Contents Analysis - Kerrang!

This contents page is structured in a way which makes it easy to decipher and understand in a short glance which is it's aim.

The main colour scheme is white, yellow and black which has connotations of danger and energy which is inkeeping with the genre of the magazine. The use of the solid, white background keeps the layout, which is in theory busy, looking fairly uncomplicated.

Within the layout of the contents page is that of a series of blocked images. Beneath these are short snippets of the features to entice the reader into reading more. This is combined with a quote from an artist in the top right corner which is also used to create reader interest since it usually involves something which is deictic when taken out of context of the article.

The full list of regular features is to the far right of the images and shows all the regular features. Here a fairly simple font is used except this simple font is synonymous with Kerrang magazine and recognized by the regular readers.

The use of the yellow exclamation layered onto the main image with the news of a competition on it is used to create reader interest and make them want to read the magazine. Where it is placed creates a stark contrast between the dark, mainly black, image and the bright yellow of the exclamation bubble draws the readers eye to it.

Images: II

These are the images produced from the photo shoot.

Images

For my images I plan to take some of a fictional band I have created called 'Taboo' whom will be a three-person, all-girl, rock band. For the pictures I intend to have them looking like ''normal'' teenagers as it will inkeep with the article I am going to write which shows them to just be average teenagers who are lucky to make money from what they do with their friends. This will come through in the way I intend to have them looking as if they are just three friends just playing about in front of a camera. Because of this there will be no props or special costumes, they will just be dressed in natural clothing.

For the models I have chosen my three friends: Thoma, Kelly and Dana. Thoma is posing as the singer and bass player of the band, Dana as the drummer and Kellyas the guitarist. This si shown in the way Thoma is going to be in the foreground of the pictures a majority of the time so the focus is on her.

Cover Mock- Up

This is the IT draft for my front cover.

The Contents Page

Features

Your contents will be split into two main sections: regulars and features.Your features section still needs to be selling your magazine- think of it as a more detailed front cover. You need to decide if you are going to focus upon one main artist or if you are going to feature a number of them equally.

In my magazine I will be focussing on a number of different artists on the contents page but with the main image being that of 'Taboo' who are the cover stars and the main feature of the magazine.

Regular Features

You need to come up with a series of regular features that will appear in your magazine that relate directly to your musical genre. Use ones that are common and essential (e.g. reviews), but also try to include any new ones that you can think of that will make your magazine stand out (e.g. Smash Hits! printing of song lyrics is a good example of this).


In my magazine I will include regular reviews of recent gigs by bands fitting to the rock genre of the magazine. I will also use a feature each week to showcase a new band who may just be a small local band whom are gaining popularity which the magazine feature will aid. I will also use a weekly 'quiz' with a member of one of the bands usually featured in the magazine, this will be purely humerous and something for the readers and audience to engage with. I will also do album listings of CD's coming out in the future as well as reviews for the new releases of the week. There will also be a gig listing for across the country as well as free posters in the centre.

The Front Cover: IIII

Coverlines.

Remember that your front cover is trying to sell your magazine- you need to tantilise your reader. You should be hinting at what's inside the cover in a way that entices the reader into buying your magazine. So try to think of headlines for the smaller stories that will do this.

-Tokio Hotel: The Germans Invade.
-Avenged Sevenfold: A man down.
-My Chemical Romance: The fresh chapter.
- HIM: We almost gave up altogether.
- Aiden: It's All Or Nothing.
- Mindless Self Indulgence: Jimmy cancelled Christmas!
- The Used: Inside Bert's house.
- Marilyn Manson takes it too far.
-You Me At Six- The Boys Are Back In Town.

The Front Cover: III

Features

Now brainstorm possible artists who could appear on your front cover. You will need to think of artists who are going to appeal to your target audience and about whom you have a story to write about (ie. they will be in the news for a particular reason.) Give reasons for your suggestions.

*Avenged Sevenfold:

A comemorative feature would be included about the sudden death of their drummer, Jimmy ''The Rev'' Sullivan at 28 due to as yet unknown causes.

*My Chemical Romance:

Their new album is due to be released in the Spring. The feature would include an interview with the band to promote the album. This would help target my audience specifically since this band is well known through the target group, whether they like the band or not.

*Tokio Hotel:

Their new album has just been released and they are about to begin a European tour, plus they won several awards at prestigious shows in the past year and they continue to get bigger. This could be an ''exclusive'' since they haven't yet done a full magazine feature in the UK yet as their main success until now has been in main-continent Europe however, this is changing rapidly.

*A fictional all girl rock band under the name ''Taboo''

This would hit the objective I had set to use more female input in the magazine as I noticed a gap in the market for this. This would include a full feature and interview with the band who just hit the number one spot in seven countries with their debut album, ''Traumatic'' and the single, ''Darkness = Zombies.''

Main Feature

You will need to pick one of these who will be your main feature {ie. with their picture on the front cover} and also select artists from the rest whose names will appear on the front cover [ie. who have articles written about them inside.} Try to think of future cover stars too. Give reasons for your suggestions.

The main feature of this would be ''Taboo'' who would have a double page spread with an interview. This would be an 'exclusive' since they are an all new act. The article would touch on topics to do with their new fame and they, themselves.

Future cover stars would include people such as Tokio Hotel whom are gaining sucess and getting more well known through lesser mentions in the magazine, HIM whom are planning a new tour after their album gets released as well as Steel Panther who are quickly becoming a huge act. This would cater to my audience and also help to cement my magazine as the magazine who brings you new music first.