Another convention i decided to follow was to make the name of the main artist stand out among them all. This would mean that my target audience would quickly recognise the name of the artist and want to read more about them. The font size is larger than the other cover lines, this allows the main artist to stand out and others and attract more attention. My magazines cover lines and main cover lines are very similar to Nylon magazines. All the cover lines use the same font type, just like Nylon magazine. The font used is very consistent through out my magazine. I decided to follow this convention as I wanted my music magazine to look bold, attractive and also simple.
Whilst creating my magazine I was inspired by the existing magazines NYLON and VIBE. I have used the two magazines to plan how I was going to layout the front cover of y magazine. My magazine follows the conventions of successful existing magazines that are different to other existing magazines. Like NYLON and VIBE, my music magazine is very simple and uncluttered. I used very little space as I wanted the image to be the main attraction of the front cover. The cover lines were placed away from the image at the sides of the front cover so it did not obstruct the image. My audience asked for more images and less writing, so this is a way I will appeal to them.
My magazines layout is very different to other music magazines as it does not have the tagline beside he masthead but beside the barcode. I decided not to follow this convention as I wanted to make my magazine look different from any other and the tagline looks more appealing beside the barcode rather than the top. My music products audience will be able to see the tagline as it is next to the price of the magazine is written in bold yellow font.
I decided to follow the convention of the barcode at the bottom right of my front cover. I did this because it would not have made much of a difference to my magazine if I placed it elsewhere. The barcode is placed somewhere where my audience will take notice of it quickly and the barcode will not obstruct my front cover.
The planning and research I did before I made my college magazine helped me too understand the conventions of a music magazine and why things are placed were they are. The textual analysis and the contents page analysis helped me to know what I needed to do in order for my college magazine to look as professional as possible. Analysing the techniques used by magazines such as Kerrang! and NME taught me to make my magazines be of quality. There were certain aspects of these magazines that contributed towards my magazine looking more professional and readable. My questionnaire also guided me, as it told me exactly what my target audience wanted from my magazine. This would result in my magazine being successful as my target audience chose what was going to be in it.
Q2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
The model on the front page of my music magazine is the typical female in the Indie and Rock music industry. It is shown by the clothes she wears and how she comes across to the audience. The women in these music genres wear clothes that connote individuality. The indie/rock style gives the ‘just woke up and threw this on’ look which many women in the rock/indie music industry wear both stylish and effortlessly. The model on the front page is an example of this, though her outfit looks more co-ordinates and put together than rock/indie artists would. I want my audience to immediately recognize the genre the magazine is and I believe this outfit allows the audience to have a clear idea of the type of music my magazine will include. I wanted my model to represent the social group of which my magazine will be targeted at. It is very important for me to do this because if I do not appeal to my audience, my magazine will unfortunately not sell. I decided to follow this convention but in a way that my model looks tidier and less scruffy, a look which many indie/rock artists go for. This is because I want my model to be taken more seriously. My model’s outfit is bold with a feminine touch. She is wearing a blue blouse which is buttoned up to the top. This is a new style which is very popular among the indie crowd. I decided o follow this convention as the buttoned to the top blouse connotes power and authority. Likewise her trousers as they too connote that she is able to take control and remain stylish. Men dominate in the rock/indie charts so I decided to represent a strong indie female musician through he clothing. Her hair is very simple bob, but it is quite scruffy looking which defines the rock/indie social group. I deliberately used the guitar as a prop as the acoustic guitar is a popular instrument indie/rockers use. It will also attract the rock/indie social group as they may have something in common with the model.
The model on the contents page wears an oversized green jacket which is usually worn by festival goers. This mainly represents the indie social group as they wear clothing which is comfortable yet fashionable and attractive. This laidback style is now even popular with other social groups which listen to music such as dub step to pop. Varied social groups are captivated by the style of the models as it is increasingly becoming more popular. This will result in my magazine becoming more popular. The models featured on the contents page’s facial expression is quite quirky and blissful. This represents the type of music my magazine features. The way her hands are positioned presents an image of satisfaction and triumph.
