Music Magazine - Feature Article Draft

This is the first draft of the article I have written for my double page spread in my rock magazine.

Not even four weeks ago, Kat Wild was living the silent life as the sister of Luke Wild, the lead guitarist in the band;' Manic To Heaven'. Traveling with the band around the country and giving backstage support to the crazy five, Kat managed to spring into the world of monstrous fame after singing at the O2 Arena in London as the band where getting ready to perform at their sell out gig. As if the supporting acts weren't good enough, over a thousand people where there to witness the 17 year olds amazing voice belting out lyrics, capturing the eyes, ears and hearts of every rock music lover out there. Here, BANDTA gets the first ever exclusive into the hectic world of Kat Wild only a couple days after her first ever single release.

“I've been thrown into a world that I had only ever been back stage to, and let me tell you, the feeling is good,” She giggles.

“I was just aimlessly standing outside the 'Manic to Heaven'' dressing room on the 18th October, waiting for them to get their arses moving. It was minutes before they were due to go on the stage to perform at their own concert, and they were taking their sweet time getting ready while everyone was faffing about. Being Luke's little sis, he ordered me to run along to the stage manager and tell him that the band wouldn't be on for another 10 minutes. But once I told him, I heard just how impatient and rough the audience was getting, and before I knew it the bastard had announced my name, shoved a microphone in my hand and pushed a very panicked me onto the stage in front of thousands of people.”

“Even if I had been given a million years notice, did a ritual dance and not even if I had screamed until my lungs gave out, i know that nothing could have ever prepared me for what went on in that five solid minutes, as I had stood under a blazing ‘one man standing’ spotlight.

My mind was blank, all I could see was a massive black space in front of me and if not for the shouting from the audience, I would have thought I was alone. But I was fucking not. One second I was screaming at myself in my mind to sing something and the next, the lyrics from Cher’s song ‘If I Could Turn Back Time”, made its way past my mouth, through the microphone and into the audience. “

Not even Kat herself could describe the amount of energy in the room, but she did  manage to say that, “the whole place was buzzing and I was having the time of my life singing to one of my favourite songs and prancing about like an idiot while thousands of people sang it back to me while I enjoyed doing one of the only things in my life that I love to do.”

“When I was watching Paramore at the O2 last year, I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be singing on that same stage for real.”

Not even an hour after the gig had ended, videos had been put up on YouTube of my performance, potential mangers where ringing me constantly and the music business were knocking at my very own door. And after a very long talk with my family and a lot of mental preparing, I started the hectic schedule I am in today. Within the next couple days, a single was being mentioned and I was the most happiest, yet nervous, girl in the entire world.”

When talking with Kat, not many of us suspected that although the increasingly undeniable fact that she’s fast becoming everyone’s new favourite rock sensation- she still has been through many challenges which have influenced her to get where she is today. “Don’t get me wrong, I want this for me, I always have, but a big part of me wants to show those arses back home, who never in me, what they never gave any chance to see. I’m far from big headed but I like to believe that I have a purpose in life and i’m starting to get on with it now. Finally something I am doing for me for a change. This is what my single is about.”

Katherine Wild’s single, ‘Starting at the Finish Line’, feels like a long bloody waited song to have been released and ever since the young artist came into the business, almost everyone has been shaking in their seats with anticipation for this song to be out.

“My song shows how hard my short life has been and how up until recently I had never felt appreciated by others outside of my family. It’s about always feeling like you’re heading in the wrong direction and how you hate on yourself all the time for being lost. I had starting writing this song at the beginning of this year as I entered my first year of A Levels, and let me tell you, every day at least one thing (a snide comment about my height for example) always influenced me to into expressing my my feelings through lyrics. I show how it doesn’t matter what other people think, you should always believe in yourself and that it doesn’t matter how old, big, what race, height, hair colour or style you may have, at some point we all feel like we are starting at the finish line. Like we are always feeling wrong and that even through this, it is all okay.

This past month has encouraged me to believe in myself like I had never done before and see all the good things in me that I hadn’t seen before; I hope to inspire people in the same way. This makes it the upmost perfect time in my life for this song to be released”

This chat with Kat Wild has highlighted the idea that most people at 17 years old would be taking advantage of their fame, whereas Kat only focuses on her music.

“I want my music to be famous, not me. I have an idea of getting  my lyrics to speak to people, I don’t necessarily want to do all the talking.”

“I’m fine with whatever people write or think about me,” she argues, ”as long as I am doing what i love and inspiring some people at the same time, my life will be complete.”

That’s the scoop.

