venue for the boys to play was the Islington main
stage, but deep down Chinnerys holds a massive place in their hearts being home
turf (not the gunge layered carpet though!) As well as playing popular venues
in London, Two Faced Serenade were also on BBC Introducing, Dylan playing GTA
at the time along with Jack. Ellis described hearing them on the radio as “a
bit weird” and “pretty cool” which sound like good emotions is you ask me.
Dylan stating “It was weird to hear the guy say Two Faced Serenade” this is a
feeling they should start getting used to, the guys stating they forced them to
play their song by spamming them the hell out, but hey sometimes you have to be
persistent to get where you want to go and work hard and not just sit there day
dreaming of all of the possibilities.
However not
all have been supportive of Two Faced Serenade; some family middle grounded and
some fully supportive as they have musical backgrounds. Ryan’s grandparents
where very much against the idea and questioned what would be made from being
in a band, and gave him money for a ticket but never went to the gigs. To be
honest it’s probably not the scene for an elder, jumping around with beer
spilling everywhere and heavy guitars with loud music blasting through multiple
huge speakers! Being persistent they went and made a band anyway and now they
have played a main stage show all the grandparents wish they were there.
Having just
released The Secrets Out (28th December 2015), they are in the
process of writing a whole new EP right now, so keep your eyes and ears open
and alert! A favourite song they have written is Run Away included on The
Secrets Out EP, the ending in particular seems to be a huge highlight in this
tune. However a regret song is Outcast, this was one of their first songs and
as a starting point for a flourishing band I don’t think any regret can be
made, we all have to start somewhere and sometimes a ‘naff’ song as Ryan states
is where it all begins.
All-time
favourite albums can be hard to pick but the boys seem to have some solid
favourites; Ryan, anything from Fallout Boy, Ellis, Blood Sugar Sex Magik by
Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Dylan, anything by Pink Floyd and Jacks, The Black
Album by Metallica. Red Hot Chilli Peppers seems to be a recurring band, as a
goal to supporting, you guessed it, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers!
Me being a
gig junkie I just had to know some of the boys favourite gigs they have been
to; Ellis’s was Lincoln Park and Of Mice and Men, Jack’s, My Chemical Romance
(before they split obviously), Ryan’s, Iron Maiden, and Dylan’s, Jeff Beck.
Quite a few different bands thrown into the mix there but this just shows their
diversity and how as a band, Two Faced Serenade like to sound unique and spice
things up a little!
Tuesday, 1 March 2016
Edited Images
First
I adjusted the brightness/contrast of the image. This was done so the lighting
in the image looks even and professional. I made the brightness 46 and the
contrast 23, as if the contrast was too high the image would look unrealistic
which is not the look I want in my images.
The
next step I took was to alter the colour balance of the image. I did this also
to ensure the image looked even, as the band was wearing a lot of navy I made
the blue tint higher than the red a green so the image looked even and so
everything matched.
Then I
altered the curves of the image. This adjusts the brightness and contrast of
the image at a more controlling rate. I only changed the curves slightly as I
wanted the image to look even and not to over the top and unrealistic which it
became when I moved the curves any further.
Band Photos
Above are all of the images I shot. The images I want to use in my magazine from
my shoot are;
I have chosen to use these images because they fit in with the typical band magazine images and fit in with my research,this is because the lead singer is in the front middle as shown in my research, and all of the band members are close together to show they are a band and not individual artists. I have also done a line-up shot of the band, with them all facing the camera to give direct mode of address to the audience.
I also captured candid shots to give the audience an idea of what the band are like and to give an idea of the genre of the band, for example in my images they are in a small, messy band practice room with laid back clothes playing instruments showing they are in a rock band as mess is usually associated with rock and showing their dedication to music as they are playing instruments.
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