OCR –Level 3 Cambridge Introductory Diploma in

Media

Unit 13: Planning and Pitching a Print based Media

ProductP2 Evidence

Name: Emily ThompsonCandidate Number: 6107Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic SchoolCenter Number: 64135

Set Brief - Print

Project/Brief –

Music Magazine & Promotion

Idea Generation

Contents PageTitle Slide

Magazine Proposal 1 4

Magazine Proposal 2 5

Mind Map – First Idea 6

Mind Map – Second Idea 7

Mood Board First Idea 8

Mood Board Second Idea 9

Hand Drawn Drafts – First Idea 10

Hand Drawn Drafts –Second Idea 11

Graphic Layouts 12 - 13

Spending Power 14

Front Cover Analysis 15

Double Page Spread Analysis 16

Genre of the Magazine 17

Layout of the Magazine 18 - 19

Masthead / Logo 20

Fonts and Colours 21

Planned Format and Style - Front Cover 22 - 23

Planned Format and Style - DPS 24 - 25

Interview Draft Planning 26

Draft Article 27

Conclusion 28

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Magazine Proposal 1”

This is the first magazine proposal that I created. I wanted to ensure that there was lots of detail in the planning so I could I use these ideas for a final product. Some of the areas that I included in the proposal included the format, working title, genre, content, style or approach, audience and length. By including this amount of detail and looking into the smaller ideas I am able to visualise the final magazine.This first concept looked an indie music magazine that was inspired by Q Magazine. The plan was to create a high professional standard of a magazine including lots of images, text and free content.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Magazine Proposal 2”

For this second magazine proposal I wanted to look more at the diversity of content rather than the detail within the magazine. For this magazine the plan portrayed an informal style that would be consistent throughout the magazine. This style was outlined in detail in the sections of the proposal including, content and style and approach. Because of the large quantity of detail that was included in the proposal it made it easier to visualise the magazine as a final product.This magazine idea generation was inspired by ‘Wire’ magazine, a popular informative magazine that focusses on the smaller artists in the industry whilst also providing entertaining content.

Generation of Ideas

Colour Schemes

Masthead Names

Brand Identity

ImagesFrequency of Release

Target Audience

Price

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Mind Map – First Idea”

Price:The price of the magazine will be around £2.49, this is so it is cheaper than other competitors whist also keeping interesting content.

Masthead Names:• M• U• Shuffle• Playlist• Volume• More Music (MM)

Colour Schemes:The colour scheme of the magazine will be royal blue, lighter blues, dark green, white and black. I have chosen this colour scheme as this can connote to the reader that the content is informative, this is very similar to the style of Q magazine where they use one primary colour that is consistently used throughout.

Frequency of Release:It will be released on a monthly basis, this is because of the price being more expensive than other weekly magazines. However the content will be greater compared to a weekly issue as there will be more information.

Target Audience: The target audience of the magazine will be between ages 15-34 year old, this is due to the fact that the genre of the magazine is indie. I have based my idea from the statistics of Q magazine, where the highest proportion of readers are younger. The target gender of the magazine will be equal, within the content there will be a balanced amount of adverts that are aimed at both genders. Additionally on the front cover the person who is featuring will have some appeal to both males and females.

Images:On the front cover of the magazine the main image will be of a new and upcoming artist, this connotes the presence of the indie genre, whilst also promoting the featured article of the artist inside. The technical code of this image will typically be a close up or a mid-shot, this is so the reader can view their body language and expression of the person, enticing them to find out more about who they are.

Brand Identity:Specific features that will be seen throughout the magazine will include technical convergence, this is self-advertisement of the brand, it will be applied through social media links before and after articles.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Mind Map – Second Idea”

Generation of Ideas

Colour Schemes

Masthead Names

Brand Identity

ImagesFrequency of Release

Target Audience

Price

Masthead Names:• Listen• Download• Now• YM (Your Music)• Beat

Brand Identity:A feature that will be included within the magazine will be ‘puff promotions’ this can increase the overall readership of the magazine due to the appeal of gaining ‘free content’.