The model on the double page spread represents the rock subcultures. She wears Doc Marten’s with a black dress. The outfit represents rebelliousness and non conformity. Quite the opposite to her outfit on the front cover. The models hold a guitar on the both the front covers and the double page spread. The guitar is used as a prop on the double page spread and is broken. This represents the way rock stars smashed their guitars during performances. People in this social group will appeal to this image as is it seen as something ‘cool’ and ‘daring’ to do.
Q3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
The target audience of our magazines is very different but the target social classes are same. The social class our magazines attract are people of both working class and middle class audience. Bauer should then publish my magazine as they are aware of what the working/middle class require from a magazine, whether it targets the same audience or not. My audience will therefore be able to afford the price of the magazine as Bauer publish magazines which are low to middle priced.
Bauer publishing house’s current magazines are targeted at a very specific audience whose interests are very similar. These magazines include Bella; Take a Break and TV Choice. All of the magazines they publish are of the same genre. They continuously attract the same audience through their magazines. This will result in them not reaching out to large successful brands that will increase their revenue. My media product will drive and require them to do this. My media product is a music magazine, which Bauer currently do not publish. Publishing my magazine would diversify Bauer’s image and make them more appealing to a wider audience. Though Bauer’s existing magazines and my magazine is very different its quality is parallel.
My magazine would be ideal for Bauer Publications as they sell no magazines that are similar to mine. Their existing magazines are very similar to one another and have fierce competition. My magazine is the only music magazine with a young target audience, so competition will not be an issue. This results in Bauer making an immense profit as there are no other magazines impeding mine from becoming successful.
In order for my magazine to be well known and recognized, it will be distributed in shops such as WH Smith and local news agents with will be in every area. This way my media product can reach out to teenagers who go to buy school and university supplies or go for a quick snack at their local shop. This way my magazine will be easily accessible and the audience have a wider selection of music magazines they can choose from. Though my media product is very different to others that are currently sold. My target audience is aware of how technology works and they take full advantage of it. Four out of five teenagers use a wireless device such as a mobile phone. My music magazine will be able to be purchased and read on Smartphone’s such as the iphone, HTC and Blackberry. Technology a way for my target audience to be entertained and is a means of communication. My magazine will therefore reach my target audience no matter where they are. They are not only restricted to reading of paper, but they can be entertained interactively.
Q4.Who would be the audience for your media product?
For my media product my target audience will be young people who enjoy listening to music on their computers, phones, C.D., radio and vinyl. My music magazine is targeted at both males and females but will attract more a female audience than male. They are people who enjoy listening to rock/ indie music. The audience who will read my music magazine would listen to music on channels such a MTV2 and Kerrang!.
People who read my magazine will be between the ages of 16 and 14 years. My magazine attracts young adults who would understand and relate to the content of my music magazine. My magazine would not attract an older audience as most of the artists featured would be bands that have just come together or musicians that have just broke into the music world. They may not be interested din bands such as ‘You Me at Six’ as their music is quite modern unlike band like The Beetles who have been around for a long time and are known by people of all ages. The price of the magazine is also very affordable for young adults who may not receive a large income.
As my target audience is young males and females between the ages of 16-24, they may be unemployed, working, in college or in university. They have more free time, which they may spend listening to music, going to parties and reading. My target audience’s background is very varied as rock and indie music appeals to people of all races but is very popular with white working/middle-class people who mainly listen to rock/indie music. The reason why I featured a black young woman on the front cover is because she will attract a wider audience. My magazine is very similar to NME whose demographic profile is of people of a working class background who are music enthusiastic.
My music magazine would appeal to people in the UK and outside of the UK. Rock has been around for a long time and has evolved continuously. But indie music is quite new and is only quite popular in the UK though it’s becoming known in the USA.
Q5. How did you attract/address your audience?
I ensured that the feedback given from my audience was used to create my magazine. This was important because they are the people who will buy my magazine. This will mean that my audience will be attracted to my magazine as I met their requirements and needs.
