DRAFT FOR INTERVIEW

When you’re known around the world from the age of 12 no one was surprised when Lexy decided to take a well-deserved career break aged just 18 last year…but now she’s back, better than ever and with a brand new attitude!

So Lexy….you’re back! How does it feel to be working such a demanding schedule again?
I’m so so glad to be back and working again, I don’t regret my past year at all but it’s just comforting to be back out there again, I’m so grateful for the support I’ve received and I can’t wait to release all my new material for the fans!
I’m sure they can’t wait to hear it! So what was it that made you decide to take a year off?When you’re in the industry from such a young age you completely lose a huge part of your childhood and everything becomes about your work…even some things that may seem like fun were still work related and of course I’m really grateful for all the opportunities I’ve been given but I just wanted to have a year of my life to myself, before I’m officially an adult, just to be an 18 year old! Also when you’re a young woman in the industry there is a lot of pressure on being how everyone wants you to be and this really affected my self-esteem, so by taking this break it was just to relax the spotlight on myself and really find myself before re-presenting it to the world.
Well we LOVE your new image here at BOOMBOX, what would you say is the biggest change you’ve made to yourself over the past year?It may seem like the easy answer but in all honesty I’ve matured a lot, stripping myself from such a demanding schedule and lifestyle for such a long time means that I had a lot of time to myself to think about what I want to be and how I want my music to reflect this. I wanted to come back as a woman now rather than a girl and I hope that this is shown through my new image and music.
You certainly look the part! your new album ‘Dream Catchers’ is out November 8^th, will we see a big change in the sound compared to your previous albums?Definitely! It’s got more of a soul sound, there’s some dance tunes on there along with some really emotional ballads, I would say this time round there’s been so much more concentration on the lyrics which makes each song so much more beautiful. BUY THE ALBUM PLEASE! Hahaha.
Well I’ll definitely be sure to purchase my copy, sounds fab! So what’s next for Lexy?I’ve just got loads of promotion for my new album over the next couple months, I’m going to be jetting off all over the world and doing loads of gigs so it’s all go! I’ll be lucky to get a good night’s sleep looking at my schedule hahaha but it’s all worth it in the end!
Aww I’m sure it will be, well thanks for chatting to us Lexy! BOOOMBOX wish you all the best and hope to speak again in the near future.Lexy’s album Dream Catcher’s available for purchase November 8^th in the UK.

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD FLAT PLAN AND RATIONALE.

Colour Usage- For this article I intend to use a whole new scheme of colours but by keeping the consistent banner across the top of the page the magazine’s original theme of colours can be kept and identified. I want to use a mixture of beiges and fuchsia pinks/coral as I think these colours together will really compliment one another and will effectively make the text ‘pop’ out on the page. The main body of text will just be in black or possibly white depending on the background colour as these two are the easiest to read and this is appreciated by the reader.

Image Usage-The main image will be of the artist herself and will take up roughly a third of the whole thing, it will be a photo where she is posing especially for this article rather than using a candid which would probably be better for a smaller image somewhere else within the article. I intend to use a number of small images for my small mini/side article right at the bottom but I am still undecided on exactly what this will be.
Text Usage-The text will include a series of questions and answers but will be typed up in a more casual manner as if it was just a conversation between the artist and the interviewer. It will be in bulk but because of the surrounding images and headlines etc. this won’t seem too much to the reader. There will be a headline that’s broken into 3 separate parts and three different fonts will be used, this is all to make the page seem more appealing an
Layout and Font- As displayed I’ve tried to fit everything I need onto the page without making it look too crammed and I thin the end result will look professional and well laid. I want to ensure there’s an relatively equal balance between text and images so that the reader doesn’t feel there is too much of either media. When coming to the actual creation of the page there will obviously be a few retouches in terms of position and angles etc. so hopefully this will make it look more interesting  and visually creative. I want the main body of text to be in quite a plain and simple font so it doesn’t distract from the other features of the page and it must be easy to read if it is in bulk. The headline will be in a few different fonts that clash but go well together at the same time, ‘RETURN’ and ‘Lexy’ will be relatively large as they are the most important parts of the page whereas ‘of the nation’s favourite blonde’ isn’t as important so it will be slightly smaller to balance out the other text.

