AS Media StudiesPrint Foundation Coursework

Emma Readman

BriefFor my AS level Media Studies foundation portfolio, I intend to produce a rock magazine. This will include 5 pages: the front cover, contents page, a double page spread and a poster. I have decided to use the genre of rock as I am particularly interested in it and it covers a wide variety of areas as there are many sub genres I can include. My interest in the genre will make the task more interesting and enjoyable for me to work on.

I have decided to create a print project as I find that it will be less time consuming to produce and, due to the fact that I am working independently, it requires only one person to operate the programmes. Additionally, I have decided to work independently because I work well on my own and I can make important decisions about what is included in the magazine.

I am going to display my PowerPoint on a internet blog so that it is easily accessed. As the internet is increasing in popularity, it is useful to do this because it helps to promote my final piece from a different form of media.

In order to create my final piece, I will use the software Adobe Photoshop CS3 for constructing the magazine and manipulating images. Also, I will use publisher to design the layouts for my piece. Additionally, I will use Microsoft Excel to create pie charts when analysing my customer research and Windows Movie Maker to record my evaluations. I have chosen to use these programmes because I have basic knowledge about them and this will help me to produce a good quality magazine.

I am going to target my magazine for an audience of 16-19 girls because I fit into this category so I will be able to appeal to the audience. Also, in my opinion, this age group is more likely to buy and read rock music magazines.

Before producing my final piece, I am going to develop a preliminary task of a college magazine, including a front cover and a mock up of the contents page. This will allow me to play around with the software so that I can find a suitable layout for my final piece. I will use a Panasonic DMC-TZ7 camera and schedule a time in which I can take photos of people around the college, finding the appropriate lexis which would be suited to the magazine. I will then use Windows Movie Maker to produce an evaluation of my preliminary task. This will enable me to look and the successes and failures of the front cover and contents page.

Before creating my final piece, I need to research existing products; I am going to look at the front covers, contents pages and double page spreads of four popular rock magazines. I will take note of the logo, image and use of lexis so that I can apply them to my own magazine. This will be useful because it will enable me to see how a professional magazine is constructed. I will then proceed to analyse the backgrounds of each company. Although this is a print project, the companies have cross media ownership of other types of media, therefore these will have to be researched.

Also, I will need to carry out a questionnaire to find out what my target audience would expect to find within a music magazine. This will allow me to include certain connotations when producing my final piece. I shall carry out a survey in my college for people of the same age as me. Additionally, I will launch an internet survey so that I can reach out to a wider range of audiences. This will be constructed on Facebook and I will ask the audience to contain more elaborate detail in their answers. In the same way, I will record vox pops of a variety of people in my college to get additional information about my target audience’s opinions.

In order to produce my final piece, I will need to collect some images which have the appropriate camera angles, lighting, background, mise en scene and lexis for a typical rock magazine. I will need to find the appropriate models in for this and schedule a number of photo shoots to ensure I collect enough images.

Finally, after producing my final piece, I will include an evaluation in order to sum up the limitations and strengths of my final piece. This will enable me to see what I have done wrong and how I can improve it if I was to re-do this task.

Preliminary Task

To begin my coursework, I am going to create a preliminary task of a front cover and mock up of a contents page. I used an image manipulation programme and DTP to achieve this as, when I create my final piece, I will need to be aware of how to use this particular software.For this task, I have to target my magazine for students at a particular college. I need to include a mid shot of a student for the main feature photograph, use the appropriate text and have a eye-catching masthead. The contents page only has to be basic to give me an idea about the layout for future reference.

Preliminary PhotographyFor my preliminary task, I needed to collect a range of photographs which would be suitable for a college magazine. I used my own camera (Panasonic DMC-TZ7). As this is a college magazine, I decided to take the photographs within my own college so that the audience would be able to relate to this and I can use the people available as models. I scheduled this photo shoot to be taken place during my media lesson on 13th January.

In total, I took 65 photographs. This was narrowed down to 6 that I would use within the front cover and contents page. Here are some examples of the photos that I took:

It was hard to get a wide variety of images because many people were reluctant to having their images taken (particularly female subjects). Also, I could only take images of the people who were available during this time, this limited my options. Additionally, I only had one session in which I could take these images, this meant that I could not take as much time as I intended to perfect the shots.

Preliminary Photo AnalysisOf the 65 photos I took for my preliminary task, I found 6 suitable images to use in the front cover and contents page:

This photo shows an extreme longshot of a subject at the lockers. This is a good photo because it is clear to see what the photo includes and includes a student from this college which would appeal to the target audience to see someone of the same age as them. I am going to use this image as a secondary lead on my front cover as it will help to add interest by adding a visual aid to a storyline. I took this photo as I felt it could illustrate a story about new lockers being provided to English Martyrs College – this would appeal to the students in this particular area.

However, when I include this image in my magazine, I am going to edit out the school bell as I feel it looks undesirable and draws attention away from the main focus.

Next, this photo shows a midshot of a subject holding a St John’s Ambulance certificate. I like this photo because it is clear and you can easily define what the person is holding. This will appeal to the young target audience because it includes someone who actually attends the college and is the same age as them. In the same way, the subject is smiling which represents that the storyline is happy – this will encourage the audience to buy and read this magazine.

I am going to use this photo on the front cover of my preliminary task as the main feature photograph. This is due to the fact that the image is a midshot which meets the requirements of my brief.

However, I do not like the background of this magazine as it is too busy and draws attention away from the main focus. This will be edited out when I produce my front cover.

Preliminary Photo AnalysisAdditionally, I particularly like this photograph because it is a high angled shot to add more variety to the images that I will include in the magazine. This represents that the audience are superior because they are looking down on the subject’s life. Also, it helps the audience to see that the person is reading a book. In the same way, the image is clear and the audience can easily recognise what it represents.

I am going to use this image in my contents page as it would help to illustrate the “Reading/writing” section. However, I do not like the chair and shelf that is present in the background. I will edit this out later. Also, I may apply an effect to this image to add more interest and appeal to the audience who are into the latest technology.

I like this photo because it shows a close up of the subject’s face. This is useful because it attracts the audience’s attention. As this subject is from English Martyrs College (I intend to target my audience for these students), it enables the audience to recognise this person and therefore relate to the magazine. Also, the lens is completely in focus and the subject is smiling which creates a positive lexis for the audience. Also, I like the way that the background is plain which will not draw attention away from the main focus. This will save me time cropping out the person from a busy background.

I am going to use this image in my contents page to help illustrate the “social” section. However, I am going to darken the image so that it blends in with the grey background that I intend to use.

Preliminary Photo AnalysisNext, I wanted to get a two shot male image to add to my magazine. I used these subjects as I feel they represented an average college student. I particularly liked these images because it displays a longshot of two students who attend English Martyrs College. This is useful because my target audience will be able to relate to this image as they will know of the subjects. In the same way, the image shows the people to be smiling and happy. This creates a positive impression that the article is good news. I took a few photos so that I could have a larger selection. I like the first images because the subjects are smiling, however, I do not feel that it is suitable because there is someone else in the background – this would draw attention away from the main focus. I do not like the second image because it is too blurry, the camera is zoomed in too far so that one of the subject’s head has been cut out of the photo. Also, they are not smiling as much (their expressions look more shocked than happy). However, I prefer the last image that I had took because the subjects are smiling and happy, the camera is in focus and there is nothing in the background.I am going to include this image as a lure on the front cover of my preliminary task. This will help to illustrate an article in which I will interview the subjects about a particular event. However, the background appears unattractive and draws attention away from the subjects. I will edit out the subjects when I use this image.

Preliminary Photo AnalysisFinally, I have decided to take an image of people playing sports for my college magazine because it helps to see the people in action in order to give the audience an idea of what happens in English Martyrs School and College. I feel that the location of these images are suitable because it displays real life events. I took a few of these images so that I could choose my favourite to go in the magazine.

I like the first image because there are lots of people present and it is clear to see that the subjects are playing football. However, I feel that they are too far away and the image is too dark.

I like the second image because the photo is bright and in focus. However, the image has been taken on an angle and there are not very many people present. It does not help to illustrate college life.

I like the final image the best because there are lots of people in the shot and the mise en scene shows a football net present so that the audience are aware that the sport being played is football. Also, the image is not too dull and it shows people in action. I intend on including this on my front cover as part of the “sports” section. However, I am going to manipulate the clouds so that they are a different colour. This will add more interest by making the image look more appealing.

Front Cover: Stages of ProductionTo create my preliminary task, I used the programme Adobe Photoshop CS3. I began by opening the photo of Aliya because I wanted to use this for my main feature photograph.

Wanted to crop the person out of the image because the background was too busy. I used the quick selection tool to do this.

Front Cover: Stages of ProductionNext, I changed the background of the magazine by using the gradient tool. I originally used the colour red but then I decided this was too bright and detracted attention away from the features, so I changed it to a grey colour.

Then I used the spot healing brush tool in order to correct any blemishes that appeared on the subject. This provided a more clear and sharp image which looks more professional.

Front Cover: Stages of ProductionNext, I wanted to add the mast head for my front cover. I decided to call the magazine “Martyrs Mag” so I created a text box at the top of the page for this title. The positioning is suitable because it is typically placed at the top of the page on existing magazines.

