Immersing myself in media!

http://www.lovefilm.com/

I got a subscription to LOVEFILM for christmas and I think it is fantastic. I have listed many titles from its massive catelogue of absolutely everything. It is like a film library and as soon as something on my wish list is available, it is mailed straight to me. Like library books, the DVDs are bar-coded so they can check on their stock.

I am trying to watch films to help with my A level studies as well as enjoyment. I am already noticing different camera angles, lighting etc.

Because I am studying British film for media studies, I have short-listed many British titles and have already watched:

• The Commitments

I am trying to watch as many music related films as I can. I thought that although it was dated, I believe that it was very effective despite a very straight forward approach. Still on my list include Ray, Help, Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll.

• Calendar Girls

British feelgood starring Hellen Mirren, Julie Walters and Philip Glenister. Quite enjoyed this and conveyed good messages. However, this was a bit simple for my type of film.

• East is East

I enjoyed this film because it lies in the same genre as The Full Monty and Brassed Off!, all comedy drama films raising social issues. This film was cross-racial appealing to a wider audience and showing an awareness in the changes in British society, particularly with the young people of mixed race marraiges. This film also broke boundaries showing domestic violence and rascist language on screen.

• Trainspotting

Danny Boyle's cult classic was fantastic as it was shocking, sad, humorous and thought provoking. This film had very effective camera angles; in the scenes in the flat, all the camera angles were shot from the floor, at the same level as the crawling baby.

• Get Carter

Top quality Michael Caine gangster movie with very inspired use of camera angles and lighting for a film shot 40 years ago. But as Michael Caine is my favourite actor, I might be a bit biased.

Music magazines research

A few music magazines are widely known and available at most newsagents, booksellers etc. Even in supermarkets; Q, NME,Kerrang, Total Guitar and Classic Rock are usually found on the shelves. Most music lovers would have heard of other music magazines (MOJO, Rolling Stone, Black Velvet etc), but people who listen to music have such specific tastes that there are many niche magazines for each genre, for example, Blues Music Now (Blues), Murder Dog (Hip Hop/Rap), The Opera Critic (Opera!).

Full listings are available at:

http://www.world-newspapers.com/music.html

After extensive research, I haven't yet found a magazine that is specifically about festivals or live music.

Thumbnails For Cover Design



In the process of planning my shots, I took twenty photos as a way of experimentation to find the ideal shot.

Wordle

I created a wordle, this was a way of presenting my ideas of things i need to inlcude and remember when producing my magazine. It also made me think about the importance of background, font and colour, it made me realise that they are very important. Although it was a good way to present my ideas, it does not have any eye appeal.

The Magazines Handbook (Jenny McKay)

Been reading

The Magazines Handbook (Jenny McKay)

This book has been a very good resource for inspiration for my magazine design. Guidlines for cover design support the analysis of the previous covers. I must include the following in my design:

· Strong image

· Masthead - clearly defined

· 'Floor Test' - cover lines are legible from 2-3 metres.

· Draw in new readers
· Create strong links to the contents page
· Deliver all that is promised on the cover
· The main emphasis on left hand side and top as this is the part that shows on shelf in the shops.
· Plan the cover as early as possible giving alot of attention


It also says that the more downmarket a magazine is, the more words and separate pictures there will be on the cover. This supports Mojo being a comparitively minimal cover page in comparison with NME which is a visual muddle.


Thinking along these lines, I will make use of this theory in designing my magazine, with the different formats appealing to different readership.

Conventions of music magazine covers

All the covers I looked at in addition to those I analysed include the following:

- a punchy, appealing front cover

- the left third is important as this is the shelf view

- barcode

- price

- date

- eyecatching coverlines

- puffs/splashes

- colour co-ordination of some sort, usually in title and text

- strong striking main image

- defined font style

- distinctive masthead

Many have a link to their own website. I will try to use these in my cover.