Skills Development

I have learnt a lot more from progressing to the main task from the preliminary because I have had to create a lot more than I did at the time. Creating a finished contents page and double page spread instead of just a front cover. I found it much harder to not be stereotypical when choosing my target audience because of the small specific genre of music affects the target audience you appeal to. I felt researching existing magazines was very helpful because the layouts and images created a lot more inspiring ideas that I was able to develop into my own products.
The software was very important to the whole project and how I used it affected everything. This is why I worked extremely hard to attempt all filters and effects in a way of enhancing my knowledge of the software and my experience level of photo shop CS3. The feedback from the audience research was vitally important because the questionnaires results defined what my target audience wanted to see within my magazine, giving them a direct input into creating it and giving me a direct plan of what to include. Attention to detail for example I used the rubber tool to create ripped effects to the background of the front cover, to make it look worn. This was important for the design and layout and added to the anti-commercial theme that my target audience and research showed they wanted.


Here are some screen shots to show the development of my project within Photoshop:
Front cover:



















Contents Page:

Technologies

I have learnt lighting techniques, the definete need for higher resolution images and how to frame effectively to create interesting compositions that keep the reader interested. Even when photographing I had to consider angles and knew that high angles would connote looking down on the person making them seem inferior or weak which is not what I wanted to create. The locations were difficult to get right however, I photographed mostly outside by brick walls- rich of colour and texture making an interesting location. I have developed my skills with photo shop through trial and error. This screengrab is just to display the tools surrounding the main canvas. This includes the box of tools, the layer panel and the history panel. Before this project I had only used photoshop a couple of times and only to do very specific tasks. I have improved heavily with changing levels, hue and saturation to create exciting colours, tones and textures within my images. I am really pleased with my polaroid effect images because they look quite glossy which contrasts with my running theme showing it doesn’t fit in which could be a representation of my target audience to the rest of society. Photo shop has enabled me to produce higher quality products but still with the anti-commercial appearance because of the linear burn effects. Here is a screen shot of photoshop as i developed my front cover.

This is the logo from the website 'Flickr' which I used to annotate certain pictures and pieces of my work. I again had never used this website and after some brief instruction I found this website very simple and I liked the idea of being able to present annotation in a different way. A good thing about this website is that it enables a way to present data without it having to be in block text, although it is harder to fit all the information onto the small pictures. I have been able to develop my skills through the use of Flickr which has allowed me to evaluate my own work visually rather than through written analysis.
















I am also pleased with my time management within the coursework assignment because I have produced my three products with a range of discarded attempts as well (which I have blogged to show development). They are all to a high standard and have been at some points much further ahead of others in terms of blogging and producing extra drafts for improvements. Here is the logo of the 'Blogger' website. This is the site I have been using to blog my work. I have never used this website before or even made a blog so I was very new to this, however I found the website very helpful and easy to use. This way of presenting work is good because it keeps it all in one place and enables the use of websites like Flickr. However when using a website like this you do do loose out on things like writing it all in an essay format, which would probably enabling you to go into more detail about things.

Addressing My Audience

My magazine uses its youthful colour scheme that was chosen in my audience research to attract my target audience. I also used slang and informal language to speak directly in the language of my readers. The language that I used in the magazine was informal so it appeals to a younger yet educated audience. The layout of the magazine is like other magazines that i researched while planning such as FHM and NME as it holds many conventions of a real life music magazine. This also meant it kept the overall appearance quite youthful. The bright colour scheme was chosen through my audience research which meant this was what they wanted (creating a direct input allowed them to choose features that they felt would make them buy the magazine.)
I also implemented the conventions of ripped stickers and scruffy backgrounds that appear broken almost which connotes rebellion something that links to my target audience’s youthful age where rebellion is common. 2nd person pronouns ‘you’ have been used to create a direct link with the reader and the magazine making a personal relationship between the two. It almost gives the impression that it is addressing the target audience individually- connoting that their views/opinions do matter something young people strongly feel they do not get to share. New bands connotes originality and maybe cheaper tickets to gigs before they become ‘famous’ which allows aspirers to acknowledge that their dreams can come true and that mainstreamers can afford to see their new favourite future band.
My Front Cover model is from the age range I am targetting and represents the subcultures of ROCK which my music magazine is representing for example the social groups of Goth as you can see below my cover image and a goth searched for on google:

Target Audience

My target audience is demographically made up of 65% Males to a ratio of 35% Females. Of these they are mostly aged between 16-25 years old, and who all enjoy rock music in its many forms. However, aiming for part of this age range of consumers has a down side, as many of the consumers aged 16 to 21 may still be in a type of education and therefore would not have their own major income yet; or if they did it would still be limited to part time work etc.
They all seem to be part of a sub cultural group that I have aimed at. The majority of my target audience class themselves as either emo, goth, punk, or indie.