However, the title was too small and did not stand out from the rest of the page. I changed the font so it was extremely large and would attract the reader’s attention. Also, I changed the colour to white because it fits into the colour scheme. I changed the font type to Viner Hand ITC because I feel it looks bold and would stand out, also it fits into the connotations of a student’s scribbled handwriting.

Front Cover: Stages of ProductionThen I included the picture of lockers for my secondary lead. I felt the alarm bell looked undesirable so used the spot healing brush tool to remove it. This focuses attention more on the actual person and the lockers.

Next, I added this image to my magazine. I positioned it at the bottom right because it does not draw attention away from the main feature.

Additionally, I added the headline “Aliya assists with Aid” in large white Viner Hand ITC font to fit into the housestyle of the cover. I positioned it across the centre of the page to compliment the main feature photograph.

Front Cover: Stages of ProductionNext, I added the strapline “Gold medal awarded to healing student” just below the headline to give an introduction to the article. I used the same Viner Hand ITC font but changed the colour to red to make it stand out slightly. However, the size is much smaller than the headline so attention isn’t drawn away from this feature.

Also, I added a title to the secondary lead “£1000 goes towards new lockers” I used Viner Hand ITC for the text, in red writing to fit into the housestyle. Also, I placed the “New Lockers” in bold black impact font to stand out from the rest of the text. This draws attention to this feature and makes the audience want to find out more.

Front Cover: Stages of ProductionThen, I added the English Martyrs Sixth Form logo to my magazine. I changed the background so that it fit into the housestyle of the page. I then placed the logo in front of the masthead to replace the “A”. This adds more interest to my front cover.

Next, I decided to insert this image into my front page. The background was busy so I used the quick selection tool in order to remove the background.

Front Cover: Stages of Production

Next, I added text underneath the plus section in the same typeface as the rest of the page. These were short and sharp in order to jump out to the reader.

When I added the image to my front cover, I did not think it was suitable, so I didn’t use it. Instead, I removed the background from a two shot of some boys and situated it at the bottom left of the page. Then, I added a quotation using the same typeface of Viner Hand ITC to maintain a constant typeface. Also, I added a red box with black impact writing “Exclusive interview with Ben and Calum” to act as a lure.

Next, I added a plus section to give the reader details about what is included in this particular issue. I used red capital impact font for this subheading to make it stand out and look important. I put this on an angle to make it appear more “fun”.

Front Cover: Stages of ProductionAdditionally, I added a jagged box with the text “the best magazine for college students”. This would stand out to the reader and encourage them to buy this magazine.

I ensured the box was red in order to stand out from the rest of the page, as well as keeping the same housestyle.

Also, I added text under this jagged box, stating “details about the next college party revealed”. This would act as a lure to the reader because they would want to open the magazine to find out more. This feature is also in the Viner Hand ITC font to maintain a constant housestyle.

Final Preliminary Front Cover (CHANGE THIS)

This is the final cover for the front cover of my preliminary task. I changed the order of the features around so that the secondary lead was at the top right of the page in order to stand out to the reader.

Contents Page: Stages of Production

To start of with, I decided to use this person in the contents page of my college magazine. However, the background was too busy so I used the quick selection tool to crop her out of the image.

Next, I added the person to the top left of the image. I then used the gradient tool to create a grey background for my contents page. However, I felt the text might not stand out as much on this background. So I added a red box in which I would place the text containing page numbers and information.

Contents Page: Stages of ProductionHowever, I felt that the red box was too harsh and bright and would detract attention from the text. Instead I changed the colour to grey to make it look more relaxed. In the same way, I didn’t think that the previous image was suited to the magazine so I changed it for the image of the girl reading a book. Again, I used the quick selection tool to crop her out of the background and added a double negative effect to make her appear more interesting. Next, I added the contents title in Viner Hand ITC to represent a student’s scribbled handwriting. Additionally, I changed the colour to black so that it stands out from the rest of the page. Also using the quick selection tool, I cropped out the background from the image of an extreme close up of a student. I then placed this on the bottom right of the page to ensure the images were equally dispersed.

Additionally, I added the image of the football scene to the page. As this did not need cropping, I decided it was too “boring” compared with the other images. So I decided the make the clouds look brighter by using the brush tool. This added more interest to the image. I then placed this in the centre right so that all three images were equally spaced around the page.

Contents Page: Stages of ProductionHowever, I decided that the positioning of the images was not quite right. I decided to swap the sports image to the left of the page.

Then, I added an image of the English Martyrs Sixth Form logo in order to inform the audience that this is the official magazine for this college. I equally spaced the images around the page.

I then dimmed the colour of the image on the bottom right so that it fit into the dark housestyle of the page.

Contents Page: Stages of ProductionHowever, I felt that the image looked too bright and the white box did not fit into the grey housestyle of the page. I removed the white background by using the lasso tool and dimmed the colour so that it fit into the dull housestyle.

Despite adjusting the image to make it fit into the page, I decided that it was not suited so I removed it. I rescaled and moved the remaining images so that appeared to jump out from the grey box which they were originally placed in. this creates the illusion that they are coming out of the page.

Contents Page: Stages of ProductionNext, I added text boxes containing the page number and summery of what the page includes. I used bold red Impact font to make it stand out from the rest of the page.

I then added the headings “Sports”, “Reading/Writing” and “Social” in black font to make it stand out. I ensured that each page was placed under the correct category. This is useful for the audience because it organises the contents page to make it easier for them to find the appropriate article.

I then ensured the page numbers were in bold to stand out slightly to the audience.

Final Preliminary Contents Page

Evaluation of Preliminary Task

Evaluation of Preliminary Task (written)

There are various aspects which have contributed to the success of the front cover of my College magazine. This includes a constant housestyle which is used throughout the front cover. This consists of a faded grey background with white, black and red writing. The font uses the same typeface of Viner Hand ITC which has the connotations of a typical student’s scribbled handwriting, this agrees with the values of the young target audience. Also, I have included bold Impact writing in order to make some features stand out from the rest of the page.I have also ensured the masthead is located at the top of the page in large writing in order to stand out from the rest of the text. The positioning is important because when it is stacked up on a shelf in a shop, it will be able to be seen clearly so the reader can quickly identify the magazine. Additionally, I have included the English Martyrs Sixth Form logo in the masthead to replace the “A”. I have edited the logo so that the background fits into the grey housestyle. This helps it to blend into the front cover instead of standing out.Other successes of the front cover include the pugs which are positioned as the top and bottom of the page. At the top of the magazine is the issue number and date when the magazine is valid, adding extra information for the reader. This uses black font which is the same typeface as the rest of the front cover in order to give the magazine a constant theme. At the bottom of the magazine, there is the pug with the barcode in order to give it an identity when purchasing it in a shop.In addition, the use of the main feature photograph is one of the successes of my magazine as it is clear and helps compliment the main article. The use of the midshot image helps to clearly recognise the person the article concerns (Aliya Hasan). Also, the focusing works well because the reader can clearly see that the certificate she is holding is for St Johns’ ambulance, but they cannot make out the smaller print which will make them want to open the magazine in order to find out more. The image helps represent a typical student at English Martyrs – this will appeal to the young target audience in this College. Furthermore, the main cover line, titled “Aliya Assists with Aid” will attract the audience’s attention because the font is large so that it stands out from the rest of the page. The language of the headline has the use of alliteration which allows it flow, making it easier to read. Then, I have included an introductory strapline which helps to explain to the reader what the article consists of. I have ensured that the text is a much smaller than the headline so that attention is not drawn away from this device. However, it is in red font in order to stand out slightly to the reader.Another good point of my magazine is the use of a puff on the front cover. This stands out from the rest of the cover as it is placed inside a jagged red box. This is reminiscent of the shapes which are used to advertise offers within a supermarket. The audience will quickly be able to relate to this as it says it is “the best magazine for college students”, thus encouraging them to buy it.Additionally, the use of the longshot image in the secondary lead (located at the top right of the page) is successful because it helps to illustrate the article. This feature is positioned at the top to attract more attention and it has the bold typeface “lockers” in order to stand out further.

