Vexed! Magazine After Improvements

Vexed! Magazine before and after improvements to my front cover, contents page & double page, responding to social networking feed back & my own analysis of each page as well.
Front Cover Before:                               After:
        
After uploading my front cover to Facebook I received detailed feedback from different people about what they liked and what they thought could be changed in order to improve my magazine and make it look more professional. Firstly, one piece of feedback stated that the ‘WIN’ feature within the footer did not stand out and was extremely difficult to read and therefore they suggested changing it. In response to this comment I changed the footer to a lighter grey so that the ‘WIN’ feature stood out a lot more and additionally made the picture of the drum skin smaller and overlapped the footer to make it look more professional like other magazines of the genre did as well. I also changed the flash and made it a lot smaller because it was too big compared to other examples I looked at and studied. I added a big cover line to my magazine to make it adhere to the typical conventions more and I put this towards the bottom right hand corner so it didn’t overlap the model too much and was very prominent. Lastly, I made the date of the magazine a lot smaller and I also moved the barcode and price of the magazine right to the bottom of my magazine onto the footer so it was not so visible and did not stand out as much.

 Contents Page Before:                           After:
        
I uploaded my contents page to Facebook and after receiving feedback I have made some changes to improve it and make it look more professional. One of the pieces of feedback I received was to change the colour of the date to a different colour to make it stand out more, they suggested changing it to black but instead I chose white still showing continuity of colour pallet and house style as well. I also changed the font of the different subheadings, still keeping them bold and stand out but making them different to the title of the page, I also added an effect around the edge of the text as well. I changed the font of ‘CONTENTS’ so it was not the same as the institutional logo ‘VEXED!’ this was something I thought would improve my magazine greatly as I have noticed it on already existing magazines too. Additionally, I added more information under each of the ‘OTHER ARTICLES’ headings to give the reader more insight into what they’re going to be reading and I also adjusted the font styles and sizes of this section to make it all stand out more and split it all up better. Furthermore, I changed the size of the editor’s letter so that the font was different and was a lot smaller because it was taking up far to much of the contents page, it was too prominent. Lastly, I adjusted the size of the institutional logo in the bottom left hand corner because it was too big and I added a website link on the subscribe feature to make it easier for the reader to subscribe to the magazine.

Double Page Spread Before:                                     After:
  
After uploading my double page spread to Facebook I received some feedback with different ways it could be improved to make it look more professional or just to alter a couple of small things to make it look a bit better. Firstly, I changed the size of the page number in the bottom right hand corner because it stood out too much and looked unprofessional. Additionally, I then changed the font of ‘THE SCREAMING DEAD’ title because it was too similar to my institutional logo, but I ensured it still stood out and was very bold. In addition, I added a drop capital to the beginning of my article like well-known magazines do and I also made the font a lot smaller because it was too big when looked at closely and therefore I re-organised all the columns and added some more information into my article as well as added another quote directly from the band member to attract the readers more and pull them in. Furthermore, I changed the wording of some of the article to ensure it appealed to a teenage / young adult rock music audience and was not too formal.

Vexed! Double Page Spread Analysis & Audience Feedback

Double Page Spread Analysis:
When producing my double page spread I ensured that I was adhering many of the typical conventions of a rock magazine double page spread, therefore I included; pull quote, an image, article heading, institutional logo/name, page number, social networking link and also the text displayed in columns. On the other hand, my double page spread challenges the typical conventions of a rock music magazine because the image I have used does not fill the entire page whereas many professional magazine has the image filling the entire left or right page, although there are some like my one, it is a minority. In addition, the house style, colour pallet and layout is continued throughout this double page spread making the institution easily recognisable as well as reinforcing the genre just like the photo of a live band is too.

Additionally, by using the cracked, distorted font it may alternatively suggest that the music is very loud in this genre of music and therefore the vibrations and speakers have caused the font to crack and fracture, representing the genre within my magazine. The use of a pull quote under the title leaves the reader with an enigma (‘enigma code’ theory) and makes the reader want to read the article to find out  more on what the band has to say. My double page spread is set out in an interview format which is something my audience informed me they’d like to read when I completed my questionnaire. However, this format also allows the readers to find out exclusive information from the band themselves.

