2. One way my product uses the conventions of real media products on
the front cover is by replicating the colour scheme, it not only uses a
limited number of colours; red, green, black and yellow as do many
other magazines of a similar genre such as KERRANG!, Q and VIBE as I
found through my market research. These magazines also use similar
colour schemes using black, white, yellow, green and red which I have
replicated on my cover and throughout my magazine.
My magazine front cover Media product with the
same colour scheme and
similar genre to mine
Media products with similar colour schemes to mine and
with the same genre (Rock music)
Question 1
3. Another way my media product uses conventions of existing similar
products in my front cover is by using pull quotes to give a small
preview of the contents. I also ensured that none of my cover lines
were covering my models’ faces.
Question 1
Pull quotes
4. I have used the conventions of real media products, one way is
by replicating the layout of articles. One of these techniques is
by beginning the text of an article with an illuminated letter. I
also structured my text in columns. Examples of these
techniques being used are taken from the Q double page
spread. This image is one that I analysed during my market
research.
Double page spread from my magazine
Double page spread from Q magazine
5. My magazine challenges the conventions of existing media products as
it doesn’t focus on just one genre and rather covers both Rock and
Hip-hop. Other magazines in the industry such as Q and KERRANG!
Only cover rock. The way I cover two genres means my magazine
appeals to more audiences and giving the reader more of a fulfilling
magazine that covers more topics that may interest them.
Question 1
Coverage of a Rock band
Coverage of a Hip-hop/Rap artist
Displays other artists that are
covered in the issue, mixture of
both Rock and Hip-Hop artists
6. The models in my magazine are all within the same age bracket(17-
20) and within the same age range as my audience. They are
represented as being middle class through their costumes, which are
not overly expensive looking. This is also represented by the camera
angles used as a low angle shot may be perceived as representing
prestige therefore upper class. I have used eye line shots to give the
idea of equality with the audience as they will be within a similar age
range and will therefore feel as though they can
relate to the models and will feel less so if
they are represented as being prestigious.
Question 2
7. My magazine only uses one image of a female which could be argued
as being prejudiced but rather is consistent with the Rock and Hip-
Hop music industry which is dominated by males. This representation
of a female in my magazine, who is shown to be comfortable with her
position in the industry through the camera angle and the way she is
positioned in the shot, facing the camera and taking up most of the
shot, displaying her confidence as the other band member is turned to
the side and only taking up one third of the shot. This shows the
audience the diversity of my magazine and that it is willing to go
against conventions of the music industry.
Question 2
8. The publisher that would distribute my product is
The Bauer Media group. I believe that this company
will distribute my product as they publish similar
genre magazines such as Q and KERRANG. They
therefore have a good amount of knowledge about
these types of magazines. Publishing my magazine
will allow them to limit their competition in the
market so that the audience for rock magazines
will have more of a range of products to choose
from of which Bauer Media Group will publish the
majority. This means that they will have a larger
market share and in turn a larger profit.
Question 3
9. The fact that my magazine covers Hip-Hop allows
Bauer Media Group to fill a gap in their portfolio as
they do not currently publish a magazine that has a
Hip-Hop/Rap focus so publishing my magazine will
allow them to expand their range of audiences with
varying interests.
Question 3
Bauer media group’s current portfolio of music magazines
10. Question 4
My reader profile
My reader will be aged between 15 and 24 (53%
female and 47% male), therefore will be mostly in
full time education or have recently left education
living in the North Yorkshire area which is a largely
rural area, Fans of rock and hip hop. My reader will
not be a frequent buyer of music magazines but
will buy them once or twice a month to read about
up and coming bands especially in the local area,
they will regularly go to small gigs to see new
bands and like to introduce their friends to these
bands. As fans of music they will already have at
least some basic knowledge about the music
industry.
11. My audience are people who are mainly aged between 15 and 24. I found this
through my market research for which I made an online using survey monkey. I
also found that my respondents were almost equally split between male and
female, mainly lived in the York area and mostly enjoy rock music.
Question 4
12. Through my survey I also established that my audience are generally happy with
the current music magazine market, with the majority of my respondents aid
that they agreed that the current market suits their needs. I also found that my
audience currently regularly purchase NME and Q magazine, both of which
cover Rock music much like my magazine, showing how my magazine is fitting
to the needs of my audience.
Question 4
13. One way I attracted my audience was by matching the style of other
popular magazines that they purchase such as Q magazine. I did this
by implementing a similar colour scheme to that used by Q. This
presents a colour scheme that my audience is familiar with and will be
more likely to purchase as they will associate that colour scheme with
rock genre
Question 5
Use of red, black and
white for the house style
Attracting my audience
14. Another way I attracted my audience is by
using models who are of a similar age to them.
This creates a level of familiarity with the
models and therefore the magazine itself.
Question 5
Use of models around
the same age as my
audience (17-20)
Attracting my audience
15. I addressed my audience with language in a way that was not too complex but
at the same time avoided using overly simple language. As my primary
audience is aged between 15-24 they would be able to fully understand the
language I used, I avoided using oversimplified language as it my give off a
patronizing feel to the audience and overly complex language would be less
interesting to read and would not fit with my purpose or audience, and would
be more appealing to older readers who are looking for more serious and
arguably sophisticated content.
Question 5
Addressing my audience
16. I addressed my audience through the use of my photography on my front cover
by having the models look directly at the camera therefore making eye contact
with anybody who looks at the front cover. This creates a ‘relationship’
between my audience and the models therefore persuading them to read the
article. I used this technique throughout the magazine.
In one image the model is looking to the side of the camera and laughing,
giving the impression that he enjoyed working with the magazine and showing
that he had fun being interviewed, this means that my audience will see that
my magazine is not overly serious and addresses them as such.
Question 5
Addressing my audience
17. Hardware and software I have used
Camera
Computer
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe InDesign
Blog – WordPress
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Word
Dafont
Question 6
18. From this process I have learnt how to effectively use computer programs such
as adobe Photoshop and InDesign, learning what each of the tools do and how
I can use them to shape my product into a finished piece of work, for example I
learnt how to effectively use the select tool which allowed my to take a model
from an image and edit it as a separate image.
Question 6
19. I have learnt about the convergence of technology and how programs can
interact with one another. I have also learnt how this convergence has allowed
my to present my work on many different platforms such as in the source
program, as a jpeg image and on an internet based platform such as my online
blog.
Question 6
Use of my
blog to
present work
My double page spread, originally
an InDesign file displayed as a jpeg
image.
20. From my initial preliminary task I have learnt how to use Adobe Photoshop
more effectively and how to use it to create a more suitable product. My
preliminary product was quite basic in the sense of the things I had available to
me from Photoshop that I implemented, such as the ‘drop shadow tool’. I have
also learnt how to acquire a variety of fonts from DaFont.com which are very
useful in improving the appearance of my product.
Question 7
Drop shadow used
Basic fonts and
presentation techniques
used as opposed to the
more effectively used
Photoshop techniques
21. I have learnt more about the music magazine market and how to fit my product
into that market, replicating some themes from other similar products such as
image use, colour schemes and layout conventions.
Question 7
Prior to market
research
After market research
Existing products in the market
