Photo shoot planning document

Photo shoot planning document

Shoot date and time: Saturday 22nd December 

Front cover image

Image description - a posed image with head slightly tilted, but still looking directly into the camera to still be the main focus, this image will show her clothing which will determine what the audience portrays her personality as

Lighting - artificial lighting with flash from the camera to give a detailed sharp image

Costumes - wearing a light colored top so its not patterned and the focus of the image, with make up and a leopard print headband which gives an urban vibe to go with the genre of my magazine

Plan of shot - close up image, just a head shot to show her face clearly and to present her clothing and personality accurately.

Contents page image

Image description - a black and white posed image, holding hair back and looking through her arm directly into the camera

Lighting - artificial lighting in front of a green screen

Costumes - to be wearing a leather jacket and dark eye makeup for an edgey feel to the image as a whole

Plan of shot - close up image of only head and shoulders

Equipment - i will need a green screen for this image

Web cam image for double page spread

Image description - a simple web cam image to look like the model took it herself to go with the story 

Lighting - quite dark to look like its taken in her own room via webcam

Costumes - a casual flowery top, it will be a close up shot of just her face and hair so costumes in this image is not so important 

Plan of shot - close up image of models face

Double page spread images

Image description - a photograph for album cover which will be included on the double page spread and a black and white image of her looking into the camera

Lighting - natural lighting of black and white image which focuses on her face which is brightened 

Costumes - a white top to go with the brightness of the image as a whole, dark make up to make her face stand out

Plan of shot - mid shot for double page spread to show her whole body and a close up image for the album cover

Shoot location: The artists home as this is where they are most comfortable. The front cover shots and black and white image for double page spread will be taken against a white background. Web cam image will be taken where they are most comfortable in their room.

Model/person: Jenn Webb

Contact details: jenn_webb@hotmail.co.uk

Equipment - The equipment I will need to take my images for my music magazine is a camera and a green screen for professional looking images.

Location planning

The location of my photo shoot will be at my models home, this is in order to make her look as natural as possible, comfortable in her normal clothes and will be a quick and easy way to get the photos I need for my music magazine. By doing the photo shoot at her home this will make her more comfortable to pose instead of being in a different photo shoot environment with a lot of people watching. The final images for my magazine will be professional and laid back rather than my model trying hard to pose which makes it look less natural.

Costume and Props for my music magazine

My chosen genre for my music magazine is R&B, Hip Hop, in the images I will take for my music magazine I will have to make it clear of what the genre of music my magazine is. As seen in the mood board I created there is a clear urban edgy vibe to what the celebrities wear in order to stand out and be a style icon. For my front cover I will dress my model for my music magazine in a simple plain top, smokey eye make up with a fur leopard print headband on for the main focus to be solely on her.

The image I will use on my contents page, I will take of my model posing with again dark make up, but this time in a leather jacket to give an edgy vibe. The first image for my double page spread is a webcam image of her relaxing so the image will be quite laid back where she looks quite natural whereas the main image for my double page spread is a mid shop of my model and she will wear a light colored top again for the focus to be on her, she will also wear a ring to add some jewelry to the image. I have placed my model in everyday comfortable outfits which represent her own personal style and the style of the magazine. The costumes and props I have used for my magazine link in with the mood board I created for this genre, as I have used certain props and costumes in order to give an edgy urban feel to the magazine as a whole as seen in my mood board.

History of Billboard magazine front covers 2009-2012

Billboard magazine 2009-2012

                                        

2009 Billboard magazine front cover. The masthead is "Billboard" and is behind Lady Gaga as it is a big magazine company everyone knows what it is, it doesn't have to be clear and stand out - there are a blue and yellow colour in the Billboard masthead to add a bit of colour. All the writing is in sans serif so it basic and easy to read. The background colours are grey and black which makes the main image of Lady Gaga stand out. Lady gaga is placed directly in the middle of the magazine in order for the main focus to be on her. Her hair is the brightest colour on the magazine so she stands out so she is the focus of the magazine.

                                         

2010 Billboard magazine front cover. The masthead would be "Billboard" and is big and bold with different colours on it to stand out. Not a lot of colours were used on magazine covers in these years and below as it was expensive for the company to print in colour, this is why the main image of Drake is a black and white image as it cost the company less money to produce. All the writing is in sans serif which seems to be a reoccurring idea in this magazine so far. However the main attention is on Drake as it has his name in larger writing with a little bit about him, the main image is of him in order for the main attention to be on him. In contrast to the front cover of Lady Gaga the masthead is in front of Drake which implies he is not as known as Lady gaga as the masthead is behind her. Drake is a new Hip-Hop rapper and is not well known so needs the masthead of the big company to be over his head to attract attention to him to expand his audience. 

