Learning Outcome 4 (U3): Be able to carry out post-production techniques and processes for an original media product to a client brief.

 Screenshots showing converting the front cover and double page spread into jpegs:

Jpegs:

I have exported both the font cover and double page spread. I did this by converting the files into jpegs which then enabled me to access the files directly from blogger. By converting the files into jpegs it therefore meets the client brief, as the magazine is now accessible online.

Report on how it meets client brief:

The client brief specifies that you must produce a new online and print based magazine for the vibrant North London music scene that is developing locally. I chose to create this magazine based on indie music as in my opinion, London itself depicts a mise-en-scene that I personally associate with indie music, particularly in areas such as Camden, Highbury and islington, Kentish Town and Finsbury Park, and so I wanted to retain the North London look by using the graffiti and art around the area for the backdrops in my magazine rather than using photoshop to edit in a plain background.

In addition to this, the client brief also specifies that it must be a developing music scene, and indie music has been a widely developing music scene since the 1970s and therefore has a very strong foundation in musical history. My magazine will include past and present musicians who have made an impact on and within the indie genre who are from North London.

Similarly my magazine meets the conventions of indie music as generally indie music depicts quite bright colours and is quite an expressive type of music. Based on this, I used a brightly coloured background to suggest that the artist featured on the front cover usually sings quite uplifting music that makes listeners feel good. Moreover, the article on the double page spread is about the artist's journey to making an album and how it is empowering to write music that young people can both relate to and enjoy at the same time. The artist, Ben Lithos' main message is that everyone needs to be doing what they love without others dictating them.


Front cover and double page spread tools:

1. Text tool

I used the text tool throughout the entire production process, I used it for the titles, mastheads, strap lines, tag lines and the main body of the magazine. This tool allows you to place fonts on the page wherever you wish to inside text boxes. As my front cover has lots of writing on it, I used this tool a lot. Similarly, photoshop offers a range of fonts that you can use, however I chose to use dafont.com to download a variety of different fonts - they were more eye catching and made more of a statement. As indie music is a music genre known for expression, and artists expressing themselves I felt that using big and bold fonts would apply this to the front cover. I used a sans-serif typeface because it fits with the codes and conventions of magazines, which often feature modern typefaces. Mojo magazine is an example of this. Finally, this meets the client brief as it is what I depict to be a 'vibrant' music magazine projecting what the North London indie music scene is.


2. Shape tool
 

I used the shape tool to create the puffs on the page. As the background is not plain it may be hard to read the tag lines and strap lines, so by placing a puff behind it, the writing becomes easier to read. I used this tool for the parts of the front cover that I wanted to stand out, such as if you buy the magazine there are ' free tickets for the Lock Tavern inside!' This is to draw people into the magazine who may not usually be interested in indie magazines or indie music. I referred to Lock Tavern because it is an iconic pub/bar/concert venue in Camden; this fits the client brief because it is heavily associated with North London. Without this tool the magazine would be missing a big part of its design as music magazines generally have lots of puffs, strap lines and tag lines on the facade. I used the shapes to draw attention to the artist names on the front of the magazine - I did this as it increases advertising for those artists, even if people don't buy the magazine the names are eye catching so that when people walk past the magazine in the street they will remember the names. I used red and white because they complement the background - particularly the blue. This is often associated with The Who's target logo. The Who are heavily connected with the indie genre, and their logo has been assimilated in lots of indie music designs.

3. Shape fill











The shape fill tool enabled me to create a plain background to cover one half of the double page spread photo background as it has its own font on it, once I put the blue rectangle over the photo I could then place the body copy over it. Also by adding the blue background it contrasts to the photo background adding a different concept of artistic expression to the magazine. I did this to compliment the indie side of my magazine, as its not just about the music, it's about how the music sounds and what message it is projecting to the listeners. This tool helps my magazine meet the client brief as it is original content that I edited to create a vibrant music magazine for the developing music scene of North London. I felt the blue colour was quite neutral, and selected this so that the text overlaying it would be legible. Additionally, the blue on the left-hand side of the page complements the blue colouring on the right-hand side. I feel I have created a strong sense of synergy across the double page, with a good sense of harmony between the colours. This attention to detail will help me to establish brand identity as my magazine develops over future issues.