My media kit would say that my target audience enjoys gigs- especially local ones which is why my magazine has gig reviews for each area in the UK. It would also say 80% of them like to listen to fresh new bands whether unsigned or signed which is why my magazine is in conjunction with you tube receiving an array of talent to be interviewed within the magazine appealing to our aspirers. We review you tube stars weekly- advertising them in return for advertising space online. It probably would also say that 78% love new gadgets especially mp3’s/mp4’s which is why I have made a conscious effort to feature a review on the latest mp4 which has no gender specific because of their many colours. Out of these 78% a further 49% have personal items but said they would up date them with newer technology appealing to the advertisers of electrical/ gadget type products. 90% of my target audience loves to watch you tube videos and 60% of them liked unsigned artists work more- showing the distinct want for more reviews about those trying to make it into the industry than about those already within it. Therefore my target audience would be very attractive to advertisers meaning more revenue for my magazine and ultimately a wider distribution.

Institutions

I would personally prefer a bigger publisher like Bauer to distribute my music magazine because it is the largest privately owned publisher in Europe. Bauer is a publisher that distributes multi-nationally meaning a product can be easily widely distributed. The benefits of having an established media institution like Bauer as a publisher we would have advertising agencies already signed up with good reputations. By having direct links with other distributors such as WHSmiths you are enabling your product to have a wider circulation, usually all over the country. However, the negative impact having a big publishing company is having less editorial independence and the company may choose the way in which you create the magazine and have control of parts of your magazine. They are also much more likely to make you pay more attention to the advertisers as to your audience because of the high revenue that is created by advertising space. Although, you would be competing against the other magazines and would have limits set on what you can produce you would also be able to use their knowledge and their ideas as inspiration for the magazine.

Distribution is key to a magazine's success as it attracts the target audience. The right sort of advertising and marketing in order to raise awareness of the magazine to its specifc target audience which enables people to decide what is right for them. The magazine needs to be distributed in the right outlets for it's budget so it is displayed to it's target audience. To gain a maximum shelf space magazine companies use distribution companies such as Marketforce (UK) ltd, however this only applies to magazines which are likely to be instantly commercially successful.

Synergy
As my magazine would not be mainstream because it targets a subculture written about by Dick Hebdige but this therefore means there would not be a huge amount of synergy with t.v programmes or radio shows as the target audience would be too small. However it may have a link on the website youtube with extra information about the featured bands and links to their video clips and or gig listings. This link will help it to become viral on the internet.

