Evaluation (Question 7): Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

At the start of my course, I filled out a Skills Audit and stated that I did not 'currently have a blog', before this project I was unsure of how to use a blog and what I could actually do with a blog. I can now see that having a blog is very useful in the organisation of my coursework as it has allowed me to upload images, videos and slideshows to show the developing of both my preliminary task and music magazine. The Skills Audit also states that I had never used InDesign before, but I have now developed my IT skills and feel comfortable using InDesign to create media products.

I feel that I have progressed greatly from the preliminary task to my music magazine. The layout of my contents page and front cover of the college magazine is very basic, I have used a similar colour theme throughout which although keeps the college magazine easy to read, nothing particularly stands out as something unique and different. Whereas, in comparison to my music magazine, I feel that the front cover, contents page and double page spread are more eye-catching and will appeal to the reader as something spontaneous and new, which will interest them more than the simple format and basic colours of my preliminary task. The preliminary task uses red, black and blue, whereas my music magazine uses a range of colours such as blue, green, red, orange, yellow and purple, although this does not cause a chaotic and tacky appearance.

The images I used for my preliminary task are also simple in comparison to the music magazine's photos. The photographs I took for the college magazine have plain white backgrounds, although this allows space for coverlines and headlines, I feel I could have made it more interesting. But the photographs taken and adapted for the music magazine are much more attractive for the reader, the simple yet unique backgrounds and use of mise-en-scene such as hair, make-up, costume, props and setting draw the attention of the target market, which I feel I did not do as much with the preliminary task. I feel I have learnt how to address my audience and make my product appeal to them in the progression from the preliminary task to the full product.

The contents page of my preliminary task has text written in a plain colour of black with no use of a range of fonts, colours or sizes to highlight key information that may attract my audience. But I have learnt how to highlight important information in the music magazine as opposed to my preliminary task, by using different styles of font, a range of sizes and colours, also the use of bold and italics highlights and makes information stand out, therefore appealing to my audience. 

Overall I feel I have learnt new skills in the progression from my preliminary task to the full product of a music magazine. Such as how to attract and address the target audience with the use of forms, conventions and functions, which have been developed in my practice of using InDesign and the development of images on free editing websites and Photoshop. I feel I have included more of a range of fonts, colours, interesting backgrounds and layouts which will appeal to my target market more than in my preliminary task.

Evaluation (Question 6): What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Technologies that are used throughout the magazine industry are mainly InDesign and Photoshop, both produced by Adobe. This software is used to edit and manipulate front covers and pages of magazines to create the ideal outcome that will lead to a successful product.

Photoshop- a graphics editing program with different tool options under categories such as drawing, painting, measuring and navigation, selection, typing and retouching. This is used primarily to edit and change photos to suit the magazines appearance.

InDesign- a desktop publishing software that can be used to create posters, flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers and books. the software allows the creator to insert text, images, shapes and other elements to create a realistic product.


I have done a SWOT analysis to show the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of using these technologies and how this affected the outcome of my media product.


Photoshop

Strengths:

• Able to manipulate and change images using different tools to suit the theme and look of the magazine
• Professional outcome of editing images as software is high quality 
• Can change colours, layout and overall appearance of an image

Weaknesses:

• Requires some skill as software can be challenging to use and work with
• Costs money to be a member and use the software, as much as £562.56 per annum for the Creative Cloud edition

Opportunities:

• Can change the outcome of a whole magazine as the image used portrays a certain look
• Allows for the image to be made a better quality and more appealing to the target audience, therefore attracting their attention and making them want to purchase and take an interest in the product

Threats:

• If used incorrectly, overall outcome of image may be over-edited and unprofessional looking
• Need original image owners consent as using an already existing image could result in copyright problems
• Always a risk of computer technology failing therefore a threat of losing unsaved work

InDesign

Strengths:

• Able to insert and use functions for almost everything needed to create a professional looking magazine
• Import and export images
• Variety of fonts and colours available
• Can insert different shapes and change the layout of text, images, borders and general appearance

Weaknesses:

• Requires basic IT skills to use the software and functions correctly
• Unable to edit images so photos used in the creating of a product need to be pre-edited
• Takes time and patience to create a professional looking media product

Opportunities:

• Allows creativity and the chance to make a product suitable for the target audience by using different functions 
• Outcome of a professional looking finished piece that will appeal to audience if it is created correctly

