This is my AS media studies project which includes my research into existing media products which I have used as inspiration in order to build my own magazine.

1. OCR Media Studies –
AS Level
Unit G321: Foundation
Portfolio in Media
Preliminary Task, Log
Book and Evaluation
Name: Ethan Fernandes
Candidate Number: 7082
Center Name: St. Paul’s Catholic
College
Center Number: 64770
Set Brief - Print
Music Magazine –
Production
Preliminary Task
Progression, Log Book
and Evaluation

2. Preliminary Task Progression–
Evidence
Front Cover
Step-by-step
Front Cover
Draft

3. The first thing I did was add a
background. I had to use the
gradient overlay with a radial
background reversed from the
centre with a gradual black to
white shade. I wanted this
background to complement the
main image as it shows some
glow to the main image. I then
made a start on the main image I
used the quick selection tool to
remove the background of the
original image to put my created
background as the new
background image.
Next I went to dafont.com to find
a suitable font for this page. After
I found a few I used them for the
masthead, cover lines sublines
and strapline. I then placed in the
colours that I wanted to include
for my colour scheme, and I
made sure my star of the front
cover had similar clothing on, but
also make sure the colours
represent the school. Therefore I
made it maroon and grey.
Finally I added the barcode, QR
code which goes directly to my
blog page and some
convergence such as facebook,
twitter Instagram and also the
school logo. After doing this I
made a few adjustments to the
main image and made the
image more brighter to
complement the main story.
‘Jakes bright future’

4. Preliminary Task Progression– Evidence
Contents Page
Step-by-step
Contents page
Draft

5. Same as the front cover it was
much easier for me to make the
contents page as I had all the
colours saved in my swatches,
and it was very easy to move my
background image across to the
contents page. I also copied the
same strokes from the front cover
at the bottom
I then typed up an editorial for my
contents page In word and then
pasted it in photoshop. I also
made the contents with circles
with numbers in them to make it
stand out. I also added my own
picture for the editorial for the
audience to know who it is that
has made this magazine.
Finally I added in the title and
finished off everything to a good
standard. I added the same QR
code from the front too.

6. Section 1) – Log
Book

7. Music Magazine – Genre
research (Rock/Alternative and
Indie
 YOU MUST insert anything you can find about this genre – secondary
sources (quotes from articles; statistics; other magazine front covers)
 These statistics show that NME magazine has a readership of 289,000
adults in the year of 2012. These figures have been increased in the
last 2 years. These figures however can still be used as we see that
the majority of NME’s magazine is male and only a small percentage
is female. This is because NME have a target audience of males from
the age of 20+ and would appeal to someone living in the UK and
would belong to the social grade ABC1.
 On average NME have around 369,000 readers this year and sell
about 38,486 units per year making around £96,215 through
magazines sales (magazine prices are £2.50 on average). Recent
statistics have shown that the overall NME magazine sales have
dropped by a least 20% in the last year which is mostly likely due to
having several online pages that feature most of the information in
the magazine (e.g. Their own website, Facebook, Twitter etc). This
feature lets the audience buy the magazine on the go with ease.

8. Established Magazine for
my Research
Missing Conventions
Convergence: Why is this important?
Convergence lets the audience to share
what they're reading, this makes it much
easier and simple to also upsell the magazine
as others see this magazine and could be
attracted to it. Convergence is also a USP.
Masthead’NME’- Its big bold and has
A bold colour to make it visible.
Win tickets free
Promotion- These big promotion are
worth a lot of money which can
attract a larger audience.
Star Appeal- A well known indie band
Barcode
Cover lines- Shows what
More this magazine has
Date/Price/
Issue Number
QR code
Convergence-
website of the
Magazine
Strapline
Miniature
Mast head

9. Conventions of a Music Magazine
Front Cover
Masthead
Date
Strapline
New
Musical
Express
Barcode
Issue/Price
£2.50
Web Address
www.nme.com
Promotion(USP)
Win tickets to
Reading festival
which is an
expensive event
Star Appeal
Arctic Monkeys, a
famous indie band
known to many
teens and young
adults
Headline
Main Story of
the issue.
Cover Lines
Showing what
else is included in
this issue of NME
magazine.
The Target Audience:
The target audience for this
magazine is mainly British
males aged 17-30.
The target audience would have to
be of a middle class as C1, C2 as
the price for this magazine is £2.50

10. The Band index is also
included in every contents
page and every single
issue of NME magazine. This
could be a USP for the
magazine as no other
magazines do this. This
could also be the reason
why people buy this
magazine and by including
it, it offers more than
magazines such as ‘Q’ do.
The articles in the
contents page are all
under different
specific different
headings which
makes it easier for
the reader to find out
what they are
looking for. They are
in a bold font that
stands out and is
easy to read
The mini article is
included in the
contents page to
show an idea of
what the readers
will expect to see
on the double
page and is
intended to make
them want to buy
it.
Advertisement for subscription is included to try and make people
subscribe, therefore the magazine company would make more
money. The contents page is a page that every reader will look at
so by including it on here there is more chance of it being noticed
Conventions of a Music Magazine
Contents Page
This image supports
the main image on
the front cover
showing it has been
continued onto the
contents page and
has a brief summary
below it
This magazine has
included its masthead in
the contents page
which links to the front
cover, It also says ‘This
week’ which appears in
every NME contents
page emphasizing they
are current events

