FRONT COVER

CONTENTS PAGE

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

22. Evaluation Questions - 7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Looking back at my preliminary task, I feel like I now understand magazine conventions a lot better than I ever did before. Because of the music magazine analysis of my front cover, contents page and double page spread, I now understand how music magazines use different features and techniques to draw audiences in. I started to understand magazine conventions at the beginning of starting the main task, as i were analyzing a lot of music magazines, in order to see what approaches they use to attract their audience. There are a lot more features that I now understand since I have been doing the main task, this then helps to attract the audience, as my magazine now looks much more professional. I had never used PhotoShop before, so i were very unsure on what to do. My edited photos then drastically improved from the preliminary task to the main task, as I then became much more confident with PhotoShop and also had gotten more use with the different tools, As I have now learnt much more about PhotoShop, I now feel like my standard of work has then very much so improved. My photo shoot also improved in my main task than in my preliminary task. This is because I planned what shots I were going to do. I definitely planned this out much more in my main task, than in my preliminary task. I also considered the location much more in my main task too, I didn't plan the location in my preliminary task, as I did not think that it would really matter too much. I am glad that I planned the locations in my main image, as it gives a clue to the genre of my magazine and also attracts and draws in an audience much better. I did not use any props in my preliminary task, so using props in my main task was a good option, as this then brings much more attention towards the images, which then gives clues to the purpose of the image.

22. Evaluation Questions - 6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

When conducting my music research, I had to set up a blog to put my coursework on. I set it up on Blogger, all my coursework is based on there. I have typed up my coursework onto Blogger. I used Microsoft PowerPoint to create some of my work on, which i then put onto Blogger, I found that it is a very god way to create coursework on. I used a camera to take my images for my magazine, then I also used Photoshop, to create my final images for my magazine. I used Prezi for my music genre research, it is an easy and very creative way to create coursework on.

22. Evaluation Questions - 5. How did you attract/address your audience?

I attracted my audience by using a colour scheme which attracts the reader's eye. I also used clear images, with a an appropriate clothing style, to fit with the magazine genre, this then attracted the readers. I also created a vast amount of feature stories on my front cover, as the front cover is obviously the first thing which the reader will notice when picking up the magazine. On my front cover, the models in the main image are looking directly at the camera, this then gives direct eye contact with the reader, this then creates an emotion within the reader, then making the experience more personal. I also made the large fonts in the cover lines bold, so that the readers can still see the content clearly from quite a distance. The cover lines have also been made interesting and include names of existing rappers, this then allows the reader to recognize the rappers, which then makes them find out what the magazine briefly covers.

22. Evaluation - 4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

My Target audience would be older teens to young adults, as this age group stereo-typically listens to rap music and so they would be more likely to read the magazine. My magazine may also be read more frequently by this age group, because the language would appeal to my audience more, as the informality of 'slang' which would be used in the magazine would appeal to the audience better. My magazine is targeted at both genders, yet could be seen as more appealing towards males more than females, this is because hip hop/ rap culture links in with males more strongly than it does with females. Males are more frequently presented in rap and hip hop culture, this make my audience more towards males than females.Hip hop and rap culture links in with black culture more than white or Asian culture, so although my magazine is aimed towards all races, some may see my magazine as more appealing towards the black culture.My magazine is aimed at the working class to lower middle class, as they are the groups at which are most likely to buy my product, This is because they may be more likely to buy this product as young peoples' achieved status would be working class, however lower middle class people my still buy this product if their ascribed status is middle class. I have also targeted these groups, as these people may have money to be able to spend on luxury items; while my magazine isn't expensive, it also isn't a necessity which gives the impression of it being a luxury item.

22. Evaluation Questions - 3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

The media institution that I would want distributing my media product would be Townsquare Media. The reason for this is that XXL Magazine use them as their publisher, which is definitely a magazine that my target audience would read. Townsquare Magazine is the third largest AM/FM operator in America, it owns over 310 radio stations in 66 markets, so therefore by using them I would definitely know that they will be doing a good job. As Townsquare Magazine is such a big and well known company in America, this would then mean that it would be easier and cheaper to advertise, as there would be so many options.