Threats:

• Risk of programme failing and losing unsaved work
• If not used correctly, final media product can look unprofessional and tacky, therefore not appealing to target audience

I have used both of these technologies (Photoshop and InDesign) and functions to create my music magazine in a professional way which the layout and overall appearance will appeal to my readership. I used Photoshop to change the quality of my images to fit into InDesign correctly and clearly as the images were pixelated to start with. I used InDesign also to create the whole layout and appearance of my music magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread. I was able to work well with the technology as I had grasped how to use it correctly. The only problem I had with the technology in the creating and development of my product was that when saving the finished creation as a JPEG format, each time I had progressed on my magazine, I saved over the previous copy, therefore replacing the previous and making me unable to post draft copies to my blog, which is why these are not present.

The Importance of Technology to the Publishing Sector

The use of functions and technology in a media product and the decisions made by the creator can change the outcome of the product as a whole. For example, if the software is used poorly, therefore creating an unprofessional looking magazine, the target audience will not be attracted by it as is it will not appeal to their needs. But if a product is created successfully and looks professional, then it will appeal to the target audience.

Evaluation (Question 5): How did you attract/address your audience?

Audience Feedback

The feedback I received from my target audience was positive and reflects my own opinions of my product. According to my readership, my music magazine attracted and addressed the reader due to these forms and conventions:

• Eye contact of musician attracts and connects audience
• Relevant coverlines that audience would be interested in and actually want to read about
• Colours used throughout are simple but eyecatching
• Layout of contents page is easy to understand, organised and allows reader to navigate better
• Layout of double page spread is "professional" and eyecatching

Evaluation (Question 4): Who would be the audience for your media product?

Evaluation (Question 3): What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Evaluation (Question 2): How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Evaluation (question 2) from KateBarno

Evaluation (Question 1): In what ways does your product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Double Page Spread

Music Magazine Contents Page

Music Magazine Cover

Music Magazine: Photoshoot Planning and Analyzing

For my photoshoot for my music magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread, I wanted to keep it simple yet interesting to appeal to my target market of young people who are interested in the indie/alternative music genre. I had to think about the lighting, mise-en-scene and angles I was going to use to generate the look of a music magazine.

I took inspiration from existing photos of musicians that have been developed and used for front covers and posters.

 I have noticed that a lot of photoshoots of bands aren't particularly posed, they seem to just be natural shots of them, similar to the photo shown above to the left of The Libertines. I like this idea as it gives a laid back yet often edgy outcome which can be tweaked with and worked to create something completely original like the poster on the right. I also like the idea of working around graffiti as it gives off an urban look which most indie/alternative bands or artists connote. I intend to carry out my photoshoot for my music magazine around my local area as to capture an urban feel with possibly some graffiti to add to originality.

















As well as the urban/edgy look, I also find the simplicity of plain backgrounds and a contrasting main image featuring mise-en-scene such as interesting costume and make-up to be very effective. For example, this iconic photo of David Bowie is very basic as it just features a mid-shot of Bowie with make-up designed to appear unique and stand out against the plain background. This shot has been used for many media related products, and it was also used by Q magazine. I think for my front cover I will use the idea of a plain or simple background so it is easier to place my masthead and cover-lines around the main image without causing too much of a distraction, making it uneasy to read.

Photoshoot

I wanted my model to have a slightly retro look about her as this would appeal to my target market, so I gave her the appropriate costume, hair and make-up to make her stand out in a subtle way.

 Overall I took over 100 photographs, after going through each of them and thinking about how I could work with them to create a music magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread, I ended up with a various selection. I had several ideas consisting of unique lighting (bottom left), plain backgrounds (top row) and interesting backgrounds (bottom right, second photo in). I really liked the idea of a sweet shop background to go with the prop of bubble gum, but the background was too chaotic and it would be impossible to place mastheads and cover-lines around it.

Eventually I decided on three photos to be used for my music magazine.

Each of these photos I feel are unique, simple, yet effective. I adjusted the lighting and colours using a free editing website (http://www.picmonkey.com/) to achieve the look I felt would suit the genre of an indie/alternative magazine. Each background will be easy to work with as they are not too complicated. I managed to include a small amount of graffiti which will be displayed as my contents page, this creates the edgy and urban look I wanted, I also used inspiration from the photo of David Bowie to take the photo for my double page spread, as I feel the sharpness yet simplicity stand out and will attract attention.

