The Cover: First Draft

Audience Feedback:

"I really like how her shirt compliments the union jack in this. Also, the red coverline looks really good at that angle and frames her face really well." - Charlotte Bailey

"Very nice! I love the fonts you used for "The Evolution..." and "Now I can...". Not really sure about the need for the "I am not a robot" on the bottom right, but then again I'm not really up with the standards of the cool kids today.
The use of the Union Jack for the badge thing was a really inspired idea, and as Charlotte said the colours compliment each other nicely.
Well done." - Chris Coales

"This is actually a really good picture and a great angle. I think is was a great idea taking the picture of her against a wall. Your title is very nicely done and the point of the first letter of the word being a small letter is extremely effective. agree with chris about the fonts and colours used, however more text or small pictures could be added, perhaps a small advertisement of the release of her new album/single. The sticker on the outside is good, but very bright. I think you should reduce the opacity of the union jack in the background. :D" - Nathan Sundin

"Really good, i like the way her shirt compliments the union jack sticker, and how her head overlaps the masthead :)
Only thing is that you could maybe fit in a couple more cover lines." - Alysha Bennett

"I like the use of colour scheme in your front cover. The blues of the shirt compliment the clear logo of the union jack in the corner as well as the red and white text. The layout of the magazine is also very good, with a lot of white space taken up. Also, the colours in your models hair add variety on the page. I would only suggest adding a few more cover lines, such as band names or other competetions. :)" - Ben Allen

I intend to take all the advice given on board, and improve the things mentioned with my second draft.

The Interview: First Draft

Leanna Rees has fast become a worldwide superstar. Three years ago she was almost unheard of, yet since the release of her first album White Lightning – she’s now known as a household name, spawning Number 1 hits around the globe and selling over 6 million records worldwide. The entire universe have been patiently waiting for it’s sophomore, and now the wait is over, as Simplify hits the stores next month. We met up with Leanna at our headquarters to chat about all things important…

Finally, a new record! How would you describe the sound, as compared to your debut White Lightning?

I would say Simplify is pretty different to whatever people are expecting. White Lightning was all perfect and clean-cut, which was cool. But I wanted to go a different route the second time around, and make something more raw and real, hence the album’s title. I’d say it sounds a lot unlike anything else around today, maybe less vibrant than the previous, but still with the old Leanna touch. There are some really personal songs on there. I felt I had to prove myself as an artist, and I am definitely pleased with the outcome.

We bet you are. Why did you choose Sharks as the lead single from the album?

Sharks was one of the tracks that stood out to me from the start, and probably best represents the whole feel to Simplify. The moment I’d written it, I was literally straight on the phone to Vince [better known as Frankmusik to us], demanding immediate time in the studio! I was just so eager to get it down on disc, so ended staying up until nearly half three in the morning, just playing about with this track. Then once we heard the finished result, I instantly knew it had to be the first single.

One of your proudest moments, hey?

Haha, definitely a contender! I’ll admit I was rather chuffed with it once I had the lyrics done. And it make’s things all the better to know that it was my own work and effort, not just some demo I was sent and decided to do my own version of… yes, certainly a glorious moment for me.

So, are you against the whole “manufactured” process?

Not necessarily against, but it’s not the way I’d do things myself. Some artists just release tracks where they’ve not really had any input at all, just recorded their vocals over the top, whereas I would much rather create my own songs and just really do whatever I like. If I wasn’t able to write music, I’m honestly not sure how I’d survive. However I do feel the “manufactured” label is over used a little too much now, so many artists are being unfairly stuck with these silly tags. It’s kind of uncalled for at times. Just because you sing pop and are a part of a major label, doesn’t make you a puppet.

After the success of your debut, are you worried about how the public will react to its follow-up?

I’d say I am a lot more relaxed with this one than I was the first. Back in 2007 I was under constant pressure, there was all this apparent hype around me and I was just afraid I’d disappoint. My name was everywhere before I had even released anything, so there were times where I just thought – “I can’t do this, the industry's not for me! I give up!” But with this record I could work at my own pace, and not worry about sounding mainstream or cool enough. Now I’m able to do things my way.

There seem to be plenty of comparisons between you and rising-star Ellie Goulding. Do you approve?