Representation

I have used photographs of people demographically similar to the target audience I am targeting- giving them people they can relate to. Demographically I am aiming at 16-25year olds of any race and a family social status of C1, C2, and B (usually classed as a ‘mid market’ family.) This was to provide a balance in income and expenditure. Mainly males will buy the magazine. However, some women are featured and I have interviewed bands of both genders as well. This could be a reason why females will also want to buy my magazine. Psychographically, mainstreamers, individuals and aspirers are who I aim my magazine at with regards to its advertising. To appeal to my readers psychographically I also consciously review the unsigned or newly signed bands which cause aspirers to realise the potential of their own dreams and the extent to which they can come true with the help of ‘Signature Rock Magazine’. The gadget reviews show the individual reliance on music is widespread- it also links to the sub cultural identities of Emos, Punks, and Goths etc. who are usually seen as resistant of the dominant culture through their own choice of style with clothes- as a way of expressing individuality. Although, unintentional, by not using photographs of every race because of the area we live in it was much harder to find a range of diverse races into ‘Rock’ music, I could be excluding some readers. I haven’t made too many assumptions with band names that link to any one gender or style of music. I have used colour surrounding the names of the bands in stereotyped gender strokes such as, blue, black and purple. With regards to stereotyping with my photographs I used a boy for my cover image in a screaming (the lyrics) facial expression to suggest the masculine stereotyped characteristics of control, domination, aggression and the fact it is not a group photo shows his independence as well. However, I have tried to subvert the female stereotypes by using the photo of ‘Mia Renee’ on the contents page in a plain, indie style hat compared to an overtly ‘emo’ style showing black skinny jeans, bright luminous tops and studded accessories. However, I did keep the feminine characteristics of shyness within the photos because in both photos of the two girls neither is directly addressing the camera. That was a conscious decision I made to contrast with the over-stereotyped gothic cover image which appears more confident and therefore grabs our attention. In several of the photos the youths are looking straight at the camera, this connates how the youths today are more out going and rebelious than stereotypical youths in the past. The subjects are wearing a range of clothing that students would wear, some clothes fit into a stereotypical teenage image of 'goth' clothes (black, spikes, rock), and 'emo' clothes (colourful, skinny jeans, black hair). I reinforced some stereotypes of teenage styles of like goth and emo, but other photos show that not all teens are the same and can have their own style and not fit into a stereotype. I photographed the free poster image for the contents in a very simplistic way, this became the background to the contents and another image was desaturated to create a black and white image. I have implied that young people are into gadgets and new technologies, new bands and exciting interviews and gossip. I personally think I have undermined the stereotype of youth because I have shown instead of being obsessed with fame the majority of my target audience are more interested in newer, local, down to earth bands.

Forms and Conventions

My music magazine is based around the rock genre of music. This means design ideas such as ripped edges on stickers that look deliberately worn. This represents the rock conventions within my magazines layout. Some existing magazines that show this are NME, Kerrang and Blender. However, the colour scheme of these are usually red and black which I have developed by using bright electric blues, plum purples and yellow brightening the appearance of the magazine but keeping it youthful and appealing to a wider range of rock fans. I have constructed a magazine to fill a gap within the market by providing a magazine with reviews on newly signed and unsigned bands and artists that are looking for agents or fans. My magazine then allows those smaller local bands the chance to feature in publicised magazine, consequently becoming famous within the music industry. This provides something exclusively exciting about my magazine and the fact it is acknowledging the increase in technology and rate of downloads by being in conjunction with youtube, it has a unique selling point and free advertising space. Although, I have kept some of the conventions similar to keep it easily recognisable for my target audience that I am aiming at.
My Front Cover: My front cover has used many conventions to achieve this for example; the masthead reveals the magazines music type within the word “Rock”. “Signature” could connote an autograph, being famous, becoming signed or unique all expressing positive connotations for my magazine. I have used a font that resembles a style of handwriting common to signatures; I have kept to my house style colours with the electric blue which could connote indecency, obscenity or behaviour that is risqué contrasted with a black font colour that connotes danger, threats, or power. I used certain rubber effects on photo shop that provided a rough ripped edge effect on the background and sticker graphic which connoted strong anti-commercial, broken, rock stereotyped roughness. The edge of the sticker is yellow and this connotes happiness or physiologically, yellow can also create detachment which links to its ripped effect. The strokes around each set of cover lines on the right hand side look almost like paint spills which connote rebellion, and typical of ‘troublesome youths’. I experimented with different colour schemes. Once I had decided on the font colour for my front cover I decided to continue you colour theme through, this meant changing the background colour to compliment the salmon pink font. I also added credits to the right hand side of the page continue the eye across the whole page, making the product feel more complete.
My Contents Page: The contents page also carries on the colour schemes splashes of yellow against, white, black and electric blue. This keeps continuity within the magazine creating fluidity in the magazine which makes it easy to read and connect with.
The contents page also uses polaroid image effects that give a disposable connotation which could connote what you need to take to gigs and also being free and almost disposable ourselves. The word ‘features’ could connote that something is offered as a special attraction or although they may be regulars as in structure the contents of each interview or review is extra special. It becomes enticing with the black lettering placed on top of a yellow box making it stand out. The main image shows a young person of a similar demographic to my target audience which represents an artist in the charts. By not addressing the camera she gives an impression connoting attitude or expressing a relaxed sensation. 2nd person pronouns have been used to create a personal relationship between the target audience and the magazine. It creates an informal, direct way of addressing the target audience and the exclamation mark I used causes a youthful demographic to become apparent through the use of informal markers. This graphic links to the one seen on the cover but has a red stroke instead of a yellow one. It connotes through its ripped edges an anti-commercial feel representing the rough, youthful rebellion of my target audience which will keep them interested. The word free connotes an offer to be efficient. The stroke resembles scrunched up paper or scribbles which in turn connotes messiness and rebellion.
The house style colour scheme of yellow, red, black and electric blue has been kept throughout all 3 of my products. This makes sure there is a connection with all 3 products and makes sure the target audience knows this and establishes a trust with the magazine due to its continuity.
My Double Page Spread: The double page spread has pull quotes. These take an extra interesting quote from within the text, out of context which causes the reader to want to read on. The stand first captures the attention of the reader, it begin the story giving an interesting perspective that keeps the attention of the reader causing them to read on. I have used many conventions to keep a similar setup/layout to existing magazines of the same genre. White space, gutters, and even jumps signs. This graphic arrow directs the reader’s eye towards the edge of the page, ready to turn over and find out more. By lines have been used to appreciate the work of the interviewer and the photographer to keep the professional, formal convention within the design. I have kept to the colour scheme with the words. These create the title of the interview. It begins small and becomes gradually bigger on the page however; this could be a subtle connotation of the life that 'Tauri Twinnings' has lived.

