Music Magazine Evaluation

· In what ways does your print product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real print products?
Through the detailed textual analysis of similar media text (Kerrang!, NME and Q magazine) I have been able to find the codes and conventions of modern music magazines and how they can appeal to a target audience. For example in all three magazines which I studied I discovered they all share the convention of a major image on that roughly the size of the front cover. On each magazine (Kerrang!, NME and Q magazine) that I analysed each shared this convention. My music magazine “Break Out!” also shares this trait although I have layered my image to create depth in the I analysed also layer text and other images onto the main image, although in such a way not to completely obscure the image so it is still visible and therefore relevant. The image on the front cover of my modern music magazine “Breakout” is a photograph of a band (fictitious) with three members I positioned the models into a position where the members were looking to be having fun (enjoyment) this connotes the band is a fun loving, light sounding band, for example if the band would have been a heavy metal rock group I would of positioned the band to have show no emotion in the shot and to be distant from one another connoting hostility. The lighting in the shot is controlled as I took the image in a blue room, with adjustable light , I changed the lighting to not make the figures to bright or dark and also in such front cover which leads me onto my second convention which is all of the front covers a way not to cast a shadow. Another Modern music magazine convention is that of the band/artist on the cover will have a article write about them (most of the time the double page spread) this is because the front cover image is used to pull the audience into the magazine and make them buy the production, therefore if a well known band/artist is on the front that means there will be a article in the magazine inside therefore people will want to read about there favourite musicians and therefore buy the print production. Another Convention is that of all images should be original and not taken from the internet; my magazine has all original images and one image created using Abode Photoshop CS3, which is the band logo. Masthead, sell lines. The band logo doesn’t appear that often in the publication although it appears enough to be recognised as the bands image. The original images I took where all taken in the blue room therefore I had control of lighting and all the models I used were friends so I therefore had control of them to move around and could use them in different shots and positions. I also used the convention of the photography, a convention of using a close up or medium shot for the front cover (I have used a medium shot) this is to show importance to the band and to attract attention to the front cover (print production). Another convention and code is Mise en scene, how I represented the characters/ artists. The musicians (models) where told to wear modern clothes to represent the modern young music fans who are my target audience and the age of the fictitious band “Struck by Lightning”. The Band also wore dark clothes to represent the genre of music represented Rock/ Indie music.

· How does your media product represent particular social groups?
In my Music Magazine there were not many social groups represented in the magazine, there were basically two social groups, Young Music fans (my target audience) and musicians/Artists. This is not similar to my preliminary task were there was considerably more social and ethnic groups are represented. The wasn’t much representation of the social groups although I did perceive the artist/musicians as almost god like with them receiving constant flattery. While the music fans (target audience) are represented as cool and modern again flattery is used to make the reader feel wanted and good about them selves so that they will buy the magazine and feel involved so therefore buy the magazine often.


· What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
My Print production would have been distributed by companies such as EMAP and IPC. NME are published by IPC publishers so therefore IPC publishing’s would not publish my magazine as they would be publishing to competitors so therefore they would lose money so therefore I will have to search for another publisher who does not already publish a main stream music magazine who have the same target audience (15-23). My other two main contenders Kerrang! And Q are published by the same publishers Bauer Media Group this is more obvious because the two magazines are not in competition with each other as there are different genres with Kerrang! Being more heavy metal and rock music with Q being more indie rock. So that leaves one more major publishing company left EMAP. EMAP publish such magazines as The Face and Smash Hits. This will be good for my media magazine “ Break Out” to have a major publisher to help distribute the magazine.


· Who would be the audience for your media product?
My target audience for my Music Magazine “Break out” would be the same audience of magazines such as Q, Kerrang! and NME, young music lovers roughly from the ages of fifteen to around early twenty year olds. This is because this is the age group that will go out to gigs and will be interested in new and interesting bands/music. That is the major force behind my magazine” Break out” is to find new and interesting bands for the audience to discover.