Furthermore, by including the page numbers it allows the readers to easily flick to the correct page and they can choose what they read and what they don’t read (‘pick and mix’ theory). Additionally, the singer within my image shows him ‘screaming’ / shouting the lyrics to his song again not only reinforcing the genre but also adheres to the fact that the music is very loud. Alternatively, if he is ‘screaming’ the words then this relates and shows synergy with their band name as well. I again used block colour behind the questions on my double page spread to show continuity and to break the text up so it was more eye-catching and interesting to the readers.

Lastly, by including the social networking link at the end of the article it encourages the reader to get involved and find out more on the artist/band and makes them feel as if they’re being spoken to and invited to follow the band etc. The iconography and props (guitars etc), tattoos, hair styles etc all attract the audience and also balance the audience between males and females as well. In addition, the clothing worn promotes the sort of clothing associated with that genre and may encourage the readers to buy similar clothing.
Audience Feedback:

Vexed! Contents Page Analysis & Audience Feedback

Contents Page Analysis:
When producing my contents page I showed continuity of the colour pallet and house style throughout because many professional magazines do the same, therefore it makes my magazine stand out as being professional. I ensured that I continuously reinforced the institution by putting ‘Vexed!’ in the bottom left hand corner along with the institutional logo of the black and white record. I used a similar background to the front cover and double page spread to show continuity of house style and by doing this it made the readers realise what magazine they were reading because it stands out and is easily recognisable. I added this background because it was some of the feedback I gained from my audience in the planning stages. Additionally, I also used the same fonts and the same distressed, cracked and ‘rough’ font for the headings and titles within my contents page this is because it continues to reinforce the genre of my magazine. My contents page contains many of the typical conventions and features such as; images, titles, subheadings, articles, subscribe, page numbers and also the institutional logo/name.

Furthermore, by using the subscribe feature it attracts readers and acts as a unique selling point for my magazine which will increase readership as well. It means people will definitely be reading my magazine every week for a month or more. This is also a feature many magazines of the rock genre include, making my magazine look professional. Additionally, I included an editor’s letter which is a feature commonly seen in professional rock magazines and therefore used one in my own magazine to make it look much more professional and this also makes the readers feel as if they’re being spoken to and as if the articles have been written directly for them – addressing their wants and needs.

In addition, I split my ‘OTHER ARTICLES’ section up into categories with different subheadings this is something I also got told to do to improve my magazine and therefore I ensured my production included it. Furthermore, the use of page numbers adheres the ‘pick and mix’ theory by Barthes and this is something my audience really liked when I received feedback from them. When I was writing the articles and choosing the categories I used ones that my audience informed me they would like to read each week (these were gained from my questionnaire), these included; interviews, reviews, gig guides etc.

Overall, the different images also adhere the genre because they are of live bands which represents the lifestlyes of ‘rock stars’ again and may encourage the readers to be like them, this relates back to social class as well. It also challeneges the covnentions of many other rock magazines which often use a photo shoot style photograph on their double page spreads therfore their models are often displaying direct mode of address, however mine are not.
Audience Feedback:

Vexed! Front Cover Analysis & Audience Feedback

Front Cover Analysis:
When producing this front cover I used my own photographs and I made sure that the photo adhered the conventions of a typical rock genre magazine, and this means it ended up looking like something readers would see on a real rock music magazine. When taking my photographs I focussed on the use of props, costume, lighting, facial expression and body langauge all of which reinforce the genre and adhere the typical ideology of the genre as well. Furthermore, a major convention that I wanted my magazine to display was superimposition, this is because all magazines I looked at used this and therefore to make my own look professional I ensured mine did too. Also, my front shows continuity of colour pallet and house style, with the dominant colours being red, black, grey and white (these were the top answers when I did my questionnaire). Additionally, the block colour behind each sell line was inspired by looking at other professional magazines and this also ensured that the text stood out and caught the reader’s eye. I have used many of the typical conventions of a music magazine by including features such as a cover model, sell lines, footer, flash, masthead, secondary images, a barcode and lastly the price and issue number/date.

