Magazine Pitch

inD Magazine Pitch

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Magazine Title

It took me quite a while when deciding on a title for my music magazine. I didn't know whether to keep it short, abbreviated, long, a made-up word or a word to do with a particular genre. There were tons of possibilities so this made it very difficult just to choose one!

My first choice was 'Uplugged', I thought this worked well as you would be able to instantly know that the magazine was about music. However, 'Unplugged' does seem like it like it would focus on acoustic music whereas I want my magazine to focus all different types of indie including indie rock and indie punk. So, this would not work.

I finally chose the name 'inD' (pronounced indie). I like how it's short and I decided on a short title because a majority of the participants in my questionnaire chose 'NME' as their favourite magazine, and 'NME' obviously has a short name too. Also, by calling my magazine 'inD' you straight away know that the magazines genre will be indie. Lastly, another reason I chose this as the title for my magazine was that the name doesn't just necessarily link to music, it links to indie fashion too - this is good because I want to involve fashion in my magazine.

Useful Links

Fuck Yeah Indie Music Tumblr - This is a blog from the well known blogging site 'Tumblr'. The blog is about indie music and all that has to so with it. The creater not only blogs about well known indie artists (old and new) but also upcoming ones that are are trying to make it into the mucic scene.

The Independent Style Magazine - 'Indie' is an Internet fashion magazine, published quarterly on the Internet. I really like the layout and look of this magazine so, it will be useful when I come to make my own. Also, it is to do with indie fashion and I want to include this element in my magazine.

Lookbook - 'Lookbook' is an online collection of photographs compiled to show off a model, a photographer, a style, or a clothing line. The clothes and poses on 'Lookbook' will help me when taking photographs for my magazine.

(Click on titles to go to the website)

Looking At Colour Palettes

I have found this colour palette online and I love all the colours. I want the colours for my magazine to have a 'vintage' vibe to them and I think they all do. At the moment I am thinking of having two neutral, plain colours with one brighter one or doing this the same but with black and white. I think that will work well and look good because by having the brighter colour in there I will be able to make different things, including text, stand out from the page.

My favourite colours from the palette above are the yellow creams, this would look really good as a background for my magazine and it also ties in with my theme Indie/Vintage.

Looking At Fonts

I like the look of this font, it is not too formal or informal looking. However, I am aiming my magazine at both females and males and this particular font looks quite girly.

This font is bold so it would stand out on my magazine. I would use this font as a title.

This font is quite similar to 'All Over Again'. I would most likely use this font for subheadings and small captions.

This caught my eye straight away. It is a simple font and I do not particularly want anything too fancy for my magazine.

'Birth Of A Hero' has a rock vibe to it. This would be good for my seeming as it is Indie Rock/Pop.

This is probably one of my favorite fonts I have found. It is edgy and different and I think it would suit my magazine very well.

I like how this font looks like it has been hand drawn. I also like how it is quite artistic and has the underlining used. I will most likely be using this font for my magazine.

Again, like 'Candy Inc', this font looks like it has been hand drawn and I do like that style. If I were to use this font it would most likely be on my contents page.

'Denne Shuffle' is a lot like 'Cul De Sac'. This is distinctive font and I want something different for my magazine. This also is a font that could be used for both male and female audiences.

This is another one of my favourite fonts that I have found. It reminds me of fashion magazines such as 'Vogue' and 'Elle'. As well as music in my magazine I also want to include a fashion aspect. So this will be a suitable font to use.

I would use this font on an inside page of my magazine as I do not think it would be suitable for the front cover.

'Hard Rock' to me, looks like a vintage rock 'n' roll font, so it is suitable. I am not particularly fond of it compared to other fonts I have looked at though.

This font reminds me when I did an analysis of 'Spin' magazine. The coverlines on the magazine look liked this. I like the white on a black background as it stands out well.

I like how this font looks like it has been sketched. I would use this for headings rather than the main writing in the magazine, I just want that to be plain and simple.

This a simple but effective font. I like the simplicity of it and although it is quite plain I think this could still work quite well.

I liked the idea of magazine cut out letters being used in my magazine but, I think if I do use this font my magazine may look too crowded and 'busy' and this is not the look I am going for.

This is another one of my favourites. It is not too fancy and not too plain. I could use this font for coverlines or text inside the music magazine.

'Network Vampires' would be a good font to use for the masthead as it is different and eye-catching.

