2. IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE,
1. DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS
OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?
Before I created my music magazine I looked at existing music magazines, these gave
me an insight into what kind of content I needed to include within my magazine double
page spread.
• I realised that there were certain details that music magazines had. It had to include
things that were going to be found within the magazine to appeal to the target
audience. I also realised that I had to make my magazine appealing to by using the
same house style throughout.
• To get around this I did a questionnaire to find out what colour theme my target
audience would like for my music magazine. A typical music magazine contents
page had a table layout and different pages under subtitles, which I then included
when making my music magazine.
• On the front cover of the music magazines I researched they all had cover lines
and strap lines to sell things within the magazine, I added cover lines to my cover
and 2 strap lines at the top and bottom of my magazine. My central image is posed
and is like ones that are normally found on music magazine covers as the person
normally features in the magazine later on.
• My magazine also has a bar code which all real magazines need.
3. HOW DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT REPRESENT PARTICULAR
2 SOCIAL GROUPS?
.My magazine is aimed at teens/young adults so I wanted it to look like something I
would want to read myself.
• The music that they are interested in is chart update and new music. Which is the
main feature within my magazine.
• I used a general modern theme throughout my magazine which fits in with
teens/young adults’ style which is a stereotypical representation or being messy
and unorganised.
• For the front cover I took a close up shot which is of a model posing which fits in
with the genre of my magazine, I changed the lighting in the picture to make it look
more professional and fit in with the colour theme of my magazine. My central
image is looking laid back and care free wearing fashionable clothes which reflects
what a teenager would usually wear and appear like day to day.
• The fonts that I used throughout my magazine were all scruffy and ruff which
reflects the teens appearance. The messy and scruffy layout that I used through
out my magazine is reflected to the attitude of my target audience and this is what
they said they wanted when doing my questionnaire. The cover lines that I put on
my front cover where simple but contain the interesting parts of the magazine to
appear to my target audience.
• I avoided using big blocks of text on my contents page and double page spread,
so I added images to add more interest and prevent readers getting bored.
4. WHAT KIND OF MEDIA INSTITUTION MIGHT BE
3. DISTRIBUTE YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT AND WHY?
I researched other music magazines before making my own which gave me
key ideas as what kind of house style and colours other products used.
I think that my magazine was inspired by a number of publications including
Kerrang, NME and VIBE for the use of layout in my design. I think my music
magazine would sell well in the shops as it has all the features that
teens/young adults want to read about when it comes to music. I think my
music magazine is different to others as it mainly features on the charts and
new music which you don’t normally find in music magazines such and NME.
5. 4. WHO WOULD BE THE AUDIENCE
FOR YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT?
My target audience is 16-22 year olds and both genders as my magazine includes all
the recent music with appeals to both genders.
• The readers will generally be interested in new music and the charts. Parents of
the readers will fall into the B/C1 grouping as the reader will rely on the parents for
finance, However some readers may work part time as they are either in college or
at university.
• The people who read this magazine will have a good social life and enjoy having
fun whilst listening to the latest new music.
6. 5. HOW DID YOU ATTRACT/ADDRESS
YOUR AUDIENCE?
• I attracted my audience through the use of colour, image choice, layout and house
style. The colours I used were dull with a highlight of blue to add life to the black
and white image to catch the eye of readers. I have used the colour blue to high
light the important parts which will draw attention to them.
• The font that I used was messy and scruffy looking which works with my main
image. I changed the colouring to my main image to keep it neutral and not to over
powering which is often used in most music magazines.
• The font for my mast head it messy and looks like it has paint splatted around the
outside which appears to be modern and matches with the attitude of a
teenager/young adult.
• I have put the cover lines down the right hand side of the image so it doesn’t take
any attention off the main image which is one of the main attractions to my target
audience.
Video to also watch:
7. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT ABOUT
6. TECHNOLOGIES FROM THE PROCESS
OF CONSTRUCTING THIS PRODUCT?
When creating my magazine music magazine cover, contents page and
double page spread I learnt how to use a new InDesign software which was
a new experience. As the lessons went on I generally got more confident at
using it and soon became a lot quicker. I used a digital camera to take the
images for my front cover, contents page and double page spread, I found
that the pictures were good quality and didn’t need much adjusting. When it
came to my front cover I used Photoshop to change the colouring I my main
image which seemed simple to do. I also made a bar code meaning using a
website which I had never used before, which came in useful if ever needing
to do it in the future.
Images I took
Using using a digital
InDesign camera
8. LOOKING BACK AT YOUR PRELIMINARY
TASK, WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE
7. LEARNT IN THE PROGRESSION FROM IT
TO THE FULL PRODUCT?
Since creating my student magazine my knowledge
of using InDesign has increased considerably, as I
now know how insert and install new fonts, insert a
bar code and much more. I learnt how to do new
thing on photo shop when making my background, I
got a block of colour and changed the texture of it,
which I then used as my background through out my
magazine. Overall my understanding of the software
has improved greatly throughout this project
because at the start I'd barely used Photoshop and
now I have produced a professional looking
magazine contain many different element such as
bar code, new fonts and different backgrounds which
has given it an overall professional look.
My final front cover,
which demonstrates all
the different
applications I used.
