Rational
I am creating a magazine with the purpose of informing readers about up and coming lesser known media (and events associated with it). The target audience will be students, who will gain interest in the magazine through using a combination of newer artists (which intrigues the viewer) and some more popular artists that are already established, which readers will be familiar with.
My target audience will be Generation Z students, interested in film, fashion, and hip hop culture. I researched this demographic in order to appeal my magazine towards them. Most followers of this subculture are typically male, aged 17-24, study at either at a college or university, and most likely do not have a high level job/income yet. This is important as it was the determining factor of whether my magazine should be free or paid.
Through my primary research (surveys), I found that the vast majority of people prefer print based magazines. Most people are also willing to pay for the magazine if it is based on something that they are interested in (usually in the range of £3-£5). Most also do not purchase magazines regularly, if at all. My intent is to create a magazine which is accessible and free to its audience and to promote a mindset of independence and community which will bring an older medium closer to the youth of today.
Secondary research showed a similar result to the primary research that I carried out. The magazine format is becoming less prevalent as time goes on (mostly due to the internet) and the majority of magazine consumers prefer to have a tangible printed copy rather than a digital version. However, it is still a good move to provide a digital version when available in order to attract the widest audience possible. I also researched other similar magazines aimed at a similar target audience to get inspiration for what i want my final magazine to be like.
The front cover of this magazine clearly shows who it is targeted towards very quickly. Fader is aimed at a adolescents and people in their early 20s (16-21), and features an artist as the subject of the dominant image that many people within that category relate to. The pull quote again perpetuates this, naming off other associated artists with the same demographic. However, because of the more professional style on the cover, the magazine gives the idea that it is aimed at the more mature and serious readers in that audience.
My magazine will have a similar minimalistic layout similar to the Fader, with a main focus on one particular artist or person. However, my magazine will be slightly more conventional and include more cover lines and a plug. The pull quote will also be more detailed, with more information on what the primary article is about (no more than two lines). Like the Fader, my magazine will be highly stylized with more emphasis on colors, images, and simple text than huge blocks of information. I also researched different issues of Fader and found that each issue has its own color scheme which is only consistent throughout its issue. I also intend on doing this, and changing the color scheme based on the season that it is released in, as well as the aesthetic of the artist’s genre, album covers, videos, and personal appearance. My color schemes will consist of 2-3 highly complimentary colors which fit the aesthetic of my secondary and primary images and add a sense of individual artistic value to them.
In conclusion, my secondary research has allowed me to connect with my audience and target them better with my own magazine. It has also allowed me to gain stylistic inspiration which I intend to use as a jumping off point to create something truly unique and targeted. The layout, while different, has also been influenced by the research as well, and builds upon the codes and conventions set by the magazines I looked at. My front cover layout will, like Fader, look sophisticated and modern, while also implementing more standout elements (namely plugs and a higher quantity of short cover lines) which gives a better idea of the content inside by using catchy taglines that implement language that appeals to the 16-21 age demographic.
Contributors
Most of my images will be derivative of albums covers, music videos, film stills and posters. This will be fair use as the content will be transformative in nature and the magazine will be free and not commercial. If there are any primary images featured, they will have been taken and processed by me with my own equipment (DSLR and PC) and feature consenting volunteers (for example showing off their own different outfits for the fashion side of the magazine). This will allow the magazine to have a recognizable, yet still unique look and feel which consists of of a collage of different ideas and styles. Secondary images will also be edited in Photoshop to color graded and reorganized to transform them into something more professional and stylized.
Locations
If i were to shoot my own photos for the magazine, I would do it within the city center to retain the urban aesthetic that many of the featured artists incorporate into their own personalities. This also relates and appeals to the audience as many large colleges are in urban areas. This also ties into the smaller fashion side of my magazine, as that will be mostly based around streetwear, where it would seem more fitting to take pictures of outfits out on the streets.
Equipment
The main equipment needed will be a computer with Photoshop installed, along with a DSLR camera and the appropriate lenses (18-55mm for portrait shots and a 55-200mm for wider landscape shots) for shooting my own photos. Since I already own this equipment, their will be no need to buy more unless I am buying camera equipment for my own personal use, which will then be used to better the magazine.The magazine itself and the photos (both secondary and primary) will be edited and finalized within Photoshop.