The front cover is the main selling point of my magazine as 40% of all magazine purchases are reliant on the appeal of the front page. My model between the ages of 16-24 I used a female model that fit the demographic of my music magazine. I used a female model because I believe that she will attract both male and female audiences. I did not want to stick to a specific gender but wanted my music magazine to appeal to both young men and women. Using a female model, my female audience can relate to her and admire her as a musician. My male target audience will be attracted to her femininity and look. Her look was very vital as this was the main selling point and is what makes the magazine look appealing. My target audience can relate to the model as her style of clothing is very popular and is worn in many ways by many young indie girls. They way she wore her blouse is the way young men now wear their shirts so they can also relate to her style. I wanted my music magazine to portray music in a stylish and ‘cool’ way as style in the music industry is very vital. It gives the musician more presence, something I believe the model on my front page has.
Rock/ indie music is very popular in the UK but is also popular in countries such as America who have many rock idols originating from there. Though indie music is not very big in America it is becoming increasingly well known. Bands such as MGMT, which my target are likely to listen to, have introduced indie music internationally. Popular international indie/ rock bands will be featured in my magazine as they will appeal to a wider audience who like American music as well as British.
My questionnaire results told me that my target audience prefers images to a lot of writing. As the front cover is magazines main selling point. I used my results to appeal to my target audience as my magazine has very few cover lines, allowing the image to be the main attraction. The layout of my front cover, contents page and double page spread are all very simple. I did not want my music magazine to look cluttered but simple yet striking. This will attract my audience as rock/indie fashion is all quite laid back, it consists of pieces put together to create something innovative and new.
My main cover line is focused on an artist called Berry coming back into the music industry. This will attract the audience’s attention as this news could be exiting and interesting. The audience is more than likely to know Berry, so they will be to find out more about her. The short and sharp main cover line draws the reader’s attention and makes them want to know more about Berry and her return. This is the reason why I used capital letters with an outline around Berry’s name as her name will be remembered by the reader. The outline of her name is the same colour as her blouse. I wanted a cohesive style to run through my magazine. The matching and similar colours such as blue will attract my audience as it is a neutral colour which ids loved by girls and boys, my target audience.
My media product has a consistent colour scheme which flows through the front cover, contents page and double page spread. The main colours I used were blue, yellow and white. The colours I chose are all quite neutral colours that work together to create an enthralling magazine that will appeal to my audience. My magazine inspiration was Nylon magazine which targets people of a similar age to mine. Like Nylon, my magazine’s masthead is very bold and large. This draws the attention of the reader making my masthead stand out among others. L I V E is written in large bold sans serif font which connotes youthfulness and will attract a younger audience. I continued to use the same font for most my magazine but used varied text sizes as appropriate so it would look entertaining. This also made my magazine look professional.
My target audience is young people between the ages of 16-24. This means that the price of my magazine has be low as they may not be able to afford buying an expensive magazine. The results from the questionnaire prove this as my target audience is willing to pay £1.50 for my music magazine. The price will appeal to my target audience because it is low and affordable and is cheaper than other magazine out there which are similar to my magazine such as NME, which is £2.20.
I have very few cover lines that will captivate my target audience. The ‘Top Bands of the Month’ cover line is what many other successful magazines include on their front cover which will attract the audience. I included this because it is a music magazine and my target audience may know these bands that are in the magazine. The other bands names will draw the attention of more people. My music magazine covers two genres of music which many people listen to. Though the bands and musicians are quite different but they are all in very similar genres which are connected.
Q6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Making my college magazine enabled me to learn a lot about the technologies which I could use in order to create a good magazine. The more I used Photoshop when creating my college magazine, the things I learnt to use to create an even better magazine, my music magazine product.
I used a Canon E05 400D to take the photographs needed for my music magazine. This is a high quality camera which made my photographs look more defined and clearer. I was first going to use a Canon Powershot a1100 is, but the quality of the photographs taken using the Canon E05 400D was much better. I too my images in various locations so my magazine could have some variation. I took pictures In a studio with professional equipment. I had never used such technology to take photographs before, but the quality of the pictures taken was very good. I used the Bowens Gemini Esprit Flash, Bowens Radio Trigger and a 60cm Soft Box. I quickly learnt how to use the technologies I had never used before, though it took time to set up and understand how to use it.
