Music Magazine – EvaluationFirst DraftChloe Gregson

IntroductionTASK: I was given a task to create a

music magazine using a programme called InDesign.- I worked as an individual. - I shot pictures which was placed onto my

magazine via a studio, which I took myself.- I edited the pictures using PhotoShop.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media projects?

The music magazine which I created was based on the genre of rock. This was evident by the colour scheme (ethos style), models and their costumes and text involved in the magazine throughout.

It was vital that I used these basic elements of a magazine when I created mine as if these was not involved it would attract the wrong readers or not attract anyone at all. I had to make sure that the magazine fitted in with the magazines which are already on the shelves based on a rock genre.

Did you change anything to make your magazine challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

• Usually a music magazine’s contents page has many pictures and text boxes telling the reader about what is coming up in the magazine. I decided to break the regular rules of music magazines by only having one main picture on this page and having the writing in one simple block. Also in addition to this, I also did not include the word “contents” on my page as I thought the text said it all itself without the need of a title.

As you can see from the picture of my ‘contents page’ I did not actually put a title saying ‘Contents’ as I

wanted to break the rules of regular music magazines. Also in addition to this, usually there is

many pictures on a contents page so that it will interest readers so they read another page. I think

that the use of this one picture is enough to interest the readers as

the picture is just in your face, which links in with the genre.

Finally on top of all this, I have no put an editors letter on this page, as I personally think and so do people who have assessed this

page we think that it says all it has to say just with the text on it what I

put on myself.

Did your choices here work effectively for your audiences?

The choices I made whilst creating the magazine worked to my advantage as my audience feedback showed. One of the questions asked them “Does the contents page simply inform clearly or does it also manage to interest you in the rest of the magazine?” and the answers came back telling me that my magazine interested them into reading the rest as answers read:

“I want to read on because of the stories being told on the contents page.”

AND“This contents page interests me because it is very eye catching

and makes me want to read on.”

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

• This magazine was created for mostly a boy audience as the genre rock is based around them, but because I didn’t want it to come across as a sexist magazine so the front cover would catch the female audience as it has two girls on the front (which hopefully will make them pick up this magazine and read it.)

Costume• The models I used throughout my music magazine

was wearing an outfit which fitted straight in with the genre which is ROCK. The costumes I got them to wear was a black body con skirt and a black lacey leotard. I think this worked well as it made them fit in with the genre whilst also being not too ‘emo’ or looking like ‘moshers’. This is because of the way they was posing with their props (a guitar and a microphone stand.)

Make-up• On my models Nicole and Sarah Turner (who made up

the band for my music magazine ‘The TT’ I used quite simple make-up on them as I thought the props we used on the photo shoot and also the outfit they wore made much more of a statement.

• I used their natural colour skin for the foundation but then made their eyes a lot darker by using lots of mascara and eyeliner. I also put lipstick on their lips, but only a little bit, so it makes them edgier but not too edgy.

Does your magazine fit in with the dominant mode of the representation of this group?

“Is it adhering to stereotypes that we see commonly in the media or is it offering an alternative or challenging representation?” is a question which I asked people when I showed them my magazine. This was some of their answers:

“It is showing us that all rock stars do not have to crash a hotel room to become famous and hardcore.”

And also…“It has changed my stereotypes of rockers as they look just like

myself, and nothing different so people shouldn’t judge them.”

Who would be the audience for your media project?

The audience for my music magazine would be put at the age rang between 12 and 25 year olds.

REASONS:- More likely to go to festivals- Rock has a younger target audience- Fans of rock are mostly teenagers and a

minority of adults

Why is this a good target audience?

• Rock has more young viewers/listeners than adults

• They are in the age range within all media elements

• They represent rock well• Most festivals are based around this age

group• Rock has a large mass audience

Are you likely to have any secondary target audience?

For my magazine there might be some extra viewers who like to read a rock based magazine or listen to this sort of music (which is based in this magazine.) this might be for their love of music, or festivals but either way they will enjoy reading this. The reasons for this is that:

- They will like the music- They might have been brought up around this genre of

music- They enjoy festivals such as Leeds and/or Reading

Audience Feedback

(PICTURES OF ACTUAL FEEDBACK, EDITED –

SAYING WHAT THEY’VE BEEN ASKED AND HOW THEY’VE ANSWERED IT)

How did you attract/address your audience?

Front CoverOn the front cover of my magazine I tried to attract the

audience as well as I could, because this is what they are going to see first on the shelf before picking it up. I had to make sure it was different from any other magazine and I did this in many ways:

- White background- Bigger font than usual (to attract them to the

magazine- A very big picture, as a statement picture- The title of the magazine takes the whole top row

up, so that the name of the magazine is seen easily so that they know what it is called straight away

This front cover will hopefully attract the audience as I think the different features on it will do it justice.

Contents PageThe contents page I created was made to attract the readers of the magazine, as I wanted them to read past this page and want to actually read on. I didn’t want them to get onto this page, see lots of writing and shut the whole magazine. That is the main reason why I kept this page minimal and short.

ATTRACTIONS TOWARDS THE AUDIENCE:-Main picture catches their eye straight away-Different coloured font, makes it more interesting to read-Hardly no writing so they’re not put off-Tells them the date, page numbers so they do not have to find it out all for themselves

Double Page Spread

Things that will attract the readers:- Different colours, so that they can understand what is being said and who by

- The two images are striking, so it will catch their attention- The text grabs are big and readable as soon as the page before it is turned

- There isn’t a lot of writing so they will feel more comfortable reading it

My double page spread was a article which I made up myself pretending I had an interview with a real music band. The questions which I asked and placed in this article are the ones that you would normally get in a music magazine as it has the same amount of questions and the usual questions which are asked. As there isn’t a lot of writing it will not be daunting on the readers and they will hopefully want to read it to find out more about ‘The TT.’

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this project?

Whilst creating this magazine ‘Riot’ I used many different websites and programmes through preparation, and also whilst actually editing it:

- Blogger.com- Google.com- Dafont.com- Youtube.com- In Design- Photoshop

Editing Pictures• I used Photoshop to edit my pictures before putting

them on my magazine. I did this because I wanted the pictures to look ever so professional and editorial. The colour of background (after I edited the pictures) fitted into the background of each page.

Preliminary TaskBefore actually creating the music magazine, I was given a task to create a magazine

(for a practice) based on a story I made up for my college. When I looked back at this magazine after doing my actual one I seen ways in which I slipped up on my prelim task.

My final music magazine was better than my preliminary task magazine because:- It had better colours on it (fitted in with the genre and also it was brighter and

looked more professional.)- There was an actual barcode on the magazine- The pictures were edited better, and looked more professional- The whole magazine looked more believable- Much more like a magazine rather than a poser- The font and font size looks a lot more standardized- Lighting on the pictures are a lot clearer (makes everything which needs to stand

out, to stand out)

PRELIMINARY TASK FRONT COVER OF ACTUAL MAGAZINE