2. I sent out a questionnaire with various different questions that I tallied and analysed so that when I was creating my magazine I could incorporate the feedback
to make it as good as possible. One way I did this, for further analysis of my magazine, I created a focus group on a social networking site called Facebook. This is
where I uploaded my magazine and asked a series of questions:
• What is your general view on my front cover/contents/introductory double page/ double page spread?
• Do you think my magazine has a clear colour theme?
• Is there any improvements that need to be made?
• Is the photography effective?
I then received a few responses back for each of the elements (front
cover, contents, intro/double page spread). Overall all the responses
were minor details that needed to be fixed, such as the drop caps,
spelling mistakes and resizing text. The answers I received were all
from an audience of 16-35 and, therefore my magazines proved to
have an effect on this age group which is my target audience.
Market Research
3. For my front cover I received a comment from a person called
Liz Smith who pointed out that my barcode is too close to the
edge and to move the price with it and put it in a smaller font. I
took this into consideration and moved the barcode and price
accordingly and added another cover-line at the bottom to fill
the space.
Front Cover
4. Another person commented on my contents stating that I could list
saying cover article or key issue next t josh’s name. However, I felt
that this wasn’t necessary due to the fact that it would overlap the
image behind it too much. I also removed the area at the top of the
page located in the strong fallow area which would have been the
authors picture and statement. This was due to the fact that I felt it
over crowded the page a little and I feel that without it it creates a
better reading gravity than before.
Contents
5. I received another comment from a person called Lara Dobson who pointed
out that the use of drop caps “may have been used slightly too much”. I then
removed some of the drop caps and limited them to one a paragraph s that it
still “draw[s] in peoples attention.”
Another person also commented on my introductory double page and
pointed out some spelling mistakes and some areas where I could resize my
text so that it is consistent throughout. I took this into account and edited it.
Introductory Double Page Spread and Main Double Page Spread
6. I also created a group message on the same social networking site, Facebook, to send my survey I created on survey monkey. I then based my
magazine off the results of the survey by making my magazine focus on a variety of different genres instead of one, much like Q magazine. One
questions that was answered was ‘ Why do you read a magazine?’ The results I received was that 40% read a magazine for the artists/celebrities and
interviews featured in the magazine. From this information I made sure that I had plenty of artists, other than the main artists which was the selling
point for the magazine.
I also found that when I asked the question of ‘What music do you listen to?” over
40% answered pop, and just under 20% answered dance, rock, RnB and Alternative
Rock. From these results I decided to focus my magazine on a range of genres like NME
and Q due to the fact that there was a similarity in the amount of people who listened
to the different genres. I also focused my magazine on various genres due to the fact
that the age group of female was 80% and male 20%. Therefore, instead of limiting it
to gender specific I wanted to focus on the audiences’ age group instead as I found
this is what magazines like Q and NME focus on.
I asked the question of ‘What is your age?’ to
get a better understanding of who I am asking
to see whether it would effect the music they
listen to. Although I don’t know for sure I
believe that the younger audience (16-26)
liked genres such as rock, RnB and Dance due
to the stereotypical views of younger people
going to clubs and festivals. Whereas as the
audience got older they also liked genres such
as pop and dance due to the age group still
being young (27-37). Therefore I targeted my
audience around these age ranges at 16-36.
7. Front cover
Guttenberg Principle
My front cover design is laid out following the Guttenberg principle so that the audience can read it clearly. I made sure that the most important information was
featured either in the primary optical are, strong fallow area or in the path of the reading gravity- The masthead is located in at the top of the page occupying the
primary optical area and the strong fallow area due to the fact that it is the logo of my magazine. The word “MUSO” is a colloquialism for someone who is obsessed
with music and therefore attracts a younger audience who knows about this ‘slang’ term. I placed the cover lines on the left hand side of the page due to the fact
that the natural reading gravity is from left to right. This gradually increases in size and finishes with the main cover line of “JOSH TAYLOR”. This is so that the audience
can depict this from the rest of the content and understand that this is the main feature..
Photography
I included a range of photographs on the front cover so that it
attracts the audience into further reading. I tried to accomplish a
range of genres through the photography with the use of props
and costume. The image of the two girls and two boys establish
that they are a group but they are both from two different genres-
the two boys represent the rock genre which I have tried to
emphasise through the use of guitars. Where as the image of the
two girls establish a pop band due to the bright colours and
proximity. I have purposely done this to establish to the audience
that there is a range content within my magazine therefore
attracting a wide range of audiences with different interests in
music.
Photography
For the main image of the front cover I have used a
close-up of the subjects face. The use of lighting,
colour and costume indicates that the subject is
representing the indie genre, based off the artist Noel
Gallagher. I wanted to make the subject appear moody
and look like he has attitude, like the band Oasis, so I
used the technique of side lighting to create a shadow.
This gives it a contrast in dark and light and adheres to
the house style of the magazine. It connotes
aggressiveness which attracts an audience of this
genre.
House style
I have used the colour theme of red and black to connote
aggressiveness of the main image and to represent the indie/
alternative rock genre, like Oasis. I used white to balance out the
black and red, and also because the use of the lighting on the main
image is split black and white. Therefore I used white to show this
contrast further, along with the use of black text.
House style continued:
I laid out the front cover in this way to adhere to the main image
so that It frames it. This allows there to be a natural field of view
towards the main cover line which is the viewpoint within the
text. I placed the barcode on the right side of the page due to
the fact this is seen within a lot other magazines.
