- The document is an evaluation of a student's media magazine project about jazz music. - The student challenged conventions by targeting a younger audience than typical jazz magazines and featuring a young cover star. - Conventions like banners, advertisements, and section names were used but also developed, like a horizontal banner and "Editor's Note" instead of "Editor's Letter." - Photos, language, and layout were designed to represent and attract the target audience of 16-18 year old jazz fans.

1. AS Media Coursework 2010Music MagazineEvaluation

2. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?I created a Tag Line across the top of the magazine to give more information and draw the reader in, saying it is “THE” magazine for you.Other magazines also use this convention so this makes my magazine look real.The main convention I challenged was having a young target audience and the use of a young musician cover star, whereas other Jazz music magazines have older cover stars and audiences.I used a convention that many magazines use; a banner. Usually used to advertise another article in the magazine, it attracts attention and makes it look more appealing.I developed it so it goes horizontally across the cover as many examples I looked at were vertical.I’ve used a promotional offer on the front cover to attract peoples attention and [persuade them to buy the magazine. Many magazines offer freebies/vouchers to do this too.I have included the barcode, issue number, date and price; which these are all conventions of real magazines. So it makes my magazine look realistic.

3. The main form I challenged on the Contents page was the use of the Vinyl Record to display the Main Features. This was a new convention I thought of, I hadn’t seen it done anywhere else.I think it’s very eye-catching and adds lots of interest to the Contents page as I’ve not used many pictures compared to other magazines.In most magazines, the title of the contents page is simple “Contents”. I challenged this as I thought it was quite boring and used “This week, In Backbeat”. As it rhymes it makes it musical (relating to the genre of magazine).I’ve repeated the advertisement t of the free voucher to make it stand out to the reader that they’re getting more for their money buying this magazineA convention all magazines use is the Editor’s Letter section.In my magazine I developed it to “Editor’s Note” as in “musical note” so it relates back to the magazine genre. A convention of magazines that I used was having the contents in numerical order of pages. It makes it simple to read and follow.

4. A convention I used on my double page spread was to have one large main photo of the “star” and have a quote from the interviews a the title.A convention I used was having a banner across the top of the double page spread identifying this section is “The Backbeat Interview”. This makes it easy for the reader to find if they’re just flicking through, it catches their eye and makes them think about reading it.Another convention I used was having the magazine name and page numbers at the bottom of the page. This makes it look realistic.A convention I challenged was having two quotes from the article instead of one. I did this as I believe it adds extra interest and pulls the reader in and make them wasn’t to read it.

5. How does your media product represent particular social groups?My media product represents an age group of 16 to 18 year olds who are interested, appreciate and play Jazz music. I have represented this age group by the bands and artists featured in my magazine – with the exception of “The Brubecks” who are much older.However many young Jazz musicians and enthusiasts enjoy the older stars of Jazz music, e.g. Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald etc. This is backed up by in The Backbeat Interview, I have my 17 year old star saying she listened to her “Dad’s old Jazz records” and saying they were her favourites!In the double page spread I used a informal, “chatty” language to continue representing the particular social group.I also reflected the social group by using the characteristics of this normal teenage girl who always dreamed of being a star and finally her dreams come true. It gives all the young readers something to aspire to and draw inspiration from.

6. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?Jazzwise Publications Limited UK-based specialist jazz music publisher and education company

7. UK’s biggest selling jazz monthly magazine.

8. Features:

9. News Coverage

10. National Gig Guide

11. Gossip Column

12. Jazz on-film page

13. Opinion Column

14. CD Releases etc.My magazine is perfect for Jazzwise Publications Limited as Jazzwise at the minute is aimed more at older readers, e.g. 35 years old and older. So they could distribute it as an offspring from Jazzwise as Backbeat is for a younger audience.Jazzwise Publications Limited could tie in Backbeat with their Jazzwise Education division; where students attend during the summer where they are taught jazz music, have band practices etc. They could roll it out as a free subscription to all students who attend.After a break over 2009 and 2010, Jazzwise Education is about to re-open in 2011 - a perfect opportunity for them to entice new students in with a free issue of Backbeat!!!

15. Who would be the audience for your media product?Audience Profileworking class background British

16. plays in a Jazz bandor Jazz solosGoes to college or a Music Conservatoire

17. 17 years old

18. Studies music

19. Likes Jazz musicA perfect example of people who would read my magazine is the members of Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra – who I featured on the front cover.

20. How do you attract or address your audience?LanguageColourOn the front cover I use easy to understand language so everyone can understand and read it to know what’s inside the magazine.During the interview I use informal “chatty” language as it’s a 17 year old I’m talking to. Also, it makes it more appealing to read from my target audiences’ perspective.I used three main colours throughout my magazine; Red, Gold and Black.Gold represents the colour of the musical instruments used in Jazz.Red because it’s bold and bright – like Jazz music!Black simply because it’s easy to read.Also they all appeal to both genders.Photos / ImagesLayoutI used a very simple and clear layout so it’s easy to follow and doesn't look cluttered.The only page where I think “a lot is going on” is the contents page. This is because I used the vinyl record idea which took up a large proportion of the page. To compensate for this I didn’t use a lot of images and laid everything else out straight and clear.As it is for young musicians, I have used a younger model on the front cover.I advertised a 20% Off voucher inside to draw the reader in.The photos on the front cover are bright and colourful, so they attract attention. Young people will not be attracted to something that’s dull or boring!

21. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?I can also now use a Nikon camera and all the right lighting set up. This makes it look professional and makes the photos turn out natural.I was able to take hundreds of photos using the memory card so I could test different ones and find the perfect one to put into my magazine.Before I started constructing my media product I had no previous experience of Photoshop. Now I can use a majority of the different tools confidently and effectively. For example: Brighten/Contrast

22. Magic wand

23. Magic eraser

24. Blur

25. Crop

26. Paint brush

27. Opacity

28. Text and Warp Text

29. Drop Shadow

30. StrokeI used Blogger throughout the process to give updates of how my magazine was going. I found this was quite easy to do.

31. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?I now know how to set out a magazine front cover and pay attention to details like having text that is located on the right hand side aligned to the right.There is lots of blank space on my prelim front cover!!!Wasted printing space would not be seen in real magazines. Publishers make the most of any blank space to attract their audience.I have made sure that the majority of my final front cover has something on it to advertise things in the magazine.I learned how to edit photos to make them look professional and how they would look on real magazine. E.g. Adding lipstick and eyeliner.I’ve learned how to use technology better and take a more professional looking photo.I learned to make more use of space on the contents page and had less pictures and more text advertising what’s in the magazine.I improved my contents page by adding an Editors Column as I learned that all magazines have these.