Mag Evaluation!

Mag Evaluation

The Main Focus

Why I chose these photos:

Front Page

I chose this picture because it has the defining qualities that makes a good cover page picture- the picture has 'Head and Shoulder' framing so there is plenty of focus on the face which emphasizes emotion; Crystal is also making eye contact which forms a 'connection' with the reader; I was also able to use the color of her lips and earrings to link in with the magazine's 'house theme'(which is based on the colors pink, red and white).
Crystal's pose is meant to appear very sophisticated hence the hand behind her head and her alluring glare to the camera. I thought this was a very good juxtaposition with her appearance which is quite modern and cool, a contrast to the sophisticated 1940's-esque pose she is doing.

Contents Page

I chose this picture for my contents page because it mirrors the editorial that is in the contents page discussing the rejection of vinyl CD's in favor of smart, fast internet music downloads. This may persuade the reader to use CD's more with the use of including a role model like Crystal in the background as 'Celebrity endorsement' like she is promoting the idea, thus making the readers more inclined to follow suit.

Double-page Spread

I chose this picture as part of my double-page spread because I believe it emphasizes much emotion- the shot is a very close-up shot of her face and notice how her eyes are turning down towards the floor.

ArtIcle: The Beauty is BACK!!

Lunch date with…Crystal De Jour!

 Crystal De Jour AKA The Beauty talks exclusively to PULSE about her turbulent relationship with Benedict McCoy, her new material and what it’s like avoiding the spotlight for 3 years…

 It’s hard to imagine that, at just 19, Crystal De Jour seems to have most things people twice her age only dream about- luxurious, lavish, exciting things that would make the average pimply-nosed teenager wine with longing and a forty-something man angst at the thought.

 For instance, even today- a blustering, grey Tuesday morn- I see, through an acquit window of a Gordon Ramsay restaurant, Crystal making her expectedly-fashionably-late-but-not-by-much appearance, stepping out from an immaculate, gleaming Porsche 911 Turbo (no chauffeur for this homegrown girl!), her red-soled Louboutins, crunching their assonance under the gravel.

 Before Crystal had arrived, I had already ordered a small glass of tonic water and had watched it fog and cloud through the many minutes of waiting. It wasn’t long when I discovered a mid-full glass could be a great substitute for an instrument as I began drumming my black lacquered fingernails against its crystalline exterior- my heart was beating in mezza voce.

 It would be no surprise, you can imagine, the stress and anxiety one would feel when put under this, this elevated yet pressurizing affair; for several weeks leading up to this, I had taken the mentality of a somewhat tensed megalomaniac- the epitome of a pre-eminent spirit- whom had been bestowed with the glory of interviewing, and I want it made clear, Crystal De Jour for the first time since her 3 year absence. Strewth.

 Needless to say, the news of this circulated the office floor and it wasn’t long before Michael Hutcherson, Chairman of Judge Publishing, had visited my desk and congratulated me with a flash of his-quite literally- million dollar smile.

 So, now, the weeks of fatigue and starvation had led up to this, this penultimate moment in music history and I could feel my heart pumping faster with every step she made towards the entrance, looking like a perfect replica of Jackie Onassis, her Gucci bag swinging with vigor off her crooked right arm, a rose gold Rolex adorning her left wrist in which she clasped a Starbucks coffee. Decaf. It had been a long journey.

 She stepped inside and removed her Ray Ban Wayfarers to greet me and I was quite taken aback by how naturally stunning she was. Albeit many celebs undergo the ancient method of ‘air-brushing’ to define their features and erase imperfections in photography, with Crystal, there is simply no need. No artful styling for this pop heroine! Her eyebrows, spindly with a feline grace, arched exquisitely over her protuberant bluey-silver eyes; her cheekbones- high, structured and rosy, would be adequate substitutes for bottle openers; and her smile, those lips- full, rouged and lustful and brimming with authenticity, these very lips that once sang for Ambassador Franklyn, these very lips I tell you! And now, they were talking to me, words fluttering with forcible wings, quite a contrast to her cockney drawl.

 ‘Wotcha! So this is it,’ she surveyed ‘the gaff’ with the air of a property expert who looked ready to launch into a dispute about Ramsay’s choice of interiors and hygiene standards, never mind her own incentives!

 ‘I heard funny things ‘bout ‘dis place,’ she whispered in an elaborate pantomime of secrecy, like we were two best friends sharing daily gossip. ‘They say Big G (Ramsay) has been recruitin’ citizens of ‘da Czech Republic, a whole loads ‘em! Now, I ain’t dissin’ foreigners but, I ‘eard through ‘da grapevine that cleanliness ain’t their thing and Gordon knows nowt of it! Now I ain’t no grass so I keep my mouth zipped but to avoid doublin’ up like a Quilamp, I suggest we go elsewhere.’