Images:On the main front cover of the magazine the focal point will be an image of an ‘indie’ genre artist. This can create ‘star appeal’ (Richard Dyer) with the reader who will be more likely to buy the magazine if they recognise an artist. The technical code of the photograph will typically be a long shot this is so the main attention when viewing the front cover will be on the artists face.

Frequency of Release:The magazine will be released every month, this is due to the fact that there will be lots of content within the magazine. This also correlates with the higher average price compared to a weekly magazine.

Target Audience: The average age that the magazine will be targeted towards is between the ages 20-35. This is because the content of the magazine will include features such as writing style that is best suitable for an older audience.

Price:For the price of the magazine it will average around £3.50, although the price is higher than other competitor magazines once bought the reader has the opportunity to also download the content onto an electrical device.

Colour Schemes:The colour scheme of the magazine will revolve around pastel colours, these give the magazine a classic and clean look. This follows the theme of informative music content. Additionally the colour scheme will not be any way biased towards either gender, this increases the target audience spectrum.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Mood Board – First Idea”

Q – “Discover Great Music”Using the word ‘discover’ can signify (De Saussure) to the reader that they will find something interesting and new. From this in relation to Katz’s theory, the purpose of the magazine is to ‘inform and educate’. The strapline of my magazine will include features like this to appeal to a large target audience.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Mood Board – Second Idea”

The Wire -“Adventures In Sound And Music”By including both ‘sound and music’ this connotes to the reader that the magazine covers all genres, thus ‘injecting’ (Hypodermic Syringe Theory) the impression they will find something new.

Double Page Spread Draft:The main interview and information about the artist is on the left hand side of the page and the image is on the right. This was chosen because when the page is turned the image will be the first thing that is seen on the page, this can spark interest for the reader and they will want to look through the article to find the purpose of the image. A quote from the interview has also been overlaid this is because within the quote will be something interesting or funny that is taken from the interview. This will connote to the reader that the article is easy to read and includes interesting features that will be enjoyable.Another feature is an image of an artist within the columns of text. This was inserted so it separates the text and makes the page look more aesthetically pleasing. It can also connote to the reader the personal nature of the article as it is a close up of the artist with informal body language.

Front Cover Draft:The magazines logo and strapline feature in the top left hand corner, this will be a repeat feature for each issue of the magazine. Additionally this is similar to the barcode, the information within the barcode will be the same, however this may move positions dependant on each edition of the magazine and the image of the front cover artist.One feature that had to be chosen accordingly was the main headline and the cover lines, it was essential that they could be easily seen from a distance but did not cover the image of the front cover artist. The main headline was placed on the right hand side of the page, just under the artists head, this was so it did not take away any ‘star appeal’ – (Richard Dyer). The quote from the interview, as part of the main headline was placed above as this was in a smaller font so could fit in the smaller place next to the artist.Additionally on the right hand side of the artist are the cover lines. These were placed on the right so the front cover does not look too text heavy and overpower the reader. They will be in a thinner column and a smaller font than the main headline.Finally the puff promotion is at the top of the page opposite the main masthead/logo. The purpose of placing this here is to attract the eye because when readers turn the page they typically turn with this corner. The circle shape has also been chosen to stand out the rest of the text which is placed in a square/rectangular format.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Hand Drawn Drafts – First Idea”

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Hand Drawn Drafts –Second Idea”

Front Cover Draft:These are the hand drawn drafts for the second proposal. By drawing up the ideas for the layout of the magazine this enables me to configure which aspects look best and what could be changed.For the front cover I wanted the logo/masthead to be in the same place as the first proposal. Additionally I kept the main image of the artist centre to the page so it would be the main attention grabbing feature.With this draft for the second proposal I wanted to experiment with moving some of the main aspects of the magazine around. The most noticeable on this front cover was the ‘puff promotion’, I changed the colour to match the house style and also placed it under the main logo, this is so it can be seen easier.For the main headline I wanted it to be close to the centre of the page, therefore I made sure that it was not overshadowed by any other text and placed it further away from the cover lines and the headline quote.