My finished magazine cover analysis.

My finished magazine cover
Originally uploaded by abbey.barnard

My finished contents page analysis.

My finished contents page
Originally uploaded by abbey.barnard

My finished double page spread analysis.

My finished double page spread
Originally uploaded by abbey.barnard

NME Double Page Spread

NME Double Page Spread
Originally uploaded by abbey.barnard

This is my analysis of the existing NME music magazines double page spread.

Drummer contents page

Drummer contents page
Originally uploaded by abbey.barnard

This is my analyis of an existing music magazines contents page.

Evaluation of finished products!

On the whole, I am really pleased with my three finished products and feel proud of what I have created in such a short amount of time! Throughout the coursework brief, I have learnt many useful skills including how to use photoshop properly in a more advanced way, including how to edit images effectively to my advantage and how to create drop shadows, strokes and inevitably a finished product using the technology available.

First drafts that show my development.

Finished double page spread.

My mock up for the double page spread.

My music magazine finished contents page.

5 original contents images.

Contents mock-up!

My music magazine finished cover.

My own music magazine; initial ideas.

Now that I have done some initial research into existing magazines I have decided on the target audience I wish to focus upon in relation to my music magazine. I have had a few ideas based on the working title of the magazine; Vinyl Rock, Amateurz, and finally Signature Rock which i have chosen to use.
My target audiences demographic status is:

• Age: between 16-25
• Gender: Mainly male
• Marital status: single
• Region: Anywhere near a city
• Social status: C1, C2, B

Psychographically however,

• Music taste: Rock, Indie
• Subcultural groups: Emo, Scene kid, Goths
• They buy/consume:

Live Gig tickets

Converse/ Vans

Alcohol- Jack Daniels, Smirn-off

I-pods/ MP4's

My ideal price for the magazine after looking at the results from my questionnaire around £1.85 however on a montly circulation making the price more appealing (demand i high) but enough circulation income aswell.

The content will include; new bands, artists (singer songwriters) that are unsigned yet bring a new style of music to the exisiting products. Reviews for gigs and gig listings. The style of the colour scheme will be electrice blue and black also chosen from the questionnaires results. An anti-commercial feel will be dopted through torn stickers and lettering not being straight.

My unique selling point is the fact my magazine appeals to a wide range of rock fans and also those wanting new music styles or fresh sounds before anyone else. It gives bands currently unsigned to be advertised within my magazine who wish to make it into the music industry as a career.

Original cover image.

My music magazine mock-up!

