Drafts of Pages

By Emma Hall

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Real Front Cover




 




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Real Contents

Double Page Spread

 

Real Double Page Spread

Drafts of Pages

By Deanna Hammond-Blackburn

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DPS Complete

 

DPS Text

By Emma Hall

In a quaint teashop tucked into an Oxford side street, Rebecca Halliwell effortlessly glides over to our table, the epitome of calm. She seems so at ease, sipping from her dainty china teacup, that no one would suspect she’d performed for 2000 screaming fans in a mud-strewn field 12 hours previously. “Oh, that was great fun, a real no-frill, just get up there and sing concert” she says of the charity fundraiser held in Oxford last night “ The stage got a bit slippy when the heavens opened, but that’s the good old British weather, isn’t it?”

Indeed, it’s a particularly drizzly morning today, and we’ve met to discuss Rebecca’s latest single. “ Cosette is a first name that’s quite popular in France” she explains when I enquire about the title “It’s never mentioned in the actual lyrics, but I’ve always loved the way the word sounds, and for some explicable reason it really seemed to fit the tone of the song for me, so I decided to use it”. She pauses for a moment to order a snack from a passing waitress; a meat-free lasagne, naturally. “I’m a vegetarian” she replies to my enquiring look, “I don’t want to seem preachy, but I just hate the idea of all that suffering to produce a few measly McNuggets.”

As well as being a vegetarian, Rebecca has an interest and love of the natural world that has bled through into her music more and more over the past few years, as is evident from her previous hit ‘the Forest’. “That track was actually written around this time of year, when most of the trees are still bare, but here and there just a few of them are coming into leaf…. It’s truly quite a magical time of year, and that song was sort of my response to it all”. It’s interesting to note that as well as a general enthusiasm, the singer also has a degree in Environmental Biology, though she’s keen to play down this point, insisting “I don’t know how I managed it”. A believable statement, when you think that it was during her second year at Kent University that Rebecca’s solo career took off, after a friend suggested she enter a local talent competition, where she was heard by an industry scout.

Three years later, with two hit singles and a debut album, A New Dawn, on the way, Rebecca states that she is still being inspired by nature. “It’s remarkable how much of my education has transferred into my music career, I mean it’s not just the themes or the lyrics, it’s the whole ethos behind how I make my music, there’s just so much we can learn from our environment.” Miss Halliwell elaborates that the lifecycles of things like trees are very similar to that of songs, with artists having a season of popularity before being replaced with the next young hotshot. “If I could be any tree, I’d want to be an evergreen, just staying constant all year round. I don’t ever want to stop making music”.

Not that she disapproves of change altogether though, after all, where would she be if producer Scott Randell hadn’t taken a chance with her? “Probably working in a newsagents or something like that – not very far!” She laughs gently and smiles as she goes back to sipping her tea. You really get the feel when talking to Rebecca that she is genuinely humbled and thankful for her current success, and she admits she knows it can’t last forever, “but I have to enjoy it while it lasts!” Not the words you’d expect from a young woman with hundreds of doors open to her, but there is a more mature quality to Rebecca than most people her age, and there’s definitely a hint of an old soul in her choice of interview venue if nothing else. Critics have recognised this quality in her voice as well, which has ‘both innocence and elegance, qualities rarely paired up with each other so beautifully as in Rebecca Halliwell’s gentle timbre’.

 “Why, thank you to whoever wrote that!” she gushes upon hearing the quote “I don’t know what to say…it’s just lovely to have that reaction, especially as I know my style isn’t the traditional. I guess it’s good to be different.” Listeners obviously agree, as her first single rose to #3 on the UK charts, and to #1 in several of the European charts. The red-headed singer’s cheeks begin to turn the same colour as her hair as she is reminded of this, and she demurely replies that she is very grateful to all the people responsible, and hastens to point out that it was a team effort. “There are so many technicians and producers and assistants who have just been invaluable to me. On this last track alone I can think of at least six people who if I had been without, the song simply wouldn’t have been made”. Speaking of Cosette…

[Continues on the following pages of a 6 page spread]

The article goes on to discuss the specific inspiration behind the new single ‘Cosette’, how the publicity events are progressing for the single, whether she is thinking about the next album yet, where Rebecca sees her career going in the next year or so, and finally a reflection back on how far she’s come in the past few years. All of this is interjected with information concerning the single, what venues she is performing at and other bits of background information about the singer and her origins.

