Research And Planning: Makeup Examples

I have chosen some examples of make-up designs that I would like to try out on my models. Some have very bright coloured eye shadow and lipstick and some are quite natural an minimal. I would like to try them both to see which one will look the best.

Research And Planning: Pop Music Videos

I have chosen Jessie J - It's My Party as an example of the shot types I would like to use in my magazine. There are many close-up shots and medium shots. These two shots are the ones I am most likely to use.

For the costume ideas I decided use Ariana Grande - Baby I as all of the cast in the video are wearing bright coloured summer clothes. I have also chosen Little Mix - Wings as a costume inspiration as they are also wearing bright coloured clothes that you would typically find in a pop magazine.

Research And Planning: Pose Examples And Research

Here are some examples of of poses for my magazine. Most pop magazines that I have looked at all have similar poses to these pictures. I am going to try out each one with my models to see which pose will look the best. I am also going to try them  with different shot types as some may look better as a close up rather than a medium or long shot and some may look better as a medium or long shot rather than a close up.

Research And Planning: Progress Of Magazine

This is my magazine so far. I have chosen to use one of my 3 mastheads for the magazine as the audience thought that it was the most appropriate choice. I have also created the outline for my banner.

Research And Planning: Pop Magazine Masthead Designs

After deciding to name my magazine 'Teen POP' I used photoshop to help me create some new mastheads that were more suitable to the style and name of the magazine. Here are my designs.

Research And Planning: Double Page Spread Story Font

From looking at other magazines I know I should use a serif font for my contents page and double page spread story. It is used because it is a lot easier to read as the size of the font will only be small.

Research And Planning: Album Review Example 3

I have chosen some examples of album reviews as I am possibly doing an album review for my double page spread.

Digital Spy: Union J - Union J

Being a boyband on The X Factor comes with considerably higher expectations than it used to. Ever since One Direction became a phenomenon across the globe, the bar has been set impossibly high. Union J will find it tough to escape their predecessors' shadow, but their first self-titled album is a carefully considered collection of pop songs that does its best to differentiate them from their fellow talent show acts.


Of course, Union J contains the proven formula of puppy-eyed balladry and uptempo love songs primed to make teenage girls scream their tonsils into oblivion. Lead single 'Carry You' flits between a soaring chorus and reassuring lyrics that will have mobile phones glowing in arena crowds across the country, while follow-up 'Beautiful Life' is a rousing guitar-led ode to that insecure girl who doesn't feel special, but ultimately is the one they'll notice. Sure they're merely calculated declarations of flattery over a 4x4 beat, but since when was pop adverse to a bit of that?

The pace is ramped up on thumping anthem 'Beethoven', which sounds like a future chart-botherer even if it does contain the lyrics, "I'll play you like an instrument/ Let me be your Beethoven." Unfortunately, it is followed by bog-standard plod-alongs 'Head In The Clouds' and 'Last Goodbye' that do little to surpass their status of album filler, while Demi Lovato cover 'Skyscraper' is a nice piece of heart-tuggery, but fails to dent the delicate emotion of the original.

That said, we thought we were through with the current craze of boyband-tinged EDM, until we heard 'Save The Last Dance'. "I know you catch a lot of hearts, baby/ Got them lining up tonight," they note, before the chorus bursts into a pulsing mix of club synths and funk-driven guitar. It's by no means a revolutionary slice of pop, but it's enough to momentarily steal the spotlight and shine it on Union J's commendable debut set.

Research And Planning: Album Review Example 2

I have chosen some examples of album reviews as I am possibly doing an album review for my double page spread.

Buffalo News: Bangerz - Miley Cyrus

What can I say about Miley Cyrus that hasn’t already been said? From her provocative new look to her scandalous performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, she has had people talking. Cyrus’ new album, “Bangerz,” came out about a month ago, and has received just as much hype as Cyrus herself. The album is a fresh, new take on the ongoing culture change in modern American society.

Most people know the backstory of Cyrus. Daughter of famed country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, she got her start on the Disney Channel. Her show, “Hannah Montana,” was one of the most popular children’s shows in the late 2000s and put Miley Cyrus in the spotlight. Now she has broken away from that good-girl image and is living a very different lifestyle. This new presentation was displayed fully in Cyrus’ VMA performance, which enraged many parents who said her image was too provocative for the once-innocent star. She has become one of the biggest names in music. People debate whether Cyrus is a marketing genius or as dumb as a post. The latter is looking less and less likely each day.

“I’m not just some mess. This is all thought out in my mind,” Cyrus says in an MTV documentary called “Miley: The Movement.” “You’re always going to make people talk, you might as well make them talk for two weeks rather than two seconds.” This is especially hard to do in today’s world of technology. Information is coming and going a mile a minute, and it can be difficult for an artist to stay relevant. It is through social media that Cyrus keeps her edge. Collectively she has almost 500 million YouTube views on her videos, 14 million Twitter followers and 30 million likes on Facebook. These are the outlets Cyrus uses to stay in the minds of young people, and it is pure marketing gold.

