EVALUATION: QUESTION 7

EVALUATION:

QUESTION 7: LOOKING BACK AT YOUR PREMLIMINARY TASK, WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE LEARNT IN THE PROGRESSION TO THE FULL PRODUCT?

 

 

 

EVALUATION: QUESTION 6

EVALUATION:

QUESTION 6: WHAT KIND OF MEDIA INSTITUTION WILL DISTRIBUTE YOUR PRODUCT?

 

IPC Media is a upmarket group that produces over 85 iconic magazine brands, one of them being NME which is my inspiration magazine for my product. Therefore I will use IPC Media to publish my magazine making it a sister publication because my magazine and NME are working together.

NME is published weekly and costs around £2.40, however my magazine will be published every month for £1.50. I decided to do a monthly issue because it shows the quality of the magazine will be better because there will be more to write about and publish to the audience. However I would need to boost the price of my magazine if there were special gifts each month therefore making some profit for the magazine. It will be more likely that my target audience will buy my magazine due to the price of the magazine compared to NME. However the distribution of my magazine needs to be huge for people to recognise my magazine from NME and to show that it is cheaper and has a wider range of music for people who like rock and indie genres therefore combining Kerrang!'s target audience and NME's target audience in one.

 

I will distribute my magazine as a print and online version so I will include a website on the print version to show a symbiotic relationship between both of them and also by having a online version it is more accessible to read the magazine as the online version can be downloaded onto phones or iPads creating the whole idea that the reader can read the magazine at their own leisure. The online version because it is on the web it means it will be more up to date than the print based version because it will updated constantly, therefore the online version will keep the reader completely up to date with the latest news.

Also to increase the popularity of the magazine, if more people are using the website for the magazine than buying the monthly version an app can be made and downloaded on these devices so the audience have all time access to the magazine. The app will be a replica of the website, however it will have more features and more information and videos on the app. This is because I will put a charge for the app for about £1.00 a month therefore the magazine will still be making money but for the app version. It will be cheaper than the print version due to the fact that there will be no free gift with the app. I will let the audience have 1 month free for the app so they know what it will include and then the charge will start after the month has ended. The whole idea of having an app made for my product is because it appeals to more people as they will prefer to have it on their electronic devices so they don't need to carry around the print version. Also it keeps them up to date with all the latest news on music and they can also sign up for notifications to the phone if a band they like is touring or if tickets are on sale. It creates synergy because the magazine will be linked to websites such as iTunes and Ticketmaster.

Also on the website and app I will advertise a radio and TV station relating the magazine to create an immersive world making the magazine more accessible meaning the reader can get involved in many different media platforms. This will appeal to the audience because if they want to listen to the music that is in the magazine this does it for them. It creates the idea that they can listen to the music or watch the music videos that will be played on the website whenever they like. It also creates another distribution as if the audience like the music being played and shown they will recommend it to their friends and then they can simply flick to the TV channel or turn on the radio to listen. This then gets more listeners and if it appeals to them they will go online and found out about the magazine and then perhaps pick up a print version in the shop.

Social networking is good to promote and distribute my product because the majority of my target audience will have access to the internet and have one or more social networking accounts. Therefore if my magazine has an account for these sites and updates it regularly it will make the audience follow and keep up to date with the latest news and new music. To make the accounts known popular the competitions that are in the magazine will be promoted on these accounts and there will be a weblink to the website therefore promoting the website as well as the social networking site in one.  On the instagram account there will be pictures of the magazine and different tours and bands that feature in the magazine. Also it will include times when different bands are being interviewed the picture of them in the studio so the audience know that the contents in the magazine is real. Also there will be special videos of new songs or teasers for the audience to listen to so they know when something new is coming out so they can keep up to date with the website or app.

