L03: Following Codes & Conventions

Front Cover




The top image is an NME music magazine and the lower one is my magazine, titled 'Lunacy' I have followed the codes and conventions of a real magazine through having a close up image of the artist, the masthead, cover-lines etc. This has taken my magazine to another level of a layout instead of a basic looking magazine with no structure. Following the codes and conventions also allows me to achieve the best looking magazine than going off the top of my head, as if the magazine was a real production line and printed official magazine of Sheffield music.













Contents Page




Here is my contents page and above is a contents page for KERRANG which is one of, if not the biggest music magazine company going, I am following the codes and conventions of a real music contents page through a pretty similar layout, the things they both have in similar are:
- Features
- Images (Teasers of the content)
- Page Numbers
- A Main Cover Image
- A Date
This all helps my magazine reach its full capability of looking like a real published/designed magazine as I have followed basic Codes & Conventions to make it look like magazines such as Kerrang and NME for example. These will all appear to the reader/target audience as the magazine won't look basic and easily/poorly created so that they feel they aren't waisting there time during the reading of 'Lunacy"







Double Page Spread






The top Double Page Spread is NME, talking on the Blur reunion for a real magazine, the bottom is mine. Both magazines have a similar layout and also helps me follow the codes and conventions through:
- Main image of who the interview/article is about
- Articles in columns
- Basic colours
- Basic fonts
These all help Cath the readers eye as they have been constantly used by NME and other famous magazines for years and years, The questions are also in colour which have also been done by NME and companies such as ID and Q magazine. I am happy I have taken this style into consideration while creating my magazine as this makes my magazine reach out to the reader, and it is also a huge strength as it will allow my magazine to reach many more readers than expected (hopefully)
The photographs and the language used in my DPS fits the gene of a real magazine and also reach out to my target audience as Stan playing his guitar instantly has that music vibe which connotes the magazine is about music, the interview also fits the genre as it is in direct address, the questions asked are answered exactly as the artist says, he also speaks very laid back and chilled out with the artist, slack and lazy vibe about him.

L03: Setting Up Adobe InDesign CS6

This is how I set up Adobe InDesign, with the same measurements for my contents page as I had for my front cover, I added three columns for the text to be layed out inside of and also had the column gutter at 4mm

L03: Setting Up Adobe Photoshop CC

I have set up my magazine to these specific measurements as I saw a small local food magazine no bigger than the palm of a hand, I really enjoyed the magazines size as it was easy to carry and also had all the content needed in such a small sized magazine

L03: Body Copy For Articles

Why do you want to create this new wave of Sheffield music?

“Well, I feel everyone is following a music scene that’s been about for years, the Manchester scene for example fast indie music, we’ve already got that you see like Oasis and The Stone Roses, the Liverpool scene of chorus pedals and upbeat sloppy indie rock from Her’s and The Vryll Society. I feel Sheffield hasn’t made an impact on the music scene since the Arctic Monkey’s in 2002 and that’s why I want Sheffield to create a new wave of music to put Sheffield back onto the map for music.”

If you could tell all the Sheffield artist one thing what would it be and why?

“Good question, I like that. I would tell all these new artists to be themselves and forget every genre they have pined themselves down to, put yourself into uncomfortable situations and music will come out perfectly and completely different to what you expected to create and all it takes is time and a beautiful atmosphere to later be on sitting back to blissful melodies playing back to you.”

Who are you main musician influences and why?

“Myself, for sure, I aimed to steer clear of everything I had ever listened to. I stopped listening to music for weeks, so that when I sat down ready to record the new album I could create everything I wanted to hear, I sampled most things I would hear day to day, on one of the songs on my album I sampled the sounds of people talking on my bus journey while I was heading home, I also sampled the sound of birds in the morning then I went on to lose myself inside this peaceful backing track before even recording any instruments over the top, I really find myself as a huge influence to play the most part in my album, and I wouldn’t change it for the world”

So what was the idea behind the new album ‘While Your Away?’

“While You’re Away was written about my girlfriend, she was away in Italy because she goes away a lot and I was alone for a while. I managed to indulge myself into this new sound I haven’t experienced before, I recorded melodic slow guitar using reverb and delay then once I recorded it I reversed the audio and played over it again for a really ambient sound.

What is your favourite place to hang out in your free time in Sheffield?

“Jheez man I’m loving these questions, but probably the Birdhouse Café, that place is quality and really makes you sit back and think about life for a second, good vibes and quality staff. They defiantly know how to make a drink as well, I recommend you go there one day in your free time. I also like to chill at my friend’s houses or get them round at mine.”

Do you have any ideas on live concerts or shows for the Sheffield music lovers?

“Of course man, without doubt that’s one of my main ideas at the minute, I’ve been caught up recently and been a bit busy but for sure I’ve got something lined up, I shouldn’t be telling anyone yet but whatever, I am playing The Leadmil Stage for Tramlines on the 22^nd that’s the Saturday I think, so yeah if anyone’s interested bring yourself along for the set and enjoy yourself, dance to a few songs me and my band have written up for you”

L03: Creating Production Materials

Here I have made a logo for the magazine, however I haven't used the logo it is still an asset I have created. To make this logo I used the circle tool to get a perfect circle to allow me to layout the design inside of the circle, to create the lines inside of the circle I used the rectangle tool to add the boxes and make the close to 3D looking effect. I used the text tool to add the text and also used the Ariel Black font to stand out and also have a bold effect to catch the eye. This logo fits my magazine as it was based on the look of a record (Vinyl) which is a pressed version of an album onto vinyl, this relates to music and also helps link with my brief of a music magazine.

L03: Contact Sheet & Evaluation

UNIT 3: L02

It is important to adhere to legal and ethical issues because the company could be fined thousands of valuable money if not millions, also can be sentenced to jail time

The following legal issues apply to magazines and newspapers.

OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS ACT:  Any materials that are seen as harmful or offensive, this includes words and images to the reader, this is relevant to the magazine so that our content does not negatively strike to any reader. For example don't advertise alcohol or cigarettes as my magazine is for 14+ and these products are age restricted for 18+ and would be highly inappropriate to advertise to young readers. I would also not advertise any violent games as they will be aimed for 18+ and my target audience shouldn't be seeing violence or any offensive content inside my magazine.

LIBEL LAW: Publishing content about a person that can negatively effect their reputation, it is illegal to publish defamatory (harmful) content or publish untrue information.

Link to my magazine: In my magazine I will have to release everything that the artist says in the interview without adding or removing any content to make them sound in the wrong or as if they were talking bad about anyone, if I were to do so I could be in trouble under the libel law. I will also have to not add any information that the artist/bands haven't said, E.G. adding information about them slagging other bands/artist off as they haven't said any of this.

COPYRIGHT: Copyright is an act of protecting a creators work, including books, films, graphics and many more. Copyright makes sure the creator is taking full credit for their work and is protected from other people taking it and making money or credit from it. For my magazine I shouldn't take credit for any artists music or artwork when releasing, or anything taken without permission. I will have to get permission for showing the band/artist artwork, the logos/any graphics created by any creators. I will get permission via email as it will be a copy I can have on me at anytime or to send to anyone in the post/pre-production stages. 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/robin-thicke-pharrell-lose-multi-million-dollar-blurred-lines-lawsuit-35975/

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2018/11/heart-breaking-details-of-rapper-mac-miller-s-death-revealed.html