22. Evaluation Questions - 2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

22 - Evaluation Questions - 1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and connotations of real media products?

21 - Double Page Spread Developments/Progress

This was the original image for my double page spread, before I edited it.

I then altered the lighting of the photo, and also photo shopped the hat and jogger's logo.

I then created the first version of my double page spread, by adding my own page next to the photo, to create a double page. I then added my own text. I decided on black, white and red for my colour scheme, for all the way throughout my magazine, as it gives a dangerous look. I created the feature story for my main feature story, so that the page would look as interesting as possible. I then linked the main story with the main image.

This is now my finished product. I added a dropcap. I changed the positioning for most of the text and changed the main feature story a little, so that it is now in the middle of the page, obvious to the reader that it is the main feature story.

20 - Contents Page Developments/Progress

This was the original image for my contents page, before I edited it.

I then cropped the sides of the image and also changed the filter to 'posterize', to give more of cartoon-like image.

I then put the image on one side of the page, so that i had the other side on the page for my text. I added the feature stories in the same font and colour that they were on my front cover, still following the colour scheme of black, white and red, as it gives a dangerous look, but also adding grey to my colour scheme and then leaving the image with it's original colours, as it also gives soft-like look.. I added another photo of the duo that is on the main image on my front cover for my contents page, and also made the main feature about the main image too, making sure that it stands out more than all the other feature stories. I also added the masthead from my front cover onto the contents page.

This is now my finished product. I made the main image a lot smaller, yet kept it on the same side of the page.I changed the feature stories a bit so that the page numbers are now on the opposite side as they were before. I created a 'reviews' section and also a 'subscribe' section. This now looks much more professional than before, therefore my magazine would now have a much better chance in being bought and read. 

19 - Front Cover Developments/Progress

This was the original image for my front cover, before I edited it.

 I then changed the filter to black and white and also photo shopped the tank top, the hat and the hoodie's logo.

I then created the first version of my front cover by adding my own text and barcode. I decided on black, white and red for my colour scheme, as it gives a dangerous look. I added other rappers for the feature stories to make the front cover look as interesting as possible. I then linked the main story with the main image.

This is then my second version of my front cover. I added a plug and also descriptions for each feature story. I changed the positioning for most of the text and changed the main feature story a little, so that it is now in the middle of the page, obvious that it is the main feature story.

This is now my finished product.I slightly changed the position of the plug and also changed the font colour. I added a header and footer on my front cover and then put different artists' names on them. I put an outline on the magazine title and also main feature story title, so that this would make it obvious for the reader to acknowledge the magazine's name and also know that the feature story is the main one.I also changed the positions of the feature stories too, so that they weren't all spread along the page, this then makes the main image for noticeable to see.

Existing Magazines

Existing Magazines

It is important for institutions to understand the demographic of their reader, as this makes sure that the magazine is suitable for the reader. This impacts on the choices the institutions make in relation to their product, as for example if the magazine readers were upper middle class then the magazine would be very professional and the cost would be high, the language would also be higher and there would be more text too. The quality of the magazine is also better, and the free gifts are of a higher quality too. The advertisements would be suitable to a high class.  If the magazine readers were casual workers then the magazine wouldn’t be very professional and the cost would be a lot lower too, the language would be quite simple and there would be more pictures than text. The quality of the magazine isn’t as good, and the free gifts are quite low quality too. The advertisements would be suitable to a lower class.

I can tell that this magazine is upper middle class, as the masthead is quite fancy. The main image is also wearing a suit. The magazine is made from good quality materials, and the price is also quite high. The font is quite simple, yet is shows high class.

I can tell that this magazine is middle class, as the main image doesn't look very smart, yet it still looks quite professional. The price is quite high, yet the quality isn’t as good as upper middle class.

I can tell that this magazine is lower middle class, as the main image is wearing casual clothing, and also looks quite plain. The masthead is bright and bold, which makes it appeal to a particular target audience. The free gift also shows how the magazine is lower middle class, because of the 7 posters. The material would also be cheaper paper too.

I can tell that this magazine is skilled working class, as the main image is wearing working clothes. The background is country, which implied it is also most of the reader's workplace, as the magazine is about country music.