Evaluation of Preliminary Task (written)

In the same way, I like the choice of a twoshot image for the Ben and Calum storyline. This enables the audience to recognise the people in this shot and it has been edited so the busy background has been cut out of the image – this is useful because it doesn’t draw attention away from the main focus. Included in this kicker is a quote from either Ben or Calum. This is a lure because it encourages the audience to look inside the magazine in order to find out more. Also, I have placed a red box with “exclusive interview with Ben and Calum in order to stand out to the reader. The use of the work “exclusive” is a tag which engages the reader’s interest by creating the impression that no other magazine has covered this story before.Finally, I feel that the “Plus” section of the magazine stands out to the audience because I have put the heading on an angle in order to make it appear more fun and quirky. This section uses short, sharp titles which are useful because it informs the reader about the various features included in this issue.The positive aspects of my contents page include a constant housestyle of a grey background with a darker grey box where the text is placed. This is quite a “boring” colour which enables the reader to focus on the actual text and images rather than the background. The title is bold and black in order to stand out to the reader. I have used a different font from the rest of the text so that it stands out.I like the way I have split the articles into separate sections of interest – sport, reading/writing and social. This makes it easier for the reader to find certain articles. Also, each heading has a different colour typeface to become more noticed. The actual content information is in red font which fits into the housestyle of the magazine, helping to create an identity for “Martyrs Mag”.Finally, I feel that I have chosen appropriate images for my contents page because they greatly compliment each section of the contents. They are clear and easy to see. I have added effects to each of the images: making the bottom image black and white, the middle image double negative and the top image slightly darker. This helps them to fit into the dark, dull housestyle of the magazine.Throughout the production of my preliminary task, I encountered various issues which delayed my work and made the magazine appear less successful. Firstly, I used the programme Adobe Photoshop CS3 to produce both the front cover and the contents page. As they were relatively new programmes to me, I felt that it was very time consuming to learn all the different tools and techniques which were important in completing the project. Additionally, when I was collecting photographs for the magazine, I felt that females were more reluctant to having their photograph taken. This made it more difficult for me to select suitable images which would be appropriate for my magazine. In the same way, I felt that timing was a real issue which limited the success of my preliminary task. Our deadline for the task to be completed was 2 weeks. This was made more difficult by the fact that I did not have the appropriate programme on my home computer so I was only able to develop my magazine at College.

Evaluation of Preliminary Task (written)

As a result of these problems, there were many factors in the magazine which I felt did not turn out as I hoped. Firstly, due to timing, I forgot to include the pricing in with the pug barcode. This may have detracted the reader from buying the magazine as they wouldn’t have an idea about how much it cost. Next, I think that the use of the sixth form logo in replacement of the “A” in “Martyrs” would have added confusion to the audience as it looks like the masthead reads “Mortyrs”. As this is a new magazine which has not been published before, it may not be a good idea to cover up the logo because it is not very well known. Also, I felt that the front cover of the magazine looks too crowded at the bottom and spacious at the top. This creates the impression that it has been hastily put together and it doesn’t look very attractive. The use of bright coloured boxes and the busy headlines draws attention away from the main feature photograph – this typically should be the feature which stands out from the rest of the page. Additionally, the logo doesn’t stand out from the front cover because it blends in with the light background.Additionally, included in my contents page are numerous things which have not turned out as I anticipated. Firstly is the lack of content within the contents page. Not much information about each article is given and there are gaps within the pages where no details are given. This was due to the lack of time I had to complete this page. Also, the image in the centre of the page is not very clear – it is quite hard to see that the girl is reading a magazine due to the effects I have applied. In the same way, the top photograph is not very clear. I am not happy by the way it is zoomed out too far so the reader will not be able to identify the individuals included in the image.

Evaluation OverviewIn order to ensure that my final piece is more successful, there are a number of factors that I need to consider. I need to make sure that I include a price in the pugs, the logo is clear and doesn’t detract the attention away from the title of the magazine. Also, I need to ensure that each feature on the front cover is spaced out neatly so the audience can read it easier. I need to make sure that the main feature photograph stands out the most and fit the other details around it. To improve my contents page I need to ensure that more information is provided to the audience about each article in the issue. Also, I should guarantee that each image is clear and the appropriate shot is taken to suit the nature of the article. Before producing my final piece I need to be aware of the time that I have to complete it and be aware of all the tools included in Adobe Photoshop CS3. In the same way, I need to gather a wide variety of images which would complement each storyline.

Commercial Product Research

Now that I have completed my preliminary task, I am going to research and analyse existing music magazines in order to get an idea of what a professional product would look like.I am going to look at the rock genre, its origins and how it is represented in modern day society. In the same way, I will look at the use of rock band images and how they are portrayed to the audience.Also, I am going to analyse in depth four popular music magazines: their front covers, contents pages and double page spreads. I will particularly look at magazines which include rock and indie genres as they interest me the most and I am more likely to use this genre when producing my final piece.

Rock Origins• Rock music is a genre of popular music which originally became popular in

the 1950s. It is based on rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and touched upon folk music, jazz and classical music.

• The instruments used are typically the guitar and a rhythm section of electric bass guitar, drums, and keyboard. By the 1970’s this soon changed to synthesisers.

• Other instruments, such as the saxophone and blues-style harmonica are occasionally used as soloing instruments.

• In a pure form, it has three chords, a strong, persistent back beat, and a catchy melody which is easy to sing to.

• By the late 1960s and early 1970s, rock music had developed to form different sub genres. Some of these include folk rock, soft rock, glam rock, heavy metal, hard rock, progressive rock, Britpop, indie rock and punk rock. This clearly shows that the development of rock is ever expanding.

• Also in the 1970s, rock intertwined influences from soul, funk, and Latin style music.

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW OF GENRE• Typically rock music has negative connotations within the wider society as it was seen as being

rebellious because it went against the pop culture of music (which dominated the US and UK). • The phrase sex, drugs and rock and roll is an example of how rockers were typically perceived. This

shows that they had a carefree attitude and weren’t bothered about how other people felt about them.

• However modern day connotations of this genre have changed and they have “normal” behaviour which is accepted in society. This may be due to the fact that the concentration of rock musicians are not as popular so the media doesn’t bring their lives to the attention of the public as much.

• They were originally known for wearing leather jackets, jeans and often have long untidy hair. This additionally creates a sense of dismissal, showing that they don't care how they look. It portrays to the audience that they are so passionate about their music that they don’t have time for anything else.

• Now they dress in a smart yet casual way (blazers, tee shirts and jeans). This creates a more “individual” look, which goes against the origins. It portrays them as an ideological person in which everyone strives to look like them. This makes the artists more attractive to the audience.

• Previously, the genre had negative connotations due to the behaviour of rock artists, for example trashing hotel rooms, throwing TV’s out of windows and getting drunk – these are all seen to be negatively reflected by the media, perceiving the artists as rebellious and aloof.

• Now that the genre has become less popular within the wider society, the media attention has been drawn away from the bands so their behaviours aren’t that recognised. Although they may still behave in the stereotypical way of a “rocker”, it is not as commonly recognised with the public.

• Rockers are stereotyped to being spending most of their time on tour and in studios recording music or partying. Due to the increased popularity of American pop music, rock isn’t often in the charts, even though there is a wide range of people who listen it.

ANALYSING AN IMAGE• The Ramones are the typical stereotype of Rock music in the 1970-80’s. Although they are an American punk-rock band, they had a wide influence on rock music in the UK.

• This image shows a long shot of the full band. The mise en scene of the image shows the way in which they are wearing leather jackets and skinny unclean jeans. This is a signifier that they are following the typical conventions of a rock band stereotype. This suggests that the artists have a carefree attitude to music because they don’t seem bothered in the way they are dressed. One of the members has a hole in their jeans and flesh is showing on their torso – this rebels against the attitude of being sophisticated and dressing smartly (an attitude which was widely valued). Also, it shows that they have a uniformity in the way they are dressed because none of the members seem to stand out from each other - this creates a sense of equality within the group, showing that there is no overall leader and they are strongly sticking to the rocker theme.

• Also, the long shot image is used to show their stance, leaning against a wall in a relaxed way. The way that they are in a line also reflects that there is no overall leader because the audience can look at them altogether, rather than each individual. This also supports the way in which they are shown as equals, standing in union. The way in which they are looking straight at the audience helps makes them feel that they are included. It is done in such a serious way that they look a little threatening.

• The background of the image also stereotypes the rock genre as it looks rundown and middle class. In the same way, this supports the blithe attitude of the musicians. It will appeal to working class audience as it shows that the band do not view themselves as better than anyone, instead they are the same.

• The way in which the image is in black and white represents the fact that they are an old band – reminiscent of simplistic times. It creates a sense that colour is not important, only the music is valued by presenting themselves in the purest form. The lighting is virtually the same throughout the image, showing that they fit into the shabby location, rather than standing out from it. However, the logo is displayed as bright white. This is symbolic because it contrasts from the run down location, possibly representing the fact that it is pure and superior to everything else in the image.

• Also, the band logo gives them their identity. The way in which they are stood in front of the band logo contradicts the use of black and white imagery as it suggests that it has been digitally edited. The members are in the foreground to create a sense of ownership of the logo.

• The band title Ramones, gives the impression of an ordinary surname – this could represent the fact that they are ordinary people, no superiority is shown. However, the way in which it is in bold, capital lettering draws attention to the band name and creates the impression that it is important because it dominates the top of the image.

ANALYSING AN IMAGE•The Arctic Monkeys are a typical modern day British alternative rock band, this is due to the way they come from a suburb of Sheffield therefore have a British accent. Although they add a new dimension to the old style rock music, they were still widely influenced by the typical rock music of the 1970-1980’s.

•The band title the “Arctic Monkeys” gives an idea that the band is something new and interesting as the name is completely different to anything else that anyone has heard before. The logo appears in a plain colour and is not very detailed to show that the logo is not very important to them. Rather, it is the music which is the most significant. The way in which the logo is not included in the image also supports the fact that it is not a necessity of the band.

