Actual Magazine Analysis (Double Page Spread) - Task 23

Actual Magazine Analysis (Double Page Spread) - Task 23

After finally completing both the front cover and contents page analysis, I finally got to come around to create the analysis for the double page spread within Mixmag. Like the contents, I found this easy to analyse, due to the similarities it held with the contents page, as it had the same flow throughout the magazine. Although the contents and double page spread shared similarities, I learned and found different things from the double page spread in which I can apply to my double page spread in my music magazine when I come around to it. Also within the magazine I had, it had 3 pages which had double pages spread linking into the same article, so I also tried to include them in as much as I could throughout the analysis of the double page spread.

And finally once again, here are the questions to the analysis given to me provided by our media teachers. And once again, you can click on the timings and it will take you straight to the video, or you can simply follow the timings and watch the video here:

#1 How many images does the spread use; what does this mean for your own planning? (0:42) 
#2 How would you describe the layout? Would you say it was organised? Sleak? Uniform? Chaotic? Ordered? Boring? Interesting? Colourful? (2:13)
#3 What does the headline/image say about the article? Does it fit in with the rest of the magazine? (4:16)
#4 Does it have subscription information? (6:10)
#5 Does it have a competition? How does this attract or appeal to its target audience? (7:36)
#6 What kinds of images are on the page? How have they been manipulated if they have been? (9:23)

Actual Magazine Analysis (Contents) - Task 22

Actual Magazine Analysis (Contents) - Task 22

After completing the task about analysing the front cover of Mixmag, I went about to analyse the contents of the magazine. Analysing the contents was a much easier task as opposed to the front, because as you can see, the contents page doesn't really have a lot of features within it. But I did pick up on a lot of things which will help towards the development of my own magazine when the times comes around to creating it. Once again, I made a video log going around me explain the questions which were put out from my teachers within my media class. I'll be making blog posts about decent contents and seeing what is good about them and how they can be implemented when creating my own magazine.

Here are the questions with the timings once again so you can go to the questions answer explanation or you can click on the video to watch it all:

#1 How many images does the cover use; what does this mean for your own planning?

(0:55)

#2 How would you describe the layout? Would you say it was organised? Sleak? Uniform? Chaotic? Ordered? Boring? Interesting? Colourful? (2:19)

#3 What does the style suggest about the rest of the magazine? Look at the range of articles and contents (4:30)

#4 Does the cover artist feature on the contents page at all? (7:36) 

#5 Does it have an editors note? If it does what does this say about the ideology of the magazine?? (9:30)

#6 Does it have subscription information? (11:10)

#7 Does it have a competition? How does this attract or appeal to its target audience? (12:26)

#8 What kinds of images are on the contents page? How have they been manipulated if they have been? (14:10)

Actual Magazine Analysis (Front Cover) - Task 21

Actual Magazine Analysis (Front Cover) - Task 21

One of the tasks set out for us to do was to buy an actual music magazine which would link into the genre we are going to work with when we create our own magazine, and analysis the features within the magazine we bought more specifically the front cover, then the contents then finally a double page spread within the magazine. This is a post relating around the analysis of the front cover of the magazine 'Mixmag'. The reason I chose this magazine is because it links into the kind of magazine I want to work around which is EDM, but more specifically Drum & Bass, which Mixmag does cover.

I created a Vlog (Video Log) going over the questions given to us from my teacher to answer, and I wanted to try and break it down as much as I could.
Here are the timings for when I answer the questions, you can click the timings and it will take you straight to my explanation of the answer done:

#1 What is the House Style? (1.23)
#2 What is the concept Behind the cover? How has the text and image been integrated? (2:52)
#3 How does the cover attract it's audience? (5.09)
#4 How does the Mise En Scene suit the genre? (7.56)
#5 What proportion of the page does the masthead take up? (10:40)
#6 What is the formula to the cover? E.g. How much text is used? What font style is used?
(12.30)
#7 What 'work' (Photoshop) has been done to the cover? Is there a lot of image manipulation? (16:30)

Top 5 D&B Albums of 2013 - Individual Post 4

Top 5 D&B Albums of 2013 - Individual Post 4

Like my top 5 D&B songs of 2013, I had decided to create my top 5 albums / LP's of 2013. In relation to my music magazine, I wanted to present my favourite album releases of last year. As stated, last year was a strong year for the D&B scene, and it looks like it's going to be stronger in 2014, but it looks like 2013 is going to be hard to beat, but only time will tell. It was hard for me to draw up this list, especially to 5, as there where many great albums from last year! Many great labels such as Playaz, Med School, Vision, Spearhead and Signature Records have all been featured in this list because of the albums released on them. Seriously, such a strong year for 2013 for the scene! Here is my prezi powerpoint. 

Top 5 D&B Songs of 2013 - Individual Post 3

My Top 5 D&B Songs of 2013 - Individual Post 3

To relate to what my music magazine is going to be about, I have decided to do a blog post basing around my top 5 drum & bass tracks in last year. There where so many great releases and to narrow it down to five was just an impossible task. Many great releases came from labels such as Hospital Records, Shogun Audio, Critical Music, Metalheadz, Dispatch, Symmetry and more. It was a very strong year for Drum & bass, especially with the likes of Wilkinson with Afterglow (released on RAM) getting in the charts, showing the strong development of Drum & bass at this moment! 

But for my top 5, I went with the tracks that when I heard straight away, I knew they where going to be strong, but also providing the addicting feel when listening to music. The tracks I have chosen where released on labels such as Division, Critical Music (My favourite label), Vision, Playaz and Spearhead Recordings. I have decided to create a Prezi powerpoint and annotate over the tracks I have chosen and to why I had chosen them. In the Prezi, there will be a video link provided to the audio of the track. I'm really looking forward for this in 2014 for Drum & Bass, showing what the genre is all about and I really can't wait to get around to doing my drum & bass magazine!

Contents Page (Analysis) - Task 20

Contents Page (Analysis) - Task 20

Here is the narrative of me going over the analysis and breakdown of the school contents mock up I did. Like the front cover, I go over the tools and features I use. It's much shorter in terms of the steps used as I didn't implement a lot of features, but enough to I think inform the viewer and reader. Once again, I think this is a great way to get my ideas and thought processes across.

Once again, i'll be making more videos like this in the future, whether it be photoshop based or vlog based. I think it's good to vary myself within making videos as I can be a lot more creative and make a lot of things with them. I hope you enjoy this analysis, and provide any feedback! 

College Magazine Contents - Task 19

College Magazine Contents - Task 19

Here is my college magazine contents mock up page. Also with the development of our own magazines. From this, I found this much more difficult to lay out as opposed to the front cover. But all in all, with much more practice and development over the creation of magazines in general, i'll hopefully pick it up much easier. In relation to the front cover, it has given me an insight on how to construct a contents page. With this once again, I used Photoshop to create the contents and give the structure of it also, since Photoshop is the number one software  to use for the development and structure of a magazine. 

I will be creating a video like the one I did for the front cover, and be making an analysis video about the creation of the contents page and the features and tools used to get the desired style I wanted with this. I will also go over what I could of improved and what I'll look at next time when I come to create my own music magazine. To view the front cover and the video, please follow these links:
College Magazine Front Cover &
College Magazine FC Video