INSPIRATIONAL DOUBLE PAGE SPREADS.

I really like the layout of this double page spread, there is a lot going on but it doesn’t looked crammed or overdone which I think is important for the final visual effect. I’ve noticed that one thing in common with nearly all double page spreads is that the main subject of the article is always displayed through a huge picture that takes up nearly a whole side and therefore there is no mistaking who it is about. Although there are a few different fonts used they are all very similar and don’t clash at all therefore keeping it looking neat and professional and there have been a numerous techniques used to emphasise certain parts of the headline for example ‘BUT NOW I WANT MY JOB BACK’ is in a whole different colour, all in capital letters and with an exclamation mark as well, the ‘BACK!’ is underlined to show this is the most important word in the headline. The fact the headline is in quote marks makes the actual article seem more genuine and as though they have a reliable source that has given them true information. I think that it’s good how all of the pictures are relevant and although there are quite a few this doesn’t seem too much as they have been balanced out by the equal amount of text, I also like how the main body of text has been centred to the page as I’ve often found that all of the text gets crammed on to one side of the A3 therefore leaving less room for extra pictures etc.
Although this is from a fashion magazine it is specifically a music interview which I have found really helpful as it’s something I would usually read anyway and therefore appeals to me. I like how there is a huge main image which is almost introducing the artist to the reader for the first time so it’s important that this displays her image correctly and that the reader can see her clearly. I like how they have given her a big introduction, including how she arrived to the interview and what she was like whilst answering their questions as this builds up character and allows the reader to know more about her personality which is especially important when it’s an up and coming artist that the public aren’t too familiar with yet. I read the interview and I really like the way the questions are asked, obviously the interviewer would have had some guidelines and must ask questions but most of the stuff asked all link in with her previous answer which makes the interview seem much more like a conversation and therefore more interesting for the reader. I like how this is a very simple layout with plain fonts as it makes the main image a more important feature and the focus is more on the actual content rather than the visual representation which can have its drawbacks but in this case I think it works well.

Firstly I love the font used for ‘Beyonce’ in this as although it’s a completely different font to the second part of the headline the clash works really well, I think this font has been chosen purely because it looks most appropriate for her name, almost like the font reflects whatever the actual word is. Once again there is a huge main image of Beyonce herself to break up the page and balance out the text, this is along with the two other large images which are both relevant, I also like how the main image is a professional photo taken while she is posing on the red carpet whereas the other two images are more like candids showing the reaction of her husband and friend when she broke the news. By using photographs that are more personal and natural of celebrities the reader almost feels like they are getting a deeper insight into their lives and this is therefore appreciated. I’ve noticed how on almost all articles there is a small introduction in a larger font to the main body of text which is almost like a sell line itself, as although the reader is on the page itself they can sometimes just look at the pictures and then skip to the next page so by using big headlines and introductions it’s almost dragging the reader’s attention to the text. Also, all of the images have brief captions which I think will be a good idea to use in my double page spread to make it seem more authentic.

MOODBOARD

My moodboard demonstrates a collection of colours, fonts, images and magazine clipppings that inspire the look of my magazine, I have annotated everything that features on this page with why I particularly like it and what I can take from it to apply to my magazine.

FEEDBACK OF FRONT COVER FIRST DRAFT

I am really pleased with all the feedback I recieved as there were plenty of really positive remarks along with alot of constructive critism of how my magazine could be improved. I have read each comment individuallly and plan to take all of the advice on board and apply it to my front cover in order to create the best possible version of my front cover. Things suh as applying more sell lines and text to the background are definitely aspects that I will experiment with as these could change the whole layout and look of the magazine and therefore won't be a definite changeto be made.