Double Page Spread Draft:For the double page spread draft I kept the main headline and the stand first in the same place, this is because I felt it was the most affective way to draw the readers attention. Underneath these I placed the main image, this means that when the reader turns the page the image of the artist will be the first thing that they will see. The main bulk of text, including the information about the artist and interview was placed on the right hand side of the page. This was so all the information could be found in one place and it is easier for the reader to understand.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching - “Graphic Layout” Front Covers

Before creating the pages on Photoshop I created a graphic layout of both the front cover and double page spread. These have enabled me to gain a more accurate representation for the sizes of different elements of the pages. I feel that this is more helpful than the hand drawn drafts as I am able to control the overlay of certain columns and boxes over the main image.For the front cover I felt that a positive of creating this page was being able to organise the final layout for text elements such as the main headline and the cover line. This is because it was important that they do not cover too much of the main image that will take away ‘star appeal’ (Richard Dyer).

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching - “Graphic Layout” DPS

For the double page spread I felt that by recreating this page the most helpful aspect of Photoshop was organising the sizing and spacing of the main text interview columns. I found this difficult as they all have to be the same size and have even spacing in-between so that the magazine does not look irregular. The Photoshop tool, ‘ruler’ enabled me to correct this problem and increase my accuracy.

First Idea

Second Idea

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Spending Power”

For Volume magazine I have to predict the target readership and the initial spending power they have. To make sure that the data I publish is correct I am basing the predicted statistics from already published information on Q magazine. I have chosen Q magazineand it is similar in the content it produces and genre of music it focusses on.

Source: http://magazines.bauermediaadvertising.com/magazines/detail/Q

Source: http://ncrafts.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/socio-economic-needs.png

From looking at statistics from the official Bauer Media advertising press pack I have analysed that the typical Q reader is between the ages of 15-24. This is similar to that of Volume magazine due to the fact that there are some features within the content like profanities that may not be appropriate for younger ages. This is in reference to Hartley's seven subjectivities and how age, gender, class, self image , nationality, family and ethnicity must be considered when looking at spending power.The spending power of the readers will also be similar to Q magazine, currently Q has a high 70% of readers that are in the socio-economic bracket of ABC1. This connotes that they are more likely to have a higher amount of disposable income. By looking at this data I am able to predict that they will be more willing to spend money on a slightly more expensive magazine based on the quality of the content. There is one difference between the statistics of Q Magazine and the predicted statistics of Volume magazine. Q magazine has an unequal split on their readers gender, this may be due to their gender targeted advertisements I aim for Volume to have a nearly equal gender balance, this will be due to the fact that there will limited targeted advertisements and content will not appeal to only one gender.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Front Cover Analysis”

Through my analysis of Q magazine there are specific features that I will ‘ repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) and adapt into my own creation of a indie genre music magazine.

One of the most important features that I believe should be included is a clear cut masthead and strapline. This connotes to the reader that the magazine is of high importance and is of a professional quality.

Additionally another code and convention that I will ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) is the technical code of the main image. This is focussed on a close up of the artists face, this creates suspense and interests the reader into finding out why this style of photograph has been chosen. With my photograph I will use Photoshop, this is so I can deliver a professional quality image that is suitable for being the main feature of the page.

The variety of text size and font draws attention to specific articles that are being advertised. This creates a diversity of content whilst also grabbing the readers eye with ‘star appeal’ by including band and artist names.