11. Conventions of a Music Magazine
Double Page
The use of props is very important. They have
guitars in this image which is required as it is
part of their identity as a band and is a clear
indication of the indie genre
The use of a pull quote
is to grab the
readerships attention
quickly to give them a
clue of what the
article contains if they
are skim reading and
like what the quote
says.
The Vaccines is a
famous indie
alternative rock music
band. This supports
the genre of the
magazine
In the main image
of the double page,
the lead singer is
placed in the front
of the band. He is
the lead singer and
as he is more
popular, putting him
in the center of
attention makes it
more appealing to
the target audience
and makes the
article more obvious
who it is about.
The quote says “We
are a pop band
and we want to be
a pop band” which
you don’t expect
from The Vaccines
as they are not a
pop band. This
therefore might
interest the readers
in knowing more
about what it is that
the Vaccines are
talking about in this
article and
encourages them
to read more.
The article cant be
too long because
the target audience
of both NME and
the Vaccines are
more interested in
to images and big
news with bold text
instead of long
stories. Therefore the
picture is much
bigger to give the
text a smaller place
and makes it look
short and snappy.
NME uses a simple sans serif font style for the title of the article
as the band uses the same font in their own performance and
albums. This also gives the article a straightforward feel. Which is
appealing to the target audience. The heading is in a large
font so it stands out to the readers as it is the only large font
writing on the page. Furthermore, The Vaccines being the only
large font on the page shows exactly where the audience can
start reading from. This helps as it is very catchy and can be
noticed easily even though there is a big picture right next to it.

12. Target Audience
The target audience for this magazine are mainly teens, and adults aged 17-30
(Hartley). The magazine can appeal to young teens because it is a ‘Social Climber”
(Mazlow) for young teens to see what’s new and what’s trending. Also some can
‘Personally identify’ themselves by looking at either images or reading stories about
other people having the same issues as them. This magazine is also a ‘Surveillance’
Katz which provide information to the readers about the stuff going on. Interviews
from the magazine can educate the audiences about their favorite stars because
most stars in a magazine usually have their own brand and promote their clothing,
accessories in magazines to reach out to the audience. This can ‘inform’ the
audience more about their favorite stars.
What is the USP of this magazine?
From the research done in this magazine and deconstructing NME magazines right
to the bone, I think the USP of the magazine NME is that they provide a lot of
information and background knowledge about the rock/indie genre. It also
features a lot of interviews with famous artists to get their audiences to learn about
these stars. Secondly, the use of star appeal, using The horrors a well known rock
band that is one of the most famous rock bands of this time. The image of the
horrors is spread across the whole magazine which makes it a center of attention
and easy to focus on and the audience easily notices this. Also the magazine offers
a great promotion “ Win tickets to Reading” which is a very popular event that
takes place in the summer every year and is very expensive. A magazine willing to
do this is surely to be bought by a lot of people. NME magazines also use a mid to
close up shots on the front cover and the main character/s are usually looking
directly at you (camera) which creates a ‘personal relationship’ with the artists and
the audience

13. Publisher research
NME is published by Time Inc. and IPC media. The first issue of NME magazine was
published on 7th March 1952 and it has now been over 60 years ever since. Over
these years NME has changed its genre from decade to decade. In the 70s it was
focused on punk rock like the Jam, the clash, and in the 90s until today it has been
a wider variety. But mainly Rock, Alternative and Indie music.
Time Inc. is global therefore NME is available in most countries
NME Readership Profile
-Male: 69%
-Female: 31%
-Full time employed: 52%
-Part time workers: 7%
-Still studying: 29%
-Readership: 369,000
-Circulation: 40,948
On average NME
Readers spend per year
-£152 on footwear
-£532 on clothes
-£66 on DVD’s
-£170 on digital cameras
-£1229 on music
equipment
IPC media creates
content for
multiple platforms
across prints,
online, mobile,
tablets and events.

14. Research for my magazine
Under 9
6%
10 to 17
47%
18 to 24
29%
25 to 34
18%
What is your age?
Under 9
10 to 17
18 to 24
25 to 34
35 and above
Male
60%
Female
40%
What is your gender?
Male
Female
10%
20%
20%
35%
10%
5%
How much would you
spend on a magazine?
I don’t buy
magazines
£0.01 - £0.99
£1.00 - £1.99
£2.00 - 2.99
16%
32%32%
20%
What do you want to
see in a magazine?
News
Interviews
Promotions
Famous artists

15. Planning my magazine
pages: Photos
More photos are on the
blog in ‘Still image
originals’