Print brief research and planning

Print brief research and planning

1) Find at least five music magazine front covers (either current or former magazines as many have stopped their print editions) aimed at a similar target audience to your project (mainstream music audience) and research music magazine key conventions. For each one, pick out one design idea, convention or image/text style that you could use in your own print work.-- breeze

 

• I would choose a bold, contrasting color for the main headline text.

• layer it so that it overlaps slightly with the main image (while keeping the subject’s face or key details visible).

• I will use a readable font that stands out from the background.

• This will help guide the reader’s eye to the most important element, either the featured person or topic, and gives the cover a modern, dynamic look.

 

• centre the model in the middle so it can be the audience’s main focus

• full body shot- may be considered for main centre image?

• minimal texts on each side of the model

• bold colour + font for the masthead of magazine

 

• consider using medium close up shot of the artist on front cover

2) Find at least five double-page spread features from music magazines on Google images. How are they designed? How are text and images displayed? What design tricks can you borrow from your examples?

 

• minimalistic design

• may consider using one page for an image and Q+A on one side

• may consider using monochrome images within the inside pages

3) Find at least five magazine contents pages - ideally from music magazines - from Google images. How are they designed? How are images used alongside text? How are page numbers displayed? 

4) Find at least five music artist tour posters from Google images. How are they designed? How are images used alongside text? Which UK venues would suit your artist or band?

• different camera angles are used- wide shot of the artist’s body to capture her outfit, closeup of face, medium closeup of side profile

• artists are mostly positioned in the middle of the page, main focus to the audience

Planning and sketching

1) Plan the content and cover lines for your front cover:

• Title: Empowered/ Feathers and Flow 

• Slogan: for the woman becoming everything she desires/ where self discovery meets the soundtrack of your life

• Cover image: model lying down on a bed holding a mirror, you can see you model making eye contact with audience through reflection

• Main cover story/main flash: exclusive interview with artist (i5hm44t)

• Additional cover lines: sisterhood and solidarity: building your circle of empowerment, best new artists of the year, check out i5hm44t’s new valentine special!

• Additional two smaller cover images: underneath the exclusive interview cover story- model sitting with headphones- studio vibes. another image with girls together laughing. another small image- sponsoring nike footwear

2) Plan the images you will use for the front cover - use the elements of mise-en-scene (CLAMPS). One main image and two smaller images required to meet the minimum content in the brief.

Main image:

Costume: pink/blue/red coloured top

Lighting: top lighting

Actor placement: centre of the magazine- main focus

Makeup: minimal, y2k makeup

Props: feathers on her hair, model holding a mirror and lipstick/ flowers

Setting: at home, in a bedroom

3) Plan the content for your inside page feature:

• Subject of feature: 

• Headline: Exclusive interview with i5hm44t!!

• Subheading: Get to know a bit more about the new pop artist i5hm44t!!

• Main image: model laughing holding roses

• Smaller images (need minimum of four across the three pages): monochrome images of artist on the sides- black and white photobooth vibe.

4) Write the 400 word interview feature you will use for the inside page spread. This must be 100% original and written by you. It may help to use a Q&A approach to this interview.  

Get to know a bit more about the new pop artist i5hm44t!!

i5hm44t talks self improvement, breakups and breakthroughs etc.. in an exclusive interview. (cover line on front cover?)

New rising popstar i5hm44t has released her new valentines special and has become one of the most popular songs in the UK!! We have sat her down with us today to talk about her experiences and many more!!

Q- Welcome i5hm44t!! 

A- 

Q- Tell us about your background, your upbringing, and your introduction into the world of music.

A- I was raised in a traditional asian household as the eldest daughter.

I discovered that songwriting was an essential means of expressing myself. My haven was music, which let me process and express feelings that were frequently unsaid in our family. I was able to explore my identity and goals beyond conventional expectations by writing songs and melodies.

