Production Diary 3

This week I have been focusing on my research and my actual start to my magazine. I have looked into great detail about the connotations of a front cover and contents page as research for my magazine. I have found three pieces of existing texts and have careful analysed them. I have used three different music styled magazines for each page to show the variety and difference of each one, although they all follow the codes and conventions and the basic layout I have found that they vary with the genre because of their audience. I have also found out new research when annotating them. Some magazines have a double page contents, some a single and one I found had a three pages contents page which is very unusual. However it taught me that this magazine was breaking the codes and conventions for a reason.

Contents pages

Kerrang Contents Contents page Q magazine Blender Contents

Front cover magazine research

Front cover of blender magazine Indie magazine vibe magazine

Basic Magazine analysis

Bassic Magazine Anno

Production Diary 2

As you can see below I have now completed my primarily task with making a front cover and a contents page. I have explained for my choices why I have used each picture, font, size and graphology below. After evaluating it I can see that there is a lot to be learned as it is not that good compared to others. However I did follow the codes and conventions and showed this really clearly in my final work. In this short video you can see how I came about to doing so and the actually process of making my two pages.

Preliminary task

The task was to create a front cover and contents page for a school magazine for Haydon. 

This is what I have come up with as sample test. For the front cover of my magazine I have used an image of four pupils who appear to be standing on a small post waving their hands up in the air. I have used this pose for my front cover because I think that this symbolises friendship, reunion and the vibe that I want to send to Haydon students. The setting of this photo is outside the reception, which is on school grounds to show that this is part of Haydon. The masthead is at the top of the page all in capitals ton show boldness and importance, the colour I have chosen is yellow, because that is one of the schools colours. I have then used a similar typography for the main headline across the centre spread of the page, in a slightly bolder to show importance. The following stories are placed along the right hand side of the page, varying in different typography's yet similar to the theme of the magazine. They each tell a story that relates to the school and students would find interesting. At the bottom of the magazine I have commonly used the rectangular strip with smaller stories of what is inside the magazine, to make it look original and catch the reader’s eye.

The things that when well was the colour theme that I had stuck to, they resemble Haydon as a school and follow the codes and conventions of a normal magazine. The headings of each article are also very catchy and are reverent to the topic of the school, and appropriate for its readers. However I would improve the main picture. It should have been at the top rather than the bottom like the codes and conventions show. I would also make sure you could clearly see everyone and maybe just use one model next time to send a clearer message. I would also improve on the edit and cut out of the crown. Because this was my first attempt I did not have much time for this or know how to do this well.

The contents page has a more basic and simple because I wanted it to be easier to read and understand. The background image is of one of the students I have chosen. This is because she looks friendly and welcoming towards anyone who would read this. I have stuck to the colour theme of blue as they represent Haydon, and used this for the masthead and contents pages. The fonts are both similar, both very curvy and soft, to suggest friendliness. The pages are all placed down the left side of the page which follows the codes and conventions of a normal magazine. I have left it as that because I did not want to over complicate things.

If I were to improve this then I would not have a background image, instead use a colour or pattern which follows my colour theme, with smaller images at the bottom of the page relating it to the topics being discussed in this magazine. I would also maybe use a different colour for the page listings and numbers because one colour is a bit boring and dark. I would also lay the page out differently and include maybe a short comment board or something new that students would find interesting. 

Production Diary 1

I have set up my blog and am working on my preliminary task of making my first magazine front cover and contents page for a Haydon school magazine. I have also looked at other magazines for a rough idea as to what to include and what not to, I have also researched the codes and conventions of a magazine to hep me with this.