Other visual codes that I plan to include on the front cover are symbols such as the ‘+’, this notifies the reader of extra content that is available. Secondly, borders or ‘bubbles’ around text that is typically seen on ‘puff promotions’ will be used. The different shape on the page draws the eye well whilst also keeping it away from other text so it does not get lost within the majority of artist names.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Double Page Spread Analysis”

One of the main features of the double page spread that I plan to include is an image that ranges over more than half of the page. A technical code of this will be the shot type, which will be focussed with a long shot of the artist. In the example shown there is high contrast in the image, this has brought out important background elements such as ‘Big Ben’, this can connote the British features of the magazine. I plan to ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale – 1980) this within the technical conventions of my magazine this is so it gives the most dramatic effect possible.

Within the main article of this double page spread a drop capital has been used, this is an effective method of attracting the readers attention to the start of the text. To accentuate its presence they have coloured the drop capital in the typical Q magazine red, this is contrasting with the main body of text which is black.

Underneath the main image a quote in bold red and white text from the interview has been included. The purpose of this is to focus on the most central and amusing aspects. The quote has been positioned at the bottom of the page so it can be easily seen against the image.

From my additional research of music magazines, I have noticed that this particular magazine does not contain other associated images on its double page spread. This may be due to the fact that the main photograph is highly detailed and by including other images surrounding this can become too overcrowded and overpowering for the reader.

The stand first for this article is below the main quote. I feel that within this example pairing the quote and stand first together does not work as well because there are no effective eye-catching aspects other than the drop capital.On my double page spread for the magazine I would choose to position the stand first above the main body of text, this is so the reader is attracted to the larger text first off and will then continue to read on into the article.

Through my research of music magazines I have developed an understanding on the diversity of the music genre. When looking at Q magazine I established the content of the indie genre, from this I plan to ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale – 1980) this genre category for the music magazine I will produce.

The ‘repetition’ of this genre is due to the fact that there are many positive features of the indie category, this includes the continual modernizing of music and artists. This can further connote to the reader that the magazine is the most up-to-date so therefore is the best to discover different music and artists every month.

Another connotation that can be gathered from the indie genre is behind the meaning of the word. The definition of ‘indie’ means individual. In relation to music, bands and artists that are indie are independent from other genres and create music that does not fall into a typical music category. This means that the genre has a variety of music styles and the popularity of the content released cannot be predicted. Because of the diverse range of independent musician styles, the indie genre can appeal to a large quantity of people and is not people specific.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Genre of the Magazine”

Steve Neale (1980) – “Genre’s are instances of repetition and difference”

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Layout of the Magazine”

Front Cover:The most appealing feature on the front cover is the large image that is placed in front of all the surrounding text, even including the magazines iconic masthead/ logo. This portrays to the reader that the person who is featured within the magazine is of high importance, and the interview that has been conducted will contain information that is sure to inform and educate (Katz). However there is some text has not been put behind the image, this is typically an attention grabbing quote from the front cover artist and the name of the person who is featuring, this can create ‘star appeal’ (Richard Dyer) to help sell this media text. The position of this text is on a less important part of the image such as the shoulders, this is so it does not cover the identity of the person which could reverse the effect of ‘star appeal’. For my magazine I plan to use this image and quote layout as I believe it is the most effective way to encourage readers to buy the magazine. To make sure that the image comes across as the most appealing item on the front cover I will use professional software such as Photoshop CS6 to edit the photographs that I take.

Another important feature on the front cover of Q magazine that I plan to ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale -1980) in my own music magazine is the use of ‘puff promotions’. Q magazine uses these to advertise free and exclusive content from artists, a denotation of this from issue 298 (May 2011) is “ Free! Exclusive unheard Foos album!”. This can connote to the reader that they are accessing content that is of high demand and only exclusive to them as they have bought the magazine. In the issue of Q magazine that included this puff promotion, to access the free exclusive album they must subscribe to the magazine. This is a tactical method of gaining a higher subscription rate to the magazine and thus increasing sales and readership. By using puff promotions on the front cover layout of my magazine, this entices readers to find out more about what is inside the magazine. Additionally I could use a technique similar to Q’s and offer content free when bought with a subscription.