IMPROVED FRONT COVER

FRONT COVER FEEDBACK

FRONT COVER FIRST DRAFT

FILMSTRIP/PHOTOBOOTH

This is the filmstrip that inspired my own that features on the front cover of my magazine, I like that it's fun and shows an aspect of Pixie's personality which is something I want to show through Roxy. I have adapted this into what's most appropriate for my magazine so it looks like this...

EXPERIMENTING WITH TEXT AND EFFECTS

These screen shots are displaying how, I decided to add text under the masthead also so that the look was consistent and used to full effect, I also though this would be appropriate if it was faded in and out from both the bottom upwards and the top downwards.

MORE IMAGES

 

 

The above images are what I intend to use in a film strip sequence on the front cover to promote a sell line and make it more appealling to the public. I have chosen to do this style of photo as it makes the artist more relatable and down to earth and shows that don't take themselves too seriously which is always appreciated by the general public and can make them alot more interesting. I purposely used these exaggerated props in order to achieve this effect and make it work.

MAIN IMAGE

This is the image I would like to use as my 'main image' on the front cover, I intend to remove the background and may or may not convert it to black and white. This is because I would like it to both stand out from the rest of the coloured text but still fit in with the colour scheme as it may look unprofessional to use too many colours.

FRONT COVER FLAT PLAN AND RATIONALE

RATIONALE.

Colour Usage- my colour scheme will be a mixture of purple tones alongside navy blues, I will also be using a neutral grey/beige colour for the background of my front cover and these colours will all feature as a consistent theme throughout my magazine. I intend to use a few flashes of bright, bold colours on my front cover and throughout the contents to make the appearance more interesting and visually appealing, these won’t be part of the main theme colours though.

Image Usage- I intend to use a number of images as they are the main attraction of any magazine. The main feature images will be large and definitely made as the focus of my articles, I want to try and edit one set of images so that they appear to be in a film strip as if just collected from a photo booth.

Text Usage-A masthead will appear at the top of my front cover in a very bold font, that will stretch the width of the page. I want to use a colour effect on it that means it will fade from one colour to another, therefore standing out off the page. There will be a few sell lines to entice the public and these will be in alternative fonts, again in bright colours. As of yet I haven’t picked one font that will be used consistently throughout but I intend to make all the titles different fonts that are still yet appropriate and give a professional finish.

Layout- I am using another magazine to inspire my layout with the large cut out image centred and large with the text surrounding and overlapping to give a hectic yet neat presentation. I am following all of the stereotypical layout rules with the masthead at the top of the page along with the date etc. then a main image and a number of sell lines so this will be familiar and therefore appealing to the public.

MARKET RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE

I used a questionnaire that was distributed to people around the college too find out about what by target audience would be and what they would prefer in terms of factors of my magazine.

The questions were the following...(I will include the most popular answer)

Age
16
Male/Female?

Female

How much would you pay on average for a music magazine?

£1.50

What's your favourite part of the magazine?( (interviews/competitions/pictures etc.)

Pictures

Anything you specifically dislike about magazines in general?

When there's too much writing/ advertisements

Which magazines do you buy regularly?

more! and LOOK

Why these magazines? Please can you be specific about what is contained in these magazines that you like?

Because they include brand new gossip that's exclusive and they always have plenty of pictures.

What would influence you to buy a different magazine?

If it had an eye-catching front cover/ a familiar/attractive celebrity on the front.

What types of stories would you take the time to read within the magazine?

Exclusive news and any interesting up and coming artists.

Do you prefer a weekly or monthly magazine?

12 said weekly, 3 said monthly.

IMAGES

I have chosen to use the above 6 images in my magazine as part of the main article, giving it a title of the artists 'Top 6 albums' as I think it will make the page look both interesting and colourful with all the images featuring.

