Friday, 6 May 2011

Target audience

My target audience are Young men between the ages of 14-24 and who ever is interested in this genre of music.

Saturday, 30 April 2011

Evaluation, 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 I look back on my preliminary magazine (which I based on a school magazine) I feel like i have learnt how to produce a magazine which has to be relevant to a actual audience, how each text sixe, colour and word can effect the price sand sale of a magazine. The practical aspects of creating a magazine, like how to plan a detailed photo shoot. When I created my preliminary I found the feedback wasn’t too great which was suspected as the colour scheme I used was the same as the school uniform. The colour of green suggests weakness and the text font wasn’t strong enough and physically too small. The think I have used a good sense of reality throughout my preliminary and throughout my final piece. As the questions I asked during the interview were realistic and insightful and easy to read. As I have said beforehand I wanted to represent men aged 14-23. The reason for my idea to use the same color throughout (red, white and black) was because I have found that the color red is the color which attracts a person’s eye and red is also a masculine color used to draw in a male reader. I used a childish tagline because through my research I found away to draw my target audience in is to use childish mannerisms and quotes. If I was to use a story related news piece with tragedy in, the magazine would sell as well and the normal readers would be interested in that magazine anymore. Also music magazines sell and make more money if they have offers, deals, subscriptions and free items in the magazine. I used a subscription to the monthly magazine, I used free band T-shirts in my magazine to help entice readers to buy my magazine.

Question 6 Evaluation

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Through the designing process I have learnt how to take photograph, considering the different camera settings and placement of the camera to convey meaning. I also have developed my skills in manipulating images using Photoshop. I have learnt that by using specific font, text size can undermine the meaning of the text. I have learnt that a lot of ideas and creates of magazines have been created using technology and without it we would be lost in the publishing world. I have learnt how to use my imaginative abilities to create my very own magazine.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Through the designing process I have learnt how to take photograph, considering the different camera settings and placement of the camera to convey meaning. I also have developed my skills in manipulating images using Photoshop. I have learnt that by using specific font, text size can undermine the meaning of the text. I have learnt that a lot of ideas and creates of magazines have been created using technology and without it we would be lost in the publishing world. I have learnt how to use my imaginative abilities to create my very own magazine.

Question 4 Evaluation

Who would be the audience for your media product?
As I have mentioned before my target audience arte males aged 14-24 and those who are interested in the genre of music which is Rock. Rock music is very popular in the 21st century society and I way for others in express their feelings through their behavior, dress sense and music they listen to. Listening to music is enjoyable and gives these young adults a chance to express themselves in a healthy way. The music follows a specific style which usually had drums, guitar, base guitar and a singer. They follow a specific clothing style and have the same sort of interests. I have thought of and applied many of these traits to my magazine.

Question 5 Evaluation

How did you attract/address your audience?
I used a few different methods to attract my audience. I used eye contact on the front cover of the magazine to create the feeling that the person on the cover is talking to the reading, this has a higher percentage for people buying the magazine compared to when the main photograph is looking away or it isn’t taken in a studio. I used band names and quotes from interviews so the audience can gather information about the band and through the interview find out what band life is like. I used language and terminology which (whilst looking at other music magazines) were found to be popular with my target audience. I used a tagline which is considered a risky but when showing people my magazine that’s the first thing that caught their eye. Upon asking the readers said it made them want to read on. I found that using tagline which is within the age range for my target audience it would attract subcultures in which are the same age. The people see the statement and think that it sounds relatable and familiar therefore the product is successful at addressing them. I also used a large amount of pictures and a color to make the front color more visually exciting to look at. Within the front page, contents and double page spread I used lots of eye catching photographs and a large amount of the color red as I found it the most popular color that catches a person’s eye at a first glance.

Question 2 Evaluation

How does your media product represent particular social groups?
As I have briefly mentioned the audience that my magazine would appeal to people who are interested in the music genre I have chosen. The genre I have chosen is Rock music. As I have mentioned before my target audience for my media project is males aged 14-24 and my gender seems to be popular with this type of music. The social group which is associated with rock magazines has specific styles like clothing, interests, behavior. People who are interested in rock are usually associated with heavy metal, screamo and black clothing but that isn’t necessarily the case.
I have incorporated these conventions and style to my magazine. My magazine challenges the conventions or regular magazines as I have not used big bold color but have stuck to a color scheme which as been black, white and red, colors which are traditionally masculine. However some women purchase the magazine because they have a strong attraction to the member on the cover which makes it more appealing to buy the magazine. They may also have an interest in that genre of music.
I think my magazine represents young males and young women (because you don’t have to be the target audience to be interested in a magazine) as a well rounded people who have similar interests, it shows you don’t have to go to extremes to like music in order to feel that you fit the stereotypical views on that social group. The band I have chosen are all male consequently they are most likely to become icons for other males.