One of the features on the website will be Merchandise. This will be very popular with my target audience because they are more likely to wear band t-shirts than normal shirts. By having this option for the audience gives them another place to buy their clothing from. By having a large range of merchandise for the audience to buy from will appeal to them so they are likely to go back to the magazine website and buy clothes from there. Also I will advertise the magazine on the merchandise by having the logo of the magazine on all of the clothing and other items. By doing this it makes the buyer more aware of where they are buying it from but also promotes it to other people. There will also be a batch of merchandise that have an image of the front cover of the magazine on the clothing so if the audience really like the magazine they can show it off to other people by having it on their clothing, this shows audience participation because they are getting involved with the magazine and then promoting it themselves to others.

Another great way to distribute my product would be to have a MTR festival stage which is what NME do. This means that the magazine has their own tent where different bands that are playing at the festival sign autographs and take photos for the fans. This would be a good way to promote my magazine because the festival appeals to a wide range of people who like similar music therefore my magazine will be in the right festival if it goes to a rock or indie festival. This makes the audience more aware of the magazine and it shows it is good for them because it has the bands they like there. Also festivals are normally shown on the TV therefore it will be shown to everyone at home as well therefore promoting the magazine even more. This appeals to people who like this type of music but it is also shown to people who might not necessarily like it but recommend it to others.

EVALUATION: QUESTION 5

EVALUATION:

QUESTION 5: IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?

 

 

 

 

 

EVALUATION: QUESTION 4

EVALUATION:

QUESTION 4: WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT ABOUT TECHNOLOGIES FROM THE PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING THIS PRODUCT?

 During the process of making my publication I have extended my knowledge of using Photoshop for example I have used various tools to create my products. The image above presents some of the different tools I used during the process and how they made my product better.


FRONT COVER:
I needed these 3 tools for my front cover as they helped develop my product to a better standard. I needed to use the colour tool to change the colour of my font so it fitted in to what I needed my house style to be. By adding colour to my product it made the front cover look more appealing to the audience. I learnt that to get the specific colour of a piece of text or the background or the clothing of the cover star I used the colour picker tool to ensure the colour matches together.
To create a pug for my front cover I used the shape tool to create a circle and used the filler tool to fill in the colour and then used the text tool to write inside of it to show the audience how much the magazine is. By having this in a pug it draws the attention of the audience to it straight away so they know how much the magazine is.
For my masthead I had to chose which font I wanted so it stood out to the audience and so it looked bold and inviting and fit into the genre of the magazine. At first I chose a different masthead to what I used as my final decision, so while doing this I had to use the magic wand tool to erase the background around the letters. To make sure I did this correctly I used the zoom tool to achieve accuracy.


CONTENTS PAGE:
The two tools that are shown were needed for my contents page. The text tool was used throughout my media product however I decided to focus on this particular part on my contents page as I used copies of the masthead in between the text, meaning I used different layers for the copies to work between the text to make sure the text didn't go over the layer with the copy on or the copy going over the text. I changed the size of the font for this particular part as well because it is a subscribe box which shows audience participation so the audience need to be able to see it.
Another tool I used on my contents page was the erase tool. I used this because there was a white background on the image of gig tickets and therefore wouldn't look appealing on a grey background. To make it easier I used the magic wand tool to erase the bit parts of the background that would have taken longer with the eraser. However once I got close to the edges of the main image I needed that is when I used the eraser tool to make sure the corners and sides were neat. I also learnt that I can change the size of the eraser to make it bigger or smaller depending on what you need to rub out.

 DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD:
I used these 3 tools for my double page spread to make it look more interesting and different to normal double page spreads. For example I decided to have my 4 secondary images in black and white. I did this by first putting the image I wanted to use on a separate document and changing the gradient to black and white and leaving the layer on that image. I then selected the whole image and copied and pasted it into the double page spread document. I then used the magic wand to get the access background deleted so just the image was in place. I learnt that I needed to make sure that everything that I wanted in black and white needed to be underneath the black and white layer and everything that was supposed to be in colour above the black and white layer.
For my main image I needed to use the magic wand tool to erase the background from the image. I also needed to use the eraser tool to get rid of the small bits of the background near the cover star's head. I had to use the blur tool to make sure that everything blended in together so her head fitted in with the background and didn't look out of place.
For all 3 of my products I had a selection of fonts to choose from to use. I decided to use a simple font that was easy to read but also could have different styles to it for example 'condensed bold italic' therefore when I put most of my writing in capitals it looked better than if the font was a normal. It also worked in my favour as the new style of the font fitted in better with my music genre.

