- The document describes the target audience and design choices for a hip hop/rap magazine called "Dope Beatz". - The target audience is ages 15+ of both genders. Artists featured represent a variety of ethnicities to avoid stereotypes. - Language, colors, and fashion elements used attract the target audience and represent the hip hop/rap genre.

1. Evaluation – Understanding Of Issues
Elise Daniels

2. Who would be the audience for your media product?
During the research and planning stage I knew my target audience for my magazine. I knew
I'd aim my magazine to both genders and target a certain age and above. This age would be
about 15+. I decided to target the audience above this age based on the maturity of my
magazine.
My magazine will also show examples of other Hip-Hop/Rap music. Examples of these
include, Drake, Rihanna, J.Cole, Tyga, Chris Brown etc. I would include a mixture of both
female and male artists to attract both males and females to stop my magazine from
being bias of a certain gender. A mixture of ethnicities will be used. Typical stereotypes
show that people who are black or mixed race normally listen to hip hop or rap or are
artists of this genre. Instead of continuing this stereotype I have used a variety of
ethnicities. White, Asian and Black and Mixed Race.
Fashion would be used based on what my artists wear and other artists to show the genre
of my magazine and the audience it attracts. This would include street clothing, hats,
converse etc. The style of people reflects the genre of music. Therefore this is important to
include these aspects into my magazine.

3. How did you attract or address your audience?
I attracted audience readers by mentioning other successfully hip hop/rap artists, e.g.
drake, J.Cole, Nicki Minaj, Rita Ora etc. These are successful and popular names within
the music industry.
I attracted my targeted audience by the use of language. This means I was able to use
slang and other typical language related to 'hip-hop' and 'rap'. My magazine title
immediately represents the genre based on the 'Dope' used within 'Dope Beatz'.From
when audiences read the cover they will be aware of the genre. I also made sure my
interview was informal and used words as if my artists would when they speak, making
sure it matched the genre of my magazine. E.g. Words like Y'all, Chick, Ay, Damn etc.
Words like this will connect the readers, as they read the text the way they could imagine
the artists to speak. Formal language would not appropriately match the genre of my
magazine and audience readers would not feel as connected if they are unable to
understand or take the time to read long and complicated words.
The use of colours of have used has been used to attract my audience. Typically the
colour pink attracts girls, where as whites and black attract boys. The use of these three
colours together shows a mixture of gender and attracts both males and females.

4. 'DOPE BEATZ' –
Slang and typical
language used for a
hip hop/rap magazine.
Two females wearing street
clothing, image taken
where graffiti is. Again
attracts the typically hip
hop audience.
'Festivals Summer
2012'.This attracts the
younger audience
based on the range of
festivals young people
attend.
Includes both
female artists and
male. Attracting both
genders to buy.
More real effect to the
audience. Use of website,
bar code and issue/date.

5. More varieties of pictures of my artists.
Wearing a different set of clothes and
different poses. Adds more creativity
and gives readers a greater preview of
the double page spread.
Different
ethnicities –
Asian and
white. This
shows a rage
of heritage
attracting a
variety of
people to my
magazine.
Successful features e.g. drake, Rihanna,
Nicki Minaj. - All artists that the target
audience would want to read about.

6. Variety of images and colours.
Adds more creativity and
shows a range of fashion my
artists are interested in. - This
targets the audience who are
also interested in fashion.
Main colour scheme throughout my Double page spread. This colour
scheme was also used within my contents and cover page. Shows a
consistent theme of colours. - Attracts both males and females.

7. How does your media product represent particular social
groups?
Based on the artists and the language included within my media product evidently
represents particular social groups. My magazine represents an urban/street style
and this is shown within the cover of my magazine. The picture shows how my artists
are based around fashion and street as there is graffiti on the walls.
The social group that would be represented within my media product is based on
the age of 15/16+ and both males and females. This is based on the other artists I
have included into my magazine and some of these artists are known for their
street and explicit music. This social group would be very fashion orientated, street
and their favourite genres would be RnB/HipHop/Rap. This age range would be
most known to purchase my media product based onto this.

8. In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media products -
Below is a comparison of my own media cover and another magazine who is also the same
hip-hop/rap/rnb genre of my own. I will be comparing the conventions of both products
finding the similarities and differences and justifying why I have chose to do so.
Both magazine include
quotes. This is typical of
most magazine and
draws the reader in to
read the interview and
find out 'The Secret' and
'What was a dream
come true'.
Both include female
artists although Christina
Milian from rap-up
magazine is dressed far
more provocatively.
My magazine includes a
border and plain
background, where as
rap-up has a more
patterned background.
This shows a variety.