Music Magazine: Flatplan

Front Cover

Contents Page 

 Double Page Spread

Music Magazine: Proposal

1. I am aiming my magazine at a specific audience of indie/alternative music fans aged 15-25 years old or 15+, a similar target audience to NME

2. My magazine will be about new bands and the latest news in the indie/alternative music industry. It will feature interviews, reviews, competitions and other interesting stories which will appeal to the target market.

3. My ideas for cover lines need to appeal to the audience of young adult music fans, so far I have come up with:

• 'Brits: Undercover Scandal'
• '20 Best Music Videos of the Year So Far'
• 'Win Your Chance to Meet The Stone Roses'
• 'Catch up on the latest news from:...'

I will also include a main cover-line featuring a band or artist being interviewed or reviewed as this will appeal to the taste of the target audience.

4. I struggled for a while to think of a suitable title for my music magazine. I wanted something simple yet different as to catch the attention of the target market. I wanted something relevant to indie/alternative music so I came up with a short list of names:

• Vinyl
• Record
• Cassette
• Reel
• Platinum

I liked all of these names as they were relevant yet different to anything I had seen before. But I decided to go for 'Platinum' as it connotes success, when an album reaches over 300,000 sales and for a single selling over 600,000 in the UK, the record is given the Platinum award, which is the highest available in the UK, therefore my magazine will be named after this in the hope that artists involved become successful, reflecting on the magazine.

5. As the name of my magazine is Platinum, I need a metallic looking font for the masthead to keep up a theme and make the title/logo iconic and as recognizable as possible. I have researched a few font styles I like the idea of:

I decided to reject the Arial Unicode MS and AR JULIAN fonts as I feel they are not metallic, realistic or relevant enough for my magazine. I really like the Tejaratchi but I find it difficult to read, therefore I decided to choose Cambria with the effects listed as it is simple but carries my theme on well.

6. I have decided not to use a tagline as I feel it is not needed, the title of my magazine is self explanatory and requires shared knowledge from the target audience of music terminology which they will understand without the use of a tagline. I want to keep my magazine as simple as possible.

7. The magazine will be released all year round, I am not going to create a seasonal special as the images I will use for the magazine will not have any relevance to the time of year, but the coverlines I have chosen will be about events that have happened in the first few months of 2013 such as The Brit Awards and 'Top 20 Music Videos of the Year So Far', so I will probably make the magazine cover I am creating a May issue as it will reflect on the year so far.

8. The image that I want on the front cover needs to be simple yet effective and interesting. It must appeal to the target market and reflect an indie/alternative look. I want the model I am going to use to have a retro appearance as to appeal to the target audience, I will therefore need to plan the mise-en-scene of the photo and costume, hair and make-up. I want the background to be simple but unique, something that no one has done before. 

9. This music magazine will be published once a month like NME and Q. It will include enough information to cover all vital events and news that has happened in the previous month to keep readers up to date.

10. My music magazine will be of a tabloid size, so approximately 16.9 inches by 11 inches, the same as NME magazine. This will allow for more information to be printed on the pages and it is still easy to carry around and read comfortably, which will appeal to my target audience.

11. The magazine will have a theme of metallic and navy blue, with hints of red to highlight key points that will interest the reader, as red is the colour that the human eye first recognizes. I will use an image of the same model used for the front cover as to signify that their interview/review will be the main story featured in my magazine.

For more details on images that are used in my music magazine please see my 'Photoshoot Planning and Analyzing' post.

From my research I have learnt that my target audience aged 15-25 or 15+ like the styles of both NME and Q magazine. Therefore I will base the style of my magazine on these. My research tells me that my target audience want more of a chance to get involved and have more chances to win competitions and claim free items. So for my music magazine I have decided to include competitions and as my magazine will be called 'Platinum', making reference to a vinyl record, I have chosen to include a 'free' gift of a vinyl with every months issue. Therefore my magazine will need to be priced at a more expensive value of £3.99, in comparison to NME's £2.80. The magazine will also be approximately 50 pages long as to make it a light yet information packed read.