When researching other popular music magazines I explored the visual codes of both the front cover and the double page spread. An area that is most important to how a magazine is perceived by the readers is through the layout of the page.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Layout of the Magazine”

Double Page Spread:In Q magazine the normal format for the page is to have one half nearly taken up by all images of the band/artist. The opposite side then includes information about them and the interview that was conducted. The most eye-catching feature on these double page spreads it the large bold title, which sometimes is spread across onto both pages. I will ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale – 1980) this text format within my magazine as I feel it is an effective way of gaining the readers attention because the title is not confined to one page, additionally elements of ‘star appeal’ can also contribute to this. The colours of the text also are vital to capturing the readers attention, for example the denotation of “Sing out sisters” has been printed on the double page spread in two differ colours, white on one half of the page, and black on the other. These colours stand out well on the pages as they are bright and contrasting, they can also connote to the reader the high importance of the article.

Another feature of these double page spreads that I plan to ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale – 1980) is the layout of the text. The positioning of the text within the columns of the article have been made to fit around other text and images. I would achieve this through the use of Photoshop. This gives the article a professional and smooth look whilst also making it easy to read.An additional feature of the text within the article is the quote included from the interview, this is usually overlaid on the main image or in the centre of the story. With Q magazine the quote is typically found over the main image, the purpose of this is when the reader views the image the next thing they will view is the quote. The quote usually revolves around the most interesting or humorous feature of the article captivating the readers attention and urging them to read further into the article.Another element that I will include in the magazine is the use of a consistent page numbering at the bottom of each page. Also next to the page number will be the official website for the magazine, this is an example of technical convergenc3e. I gained inspiration for this from Q magazine.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – Magazine Masthead/Logo

When creating my magazine masthead/logo I wanted to make sure that it was easy to read and eye-catching. Therefore when it is onmagazine shelves it will be the first thing that is seen.I had to ensure that the logo was similar to that of my magazine of inspiration Q magazine, hence I made sure it was one bold block colour, in the end I chose a royal blue so it connotes to the readers that this is a professional, reliable and high quality magazine.

For my logo I will just include the first letter of the magazine name (Volume), I wanted to choose a font that was similar to q magazine. I tried and tested different font styles on Photoshop and dafont.com to overview how I wanted to final product to look. In the end I found a font called ‘RomanT’ , this is a very traditional font that is easy to read and I feel will work well on the front cover of the magazine.

Font Name:

Test:

SuperFrench

Swis721 BdOul BT

Centaur

Felix Titling

After editing the font on Photoshop I created the main logo. When creating the logo I used several different effects including stroke, bevel and emboss. I believe that all of these features made the logo appear professional. The background colour for the logo is a solid navy blue, I plan to continue using this colour throughout the magazine.

House Style Consistency:By exploring the fonts and colour choices for the magazine I have been able to develop and plan where I will include consistency throughout the magazine features.An example of this is using the main magazine ‘V’ logo on every page of the magazine. By including it next to the page number at the bottom of the page, this can connote to the reader the professionalism and reliability of the magazine.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – Magazine Fonts and Colours

Font Name: Font Preview: Font Usage:

Minion Pro

- Cover Lines- Price and Date on

Barcode- Web Address- Drop Capital- Stand First

Just Another Stamp Font

- Headline- Main Article Title

Poor Richard- Strapline- Article Titles

CenturySchoolbook

- Puff Promotion

Eras Demi ITC- Puff Promotion

Eras Light ITC- Main article font

I had to make sure when deciding the magazine fonts and colours that they looked professional and clean cut. This is because my magazine is aimed at the higher end of the market to a variety of people.I have chosen several fonts that will be used in my magazine, there is a large range because some are easier to read than others when sized differently. For the main headline and cover lines the font will be the same, this is so there is a consistency throughout the magazine and prevents it from looking overcrowded on the front cover. Other fonts such as ‘Eras Light ICT’ are being used as they are easier to read when they are a smaller font size, therefore I will use this as the main article font.The primary colour that I will use is a dark royal blue, this will be on Volume magazines logo of ‘V’ and used in other places throughout including technical convergence, promotions and headers. I was inspired when creating the initial mood boards for the magazine and found the dark blue the most eye-catching. The reason for this colour choice is because its similar to Q magazine where it has one solid bright colour. That is repeated throughout the magazine, which I plan to do.

I have chosen to include two fonts for the puff promotion, this is due to the fact that I want one to be the most striking with text such as ‘Exclusive!’ then there will be information below in a clearer text where the reader can find out what the promotion is telling them.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Planned Format and Style - Front Cover”

Puff Promotion:By placing the puff promotion at the top of the page, when the magazine is picked up this will be one of the first things the reader will see, as well as the logo. I believe that having this here entices the reader to buy the magazine more as they also have the change to win something or gain something for free. Another reason why it has been placed in the top right hand corner of the page is because typically people turn the page here, when they turn the page their eye will catch the bright red promotional colours and shapes.

Article Feature:On this hand drawn draft of the front cover I wanted to include more information about the content that can be found inside the magazine. Therefore I plan to include a small textbox with the name of one artist or title. This will be placed over the front cover subjects lower chest, as this is not considered as an important area that creates ‘star appeal’.

Main Story:I have decided to place the main story to the right of the main image, this is because the ‘star appeal’ that is created when viewing the image will draw the eye to the bulk of text next to them. To make the main story title more interesting I could include a direct quote from the interview. Additionally I thought that by placing the main story underneath the magazine logo, when they view the logo they will see the story as the most important thing within the magazine. Looking at my research of Q Magazine many of their front covers have used this layout for the main story text.

Magazine Logo:I have decided to place the logo of the magazine in the top right hand corner of the magazine, this is due to the fact that when people pick up the magazine it will be one of the first things they see. This is very effective when they are placed on a magazine shelf within a shop. I have been inspired for the placement of the logo by Q Magazine, this is due to the fact that they include bright colours that should be one of the main aspects the reader sees when they first pick up the magazine. To ensure that it is eye-catching they have placed it in the top left hand corner of the page.

Magazine Layout:When producing the drafts of my magazine I wanted to make sure that it looks professionally structured and well presented. I have followed a similar layout from Q Magazine, which includes placing smaller items over the body of the front cover artist. Also another feature is the text of the main story and cover lines wrapping around the silhouette of the artist.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Planned Format and Style – Front Cover”

Technical Convergence:I plan to include technical convergence on the front cover of my magazine, these will be in the form of a official magazine web address and social media logos. The placement of this convergence will be at the bottom of the page. This is due to the fact that it is not of high importance and there will be technical convergence found at the bottom of every page.

Cover Lines:As the main story is at the top of the page I decided to place the cover lines of the magazine under the magazine logo. When creating the magazine I have to make sure that the cover lines do not overlay on the main image, this could reduce the ‘star appeal’ of the person on the front if they become less recognisable.

Bar Code:On the bar code I will have the issue month and the price of the magazine . This will always be at the bottom of the page as it is less important. Additionally it will be positioned based on the image that is going to be on the front, to make sure that it does not cover the artists features.

Strap Line:For my strapline I have decided to place it near the main magazine logo. This is similar to that of my magazine of inspiration (Q magazine). The purpose of this is so that when they read the logo they then see the strapline and associate it with the brand. This repetition can give the magazine a more well known identity.