· How did you attract/address your audience?
I will attract/address my target audience via the internet like NME, Q and Kerrang! I would of set up a myspace and facebook account for the magazine, I will do this because my target audience (14-23 year olds) are also the main age group of people who have active Myspace and Facebook accounts. I will also maybe run a series of television advertisements as well as radio adverts on local and national radio stations with maybe posters to be put up in Local Newsagents and other stores which will distribute my music magazine. I used the choice of word and pictures to attract my audience, I did this be making the text not to n depth but not to childish and patronising. The choice of music in the magazine is a key factor in my target audience buying my media print production. The choice of music I chose was underground not main stream music, because my target audience stereotypically don’t like main stream music and like rough underground unsigned music.

· What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
In the creation of my music magazine I have used many varied technologies such as DTP, Adobe Photoshop, and Digital Camera. To create my front page, double page spread and contents page I used DTP (Desk top Publisher) and used the tools provided on Microsoft Publisher. I have used Publisher before but I now believe I have a greater technical understanding of the program. To take my photos I used a digital photo, I have used a digital camera before but not in such a professional way, I now believe I have a greater understanding of how they work. To take successful photographs I had to learn and control the lighting, models and camera angles to get the most effective shot. Then after taking the photographs I needed to edit the photographs to make them effective to make my music magazine realistic I digitally edited the images by using Adobe Photoshop. I have used Photoshop before although not in the same capacity in the way I have in this media production, I now believe I can take more successful images in the future. I used Photoshop to delete the blue screen background. I used the blue room to take my images because the blue screen images I can control the light, angle and don’t have to deal with natural elements unlike outdoors were it would have been a lot more difficult to achieve the images I would of liked to. To display my planning, research and final product on Blogger, I had not used Blogger before and I found it a very successful way of keeping a working journal and to show people my progression in the production. I also found it beneficial to look back at my work and use it to influence my future work.

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

I believe I have progressed in my ability of print production from my preliminary task. I found in my preliminary task I found it difficult to arrange my media print production, as well as really struggling with the photography. In my main task I asked my media studies teacher for help with my photography which I did improve after looking at the photographs in the aspect of lighting ( which I controlled), position ( which I had control of) and finally I had the control of the angle. All of these factors contributed to me having a successful photo shoot therefore my magazine will look more professional and realistic. I found it difficult to arrange my layout in the preliminary task although after researching other modern music magazines and identifying the conventions I believe I created a successful and realistic modern music magazine. My preliminary task I believe I struggled as I was still getting to grips with the subject and I believe my Preliminary task was not successful as it could of been and If I was to redesign and produce this college magazine. I believe I have made a real progression in my understanding of this course from my preliminary task to my music magazine task.

Final Magazine, Front Cver, Double page spread and contents page.

Photogrpah ideas

My ideas from the photo shoot include taking four different photographs of the band memebers and using them to make one large image like that on the NME magazine double pge spread. i also will take a high angle shot of all four band memebers to show there authority. i will aslo take a photograph of a single figure posing for my contents page. Although i may just use the conventional group photo.

Anaylisis of Kerrang magazine

This is the front cover of an issue of Kerrang! music magazine who's target audience is alternative, rock, metal and heavy metal music, therefore the conventions of this magazine are different to q and NME as they are indie music magazines. Kerrang! is a lot more raw and supposed to look unconventional and independent and unique. the front page although does agree with some modern music magazine conventions such as the main image impeding and covering to some extent the masthead.

I believe this is a very successful double page spread as it is a very good image and the layout of the piece is very succsessful. the background is key to the image as it is relevant to the band and the article. the article is not that large but then again the band in question is not the large either( unknown)

i am not to keen oon the contents page as i believe it is to over crwoded and is difficult to understand although it agrees with most conventions such as the areas divided by sub headings and boxes.

Anaylisis of NME magazine

Here is the front cover of NME magazine it agrees with the conventions of a modern music magazine as the masthead is obscured by the main photograph the title of the main feature is bold and overlapping the front covers main photograph. The front cover seems very edgy and underground a bit like my magazine " Break Out !". The front cover is very busy and competing for space are plugs and pulls all are surrounding the splash headline " Arctic Monkey's".