Costing equipment and crew
Because this is an independent, amateur magazine, the costs will be low. If i need to take my own photos, I can do it alone on my own accord or with people I know who are willing to volunteer. Since I already own all the equipment necessary in order to create the magazine, the startup cost will effectively be nothing.
Pitch
My new magazine will be focused around exposing as many people to lesser known talent as possible. This could be new music artists that deserve a bit more recognition than what they have, or independent filmmakers with great art that isn’t getting widely released. This will make the magazine stand out, since it won’t be covering all the same topics as every other magazine out there. The aim is to create a unique and premium magazine that can be very easily accessible by students, the target audience, with it being free, and placed within colleges and universities for anyone to pick up and read.
Proposal
My project will be produced by me and volunteering members of the local community. It will release every two months and contain around 15 pages, making it a light read and easy for anyone to consider. To reduce costs significantly, I will not be personally printing the magazine myself. Instead, I will contact colleges/universities with the idea of them printing out the magazine locally using their equipment in return for them advertising their own (or their affiliates) events and dates, granted that they will appeal to the target demographic. They will then be able to place the magazine around the campuses for free pick up by students. I believe that this idea will work efficiently and allow the magazine to reach a wide audience all while allowing the promoters to benefit. I will also design and sell merch for the magazine which will be referenced throughout each issue.
The main types of content that will appear in my magazine are: movie reviews (for new independent movies, such as A24 and Annapurna distributions, along with release dates/screening times for local cinemas), new album releases (from underground hip hop/r&b/indie pop artists, sometimes along with short, paragraph long reviews for less important albums and full page reviews for highly recommended albums), and details of local music and film events that viewers might be interested in (which will sometimes include semi-advertisements provided by the colleges in exchange for them distributing the magazine). Another smaller aspect of the magazine will be fashion. Different aesthetics and styles will be shown in detail, giving the viewers a sense of stylistic inspiration. I will show this by taking my own photos of volunteers modeling different outfits.
I will not need to hire any additional equipment for creating primary content or designing the magazine as I already personally own it. I will always be present during photoshoots and I will take full responsibility for my own equipment.
Regulation
Magazines follow the IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisations) standards. This organisation is responsible for regulating published magazines and newspapers. They handle complaints, and ensure that every magazine follows their editors code of practice.
The editors code of practice makes it so that magazines publish accurate information, avoid discrimination, do not infringe on anybody’s privacy and do not harass anybody, among other things.
There are a series of panelists who can launch an investigate a magazine if they suspect that it is breaching the editors code. Failure to follow the editors code can result in a fine of up to £1 million.
Layout
This will be the standard layout for the front cover of each issue of my magazine
The layout of the double page spreads may vary throughout issues, but here is an example of one
Justification
I chose my front page layout because it allows for use of a range of colors (for example on the text) while also giving the ability for the viewer to know the contents of the magazine based off the sell lines and plug. The pull quote will also always contain the name of the main subject, so that even if viewers don’t recognize the face, they can recognize the name. I also made sure that my audience would be engaged and intrigued by my cover. This is essential for making people want to pick up the magazine to read it.
The vast majority of dominant images featured on the cover will be mid shots taken from the front with the subject giving direct address. In my double page spreads, I will use various images of the main subject in different poses and from different angles overlapped atop a background so that the audience can get an idea of the subject’s personality and sense of style to connect to the music.
I intend to use a lot of colored lighting in order to more heavily stylize all aspects of my magazine. I will choose between 2-5 colors and color grade my primary and secondary photos with them in mind so that there is a sense of consistency throughout. This will give the reader a more unique graphical experience every time as different issues will feature entirely different aesthetics and color schemes. However, most issues will be very colorful and never monotone. The majority of my photos will be set within the inner city (or sometimes the suburbs). This is where the hip hop and r&b genres originated and where they still blossom to this day. It’s also where most of my readers will be located themselves. Facial expressions used will vary, from more dramatic poses for serious artists, to funner and more lighthearted poses for artists whose music and personality embody a more laid back approach. Both will be featured throughout the magazine in order for it not to be to monotonous to the reader.
Most of my fonts will be sans serif, as they are easy to read when colored and have a more modern and clean aesthetic, which will stand out to potential readers.
The language featured on the cover and within the pull quotes will be snappy and straight to the point by using words which a young audience will easily understand, however, the articles will be written in a more mature and verbose manner to describe the nuances of music and film as an art form. This will allow my magazine to be informative and educational while still remaining aesthetically pleasing and entertaining to the audience.