EVALUATION: QUESTION 3

EVALUATION:

QUESTION 3: HOW DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT REPRESENT PARTICULAR SOCIAL GROUPS?



IDEAL READER: My ideal reader for my media product is for both genders as the colour connotate the genre of the magazine which is rock/indie. The black and red are both dark colours therefore the white contrasts with these making them neutral colours that match with anything. The cover star takes up the whole of the mise-en-scene therefore the audiences attention goes straight to the cover star and therefore they will be able to tell what type of genre the magazine is. The outfit that the star is wearing and also stance connotate a rebellious side straying away from traditional conventions for female stars. Therefore the females of my target audience would aspire to be like her. The reason that males would like my product is because of the music within the magazine as both genders listen to rock/indie.

MODE OF ADDRESS:  The use of  informal language throughout my magazine addresses the audience and makes them feel comfortable when reading the magazine which shows them that the magazine is there for entertainment.

 To appeal to the correct target audience my star would have to fit in with the genre of music by wearing suitable clothing that fits within the genre. By looking at my cover star you can tell that they have the right attitude for my genre as the cover star isn't smiling therefore it shows that it isn't a pop genre. By having this facial expression it shows that the cover star is confident and almost looking smug showing that she doesn't give away her emotions easily. If the cover star appeared mainstream the image would not fit the iconography of the genre. The clothing that my cover star is wearing also fits into the genre of the magazine as the leather jacket gives an edginess to the look to make her look tough.

I will demonstrate how Laura Marling one of the celebrities my audience might be interested in as she is the indie part of the genre because her music is guitar based. She filters her appearance and performance depending on the audience.



The image on the left shows Laura on a red carpet at the Brit Awards therefore her audience is nationwide meaning that a lot of people are watching her. Therefore her outfit fits into this category because it is very staged and they have to have a set outfit. She looks very sophisticated with her hair scraped off her face and also with a blouse and trousers and heels. However the heels could demonstrate a edge to her appearance as they aren't delicate heels they are chunky black ones which could show she still has a say when choosing her outfits. She has direct eye contact with the audience with a neutral facial expression. She has demure body language because she posing for the camera and is tying to appeal to a young female audience as a positive role model. Although the image on the right still shows her youth and beauty, her pose is much more laid back as it looks like she is in her element because her guitar shows she is doing what she loves doing. Her outfit is different as she is wearing an oversized cardigan which could show she hasn't really thought about it she just wants to put on a good show and be comfortable in what she is wearing. Her hair is down and isn't scraped back which shows a more carefree look towards the audience. This image is all about the music and her own individual style which is also shown through the rings she is wearing.
Both looks are for completely different audiences which shows how she filters her appearance depending on the audience.

 

 

 

 In all of my images for my product I tried to make sure that she looked aspirational for the female audience and also looked nice for the male audience this is so the audience are more likely to read the magazine if they like the look of the cover star. In the image for the contents page and double page I put a variety of poses on it so the audience knows she isn't serious all the time and also likes meeting her fans. She is at a similar age to the age range of my target audience therefore it will appeal more to the audience and make them read it because they could find out a lot more about her when reading the magazine. The mise-en-scene on the front creates a rebellious look for the cover star because of the facial expression and the leather jacket. However then on the contents page and double page spread the audience get to see a softer side to her which links well with the genre being rock and indie music.

EVALUATION QUESTION 2: DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

EVALUATION:

QUESTION 2: HOW DID YOU ATTRACT/ADDRESS YOUR AUDIENCE? (DPS)

By having the masthead at the top of the page it is recognisable for the audience to see because it has been on each page consistently therefore the audience will remember it more so when they see it on the shelves they will automatically know what it stands for and what genre the magazine is. The word exclusive shows the audience that the interview has never been revealed before and that it is a special interview which will attract the audience to read the interview because it is a special edition for the magazine so this will persuade them to read it. By having the headline in a different colour than the rest of the writing informs the audience who the cover star is and shows who the interview will be about. It is in big bold capitals to show the audience that the name of the star is the most important bit on the page. The stand first underneath the headline lets the audience know who the star is just in case they don't know who she is and want to find out a bit about her before reading the whole interview. This attracts the audience because they can read the stand first and if it doesn't appeal to them they don't have to read the whole interview they can just skip the page. It addresses the audience because it shows what Heather will tell the audience.