Analysis of Rolling stone magazine cover

Rolling stone magazine cover
Originally uploaded by abbey.barnard

Prop list for photographs

I would like a 'goth' style boy aged between 16-20 (which is my target audience range) to pose as a new artist to create a more personal realtionship between the front image and the reader because of sharing a similar age and maybe style it could then connotebeing able to persue any dreams. I am planning on having:

• Studded arm cuffs
• A long black gothic style coat,
• A growling facial expression that could almost look like screaming which could be a link to the music he produces for example; screamo (a type of rock).
• Black face makeup surrounding eyes creating a disturbing look.

Other images; I would like them to be staged as if they are band group pictures. Almost advertising them or their new albums. I would like a mix of girls and boys with slightly different takes on rock for example; 'emos', 'scene kids', 'rock chicks' etc. They could link with the coverlines on my front cover. I may use some on the contents page sgowing which pages to find the reviews.

I am planning to have;

• Bright coloured jeans
• Crazy styled black hair
• Patterened tops
• Converse
• Bright face makeup

Analysis of Blender magazine cover.

Blender magazine cover
Originally uploaded by abbey.barnard

Here is a magaine aimed at young girls aged between 16-25.

Analysis of Artrocker music magazine cover

Analysis of Artrocker music magazine cover
Originally uploaded by abbey.barnard

Here is an exisiting magazine cover aimed at both male and females between 18-30 year olds.

Research

Before beginning our music magazine, we researched using current music magazines available. We analysed the covers double page spreads and contents pages of magazines that already exist, to understand the essential items needed to create an effective magazine. We realised certain similarities between all the different covers and decided to create a questionaire. So, before designing my magazine I need to establish the target audience and their personal preferances on the music magazine. For this I created a random questionnaire (also a copy supplied below) with 12 questions, the total consensus of those I asked is 30 people aged between 16-20 this meant i could directly address them with my personal ideas and see their responses. I asked an array of questions to be able to understand what they would want from a new music magazine consequently seeing the topics that are most preferred! The questionnaire allows me to produce a magazine with an audience already interested in the topics I cover within it. Below are the results of the questionnaire in bar chart form;

Evaluation of finished products!

I am particularly pleased with the overall layout of my front cover. It looks almost professional with part of the main masthead covered as if to connote that it is such a popular student magazine that the target audience (students) already know what it is called! I am also chauffed with the way the text from the cover lines is wrapped around the main image (which is in a medium close up). The name I felt had a particularly exciting sound and created an almost youthful feel to the magazine. Passion(fruit)- also connotes the passion students have for learning and for life in general.
I was not very happy with the colourscheme in the end and felt it didnt stand out enough, and the bottom text could not be read clearly against his body and arms. I would have prefered to change the colourscheme to a brighter more attracting set of colours. However, it wasn't completely bad considering the yellow connected with his t-shirt and attracted the eye on the text. I felt researching an existing magazine cover was very helpful to determine essential items I needed to include on my front cover and contents page. To improve, if I had had more time I would have liked to create a more poloshed apperance, maybe a few more pictures with a slight opaque look. (I could have achieved this by changing the opacity of the image) however, I would have liked to experiment with the masthead more and changed the font to an almost informal yet, professional tone to represent my target audience more precisely.
On the whole, I am really pleased with my finished products and feel proud of what I have created in such a short amount of time! Throughout this project I have learnt many useful skills including how to use photoshop properly in a more advanced way, how to edit images to my advantage and how to create a finished product using the technology available.

Original Image.

Here is the image I took in medium close up, before any editing for my magazine cover.

Research

Before beginning our student magazine cover, we researched using current student magazine covers and contents pages that already exist, to analyse the essential items needed on a cover. We realised certain similarities between the different covers and decided to create a questionaire. This meant we could directly address the audience we were personally aiming at (for example students aged 16+) with questions relating to their magazine giving them a direct input. It also meant we were able to distinguish between what they wanted to see available. The questionaire had 9 questions in total and had many ways of recording personal preferance. For example; tick boxes, recording in order of number preferance, circling the item/s that was mostly attributed to them and their hobbies. From the results we were able to discard and include only the topics/ issues that were most popular with the majority of the consensus. For example; Music was an extremely popular pastime which meant it was then something we would feature in the magazine for example; local gig guides and band reviews. We were able to understand the style in which we should write in (chatty).
The results from these questionaires as a whole class, are clearly shown below in a bar chart form: The total consensus is 13.