Production Log 2.

This is my 2nd production log and my magazine has taken shape and I have managed to produce the designs for each of my pages. I have also used the same colouring throughout the project.

Production Log 1.

Today I managed to get all my photographs using my own Digital SLR camera. I have started to edit my images to make them look good in my double page spread. I have found many shortcuts around Quark Express which will end up speeding up production time.

Main Task: Time Plan

To keep on track of all my work I have created my personal time plan.

Complete front cover by 22nd January
- I shall try to have all my photos for the front cover by 17th January
Complete contents by 29th January
- I shall be using my free time to complete any extra work, and shall be using free time to take photography of local brass bands.
Complete double page spread by 5th January
- I shall have to use out of college time to gather information/quotes to put into my double page spread.
Overall analysis of production – Final edits by 12th February

Complete evaluation by 5th March

Main Task: Sketches

This is my sketch of what my front cover will look like. This has been created after analysing many of the magazines that are of the same genre as my own.


Here is my contents page sketch. I have decided to use a 3 column approach as most brass band magazines use a 3 column layout.

This is my double page spread initial idea. It also includes a 3 column layout as I wish to portray this throughout my production. The pictures are spread across both pages so the text is not too much so the audience do not get bored from reading this magazine.

Main Task: Mood Board

Here is my mood-board, which has is a collage of all my ideas for my music magazine. I asked my friends to comment on what they thought and also to give constructive criticism for me to make the best magazine for the classical genre.

After posting my mood board on many websites and also sending it out to many Brass Band Magazine readers. They viewed my moodboard and left many comments to make my magazine the best it could possibly be.

Key features that came up were the way that I was beginning to associate the brass band world with an older generation, but now the younger generation of brass band players slowly filling the seats in the brass bands. Another key feature that I missed out was the amount of women that are participating in many brass bands across the country. Also most comments suggested that I should include much bigger trophies, as they are more important in the brass band world than the smaller ones. Another comment that was made was the choice of 'ale' that I chose to advertise. Most brass band players choose to drink Stella Artois when competing at competitions. The final main comment that came up on comment feedback was to do with the choice of band uniform to use in my images that I take. The traditional brass band wears uniforms with golden embroidery and also wear golden cups on their shoulders.

Main Task: Audience Profile.

The typical reader of this magazine genre is in their late 30’s and is either male or female. They dress fairly causal with jeans, usually a shirt and a jumper. They tend to be a middle class worker, with a decent income. They tend to spend their Friday evenings listening to Radio 2 (Listen to the Band), on the weekends they are more than likely to be at a low profile sport game, possibly rugby, or the cricket. Their favourite genre of music would be classical and also big band music.

Summary of existing magazines

In summary of my research into existing magazines I have noticed that they all contain key features, mastheads, main-sells, puffs and strap lines. The contents pages of most Brass genre magazines are designed upon a 3 column view and also the double page spreads are mainly text, with a few (about 5) photos thrown into the page. Also the price of the magazines are fairly cheap, about £5.50.