Closed Blog Notification

Centre: NMBEC
Centre No: 14343
Candidate Name: Beatriz Rodrigues Coelho
Candidate No: 3181

Update: Week of 09/12/18

UPDATE:

During this week I have now gone back to edit the homepage, the main changes was the main two articles which I tried to make them more similar to Vogue, because I did not like the aesthetic of the article previously. Another change is the placement of the images on the right, most Bauer magazines website have the images on the right and the addition of a block ad, for the conventions. I have also gone back to change the video, because of copyright concerns I changed the music and cut out some small unnecessary parts of the video, in regards to my linked page I have now added the video and it is complete. 

Update: Week of 02/12/18

UPDATE:

During this week I am making my linked page, I decided to change this from a beauty page to an article about the front cover model, this will allow me to have my audio/visual which is an interview realistically integrated on the website. This will also create cohesion between the website and edition one. This has not been as challenging as the home page, and I am happy with the results of the linked page. The most difficult part of this was writing the article as I had to make it in accordance to the interview. 

Update: Week of 25/11/18

UPDATE:

During this week I am began making my website, I made the homepage for now, I am happy with the results of the homepage, but hope to improve it to make it look more like other fashion magazine websites. So far, it was difficult learning how to use the program in the beginning but I learned eventually and began making the website, the biggest challenge I encountered is the header, I wanted to initially make it like my flat plan but to make it work better, I had to make it thinner, this also worked out well in the end as now it looks similar to the Grazia header. My main inspiration for this homepage was Harper's Bazaar and Elle.

Update: Week of 18/11/18

UPDATE:

During this week I am beginning to edit my video. I have chosen to do an interview with the autumn cover model, this will also be an article and become my linked page. So far I have found editing pretty good, I have an idea of what I want the video to look like in the end and I am worked towards that. I have had some issue with finding the right music but I am focusing on the video which was too long and had to be shortened down. Overall I am happy with the results of the video and I can add the finishing touches after I've completed my website.

Interim Review Notes

The Interim Review Notes:

Edition One:

Cover:

Move 'natural' further away from the eyes

Content Page:

Fix the Grammatical Errors

Edition Two:

Cover:

Change the colour of the masthead so it stands out against the background
Change from the feature "most snowy" to snowiest


Content Page:

Fix the Grammatical Errors

Statement of Intent

Below is my statement of intent this is what I intent to do for my website, linked page and both magazine covers and content pages.

I intend to make a magazine front cover and a single sheet content page spread for both editions. For my first edition, I would like to make a cover for the autumn season using the theme of nature. In edition one, I want to portray chic and trendy fashion; which reach and address my target audience. The model will be wearing minimal makeup to coincide with the theme of nature. I also intent to take the photos for my front cover as a close up and for my content page I want to take a medium shot with both a lower and higher angle. I want to use the natural lighting afternoon light.  This edition will be about adventure and nature, sending the message of happiness and wanderlust. For my second edition, I would like to make a cover for the winter season with the theme of New Years and New Beginnings. I intend to present an alternative way of spending new years: staying at home. The models will be wearing winter clothing such as coats, jumpers or turtlenecks. I would like these to have a maximum of 3 to 4 features so it can focus on the model. The features in this edition will be about starting fresh and having fun, I want this to send the message of new beginnings. I would also like to take photos against different muted backgrounds to have colours connoted with winter. I will use the convention of placement of text and the size/font used in both the front covers. I will be portraying different social groups by having models of different ethnicity in the front covers and content page, and I will portray different issue, events and people through different features.

I intend to make both a home page and a linked page for my website. For my homepage, I intend to use features from both front covers, and images that were also used in my content pages. Similarly to existing fashion magazine websites, I want to have the features which stand out the most is the ones of the front cover models. Adding to this, I want my linked page to be an article of the front cover model from the first edition and be the first article on the website, on this article I want to have an audio/visual which I intend to make as an interview with the model. I intent to feature 3 articles from my content pages from various areas of a fashion magazine such as: fashion, beauty and travel.

The digitally convergent nature of my media products will be shown through my house style. This means that both the front covers, content pages and the website will feature the same masthead, typography and images which feature the same models. For continuity I will feature links to social media on both content pages and my linked page. I think that consumers will respond and interpret positively to my product as I have drawn inspiration from many already successful fashion magazines. Consumers will become producers themselves through the references to social media and encouragement throughout the product for them to communicate to the magazine.

Reader Profile

Below is the profile of the Á La Mode reader and the way that the information is presented to coincide with the reader:

The Á La Mode ideal reader will be going to university and is around the age of 20 from an AB demograophic, enjoys shopping, jet setting and always looking her best, she comes to the magazine for a curated selection of news in different areas, she is still discovering her style but is always confident about what she wears. She is seen often taking photos to post on her social media, she enjoys being ahead of the trends but hates waking up early. She spends her time going to concert to see her favourite musician, enjoys to occasionally watch a new series on Netflix and discovering new places across London. She likes reading magazines which have a new perspective on a well-known stories and talks about both sides allowing her to chose what she believes.

