Evaluation (Continued)

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your music magazine and why?

I think that the institutions most likely to distribute my product are 

Social Networking sites (such as Facebook and Myspace), Digital publishers, Music stores such as HMV, Newsagents/convenient stores, Gigs and festivals as they are more subtle, and they are able to be seen in everyday life to appeal to all consumers.

Music stores such as HMV are most likely to distribute my product as it would target my particular target market better. Gigs and festivals are also a good way of targeting my social group of “indie kids” as that is where the social group is more likely to socialise. Digital publishing is now becoming more popular with 17% of magazines now available online. This would enable my product to be distributed on a larger scale.

4. Who would be the audience for your music magazine?

 My audience for my magazine would be teenagers from 16-20 years of age. This is because the layout of my magazine and the music inside them are Indie genre - which is normally popular to student environments. Independent music is popular because it is a lot more sophisticated than Hip Hop and other mainstream music.  I have targeted the magazine to both genders as I wanted to target a wider audience.
  Furthermore, in my surveys, the number of teenagers who bought magazines such as NME were considerably more than anyone older or younger.

  On various websites, people of the same interests talk about what they like and what they dont. Normally these are on websites for music channels where requests can be sent it, eg: NME Request Days.  This gave me a clearer view of what my target audience would like.

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

 I have attracted my audience in a variety of ways. Eg: on my front page I have used an image which fills the entirity of the page to grab my audiences’ attention. The image i of Nicky who is 18 years old, so she is young and attractive. She appears as a role model for girls, and attractive to males. In each of the images I have used, I took into consideration what she was wearing as I wanted the audience with the same style to relate to the magazine.

I have used conventions in order to attract my target audience. Eg: a conventional layout which I felt would attract my audience. The fonts I have used are also conventional and are bold but professional-looking to attract the audience’s attention.

I feel the colour scheme I have used also addresses’ my target audience as high contrast colours such as Navy and Peach-Pink. 

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

Throughout this project, I have come across lots of new software and technology which I haven’t previously used, such as Blogger itself. I have also expanded my knowledge on other programmes I have used before such as Photoshop and Picnik. I have learnt about lots of new editing skills using the programmes fireworks and Photoshop using tools such as the magic wand tool and bevel emboss. Learning how to edit images has proved very useful in this project and it will also help me in the future. I still find Picnik easier to use in order to develop my photography, but I will continue to broaden my Photoshop skills.

As well as learning to edit images more sophisticatedly, using new programmes has given me knowledge on how to construct a magazine. Looking at products in my research helped with this and I feel confident that in the future I would be able to create another magazine from the knowledge I have gained, and with less hassle.

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

 In my final piece products, it is clear that my photo-editting skills had broadened entirely to make my cover, contents and double-page spread more professional. I thought of more efficient and conventional ways to attract an audience, and after surveys and research, my knowledge of what consumers look for is a lot better quality. Even after looking at what I, as a consumer, look for in a music magazine helped me to develop a successful set of final pieces.

Evaluation

1. In what ways does your music magazine use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real music magazines? 

 

 To start with, I used the masthead of my magazine at the bottom of the front cover to make the cover different. I also think it looks a lot tidier, and this way it fitted in better with the image.  I used the "overlay" tool for the masthead so that the colours changed with the image. I think it looks sharp and professional.

 My contents page is organized in number-order instead of different sections. I'm not convinced that it was a good move, but the contents page still looks tidy and simple and legit.

  My doublepage spread continues with the colour scheme on the front cover. I wanted the magazine to look organized, and to follow some type of colour rule.

 Also, my choice of titles and fonts were original, I didn't base my design  on another magazine.

 

2. How does your magazine represent particular social groups?

 

 By the look of my magazine, you can tell it is more suited to teenagers who are more interested in independent music. It is directed at Indies and Hipsters. My style of photography portrays this, as well as the simple, efficient and to-the-point layout of the magazine. For the front cover, I used a drawing tool over the photograph, which i thought was more stylish and conformed more to the genre.

Magazine Survey

Original Images

Font Choices for Front Cover.

I decided on the bottom font called METALANGUAGE because I thought it looked more professional, sophisticated, simple and eye-catching.

Double Page Spread Design.

I like my choice of layout on my double page spread. It is very organized and neat, and the colour scheme works perfectly.
The images are perfect for the pages and the positioning of the model allows the writing to fit in just right.
I thought carefully about my questions for the interview with Nicky, and I think they were successful and real-life magazine-like.
The change in font works effectively and draws attention to what is necessary.

Contents Page Design

I like my design as it is simple and efficient. The page numbers are in order and aligned to the left of the page, so that the wording can be read aswell as the image foreseen.
I made sure my image wasn't too saturated as to draw too much attention to it. I also lowered the contrast, to make the light-coloured lexis legible.

Layout Design 2 - PRELIMINARY TASK contents page

Layout Design 1 - PRELIMINARY TASK contents page

Original Prints for PRELIMINARY TASK front page

Taken in The HENLEY College Studio.

Front Cover Design

 This is my design for the front cover of my music magazine, which I've named DYNAMIC, as it is musically appropriate.
 The model of my front page is my wonderful friend Nicky- a very talented, young musician.
 I chose her as my main feature as she has a very indie-style look, which is what I wanted for my genre of magazine in order to appeal to my target audience.
  I have included another feature in the magazine, as well as the date of the issue, the price, and the header I had designed.
  I decided to place the header at the bottom, centre of the page in order to be different. That's what being "indie" is all about isn't it?