Music Magazine - Magazine Page Plans

These are plans that I made on pages to show the design of my magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread, so that when I later come to making the magazine, I know exactly how I am making it.

Front Cover

Contents Page

Double Page Spread

Music Magazine - My Own Flat Plan

This is the plat plan that I have created, like the Kerrang! issue, where each thing is placed in the rock magazine and shows that I have added structure and order to my work. From this, I can base what I want to be included on my front cover page to further advertisement. 

Music Magazine - 2nd Shot List

This is the second shot list for my music magazine photographs. These will be taken of an 'artist' which will be viewed as other features on my rock magazine. I have made this so that I know exactly what I will be doing when the photo shoot is taking place. 

Music Magazine - Image Shot List

This is a document containing my shot list of what images I will be taking for my music magazine. It outlines what the images will be like, what will be worn, the location, who will be appearing in them, etc. I have done this based on my main feature that I will be making into a double page spread for my magazine.

Music Magazine - Research - Target Audience Prezi

Copy of Music Magazine Target Audience on Prezi

This is a PREZI that i have created showing the results from my survey monkey questionnaire and what people have posted on my wall wisher about what they want in a rock music magazine. It gives an insight to what my target audience is and how I should reflect that in my magazine.

Music Magazine - Typography Presentation

Typography Presentation

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This is a presentation I have made to show the types of text that I can use in my main feature article, including sizes of text, fonts, etc. 

Music Magazine - Research - Rock Mood Board

I made a mood board full of cut outs of things found and liked in NME and Kerrang! magazines. 

This is the mood board;

From this, I have made a video containing why I like all of the components on the page, what they represent and many other things included in the video. 

Music Magazine - Interview about Kerrang!

This is an in depth analysis of the music magazine Kerrang! including what I have learnt from the flat pal, tones and moods of features, target audiences and have seen many things I would like to borrow from this magazine issue and other other of this magazine. 

Music Magazine - Research Summary

From my research of music magazines I have learnt many things. Firstly, I have learnt on the front cover of a magazine it is always better to make your subject have eye contact with the camera and therefore the audience. This is so that it will catch the audience’s eyes and they are more likely to pick the issue up. Also, on many music magazines such as Kerrang! And NME, display their main feature image, which is on the front cover, over the logo, giving the impression that the artist, is more important than the brand. I have found that a lot of people in the magazine industry use fun fonts and bright colours to make the pages interesting, however also keeping to a colour scheme and style.

Through looking at all the different music magazines I have come to decide that I want to make a rock style magazine. For these types of magazines, they usually have a series of rock colours, these are mostly black, white, red and yellow. Also, I researched what kinds of clothes people tend to wear in the rock style and found that leather jackets, ripped jeans, netted tights, laced tights, printed t-shirts, DrMartins’s, converse, leather trousers and a lot of black is very common. The props used are normally microphones, guitars, drums, and other instruments as well as props that reflect the text. The make-up that they normally wear in the magazines for women is dark and almost gothic whereas men normally have very subtle just to hide blemishes. Rock music magazines typically put a lot of posters in each issue to attract a female audience.

I have found that the for a rock target audience unisex, this is because they use things such as posters, fun fonts, sob stories, fashion, posed pictures and bright colours to attract a female audience, whereas they use dark colours, competitions, easy read articles with pictures and feedback. For unisex they have; band alerts, album releases, hot news, live reviews, concert pictures and band merchandise adverts. From this I have realised I want to make a more female orientated magazine but also includes come manly things.

In the main features they usually use box outs which are boxes on the side used for quick reading of the article. These are sometimes filled with silly questions to attract the audience and make it more personal. In the features they use a lot quotes to make the text interesting and the tones of the writing always reflect the pictures they go with. The mood can change the whole view on the story which is where the target audience come in, so you have to make sure that you have the right tone and mood for the reader to keep interest. Sometimes, they use different colours to break up the text to make look fun and the fonts always have to be different for the main writing and the box outs.

This research has helped me to plan and design my own magazine and to make it for the right audience as well as making interesting. 

Music Magazine - Research - Rock Fashion and Location

This is the link to my presentation:::

Rock Fashion and Location Research

View more presentations from 11sarah06.

From doing this, i have learnt what types of clothes I should use for model in my music magazine to represent the rock genre. i have also found out what locations i can use to reflect what my article for my double page spread is saying.

Music Magazine - Research - Flat Plan for Kerrang! magazine

This is the an image of the magazine I have used to do the flat plan below.

I now know what is included in an issue of Kerrang! magazine, which will help me to further my knowledge of the rock genre and what to include in my own magazine.