 The images attract the audience because it shows a variety of images of the cover star which attracts the audience because it shows the different styles of the cover star so if the female audience want to copy her style they can. The main image is in colour because it takes up the middle of the mise en scene because it is the biggest image which grabs the readers attention when they see it in a magazine. The secondary images are in black and white to contrast from the main image. They are also smaller than the main image and the facial expressions that the cover star is pulling are funny so it shows the audience what type of person she is.

 

The pull quote is embedded into the interview and it is in a different colour from the rest of the interview and also in a bigger font to show the audience that it isn't part of the interview it is a quote that has been picked out. This attracts the audience because it mentions an artist so if the audience like the artist mention they are more likely to read the interview and find out more about it. The reason there is a pull quote is to break up the text to make the page look more appealing. It addresses the audience because their attention is more likely to go to the pull quote than it is to anything else so the pull quote has to be short and interesting to capture the readers attention so they read the interview.

 

 

 

 

 

The grey box at the end of the interview gives the audience even more information about the star. This attracts the audience because if they enjoyed the interview they will want to find out more about her and buy her album. Therefore a promotion is needed in the grey box to promote her album for the audience to buy. By using iTunes it shows symbiotic relationship between the magazine and iTunes itself because it is telling the readers to buy it off there as it doesn't give them another option. Also by having the social networking site Twitter in the grey box it also shows a symbiotic relationship and also audience participation because the audience can go online and find her on twitter and keep up to date with new updates about her and also new information about gigs and albums. This attracts the audience because it is a step further for them because if they liked her then they can become a fan of her. It also addresses them because my target audience are likely to have internet access and social networking so it is accessible for them to go online and it will appeal to them much more than waiting for the next issue about the same star.

EVALUATION QUESTION 2: CONTENTS PAGE

EVALUATION:

QUESTION 2: HOW DID YOU ATTRACT/ADDRESS YOUR AUDIENCE? (CONTENTS PAGE)

To attract the audience I used my masthead on the contents page and used the same colours as the front cover so it keeps to the house style of the magazine. This attracts the audience because it is then recognisable for them and also makes it simpler to read as all the colours and fonts are the same so they know what to expect when reading the magazine.  
By having a editors letter I addressed the audience in a friendly way so they feel more comfortable reading the magazine and that they know that it is for their entertainment so it is easy to read. By using direct address to the audience it shows that the magazine is directly talking to them so it makes the audience feel comfortable and it will appeal to them more. Also by having a picture of the editor with a band member it shows that the contents inside the magazine is reliable which will attract the audience because they will be more likely to read the magazine because they know that all of the features are true.
My features have category headings to address the audience so they know which features come under what topic this makes it easier for the audience to go to a story they would like to read. The names of the bands and artists are in a different colour to the other information to make it easier for the audience to see what the feature will be about so then they don't have to read all the information, they can just see the band name and if they don't appeal to the audience they can skip to the next one. Also to boost the easy access of reading the magazine the page numbers are there so the audience can find the page quickly rather than looking through the whole magazine for the feature they want.
The images make the page look more inviting and appealing for the audience because it shows a variety of images that will be throughout the magazine so it gives the audience a taster of what will be in the magazine. The images that are shown on the contents page show the audience that they are the main features in the magazine because there is a variety of images from each feature which shows that there will be more inside the magazine. Also there is page numbers next to the images therefore the audience can see what image goes with which feature so it doesn't make it confusing for the audience.


By having a subscribe box at the bottom of the contents page it shows audience participation because it gets the audience involved with the magazine and lets them interact with the magazine. By having the audience subscribe to the magazine it makes them a loyal reader. Also the website shows the audience that they can log on to the website to find out more information about the magazine and keep up to date with the latest news that might not necessarily be in the print version of the magazine.