Primary and Secondary Content Relevant to my Magazine’s Target Audience and Genre
I have begun to design the front cover for an issue of my magazine. I decided to theme it around Donald Glover’s new song and accompanying music video, “Feels Like Summer”. I used a still from the music video as a base for my color palette and overall aesthetic. I then picked out a color from this using the eyedropper tool in Photoshop, slightly adjusted it, and then found another color that would compliment it.
After this, I took the mid shot portrait of Donald from his “Because the Internet” album cover to lay atop the still from his music video.
I chose this specific photo of Donald because the colored lighting and the shirt that he is wearing perfectly fit into the same style as his new video. This cover also exerts a very “summery” vibe (short sleeve Hawaiian shirt with a lot of red and yellow also present in the lighting) and works with my color scheme (yellow and red).
Using the colors picked earlier, I created a pull quote and a few cover lines using a clean, sans serif font in block capitals. I chose the font because it caught my eye immediately when using the two colors from my pallet. After this, I blurred the background to create depth of field, and a bokeh style effect on Donald to make his face and shirt stand out. This allows any potential readers to recognize Donald on the cover right away. Using the shot from his iconic and most well known album cover also helps this and allows my target audience (in which Glover is well known) to instantly relate to the cover and become interested in the magazine. I tried to push the red/yellow pallet as much as a possibly could by including a stroke of the different color on every element of text. I also made sure to alternate between text colors to allow different parts of the page to stand out from each other, yet still follow my scheme completely.
My stylistic choices also allow the magazine to fit into its genre nicely. As it can be associated with a youthful, summer lifestyle immediately through its use of color.
I also prepared my own primary content for the magazine. I took this image myself using my DSLR and threw some neon-esque color grading onto it to make it appear more interesting and eye catching. I could use this as a background for a cover, or along a double page spread behind images of people or objects for when I want to push a neon aesthetic. I intend on using differing color palettes and styles that will persist throughout an entire issue of the magazine, giving each version its own unique look and feel which will allow for the magazine to never become stagnant in design.
I am creating a magazine with the purpose of informing readers about up and coming lesser known media (and events associated with it). The target audience will be students, who will gain interest in the magazine through using a combination of newer artists (which intrigues the viewer) and some more popular artists that are already established, which readers will be familiar with.
My target audience will be Generation Z students, interested in film, fashion, and hip hop culture. I researched this demographic in order to appeal my magazine towards them. Most followers of this subculture are typically male, aged 17-24, study at either at a college or university, and most likely do not have a high level job/income yet. This is important as it was the determining factor of whether my magazine should be free or paid.
Through my primary research (surveys), I found that the vast majority of people prefer print based magazines. Most people are also willing to pay for the magazine if it is based on something that they are interested in (usually in the range of £3-£5). Most also do not purchase magazines regularly, if at all. My intent is to create a magazine which is accessible and free to its audience and to promote a mindset of independence and community which will bring an older medium closer to the youth of today.
Secondary research showed a similar result to the primary research that I carried out. The magazine format is becoming less prevalent as time goes on (mostly due to the internet) and the majority of magazine consumers prefer to have a tangible printed copy rather than a digital version. However, it is still a good move to provide a digital version when available in order to attract the widest audience possible. I also researched other similar magazines aimed at a similar target audience to get inspiration for what i want my final magazine to be like.
The front cover of this magazine clearly shows who it is targeted towards very quickly. Fader is aimed at a adolescents and people in their early 20s (16-21), and features an artist as the subject of the dominant image that many people within that category relate to. The pull quote again perpetuates this, naming off other associated artists with the same demographic. However, because of the more professional style on the cover, the magazine gives the idea that it is aimed at the more mature and serious readers in that audience.
My magazine will have a similar minimalistic layout similar to the Fader, with a main focus on one particular artist or person. However, my magazine will be slightly more conventional and include more cover lines and a plug. The pull quote will also be more detailed, with more information on what the primary article is about (no more than two lines). Like the Fader, my magazine will be highly stylized with more emphasis on colors, images, and simple text than huge blocks of information. I also researched different issues of Fader and found that each issue has its own color scheme which is only consistent throughout its issue. I also intend on doing this, and changing the color scheme based on the season that it is released in, as well as the aesthetic of the artist’s genre, album covers, videos, and personal appearance. My color schemes will consist of 2-3 highly complimentary colors which fit the aesthetic of my secondary and primary images and add a sense of individual artistic value to them.