2011 Billboard magazine front cover. It is in this year where a lot of colour is now used in the magazine, in the years below they mainly used black and grey with no bright colours due to the expenses of them. By bringing colour into their magazine it now looks bolder and brighter and more appealing to the audience. Black and grey are not used on this magazine cover at all which makes it look like the whole company has had an image change. The masthead is still "Billboard" and the use of colour in the masthead is still the same to add consistency to the magazine. The writing is in sans serif mainly in a small font but in a larger font serif writing is used to attract attention to the swirls and what it is saying. The main image is of Beyonce and unlike previous front covers she is not looking straight into the camera and is placed at a different angle, although at a different angle she is still the focus of the   front cover as she draws you in with her eyes.

2012 Billboard magazine front cover. Images of the celebrities are always the size of the magazine so we can denotate that the image is roughly the size of A4. Like the 2009 front cover of Lady Gaga, Adele is also in front of the masthead which shows her big status and that she herself is bigger than the magazine so is the main focus. Drake and Beyonce were behind the masthead which implies they were new coming artists who needed the magazine masthead to gain attention. Unlike other front covers, the writing in this one is mainly serif with a lot of swirls and colours included. Although there is a lot of detail on this front cover, Adele is still the main focus as she stands out as she is looking directly into the camera lense which instantly draws your attention to her. From 2009 to 2012 we can see how Billboard magazine has developed over a period of years in their front covers from the use of colours they use as well as the artists they use on their front covers.

Music magazine analysis

Music magazine analysis 

Research and annotations of contents pages and double page spreads 

   

        

I have analyzed a range of music magazine contents pages and double page spreads from various genres which all include the main codes and conventions to make a successful music magazine. I have looked at their layout, colour schemes, images, content, fonts and the target audience of each magazine. 

In NME's double page spread as seen below, they use one main image to do with the story on one side which is A4 and takes up a whole page, on the other page is the story accompanied by a large serif font of the title. The image being A4 is for the image to stand out to the reader therefore would want to read the article. 

Whereas in this issue of Vibe magazine, it contains a series of small black and white images which go across the double page with a larger image on one page of the artist, who other than her name in the article is the only bit of colour on the double page, which makes her the center of attention. Around her is text, although a lot of text she is still the main focus. 

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Contents page research

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Contents pages are used in order to give a snippet of what is available to read inside the magazine. If the descriptions are detailed and interesting this excites the reader into reading the actual article. The page numbers are clear to read to ensure navigating around the magazine is easy for the reader.

Behind the artist, Kanye West, there is a large outstanding "V" as the logo to show this is part of "Vibe" magazine. It is apparent that it is the contents page as it is on the right hand side in a big, black, bold, sans serif font making it easy for the reader. The colour scheme of the contents page is black and white with a hint of red from the heart being pressed onto Kanye's heart, which adds a splash of colour onto the contents page. The contents page is simple and tells you the articles involved in the magazine and gives you a page number of where to find them. There are also sub sections such as Features and Fashion, which makes navigating around the magazine easier for the reader.

Contents page #2

From my research, it is clear that the layout is similar in every issue creating from this magazine. From the previous research into this magazine it is clear that in every issue I have studied "NME this week" is a consistent part of the contents pages. The colour schemes and layout are consistent to make the magazine well known and distinguished by the way it is set out, the layout is formed into simple sections which is easy and simple for the reader to navigate around. The colour scheme used is the usual red, white and black, white being the background, this is a successful part of the magazine as due to a result of this the colour used stands out against the white background. A part of the text which is not to do with the contents page and is about subscribing to the magazine, is done in a bold yellow and white font so it grabs the attention of the audience as it is the only different colour on the contents page therefore stands out.

The lead article on this contents page is sectioned out to be in the center of the page, this is in order to stand out and to be the main focus, it is a big story therefore by placing it in the center automatically attract attention fully. The article is one which is very much involved with the genre of the magazine and the target audience therefore this is a story they would be interested in. It clearly states which page it is on for their target audience to read.

The overall look of NME's contents page is quite professional from the layout to the limited palette of colours used which is consistent in every magazine the company creates.