 And with that, she made a mock tiptoeing movement towards the door and jerked her head with such ferocity; I feared her theme of hyperbole had reached a whole new level.

 Those of hard-core loyalty to Crystal reading this now will no doubt be lolling on their beds, the pages dangling from their hand, their chest heaving as they attempt to regain composure for Crystal’s actions are, shall I say, comical. Judgments made against this form of jocularity aroused the most ludicrous of explanations why: some say, in a precious life, she was an addict and that her cravings are often controlled by random bouts of melancholia.

 ‘Nonsense,’ she murmurs in the car, gazing ahead at the traffic. Gridlock. Bastard.

 ‘I ‘av never done anything more than a few bottles o’ wine. And maybe the odd fag.’ Which I could believe as the patchy whiff of tobacco and Chanel No.5 was evident on her YSL tux jacket.

 Other claims suggest she was grieving from a family bereavement and her only way of coping was by acting as outlandish as possible.

 ‘I dunno where these people get off,’ she snorted as she shoved the gear stick into third. The traffic was decreasing at a rapid pace. ‘The tabloids are always trying to put me down. Gordon Smart (corrupt editor of The Sun) should cut me a cheque, the number of papers I sell for him! How dare they! Can’t a girl live ‘er life in peace? That’s why I ‘ardly have a night out these days- ‘coz I know the next day it will be all ov’r page 3.’

 I felt impertinent for asking these questions- I’d made her feel violated and attacked. So far, not so good! I made a conscious note of my own conclusion: perhaps it was the coffee.

 To diffuse the awkwardness. I asked (with careful consideration of my words) where we were going. And immediately, she brightened, like a light that had been turned on in a dark room.

 ‘Why, we’re goin’ to ‘Ruby’s’, where else?!’ she said incredulously as though she expected me to already know this, like my alter ego was Mystic Meg.  Naturally, I dared not ask what and where ‘Ruby’s’ was.

 Within fifteen minutes of departing, we had arrived at…a fish bar?!

 ‘The best in all London!’

 ‘Fascinating!’

 And it was; how a superstar of the latest generation of Poppettes prefers to dine at plastic table tops than extravagant eateries. We ordered two servings of, wait for it, curry and chips (!) and sat in the corner where I felt, for the first time, the real Crystal De Jour was blossoming.

 For the next thirty minutes, we spoke intimately of Crystal’s past, present and future- all for the interest of fans, of course. And after all, today would be a perfect opportunity to speak of Crystal’s former other half, her estranged ex, music producer Benedict McCoy, 23.

 ‘It was a car crash waitin’ to happen,’ she spoke rhythmetically, as though she had carefully planned the conversation beforehand, like it was scripted, an inevitable suspicion, I guess, she has grown accustom to.

 ‘People knew where it was headin’ but I was too much in love. Most people these days spend years searchin’ for the right one. With me and Ben, it weren’t like tha’, ‘coz we had each other, we ‘ad someone who gave a damn ‘bout us. Age didn’t matter and it weren’t the reason or the break-up either…’

 The story was broken by the arrival of the food which left me feeling sour, frustrated by the waiter’s unintentional disruption. But still, she carried on, unfazed, dipping huge chunks of bread in the hot sauce.

 ‘Nah, we wanted ‘diff’rent things an’ it began to show. He was based in Miami at Studio 5 and where was I? Stuck in Camden in Flat 66…’the beginning of the end…’’ she quoted from her hit song Forlorn, her first number 1. Yes, it did seem that Crystal’s ability could never match that of McCoy’s. But then, Crystal was introduced to Mark Ronson (a rival of McCoy’s) and they began making music together- gratifying, invigorating, electric music, full of emotional release and were abundantly a favorite to play on a night out in the capital. Crystal’s popularity hit the roof and, before long, she was dueting with Professor Green and Eminem. So where did it all go wrong?

 ‘He was critical of my work- I s’pose bein’ the one who ‘made it’ first, he felt there was a certain way things should be done. For him, the music wasn’t good enough- only for the like of Chavs or Ravers down Clapton Street. Not that I never appreciated his input but I was always negative…never a good thing said. Anyway, that put me on a major downer so I told Mark I was takin’ some time outta music.  When Ben ‘eard, he knew he’d won. I knew it too- I’d let him stop me from doin’ what I lov’d. So I left him and spent the next three years in Spain wit’ my sister, Victoria. She works in a clothes shop so I was helpin’ there.’