Here is the same magazines contents page, the different areas of the magazine are spilt up using boxes and sub headings the areas are news, features, reviews, live, gig guide and radar. Most of the conventions are met although usually there is no: Radar section.

This is the image from the double page spread from the same NME magazine i really like the photograph/image and i may use some of the ideas of this shot in my double page spread.

Anaylisis of Q magazine.

These are some recent Q magazine covers.

All of these magazines share common trades such as the positioning of the masthead with is a square in the top left hand corner. The two magazines on the Right ( Razorlight and Kings of Leon) share the fact that they don't have much text on the front covers although the one in the far left does this may be because it was a review of the year edition. Personally i prefer the Razorlight and Kings of Leon editions as i believe they look more sophisticated and i would be more tempted to buy them rather than the Led zeppelin edition.

This is a Q magazine contents and it is split into sections; Features, Review, This Month and Every month. They are separated by boxes and headings a convention of a contents page of a modern music magazine. it also agrees with the convention that there is a main image of some of the contents in this instance Arcadefire, with there name write above them. it also applies to the colour scheme of the magazine with is vital.

This is a double page spread from one issue of Q with the them/topic of the magazine being reviewing 2007 there is a main picture of the artist, Mika with quotes overlapping the images and the oposing page an interview with mika. This page like the front cover and contents page agrees with the convenstion of a modern music magazine with the colour scheme.

Publisher Drafts

These are my first drafts of the double page spread, Contents and the front cover, both produced on Microsoft Publisher, using the conventions of modern music magazines such as Kerrang!, Q and NME to influence my design.

Comparing three Music magazine covers

Theme Ideas for Music Magazine

The Narrative/ Theme of my magazine will be that of reviewing 2008 as a year in music. This is why I have collected music magazines reviewing past years (Q Magazine reviewing 2007). I am doing this because at this moment in time in my design of my music magazine it is January 2009, therefore at the moment it is common in music magazines to review the year gone by in there January edition (first week of January if publicised weekly). In these January issues the connotation is to also look forward to the upcoming year as well as reflection, so my main story (Double page spread) will be to look ahead at a upcoming band who will be “Big” in 2009 (fictionally).

LIIAR of my music magazine.

L-Language:


the layout, font of the text, the text itself, images ( photographs), the process of photograph( black and white to colour), Masthead, puffs, the colour, the size of text and the colour of text.


In Music Magazines there is a lot of colour used on the front page, contents page and on the double page spread. The use of font is also very important as music magazine used very busy photographs as there background images so therefore the text has to be bold and recognisable. The plugs are positioned all over the front cover and contents page seemingly spread randomly although a lot of thought will go into creating a successful front cover of a magazine. The plugs are usually distributed around the central image using bold font and a using a witty choice of words.


I - Institution:


The audience of a young adults, students, and some teenagers. exiting stories as well as light hearted fun stories with mainly music stories although some stories are about modern occurring news articles and popular culture.


I - Ideology:


The message i would like to represent music in the media in a print publication. The genre of modern music which i would like to represent is roughly around Rock, Alternative and Indie music, much like magazines like "Q magazine" and "NME magazine"


A - Audience:


My Selective audience would be a young audience, pretty much the same as Q,NME, Kerrang! or Mojo. The target audience will be young people who are attending secondary school ,college or university or who have just left one of these. The music magazine will also be about in trend modern music ( indie music, indie rock, rock and alternative rock).


R - Representation:

Representation in a music magazine will be re-presenting the target audience in some instances interviews and letters from readers/target audience, talking about the magazine, upcoming events, gigs ect. As well as representing them it will also represent the modern music industry, and the people who work within the industry e.g. Artists ( Music), song writers, band members and managers etc.

Conventions of a modern music Magazine.

The Conventions of a modern music magazine include:

Front Cover

The front cover of any magazine is vital, it is what attracts the customer to your magazine and what determines if the magazine is bought or not. Here are some conventions of modern day music magazine front covers:

• Masthead although usually impeded by the main image on the front cover.