By analyzing double page spreads and contents pages I now know what layout and content I will use. My main story will be of a new album for an already known artist who will be announcing the new album. The layout I will use will be like the double page spreads I  have analyzed where there is  the article, title and quotes on one side of the page followed by the image of my artist in large on the other page. By analyzing other music magazines this will help me when creating my own as I can see all the aspects I would need to include in order to make a successful magazine in the music industry.

Magazines in stores

Music Magazines in stores

To make a music magazine successful it has to have good advertisement, so the audience know about the magazine and if it appeals to them they are more likely to buy it. The genre of the magazine, context and the front cover also makes a music magazine successful  the audience will buy the magazine if they see their favorite music artist on the front page, so if magazines change the artist and genre each week on the front pages they are more likely to have a wider audience as it appeals to various people.

Dedicated customers is the main aspect which makes a magazine successful so they will keep buying the magazine every week/month.

Other factors such as layout, a powerful story, content, design, marketing, the material used inside, accompanied by a compelling image appeal to the demographic as these are all aspects which need to be included in order to make a music magazine successful.

To make a music magazine stand out from the rest, you need to use a catchy masthead which stands out from other magazines, inside stories need to be more appealing and worth reading, powerful typography will also persuade the reader to buy the magazine. On the front cover there needs to be a good contrast of colours to make the important factors of the page stand out to the customers. The position of the artists on the front page are also important to be more appealing, and by using new upcoming or popular artists will also be eye catching for the customers as its someone they do not know. A good genre of music and using artists that create good music will make the magazine stand out, rather than using artists which are not popular within the music industry.

There are various types of genres within music magazines such as, R&B, Hip Hop, Rock, Metal, Dance, Indie, Classical and Reggae. For my chosen genre for my magazine I have chosen Hip Hop R&B, this is a genre of magazine which is most appealing to customers and will ultimately sell. The general public are fans of this genre and will be more interested in my chosen genre than any other genre that is available e.g. BillBoard magazine is a popular choice of magazine within customers therefore my magazine will be inspired by BillBoard magazine are will be targeted at the 18-25 age range. My target audience will be for those who are interested in the latest fashion, gossip and who are interested in the R&B, Hip Hop vibe.

I believe it is important for other forms of media such as radio to play the music of artists seen on the covers of music magazines as well as for television to play their music videos, this promotes their music as well as making them recognizable to not only their music but the image of them on the cover of a magazine. 

When going into shops to look at music magazines it is apparent that they are situated on a shelf which is eye level with anyone in the shop, and are the first magazines which your attention is attracted to. By going into stores and taking pictures of music magazines helped my planning of my own music magazine as I could see the similarities and differences between the magazines and the codes and conventions I need to make sure to include in my own work in order to make a successful and professional looking music magazine.

Research summary

Research summary

My research has overall helped me to create a concept for my magazine. From researching the layout and content of magazines out in the market now, I have thought of how I am going to present my magazine in layout form and the main story I am going to write about.
By researching it has also helped me think of what genre my magazine will be based around, the main colours I will use, my target audience and the codes and conventions of a magazine which I need to make sure I include.


From observing other music magazines it gives you an insight of how to do your own, I have picked my genre as being R&B Hip Hop where I have chosen the masthead to be 'Swerve' as it is a cool, relaxed name with interlinks with the genre of my magazine, also the fonts I have used are suitable for the genre of my magazine and my target audience.
I have looked at the colours which are used and in Billboard and Vibe magazine - they are usually quite bright colours which makes it more appealing, so I will use a range of bright colours as well as some darker colours throughout my magazine to make certain parts stand out from the rest e.g a bright pink accompanied with a dark grey.


The main part of research which has helped me the most would have been looking at the layout of magazines, I looked at various types of magazines such as Billboard magazine, NME and Q magazine and seen the type of layout they use and how they make their magazines stand out from the rest.
The thorough researched I have done has helped my create my concept for my magazine as well as my actual magazine. I have got an insight to how a magazine is put together and all the things which I would need to include in order to create a successful magazine.

Questions

Q Magazine

What institution owns your magazine?

Bauer Media Group owns Q magazine


What effect does this have on the content? What's in it like pics people writing

Bauer Media Group is a multinational media company. This makes the style of the magazine quite formal.It is aimed towards young adults so it is formal although it is not too formal that it would not be of interest to them. The artists used in the magazine are all older well known artists with pictures of them alongside articles to go with it.


Flat plan - what have you learnt about the magazine?