Now we finally have an album, a full body of work, to get the whole picture of the new Miley. “Bangerz” draws inspiration from many different places – from the country twang in “4x4,” the funk of “#GETITRIGHT,” and the hip-hop vibe of songs like “Love Money Party” and the lead single “We Can’t Stop.” In between these fun pop songs, Cyrus is not afraid to show a more vulnerable side in songs like “Someone Else” and the single “Wrecking Ball.” The album never has a dull moment as it is constantly throwing different styles and grooves at listeners. This is certainly an impressive piece of work from the young pop star, and it shows everything Cyrus wants it to show. It’s new, provocative, sassy and very in your face, just like Cyrus. This album really showcases the new direction music is going, which is very exciting for teens. Cyrus explains her new sound and image better than anyone, “You have to be young, I feel like, to understand it, and otherwise you’re just fascinated by it!”

Research And Planning: Album Review Example 1

I have chosen some examples of album reviews as I am possibly doing an album review for my double page spread.

Sugarscape: The Wanted - Word Of Mouth

How does the album pan out?

D'ya know what? This one's a bit of a mixed bag...and we're sort of working out if that's a good or bad thing. While the lads' last album was a moody, air-grabby affair, Word of Mouth's diverse to say the bloody least. You've got the ravey BANGERZ (I Found You), slushy ballads (Show Me Love (America)) and a few we managed to forget while they were actually still playing.

We'd listen to it...

While planning our Nariana wedding outfit.

Tracks most likely to top the charts:

Er...are there any tracks that haven't been singles left (we kid, there are)? We've gotta say we've fallen in love with a few. Summer Alivemakes us wanna spontaneously book a flight to Magaluf and have a few fizzy waters (it doesn't exactly scream 'Christmas single' for this very reason, though), Love Sewn's got everything you want from a boyband ballad and Glow in the Dark's got a funny disco-y bit shoved over the top of it for good measure.

After listening to it we felt like...

Relieved? We've been waiting to have it in and around our ears for so bloody long that, by the time it'd finished, we let out a massive sigh and yelped 'OH THANK GAHD'.

What they say:

Here you go, sorry it took us a while.

What we say:

Thanks and you're forgiven, fellas.

FINAL VERDICT:

7.5/10. Word of Mouth could probably have gone from Good Boyband Album territory to Great Boyband Album status if it was a bit shorter. There are some amazing tracks on there that we're gonna be going back to a *lot*, but there's a bit of filler too. It's definitely worth the wait, though...and we're never really ones to turn down a boyband, let's be honest.

Research And Planning: Masthead Designs Audience Interviews

I asked 4 people which of my 3 masthead designs would be the best to use for a pop magazine and why they thought that. I am going to use their answers to decide which masthead is the most appropriate to use.

Research And Planning: Cover Page Draft On Indesign

This is a simple draft of my magazine that I created on Indesign. I have now decided to use photoshop to create my magazine as it is easier to edit my images and it is simpler to use.

Research And Planning: Audience Interview Questions For Layout Of Magazine

Interview Questions About The Layout Of My Pop Magazine

Do you think pink, blue and white are appropriate colours for a pop magazine? If so why?

Should the front cover be plain and simple or have lots going on?

Do you think the double page spread should feature a story should feature a story, interview or gossip about the star? Why?

Should there be a lot of pictures and little writing on the contents page or fewer pictures and more writing?

Do you think Teen Pop is an appropriate name for a pop magazine?

Research And Planning: Plan For The Week

This week I plan to:

Complete and upload publication plan

Video and upload audience interview videos

Analyse SLR test shots

Upload double page spread drawn draft

Start my magazine

Research And Planning: SLR Test Shots Analysis

After testing the SLR camera I found that taking pictures outside gives the best lighting effect for my pictures. The natural light gives the pictures a brighter more realistic effect. The pictures that I took inside did not give the best light even when the flash was on. the lighting inside was quite dark so it did not focus properly and the picture was quite blurred. The picture taken outside has perfect detail and the natural light makes it look very realistic.

Taken inside

Taken outside

This picture was taken with auto focus.

This picture was taken with manual focus.

I thought that using auto focus to take the pictures was a lot better than using manual focus. As you can see the picture taken with auto focus is a lot clearer and the detail is easy to see. The picture taken with manual focus is not very professional as it is blurry and not as detailed. When taking my pictures for my magazine I am going to use auto focus as it shows all the detail and looks professional.

Research And Planning: SLR Test Shots

These are my SLR camera test shots. I have taken a range of photos using the manual and auto focus.