Create production materials (U3: P4, M3)

Learning outcome 3 (U3): Be able to create production materials for an original media product to client brief.

Sourcing assets

Thumbnails

Photos and why I chose them

I like this photo for the front cover of my magazine, the red lipstick and coat really make the model pop and will make the magazine more attractive to passing customers. The background is slightly disruptive however, and I will therefore use the lasso tool on photoshop to cut out the model, using a plain coloured background instead. I feel this will allow her to be the sole focus of the cover without too many distractions. 

I thought this would be a good image as the main feature on the double page spread, the model looks happy and energetic which allows readers to mirror this same emotion when reading our magazine, therefore associating our magazine with a positive feeling and are more likely to buy it again. In addition, the model is wearing a basic denim jacket which is a more casual look so I believe our readers will better connect to her as they can gain a sense of self- identification through this. 

This is another photo I will be using on my double page spread, it will likely be used as a polaroid sticker on the page. Accompanying it will likely be some fun facts about the artist, I thought this photo was cool and a little different. Furthermore, the model is getting ready in this photo which allows her to appear less mythical and more human to readers which lets them to reflect and identify more with her.

I won't be using this photo because the angle and pose of the artist is slightly unappealing. The pose looks awkward and therefore makes the magazine look unprofessional. In addition, the cat tower toy distracts from the main focus of the magazine and therefore this isn't a good option. 

I wont be using this photo either as the lighting is too harsh on the models face/ hair. It makes her pale and we want to make the artist look her best as it is the most ethical thing to do.

I will not be using this photo either. There are too many background objects and distractions which make the photo look unprofessional and distract from the artist too much. In addition, it is too far away and therefore it's difficult for audiences to identify the artist.

Body copy- article

Q: When did you know you wanted to become a singer?

A: I’ve always wanted to be a singer, even from a very young age. My brothers and I used to love putting shows on for our parents every chance we could, I loved to sing while making my brothers back-up dancers. We would spend hours creating what we thought to be an amazing and entertaining show right here ‘gestures around her home’. However, I didn’t consider a real career in music until I was 14. I had performed in a local talent show, here in Elstree, I just loved seeing the audience light up with joy as I begun signing, but it was when a young girl from the audience ran up to me after the show and told me that she wated to start singing too but she wasn’t brave enough before that day.  That was when I saw a real future in this industry and decided I wanted to help others like I did with her. 

Q: Give us a look into your song writing process.

A: As many of my fans know, I write my own songs. As cliché as this may sound, I truly do write from my personal experiences. For instance, my hit song ‘beauty’ was inspired by my aunt, she was always my biggest supporter and she recently got married at the wedding I was really inspired to write the song, seeing her so beautiful and happy, genuinely happy. Honestly, the ideas just flow and from there its really just allowing the emotions spill out onto the page.

Q: Who is your celebrity crush?

A: *chuckles* Well I have had just one for as long as I can remember, Harry Styles. He has always held a special place in my heart, from a young age I always loved One Direction but Harry was always my favourite and I love his curly hair *giggles*.

Q: What show did you binge watch the most over lockdown?

A: I was really into Pretty Little Liars, for those of you who haven’t yet seen it be cautious of this next part as there are some spoilers ahead. I really enjoyed the thrill of not knowing who ‘A’ was and the way the show slowly unravelled the mystery until finally revealing that Mona was ‘A’ at the end of season 2. AH! I just loved it.

Q: Who is your pop idol?

A: I have always admired Selena Gomez; she speaks her truth and isn’t afraid to express herself. All her songs are so beloved by the entirety of that young teen demographic and that’s because she knows how to relate to them and speak so well, in that way I really look up to her and hope to be this person for someone someday.

Q: Tell us your craziest tour story.

A: One time I did this small tour, playing about 10 small clubs around North London, my friend joined me for the last show just to support me, she was so excited. I told her for my last show I would call her up on stage so she could talk to the crowd and dance along with us. Oh, she was so excited that the night before she went out to celebrate with a couple of our other friends for a drink -or 6- the next day she was green in the face and throwing up all over the place. She was so upset and couldn’t even make it out the house for the show, we still make fun of her till this day.

Q: What is one thing you cannot live without?

A: 

Q: Tell us a bit about your experience on X-factor.

A: I didn’t make it too far on X-Factor so many people don’t really recognise me from there, but wow, I must say it was one of the best experiences of my life. I met so many amazing people and we have remained friends, in fact I will be collaborating with Sophia Summertime on my next album. We have already started to record and there are some really great tracks in there. But back to X-Factor I really enjoyed it and it definitely boosted my name in the music industry, I would definitely recommend any small artists out there to give it a try, even if you don’t make it all the way just seeing a massive crowd like that all paying attention to you and erupting in applause as you finish the song is just a once in a lifetime experience, I will never forget.

Quiz:

Which 2021 X-Factor contestant are you? 

Sophia Summertime, Winter Stone, Zara Jacks

Which genre is better?

Pop or Rap

What is your favourite dessert?

Ice- cream or cake

Do you prefer:

Summer or winter

Your BFF’s say you’re:

Confident or Brave

Photoshoot time! How do you pose?

Silly face or cute smile obviously!

How do you communicate?

Texting or on the phone of course

What do you prefer?

Bands or solo artists

What’s your go to outfit?

A pretty dress or Hoodie with joggers

Setting up- photos

Here I am taking shots and setting up the angles which I want for the photos. Additionally, I adjusted the lighting on the dimmer for the last photo so the lighting wasn't too harsh which would result in pale photos. Finally, I moved location within the house about 3/4 times in order to test out the different backgrounds and discover what worked best. 

Setting up software

Codes and conventions

All the elements of my magazine and why it works well/ doesn't with the genre

Outfit and make-up

I asked the model to wear a bright red lipstick and a subtle eyeliner for the photoshoot, I feel this really allowed the look to be more bold and eye-catching to readers. Additionally, red lipstick is a sign of a women's independence ever since the suffragettes, it further became popular in the golden age of Hollywood, for this reason it has become an iconic look for so many within the pop industry. I felt it would be a good choice for my model too as it will display to the audience of my magazine that this artist is serious about her pop career and trying her best to fit in, even as a local artist.

Location

I feel using the models house as the location for the photoshoot was a well-informed decision, the brief outlined that the magazine should be a small locally based magazine. I feel, taking photos in the artists home informs readers that we are smaller and more locally based and are therefore on a slightly smaller budget. Interestingly, having this location allows the artist to feel more comfortable and gives the images a more personal feel, additionally, it allows readers to gain further insight into the featured artist's life. Finally looking at my competitors, many have used editing to cut out the artist and replace the background with a solid coloured background, the large quantity of cover lines, stickers, extra artist images and quotes crowd the page and therefore make the background a minuscule component in the cover, many won't notice it and it might even distract from other elements of the magazine.

Poses

For the first image- the one I'll be using for my front cover- the model is resting her head on her hands with a slight head tilt, the symmetry of this allows the image to be more distinguished and attractive to potential readers. Additionally, the artist is smiling in most of the images which works well within the genre as it gives off positive energy which is often associated with pop and helps the audience to better grasp the pop theme of the magazine.

Body copy

The article I have written for my double page spread is a Q&A, I think my target audience will likely benefit from this as they will enjoy hearing gossip and music driven information from an up and coming artist. These questions have and will be carefully written to ensure we get the most exclusive and very best information from the featured artist, therefore benefitting our readers who will thoroughly enjoy reading this information. Interestingly, this is a commonly used format within most magazines but the use of a quiz gives the magazine the more youthful and fun connotation which is often associated with the pop genre.