EVALUATION: Question 7

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

When looking back at my skills audit which I completed when I had finished designing my college magazine, I can see that I was able to do most things on blogger but when I neared the end I saw that I had never used photoshop before: 

The skills audit shows that I was happy to use most applications, apart from photoshop because I had never used it before. It also shows that I was unable to scan images on to a mac. This was because I was used too using a windows computer, having never really used a mac before. 
I improved my skills on a mac when I started media because I was using a mac every week to design my college magazine and my music magazine, I am now happy with being able to do most things on a mac. I don't find it hard to use anymore, and now it is simple and I feel like I can use it whenever I need too. 

When I first started the preliminary task of creating a college magazine, I had no idea on how to create a magazine or how to use indesign. I think this is shown when looking at my college magazine, because I don't think it's the best I could have done it. I think in some areas of the college magazine I let myself down because I didn't push myself to work harder and challenge myself to use applications that I was not used to using, I stuck with basics because I could understand them. I didn't use photoshop when making my college magazine, I only used indesign. I think that is why my music magazine is so much better, because I used both applications other than just the one.

When I started to create my music magazine, I used photoshop before I used indesign because I realised I needed to challenge myself and that my music magazine had to be better than my college magazine. After a few weeks of working on photoshop for my front cover, I realised it wasn't hard to use and I was extremely happy with how my front cover came out. I got used to working with the tools I had never seen before, and I I feel that photoshop really helped to make my front cover image look professional as it has outstanding editing tools. 

I then chose to use photoshop for my contents page, even though I was told not too as I may have found it too difficult. At first I did because I wasn't sure on the layout I wanted because I completely changed my mind on the flat plans. I made one contents page, and then a week later I realised that I wasn't happy with it because something wasn't right. When asking people for advice they told me it looked good but I could have made some improvements, so I left it and I went away and planned a new contents page. Whilst doing that I finished my double page spread. In the Easter holidays, I went in to college to start to design my new contents page. After sitting on a mac for four hours, it was finally done. I didn't follow any other magazines, I followed the plan that I had made in my head and on paper. I wanted it to be different, unlike every other magazine; and that is exactly how it turned out. After finishing my contents page on photoshop, I was very confident in using it. I now know what every tool is, and how to work it; I am no longer confused when I want to use it.

For my double page spread, I used indesign. I thought I was confident in this as it was the application I used before when designing my college magazine. It turns out that I had forgotten how to use some of the tools, so I had to spend a few minutes readjusting myself to the application. Once I had done that, the only thing I found difficult was trying to find how to use a ''drop down capital.'' But after asking for help, I realised how it was done. 

Drop down capital: (The M)

After designing both the college and the music magazine, I now feel confident in using photoshop and indesign. Overall, I feel as if I have learnt a lot in the progression of the magazines. I have gained a lot of experience for future work, if I ever needed to design something. 

EVALUATION: Question 6

What have you learnt about technologies from 

the process of constructing this product?

Throughout the making of my magazine, I realised that technology wasn't simple anymore. It had all changed since the last time I used it, and now everything was hard to understand. I learnt that they are constantly updating technology to make it better than every other programme. I also learnt that there would be things that would stand in my way whilst using the different technologies.

Below is a SWOT ANALYSIS which explains my troubles and strengths throughout using these different technologies when making my music magazine.

EVALUATION: Questions 4 & 5

Question 4: 

Who would be the audience for your media product?

My music magazine is aimed at teenagers aged between 14 and 19, mainly being girls but also including boys. My target audience are INDIE/HIPSTER teenagers.

Below are annotated images of the type of audience members that my media product is aimed at. They also show what INDIE teenagers look like because too some it may not be clear. 

1) Primary target audience - teenage girls.

 

2) Secondary audience - teenage boys.

As my magazine is aimed at INDIE/HIPSTER teenagers, the music they listen too is INDIE music. Mainly the bands and artists that are mentioned in my magazine. Bastille, The XX and Jamie T

They like to be different. They tend to do things that involve fun, eg. Skateboarding, BMX'ing, Festivals, Gigs and Tours 

As the age I have chosen for my target audience is 14 to 19, they are most likely to be students. Although they are in the same age range, the things they do everyday are likely to be diverse. For example: School, College, Full-time job or University

Question 5: 

How did you attract/address your audience?