 Nodding silently to herself, she looked up from her plate, her face, now child-like and innocent. The vulgarity of the tabloids’ scandalous accusations had left Crystal feeling erratic and used; her fiery relationship with McCoy was over and no one dared suspect ‘the Golden Boy’ was to fault. And now, like an endearing child, she picked two straws from a canister and chewed idly, sub-consciously.

 I cleared my throat and straightened my Isabel Marant jacket: a half-hour worth of questions had been answered in a matter of two heart-felt minutes. But now, it was time to conclude this session on brighter notes-what does the future hold for The Beauty?

 ‘A whole new selection of music!’ she grinned, eyes blazing like a forest on fire. ‘I’ve been workin’ with Quincy Jones on new material and, together, we’ve brought out a new genre of music- Heritage Pop! It’s where an artist performs in the style of a 20^th Century song, full of symphonies and organs and what not. But we put a new, modern twist on it, bit like remixing but classier and more conventional.’

 And with that, we say our goodbyes. For a few minutes after she left, I was left thinking in my own world. It’s an extraordinary thing to meet such an awe-inspiring person. This interview marks not just a hefty pay-rise for me, but the sincerity and whole-heartedness of this down-to-earth Pop goddess! This interview also exposes the real Crystal De Jour- the Crystal de Jour who makes razor-sharp jokes accompanied by a long, drawn-out laugh; the Crystal De Jour who recoils at personal questions and whom is tired of personal attacks; the Crystal De Jour who speaks from the heart, an ceaseless speech, monologue, soliloquy, the pure essence of emotion; the Crystal De Jour that is human and has gotten up after so many falls.

 It’s the Crystal De Jour whose welcoming scent of a new era was still abundantly stirring in her wake- long after she’d left.  

Crystal & Me- Hi Mum!!

Let you body move to the music!

Planning my photo shoots!

The contents shot I am after should be the eptiome of Pop- a 'superstar' celebrity as to intrigue the reader. The shot of my 'celebrity' will be effortlessly cool, relating to the smooth, RnB vibe. My model will be male as i think that most male RnB/Pop artists are the most popular in this genre, therefore, the audience will be interested. I am inspired by Bruno Mars in this picture as I feel a strong connection when looking at the picture- his expression is very meek which relates to his love songs and his pose is very quirky and hip. The Direct Mode of Address helps form that relationship with the audience.

'Oh everytime I close my eyes...I see my name in shining light...'

 For my contents page, I would like a picture of an artist(s) performing at a gig which relates to the audience and genre. This gives the audience a taster on what the magazine is about and persuades them to read on. I have took inspiration from David Guetta who is a popular figure in the RnB/Pop genre. This picture is perfectly framed and I can manipulate the contents list next to him so he is still in view and does not spoil the effect. I can also afford to add more pictures around him to 'jazz' it up and excite the audience.

'Tryin' t' find the words to describe this guy without bein' disrepectfuuull!'

For my double page spread, I would really like to have a new, up-coming band (they would be my main story) such as The Wanted. I would place the interview along the bottom (their waists down) as to avoid onstructing their features. The unity of black clothing makes for a really striking, bold shot. It would look great with some contrasting red and white which are famous for complimenting black perfectly.

'How do you get up from an ALL TIME LOW?'

Identity & Ideology!

Identity is a patchwork of many different influences.

David Gauntlett said ‘Identity is problematic. Everyone thinks they’ve got one.’

Identity can be revealed by:
• How you identify yourself.
• The way that you present and express yourself.
• Who and what you identify with.
• Your clothes and appearance.
• The phrases, expression and sentiments you most commonly use.
• What you claim to ‘stand for’ (your values)
• Your behaviour.
• General background- upbringing, education, family etc.

Ideology is a way of thinking.

We have values, they have ideology.

Ideology can be a way of having power over someone so it can have a negative effect.

Hegemony is the way that those in power hold on to it.
Communism- ‘everyone is equal- but some are more equal than others.’
Catholicism- religion-based values.
Science (humanism)- humans are just animals.
Capitalism- making money, not sharing it.

Cover & Contents (trial)

This shot was in sepia to give it an autumnal effect as the issue will be published in the autumn. I included the colour scheme of red, purple and yellow for the font to add extra warmth to the sepia. My font choice is big and bold as to draw in the reader's interest.



This shot is also sepia, relating back to the autumnal theme. The shots of colour links in pop-art and expresses teenagers creativity. This is a great picture that encapsulates a teenager- fun, flirty and free. It's also well framed. The same principle as the cover, the most important pieces are eye-catching but I notice now, in comparison, that the House Theme has disappeared in the contents!
To improve this, I think I would alter my contents with the same font style, colour scheme etc as my cover (I prefer its layout) so the House Theme is consistant throughout the magazine.