By having extras in the magazine it will attract the audience because they can win free prizes and can get involved even more with the magazine which is also audience participation. The audience are more likely to read and buy the magazine knowing that they have a chance to win gig tickets as buying the magazine is much cheaper than buying the tickets straight away, they are more likely to buy the magazine first so they have a chance to win them and then if they don't win the gig tickets there is still other special offers in the magazine. This gives them a variety of offers to choose from so if one doesn't appeal to them they have another choice. This attracts the audience because they are more likely to buy a magazine with more competitions and prizes in than one that doesn't.

 

EVALUATION QUESTION 2: FRONT COVER

EVALUATION:

QUESTION 2: HOW DID YOU ATTRACT/ADDRESS YOUR AUDIENCE?

My magazine shows it fits in with the rock/indie genre and it attracts my audience because of the particular colours that are used because they are dark colours that go well together. Black, white and dark red are quite neutral colours so it shows the audience that the magazine is for both genders which makes the magazine more appealing as it has a bigger audience so it will attract more people to read the magazine. By looking at the front cover you can already tell there will be plenty of content within the magazine which will attract to the audience as if they are music lovers they will appreciate the different bands that are in the magazine and it gives them a choice of bands and artists to choice from so if they don't like one of them it gives them a variety. They will also be attracted by it because if they see a new band that they haven't heard of and want to listen to them they will buy the magazine to find out more about them.
The magazine only costs £1.50 which is a good price because it isn't too expensive for students to buy every month if they become a loyal reader. It shows that the audience will get their moneys worth because it has a lot of content in the magazine and also if some months there will be a free gift for example a bands EP album. This should attract the audience because they aren't paying extra for the album, just the magazine.

My cover star for my magazine is looking straight at the audience which will address them and draw them in. By having the main image fit the whole of the mise-en-scene it shows that the cover star will grab the attention from the audience. The main image appeals to them as the audience may know the artist therefore they will be more likely to buy the magazine. Also she is young and trendy and her facial expression is neutral suggesting that she feels confident and cool which connotes the idea towards the audience that they should also feel like this. She fits well into the genre because she is within the age of the target audience being 16-24 which will make the audience stop and look and the magazine because she stands out and may be a similar age to them. The cover line anchors the image to the text on the page so the audience know that these link together so if they don't know who the cover star is they can find out who it is. The pull quote gives the reader a taster of the interview and the strapline gives them background on the star so they know more about her, this will attract them because if they like what they read they are more likely to buy the magazine and take a look inside.

I have addressed my audience by using audience participation with the pug as it offers a chance to win free gig tickets or clothing which will attract the audience as well because they will be more likely to buy the magazine if there is a chance to win big. Also the social networking sites show symbiotic relationship and audience participation as it lets the audience gets involved and keep up to date with the magazine. By using social networking sites it makes it easier for the reader to get involved as they are more likely to go online than read a print version therefore it makes the magazine accessible by having online updates and a website so the reader can look online to see if there is anything new since the last issue.

The fonts that I have used are kept simple but to make the magazine look more exciting and match the genre I put the writing in capitals to make it look like it is shouting at the audience like some of the music within the genre. I put the bands names in bold and in a different colour from the added information to show the audience the type of bands that will be in the magazine so therefore when they look at the magazine on a shelf they can automatically spot if the magazine is for them or not which will attract the people who do like the genre. The typography I have used consists of mostly informal writing especially in the contents page in the editors letter to make the audience feel more confident and that they are reading something that doesn't feel like a chore to do. The whole purpose of the magazine is to entertain them so by using language that is easy to read will attract them more as they can understand it clearly and can enjoy reading it.


 
My magazine is similar to NME due to the layout of the cover and also the type of music but I also decided to use some music that would feature in Kerrang! and decided to do a mix of music. This appeals to the both the audiences for these magazines so they might prefer to buy my magazine rather than both NME and Kerrang! if they like both types of music.

