2. When I was planning and crating rough designs for my magazine I had to consider how I
would successfully design a magazine cover, content and double page spread according
to my target audience. My intended audience were young adults interested in indie,
rock music between the ages of 18 – 23. From this I knew I should look at existing music
magazines targeted at a similar audience to mine, for example magazines such as NME,
Q and Kerrang. When I did my research on these magazines I found that NME was the
best fitting to my criteria. Here I have an example of my magazine front cover “Frets”
and one created by NME. I focused a lot on the design presented by NME, such as there
use of composition and layout. When you compare the two covers you can see I have
considered how I have used my layout similar to that of NME, I have made the image
large and bright to deliver impact and to also be the main focus of the cover. I have also
considered the space around the image and how I could place the information on the
cover, for example the mast head I have made sure to be large and bold and placed to
the top left side of my magazine, this is so the reader can navigate around the page and
consume all the information. I have made sure to make the main subject of my
magazine stand forward by using a large sub-heading based on the story (the artists
name) directly underneath the image, this is to identify the artist in the image in
relation to the NME magazine identifying Florence from Florence and he machine. For
my cover I had to be considerate with what type of image I should use, for example the
image on my cover has a particular pose popular with my target audience (a very
indie/rock pose), the makeup I have put on my subject and the amount I have used is
also very popular to my target audience, but this is more aimed to the female side of my
audience. The use of bold chunky font is more aimed towards the male side of my
target audience because I aim my magazine towards both genders, this means I have to
offer something for both genders.
3. When I went on to designing my contents page I had to consider layout and
composition above all aspects, this is because with out a structured layout the
reader will not be able to navigate the page properly there for not consuming the
correct information. I made sure to make the title Contents large and to the top
left hand side of the page , similar to my front cover, this is because by doing this
will lead the reader to that point this will then lead them to the content subjects
of the magazine, by using the direction of reading to lead them round the page.
To highlight the main subject (main story line) of my magazine I have used an
image of my artist, I have made sure the image was bright and clear to attract my
audience. I have made the page number to m y main subject bold and red so the
reader won’t mistake the page and will know to look there first . For my content
page I have used a similar layout to NME’s contents page, I have also used a
similar colour scheme of black ,red and yellow , I have used the colours red and
black because these are colours my target audience find most attractive in a
magazine, they are also very rock colours following the theme of my magazine,
the colours I have used are also in relation to the image I have used red for the
lipstick and black fro the top my subject is wearing. I have used yellow on my
advertisements because it conflicts the other colours I have used making it stand
forward. I have used simple but very direct language suitable for my audience.
My use of language and description as I said is very direct allowing my audience
to relate to my magazine, something only their stereotype will understand. I have
used advertisement on my contents page advertising a contract to the magazine,
this will be appealing to my audience because I have added free give away and
cheaper prices to gain their attention. My target audience are between the ages
of 18- 23 so are most likely going to be students this means they will only earn a
particular amount of money so by advertising cheaper deals should attract their
attention and want them to continue buying my magazine. I have added a band
index to my contents page to allow my reader to brose through the different
artists featured in my magazine.
4. In relation to my contents page and my front cover I made sure to use a
bright, clear image, this is to present good quality which is attractive to
my target audience. I have used an image similar to the one I used in the
contents page, this is to create a sense of continuation thought my
magazine, to create a flow for my reader to follow , it will make reading
my magazine a lot more enjoyable. I place the image to the left of my
page so my readers will see that first this will then direct them to the
right hand side of the page where they will then read through the article
based on the image. I incorporated a large ”L” crossing the image and the
article, I did this to navigate the reader between both the image and the
article, I coloured it red to match the lipstick my subject is wearing in the
image. The sub – heading beneath the title of the page is coloured the
same as the image background for the same purpose I coloured the “L” in
red, to join the two pages together and to navigate the reader . I have
overlapped the title with the image so people will follow from the image
to the title over to the article. I have used educated language for my
article this is because my target audience are educated and will
understand the more complicated structure of reading, although my
article isn’t that complicated it’s self it just holds educated elements. The
image shows my subject wearing makeup and headphones, these are very
popular products my audience are interested in.
5. Representation of social group
My target social group is of young adults between
the ages of 18- 23. Here I have an example image
of my intended audience and how they would
look. I have used a similar pose and use of makeup
on my front over image of my subject , this is so my
target audience can relate to the image, to make
them want to buy my magazine because it can
share a relation with my reader. The lighting of my
image is also appropriate for my target audience,
almost like being in the spot light like you are the
main focus of attention.
The language I have used in my double page spread article and
thought the rest of my magazine is educated but very simple to
understand and follow. Most of it is very direct to my audience
and addresses them as they see themselves, in this case to be
rock/indie in stereotype. In my images I have dresses my
subject in simple baggy clothing and used headphones, this
fashion sense is used widely by my target audience so this is
how I made my decision on my use of MISE-EN-SCENE.