•The image shows a long shot of the band. This is done so that virtually the full bodies of the band members can be displayed so that the audience can see what they are wearing (this seems to be the most important focus of the shot). Also, the way in which the camera is positioned gives a slightly low angled shot. This creates the impression that the band members are tall – the signifier that the members are superior and important in some way. This contrasts with the classic rock style of music because they appear to be better than everyone else, instead of being equals. This would agree with the modern day values of a “perfect” individual – an image in which everyone strives to become.

•The mise en scene of the image shows the members to be wearing smart coats and jeans. Again, this goes against the rock values of the 70’s and 80’s as it appears that the modern day values care more about their appearance. This also adds to the sense of superiority in the members. Additionally, the 3 of the members are wearing black, while Alex Turner (the lead singer in the band) is wearing grey. Although this Is a subtle difference, it creates the impression that he has ownership of the band due to the fact that he stands out from the other members. Alex Turner is the most commonly associated with the Arctic Monkeys, therefore this image is used to draw more attention to him. Also, the way in which the band members take up most of the image draws attention to them. The background is relatively plain to show that the Arctic Monkeys are bursting through the boring, repetitive rock genre to bring something new to everyone’s attention.

•The way that the image is in black and white is similar to the Ramones image. This shows that the colours and special effects of the camera is not necessary. Instead, they are presenting the members to the audience in a simplified form because the music is the most important aspect of the band and the attention should not be drawn away from this. It also shows that they use origins of the old style rock genre in their music.

•Also, the stance of the members is also representative of the modern day values of a rock band. They all appear to be standing up straight, creating the impression that they are smart and respectable people. However, the way in which the image has been taken shows the centre member to be leaning slightly to the right of the image. This creates a sense of slight disorientation which could infer to the audience that they are going against the typical values of a rock band and are putting their own individual spin on the genre. Additionally, the lead singer of the band is in the centre foreground of the image while the other members are in the background. This shows that Alex Turner has authority over the rest of the band because he is the most memorable. In contrast, the other members are slightly behind Alex, creating the impression that they are hiding behind him because Alex is the leader and makes the main choices. This is also reflected in the way they are looking directly at him. The members are in the background to show that they are not as important as the lead singer. They are wearing black clothing to create the impression that they blend into the music, rather than standing out from it.

•Also, the way in which Alex is looking directly at the camera helps to draw the audience into the scene as he is making them feel included. However, this is added the serious expression on the members’ faces to create a sense of intimidation as they make the audience feel inferior to them. Although Alex Turner is looking directly at the audience, the other members are looking in different directions. Their eyes appear to be blacked out – hiding their identity. This creates the impression that, although they are members of the band, their identity is not important. The music they produce appears to overpower their imagery.

Analysing an image•The Fratellis are a typical modern day rock band from Scotland. Their music specialises more in alternative rock and, although they are not very widely known, they have strong influences of rock in the UK.

•The image shows a long shot of the full band. This is done so that the audience can see them properly and to show what they are wearing. In the same way as the Arctic Monkeys image, the camera gives a low angle shot in order to give the illusion that the members are taller and therefore superior to everyone else. This also agrees with the ideological values of a person. In contrast, the mise en scene of the image shows the members wearing shabby clothing – leather jackets and holey jeans. This is a signifier that they are from a lower class and do not care about their appearance. This represents to the audience that they are rebelling against the values of looking smart and clean in order to show that their only real care is about their music. Moreover, the way in which they are all wearing virtually the same clothing shows that they consider themselves as equals in the band, and they can be approachable to the audience because they dress like everyone else. This idea has been taken from the typical rock bands of the 70-80’s because they had the same blithe attitude.

•The image is presented in colour to give a realistic view of the members. As they are a modern band, they use colourful imagery in order to attract the audience’s attention. This is contrasted with the Ramones and Arctic Monkeys who used simplistic black and white.

•The band title Fratellis, gives the impression of an ordinary Scottish surname – this could represent the fact that they are ordinary people who should be treat the same as everyone else. This is similar to the title Ramones. Also, the logo of the band helps support the simplistic nature of the band because it is in black letting and doesn’t appear to be too fancy.

•The stance of the members also helps represent their typical rock attitude to the audience. Two of the members are slouched against the wall, while the other has his hands in his pockets. This creates the impression that they have a carefree attitude and do not care about how they are presented to their audience. This is typical of a rock band.

•In addition, the way in which the members are positioned in the image notifies the audience about their role in the band. The lead singer is positioned in the foreground to create a sense of domination of the group due to the fact that the audience’s attention is drawn to him first. The lead singer, Jon Fratelli, has his face completely in focus so that the audience can see him clearly. This is done because he is the most memorable member so the audience are more interested in him over the rest of the group. This is contrasted with the idea of equality because Jon appears to be more superior to the other members. The way in which Jon is looking away from the camera creates the impression that he has his mind elsewhere and the audience don’t feel as if they are included in the shot. Also, the background shows the other two members of the band. In the same way, one of the members is looking away from the camera to show that he is not concentrating on this situation. However, the final member, who is furthest away, is looking directly at the camera. This will attract the audiences attention to him as he appears to be including others into the image. This represents that, although he is the furthest away and therefore not the most important in the group, he still helps to bring the audience together. Also, it could represent the fact that, as the members are looking away, they are carefree and relaxed, possibly daydreaming and not concentrating. However, the members in the background are not as clear as the lead singer. This could represent that their identity is not as important and that their music, and not their image, is the main thing that they bring to the band.

•The setting of the image also helps to represent the band as of the typical rock genre. This is due to the fact that they are in a shabby area – a signifier that they do not care about where they are. This helps to support the fact that they are from a working class background and should be treat like everyone else. This contrasts with the image of the Arctic Monkeys because it appears that the members are not the only important thing in the image – they appear to blend into the setting rather than stand out from it. This is a signifier that they are staying in the typical nature of the rock genre instead of trying to sound different.

The New Musical Express (NME) is an extremely popular music magazine in the UK. It has been published weekly since March 1952. NME was the first British music magazine to include a singles chart. In the 1970s, it became the best-selling British music magazine.Throughout the years, the magazine has subtly modified its content to fit into the ever changing popularity of new music. However, it has always kept with the theme of a rock genre. NME is a cheap tabloid magazine which shows that the quality is not as important as the content.The NME logo helps the audience to identify the magazine because it has became so commonly known throughout the years. It uses bold, red lettering in order to attract the audiences attention. The colour red is used because it stands out from the rest of the logo and, as red is a signifier of danger and aggression, it creates the impression that the magazine is like a typical representation of a rock band. As the abbreviation has became widely known, there has been no need to write the full title of the magazine (New Music Express). However, the logo includes a small catchy slogan “first for music news” in order to engage the audience and makes them feel that this magazine has exclusive news which is not included in any other music magazine.

NME front cover

NME front cover• Next, I am going to analyse the front cover of NME music magazine. This particular cover was taken from an

issue released on 3rd March 2007. The bottom right corner of the cover shows the pug containing the barcode, pricing (£1.99), issue number and any other additional information. This helps to give the magazine its identity. Also, this pug includes the official website of NME. This will advertise this to the audience and encourage them to visit the site in order to boost profits.

• The masthead of this magazine appears at the top left of the cover. This helps to identify the music magazine and it is positioned at the top of the cover so that it is easy to find. Although this is partly covered by the main feature photograph, the logo is so widely known that the audience are able to distinguish it easily. Also, the logo uses bold red font, incorporating the colours white and black into the masthead. This colour scheme is used throughout the cover in order to create a housestyle which can be easily recognised.

• The top right corner of the magazine displays contains another pug: the virgin festival line up which will be featured in the issue, which promotes the festival. As this has a yellow background and appears in the corner of the magazine, it stands out from the rest of the features and quickly attracts the audience’s attention. Also, the way in which it includes the word “revealed” is a lure because it invites the audience to look inside the issue in order to find out more.

• Across the front of the magazine is another feature. It fits into the housestyle of the magazine as it has a red background with black and white writing. The use of a rhetorical question in “Blur reunion?” draws in the audience as they feel that they are more included because they have personally been asked a question. “Now Dalmon speaks to NME” has been used as it acts as if it is exclusive to the magazine. It creates the impression that no other music magazines have covered this particular story because Dalmon is speaking to NME and no one else. This would invite the audience to read this issue because they will want to know about the latest news.

• Contrasting with the top section, the very bottom of the magazine includes a similar strip of writing. However, a black background with white and yellow font is used. This section of the cover includes the titles of the artists that are included in this particular issue. This is used in order to attract the audience’s attention to a particular band which they like, encouraging them to buy the magazine and find out more.

• In the centre of the cover is the main cover headline. This is what attracts the audience’s attention when glancing at the cover. It includes the same typeface as what it used throughout the cover – white chunky writing. The headline says “The Gossip”, the name of the band which is featured in the main storyline. This will attract the audience’s attention because they will be aware of this particular band as they are well known. Underneath the headline is the strapline “sex, skins and standing in the way of control”. This uses alliteration in order to add interest for the reader. The use of “standing in the way of control” helps the audience to relate this to the band’s well known single which dominated the charts, this will attract the audience’s attention and make them want to read more. This strapline was used so that it provides more information about what the article is about. This has a smaller font so that the audience will first be attracted to the headline and then to the strapline. However, the first line of the strapline has red font, this is contrasted with the dark background in order to stand out from the rest of the cover. Next, there is an additional strapline which is located further down the page. It is on an angle and is in even smaller red font. The strange angle of this strapline stands out from the rest of the page, which is virtually unified. It includes “how three punks smashed the mainstream”, which creates the impression that this band has made impressive improvements. The way in which the band is described as “three punks” gives information to the audience about the particular genre of music which they play.