There were a number of things which I used too attract my audience. The main thing was the artists I used on the front cover, which is what everyone will see. I had to make sure I chose the right bands and artists that fit the genre of my magazine, and I also had to make sure that they were ones that appealed to my target audience. For example, Bastille, The XX and Jamie T are three artists that I mentioned on my front cover; they are all indie artists. I had to be careful what I included on my front cover because it is the first thing that the audience see, it is what attracts them to the magazine and makes them want to buy it. Another thing I used to attract the audience were the colours, orange and black. You often see black on magazine, but you rarely see orange. I chose orange as it matches the colour of the hair on the model I used throughout my magazine. I feel as if orange is an eye catching colour, and it stands out; but it isn't too harsh to the human eye. I also used a competition to attract the audience, this is something which is seen on many magazines. I used ''WIN READING 2013 TICKETS.'' Reading festival is an INDIE festival, filled with INDIE bands. The model I used also helped me to attract the audience, as she has the indie look which will attract indie teenagers to the magazine because they will feel as if they can relate too her. I also used the name 'INFINITY' which is very different and unheard of, and it is catchy.

I used these four things to attract readers, because they are things that the audience will want in the magazine.

          Infinity is a unique and different title, that you wouldn't usually see as a music magazine title.

 
When it comes to addressing the audience, this was shown a lot in the contents page. For example, I used the second person pronouns ''ya'' and ''you'' which helps the reader to get involved. It is addressing them in a friendly yet informal way, and in a way it makes them feel like a part of the magazine.

EVALUATION: Question 3

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

The two media institutions I looked into were Bauer Media and IPC Media:

IPC Media

• Usually associated with lifestyle magazines
• Was started in the 1800's
• IPC Media produces over 85 iconic media brands
• IPC Media is the UK's leading consumer magazine and digital publisher
• IPC Media are made up of three divisions IPC Connect, IPC Inspire and IPC Southbank
• Owns NME music magazine

Bauer Media

• Europe's largest privately owned media group
• Offers over 300 magazines in fifteen countries
• They have radio and television stations
• Owns Kerrang, a well known music magazine
• Started in 1953
• Bauer Media is a multi-platform UK based media group, consisting of many companies collected around two divisions- Magazines and Radio

Both of these media groups design magazines that target a varied range of audiences. They both also make music magazines, which helped me with my design work.

I looked at the music magazines they make, and it helped me to decide what genre mine would be and the layout and colours that it would have. 

I feel as if Bauer Media would be a good company to fit my magazine in to because it is very different. They do a lot of different work, whereas IPC Media are mainly lifestyle magazines aimed at the middle age. Bauer Media branch out with the different things they work on, and the different audiences they are aimed at. I feel as if my magazine would fit with their portfolio as it is different, like their company. Although some of the things they do like radio and television attract a younger audience, I feel as if my magazine will help them attract a young, fresh teen audience. I also feel that they could use another music magazine like mine, as it is a completely different genre too Kerrang.

EVALUATION: Question 2

This is a prezi which shows my answers to question two.

EVALUATION: Question 1

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

My product uses conventions of real media. It does this by using things that you would see in or on a real magazine, for example:


1. A barcode:

You see these on every magazine that is sold in shops.









2. Puff/Plug:

You see offers like these on most magazines, it makes the magazine more popular. 









These are only few of the conventions I have used that real magazines also use.

My product challenges some conventions that you would see on a real media product. It does so because it isn't set out like a real magazine, I have made a lot of changes that you wouldn't see in a typical magazine.
For example, my contents page. You wouldn't see a contents page like mine in any well-known magazine, it is different; but in a good way. Most contents pages are the same, simple and easy to read.
For example: 

Q Magazine

As you can see the layout is very good, yet simple. The colours are well-known, they haven't gone out of their comfort zone to try something different. 


























When making my magazine I realised I wanted it to be different to other magazines. I didn't want it to be the same as the ones in the shops, because most of them are the same and I wanted to produce a catchy magazine that in my mind would be very popular to a young audience. I challenged the conventions of media products (magazines), by doing this because my magazine is very different. The colours orange and black aren't colours you'd usually use in a magazine, and they aren't colours that would particularly be aimed at a girl audience. I chose these colours because I wanted them to be different, and aimed at both girls and boys. So whilst choosing my colours, I took into account my secondary audience.
By doing this it also develops the conventions of a real media product, because I have taken some of the things from a music magazine in shops and worked on them to make them different. 
For example, for my PUFF/PLUG I haven't put a ''puff'' around it because I didn't want it to look like every other magazine with a chance to win something. The way I have done it is simple and more pleasing to the human eye, because it doesn't stand out in a shocking way but it is still something that would make you want to buy the magazine.