The magazine uses a lot of double page spreads about various artists, all double page spreads include images and text of and about the artists themselves. A lot of adverts are used throughout the magazine, especially towards the end of the magazine. The most used thing in Q magazine are A4 articles, they are simply written and every article has a totally different story in it.


Mise en scene (setting, props, lighting) - what impact does this have on the audience?

The setting of the images vary depending on the artist the article is about. The article about Rihanna the image is quite dark where she is in a party opening a bottle of champagne whereas the article about Paloma Faith is a bright image where she is in a colourful bedroom. The mise en scene for each artist is different as the setting, props and lighting used reflects the artists personalities individually. It is evident from the articles that the magazine respect the artists they use in their magazine, this is because they go to the effort of making different photoshoots for every artist and put a lot of thought into each article where they could just use the same layout for every artist with articles that do not represent their personalities.


Who is the target audience? How do you know this?

The target audience of this magazine is for adults (30-40). This is the target audience as the stories are about more older artists than younger new upcoming artists like you would see in Billboard magazine for example. The genre of the magazine is rock and roll. All artists are well known and have been around for a while - they are known to everyone so if you buy this magazine you wont see any new artists. The target audience is appropriate for this magazine as the target audience is for young adults who will know who these artists are as they have been around for a while.


What is the tone of the writing? Inform, persuading, one article, fun lighthearted - whole magazine

The overall tone of the magazine is to inform. One article in this magazine is about Jay Z and is written to inform - it informs you about him, his career, where he came from, the meaning behind his music, how he started music and what he has achieved music wise in his life so far. As well as telling you about Jay Z himself the article also promotes his music.


What do they offer the readership? - new information, free poster, CD

Q magazine use a range of cross media platforms. Promotional gifts are given away in Q magazine, quite often CD's and books are given away. Q magazine has its own music channel - Q TV, its own website www.qthemusic.com , has its own digital radio station, are also associated with charitable organisations as well as holding award ceremonies every year - Q Awards.


What elements would you like to borrow for your own magazine?

For my magazine, I would like to use the layout of some of the articles - I like the way the pictures and text merge together to make the whole article look good to the reader so that they would want to read it.  Q magazine use the same colours throughout its magazine, which I will also use as it makes the magazine look more professional.

Flat plan for Q magazine

Institutions

Institutions

Universal Music Group (UMG)

Universal music group is a major global music company owned by French media conglomerate Vivendi. It is the largest of the big three music companies. Universal Music Group owns Universal Music Publishing which is the second largest music publishing company in the world. It is part of the music and entertainment industry.

It was originally founded in 1934 and known as Decca Records in USA and first changed to Universal Music Group in 1996. The headquarters of the institution can be found in Santa Monica, California, USA.

The company has a $6 billion revenue and has 6,967 employees to the company. Universal Music Group has many labels of which they own, for example, Def Jam Recordings, Mercury Music Group, Motown records and London Records. Universal Music Group has famous artists on their label which include, Kanye West, Jessie J, Lil Wayne, Ne-Yo, Madonna and Rihanna, all of which are currently famous stars and iconic artists in the music industry. 

Sony Music Entertainment (SME)

Sony Music Entertainment is the second largest music corporation in the world and is owned and controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation. The company, which evolved into Sony Music, was founded in 1929 as the American Record Corporation through the merger of several smaller record companies. It is part of the music and entertainment industry.

The headquarters of the institution can be found in 550 Madison Avenue, New York, USA. The company have a revenue of $5,672 million with an operating income of $6 billion per year.

Sony Music Entertainment has many labels of which they own Columbia Records, Epic Records and RCA Records. SME has famous artists on their label which include Adele, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Chris Brown and JLS.

Warner Music Group (WMG)

Warner Music Group is an American major global music conglomerate headquartered in New York City. The largest American-owned music corporation worldwide. The company operates some of the largest and most successful recording labels in the world, including Warner Bros. Records and Atlantic Records. WMG also owns Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world's largest music-publishing companies.

WMG was founded in 1958 as Warner Bros and the company was the company was publicly traded on theNew York Stock Exchange until May 2011. It is part of the music and entertainment industry and has a $3.5 billion revenue annually. The headquarters to the company can be found in New York City, USA.

Warner Music Group has many labels of which they own such as Atlantic Records, Asylum Records and Warner Bros. Records. They also have famous artists on their label such as Bruno Mars,  Michael Buble, Cee Lo Green, Wiz Khalifa and Gym Class Heroes.