• Complimenting this headline is the use of a main feature photograph, this helps to give the audience a visual aid. The image takes up most of the front cover in order to create a sense that the article is rather important to the magazine as it dominates the cover and is even placed over the masthead. The image includes a female (the lead singer of the Gossip) in the centre foreground of the image. She is wearing bright heavy make up which allows her to stand out. Her shocking red lips allow her to blend into the housestyle of the magazine. This portrays that the band fit well in to the genre of rock. Also, the way in which she is wearing black has the connotations of the typical stereotype of a rock band. This creates the illusion of darkness and unhappiness. The way in which she is looking at the audience allows them to feel included in the image. However, she has a serious expression on her face which may be intimidating. The mise en scene of the image shows the lead singer to be wearing sunglasses, this is a signifier that she is cool and everyone will strive to be like her. In the background of the image are the other two members of The Gossip who are equally looking stern and sincere. The stance of the male on the left shows him to be folding his arms – this creates the impression that he is calm and relaxed but also looks intimidating. The way in which his tattoos on his arm are displayed shows him to be funky and everyone will want to look like him – this has connotations of a typical rock band. However, in contrast there is the man on the right of the image. Although he has facial hair (a signifier that he is unkempt and doesn’t care about his looks which is included in a rock stereotype), he is wearing glasses that are considered to be the stereotype of that of a geek. This contrasts with the nature of the band to show that he is putting an alternative view on stereotypes to create his own image. This signifies that the band are new and exclusive to anything else in the rock genre.

• Additionally, along the right of the cover includes kickers which will attract the audience to reading this magazine. They are designed to stand out from the rest of the page through the use of images and limited words. This provides more of a visual aid for the audience rather than reading lots of information. The word “Muse” is in large bold writing in order to attract the audience’s attention to this particular band as they are a widely known rock band. Also, the use of a quote from the Killers: “Greenday offend me” is a lure because it includes a preview of the article which will interest the audience and make them want to find out more.

• Finally, the secondary lead is located at the lower left of the cover. It includes an image of Noel Gallagher and a quote which he said. As it does not give much information about the article, it will make the audience curious to find out more. This stands out from the rest of the article because it has a red background in order to attract attention.

NME contents page

NME contents page• As part of my textual analysis I am going to explore the contents page taken from the 30 th January 2010 issue of

NME music magazine. This will help me to get an idea of devices used in order to have an effect on the audience. The housestyle on this particular page is kept constant through the use of the colours white, red and black and the way in which the typeface remains the same throughout. This is reminiscent of the front cover and the logo – creating an identity and individual style for the magazine.

• The majority of the page is taken up with a large central image of the lead singer of Radiohead. This is used to detract attention away from the boring, list-type format of the contents page and give the reader something appealing to look at. The singer is playing an electric acoustic guitar, has ragged facial hair and is wearing a checked shirt. These connotations represent to the reader that he is included in the rock genre. Also, the way in which he has his eyes closed and is singing into the microphone symbolises that he is very passionate about his music. At the top of the image is the main cover line of this page “Snapshot”. This notifies the audience that this image has been taken live. The main cover line is in large black, bold font in order to attract the audience’s attention. Below this are the details of where it was taken “Radiohead, Los Angeles, 24/01/10”. This gives additional information to the audience and, as it is highlighted in red, it keeps in with the style of the page as well as attracting the reader’s attention. The image compliments a short article titled “’Lots’ of help for Haiti”. This breaks up the boring, unified layout of the contents page by giving the latest news to the reader from the first page.

• At the bottom of this page is an advertisement so that the reader can purchase NME magazine for just £1.57 every issue. This is in bold black writing in order to attract the audience’s attention. The use of the phrase “for only £1.57” makes the reader feel that this is an exclusive offer so they will be more encouraged to subscribe. The advertisement is complete with a telephone number and a website address in order to provide contact details to easily subscribe to this offer. Also, there is an image of an NME magazine in order to provide a visual aid to the reader.

• The remainder of the image is made up of a “what’s inside” section, used to make it easier to find certain articles within the issue. This has a bold title in order to notify the reader. The contents compromise of a list of artists in alphabetical order to make it easier for the reader to find specific articles. They appear in red font to fit into the constant typeface of the page, with a black page number to stand out from the rest of the list.

NME double page spread

NME double page spread• As part of my textual analysis I am going to look at a double age spread taken from an issue of NME

magazine. This particular article interviews the French synthpop band The Teenagers. The left page of this spread is taken up primarily with a longshot image of the full band members. This shows them in a relaxed stance to portray their blithe attitude – this has the connotations of a typical rock band. Also, the background shows them to be in a bedroom. The floral bedding and striped wallpaper symbolises the typical fashions of 1970-80. This symbolises that the band contains origins from the stereotypical rock music, however, the way in which they are sat on the bedding in modern day clothing and there are modern posters on the wall shows that the band have adapted the rock style to fit into the ideology of modern times. Additionally, the mise on scene of the band shows them to be wearing skinny jeans and funky tee shirts – representing that the band are very modern. Also, the fact that the band member in the centre is wearing “geeky” glasses puts a spin on the stereotype of being unaccepted to show that they are cool geeks. The way that they have blank, serious expressions on their faces creates a sense of power and control over the rock genre as they are looking directly at the reader to draw their attention and make them look superior. This shot creates the image that the members are lazy students – this will appeal to the target audience of this magazine. The use of the large image makes the article look more appealing and provides a visual aid for the reader.

• The housestyle throughout this double page spread is kept constant in order to create an identity and coordinate the article. This is done through the use of black, white and blue throughout the double page. For example, the headline uses bold black writing with a blue background. The font looks rather formal which adds to the theme of being a geek, however, this contrasts with the bright blue background to show that this is also modern and fits into the views of the target audience. The way in which there is a black sticker-effect sign saying “NME loves” towards the left of the title attracts the audience’s attention and promotes the band as they are being praised. The use of the sticker-effect is reminiscent of a supermarket pricing offer, having the connotations of an exclusive deal.

• Below the headline is a strapline saying “young, dumb and full of… filthy tunes”. This will add humour to the double page spread, appealing to the young target audience and encourages them to read on in order to find out more. The strapline has black font in order to blend into the article rather than stand out from it.

• In the top left of the first page is a blue box titled “Radar”, below this it says “the best new music”. This has the connotations that the radar detects the new and best rock music and The Teenagers have been identified as fitting into this category. Additionally, at the bottom of this page is a “need to know” which contains information about the group. The use of the imperative “need” states that the text is vital and should be drawn to the reader’s attention. The text is placed on an angle to create the impression of a messy and blasé image to the article. This is also placed inside an outline of lined paper that has been ripped out of a book – this keeps with the theme of a geek working, but a carefree nature of it being ripped and ragged.

• The right page contains the main content of the article. This is set out into two columns which is stereotypical of a magazine layout. The text isn’t that lengthy which will appeal to the young target audience with a short attention span. This also contains a longshot image of the lead singer during a live performance – this remains interest for the reader. Additionally, there is a quote from a band member taken from the text which has been enlarged and placed in the centre of the page in a blue box. This adds interest for the reader because the quote is amusing and encourages them to read the full article. At the end of the article there is a red box containing the website for NME magazine. This gives additional information for the reader to access this site, also it stands out from the rest of the page because it is in red – this colour has not been used in the rest of the double page spread.

• On the right of the final page is a list of bands that are deemed to be new and popular for this week’s issue. This contains an image of the band and a short explanation about who they are and the type of music that they play. This draws attention away from the main article as it is not included in this double page spread but also shows artists which are related to the type of music that The Teenagers play. This helps to give information about these new bands and guides the reader to listen to their music.

Mojo is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom. The magazine is a follow on from the success of Q magazine, however it focuses more on the genre of classical rock. It was first published on 15 October 1993. The magazine is seen as being to a more higher quality, glossy profile to other rock magazines. It regularly includes a CD attachment which includes various artists that are included in a particular article or theme in an issue. In 2004, the magazine introduced the Mojo Honours list. This is an awards ceremony based on a mixture of readers' and critics' awards.The logo of the magazine has also become well known throughout the years and helps to create its identity. It uses simplistic colours of white and black to represent the fact that classic rock style of music specialises in the issues. Also, it shows that the logo is not important, rather, the content is necessary. The lettering “Mojo” is large and bold which helps it to stand out from the rest of the page in a magazine. This allows the audience to see it clearer and represents the fact that it stands out from all other music magazines.

MOJO front cover

Mojo front cover• As part of my textual analysis, I am going to investigate the devices used in the Mojo music

magazine front cover. This particular issue was released in March 2010. The information about this magazine can be found on the pug at the bottom right of the cover, this contains the barcode and price (£4.50). Additionally, there is another pug on the top left of the cover stating that there is a free CD with this issue. This promotes the bands on the CD by encouraging the audience to listen to their music. Also, this pug has been created in such a way that it looks like a sticker which has been slightly peeled off. This stands out from the rest of the magazine as it creates the illusion that it is jumping out of the page.