House Style:Features that I plan to repeat throughout my magazine are the type and size of the font. The font I have chosen for the main story headline is ‘Minion Pro’, I will use this several times throughout the magazine such as the drop capital for the main articles. Other fonts that I will include are ‘Poor Richard, Century Schoolbook and Eras Demi ITC’, all of these fonts are similar to that of Q Magazine with an interesting formal style.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Planned Format and Style – Double Page Spread”

Main Image:The inspiration from this double page spread layout came from Q magazine. By having the whole image on only one side of the page I can make sure all of the subject is seen. Also because of its size when the reader is looking through the page will catch their eye because of what is in the image. The position of the subject in the image is centred and has been taken in a wide shot, this enables the reader to see who the article is about what their personality is like from gestures such as their posture.

Article Images:By including smaller images that relate to the article and the interview this makes the page more interesting for the reader. By including images the page becomes more visually appealing. I also have the opportunity of adding captions for each image so the reader will be tempted to find out how the image relates to the article.

Info About Artist:Including information about the artist before the main interview provides minor background details about who they are. I have decided to lay this out on the page just underneath the main story title and the stand first on the left hand column of the page, this is due to the fact that it will be read from left to right.

Interview:The reason for the positioning of the interview being after the main information is so that the reader has the opportunity tofind out interesting personal information about them, such as their music style and other quirky features. The interview text will be formatted in a differentiated questions and answer style, this is responses will be clear and easy to read. My idea for using a differentiated question style is from Q Magazine, in all of their interviews so the reader can establish who is talking they make part of the text stand out more than others. Additionally they also shorten or use the initials of the name of the person being interviewed. This saves space in the magazine and is easier to read through.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Planned Format and Style – Double Page Spread”

Quote From Interview:

To make the page more interesting and to fill some of the blank and uninteresting space I decided to include a quote from the interview. By doing this when the image is viewed the reader will see the quote and then proceed to read the article out of interest. In Q Magazine they make sure to include a quote from the interview, this is to spark interest for the reader when they see it with the image; this then entices them to continue reading more of the article.

Main Image:

The layout of this image is different to my other designs of the double page spread. Instead of limiting the main image to only one side of the spread I wanted to overlap the image so it serves as a more interesting background for the text. This means that on the outside borders of the text you will be able to see features of the image. Although this may cause some problems when reading the text so I will have to consider either making the background have little detail or surround the text with text boxes.

Main Story Title:

Compared to the previous ideas for the main title, on this plan I wanted to place it further down the page. This was to spread things out differently compared to a normal layout which will attract the attention of the reader.

Stand First:I feel that the stand first is very important as this introduces the reader into the topic of the article. Also because the font size is also bigger it serves as an eye catching feature of the page.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Interview Draft Planning”

For my double page spread within the magazine I plan to conduct an interview with the well known artist, George Ezra. As well as featuring on his own double page spread he will be the main headline for the magazine and will create ‘star appeal’.I have chosen to interview George Ezra as he is well known as an up-and-coming indie genre artist who has only been in the music industry since featuring on an introducing stage at Glastonbury Festival 2013. Since his success at Glastonbury he has had three singles in the top charts and is famously known for his quirky stylised song ‘Budapest’. Additionally this year he has released his first album, by featuring him in the album we are essentially promoting the new album as well as drawing readers in because of his previous hit songs.Some of the questions that I will ask in the interview will be based around his new career in the music industry. I also want the interview to have an informal feel so other questions including ‘What his musical inspiration was as a child’, this will spur on possibly humorous answers.

The presentation of the interview on the double page spread will be laid in a differentiated question and answer style. This is typical in many of Q magazine interviews, and makes it easier for the reader to understand the information that is being published.

This is my page of inspiration that is from the October issue of Q magazine. They have used differentiated question and highlighted this by the boldness of the writing and the different colours of red and black.

Interviewer: Hello George! It’s good to finally have a chat with you – how has your past week been?GEORGE: Hi! Yeah it’s been great thanks, very busy but exciting.