Indeed, Under The Sheets was my anthem of last year. I’ve loved everything I’ve heard of her so far, she sure has the potential to be big, although to be honest I don’t think we are all that similar musically. Her stuff is quite electronic-folky orientated, whereas mine is more indie. They are almost completely opposite genres. However we are both blonde and living in West London, so perhaps that’s what everyone is hinting at!

You recorded over thirty songs for the latest record. What will happen to the songs that didn’t make the final tracklist? May we have another album sooner than expected?

Jesus, this one isn’t even out yet! I seriously have no clue, to be frank I’ve not even thought that far ahead. Thee;s obviously this record to promote first, so am literally travelling all over the place for that. Then I’ve got a sort of mini-tour planned across Europe which should be pretty amazing, I’m sure. So yeah, I’m just living day by day for now. Although I don’t intend on staying quiet for as long as I did the last time. If things go how I want to, there should be another record out by the end of next year.

Result! Lastly, where do you see yourself being five years from now?

Old and grey, living peacefully out in the country I expect. Haha no, I hope to still be bashing out the tunes of course! I don’t intend on quitting music until I’m about 30, at least. There will be time for babies and all that jazz later on. I’m still only 21 after all... so you’ll all have to put up with me for a while longer yet!

The Second Photoshoot

For the second photoshoot, I began taking pictures for possible use in my magazine. Leanna wore the same outfit to keep the same indie vibe - yet we moved to a different location, using a brick wall as the background. This seemed a typical backdrop used for various other artists, and it portrays more of a 'home grown' talent, rather than a manufactured one. I wanted pictures that would present Leanna's fun and bubbly personality, which is evidently shown by her facial expressions. Many of these photos have the potential to be my main cover image, however I believe they will need adjusting in Photoshop, for both lighting and facial editing.

NME Cover Analysis

* The NME masthead, abbreviated from New Musical Express, is used in the top left corner which is instantly recognisable to readers, making a clear statement. The bold colour of red, which is used nowhere else among the cover, and use of capitals helps it to leap out from the page, making it easy for the audience to identify the name of the magazine. The orange and white text used for the headlines also contrats with the black shadows in the background, and these loud colours appeal to the readers attention.

* The font size of the main headline, "Arctic Monkeys" is a lot larger than any other text presented on the cover. This emphasies the bands importance, as they are very popular within the indie genre and many of their target audience would purchase the magazine simply to read more on this particular feature. A quote is also used, "We can't worry about what other people think", creating a sense of realism. It also quite a controversial quote, that would encourage the reader into reading more, convincing them to purchase a copy.

* The cover image is a fairly simple, medium shot of the band Arctic Monkeys standing within the shadows. I have noticed that backgrounds of only one colour are commonly used in magazines, as busy patterns or such would appear cluttered and detract from the featured artist itself. All members are staring directly at the camera, and this eye contact acts as a hook to draw in the reader and entice them. Their facial expressions also appear quite glum and moody, although confident. This correlates well with their posture, the lead singer raising his head slightly as though he feels imperiror to others or assured of himself. Their clothes are also of a stereotypical indie band, sporting a casual, cool and contempary look that is commonly shown among the alternative scene - wearing jeans and loose fitted shirts.

* There is a use of a song lyric along the right hand side, next to the barcode - "There's nothing you can't do/Now you're in New York". The extract, taken from a song of Jay Z's, is printed in so small that is is barely noticeable, although loyal NME readers would know to expect this as a new lyric is regularly used every week.

* Other coverlines include "15 New Bands To get Excited About" and "Amporphous Androgynous: The band that changed Noel Gallaghers life!" The language used in both these is very suggestive, and attracts the reader, suggesting that both articles included important and will interest the reader - hence the used of the word "excited". The colloquial language also makes the magazine more approachable, and easily understood.

Market Research

Before creating the actual design for the magazine, I decided to research other popular publishing's currently around, looking at their sales and circulation figures - as well as its content on both the cover and inner pages for inspiration. I chose to analyse NME, as this was most like the idea I had in mind, and they share similar music tastes to what I had planned, it being indie/alternative influenced.