Furthermore, this front cover shows the representations of artists/bands within the rock genre, through costume, body language and facial expressions. In addition, the use of drumsticks as the prop for my cover model not only reinforces the genre but represents the lifestyle of a ‘rock star’ – this model is clearly the drummer of a rock band. By considering props, costume etc it appeals to different social groups, genders and also audiences. Not only would it appeal to males but also females and not only generic music lovers but also drummers too, these features widen my readership.

Moreover, I am aiming to attract a student/ teenager audience as well as young adults of a low social class, therefore the language used is not over complicated and the layout, colour pallet and fonts are not posh in fact they are fairly ‘rough’ and distorted which shows the social group as well as the genre too.  All of the sell lines, the cover line, the footer and the flash will all interest rock music fans because they are about Rock artists or bands, gig/concert guides, and merchandise that is purely rock-based. Furthermore, the audience will be attracted to my magazine through the use of my cover model who not only is eye-catching due to the facial expression and body language but is also displaying direct mode of address which makes the readers feel as if they’re being spoken to and they may then buy the magazine.

Overall, my magazine front cover displays a lot of typical rock music magazine conventions as well as containing the typical ideology, iconography and connotations of the rock genre. Additionally, I took into account the feedback I got from my magazine drafts and therefore this final product is what my audience wanted, not only when I did my social networking draft feedback but also my questionnaire and focus group. Lastly, the audience are going to be easily attracted through the use of images (well-known artists and bands), the colour pallet and house style, the different features and also the use of stand out fonts too.
Audience Feedback:

Potential Front Cover Images Edited #2

Before & After Editing #2 – Removing Unwanted Background 

   
     
   
   
After editing these images on Photoshop to remove the unnecessary background I could then see what these photos would look like when put onto my magazine front cover. The lighting and colour of these images look a lot better when taken away from the dark, plain, distracting background.

Potential Front Cover Photos

Before & After Editing
Before                            After
  
 
  
   
To edit these potential front cover images I used Photoshop. I adjusted the brightness and contrast and also adjusted the curves until the light balance was better. I ensured that the photographs were displaying the models entire body and didn’t cut any parts of the body off during editing. These photographs definitely match the genre  of my magazine not only through iconography but also through the use of body language and facial expressions, looking fierce and stern. Additionally, the mise-en-scene shows the use of props in some of my photographs which enables the rock genre to be reinforced alongside it being reinforced through the use of black costume and styled hair. Furthermore, the background of these photographs is nothing to look at but this is because when using them for my magazine the background will be cropped out completely (which I will show in a later post). Lastly, the lighting shows a sense of mystery and suspense, it creates shadow and a dark atmosphere like a lot of rock/gothic music.

Potential Contents Page Photos

Before & After Editing
Before                                                                           After
 
      
When editing the above potential photographs for one of the articles on my contents page I once again used Photoshop to get the after images displayed above. Furthermore, when editing the photographs I ensured that the brightness and contrast was adjusted as well as the levels and curves as well. This was done to make sure the photographs were not to distorted or messed up. This set of photographs adhere my genre of rock because they are pf a live rock band which shows the lifestyle of ‘rock stars’ and also matches the articles that are included within my magazine.

Before                                           After
  
  
  
  
When editing the second lot of potential contents page photographs that I will use for another of my articles within my magazine. I also edited them using Photoshop this is because by using this I am able to achieve the professional result I want.  Additionally, I adjusted the contrast, brightness, colour balance and levels and ensured that each band member was visible and not distorted or too dark/ over exposed, I did this to ensure all my images looked professional. Lastly, these images again display a live band which adds meaning to my magazine because it clearly displays the rock music genre.

Potential Double Page Spread Photos

Before & After Editing
Before                                            After
 
 
 
 
 
When editing the before photographs to achieve the outcomes I got on the after photographs I used Photoshop to edit them and make them look a lot more professional. I knew I needed the photograph that I end up using on my double page spread to stand out and catch the readers eye straight away because its the only photograph within that entire page. Therefore, when editing each of the potential photographs above I made sure that the brightness and contrast was adjusted so the colour balance was suitable and so that the images stood out as being vibrant. Additionally, I adjusted the levels and ensured the light balance was suitable.