I decided to create my own masthead for my magazine so it stood out from the rest of the fonts so it looked like a proper masthead. I decided to use this as my masthead because the black background has cracks and scratches which links to the genre to portray that it isn't perfect. I decided to put it in the corner of the magazine as this is what NME does so it is similar but instead of putting it in red like NME does I put it in black and white so it stood out from the main image and background. I kept the name of the magazine short so it would be easy for the audience to recognise and spot on the shelves. It will attract the audience as when they find out that the masthead means 'Music to Remember' they will automatically know what type of genre the magazine will be because it has been taken from the band A Day to Remember.


I put special offers on the front cover of the magazine to attract the audience so they buy the magazine because it offers the audience a chance to win different prizes. By not putting what they could win on the front cover will make them want to buy the magazine to find out more about it. By having the phrase 'Just for you!' it uses direct address and therefore addresses the reader by talking directly to them so they feel like the magazine is trying to connect with the audience to make them feel comfortable. By having a whole page on the magazine dedicated to special offers shows audience participation which makes the audience get involved because they can enter competitions.

EVALUATION: QUESTION 1

EVALUATION:

QUESTION 1: WHO WOULD BE THE AUDIENCE FOR MY MEDIA PRODUCT?

 

My media product will be aimed guys and girls ages 16-24 which fit in the socio-economic scale group D and E as at this age the majority of the people will be students. The genre of my magazine will be rock/indie therefore my target audience will buy my product if they like this type of music and like listening to independent music and finding out about new bands therefore it will be a niche market. I feel like the age for my audience is right because my questionnaire showed that social networking sites were popular meaning that these group of people use the internet and can keep up to date with all the latest news for my magazine. I feel like my magazine is advertising to the right primary audience being independent music lovers as my questionnaire showed that they preferred smaller venues than arenas and also they care more about the music than gossip or adverts being shown in the magazine.


The secondary audience for my magazine would be people who wouldn't necessarily read this type of magazine but perhaps want a change in genre of music to see if they would like to change their taste in music. Also it doesn't need to stick to the target audience age as younger viewers who prefer this type of music than music in the charts could read it or people who are older than 24 who still like this type of music would read it as well.



My mood board below shows the type of audience I am aiming for and what they like music wise. It also shows examples of where they might prefer to shop at like vintage stores instead of high-street brands like Topshop. It shows they like wearing certain styles and also are more likely to buy gig tickets and albums with money they have. By looking at this mood board you can immediately tell what my type of audience like just by looking at the types of style the different bands on the page portray and how there are small gig venues which shows that they prefer going to these types of gigs than standing up ones.

I feel like there is a need for my product because most magazines that are within this genre are either rock or indie, there is hardly any magazines that combine them so I think this will be a good way to sell my product. The closest magazine to my magazine would be NME which is a mass product so lots of people know what it is and read it. My magazine will be different as it will be aimed for independent readers but it will be similar to how the page is laid out and how it portrays the bands in the magazine. My unique selling point would be that I will advertise an radio and TV station relating the magazine to create an immersive world making the magazine more accessible meaning the reader can get involved in many different media platforms. I will also include free gifts every month for example a bands EP for that month therefore persuading the reader to buy the magazine as this will give them a taster of what that band sounds like to see whether or not the reader likes them.

My demographic would be people who love rock/indie music and would more likely to go to gigs at smaller venues than arenas and would shop at vintage stores or independent clothing stores than places like New Look.
The audience idols that I will include in my magazine include different bands that fit into the genre for example Arctic Monkeys and then new bands like Big Sixes which gives the audience a range of music within the genre to listen to. This will appeal to the audience because they will like listening to new music and finding out about new bands. This is why my product will be successful as there will be a choice for the audience and it won't restrict them from listening to a wide range of bands within the rock/indie genre. I decided not to do a hybrid genre as this will take the main focus away from the music itself as I wanted my magazines main focus to be music to show how dedicated the magazine is. However I did include some features to do with fashion to keep my audience happy and to give tem extra information for their interests. I wouldn't include people like Rihanna, Katy Perry or Beyoncé because they wouldn't appeal to my type of audience as they fit into the genre of pop music.