Double page spread: Finished!

This is my finished double page spread.

Double page spread preparation!

What type of double page spread do you intend to create?
My double page spread will be an interview with Amber (the person who I photographed for my music magazine.) She will be talking about being on tour, how she got signed and romance. The left side will be an original image of Amber, and the right side will be the interview in a question and answer format. This helps the audience to find out what the 'newest indie artist' is like, and it will give all her fans the gossip. As my magazine is aimed at teenage girls aged 14 to 19, I feel as if this will entertain them. Not forgetting my secondary audience, teenage boys also aged 14 to 19; who I also think will find this entertaining. 

How you intend to incorporate original images?
I intend to incorporate original images by using a main image on the left hand side of my double page spread. The image will show Amber looking natural, and it will be a long shot so that you can see her whole body. This will give the audience a closer connection to Amber, because they will be able too see her style. (The clothes that she is wearing.)

How will you obtain information and images for your feature spread?
For images, I will take them myself of Amber. I only want too use one image for my double page spread, as I want most of the focus on the interview. For the information, I will use questions that are often used in magazines, I want them to be informal and chatty and I will write out the interview before I put it on to my double page spread to make sure that it sounds right.

Visual style?
The theme from the front cover and contents page will be consistent on the double page spread, with the use of the same colours and fonts; this helps it too look like a real magazine. The layout will be simple, and easy to read; I don't want my interview squished on to a page as the audience may find this hard to read. As it is aimed at younger people, it needs to include a variation of colour to keep them interested. Also indie magazines tend to have eye-catching interviews, this helps to keep the audience interested.

What style of writing you intend to use?
The writing style will tend to be informal and chatty because it is more entertaining. Formal interviews tend to be boring, and a lot of the time the audience members don't read the whole thing. I am writing informally because I want my audience to read the whole interview, and to be interested in Amber's music and lifestyle. It is also aimed at a teenage audience, therefore the words can't be formal or scientific as they may find such words hard to understand.

Music magazine, contents page: Finished!

Below is my finished contents page. After a lot of hard work and photoshop difficulties, I finally finished it. Overall, I am very happy with how it came out. It follows the same theme as the front cover,  because I had to make sure it looked like the same magazine.

Contents page: Drafts, music magazine!

Below are different photos that I captured whilst designing my contents page.

Draft 1:

<-- This is a screen shot I took when I was designing my contents page.




<-- This shows the different colours I used to design my contents page, as you can see the colours match the front cover.



<-- These are the different layers I used to make sure every feature on the page was in the right place.


^ As you can see above there are still places on my contents page which are bare, the next draft will show you what I done to change that fault.

Draft 2:

This draft shows the contents page almost 
finished. As you can see I filled the blank areas with more features, and I have chosen a different design to usual magazines.

Music Magazine: Contents page photography

I was originally just going to use the same model I used on my front cover for my contents page, but then I thought that it would have looked plain and simple. So I took my other friend Harriet to 'Pompey Alley' which is where I took photos of Amber for my double page spread. I then took two photos of Harriet which I want to put in the corner of my contents page to show that there are other stories in my magazine.


The two images I took of Harriet for my contents page:

Below is the photo of Amber that I am going to use for my contents page.
For this photo I plan to cut around Amber, getting rid of the background. I will then fit her in to the background of my contents page.

Music Magazine Front Cover: Finished!

This is the finished front cover of my Music Magazine. After using different techniques on photoshop, this became my final draft.  Overall, I am happy with the finished cover as it took a lot of work and effort to get it how I wanted. I hope that my contents page and double page spread, also look this good. 

Music Magazine: Front Cover photography

Below are the photos I have taken of my friend Amber, to use for my Music Magazine front cover. I have to decide which one I want to use, and then edit it. I went to different locations, including the beach to take these photos. I asked Amber to do different poses so that all of the photos weren't the same, and I had a choice for which one to use for when it came to deciding. I took the photos on a Sony camera.

Music Magazine: Photography Schedule

This explains how, when and why I took my images for my magazine. I used different cameras and locations for each shot because I wanted a variety and I wanted too see which camera worked best.

Research and Planning: Task 2, Report

Report into target audience:

Pop music:
Audience- Mainly teens or young adults. Both girls and boys. Pop music is probably the most well known genre of music, and is listened to all around the world by many different cultures and ages. 

Rock music:
Audience- Rock's main target audience would be along the lines of 20-50 years of age. Usually men, but sometimes girls.

