Planning for photographs

I had to contact my actors letting them know where we should meet so we can prepare where we can take our photo-shoot, e.g. the locations where it can be set and how it could be taken. We've chosen the locations, mile end, poplar, and canary wharf.

Peer Assessment and Reflection From My Feedback

With these feedback about my front cover and contents page, it helped me understand what i should do to improve upon them. These comments helped understand what my audience would notice in my magazine. Like for example i was told that cover looked quite plain, as my genre is Hip Hop, my magazine cover should stand out. So I sorted that problem and other suggest out, so that I could please my target audience.

MOCKUP: MBS CONTENTS PAGE DRAFT

This is a mockup for my MBS contents page to help me visually see how I want to layout my magazine.

MOCKUP: MBS FRONT COVER DRAFT

This is a mockup for my MBS front cover to help me visually see how I want to layout my magazine.

Hip Hop Mood Board Front Covers And Contents Page

The camera shot types are mid-shots or long shots as they want to capture the artist's facial expression, body language and fashion style. it conveys some sort of attitude to their readers that they know they are confident. The clothes that the artist are wearing are fashionable to the Hip Hop stereotype as that is represented as cool. If their favourite artist is wearing it; then it must me cool. The overall representation as powerful, intimated, masculine and cool on the front covers.

The font style of the title blocks are bold with eye catching colours. Which fits to my research on magazine front covers that it catches peoples eyes. Q for example had a iconic rock star post and here we have a serious stereo typical Hip Hop pose. The colour schemes are quite similar with a black or white background, then having a bold coloured title block. Types of articles 'Eminem come clean', 'Big Sean living the good life.' Articles which grabs the readers attention with their interesting article titles. This is what i tend to talk about the artist as many Hip Hop magazines do but in Q's case they tend to talk about the artist music and they way they're represented. This tells me that Hip Hop reader enjoy reading about their favourites artist, their life and personality.

CONTENTS PAGE MOOD BOARD

In contents pages there are different conventions to make up a contents page. Contents pages are separated into features, big central image and text explain the main image. As features include information about your music artist, upcoming albums, and any other news about music artist. Some Hip Hop magazines use quotes, or little texts from the article to give their readers a taster below their article title. Most of the imagery being used in Hip Hop magazine are a bit high key or a little bit low key in around areas. Most Hip Hop main images are sometimes making the artist look fashionable and rich.  

Title Block Analysis

Potential designs for my title block

(MBS Design 1)

(MBS Design 2)

(MBS Design 3)

(MBS Design 4)

Title block poll response

 As you can see, I have created a poll to help me decide what MBS title block does my target audience prefer. As this magazine is for them, so getting some of their input shall help me to get this Hip Hop magazine to their liking.

Here is the potential title blocks that I have chose for my magazine, the voters would have to see what they thought would be the best title block for my magazine.

'MBS Design 4' has won the most vote, therefore I have made this my title block. It is bold, eye catching and the colour is what I have chose for my house style. I find this title block acceptable to the genre music that this magazine is based on is Hip Hop. Hip Hop is a type of music that stands out and bold and this title block has all these features that relates to Hip Hop.

Final completed proposal for magazine idea

MBS is different than other music magazines. As it is focused on mainstream and upcoming HIP HOP artists.  However, instead of focusing on promoting the artist/bands’ new album or concert announcements. Of course album and concert announcement will be in the magazine; but I feel my target audience would like to get to know their favourite artist. As such, there will be lots of interviews, so my readers can get some sort of close understanding of the artist and their meaning to their new song/album; was there a true story behind it? The reason why I have created this type of HIP HOP magazine is that I have seen too many magazines like ‘VIBE’ that promotes the album and gives the artist less things to talk about except about their new album, not letting them speak about the  work and dedication put into the album and their inspiration on making their music. This makes the artist feel appreciated as his or hers’ fans would be appreciated on their work. The artist or bands could also tell the readers about how they start from the bottom and made their way to the artist they are today. Was it an easy ride? Or was it a struggle? MBS target audience are hip Hop fans! Both male and females aged between 16 – 20, their social class category (D) Unskilled manual workers and students with low income but aspiration of working hard of getting a better income. Their lifestyle category will be Trendies, people who are desperate to have the admiration of their peer groups, also Groupies, people who want to be accepted by those around them. HIP HOP as a genre stresses the importance of hard work, the outcomes of it and ambitions. The ideologies that the magazine will promote are the harder an individual works the more successful they will become. Challenge the negative representation of hip hop artists, as other people think hip hop artists speak about their feelings and their challenging background. The title of my magazine is MBS which stands for Music Bands and Singers. My magazine will be published every month with jam packed news, new interviews from mainstream and upcoming artists for our target audience to read upon. The techniques that I will use to attract my target audience to the first edition of the magazine is the truth, of how they see themselves in the future, how other people see them and their response to the comments and of course their journey to break into the music industry. Were there ups and downs? The readers would like to know more about the artist themselves instead of the way they are portrayed.

Audience Profile

Name: Jack Goff

Age: 17

Occupation: Student

Hobbies: HIP HOP, FASHION, Basketball, Social Media

Ideologies: Work hard/ play hard, Nothing will be given to you, strive for greatness and be ambitious.

Plan for my main cover Artist

The name of the band on my front cover of Music Bands and Singers (MBS)  is called Rogue Rhymes. They are a Hip Hop band from East London comprising of five recent University graduates, making their first album titled Get It Started which debuted on Capital FM during the end of 2013. They started the band in secondary school and took their talents to amateur gigs and school talent shows across London. Their image is one of a stylish, fashionable band, with a friendly, hardworking attitude. They will not be represented as a violent or angry band, but will challenge the negative stereotypes of Hip Hop as they will not be dressed in a thuggish manner. Rather than gold chains and guns, Rogue Rhymes will wear fashionable trends as they want to look good, but also to catch their target audience’s attention. Their lyrics and songs will not be about sex and drugs, but about the positive aspects of society, money, girls and love. 

Jennifer Lopez Star Image Analysis

Focus Group

Here is my interview with my focus group talking about my magazine. i asked for their opinions which will help me decide some of their idea which would make my magazine appealing to them.