I can tell that this magazine is working class, as the font is all the same, and blocked, which is very simple. The main image also isn't very professional looking. The price is quite cheap, and the material used is also of quite low quality.

 I can tell that this magazine is for casual workers, as the main image is quite unprofessional, and is also quite stereotypical of an average casual worker. The correct props have been used to appeal to casual workers. The fonts are also all the same, and quite simple looking.

Magazines

I have chosen a variety of XXL magazines, to compare the mise en scene of each one. The set out is very similar for each front cover, as the masthead is always in the same place and most of the feature stories are also in the same place too. Each pose is different though, and also the props and lighting are too. 

Font Ideas for my Magazine

Font Ideas for my Magazine

I have chosen these fonts because i think they look the best. They fit into the theme of rap, and greatly stand out. The fonts with arrows and blocks like flats resemble the urban streets. The fonts with the flicks resemble kind of mafia font, which also fits in with rappers. The 'NEW MOTOR' font is very effective, because the font looks like tires, which resembles cars. The different colours for the different fonts are also effective too, as they all suit each other and match.

Music Magazine Questions and Focus Groups

Music Magazine Questions

1.       What genre of music do you listen to the most?

Pop

HipHop

House

reggae

2.     What music artist would you like to see on the front cover?

An influencal artist such as Beyoncé 

Snoop Dogg

Skrillex

Nineties boy

3.    What type of article would you like to read about your favourite music artist?

An exclusive story about the artist that nobody else knows

Personal information on the artists

What was their life like in the past before they became famous

How nineties boy became famous

4.     What is your favourite colour scheme?

Red, Black and White

Purple and Yellow

Red, black and white

Green black

5.     How much would you pay for a music magazine?

£2.99

£2.50

£2.50

$1.89

6.     Would you prefer a magazine to be made from thin or thick paper?

Thick

Thin

Juicy

Thick

7.     What types of adverts would you like to see in a music magazine?

Upcoming festivals/concerts

New singles/albums available for purchase

New singles/albums

Free songs

8.      What would you like the free gift to be?

Music off iTunes ect.

Poster

Discounts

Signed cd

9.     Do you prefer formal or informal music magazines?

Informal

Informal

Informal

Formal

10.  What kind of shops would you buy a music magazine from?

Popular shops such as Topshop/Zara ect.

HMV

Any

Carols

Focus Groups

18 - Image Manipulation

This is the main image for my front cover.

Firstly, I changed the filter to black and white.

I then photo shopped the vest, hat and hoodie's logo to red.

I then added a bar code.

Then I added the masthead.

Then, I added the plug.

I then added the name of the main feature story, which is also the name of the band in the main image.

I then added the name of the main feature story.

I also gave a description of the main feature story, to let the readers know that it is the main feature story.

I then started to add the feature stories in, giving them descriptions underneath each one.

I then finally added the text within the plug. 

This is the main image for my contents page. I saved all the text for my contents page as a separate image, and then added it to my main image.

Firstly, I edited the photo to give it a cartoon-like look to it.

I then changed the white background to grey.

I then added my masthead, which is completely the same as the one from my front cover. 

I then added the heading.

I then added the sub heading.

Then I added the main story, yet didn't change the name of the main feature story at that point.

I then added all of the other feature stories.

I eventually added all of my feature stories onto the contents page.

Lastly, I then changed the name of the main feature story, so that it links in with the main image which the article is about. I then edited the main image a little more, and also added a page number.

This is the main image for my double page spread.

Firstly, I photo shopped the colour of the hat and the joggers logo to a red colour.

I then changed the right side page to a grey colour.

I then added in my magazine logo and also the page numbers to the bottom left and right corners of both pages.

I then added the name of the duo which my article is about, which is also the main image.

I then added the title of my article, which also relates to the name of the duo and also the main image.

I then cropped the double page spread out from Photoshop and saved it as an image. I then opened it up onto publisher and then added in my text. I also added in the pull quote and the stand-first, making sure that the pull quote matched with the name and title. I also made the stand-first into the same font, size and colour as the rest of them text, but made sure it was in a different position as the rest of the text.