I also took photographs beside the River Thames in the evening which was quite difficult as the lighting was quite dark. I did not want to take photographs during the day as I wanted to take two contrasting photographs for my front cover and double page spread. My pictures come out quite dark but I edited it on Photoshop to make it clearer and visible. I changed the contrast levels of the photograph to make it brighter. There were strong winds and the temperatures dropped which meant that it was harder to hold the camera. All of these factors meant that the original non manipulated photographs were very dark. The photograph taken for my front cover was quite easy to take as the lighting was very good so the photograph did not have to be edited much on Photoshop. I took many photographs as I wanted to choose form a variety so I cold have the best quality photographs for my media product.
I then had to transfer the photographs from the camera onto the computer. To do this I used a card reader which reads the information and uploads them quicker. When the upload was complete I chose the images I was going to edit and use for my college magazine. I took many photographs so it was quite a long process narrowing it down to one image. I had to consider all factors as I chose the photographs. I had to consider the lighting, quality and if the picture was good enough to be in my media product. Instead of using the magnetic lasso tool to cut around my image I kept the backgrounds as I thought the background suited my magazine and would attract my audience. Though I did do a test front cover to see how it would look if I used it on my front cover. It was a quite complicating process, but I soon figured out how to use it properly.
In order for my magazine to look as professional as possible I had to get a barcode from the internet to copy onto my front cover. I then saved it and opened it again on Photoshop. I then dragged it onto my front cover and transformed it. I also used the text tool to the date, the issue and the price of the magazine on the barcode.
In order for me to write on the front cover, contents page and double page spread I use the text tool which allowed to me write on the pages. This was the simplest tool to use as I only needed to click one button and position the text line where I wanted. I used the same font for most of my magazine, I did not want it to look boring so I used the effects bar to create a glowing outline around the cover line and masthead. This made it look more attractive to look at, which would make my audience interested in reading it.
Q7. Looking back at the preliminary task what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to a full product?
Creating my college magazine has enabled me to learn the skills I needed to do my music magazine. Making my college magazine showed me how much work was going to be needed in creating an excellent music magazine. The college magazine was a much simpler task as I did not use an A3 canvas which would take more work and effort to complete. My A3 sheet had to be filled completely with entertaining content to attract my audience. Using Photoshop Creating my first magazine was quite difficult as it was my first time using Photoshop in this way. But as I progressed and created my music magazine I used many tools such as the lasso tool and the various brushes. The use of all of these tool contributed into making my magazine look professionally made.
Time management was very important, as I had learn’t from the preliminary task. I had time to take all of the pictures I needed to be featured in the magazine. Before I went out to take any pictures, I planned the location I would be taking the pictures at, what clothing my model would wear and what props were required. The models and I arranged which time they were available and how much time they had. After this I booked a camera which I could use to take the pictures.
I managed the locations which my pictures were to be taken, the props and the costumes worn. These small details make the greatest impact on how my media product will turn out and whether it will be successful or not managing my location was very difficult as the wind by the river was very strong and cold. This affected the quality of my images. The quality of my images was then restored by me editing them on Photoshop.
The type and the size of the font I used may made a major difference to how my target audience would be attracted to my media product. I was very careful with the font I wanted my magazine to be as professional looking as possible. The decided to be consistent with the font I used as I did not want my magazine to look childish, as this will not appeal to my audience. I used a bold sand serif font for my masthead witch grabs the attention of the reader instantly. I also used a glowing effect in my masthead so it stood out even more. This is something I learn’t to do as I was completing my main task. I did not know how to use such effects when I did my college magazine. The font will appeal to both sexes as it is written in a simple yet bold font.
In conclusion, creating my preliminary helped me plan out my work carefully and gave me an idea of what I was to do. I drew sketches of both my from page and my contents page which gave me an idea of what I want the magazine to look like. All of these things work other to create and enticing magazine.
I decided to ensure that my magazine followed similar conventions to other magazines so that my magazine looked professional. However, I wanted to make my magazine differ so that it could stand out. One convention I decided to go against was the ‘masthead behind the picture’ this is a well-known and often used convention that I decided to go against. This made my masthead standout as it was more visible, easier to read and different.
I decided to ensure that my magazine followed similar conventions to other magazines so that my magazine looked professional. However, I wanted to make my magazine differ so that it could stand out. One convention I decided to go against was the ‘masthead behind the picture’ this is a well-known and often used convention that I decided to go against. This made my masthead standout as it was more visible, easier to read and different.