MAGAZINE ANALYSIS

LOOK MAGAZINE

What breakfast cereal do they eat?Special K
The car/mode of transport do they use?A standard car; nothing too expensive but something with a more average price.
What accommodation do they live in?Flat/average sized house.
What do they drink?tea/coffee/alcohol…anything really.
What TV shows do they watch?Keeping up with the Kardashians, The Hills, Only Way Is Essex, Made In Chelsea
What music do they like?Mainstream music, mainly pop.
What is their favourite meal?Something Italian...Pizza, pasta etc.
What sport do they watch and what sport do they play (if any)?None.
Who is their partner, or are they single?This varies as I don’t think I can’t specify what their relationship status would be.
Where do they go on holiday?Somewhere hot with sun, sand and sea, seemingly with quite a generous budget.
Do they vote, and if so who for?I would say they’re more than likely not to vote.
What type of bar/pub/club do they go to (if any)?The most popular bar in town, nothing with excessive prices but slightly more high end than other options.

I would say LOOK magazine appeals to the ‘average woman’ between the age of 13-40, women that are heavily influenced by the media and always want to know the latest trends along with every move their favourite celebrity does. They like to adapt the styles and lifestyles of celebrities but within their own budget and therefore buy this magazine in hope of tips and an insight to the celebrity life, this is all in an aim to improve themselves and be more like role models shown in these magazines. They have average style jobs with a satisfactory income but are extremely fashion conscious and like to influence their office wear with the latest trends, most of their money will be spent on cosmetics, clothes and going out on a night.

 

NOW MAGAZINE

What breakfast cereal do they eat?Weetabix, possibly with fruit added/
The car/mode of transport do they use?The tube to work.
What accommodation do they live in?Apartment/family home.

What do they drink?Tea.
What TV shows do they watch?Only Way Is Essex, Made In Chelsea, X Factor.
What music do they like?Mainstream music.
What is their favourite meal?They order in on weekends but have salad during the week
What sport do they watch and what sport do they play (if any)?None.
Who is their partner, or are they single?This can’t be specified.
Where do they go on holiday?Greece/Spain.
Do they vote, and if so who for?Probably not.
What type of bar/pub/club do they go to (if any)?Any local night clubs.

This obviously appeals to women as most celebrity gossip magazines are, they have a standard pay job but probably long hours and therefore buy magazines as a source of escapism from their day to day lives, much like the other magazine’s audience these women/girls are heavily influenced by the media and concentrate heavily on knowing every move their favourite celebrity makes so they can aspire to be as ‘perfect’.

EBONY MAGAZINE EVALUATION.

Who are the audience? How do we know this?
The audience for this particular issue of Ebony will probably be mostly women or Beyoncé fans, but  also appealing to men because of the sexual image of this particular celebrity. Also parents as they have an article ‘Who’s watching your kids?’  and I would assume from the sell lines promoting articles on ‘managing your money’ and ‘getting over your ex’ this is a magazine for a more mature audience of mid 20s onwards; as this is the age at which most people are employed and are possibly starting families.

What is the text selling?
The Beyoncé franchise, along with African American news and importance.

What sort of attitude/tone does it have?
The main image connotes power and this could either be seen as power of the black culture in today’s society or power of women as Beyoncé is a huge inspiration for women.

Consider the ideology of the texts- what is valued/believed in?
I think that the main focus on this magazine is sort of family life which includes work, relationships (more than often being marriage) and children, therefore the magazine writers have really thought about the mind set of their target audience; what will appeal to them and what daily issues they face and have then developted articles that they can both relate and find use from. From doing research on the background of this magazine I have found out that it’s popular amongst people of African- American ethnicity and this is its main market and therefore any significant news or changes that will affect this culture would be published through this magazine.

PRELIMINARY TASK

This is the college magazine I created for the preliminary task which includes the front cover and contents page, I'm happy with the result of my magazine although I think that if I was given more time then more images could have featured and the contents page could have been executed to a higher standard with generally more incorporated into the page itself.