Rap music:
Audience- Rap music is listened to by many individuals around the world. Rap is defined as poetry. It is listened to by people of different races, genders and ages. Many people associate rap music with African Americans but this is not always the case. Usually within the ages of 13-50.

My genre:

INDIE MUSIC:
Audience- A surprising amount of people listen to indie music. It is a popular choice of music, but not as popular as POP music.

Most, if not all, of the who listen to indie music are hipsters. Hipsters, however, is a fallacious term, since they aren't really following the most popular trends at all. A more appropriate, yet less accepted, term for this type of person is elitist. It is both girls and boys between the ages of 14 and 25.

A small percentage of people who listen to indie music are categorized as scenesters, or scene kids. 

Typical indie concerts have a crowd made up of 65% hipsters who stand in the front drinking beer, 35% scene kids who sit in the back and talk while the band plays.

This has helped me to get a clear understanding of who my target audience is. 

Research and planning: Task 1: Essay

Discuss the representation of people in your chosen genre of music magazine: 
Genre: Indie

I chose the genre of 'Indie' for my magazine. I chose this because it is a genre that appeals to a lot of people, because it is interesting and different. People are so used to seeing the same 'POP' music magazines in shops, so I thought I would do something that people are not used to seeing. There are a few INDIE magazines around at the moment, such as ''INDIE'' and ''jmag.''

Mise-En-Scene
The 'Mise-en-scene' in these two magazines are both very different. ''INDIE'' magazine is very bare and simple, it has a simple photo of one person; it is never more than one. It then has it's title big and bold at the top of the page, with it's tag line positioned directly underneath it. It then has a bar-code in the left corner and a piece of text in the right corner. ''Jmag'' has a very busy front cover, it has different colours and fonts all over the A4 page. It has a group rather than one single person, and the title is positioned behind the heads of the group. They also have their bar-code in the left corner, but they have a lot of cover lines all over the page. Even though both of these magazines have different ''Mise-en-scenes'' they are both indie magazines and it shows that they can be different and still appeal to the same audience. It seems as if ''Jmag'' have made their front cover crazy to fit the band, because the band look a bit mad. Whereas, ''INDIE'' have simplified their magazine to suit the people; because the models they use look simple. This can help me with my magazine.

Representations
"Indie" may include music that is not independently produced, and most independent music artists do not fall into a single, defined musical style or genre and usually create music that can be categorized into other genres. Indie musicians represent a certain image, such as.. 

Florence and the Machine

Indie POP

Jake Bugg

Indie FOLK

As you can see, all indie artists are different. They all represent the same thing (Indie Music), but they are all different. Whereas, in every POP artist looks the same and produce the same kind of music. All INDIE artists look different, and they produce very different types of music. They support an image of ''difference'' and they show their fans and others, that it's okay to be different.

People that listen to 'Indie' music (fans), are also known as ''hipsters.'' They are also different, they don't follow the crowd. As shown by them listening to indie music. The people that listen to INDIE music, usually attend festivals such as..

So I have to take into account when making my magazine, that my target audience like to be different. Therefore my magazine has to be different, and it has to show a range of different indie music that appeals to the audience. After discussing the representations of indie music, I have a clear idea of how my music magazine should be.

Music Magazine: Flat plans

I have designed my flat plans with the best intentions that my magazine will stick to these layouts. If I have to change the layouts when I am making the magazine, I will not change the flat plans. As I have stated these are all only drafts, therefore there is no reason for my magazine having to be identical to the flat plans I have designed.

Below is the finished flat plan draft for my double page spread:

Music Magazine: Flat plans

Below are the draft flat plans for the front cover and contents page:

Front cover:

Contents page:

Music Magazine: Proposal

Who are you aiming your magazine at specifically? 
The genre of my magazine is INDIE, and as soon as you hear the word 'INDIE' teenagers come to mind. Therefore, my magazine is aimed at a target audience of teenage girls ageing from 14 to 19. But I have to take in to account a secondary audience, which will be teenage boys and anybody else who listens to INDIE music and chooses to buy my magazine. I am going to make sure that I do not alienate my secondary audience, so everything I do with my magazine will be aimed at teenage girls mostly but I will not forget my secondary audience. My magazine is going to be diverse.

What will your magazine be about?
My magazine is a music magazine which is going to be based around the genre of INDIE. It is going to be about indie music and a lot of other things that the teen audience will find interesting. Such as:

• Indie music.
• Upcoming gigs and artists.
• Reviews.
• Boys/Girls.
• Instruments.
• Competitions.
• Advise.
• Interviews with celebrities.
• Offers.
• Tours.