• The Masthead (logo) appears at the top of the magazine, stretching across the page. This is used so that the audience would be able to identify the magazine easily when they are stacked up on a shelf in a store. Although some of the logo is hidden by the main feature photograph, the logo is so widely recognised that it doesn’t make much difference if some of the lettering is covered because the audience will still be able to relate to it.

• The house style of the magazine is kept constant in the way it uses black, white and green colours throughout. This gives the magazine an identity without it becoming too loud and bold. These colours are also signifiers of nature. This may suggest that the genre rock included in the magazine is natural and presented in its purest form. This has a positive effect on the audience because they relate the style of the magazine with the idea of rock, which will encourage them to buy this magazine. In the same way, the typeface of the magazine is the same throughout. On either side of the cover, there are white font titles with their straplines in green font with a black background. This helps the reader to create an identity to the magazine.

• The first thing that attracts the audience’s attention appears to be the main feature

photograph as it takes up the majority of the cover and is positioned in the centre. This particular photo is of the singer Syd Barrett. He fits into the stereotype of a rock vocalist as the image of him includes connotations which support this genre. This includes his shaggy, unkempt hair to represent that he has a blithe attitude and a serious expression on his faces. Syd is positioned in the centre foreground to create a sense of dominance of the magazine. Also, the way in which his head is covering the title of the magazine creates the impression that he is leaping out from the cover into to create a greater sense of realism. The mise en scene of the image shows Syd to be wearing a smart brown coat which symbolises that he is covering himself away. Also, the way in which his clothes look messy and not very smart goes against the idea that military style coats are smart and presentable. This shows that Syd does not like to follow the crowd, rather he prefers to give his individual twist on things – this supports the typical stereotype of a rocker. However, he is wearing the colour brown to represent the way his music is a natural, untouched version of rock to show that he still values the connotations of the genre. Additionally, he is wearing dark makeup around his eyes to represent the way he likes to hide his identity – his personal appearance is not the most important thing to him. The reader gets the impression that he cares more about his music than he cares about himself.

• Included in this main feature of the magazine is the headline. This is positioned in the centre of the magazine in order to attract the reader’s attention. The bold white writing helps to stand out from the rest of the page. Although there is no strapline to compliment this title, it lures the audience into the magazine because they want to know more about Syd Barrett.

• Above the barcode is an article about the reader’s poll of 2009. The strapline states “your votes counted” – this will draw the audience into buying this issue because it feels like they have their say the popularity so they feel more included. Additionally, there is a lure on the cover with the use of a quote from Charlotte Gainsbourg as it will attract the audience because they will want to buy the magazine in order to find out more about what has been said.

• Finally, at the top of the issue there is the headline “Sly Stone Speaks”. The use of alliteration makes the title more appeasing to read for the audience – there appears to be a constant theme of alliteration within straplines because this also appeared in the NME issue I analysed. This is the secondary lead in the issue because it includes a picture and headline. This is also a kicker because it stands out from the rest of the page because a larger font is used.

MOJO contents page

Mojo contents page• As part of my textual analysis, I am going to explore the layout of the contents page of Mojo

music magazine. This page has a constant housestyle throughout the page in order to create individuality for the magazine. This is achieved by equally spacing out the text, keeping a constant typeface and using the colours black white and red throughout. The top of the page includes the logo so the audience can quickly identify the magazine.

• The left side of the page includes images of various bands, albums and singers who appear in the issue. This provides a visual aid and breaks up the dull and boring layout of text by adding exciting and colourful features to the page. Also the way in which the images overlap and are put on a slight angle helps to add interest. This makes the issue look more attractive so the audience are encouraged to read more. The use of an image with a singer playing a guitar has the connotations of a rock genre – this allows the target audience to relate to this and want to find out more. There are short captions inside each image giving a short explanation about its relevance in the magazine.

• Additionally, there is the list of contents so that the reader can easily find particular articles which will interest them. These are located on the right of the page in black font, with a smaller font to explain what each article includes. This makes it easier for the reader to understand. Also, there are sub headings of the contents which appear in large red font in order to stand out. This is used in order to organise the contents so that the reader can easily find a particular article.

• Finally, at the bottom of the page is a section which includes individuals who have contributed to the month’s issue. It includes a close up of their face and a short paragraph explaining who they are and how they have contributed in this issue. This gives additional information about the writers, including the reader in what happens in the production of the magazine. As their images are in black and white, it draws attention away from them as they are not as important as the rest of the page.

MOJO double page spread

Mojo double page spreadAs part of my textual analysis, I am going to analyse the double page spread taken from Mojo music

magazine. This particular article was taken from the March 2010 issue. The housestyle is kept relatively constant throughout through the use of black and white, the connotations of an old school rock band. Occasionally, red and yellow is used in order to attract the reader’s attention.

The first page of this article is taken up mainly by a black and white longshot image of the band members riding their bikes towards the camera. The editing to create a black and white image helps to stereotype them with the typical rock music of the 70’s and 80’s. Also, the use of old-style bicycles helps to achieve the retro imagery. The mise en scene of the image, however, contradicts this theme as they are wearing modern day clothing of skinny jeans and tee shirts. This creates the impression that they are breaking through the typical rock genre to provide a new, modernised feel to the music. This supports their genre of the band as they play indie rock music – a sub genre development from rock. Additionally, the way in which the lead singer is positioned in the centre of the image and is slightly more in the foreground than the other members creates the impression that he has dominance within the group. Also, the way in which he is looking directly at the audience, while the other members are not, will attract the audience to look at his this member more than the others. Also, the way in which the background shows an average street, having the connotations of a working class background. This symbolises that the band is not superior; rather, they are the same as everyone else. This has a positive impact on the audience as they feel the band are their equals so they can relate to their lifestyle easily.

Throughout this article there are series of images of the band in order to maintain the audience’s interest. They are presented in the form of a photograph effect on the page to create the impression that these are happy memories that the band has. Additionally, this makes the double page spread look more appealing and will encourage the audience to read the text as the magazine is targeted at a younger audience who may have a short attention span. Included in these images is a high angled longshot of one of the members playing in a concert. They are bent down at the edge of the stage whilst signing a fan’s tee shirt. Although high angled shots are widely used to add to the connotations of inferiority, however this shot is used to show the power of the member as people want to get his signature. Also, the way in which he has a higher stance to his fans creates a sense of dominance.

In the same way, the image on the top left of the second page is used to add interest to the article. It shows another member playing a guitar at a gig. The expression on his face is of seriousness and concentration which enables the reader to realise that he is passionate about his music. Also, his modern clothes show that the band is up to date with the latest fashions – this will appeal to the magazine’s young target audience. In the background, the reader can see a large crowd – this is symbolic because it represents the fact that the Wild Beasts are popular and everyone likes them. This will promote the band and encourage more people to listen to their music. Finally, the image on the right shows a longshot of the band. They are all crowded in a room to create a sense of claustrophobia and disorientation. The mise en scene of the image shows a keyboard (which one of the members is playing) and cans of alcoholic beverages. This symbolises that the band likes to have a good time, as well as creating music. The lighting of this image is in black and white and it has been edited so that their faces are slightly lighter than the rest of the image. This attracts the reader to look at their faces so that they are easy to recognise.

The masthead of the double page spread is in bold black writing with the same typeface which is used throughout the article. It is highlighted with yellow in order to make it stand out from the rest of the page as well as fitting into the housestyle. The title says “Neither fish nor fowl” which means that the band is nothing recognisable – they are unique to any other rock band. Additionally there is a short strapline which is used in order to give an introduction to the article. This appears in grey, capital letting which is only slightly bigger than the actual article text – allowing it to stand out, only slightly, from the main text.

The main article is set out into three columns per page. This is the standard layout of a typical magazine. The text takes up the majority of the double page – this may not appeal to the target audience as young audiences usually have a short attention span, therefore may get bored easily by this article. However, to make it appear more interesting, the magazine has included a quote taken from the text; this appears in yellow text with a red circular background. This is a lure in order to add more interest to the audience and encourage them to read the full article. Additionally, the heading on the second page says “what goes on” – this adds interest because the reader feels like they are given the latest information about the rock genre.

Finally, the bottom of the last page contains a box with details about the band members and the roles they have within the band. This includes a strapline “the sounds that put ants in Wild Beast’s pants”. This fun language adds humour which will appeal to the reader of a young audience. The box adds extra information about the band which helps them to find out more about them. Also, an image of a female singer is included to add interest and show that the Wild Beasts are not an all-male dominating band.