'Skin and Bones' would also be a good font to use for the masthead as it is very bold and distinctive also it has a 'rocky' edge to it.

I like how this font has some parts faded out and I think it goes very well with my genre: Indie Rock/Pop. I will be considering using this font.

I like the underlining of this font as it makes it more artistic. Also the letters themselves in the font also look arty. This could be a good thing but, I do not think this particular font would suit my genre.

Evaluation Of Market Research

After doing market research, here are some ideas for my magazine:

• 'NME' was the most popular music magazine that my audience chose so I could base the layout of my magazine on 'New Musical Express'
• My magazine will be published every weekly or fortnightly
• The price range will be between £2.00-£2.99
• There will be coverlines on the front cover of my magazine, but I will make sure that I do not over power the front cover with them
• I am not that bothered about including a competition or prize inside my magazine, as over half of my audience said that they would not be more interested in buying a magazine that offered this
• I will most likely be using pale colours and black and white as the colour scheme for my magazine. This would work well with the vintage aspect
• There was a wide selection of favourite artists and bands, ranging from current artists to old. So I think the artists and bands featured in my magazine will have to be broad
• The all of the participants that completed my questionnaire regularly go to gigs/concerts/festivals so, I could include information about upcoming events in my magazine
• Nearly all of the participants said that they were interested in fashion culture, so I will definitely be including fashion into my magazine
• By having current and old bands will work well in my magazine and with my audience by the results of my questionnaire

Market Research - Results

Market Research - Questionarre

Market Research Audience Questionarre

Audience Profiling

Age: 18
Gender: Male
Occupation: Media Student at De Montfort University. Works part-time in record shop 'Rockaboom'
Background: Studied Media at AS and A2.Then went on to do a Media course at De Montfort University. Big passion for music and is currently a vocalist and guitarist in a band, that he put together with a group of friends. They play at small venues occasionally, including 'The Shed', The Soundhouse, Sub91 and Auditorium. 
Likes: Art, Fashion, Partying/Socialising, Music, Travel, Photography, Eating Out, Gigs, Festivals
Dislikes: Music downloaded illegally, Bands or artists that are 'manufactured', Self-centred people
Musical Preferences: Indie Rock/Pop, But likes a variety of music
Ambitions: To work in something to do with the Media, Play at larger venues with the band, Meet some favourite artists and bands
Looks Up To/Idolises: Mick Jagger, Johnny Marr, Alex Turner
Media Consumer Habits: Spends money on magazines monthly, Buys albums in record shops but downloads singles from iTunes, Always up-to-date in fashion, art and photography exhibitions, music and new gadgets, Mainly uses Twitter, Occasionally Facebook and the band have a MySpace account

Gigs That I Have Been To

I regularly go to gigs all over the UK. Going to see a band or artist live is one of my favourite things to do. As well as seeing my favourite artists that I know and love I also like seeing new and upcoming musicians too.

Another reason for my love of seeing live music is that the atmosphere in the room is amazing! Also you get more interaction with the band and essentially they become more real to you. You can socialize with other people with whom you can relate and you get to enjoy the music in its purest form.

Finally,  live music makes the musicians entirely responsible for their music, not the studios, it takes them out of their 'comfort zone'. You can now see the performer(s) without the studio and technology that makes them 'better', but you can see them free and see their natural talent. That is what makes a real musician.

Here are pictures I have taken of some recent gigs I have been too. I am doing this post because I think this will be helpful if I am doing a gig review for my double-page spread.

Sister Lovers, 6 October 2010, HMV Institute Birmingham

Bridgette Aphrodite, 6 October 2010, HMV Institute Birmingham

Kate Nash, 6 October, HMV Institute Birmingham

General Fiasco, 10 October 2010, Leicester O2 Academy

Big Sleep, 26 October 2010, Birmingham 02 Academy

The Cheek, 26 October 2010, Birmingham O2 Academy

One Night Only, 26 October 2010, Birmingham O2 Academy

Frank Turner, 10 December 2010, Leicester O2 Academy

 All of the above photo's have been taken by myself appart from the images from the Frank Turner gig; these were taken by my friend George Sherratt. If I decide to do a review for my double page spread I will most likely be using my own photographs.

Pip Photography

Pip is a commercial London-based photographer specialising in music, fashion and portraiture. Pip has shooted bands and artists including One Night Only, Ellie Goulding, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, The Novellos,  The Ruling Class and I Am Arrows. Below is a selection of my favourite pictures..