Question 3 Evaluation

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

I think that my music magazine has the potential to be created and distributed by many producers but the producers most suited to my genre are IPC Media and EMAP. IPC Media is the well known producer of NME magazine and is one of the largest publishing companies in the UK which produces over 85 Media varieties which reaches over two thirds of UK women and 44% of UK men, close to totalling 27 million people.
Another well known magazine producer is EMAP. EMAP are a multiplatform publishing company which means they publish all sorts of different things. The most suitable company to produce and distribute my magazine would be IPC because they are very popular. They have the highest the highest success rate in distributing a magazine and allot of high quality magazines are published by IPC. For the magazine to be funded the magazines needs to include advertisements which is paramount for a magazine to be published.

Thursday, 28 April 2011

My Intentions

I have found through my analysis of music magazines I have found a few conventions which all the magazines go by:
• The person on the cover has to attract both make and female readers. For example if Eminem was on the cover it would be assumed that the target audience is male. However this can be changed, depending on clothing or sexual attraction. The men assumed they want to be him or have the same qualities and the women are attracted sexually to him. To attract women have him stood in a strong position (using eye contact) and Photoshop to emphasise his assets. Like Muscles emphasised my shadows appearing bigger than they actually are. To attract the men have taglines which suggest his has power and money.
• The person on the front cover has to use direct address (eye contact) because it creates a sort of bond where the reader believe to some degree that the person is talking to them not to a word wide audience.
Also I have found the audience are attracted to magazines which have:
• Use a very colourful front cover to attract readers at a glance before then having to read the contents.
• The masthead and tag lines must be bold and stand out so the reader can easily determine what the story is about.
• Have a variety of text in different sizes and colour relating to the story its covering.
I will use the following ides to help me design and fill my magazine for the correct audience.
I plan to use the typical conventions of a music magazine however alter some aspects to improve it. For example I will use the answers from my questionnaire to determine the changes and alterations to help me to attract my audience better. The questionnaire will also help me to construct the layout of my magazine to coincide with my audience’s answers and wants. The questionnaire was taken with people who are within the age bracket of my audience and ill meet my target audience by choosing the correct text, font, colour and layout for the magazine.

Wednesday, 30 March 2011

q1 Front Page

This is my fropnt pager evaluation for the question 'In what ways do you intend your media product to use, develop or challenge forms and conventions?'

Monday, 7 March 2011

Interview questions

1. What's the name of your band? What's the origin of that name? Have you changed the band's name before?
2. What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?
3. How long have you all known each other? How did you meet?
4. When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?
5. Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any music organizations?
6. Where have you performed? What are your favourite and least favourite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?
7. Which songs do you perform most frequently? Do you ever play any covers? Do you have a set play list?
8. Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time?
9. What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?
10. How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
11. What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
12. What's your ultimate direction for your band? Are you seeking fame and fortune?
13. What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?
14. How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?

15. When and how did you first become interested in music? How long have you been playing music?
16. What are your musical influences?
17. Does anyone in your family play music?
18. What kinds of times and places have you played music in your life?
19. So what’s it like to be part of band?
20. Did you choose your band mates or was it destiny?
21. What makes this kind of music "good" to you?
22. Why did you choose to play this kind of music?
23. Name three artists you’d like to be compared

24. What wouldn’t you do without?

25. Have you ever google’d yourself?

26. If you could be interviewed by anybody (inn the past or the present who would it be?

27. WHY did you start making music?

28. Have you ever felt like giving up music to peruse some other goal in your life?

29. WHO is your favorite artist at the moment?

30. Who inspires you most in your life?

31. What is it like being part of a band?

32. Who is the messiest out of the group?

33. Who has the worst habit of all?

These are the questions which i will ask Zaid (the front cover person) I am also going to video the interview.

Tuesday, 1 March 2011

Main Task Introduction

For the main task I will be creating a Front cover, Contents page and Double page spread of a Rock magazine. Rock is usually centred around the electric guitar usually as part of a group with bass guitar and drums. I need to include pictures (taken by me), information to make the magazine stand out and look professional. have to look at different lighting, camera angles, colours, text,costume, pose and theme and all the elements which come under mise-en-scene. My target audience are men aged 15-20 and other people who enjoy reading it.

Research Introdution

As I am making my own front cover, contents and double page spread magazine I am going to research existing magazines. For my research I will be analysing front page, contents pages and double page spreads or magazined such as Kerrang, NME and Vibe.

Magazine Questionnaire

Magazine Questionnaire
1. How old are you?
(a) 13-14 (b) 14-15 (c) 16-17 (d) 18-19 (e) 20+
2. What is your gender?
(a) Female (b) Male
3. What is your favourite genre of music?
(a) Rock (b) Pop (c) Indie (d) R&b (e) Heavy metal (f) Other (Please state below)
.............................................................................
4. Do you buy music magazines?
(a) Yes (b) No
5. If so How often?
(a) Everyday (b) 2/3 times per week (c) Once a week (d) Once a month (e) Never
6. How much would you be willing to pay for a magazine?
(a) £1 (B) £1.50 (C) £2 (D) £2.50 (E) £3 (f) Over £3
7. Would free items influence your decision to buy the magazine?
(a) Yes (b) maybe (c) No
8. What would you like to see on the front cover?
(a) Close up (b) Mid-shot (c) Whole body shot (d) Group
9. What would you prefer to be on the double page spread?
(a) Interviews (b) Reviews of CD’s (c) Charts

Emma Shiner Media AS