DPS Text

By Deanna Hammond-Blackburn 

A sophisticated-looking black couch. Upon it sits Jimmy Tyler, short ginger hair contrasting with his smooth purple tie, a look of pure happiness on his face. Gently strumming his old acoustic guitar, the man is clearly in love. And it’s not the love for his guitar that we’re talking about…

After months of subtle hints and the repeating of ‘you’ll have to wait and see’, master guitarist and full-time charmer, Jimmy finally confirms his reformation back into the music world with the release of his new single ‘Love Like’. One listen and it’s certain; he’s making this a comeback to remember. A new album, upcoming performances at 3 different festivals and plans for his comeback tour are all under way and it’s safe to say we won’t be disappointed.

“10 months…so much has changed. I never imagined things would be the way they are now” says Jimmy. “There’s no way in hell I would have been able to find myself again if it wasn’t for De.” Indeed, 10 months ago saw Jimmy falling deep into an alcohol-induced depression that not only affected him physically but it also left profound emotional scars that have only just begun to fade. A lot of credit goes to his new love for this esoteric change. Upon reflecting on the day they first met, Jim chuckles to himself: “Ah, she just looked at me, a little quizzically at first. I’m pretty sure she was trying to decide whether I had a soul or not!” So, not quite love at first sight then? “I think the first thing I said to her was ‘Babe, is that a mirror in your back pocket? Cause I can see myself in your pants’, I’m surprised I didn’t end up with a broken nose! God only knows why she stayed” we hi-5 as he shakes his head with the incredulity of it all and we sit there with a look of pure admiration on our face. There’s no surprise Jimmy’s new song is so emotionally uplifting when you hear the loving way he speaks of his new muse. And then there’s Carmel…

The gentle strumming begins to intensify as a secretive smile creeps onto Jim’s face at the mention of Carmel. “Damn, she is fiiiiiiiiine” and she most certainly is. “Breaking Newbie was what tipped me over the edge. There’s no way I’m losing this guitar.” Jimmy wasn’t the only one distraught when he smashed his original, natural wood, vinyl finish acoustic guitar at a private gig in April. “Those smooth acoustic strings never seemed to go out of tune. I could just pick her up and play. Carmel is like that. She’s got a nice smooth sound, perfect for the calmer songs in my new album like ‘The Heart Won’t Wait’ but then again, if I want it to, I can make it sound like it was supposed to belong to Rammstein or something" laughs Jim. “It’s fucking gorgeous.” That look of pure love reappears as he takes his caramel gold coloured Les Paul model guitar from its case, and in classic Jimmy Tyler style he starts to play a simple little tune that sounds incredible. Mellow tones flow from his fingertips and bring the whole room to life. After a few inspiring minutes he suddenly stops, takes out a black patterned notebook and scribbles something down. He gives us a knowing smile then returns to his tender strumming without a word.

But who does he love more: De or Carmel? “The million pound question right there!” grimaces Jim. “Well ‘Love Like’ was inspired by De, but then it wouldn’t sound as good as it does without Carmel.” He goes on to describe how he met his love at a party after one of his shows during his UK tour, they got talking, he took her out for a ‘hot chocolate, nothing special’ and how things took of from there. The whole thing sounds heart-meltingly romantic although Jimmy’s modesty is shining through. His single is the accumulated thoughts throughout their first few months together. “Its so simple, one of those songs that a kid could play to his girlfriend to woo her, but my girl doesn’t even know I’ve written this for her yet. Just an acoustic song, with just me playing a mix of chords and a simple picking pattern and singing along, I can’t wait for her to hear it.”

But his new album won’t be all hugs and kisses. “Some of the songs do have a darker ambience to them. I feel that all the shit I went through and put people through had to be amended, set straight somehow, and the best way I felt I could achieve this was through my music” explains Jimmy.  The solemn expression on his face seems exceptionally out of place now as we get flashbacks to his darker days. To mix his new-found happiness with the despair is a risky move, especially for an artist who’s been off the musical radar for a long time. Will it be a risk that pays off?

[Continues on following pages which result in a 6 page spread]

The article continues to talk about Jimmy Tyler's upcoming album and the inspiration and technical sides to that as well as some recording incidents along the way. It will then go on to discuss the upcoming festival performances he has lined up; what songs he is considering playing, his personal friendships with some of the other acts and details on that and details on past performances at festivals. This will then lead onto the future for Jimmy, his partner and his new guitar; what he wants for the future, what direction he wants his music to take etc. 