4. Stroke tool

For the front cover title I used the font 'bad signal' from the website dafont.com. To then make it stand out further I chose to add a stroke effect to give the font a drop shadow. This created a bold rigid edge to the title making it stand out. I chose to use this tool on the title as my front cover has quite a bit of text on it and I wanted the title to be the first thing the reader's eyes gravitate towards when they pick up the magazine, this is also why the title is yellow. Similarly the yellow complements the background photo nicely as it has a bit of yellow in it. Without this tool the title would not stand out as much and would blend in with the background and the other fonts on the front page. It meets the client brief as the brief states that you must use a range of mediums to create the final product, which includes using effects on the front cover, such as this one. 


5. Downloaded text style

I chose to download text from an external website to photoshop, as I wanted to use a unique font that would best represent individuality for the branding of my magazine. Similarly the font was called 'bad signal', I chose it for my masthead and article title as it is a bold font and it looks like the sound that feedback can be defined as. The 'bad signal' font has connotations of reverberation, which fits the title of the magazine. I wanted to give consumers the sense that this is a vibrant magazine, connected with a vibrant music scene.Based on my target audience, I wanted to use art and photography throughout my magazine to grasp their artistic interests. This tool meets the client brief as it creates a sense of originality with meaning behind it. 

6. Photo angle flip

I used this tool to make my magazine fit more to the conventions of the classic magazine layout. To begin with I looked at the position the subject was standing in, and felt it would look better if he was leaning towards the left, providing more spacing on the left for tag lines. I then added the tag lines onto the left side of the cover so that they begin at the side of the page and then end close to the subject - outlining his body. This meets the client brief as it gives the magazine a professional look. Additionally, the use of coverlids on the left-hand side fits the codes and conventions of the 'Z' pattern many magazines employ. The idea is that the eye is drawn across the page with the masthead, then down and to the left, and finally across the lower quadrant of the page.



7. stroke effect on text              

 I used the stroke tool throughout the magazine, to keep the font branding the same - this creates a trademark for my magazine, as when people see the bold text they will think of my magazine. Similarly by using the stroke effect it makes the important information stand out to readers, for example on one of the puffs it states "free tickets for the lock tavern inside", this draws readers in, and encourages them to buy the magazine in order to receive free tickets. This effect meets the client brief as it helps to draw particular attention to the upcoming indie music scene, as regardless of whether the reader has heard of the event that the free tickets are for they will nonetheless, buy the magazine for the free tickets.

         
Conclusion:

My magazine is an indie music magazine, I chose this genre because it is a very established genre of music that is not given enough credit in modern day music, for example on current radio stations that my target audience listen to they often play only one genre of music - pop. So I wanted to revamp the reputation of indie music - particularly the less famous indie music. The style I chose to present the genre in can be seen as a strength, as it is easy to over complicate the ideas when trying to express them. However, I tried to keep it simple, for example, when taking the photos I made sure to capture them with natural backgrounds that I found around North London so that it would keep the nature of indie expression rather than editing the subject out of the photo and placing them in front of a plain background from photoshop. Similarly, I felt that this would enable the magazine to strongly stand out in comparison to other indie magazines such as NME. On the other hand a weakness of my magazine is on the double page spread there is a typo in the main pull quote, it says "dicating" instead of "dictating". This weakness shows unprofessionalism as I did not proof read the page before the final completion, based on this, in future I will be sure to proof read all writing on and within any material that I create.

Another strength of my magazine on the whole is that it is not biased to any one opinion and projects a message of individuality, particularly in the interview with the artist.

I feel that the colour palette on the cover and double page spread is one of the strongest elements, and helps to establish a strong sense of brand identity. Particularly, the front cover uses bold, mainly primary colours that replicate those used in the indie genre. As well as this, the colourful background of both the front cover and double page spread help to associate this magazine with North London; specifically, Camden. In line with the brief, I would have this as a running feature over the next few issues of the magazine, exploring other iconic landmarks in North London, that way building a strong and loyal customer base. This is in line with the brief, In order to expand the magazine, I could roll this idea out to other urban areas - such as Manchester or Leeds, for example - that have strong links with the indie scene. Using landmarks is a good way of establishing a firm fan base.