Flat Planning my Website and Linked Page

I have made a flat plan for my website homepage and the linked page which will be beauty:

THE HOMEPAGE FLAT PLAN:



I have made the flat plan for my homepage, I have chosen to have a black strap across the masthead as this is how the Grazia website has it, and they are also managed by Bauer. I have added three posts which will be the articles from both front cover. I will include an ad when scrolling down in the home page, as well as continuity with the front cover by using images of the same models as the ones on the magazine. I am going to include links to social media at the menu tab more and at the bottom of the page. I am creating continuity between the print version and the digital version by adding the latest edition of my magazine at the right hand top corner and a subscribe option, similarly to the Tatler website. People will want to visit this website because it is simple and minimalistic while still having the characteristics of a fashion magazine website.




THE LINKED PAGE FLAT PLAN:

I have chosen to make my linked page about beauty because it is one which is overlooked when looking at fashion magazines, despite not using much makeup in my front covers I want the beauty page to not just be about makeup but also hair and nails, I have designed the flat plan to look as if the last post is cut off to show that there is more when scrolling down. Here I have planned to have five posts, which relate to different aspects of beauty. I am planning on using the articles from my front cover and content page to post on this page, using the same or very similar images on this linked page to create continuity and establish a relationship between the print and digital version. This linked page has been inspired by Harper's Bazaar with the large image as soon as the page is opened, I want this to be a photo of a woman laughing to set a positive vibe for this page, as this is what people want to feel when reading a magazine.

Flat Planning for the Front Covers and Content Pages

I have made a flat plan for both the front cover and content page for the autumn edition below:

FLAT PLAN FRONT COVER (AUTUMN):

I have used a brown and yellow colour scheme for this flat plan, to represent the colour of leaves during this time of the year. As I have planed to take this photo in the part I have added the feature with 'Autumn Adventure', adventure is commonly associated with the outdoors. I have made the masthead orange to match the clothing and background. I have used only four other features, these features relate to the autumn theme but I think that they could be improved to relate to the theme of nature more. I could also improve the positioning of the date of the issue, and make text of varying sizes of texts to make it stand out more. I have tried to follow the covers of Harper's Bazaar, such as the, placement of the text and the closeup photo. Here I have used the theme of nature and tried to portray this through the articles and colour scheme.

INSPIRATION FOR MAGAZINE FRONT COVER AND CONTENT PAGE:

I have sourced my front cover from Harper's Bazaar, while for the content page I have sourced Grazia and their use of shapes and lone items around the main image.


FLAT PLAN CONTENT PAGE (AUTUMN):    

I have made used a similar colour scheme as the front cover, to have splashes of colour such as orange and yellow to create continuity throughout the magazine. I have added the areas that I will be exploring such as beauty and news, here I have said style instead of fashion but this may be subject to change onto fashion. As the house style all of the text will be places in the same order and the masthead and content will be black with a white background.  I am going to use the same font as the masthead fro the subheadings and the 'content' title and numbers. To have continuity with the theme of nature I am going to use a photo of another model in a similar setting and an alternative photo of the front cover model in the circle.





FLAT PLAN FOR FRONT COVER (WINTER):

 I have created used a blue colour scheme for the background and the clothes, I have also similarly to the autumn edition done the masthead the same colour as the clothing, the theme for this edition is the New Year, I have tried to portray this in the use of articles with the New Year; also similarly with the autumn edition flat plan, I need to make the size and typeface of the text change and make them more varied in sizes. I have tried creating a house style with the mentioning of the season and use of alliteration in both editions and the way that the features are laid out, such as fashion on the bottom left and the feature about London on the bottom right. The different theme changed the background that I have used but the font and placement of the text should be similar, I have also used a close up for both covers.


FLAT PLAN FOR CONTENT PAGE (WINTER):

I have tried to have a house style for the content page as well, I want to have a beauty item in both content pages such as in this content page where its nail polish the other content page it will be lipgloss, I have also changed the placement of the photos but tried to have the house style with the placement of the text and the circle imagery. In this cover I also plan to make the subheadings and numbers as the same font as the masthead. I am going to have continuity between this content page and the front cover through colour and the articles that are being featured.

Location Research

For my locations I have chosen to take my photos in a studio and a park, the park will be for my autumn cover which I want to portray nature and trendy/chic fashion, while for the winter edition I am going to shoot it in the studio so I can have a controlled environment and allows me to experiment more with lights and colours, which I want to portray a minimalistic/comfort fashion style. As a result I have only done location research for the park.

THE LOCATION SHOTS:

In these photos I have only taken long shots of the landscape to show where I will specifically be taking the photos. I have chosen this park as its trees make it have a unique atmosphere, and when it is more sunny the trees give the photo a dappled effect with the light, which I think gives a photo a distinctive quality.