8. Contents
Guttenberg Principle
I have based the contents on the layout of the Guttenberg principle by the contents occupying the primary optical area as this is the first thing the reader is going to
see. I then placed my images on the left side of the page which is located in the primary optical area and slightly into the strong fallow area. I also placed the images
there due to the fact that every magazine I have looked at places a big image or a couple images in this area. For the main feature of my magazine I have placed it
underneath the images in the weak fallow area. I wanted to use a big area for this do to the fact that it is the selling point to the magazine and gives the reader an
insight into the interview on the introductory double page and double page spread. I placed the content of the magazine down the right hand side of the magazine.
This is because the it is at the end of the path of the reading gravity, so after looking at the images they are taken towards the features, albums, news, events and
every month.
Photography: Main Image
I have used a wide range of photographs for my contents so
the audience have an idea of what is featuring within the
magazine. Like the main image on my front cover I have used a
large picture of the main subject within the primary optical
area so that audience know that this is the main feature. I
have used a mid-shot of the subject to establish the indie
genre further through the use of costume. Here the audience
gets a sense of his character through his physicality and use of
lighting to portray a moody character like the band members
of oasis. I have also used a screenshot of the front cover at the
bottom of the page to further emphasise his importance to
the magazine.
Photography: other images
For the images of the other artists featuring I placed them next
to the main image on the page being the same size as they are
equally important. The lighting I have used In the image of the
female subjects is side lighting due to the fact that I wanted to
give them an edge as they represented the pop genre. Within
the image of the male subjects I also used side lighting but
with the use of a soft box close up to them. This was because I
wanted to create a slightly over exposed side to their face and
then a dark shadow on the other side to emphasise their
genre of Rock to the audience.
House style:
I have kept the house style of the front cover to add a sense of professionalism and the idea that it is associated with the main subject- Josh Taylor. This is because red
and black have connotations of aggressiveness and therefore emphasise the genre Josh Taylor is representing. I laid out the contents this way so that it establishes
the sense of a professional contents page, like NME, and that the style the way the photography is laid out and the content on the side of the page is a clear layout for
the audience. There is no two font size that are the same which I have used to establish to the audience what’s important content.
9. Introductory Double Page
Guttenberg Principle
The use of the Guttenberg Principle isn’t as apparent as on the front cover and contents page, however I have placed the title of the page within the primary optical
area and strong fallow area , which is the top half of the page, so that the audience can see it clearly and know exactly what It is about. I placed the text of the
interview at the bottom half of the page in the weak fallow area and terminal area, due to the fact that it isn’t as important as the title as there needs to be
something to draw the audiences attention towards the article. I also tried to establish the effect of the reading gravity by placing the drop caps in a diagonal, starting
at the left and ending to the right. I originally had a drop cap on each paragraph but when I received feedback from the focus group on Facebook one person said that
“the use of the larger fonts to start paragraphs may have been used slightly too much but it does draw in peoples attention.” Therefore I limited the drop caps to only
one column. As for the right page I dedicated this to just a close-up of the subject to establish to the audience that the interview Is on this person. I didn’t use the
Guttenberg principle for this page but I have placed the masthead, number of the page and date the magazine was created within the weak fallow area (left page) and
terminal area (right page). This was because within all the magazines I have looked at they use this technique either at the bottom or at the top. Also within magazine
like Q or they have a main image occupying a full page.
Photography:
On the left page I have used a close-up of the
subject to show the audience that the article is of
this subject. I have also used the effect of side
lighting again as I feel that this gives the subject
personality which is apparent to audience through
this image emphasised by the physicality and facial
features- his head bent slightly to one side and
scowling indicates an attitude commonly associate
with the indie genre. The costume adheres to the
colour theme of the magazine- black, red and
white. Black and red connotes violence and rage
where as white has connotations of goodness.
House style:
The colour theme of this page is apparent in
the text and the photography, which it
consistent throughout each of the pages. I
have used a sans serif font due to the fact I
am attracting a younger audience of 16-35
year olds. This is because this font style is
usually seen on magazines like NME and
KERRANG! Due to this reason. Serf style font
is associated with an older audience like in
magazines like Q. I used this particular house
style so that it is clear and easy for the
audience to find things.
10. Double page spread
Guttenberg Principle
Within this double page spread I started the left page with a drop in the primary optical area so that the audience is instantly drawn towards the text. I
then placed a column of images within the middle of the page in the path of the reading gravity so that the audience is reminded that the interview is of
this subject. As for the right page on the double page spread I also started it off with text so that the article flows and is easy to find by the audience. I
placed a large image of the subject at the bottom half the page within the weak fallow area and terminal area along with a pull quote so that the
audience end with this image and pull quote due to the fact that it is in the line of the reading gravity. When looking at the double page as a whole I took
the feedback of my introductory double page spread and main double spread about the drop caps into consideration and limited them to only one each
column. I have placed them purposely in a diagonal line so that the audience reading gravity flows and they naturally fall to the images at the bottom of
the page.
Photography
Due to the fact I took two shoots of the subject
wearing different clothes so that I could
establish to the audience that he represents the
indie genre, I placed them evenly across the
two pages. Within each image the costume
includes the colours black, white and red so
that the colour theme of the magazine is clear. I
also used the side lighting with the soft box so
that it gives a gradual light to dark shadow from
one side to the other. This was to emphasise his
aggressiveness and moodiness through this and
also his physicality, much like an indie band/
artist. I have included a range of close-up’s and
mid-shots to give a wide range of images for the
audience to look at and establish his character.
House Style:
The house style is placed accordingly to the
images I have used so that it adheres to a neat
layout for the audience to look at easily. I have
also used a sans serif font so that it doesn’t look
formal as I am attracting a young audience of 16-
35. I used the black, white and red colour theme
so that the audience knows that it is associated
with the subject. I have also used it so that the
audience know instantly that it is still content
from MUSO. I placed two large images on the
right page so that it fills in the black spaces due
to the article being short on this side. I included
a column of images to give it diversity and so
isn’t just a page of text.