Selection and Rejection of Photographs

By Emma Hall

 
These are some examples of photographs I rejected from my shoots, along with those I selected, and my reasons for this. I based my decisions from my own knowledge and judgment as well as opinions from other people who commented on the photographs I uploaded onto Flickr. These comments and a wider selection of photographs can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/deannaandemma/

Contents Page

Reject 1-  I have not selected this photograph, and others similar to it as they have less detail, and are not vey engaging. The model is not projecting much confidence or distinctive style, and the lighting emphasises the dullness of the background, as well as being behind the model making her face lose light and detail.

 

Select 1– I have chosen this photograph as it is a very natural position and the model has a confident smile that is engaging as she is in direct mode of address. She is also reasonably well lit, though the picture quality is not very good when zoomed in. However for a small contents page picture, and with some refining using Adobe, this picture is quite good.

Reject 2 – I have not selected this photograph, though it was the best of my first photo shoot, as the high ISO and Aperture mean the face is too blurry and has very little detail. However, as the photograph mise en scene was good, I chose to re-shoot it.

 

Select 2- Instead, I have selected this image, which has the same mise en scene and pose, but is shot using a lower aperture and ISO to achieve a clearer image. The camera is also focused onto the model’s face instead of her dress, so the musician is at the forefront instead of her attire.

Reject 3- I chose to discard the results of this photo shoot all together, as the setting, pose, makeup and costume were too casual for an indie music magazine, and the detail was again not very good due to the high ISO and Aperture, though the headphones were a nice musical touch, which lead me on to using the same model in a different context below.

 

Select 3 – I have selected this photo as the composition is different to the conventions of most contents photos as the focus is on the technology and not the artist, with her head cut out of the frame. I chose to do this as I wanted a featured article on the hidden technicians behind the music, and so my photograph had to reflect this. The emphasis on music instead of beauty is also a common theme in indie magazines. The detail was also quite clear, with just some brightening to be done on Adobe.

Reject 4 –  I have not selected this image as without any visual stimulus is difficult to tell tht the lighting was created by a street lamp at night, and instead, the colours look strange. The light is also further away from the model here, making her less well-lit. The pose is very relaxed and confidant, and the clothes appropriate, but the background is a bit uninspiring. Also in order to get a visible picture at night, I had to use a slower shutter speed, which resulted in a loss of detail.

Select 4 – I have decided upon this photograph, as it is well lit by the lamp and although the model is not in direct mode of address, it is still engaging. Again, for an indie magazine, it is appropriate for the guitar to be featured, as the emphasis is on musical ability, whilst the model looks stylish but not overtly sensual.

Reject 5–  I rejected this image as it didn't fit well with the confidant, sophisticated indie musician style that my magazine will have. The model looks more sad than contemplative, and having her sat down weakens her representation as a woman. Also, for a spring issue of a magazine, the model looks too cold. The focus has also shifted to the church at the back instead of the model, though the lighting is good.

 

 

Select 5 –  I have chosen this image as the pose makes the model look very confidant, and the waistcoat and starry top are very individual and edgy, which is a code of indie magazines. She is also well lit and in focus, with a good level of detail.

Reject 6 – I didn't choose this photo as the pose makes the model look less confidant, and the turning of the head emphasises the faults in the quality of the text on her face. However she is well lit and the colours are very vibrant.

Select 6 – I chose this photograph, as the colours are vibrant and very individual, with the background very sophisticated for my older audience. Her direct mode of address is also very engaging, and the composition follows the rule of thirds. The face is also in good focus and detail, with the text being noticeable without being distracting from the beauty of the model.

Double Page Spread

Reject 1 – Although this photograph is well framed with the lake adding a nice natural sign, and the image is clear and well-lit, the model does not appear as confidant as a popular singer would be, and as her eyes are looking down, she does not engage with the reader.

Select 1 – This photograph is very sharp, with the model relaxed and carefree leaning away from a tree in an almost child-like way. The coat is also quite old-fashioned and has an indie feel to it in its uniqueness, though it still looks fashionable and suits the model’s figure. I can adjust the photograph using Adobe Photoshop to make the background less detailed, to further push emphasis onto the singer.

Cover

 

Reject 1 –  I decided not to use this photograph as although the model looks very stylish, with her outfit in complete view, and she has an air of confidence in the way she looks at the flower, it is not really suitable for a cover, as my research showed most cover images are in direct mode of address. Also, the image could be sharper and more focused on the artist’s face.

Select 1 – I chose this photograph, as the model’s face is very clear, and the positioning of the model and the flower is very centred, and so would be easy to fit text around. The camera angle also makes the artist look powerful without being too radical. Her expression is also that of quiet confidence, and the hair and make-up is flattering and sophisticated.