NME is sold weekly by IPC Media, for £2.30 an issue - which is affordable and worth its amount of content. According to the publisher's website, the magazine is mainly aimed at a younger age group. Therefore, this is where I shall also have to focus my attention to. After discovering the NME Media Pack, I also found the following statistics. They show, on average, the magazine's gender of readers, the ages of those buying it, as well as the circulation and readership figures:

Male: 76%
Female: 24%
Median Age: 23
Circulation: 40,948
Readership: 388,000
Target Market: 17-30

Circulation of the magazine has fallen continuously since 2003. In the first half of 2009, the magazine's circulation was 40,948, 44% down on a 2003 figure of 72,442, which evidently means a huge drop in readers. The internet may be the reason for this, as much of whats included in magazines can now be found online. From this, I can also calculate the magazine's approximate monthly revenue, by simply multiplying its circulation by the price - which would be roughly £400, 000 for NME. However, these are now fluctuating all the time.

The First Photoshoot

By this time - I had the picture of how my magazine cover would look inside my head, so I was eager to begin experimenting with shots and taking some pictures. However, this would not be possible without a model. I wanted a cover star who would look cool, young and contemporary, in order to inspire and relate to the reader. I believed my friend Leanna would be best appropriate for this role, as she already dresses the part and is interested in the indie/alternative genre of music herself - therefore ticking all the boxes. Once this was decided, it was vital to get straight to shooting photographs!

I decided to start taking some pictures for my own practice, and so Leanna can feel comfortable in front of the camera, as well as for the testing of different postures. I firstly had to make sure she was dressed appropriately, wearing clothes that matched the magazine and her supposed genre of music. She wore a casual, but suitable, outfit - conisting of a blue plaid shirt and skinny jeans. These are traditional items of clothing worn by who I plan to target my magazine towards, so gives the indie kind of vibe I wanted. Her hair had also been dyed a shade of purple/red, so that added to the look even further.

These photos were all more of a test than anything, therefore none of these are likely to be used for the finished magazine issue of Dare. There are certain qualities of each picture that I like, as they all bring out her fun and playful personality, but I don't think the background would be suitable for the cover or any other area of the magazine as it is far too busy and will detract from the artist who is supposed to be the main centre of attention. The lighting is also not the best, which meant that the photos produced aren't as crisp as hoped, although this should help me improve in the future.

Research of Poses

Before taking any photographs for my magazine - I thought it would be useful to do a little research and see pictures of other female artists, for inspiration and ideas for possible poses my model can use.

To the right, are various images that I found during my browse and liked the look of. Although some of these may not be best suited for the front cover [either due to lack of eye contact, dull lighting effects or length in shot], all could be of use elsewhere in my magazine. Many of the poses shown can be quite simple, but others are eccentric and engaging to the reader due to its originality. This is the direction I hope to take, as my chosen title suggests.

Title & Font

For the name of my magazine, I wanted something short and sharp which would sound catchy - and hopefully interest or attract the reader. It must also suit it's overall house theme and main genre of music that will be running through the magazine. I decided that a one-word title would be best, and is it is often effective as it is more hard-hitting. So I noted down any words that came to mind and may be suitable.

* Impact
* Alive
* Click
* Gravity
* Dare
* Infinity
* Jigsaw
* [The] Edge
* Scratch
* Antidote
* Union
* Rebellion
* Listen
* Overpowered/Overload

I then tested out a selection of various fonts with a few of my preferred titles.



At first, I found it difficult deciding on one final title, as I felt I had at least a couple which I could possibly use. After confronting other people, I had eventually chosen Dare. I liked Dare because of the power it has to it. The harsh sounding consonant in its prefix is a sign to the reader of whats to come, as it suggests, along with the title, that the magazine goes where others don't - and dares to be different, unique or simply outrageous. This will have a heavy impact on the audience, as it is also instantly recognisable and unlike a title of any other magazine currently within the industry.

Once Dare had been confirmed, I thought I would alter the colour of the logo that I had originally used. I wanted a colour that was bold and represented the title. I figured red would be a good choice, as it portrays the danger that the the title suggests. I also added other effects, such as shadow and the bevel and emboss tool, in order to prevent it from looking too flat.

Main Task

The Brief

* the front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine (if done as group task, each member of the group to produce an individual edition of the magazine, following the same house style).

All images and text used must be original, produced by the candidate(s), minimum of four images per candidate.

The presentation of the research, planning and evaluation may take the form of any one, or combination of two or more, of the following:

a presentation using slideshow software such as Powerpoint;
a blog or website;
a podcast;
a DVD with 'extras'