In conclusion, my secondary research has allowed me to connect with my audience and target them better with my own magazine. It has also allowed me to gain stylistic inspiration which I intend to use as a jumping off point to create something truly unique and targeted. The layout, while different, has also been influenced by the research as well, and builds upon the codes and conventions set by the magazines I looked at. My front cover layout will, like Fader, look sophisticated and modern, while also implementing more standout elements (namely plugs and a higher quantity of short cover lines) which gives a better idea of the content inside by using catchy taglines that implement language that appeals to the 16-21 age demographic.
Contributors
Most of my images will be derivative of albums covers, music videos, film stills and posters. This will be fair use as the content will be transformative in nature and the magazine will be free and not commercial. If there are any primary images featured, they will have been taken and processed by me with my own equipment (DSLR and PC) and feature consenting volunteers (for example showing off their own different outfits for the fashion side of the magazine). This will allow the magazine to have a recognizable, yet still unique look and feel which consists of of a collage of different ideas and styles. Secondary images will also be edited in Photoshop to color graded and reorganized to transform them into something more professional and stylized.
Locations
If i were to shoot my own photos for the magazine, I would do it within the city center to retain the urban aesthetic that many of the featured artists incorporate into their own personalities. This also relates and appeals to the audience as many large colleges are in urban areas. This also ties into the smaller fashion side of my magazine, as that will be mostly based around streetwear, where it would seem more fitting to take pictures of outfits out on the streets.
Equipment
The main equipment needed will be a computer with Photoshop installed, along with a DSLR camera and the appropriate lenses (18-55mm for portrait shots and a 55-200mm for wider landscape shots) for shooting my own photos. Since I already own this equipment, their will be no need to buy more unless I am buying camera equipment for my own personal use, which will then be used to better the magazine.The magazine itself and the photos (both secondary and primary) will be edited and finalized within Photoshop.
Costing equipment and crew
Because this is an independent, amateur magazine, the costs will be low. If i need to take my own photos, I can do it alone on my own accord or with people I know who are willing to volunteer. Since I already own all the equipment necessary in order to create the magazine, the startup cost will effectively be nothing.
Pitch
My new magazine will be focused around exposing as many people to lesser known talent as possible. This could be new music artists that deserve a bit more recognition than what they have, or independent filmmakers with great art that isn’t getting widely released. This will make the magazine stand out, since it won’t be covering all the same topics as every other magazine out there. The aim is to create a unique and premium magazine that can be very easily accessible by students, the target audience, with it being free, and placed within colleges and universities for anyone to pick up and read.
Proposal
My project will be produced by me and volunteering members of the local community. It will release every two months and contain around 15 pages, making it a light read and easy for anyone to consider. To reduce costs significantly, I will not be personally printing the magazine myself. Instead, I will contact colleges/universities with the idea of them printing out the magazine locally using their equipment in return for them advertising their own (or their affiliates) events and dates, granted that they will appeal to the target demographic. They will then be able to place the magazine around the campuses for free pick up by students. I believe that this idea will work efficiently and allow the magazine to reach a wide audience all while allowing the promoters to benefit. I will also design and sell merch for the magazine which will be referenced throughout each issue.
The main types of content that will appear in my magazine are: movie reviews (for new independent movies, such as A24 and Annapurna distributions, along with release dates/screening times for local cinemas), new album releases (from underground hip hop/r&b/indie pop artists, sometimes along with short, paragraph long reviews for less important albums and full page reviews for highly recommended albums), and details of local music and film events that viewers might be interested in (which will sometimes include semi-advertisements provided by the colleges in exchange for them distributing the magazine). Another smaller aspect of the magazine will be fashion. Different aesthetics and styles will be shown in detail, giving the viewers a sense of stylistic inspiration. I will show this by taking my own photos of volunteers modeling different outfits.
I will not need to hire any additional equipment for creating primary content or designing the magazine as I already personally own it. I will always be present during photoshoots and I will take full responsibility for my own equipment.
Regulation
Magazines follow the IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisations) standards. This organisation is responsible for regulating published magazines and newspapers. They handle complaints, and ensure that every magazine follows their editors code of practice.