What are your ideas for cover lines?
I want my main cover line to be at the top of the page, and I want it to be big and eye-catching so it catches the readers attention. I want it to be funky, in a teen text sort of way; so that it fits with the audience genre of teenagers. I want it to be modern. As for my other cover lines, I would like them to be placed around the page rather than just on the left-side because that is what every magazine does, and my aim for this magazine is for it to be different. And I want a dateline at the bottom right of my front cover. I would like them to be orange and black, but this could change.

What title have you decided on and why?
I have decided on the title 'Infinity' (symbol: ∞), because it refers to something without any limit. And I don't want my magazine to have any limits, I want it to pass the limits and continue, therefore it is infinite. I also think that this title is different and pleasing to the human eye. I was going to use the title 'Elite' but I realised that it didn't have any meaning, and it was unrecognizable. 

What fonts do you want to use?
Below I have attached an image of the different fonts that I may use, I might not end up using these but the one I do use will be very similar; as these are exactly what I want. They are eye-catching. The middle one is my favourite, and the last one is my least favourite.

 How frequently will it be published?
My aim is for my magazine to be published on the 1st of every month. I would like for it to be frequent, and I hope my audience do too. I'm yet to take it into consideration, but I may have a different colour theme every month so that it is always different. 

What kind of image do you expect to put on the front cover and how will you go about getting this image?
The image on the front cover will be of a friend of mine named Amber, who is sixteen; also studying Media. 
My plan is to do her make up and outfit and make her look like a young artist that sings indie music. I will take the photo myself, on my camera; and I am going to put a lot of time and hard work in to the image, because it is the one that everyone will see. I want it to be different and again, eye-catching.

What are the dimensions of your cover?
The dimension of my cover will be a standard A4 page. This is the only thing that I want to be simple, and you can still fit everything on to the page. I do not want it all to be squashed together, as this will make it hard for the audience to see everything.

What images/colour would you use on your contents page?
For my contents page I want to stick with the colour of black for the font, and I want to add some blue. But there will also be the previous colour of orange that I am using on the front cover on different areas of the contents page. As for images, Amber will also make an appearance on the contents page but I will take other photos of different friends of mine who will be dressed as singers, or maybe even bands and these will be on the contents page. 

What are your ideas for a double page spread?
My double page spread will be an interview with Amber; she will be talking about her music, gigs, romance, friends and make up. There will be different photos of her during the interview placed around the page, and her name will be used as the cover line across the first page of the double page spread. There will also be other cover lines for when the subject of the interview changes, so that the audience can chose what they want to read. I will use black for all the font, and an eye-catching colour for the coverlines. I may use some orange and purple on this page because she is girly and confident, and girl teenagers will enjoy this.

Music Magazine: Initial Ideas Mind Map

Ideas for my music magazine:

These are some of my ideas of what I may use in my music magazine, this is only a draft so my music magazine will be different when it is finished and some of these techniques may be used, and others won't.

Target Audience: Representation (Equality and Diversity)

1. How might you ensure you target a secondary audience?

Although my main target audience is aimed at teenage girls ageing from 11 to 17, who are into indie music and upcoming indie bands; I also have to think about a secondary audience that may enjoy reading my magazine. For example: teenage boys, even though my magazine is going to have a lot of feminine images; I am going to include different pages that are aimed at both genders. 

It is important that when I am designing my magazine, that I do not alienate people who the magazine is not aimed at. I am going to add things to the magazine that boys would also enjoy reading, because boys also often listen to indie music. I might also add things that are aimed at an older audience, because I never know who may buy my magazine. Even though in the media it is shown that indie music is aimed at teenagers, and you wouldn't think that an older audience would usually associate with a teen indie magazine; it may be in their interest. 

The images I will use are going to be modern and simple, it will be an image of a teenage girl who sings indie music. The font I choose to use will be modern and you will be able to tell that it is aimed at teenagers, because it will be colourful and eye catching.

2. Consider how the genre is represented?

My magazine is aimed at teenage girls so to show this, I will be using colours which are usually associated with girls. For example: Red and Orange.
But as I have to think about a secondary audience I will also usually colours like Green and Black.
As it is aimed at a teenage audience, the main image is of a teenage girl who sings indie music. I have chosen to use her because by using a teenager, the audience will feel like the magazine is up to date with their age and they will be interested in the music magazine.
My magazine is going to be aimed at all ethnicities and sexualities, and this will be shown in the magazine because their will be images of people within a different sexuality throughout, and singers of different races shown throughout the magazine.