This artistic path gave me personal comfort and helped me connect my cultural heritage with my personal passions, demonstrating the transformational potential of music in balancing tradition and self-discovery.

Q- Your new valentines special has gone viral all round the UK!! Would you care to explain the meaning behind the song ‘Feathers’?

A- The whole idea of the song is to celebrate freedom from toxicity and teenage girls enjoying their youth; this may encourage the teenage audience to not worry about not being in relationships and spend their youth years enthusiastically. This music video conveys a girl's freedom after breaking ties from her toxic relationship, which makes her feel light as a feather.

Q- So have you dealt with past experiences to make you write this song?

A- Yes!! I was actually in a toxic relationship a year ago that impacted my mental health. As song writing is my passion, I came up with lyrics and wrote a song similar to my situation.

Q- What advice would you give younger girls when going through breakups?

A- The biggest advice I would give is to not run away from your feelings. It’s so important to feel your emotions in order to heal them. Be kind to yourself. Breakups provides the space to reconnect with yourself, grow and reflect on ways to apply the lessons you’ve learned moving on. It is the greatest opportunity for personal growth. If we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we can reach a breakthrough in our relationships with others and begin to love with our fullest potential. 

Q- What exactly is the breakthrough after the breakup that you mentioned earlier?

A- I had always heard that everything could be healed with time. They assured me that if I gave it some time, everything will be fine in a few months. But this isn't always the case.

Time does heal, you see, but only if you are actively working to do so. Time will pass whether you choose to act as though it never occurred or express regret for the breakup. However, that does not imply that you have recovered or that you are content once more. This just means that you've moved on, but not forward. 

Once I realized this, I knew I had reached my breakthrough.

 So yes, I let myself grieve over the situation. I let myself start crying. And I definitely gave myself permission to be upset over what had happened. Actually, he was the one I loved the most. 

But after the separation, I started to regain control of my life once I was able to cry all I wanted. 

I wanted to avoid having my heart closed forever. I was prepared to redefine love in a completely new way. Now that it came time to do something to make my life better, this is what I discovered.

Q- Oh wow. That’s an amazing explanation! I’m sure many young girls look up to you and will definitely take something away from this interview. Alright, so another question!! Who are some women in the music industry who inspire you?

A- One of my all time favourite artists is Billie Eilish, her music is absolutely amazing! She speaks so freely about her emotional struggles through her songwriting and many girls can relate to her music; she has inspired me to talk about my emotions in my music as well.

Q- 

A- 

5) Plan and write the text for your contents page. This will need to include a range of features and interviews that are not related to your artist but that do fit your target audience and brief (mainstream music magazine). 

Tour poster locations(all in the UK):

• cardiff

• glasgow

• liverpool

• dublin (ie)

• london

6) Research and select the font or typography you will use for your magazine. This is a critical element of your print work - the brief requires a consistent house style running through all of your pages. 

serif,

7) Produce an A4 sketch of your front cover design and scan it/upload a picture to your blog.

8) Produce A4 sketches of your inside page feature with clear layout of where headline, subheading, images and text will appear on the pages. Scan or upload a picture to your blog.

9) Produce an A4 sketch of your tour poster page design and scan it/upload a picture to your blog.

10) Finally, create the pages in Adobe Photoshop or InDesign so you have the documents ready to go in terms of adding your text and images. This will need to include:

• A4 portrait for front cover

• A4 portrait for contents page

• A3 landscape for double page feature

Photoshoot

1) Who do you need to photograph for your front cover and inside page images? Remember, you need seven original images across the whole print production. 

I am going to be the model in my magazine.

2) What camera shots do you need? Write a shot list or draw a storyboard for your photoshoots. Make sure you plan a variety of camera shots you will look to capture - medium shots, close-ups etc.

3) Plan the mise-en-scene. What costume, props or make-up will you require for your photoshoots?

4) Finally, note down the time and date for your photoshoots. This may be inside or outside school (or a combination of both). You will have Media lesson time for this after the mock exams.