Interviewer: I bet! Has your life changed much since climbing to the top of the music chart with ‘Budapest’?GEORGE: It’s non-stop, since signing the record deal then travelling around Europe people have been recognising me more and I’ve had hundreds of amazing opportunities thrown at me!

Interviewer: Wow! Did you gain your inspiration for the song Budapest when you went travelling?GEORGE: (Laughs) Yeah you could say that. I got a bit drunk when the Eurovision contest was on, and I missed the train to Budapest. This made me think that there are many songs about losing something for somebody else. So I thought why not write a song about giving up things I don’t have?

Interviewer: So how does the George Ezra song writing process work?GEORGE: When I have a spark of inspiration I write my ideas down everywhere, sometimes even on the walls. Although people see it as crazy it’s just how my mind works, I don’t want to lose that inspiration. Most of the lyrics have some reference to the place I am inspired.

Interviewer: So your new album is being released soon, what can we expect from it and when can we have a listen?GEORGE: Well the two EP’s that have been released so far (Budapest and Cassy O) were meant to introduce people to listening to me with a band, this is because I do gigs on my own usually. The new album will be me with the band and when I gig I will be joined by the guys. We’re hoping for it to be released around the start of June/July, the music included has a summer vibe so would be perfect for the festival atmosphere.

Interviewer: Have you learnt any important or tough lessons from your early experiences of the music industry?GEORGE: I’d say the first thing I learnt when joining the music industry was to listen to those around you, this is because you’re all in it together trying to make it and its best to have friends rather than enemies. However it’s also important to be yourself and have your own opinions as the music industry is looking for people who can be themselves through both music and ideas.

Interviewer: I saw that you have sold out your tour! How does that feel having such a high demand of people wanting to listen to you?GEORGE: It’s crazy!! I never thought that I would come this far in music as it started out as a hobby when I was younger. Although picking up the guitar then and now the feeling hasn’t changed at all, it is still my passion and I will always love playing even if no one wants to listen.

Interviewer: What was the first song that you ever wrote? And how old were you?GEORGE: (Laughs) I wrote my first song around thirteen years old, I remember it being called ‘Wishing Well’. I have no clue what it was about but I’m so glad there is no recordings of it as that would be embarrassing!

Interviewer: When you were younger and started playing the guitar who was your musical inspiration?GEORGE: I grew up listening to Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie, people find it strange that my inspirations are revolved around older blues and folk sound but within the music I create its more 21st century.

Interviewer: Finally, thank you George for your time it’s been great talking with you. Do you have any words of inspiration for your fans who are looking to pursue a music career?GEORGE: Thank you. Never stop playing music even if they tell you too, be unique and always look for opportunities to better yourself.

I created a magazine interview draft, this featured the popular indie music artist George Ezra. When creating the questions I took inspiration from Q magazines interview style, this was relevant and informative questions that create an interesting response.

I also had to take into consideration the answers of the questions from the artist, as I could not interview them in real life. To make sure the answers were accurate I conducted some small scale research into other interviews they had.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Draft Article - Interview”

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Conclusion”

In this learning outcome I focussed on the idea generation for the music magazine. This started from two separate proposals that outlined different ideas for a new indie music magazine. I then created plans for both, including mind maps, mood boards, hand drawn sketch up and graphic layouts. By producing these drafts I was able to compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses for both ideas. After looking at the plans I decided on a final magazine concept.

Once this final concept had been decided I researched further into my magazine of inspiration, Q Magazine. Here I looked at previous articles and interviews where I planned to repeat certain features, such as the language and image style. Additionally I looked at the house style of the magazine, which focussed on the font and colour schemes. This further idea generation meant that I could assess what would appeal best to the demographic of readers.

Finally I produced some draft sketch ups of the magazines front cover and double page spread. Certain features were ‘repeated’ (Steve Neal) from Q Magazine. By creating these drafts it made it easier to visualise the final product that is going to be created.