Music Magazine: Initial Ideas

- Include a free gift such as a CD or Vinyl record, so price will be more expensive than most other music magazines, (approx. £4)

- Competitions featured, gets reader involved more

- Main story will be either an interview on a new band or a review on a new band's album/gig

- Colour theme will be different to usual red

- Simple layout and format, easy to navigate and flick through, not too chaotic so that it puts reader off but enough to attract their attention

- Approximately 50 pages, similar to NME's length

- Tabloid size, good size to carry around and read, standard size of music magazine

Research: Target Audience Interview

Music Magazine Research: Annotated Examples and Comparison

I have compared two well known music magazines that are currently out on the market; NME and Q. I have annotated examples of each of their front covers, contents pages and double page spreads, I have also compared them to show differences between the two and also to highlight any ideas I can select from the examples for my own music magazine.

 The front covers of both NME and Q are similar, this is possibly due to the fact that both of their target audience are interested in the same genre of music, which is indie/alternative. Both magazines place their mastheads in the top left corner and they are both coloured red as to attract the eye of the consumer, as red is the colour that is first seen by the human eye. Both magazines use puffs/plugs, different sizes, styles and colours of font, smaller images and a large main image of a musician. These all attract the reader and appeal to them as they will want to read about music and be enticed to purchase the magazine. I will use these strategies on my own music magazine to make the product suitable and appealing for my target audience.

The contents pages of both NME and Q magazine differ. NME (above:left) displays more images to go alongside cover-lines, thus interesting the reader as it gives them something visual to look at that is relevant to their taste. Each main cover-line that is featured in the magazine has a short explanation to give the audience a taster of what they will be reading about. This is also similar in the contents page of Q (above:right). Q also displays their logo again at the top left and bottom left of the page, this is to show the iconic theme of the magazine. All of the cover-lines are displayed along the left side of the page as to keep the information on the focussed side where the audience will read first. On the right side of the page there is a large image to highlight the main story featured in the magazine. I like the idea of selecting the main story and making it stand out, therefore I will try to incorporate this to my own music magazine contents page. Overall I prefer the layout of Q's contents page as it is kept simple yet effective with the use of borders and columns to make it easier for the reader to navigate around the pages, although NME's front cover is interesting and appeals to the target audience due to the chaotic layout, I feel that just by simply highlighting important key stories and points in my magazine with the use of colours, fonts and borders, it is more effective and eye-catching for the audience.

Both NME's and Q's double page spreads are very similar. Both use a large image on the right side of the page, with the information on the left, this allows the readers eyes to move from the left to the right. Both use a drop capital to introduce the audience to the text and pull out quotes to highlight important/interesting parts of the text. This is done as to draw attention from the reader which will probably be scanning through the magazine, if they see something that appeals to them displayed bigger, it may entice them to read more. Therefore I will use this idea in my own music magazine double page spread.

Target Audience Research: Kerrang!

 Kerrang! magazine is aimed more at music fans of the genre rock, with covers displaying well known bands such as 30 Seconds to Mars, Muse and You Me At Six. The magazine is named after the onomatopoeic word that derives from the sound made when playing an electric guitar, "Kerrang!". So on the basis of this, I need to create a music magazine title relevant to the genre I am basing it on, to make it appeal to the target market as much as possible.

The layout of the front cover seems hectic and busy, with use of darker colours such as black and grey. This somehow links to the heavier, louder and darker connotations that come with the genres of music displayed in the magazine.

The ideas used to attract the audience in Kerrang! magazine are similar to that displayed on the front covers of other magazines such as NME. The offers of free posters, studio reviews and festival headliners also appeals to the target market as they will take a vast interest in this. In this case I must make sure my music magazine uses these elements to attract the target audience.

Target Audience Research: NME Magazine

NME magazine is aimed at alternative and indie music enthusiasts. Covers including famous bands or artists such as Morrissey, Pete Doherty, Alex Turner and Miles Kane whose music falls under the ‘indie/alternative’ genre.


The logo of the magazine is bold and red, which is the colour that has been found to attract the most attention from an audience.

 ‘NME’ also stands for New Musical Express, which makes the point that the magazine is forever offering its readers new music, bands and news, this is evident on their website where one of the articles reads “2013- Five New Bands You’ll Love”. If I were to create a magazine similar to NME I would have to ensure I used the latest news and bands, as this is what appeals to the target audience.

           NME also offers the readers chances to win tickets to festivals, album reviews and free posters attached inside the magazine. To make my music magazine successful I must use ideas from NME to make my magazine as interesting and appealing to the target audience as possible.