LO4: Evaluation

LO4: Evaluation

Changes from Proposal

Front cover

My front cover was likely the page which underwent the most change; the primary reason for this was the feature. Initially planned to cover the local band 'The Pneumatics' issues arose and I was forced to switch the feature to a different band named 'The Midnight Train'. The effect of this would alter the main cover-line and main cover image: in turn this altered the representations of the magazine in a positive way. The initially planned representation for the main cover was of an older male which would appeal to an older demographic however, now with a younger male representation, the model now reflects the target audience therefore, furthering an ideal self; the low angle, medium-close ups assist with this through dominant connotations. The house style colours worked together to convey the zeitgeist of the 1990's when vibrant neon-lit colours characterized night clubs and rock music of the time. The brief was met through evidencing Sheffield as the local representation through using a pun in the main coverline 'arrives at Sheffield Station'; then conveying the music genre through denotations of rock instruments and connotations of rebellion evident in the juxtaposing costume to body language and shot types which are conventional of rock. The other coverlines assist with this, including the pull quote, through denoting music (singer, artists, CD single, starting a band, gig guides etc.) 

The tools I used to create my assets were mainly adjustments within the 'edit' image tab, posturizing the background, the shape tool and brush tools to create banners and edit the colour/lighting of the photography to make them reflect my house style colours more effectively. The effect of these created a kind of spray painted aesthetic which, the connotations of, fits within the motif of rebellion which is synonymous with rock/music. Furthermore, the use of the shape tool to edit the sub-image was intended to give the effect of a print-out photograph, linking to the 80's/90's nostalgia.

The final page for my front cover, I believe, meets the conventions of the rock/music magazine genre, through its similar style to other rock magazines like Kerrang! and meets the conventions of the brief through local features on the main cover and sub images. I also believe that through the house style colours, the nightclub, 80/90's zeitgeist in culmination with male representations of the time, appeal to a mature teenage/young adult audience who have nostalgia for the time.

Contents

The contents page was structurally altered from what was planned, primarily from its initial design as a double page spread then turning into one page so that it fit within regular music magazine conventions. To also further these conventions, an editors note was included to replace one of the photos. However, the representations within the contents page are conventional of rock, a guitar denoted in the editors note and a stylistic high-angle seen in other music magazines like Mojo on their respective contents pages. Furthermore, the house style colours remained consistent from the front cover, using high-key pink-tones that juxtapose the low-key costumes of the photography to allow them to stand out more and signify a 'clash'. I emphasised the page which the feature/interview is on too to fit within magazine conventions. Additionally, I used a slug beneath the headline to fit within conventions set by other magazines like Rolling Stone which give some additional context/meaning to whatever the headline is. The organisation of the page numbers also altered slightly to use conflicting fonts to denote the numbers, creating another 'clash' and to convey connotations of rock through rebellion/non-conformity. This on top of a spray painted banner furthers these connotations of music. To also fit within conventions of music magazines like Mojo, Kerrang! & Rolling Stone, I wrapped the text/page numbers around the model. Overall the contents was successful despite some major changes from what was planned compositionally however, the text and purpose of the page remained as planned. The target audience of 16-25 males was targeted through similar representations they can relate to (e.g. the editor's note and model) however, the pink, non-stereotypically masculine, colours challenge audience's preconceptions, allowing this male audience to question stereotypes (Richard Dyer 1983). This is then reinforced through how audiences can expect what else they'll see in the magazine through the page following composition conventions of rock seen in other music magazines like Rolling Stone. 

Like my front cover, I used the brush/blender tool to create a spray paint effect and I used the lasso tool to cut an image of my model into the background to fit within conventions of other music magazines like Mojo and Rolling Stone, which do a similar effect in their contents pages where the text wraps around the model.

My contents page appeals to a local, male, 16-25 audience for largely similar reasons as the front cover through male representations of the same description and neon-lit house style colours that evoke the nostalgic, nightclub, late 1900's zeitgeist. Conventions of the music genre are met through denotations of music genres, music instruments and local gigs, as well as student information which appeal to the target audience. Examples such as costume are clashes of formal and informal connotations (formal attire worn casually/mixed with casual clothing) which conveys the rebellion of the rock genre. 

Double Page Spread

The DPS changed significantly throughout its different versions, altering the layout to match something like Kerrang! I decided to merge both Kerrang! and Rolling Stone on my second page through using multiple pieces of photography rather than one. The photography, through low angles of every band member, appeals to the young male target demographic through empowering connotations; the spectacle of the band all playing together paired with the interview helps with creating an ideal self for the audience and furthers the exclusivity of the magazine. The main headline altered from a serif font to a sans serif font which allowed it to be read easier and clash more with the word 'star' which is written and subsequently emphasised in a serif style. The articles/interview are also formatted as planned however, with the inclusion of a background, now have a banner to make them easier to read. Furthermore, this separates the text which makes it seem like there is less to read therefore, appealing to a teenage audience. A small stroke was implemented to segment the photos which I applied a weathering effect to; this created a vintage effect on the magazine which appeals to the millennial target audience. The drop cap used in the article, the introduction before the interview and the segmentation of page numbers (with the masthead in the corner) are all conventional of other music magazines like Rolling Stone. The primary difference between the planned DPS and the final version was the background however, its implementation was successful to anchor the headline 'star singer' to the background and interview. This page successfully follows the brief through conveying the music genre by following formatting and photography conventions (e.g. denotations of instruments/band playing, rebellious connotations). The local part of the brief is then conveyed within the articles as local events and Sheffield's history are mentioned throughout, as well as referencing Sheffield/Yorkshire dialect like 'Mary Bum' in reference to local musicians, The Arctic Monkeys. The organisation of photography on the right side of the page was intended to reflect conventions set by Kerrang! which uses a similar composition. 

 

Like my front cover, I used the shape tool to create an old photo effect/border, a screentones brush overlay and a posturize layer to allow the photos to stand out and create connotations of 80/90's nostalgia. I also used the brush tool to create some assets such as the introduction to the interview and the columns where the main article and interview takes place, which are organized conventionally. I also imported one of my images to create the background which I then edited into black and white through the 'edit image' tab.

This page appeals to my target audience through denoting male representations through a mix of low-angle wide and close up shots which allow for an ideal self in the audience; empowering them through intimate close ups and the spectacle of the band playing in the wide shot. Denoting a local band playing at a gig is something conventional of music magazines like Kerrang where exclusivity gains purchase through behind the scenes shots and interviews of featured stars.