6. Magazine Publishers
When I researched different magazine publishers I came across two
possibilities that would be suitable for the production and selling of my
magazine. These two publishers are Bauer media and IPC media, both
publishers are very established and control some of the worlds best known
media brands. When I researched Bauer I found that they are a worldwide
media empire offering over 300 magazines in 15 countries, as well as online,
TV and radio stations, in similarity to my magazine “Frets” they publish the
magazines “Q” and Kerrang , both these magazines are music magazines to
do with rock/indie music, because of this I considered Bauer to be a possible
publisher for my magazine, because this shows Bauer has experience in my
genre of magazine and will understand my target audience and how to target
them as a buyer for my magazine. On the other hand I also there is IPC
media to consider, IPC Media produces over 60 iconic media brands, with
print alone reaching almost two thirds of UK women and 42% of UK men –
almost 26 million UK adults, with a website that brings in 20 million users a
month. IPC makes NME which is very similar to my magazine but don’t seem
to make any others this similar to mine, this may be good in terms if I did
choose IPC I would be making a niche in the market, but when I really
consider the two I feel my magazine will do best with Bauer, this is because
although Bauer already produces two other products similar to mine, my
product is slightly different so it may create a niche in the market, also Bauer
have more experience in this genre of magazine compared to IPC.
7. My target Audience
My target audience for my magazine is young adults between the ages of 18- 23, they are
interested in rock/indie music and follow the same stereotype . I decided to make my
target audience like this because of my research for my magazine, for example I sent out a
questionnaire asking people of he public what they wanted in a magazine. The results
came in that most people where interested in the theme I had chosen between the ages I
decided to use, these decisions were made because of this data I had collected , but this
also influenced how I designed my magazine, for example from the knowledge that my
audience is interested in rock and indie themed subject I knew to do just that to my
magazine with my use of bright posing images, and use of props and clothing ( mise-en-
sense) that are popular to my genre . It also gave me an understanding on what types of
graphics I should use, for example bold ,large font similar to that on NME , use of language
and how it was presented and most impotently the layout of my magazine. I decided on
these decisions purely from the information I had collected from my questionnaire and my
reader profile . I would say also from the information I have collected I can say that my
target audience fit in as C1 when looking at Psychographic segmentation, this means they
are Lower Middle Class Supervisor, junior managerial, admin or professional. From this I
can understand the typical life and background of my target audience, for example they
will be earning an healthy wage so I know to make the price reasonable because my target
audience are 18-23 they are most likely going to still be in education so I chose to price my
magazine £2.50 a month, this is a reasonable price to pay. This understanding of my
audience also tells me where they like to buy their products, for example being students
and knowing where similar magazines are sold I know my target market would most likely
buy from WHSmiths or any form of supermarket .
8. Use of technology
To produce and present my work I has to use a range of different websites. I will
begin with Blogger, Blogger is a blogging website that allows you to blog a
subject or subjects of your choice, in my case I was blogging Media studies. The
point for using blogger is to allow all my work to be presented professionally
and then viewable for free to the public , it is very easy to use and allows you to
branch out your ideas and our understandings to the public. This is good to
advertise your work and to show every step of your understanding and
development of this subject. Blogger is similar to another website called
Slideshare, this is also a type of blogging, but it allows you to blog slides, this is
good for presentations, you can use this and upload it to your blogger meaning
you will have a more professional finish to your blog, it will make it easier to
navigate. To advertise my work or get public opinion I used Zoomerang , this is a
questioning website that allows you to create questionnaires , I used this to
make my intended audience questionnaire , all I had to do was type in my
questions upload it to my blogger and allow people to freely answer and give
their personal opinion for my magazine. I could use zoomerang and upload the
questionnaire to facebook, I did this to allow more people to give me their
personal opinion on my magazine, this gave me a better understanding of what
the public wanted from my magazine and how they wanted me to present my
magazine.
I used technologies such as SLR cameras to take my photographs because they
could almost guarantee a professional photograph, but to make my
photographs suitable for my magazine I had to use programs such as Photoshop
and Serif, both of these programs allow you to manipulate your images to get
the professional look you are aiming for.
9. Photoshop
Here I have simply used photoshop to manipulate my photograph so it was suitable for my magazine front
cover. I began with my original image taken of my subject using an SLR camera , I then uploaded this image
onto photoshop where I cut round the image taking the background away, by first of all using a cropping
devise and the and cutting device allowing me to neatly cut round my image. Once I had done this I placed
my image to an A4 page, I then used free transform to enlarge my image to the size most suitable for my
cover . As you can see I decided to turn a mid – shot into a close up shot to make my image stand out more
and to fit the composition of my cover.
10. My development
During this course I have learnt a lot about technology and codes and
conventions that should be used to create the important aspects of a
magazine. At the beginning of the course I had to design and create a school
magazine cover with, for this I made a simple layout pinpointing the areas such
as the headline, sub-headings etc. I used simple colours, images and use of
font, I also used simple language in order for it to be appealing to students,
and suitable for a secondary school. As I have developed on to making a
magazine I have learnt the basics from my premium task, thing such as how to
layout my cover with the headline to the top right leading the reader towards
the content of the magazine. Although for my magazine I have used more
intelligent language I learnt the structure of writing from my premium task. I
have used more complicated language for my magazine because it is aimed to
an older audience and speaks more on specific subjects (music). The
presentation of my magazine is a lot more professional compared to my
premium task, for example the use images , unlike my premium task I have
edited and sharpened the images to present them with a professional and
clear look . For my images I have had to use lighting and photoshop to get the
finish I wanted, I have developed my understanding of the use of technology
and how it can improve the influence and attractiveness of my magazine. For
my premium task I used programs such as publisher to cerate my magazine,
this meant I had very limited simple editing equipment, because my magazine
“Frets” had to be professional I had to use more complex programming such as
photoshop and photo serif, this are photo editing programs. I had to consider
layout a lot more for my magazine, but to do so I had to use the basic idea of
layout from my premium task, placing the head line to the top of the page
followed by sub-headings to highlight the story line.