9. Different aspects of my magazine have showed similarities to other popular magazines.
Although within my magazine I have added my own originality, something that other
magazines or very few have done. For example, my cover page includes a border. The reason
why I have included a simple coloured border is to enable it to stand out further and look more
interesting. Rap-Up is an example of a hip-hop/rap magazine which does not use a border.
Although Rap-Up includes a more detailed background. This is something I have not used as I
did not want to over power the creativity on the cover of my magazine. If there are too many
colours and designs, pictures and texts it will just put people off buying the magazine. This is
due to it included to much information and then standing out for the wrong reasons.
The layout of my features is similar to other magazine although it differs from Rap-Up.
Different magazines adapt different ways of presenting their information effectively on the
page. I chose to use simple boxes and variety of colours. This enabled my information to
stand out further.
Also in comparison to Rap-Up magazine similar colour schemes have been used. Mixtures of
whites, pinks and black, although there are also purples within Rap-Up. This shows a theme of
colours, something I also applied to my own magazine. It also shows to the audience that the
magazines are not gender biased. Anyone, of any gender can purchase the magazine. Therefore
my magazine shows similarities in comparison to other magazines based on colour schemes.
The image is also an important aspect of the magazine. My artists appropriately match the genre
of my magazine based on where the images is taken and what my artists are wearing. It shows a
more street edge. The colours of the clothing of my artists also match my magazine theme
colours. The Rap-Up magazine artist also matches their magazine. Although in comparison the
artist has adapted a different fashion. Christina Milian is wearing a more low cut shop, leather,
gloves, shorts, accessories – bling, sunglasses etc. Although the variety of shots on my contents
and double page spread show a different perspective of my artists, as they also where a different
variety of clothing. E.g. bolder colours, hats, shorts, leather, denim etc.

10. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
My magazine would be distributed best to an independent publisher. Some of these
companies include IPC and Bauer. These companies publish a wide range of diverse
magazines. Some of these brands include; Grazia, NME, Kerrang, Closer, Q, etc. IPC
alone engage with 26million people within the UK and works in partnership with its
consumers, advertisements, business partners, and employees to deliver exceptional
value and service. Bauer is a worldwide media empire offering over 300 magazines in 15
countries, as well as online, TV and radio station. There business is based on influential
media brands with millions of personal relationships with engaged readers and listeners.
I believe it would be best to distribute my magazine to one of these publishers as they
would be more likely to sell to a range of genders and social groups. Both publishers
distribute within the UK and worldwide which is extremely beneficial. This would enable
my magazine to be distributed to different countries, other than the UK. I’d also distribute
my media to a range of shops, based on music and fashion to increase promotion. I
would also include a range of advertisements within my magazine, including a range of
fashion brands which represent the style of my magazine and music channels such as
MTV.

11. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of
constructing the product?
I have used a variety of technologies during the creation of my media product. The
construction and development phase has enabled me to improve my skills. These
technologies includes, a variety of cameras. The camera's have allowed me to take a
variety of shot types and experiment with the lighting. This has improved the way I take
images and added more creativity. During the research and planning and also construction
and development, practising taking shots has allowed me to develop taking my final shots
for my media product.
Other forms of technology include slideshare and microsoft powerpoint. Thjs software has
allowed me to creatively publish my work on my word press blog site.
Photoshop software has allowed me to make the most progression. This software enabled
me to create my magazine, manipulating images and being creative with text fonts etc. All
of these technologies I did not use for creative purposes before, therefore my skills have
now developed and I can progress further and use them In A2.

12. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you
have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
In comparison to my preliminary task I believe I have made a great deal of progression and
learnt a variety of new skills. Prior to creating my preliminary magazine and my music
magazine I had little experience with the use of photo shop and fireworks. Therefore the
difference from working on fireworks and using a range of skills to create my school
magazine in comparison to my music magazine is more significant. I have now created a
professional standard magazine. For example, I know understand how to work with the
range of layers on photo shop, duplicating layers, re-naming, overlapping and bridging
layers etc. This came as an advantage when creating my magazine. My knowledge of
photo shop has increased considerably since I started using the software. My preliminary
task work looks of a much lower standard in comparison to my music magazine. This
justifies my progression of skills. Although the preliminary task has allowed me to
understand what I was expected to achieve for my final version of my music magazine.