• The main image is usually a picture of the main story, double page spread.


• The front page is usually very busy with very little space without text.


• There is usually a colour scheme with in the magazine demonstrated on the front page.


• Plugs are used on the front page, to entice readers to buy the magazine.


• Under the Masthead there is usually a sub masthead with a sell line.


• The headline is big and bold ( splash) and draws attention to the front page.

Double page spread (main article)

The double page spread is the main article of the magazine and usually the main reason why readers buy that certain music magazine The conventions of a modern music magazines double page spread (main article) are:

• The double page spread conventionally has one full page photo with the article ( usually a written article or interview) on the opposing page.


• There is usually smaller images included in the article/interview.


• The main image is always to do with the band on the next page.


• There is different coloured font to show the reader that is a different and separate font, usually to show questions and answers.


• There is usually a title on the double page spread of the band.

Contents Page(s)
The contents page of a modern music magazine is usually accompanied on the opposite page by some sort of advertisement ( Music/album or a product which would appeal to the selective audience reading the magazine.

• The Contents page is usually split into sections usually include features, this month, every month and reviews.
• These sections are usually split up by using boxes and sub-headings.
• There will also usually be a medium close up of someone in the magazine with there page highlighted or repeated.

Contents of Q Magazine

Q Magazine has a large review section, including: new releases (music), music compilations, film and concert reviews, as well as radio and television reviews. It uses a star rating system from one to five stars, the rating an album receives in Q is often added to print and television advertising for the album in the UK and Ireland. It also compiles a list of approximately eight albums, which it classes as the best new releases of the last three months.
Much of the magazine is devoted to interviews with popular musical artists. Popular culture as well s people In the media spot light from Razorlight to Barrack Obama.
The magazine is well known for compiling lists. It has created many, ranging from "The 100 Greatest albums" to the "100 Greatest '100 Greatest' Lists". The most famous of these is the classic "50 bands to see before you die". Every other month, Q has a special edition. These have been about musical times, genres, or a very important/influential musician. Q often give away free gifts such as books and CD’s.
Every issue of Q has a different message on the spine. Readers then try to work out what the message has to do with the contents of the magazine. This practice — known as the "spine line" — has since become commonplace among British lifestyle magazines, including Q's linked magazines, Empire and the football monthly FourFourTwo.
Usual features include The Q50, wherein the magazine lists the top 50 essential tracks of the month; Questions for money: where if you get the correct answer you win a prize, or if your question or comment is posted in the magazine you receive a cash prize.

Music Magazine

after completing my preliminary task I'm know in the process of producing a music magazine. In the following posts i will be researching, planning and designing a new music magazines'

• Front page


• Contents Page


• Double page spread

Front page Ideas

for the masthead of the Magazine i will call it : WYKE Magazine

My Headline will be : "Get your term off to a BANG ! "

and the sub-title : " Explosive ways to help your education"

The Logo i will use : the "Wyke" logo

The contact details i will use : the contact details of the Sixth form college

Plug Ideas:

• free £5 iTunes Voucher




• Student exchange with African college




• Top ten courserwork tips




• new biulding plans




• ash Biulding success so far




• Bombfire night special




• halloween special




• Halloween Party at Welly!
  

Photo Ideas relevant to story

(took on Bombfire night)

I will need to add a medium close up of a person ( Myself) to the Front page.

Planning Contents page

Textual Analysis of another magazines aimed at teenagers.

This is not a college/school magazine although i will still use this magazine to compare the conventions i have already identified by using actual college/school magazines. the first convention i will talk about is the masthead: the Masthead for a college/school magazine is to have a large bold masthead at the top of the front page, this is so when the magazine is on a shelf and only the top of the front page is visible and people can recognise the magazine. The second college/school Magazine is a large image which this magazine has (of Morrissey). It also has a bold overlapping title, with a Witty sub title under the actual title. There is room at the top of the magazine, room for plugs etc. although there is contact details on the page there is no specific logo although the title of the magazine is basically the logo. Although this magazine agrees with most of the conventions of a college/school magazine there is some differences from it and a conventional college magazine such as the plugs aren't at the top of the page but spread all other the page. In NME magazine which is aimed at a teenage audience,uses plugs around the main image i may take this into consideration and include these in my final magazine front page.