The editors code of practice makes it so that magazines publish accurate information, avoid discrimination, do not infringe on anybody’s privacy and do not harass anybody, among other things.
There are a series of panelists who can launch an investigate a magazine if they suspect that it is breaching the editors code. Failure to follow the editors code can result in a fine of up to £1 million.
Layout
This will be the standard layout for the front cover of each issue of my magazine
The layout of the double page spreads may vary throughout issues, but here is an example of one
Justification
I chose my front page layout because it allows for use of a range of colors (for example on the text) while also giving the ability for the viewer to know the contents of the magazine based off the sell lines and plug. The pull quote will also always contain the name of the main subject, so that even if viewers don’t recognize the face, they can recognize the name. I also made sure that my audience would be engaged and intrigued by my cover. This is essential for making people want to pick up the magazine to read it.
The vast majority of dominant images featured on the cover will be mid shots taken from the front with the subject giving direct address. In my double page spreads, I will use various images of the main subject in different poses and from different angles overlapped atop a background so that the audience can get an idea of the subject’s personality and sense of style to connect to the music.
I intend to use a lot of colored lighting in order to more heavily stylize all aspects of my magazine. I will choose between 2-5 colors and color grade my primary and secondary photos with them in mind so that there is a sense of consistency throughout. This will give the reader a more unique graphical experience every time as different issues will feature entirely different aesthetics and color schemes. However, most issues will be very colorful and never monotone. The majority of my photos will be set within the inner city (or sometimes the suburbs). This is where the hip hop and r&b genres originated and where they still blossom to this day. It’s also where most of my readers will be located themselves. Facial expressions used will vary, from more dramatic poses for serious artists, to funner and more lighthearted poses for artists whose music and personality embody a more laid back approach. Both will be featured throughout the magazine in order for it not to be to monotonous to the reader.
Most of my fonts will be sans serif, as they are easy to read when colored and have a more modern and clean aesthetic, which will stand out to potential readers.
The language featured on the cover and within the pull quotes will be snappy and straight to the point by using words which a young audience will easily understand, however, the articles will be written in a more mature and verbose manner to describe the nuances of music and film as an art form. This will allow my magazine to be informative and educational while still remaining aesthetically pleasing and entertaining to the audience.
Primary and Secondary Content Relevant to my Magazine’s Target Audience and Genre
I have begun to design the front cover for an issue of my magazine. I decided to theme it around Donald Glover’s new song and accompanying music video, “Feels Like Summer”. I used a still from the music video as a base for my color palette and overall aesthetic. I then picked out a color from this using the eyedropper tool in Photoshop, slightly adjusted it, and then found another color that would compliment it.
After this, I took the mid shot portrait of Donald from his “Because the Internet” album cover to lay atop the still from his music video.
I chose this specific photo of Donald because the colored lighting and the shirt that he is wearing perfectly fit into the same style as his new video. This cover also exerts a very “summery” vibe (short sleeve Hawaiian shirt with a lot of red and yellow also present in the lighting) and works with my color scheme (yellow and red).
Using the colors picked earlier, I created a pull quote and a few cover lines using a clean, sans serif font in block capitals. I chose the font because it caught my eye immediately when using the two colors from my pallet. After this, I blurred the background to create depth of field, and a bokeh style effect on Donald to make his face and shirt stand out. This allows any potential readers to recognize Donald on the cover right away. Using the shot from his iconic and most well known album cover also helps this and allows my target audience (in which Glover is well known) to instantly relate to the cover and become interested in the magazine. I tried to push the red/yellow pallet as much as a possibly could by including a stroke of the different color on every element of text. I also made sure to alternate between text colors to allow different parts of the page to stand out from each other, yet still follow my scheme completely.
My stylistic choices also allow the magazine to fit into its genre nicely. As it can be associated with a youthful, summer lifestyle immediately through its use of color.
I also prepared my own primary content for the magazine. I took this image myself using my DSLR and threw some neon-esque color grading onto it to make it appear more interesting and eye catching. I could use this as a background for a cover, or along a double page spread behind images of people or objects for when I want to push a neon aesthetic. I intend on using differing color palettes and styles that will persist throughout an entire issue of the magazine, giving each version its own unique look and feel which will allow for the magazine to never become stagnant in design.
Comments
Post a Comment