Planning Task 6: Contents Page

To come up with the topics to include on my contents pages, I brainstormed ideas and words which turned into sentences that I reworded multiple times to make the best sounding version. 

By looking at already existing contents pages of magazines, I determined that my pages should have around 8 different topics on them to follow the generic conventions of a magazine contents page. Across my two magazine editions, I will need 16 topics so to create variety in my magazine that ensures that the reader isn't bored. 

Edition One's topics:

• Lana Del Rey / On her upcoming 24/25 tour
• Naseer Aziz / From back-up singer to front and centre
• Daisy Wilson / It's just the start for this Bristol-based singer
• Turning Old into New / How to recycle and upcycle your old CDs
• Summer Music Previews / A look into pop's future this summer
• Gigs Galore / Most student-friendly gigs this summer!
• Solve! / Find the starred artist in our crossword to win 2 tickets to Reading and Leeds Festival
• Change / Evolution of Pop Music

Edition Two's topics:

• Sam Fender / On his brand new collab with Noah Kahan
• Elise Benoît / How she is turning her tour net-zero
• Tom Walters / Talking about the inspiration of his new album
• Madness behind the beauty / Emily's music journey to writing her next song
• Resurgence / How oldies like Kate Bush became top of the charts through TV
• Top 5 Festival Must-Haves this year
• Solve! / Find the starred artist in our crossword to win 2 tickets to Reading and Leeds Festival
• Give it a go / How to the next big hit
• Have your say / Reader reviews of the latest music

I drew multiple content page mock ups, combining different designs of the masthead and lines of content and position of the image. I liked the designs where 'contents' was bold and visible to the reader but 'Apollo' was also incorporated into the top of the page so the readers are reminded of what magazine they were reading. The contents page is supposed to be easily navigable and simplistic but still dynamic enough to impress the reader; I felt that the last mock-up achieved this because it includes one image but it is integrated into the contents pages with the subheading linking to the image over the top of it rather than beneath. I also felt that the last contents pages mock-up had a simplistic but most effective layout because it promotes the content further in the magazine but also includes social media and website links so the reader can engage with the magazine more through digital platforms. Therefore, the chosen design and layout of my magazine's contents pages is the last one.

The numbers given to each topic on the contents page will be spaced out, numerically because not all the magazine's contents appear on the contents page so this will give the reader the impression that there is more to read than what's on the contents page. The word 'Apollo' will remain in sans-serif font, reflecting the masthead on the front cover, whereas 'Contents' will be in serif font to counteract the title of the magazine. This will look pleasing on the page and suggests that whilst the magazine wants to keep the content modern and contemporary, there will be aspects of the magazine that follow generic conventions. The  images in the contents pages will change on which edition it is and will continue the promotion of the main artist on the front cover. 

*********

*********

Planning Task 5: Mock Up of Cover 1 and 2

In these front cover mock ups, I've attempted to create a contemporary and modern but simplistic style. Through this process, I've made the models the prime focus of the front cover by centring them in the middle of the page because in each edition, they are the main feature. This creates familiarity for the audience with the front covers and connects both the editions, despite the topics and numerous coverlines being different. I've made the main coverlines bold so they are one of the first things that the readers see.

The masthead has gone at the top of the page but below the content plugs. The content plugs are at the very top of the page so they are visible to potential buyers in shops and some of the mainstream music artists' names can attract more readers. Each part of the front cover has been placed there to alert readers of what the magazine contains in an attempt to tempt them to buy the edition of which I would receive profit. 

Planning Task 4 : Front Cover Design

Main Coverline:

For my first edition of my magazine front cover, the main coverline will be:

• Finn Johnson: Student Turned Rockstar

The font for the main coverline on cover 1 will be Kingsley Rockstar. This replicates a signature and can be perceived as Johnson's actual autograph which creates a level of familiarity with the audience and artist.

For my second edition of my magazine front covers, the main coverline will be:

• Emily Campbell: London's Latest Star

The font for the main coverline on cover 2 will be Brush Signature. This gives the feel of Emily's autograph and carry on the pattern of signature-like fonts for main coverlines which connects covers 1 and 2.

I have chosen these main coverlines because they hit different demographics inside the set brief's target audience of 16-25 year olds through 'student' and 'London'. A significant proportion of people inside this demographic are students either in secondary school, sixth form or college or in university. Therefore, the first edition's main coverline directly addresses this key demographic and appeals to them by promoting someone they can relate to being an ex-student. 

The second edition's main coverline targets people who live in or around London mainly because of the explicit mention of London in the main coverline. London is also the capital of England and is an extremely famous city globally so those international audiences who have never visited London would be intrigued by my second main coverline. Furhermore, it appeals even more through the alliteration with 'London's Latest' that sounds pleasing to a reader. 

Other Coverlines

• Music to your ears / Best Songs of the Month (2)
• Live it cheaper! / Best Gigs for the Best Prices (1)
• Live like a pop star / One Week with Winona Riley (1)
• Feminism in Music / The women fighting for equality in pop (2)
• How to... / Guide to find the best new music (1)
• EXCLUSIVE / Interviews with Reading and Leeds' headliners (2)

The coverlines above are what I plan to position around the model in the main image of my front covers to entice the reader to read more of my magazine and, subsequently, buy it. They are shorter and snappier coverlines than coverlines with kickers and teasers because my aim for my front cover is for it to not look overcrowded. The font for the coverlines will be Dream Orphans.

The coverlines address a wide range of subjects that music fans aged 16-25 year olds would be interested in like 

Images

This images shows some initial outlines of potential images for my front cover and poses that my models could do. When I am taking photos, I can experiment with my model to see what fits and looks the best. To comply with the set brief of reaching two different social groups, one model will be female and one will be male. 

Some vary from having direct gaze with the camera and audience whilst some do not eg, they are looking into the distance or they are playing the piano. The models in the images will pose as up and coming pop music artists that are being promoted in the main coverline and are being exclusively interviewed by my magazine for their future tours and albums. This addresses the audience research I conducted where most people wanted to see interviews, future events and promotion of new artists to the music industry as content in their music magazine; this increases the appeal of my magazine towards audiences making it more likely that they will buy a copy. 

Page Furniture

On my two music magazine front covers, I will use a variety of page furniture to produce the covers.

Firstly, I will use content plugs at the top of my front covers that name other artists that is not main artist in the images or main coverline. The names include:

• Lana Del Rey
• Daisy Wilson
• Naseer Aziz
• Sam Fender
• Elise Benoît
• Tom Walters

The font I will use will be Dream Orphans, like the coverlines which will create consistency on the page between the coverlines and content plugs. The combination of names of already famous artists and 'new artists' shows that my magazine promotes new musicians but does feature pre-existing and successful music artists. This appeals to the audience and fans of those singers because they are connecting with their favourite artist whilst finding more. It also increases the attractiveness of my magazine because, in my research, I found that mainstream music dominates audience's interests so by having interviews with them and chances to win tickets to their concerts, I widen the potential market for my magazine. 

Furthermore, the variety in names from different cultures and nations, eg, i-cirmcumflex, implies to readers that the magazine has international appeal and markets itself to all cultures. 

I will also include a puff on the first edition to advertise that it is the first edition and thus it is half price to attract readers. It will say First Edition, Half Price! Therefore, the price will be slashed from the usual retail price of £4.99 to £2.50.

I will use a banner puff in the bottom right corner to promote the puzzle/game in the magazine that would help the reader win tickets for future gigs.

The date of publication will be incorporated into the mastead at the top of the page eg, on the other side of the stem of the 'p'. The barcode will be placed in the bottom left corner of the front cover.