Rough Planning Layout of Magazine.

This is a rough layout of my college magazines front page. In designing this i used all of the conventions i have already noted down.

Planning - Front Page.

in this following post i will bullet point some key facts and ideas on a good front page to a magazine :

• Use a strong image, though not necessarily a photograph; sometimes text will work well.
• make sure the masthead is clearly independent. This doesn't mean the whole word has to be visible, Although it had to distinctive.
• Make sure the text on the page is visible from up to 3 metres away, as the front cover of the magazine will be amongst other magazines on a rack were the potential customer will have to stand 2-3 metres away.
• Promise a benefit for the reader ( free give away )
• offer something for beginners or new readers ( Free give way)
• Create strong links to the content page. Readers are annoyed if the fascinating story heralded on the cover is impossible to find in the contents list, perhaps because it is a given a different title.
• Stick to your promises
• Put the emphasis on the left hand side of the cover as that is the part which will show when the magazine is on the average newsagent's shelf. The other important site is the top, which is why you won't see many title pieces positioned at the bottom of a front cover
• Planning is vital.

Although my magazine is a college magazine so there is not as much pressure to make a profit on the magazine as it will not be bought. It will be given to students and maybe teachers for free. although it still has to lo attractive to attract the attention so readers will actually read the magazine.

Comparing "Secondary Teachers" magazines conventions with the conventions of another College Magazine.

This is one of the two " Secondary Teachers" magazines i analysed in my last post. I noted down all of the conventions of both the magazines and they were extremely similar this is because they are the same magazine but just different issues. In the following post i will compare my findings ( Secondary Teachers conventions) with that of a new College magazine which i discovered. The major conventions i discovered from the "Secondary Teachers" magazine was:

• Masthead


• Main Image


• Space at the top of Front page ( Plugs)


• Space at the bottom of Front page ( Publishers Icon, Issue Number)


• Text/Font ( overlapping the major image)


• Images

In this Magazine " INTOUCH" published by the king's college in London is a college magazine with similarity's to the secondary teachers magazine i have already analysed. Both share target audiences which are Teachers, although the In Touch magazine also is sent to ex-pupils of the college.They also share similar page layouts

The Conventions of a College/school magaznes.

The Conventions of a College/School are:

• A Masthead - All college/schools magazines must have a masthead. The masthead is used to tell what the magazine is about for example " Secondary Teachers" the masthead quite clearly states that the target audience is, secondary school teachers.
• Large Image - The large image like the title also displays the theme of the magazine and the contents of the magazine. This is also supported by the over laid text in a bold font. The use of the font creates depth and the text also re-enforces the images message. Usually found in the centre page.
• Space at the top - The space at the top of the magazine is usually used for plugs and puns. The section can be broken up to 5 separate section all advertising articles inside the magazines.
• Space at the bottom - The space at the bottom is usually used for the producers logo and name, also to display contact information such as the issue, the date and the contact details of the organisation. Although in some magazines this information could be found on the back page or inside pages.
• Font/Text - The font on the front page is usually all the same apart from maybe the masthead or the organisations name and logo. The position of the text is also very particular, such as there is always a play on words in bold font across the main image but in a position which does not obscure the image. The fonts colour is also very important as they try to make they magazine unisex by using both gender associated colours such as Females - Pink and Male - Red and Blue so i will try to include both colours in harmony in my magazine.
• Images - The choice of image is also key as they need to have a meaning behind them relevant to the story.
• Play on words - In most College magazines there are play on words on the front page to create humour and suspense about the story inside for example the secondary teachers story on cooking, on the front page there is the play on words " Cook with me! How schools can make lessons tasty" this is a perfect example of the play on words tactic.

In the next post i will compare the "Secondary Teachers" magazine with another college/school magazine.