“Kerrang!” is a rock music magazine published in the United Kingdom. The name of the magazine is a signifier which is used to represent the noise which is produced by a power chord on the electric guitar. It shows the audience that the magazine has strong rock influences.The magazine was first published on 6th June 1981. It was originally intended to be a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper. Also, it was only supposed to be devoted to the current New Wave of British Heavy Metal and the rise of other hard rock acts such as AC/DC. However, the magazine has now expanded into a wider area of rock to meet the preferences of their target audience.The logo is used to help identify the magazine to the audience. Like the other magazines, it uses white and black to refer back to simplistic times of rock and roll. However, the font creates the illusion that the lettering has been cracked in some way. This signifies that the influences of new rock music is filtering through the gaps and into the magazine, however the old values of rock still remain. The logo also includes the web address so that the audience can access additional information about the magazine. As the internet is getting increasingly popular, it is a good idea to advertise the website as it will attract a wider audience to buy the magazine.

KERRANG front cover

KERRANG front cover• As part of my textual analysis, I am going to examine the front cover of “Kerrang!” music magazine. This particular

issue is number 1159, published on 19th May 2007. The bottom right of the page shows the barcode pug which contains the price as £2.10. This shows that this is a relatively reasonable price as it isn’t too expensive. The pug is used so that it makes the magazine more identifiable when purchasing it in a shop. It also gives additional information about the magazine.

• The Masthead (logo) appears at the top of the magazine, stretching across the page. This is used so that the audience would be able to identify the magazine easily when they are stacked up on a shelf in a store. Although some of the logo is hidden by the main feature photograph, the logo is so widely recognised that it doesn’t make much difference if some of the lettering is covered because the audience will still be able to relate to it.

• The house style of the magazine is kept constant in the way it uses black, white and red colours throughout. This gives the magazine an identity without it becoming too loud and bold. These colours are also signifiers of the “dark” side to rock. This has a positive effect on the audience because they relate the style of the magazine with the idea of rock, which will encourage the appropriate target audience to buy this product.

• The first thing that attracts the audience’s attention appears to be the main feature photograph as it takes up the majority of the cover and is positioned in the centre. This particular photo is of the band Biffy Clyro. They fit into the stereotype of a rock band as they have many connotations which support this genre. The connotations include shaggy, unkempt facial hair to represent that they have a blithe attitude and serious expressions on their faces. The lead singer is positioned in the centre foreground to create a sense of dominance of the band. Also, the way in which his head is covering the title of the magazine creates the impression that he is leaping out from the cover into the world of rock music. The lead singer is wearing a white hooded jacket which symbolises that he is covering himself away (the way in which his hand is covering his mouth also supports this). However, he is wearing the colour white to represent the way the band is a pure, untouched version of rock which is new and individual to other bands. In contrast, the other band members are in the background to signify to the audience that they are not as important. They are wearing black, the opposite to the lead singer, to represent the way in which the band covers a wide range of rock sub genres – ranging from white to black. As the other members are positioned in the background, they appear to fit into the magazine rather than stand out from it. This represents that the band fits into the theme of a rock band. Their faces are lit up which helps the audience to recognise who they are – this is contrasted with the lead singer who has a more dimly lit face.

• Next, the audience’s attention is now drawn to the main cover headline – “Biffy Clyro”. This helps to give

an identity to the image as it is positioned across the centre of the magazine, in front of the band members. The font is in capital bold lettering, the colour white has been used to fit into the house style of the magazine. In the same way, the typeface is kept constant throughout the cover in order to create an identity for Kerrang. Underneath this, there is a srapline which is used to introduce the main article to the audience without giving away too much information. In this case, a pun is used: ‘Unfold the puzzle of life’ plays on the bands album “Puzzle” and song “Unfolded stars”. The audience will be able to relate to this song so will be attracted to buying the magazine. The way in which an ellipsis is used after the strapline invites the audience to open the magazine and read more.

• Additionally, there is a lure at the very bottom of the page as it lists a variety of bands that are featured in the issue. This will attract the attention of the audience and direct the reader to look inside the magazine. This is titled “PLUS!” in order to create the impression that there are lots of exciting and interesting articles inside the issue. Also, the top of the page includes another lure “massive download ticket give away”. This doesn’t tell you much about the download so invites the audience to read inside for more. Again, this uses white writing with the same typeface which is used throughout.

• There is a secondary lead, located underneath the strapline. This stands out from the other features on the front cover because it includes two large images and a headline of “FREE! Poster special”. This would attract the audience to the magazine because they are under the impression that they are getting something for nothing. The images are a preview of the posters in order to lure the audience into buying the magazine. Also, the way in which it states the names of the bands and then includes “and more…” will attract the audience into buying the magazine because they would like to find out what other musicians are included in the issue. The background of this particular section is in red and it creates the impression that it has been painted on in a messy way. This supports the theme of the messy unkempt look in a rocker’s attitude.

• Finally, the front cover includes a kicker in order to stand out from the rest of the magazine. The Paramore article does this by including the title “Paramore” in a different colour from the rest of the font. The colour of this title is red, standing out from the theme of white writing on the rest of the cover. This kicker also includes an image of the lead singer from the band. She stands out because she has an extreme, colourful hairstyle and is pouting to the audience in an amusing way. The image will draw the audience’s attention because she is well known. This story includes a pun “Hayley starts a riot!” as Paramore have released the album “Riot”. This will allow the audience to relate the issue with the article and encourage them to read more.

KERRANG contents page

Kerrang contents page• As part of my textual analysis, I am going to explore the layout of a contents page taken

from an issue of Kerrang music magazine. The idea of a contents page is to inform the reader what is included in the issue and notify them with the page number of each article. This is done through the images and brief text. The use of images is important because it gives a visual aid of the articles included. This also makes the page looks more attractive so the audience will be attracted to reading it.

• The top of the page contains the title “Contents” so that it is easily identified. This uses the typeface of bold yellow writing and a black background. This will be easy to distinguish for the audience as it stands out from the rest of the page. However, the colour scheme and font remains constant throughout the page in order to create a suitable housestyle for the magazine. Just below the title there is information in smaller writing containing the issue number and date in order to add extra information to the reader. Although this is already included on the front cover of the magazine, it is present in order to constantly remind the audience in case the page becomes detached from the magazine.

• Additionally, there is a short note from the editor on the top right of the page. This explains the reason behind including certain factors in this issue. Also, this is done in an informal way with the use of language such as “We heart Biffy Clyro”. This is effective because the audience create the impression that they are being directly addressed, this builds a strong relationship between the editor and the audience. This is signed by the editor at the end of the text in order to make it appear more official. This gives the audience the impression that the editor is an important figure in the production of the magazine.

• The right of the page includes features and highlights which appear in this week’s magazine. It is

an extremely long list which takes up most of the length of the page. The title “this week” appears in bold black font with a yellow background. This will attract the reader’s attention as it stands out to the rest of the page. There are many subheadings in this column in order to divide the contents into suitable sections. They have the yellow font with a black background in order to stand out from the actual contents. This makes it easier for the reader to find relevant articles which may be of interest to them. This convention is important in a contents page because, without organisation, it would be extremely hard for the audience to find anything within a magazine. This saves time for the reader and makes it more convenient for them.

• At the bottom right of the page, there is a pug which advertises the way in which the reader can subscribe to a music magazine, advertised as a fantastic offer. This is complete with a telephone number so that they can easily subscribe. This is a kicker because it stands out from the rest of the page as it has a red background – this particular colour is very bright and does not appear anywhere on the rest of the page. Also, the language “Get a K delivered to your door” is informal language because it uses the letter K to refer to the Kerrang magazine.

• The remainder of the page is made up of boxes containing images which are included in the monthly issue. This gives the audience a preview of what will be included in issues to come. There is a short caption included with this in order to give additional information to the reader. There are some uses of rhetorical questions in order to include the reader and make them feel like they are part of the magazine, rather than an onlooker.

• Throughout this page, there is a constant housestyle of black, white and yellow. This has the connotations of a stereotype of a rock genre through the use of black. However, it is not too bold in order to focus the attention on the information, rather than the housestyle. It is successfully kept constant to make it easier for the audience to understand and read.

KERRANG double page spread

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Kerrang double page spread• As part of my textual analysis, I am going to analyse a double page spread taken from Kerrang music magazine. This

particular feature was from the November 2009 issue. It includes an article about my chemical romance. The headline of the double page spread uses a quote from the band: “We’re being the best MCR we can be!” This is displayed to the audience in red bold lettering, with “the best MCR” in a larger red font to stand out from the rest of the text. Also, the headline is on a slight angle, a convention of the rock theme to give the page a messy and casual look. The use of colouring remains with the housestyle of the page, using red, black and white. This creates the theme of punk/emotional rock as it uses colours which have the connotations of darkness and death. Also, the headline has a worn-out effect to which is reminiscent of the blithe attitude of punk rock. The use of the quote gives the reader an impression of how the band values themselves, showing how they feel to allow the reader to get an idea of the opinions of My Chemical Romance. The language of the headline has a relaxed tone due to the way it abbreviates the title of the band to MCR – this would appeal to a younger audience as they would all be familiar with this reference to the band. Also, it appears to advertise the group as “the best” has been emphasised.

• Below the headline is an introductory strapline to give additional information about the article. This includes the group name “My Chemical Romance” which appears in bold letting in order to emphasis the importance within the article. Also, the language used makes the reader feel like the article is exclusive and that no other music magazine has covered this story before. This is done by stating “My Chemical Romance invite Kerrang!”