Music Magazine - Thinking Of A Concept

This is a ming map I have made when thinking of a concept for my rock music magazine. I have explored different features that I could use for my main feature article; I have chosen to go with the new artist scenario because many people will be attracted to a story of a new artist and want to buy the magazine in order to find out the latest information. 

I have also stated all of the target audiences that I wish to aim my music magazine at. I have chosen rock music lovers as it will obviously be a rock music magazine, teenagers as a lot of this age group like rock, which is the the same for middle agers and gig lovers as there will be some gig adverts and gig alerts. 

I came up with a couple different choices of names I could use as the title of my magazine cover. The one that I have decided to use is 'BANDTA' as it is a play on words for 'banter' and 'band', as in rock bands. 

The last thing I looked at where the colours of yellow, red, white, black and grey. I have decided to uses these as the colour scheme as they are used in most rock magazines and are colours that fit the genre. 

By making this, I have a good idea on how to start creating my rock music magazine and what will be included and on it. 

Music Magazine - Research - NME Interview

NME Interview

What do you think about using black and white image shots on and in a music magazine?

You should be careful when using black and white images, they can make it look as though they are old pictures and when looking at a newish band/artist is probably beneficial if you do not use them.

What do you think of when someone asks you to make a magazine front cover?

Think of the front cover as an advert. You need to use the use of colours and images to entice the audience in and buy the magazine. We, at NME, view the front cover as a visual communication.

What should the main image on the front cover look like?

Normally, when we choose an image for the front cover, we make sure that the heads are quite big so that they catch the audience's attention. Also, we almost always make the artist/band have eye contact with the camera which communicates with the viewer personally.

What else should be included on the front cover?

Make sure that the page is interesting to look at in terms of colours and maybe two or three different fonts. It should also have some selling points like free posters or gig alerts to draw the viewer in. Sometimes, in NME, we put a picture and a caption of other big stories at the top to show that there is more in the magazine and create more and different audience tastes.

What do you think a good logo should look like and include?

It should be simple and to the point. Make it bold to catch the viewers eye and make sure you position it in the best way that you can it see it with the image there as well.

What do you think about colour schemes?

A colour scheme should be carried the whole way through the magazine and especially with music ones as red, black and white are normally rock(ish) colours representing the genre.

When writing a magazine feature article, what should you be thinking about and including?

You should always know who your target audience is so that you can communicate to the readers for them to understand and relate to. The images and colours should also reflect the target audience. Quotes are important to use in a feature article, they personalise the artist/band and make the reader feel informed and involved in what they are thinking. They are also used to break up the text. The use of different colours of text and font break up the text, however the body text and the box outs are always different fonts. Box outs are very good to include as they give the audience something short and interesting to read, they are also for those who do not want to read the whole article. You should always set a tone and a mood for the article for the reader to get an incite to where the writing is heading and what is happening.

PHOTOSHOOT PROCESS...

What do you consider when planning out a photoshoot?

You have to make sure that you can photograph the artist/band you want to use for the weeks feature. You have to also figure out what you are trying to say about the artist which you can relate to what the image looks like in terms of facial expressions, make-up, hair and clothes/style. Make sure to do some sketches beforehand so that you know what you are trying to do.

What should you do after the deciding of the images to be taken?

You must come up with some pitches to give to the artist/band to get them interested and make sure that when taking the images you know that as well as trying to pull the readers attention in, you should pull the band/artist in with your ideas too. Always know what you are going to do at the photoshoot before you get there to prevent awkwardness and stalling. Decide what colour you are going to shoot on and try and communicate what you are trying to show with it. Try not to shoot on black.

What else should you do at the photoshoot?

You have to make sure that the picture goes with everything, so shoot a lot and prepare a lot for all the images you will be taking. Prepare but also have options, meaning that the band/artist may not want do go with your idea so make sure to have a couple of back ups just incase. Also, make sure that they are wearing the same-ish clothes the whole way out as it looks better and looks as a part of a set and the same story. The processing needs to look the same the whole way through and the overall theme needs to keep going throughout. Make sure that you know where the best places you are to stand for the photos that give good effects.

What else should you do with the article and box outs?

Always link from the box out to the feature to prevent confusion for the reader. Using silly questions make the article up beat and fun which can entice the people in.

Myself and my media class went to see NME offices in London where we asked questions to the graphics and layout staff. From this I have learnt a lot about what to put and include on my music magazine and what not to include. I also learnt about photoshoots and key elements in a main feature. I now have the knowledge to write my article and make the magazine.