• The majority of the left page is taken up by a longshot image of the lead singer. As the image is taken at a slightly low angle, it creates the impression of superiority and which is idealised within the rock genre. It shows the singer to be clutching the microphone to create the impression that this was taken during a live performance. This is supported by the way there are blurred studio lights and an out of focus view of a drummer in the background. As the image is in black and white, it reflects the dark and gothic theme which is represented in the group’s music. The stance of the singer also represents the rock ideology as he is looking away from the camera, his face covered. This symbolises the way in which rock music should not include ideological people, instead it should be the music which gives the band its identity. Additionally, the mise en scene of the shot shows the singer to be wearing a denim jacket and jeans – stereotypical of a 1970-80’s rock artist, notifying the reader that the origins of rock are present in this band. Also, the way in which he has messy, black hair suggests that he does not care about his physical appearance; he prioritises his music over anything else.

• Towards the top left of this image is a black box containing the red text “News” to stand out to the reader. Below this is a website address in order to advertise this to the audience and allow them to access additional information. Also, there is a red tag which states “World exclusive” – this creates the impression that Kerrang magazine has provided the reader with never before seen information about My Chemical Romance. This makes the audience feel like they are privileged to be informed about this particular article because the news has been uncovered only by this magazine.

• Also on the left page, there is another image of the bass player of the band. This shows a midshot of the singer as he plays the guitar. The image stays with the housestyle of the double page spread by having a black and white effect to emphasise themes of classic rock bands. Additionally, the member’s face is lighter than the rest of the image due to the positioning of the studio lights. This creates the illusion that he is an important member in the band because his face is lit up to represent superiority and dominance – this is supported by a caption to go with the image saying “Mikey Way: bass hero”. His facial expression is of concentration to show that he is dedicated to his music and this is his only focus.

• Alongside this image is an establishing shot to show three of the band members to be working in a recording suite. This allows the reader to have a visual aid to show what the band does when recording music. The artists are looking at each other in amusement, but there is also a sense of seriousness to show that they are enthusiastic about their work. The way in which all of the images are showing males gives the impression that there is a male dominance within the rock genre.

• Next, there is an action shot close up of Gerard (the lead singer). This shows the reader that he is passionate about his work. The purpose of this image is to educate the reader about the different steps of production when the band My Chemical Romance are recording. The use of the caption: “Oh no! I’ve forgotten to lock to the bloody front door...” makes the article appear to be more entertaining for the reader, as it adds humour which would appeal to adolescence which would be targeted to read this particular magazine. The language is relaxed and breaks away from the repetitive long informative text. Also, these images are included in order to make the double page spread look more attractive at first glance.

• Along the right side of the right page is a white box (used to stand out from the rest of the page) which contains information about future My Chemical Romance songs. This been titled “New MCR tacks the lowdown” – the language has an informal tone in order to appeal to the values of the young audiences. It also notifies the reader that they are going to get exclusive information about the tracks, before they have been released. In the same way, the language used has a relaxed tone, using words like “epic” in order to make the article appear more personal to the reader. The use of this section allows advertisement of the new album which is about to be released. The audience are presented with additional information which will interest them and they will be encouraged to buy the album.

• The actual article is relatively small compared to the rest of the double page spread. It is set out into two columns, following the conventions of a typical magazine layout. This section contrasts with the rest of the double page spread as the language is more formal. The way in which the writer describes the band as “epic grandeur and theatrics of the quintet” formally praises the band and makes them appear superior and professional. It shows the reader that the surrounding images and information about the album is more important than the actual article itself.

Rock Sound is a British magazine which focuses on the genre of alternative music. The magazine is not as commercial as leading rock magazines and it aims at being more underground. However, it still contains coverage to more well known acts.Rock Sound was originally created in France. The UK edition of Rock Sound was produced in March 1999. although it is not as well known as other music magazines, Rock Sound still obtains a readership of 74,000.The logo of the magazine also fits into the theme of rock music. It includes white and black to signify that it covers all types of rock music – contrasting from white to black. The logo is relatively simple in order to represent the fact that the information included in the magazine is taken at face value. It also includes a catchphrase “New Music First” in order to create the impression that the information included in the magazine is exclusive and has not been covered by any other rock magazine. This shows to the audience that Rock Sound provides extra information about the rock genre.

ROCK SOUND front cover

Rock Sound front cover• As part of my textual analysis I am going to examine the front cover of Rock Sound magazine. This cover

is taken from issue number 132 which was released in February 2010. This particular information is taken from the pug which is located at the bottom right of the cover. It includes the barcode, pricing (£3.80) and a web address which allows the audience to access the official Rock Sound website. This additional information included in this pug gives the magazine its identity.

• The masthead of this cover is located across the top of the cover. This is used in most magazines as it is easy to find for the audience as this is where they will look first. The logo is very simple in order to create the impression that it the magazine is simple by only displaying the articles in their purest form. The type of font used gives a slightly old look to the title as it looks rough and cracked – this is a play on of the word “Rock”. This signifies that the genre of rock is reminiscent of a rock because it is hard and indestructible in the way that it has remained constant throughout the years, only changing very slightly. The way that the font is in white symbolises that the magazine is pure and only contains rock at its very best. This typeface is used throughout the front cover to create an identity for the magazine. Additionally to the masthead, there is a slogan which compliments the logo, stating “new music first”. This creates the impression that Rock Sound includes exclusive news in which no other magazine has covered.

• The main factor on the front cover which attracts the audience’s attention is the main feature photograph. It is extremely large and takes up the majority of the right side of the page containing the lead vocalist Ville Valo from the band “Him”. The audience will be able to relate the artist to the band as he is the lead singer, therefore an extremely important member of the band. He includes the connotations of a rock band because he has black, shaggy hair, this is a signifier that he doesn’t care too much about his personal appearance and that the music is the only thing that he is bothered about. Also, this is supported by the way he doesn’t appear to be wearing any clothes and has a vacant expression on his face. Additionally, the audience are able to see an elaborate tattoo which he has on his shoulder. This signifies that he is going against the ordinary to create a new style; this is present in the stereotype of rock artists. The stance of Ville shows him to be lying on a bed in a relaxed sort of way, this represents that he has a blithe attitude which is also present in the stereotype of a rocker. He is also looking directly at the audience in order to catch their attention; this appears to be intimidating because he is expressionless. Additionally, the way in which the image overlaps the Rock Sound logo infers that Ville is dominating the genre of rock.

• Complimenting this image is the headline “HIM”. As this is the logo of the band, it will attract the

audience’s attention because it is widely recognised. This typeface also uses white font so that it fits into the housestyle of the magazine cover. Additionally to the headline, there is a strapline, stating “Ville bares all”. This is included so that it gives the audience an idea about what the main article is about. Also, it notifies the audience who the man on the front cover is. The way in which “bares all” is used suggests that this storyline has only been covered by Rock Sound magazine, it is exclusive to them.

• Adding to the main article, Rock Sound has included a quote from Ville Valo. This is a lure because the phrase directs the reader to look inside the magazine at this particular feature in order to find more about what Ville has got to say. This has a different typeface from the rest of the article in order to stand out to the audience. Also, the font is in red to signify aggression and danger – the connotations of a stereotypical rocker.

• Additionally, there is a secondary lead at the top left of the cover which includes an image and the caption. It stands out from the rest of the magazine due to the image of the posters and the arrow which connects it to the caption to show that they are free. The audience will be attracted to this because they are under the impression that this is an added extra to the magazine so they are getting something for nothing.

• The strip of white background at the top of the magazine creates the impression that it has been torn away to reveal the hidden extras. This is due to the ragged edging which creates the impression that it has been pieced together very quickly and in a messy way to show a blithe attitude. On this there are many kickers included in order to attract the audience’s attention. This is created due to the titles of the band and then a short caption giving additional information. The way in which they are short and sharp creates the impression that they are quickly flashing into the audience’s face, allowing the reader’s eyes to dart around the page.

• Finally, the section at the bottom left of the magazine is a kicker, designed to stand out from the rest of the page. This is done through the use of red and white alternating font colours. This includes the “Plus” section of the magazine which creates the impression that there are lot more articles present in the magazine. This section lists lots of bands which will be of interest to the audience as the artists are all included in the rock genre. As there is no information about the bands, it encourages the audience to buy the magazine in order to read more.

ROCK SOUND contents page

Rock Sound contents page• As part of my textual analysis, I am going to look at the front cover of the February 2010 issue of Rock

Sound music magazine. The issue number and date of this can be found on the bottom right of the page. Although this information is already found on the front cover of this particular issue, it is still displayed in order to remind the reader in case is becomes detached from the rest of the magazine.

• The housestyle of this page is kept constant throughout – a black background with white and red font. There are two varieties of typefaces used in order to add diversity to the page. At the top of this page is the headline “Main Features” in bold white font. This will attract the reader’s attention and notify them that this is where particular articles can be found. Then, there is a list covering the majority of the page containing the top 6 storylines in this issue. The headings of each article (the band title) is in bold, formal font while the explanation underneath is in more of a messy font. This creates the impression that this is done hurriedly as the font appears as if someone has quickly written the details down. Also, the language used is informal in order to make the reader feel like the articles are approachable and friendly. Additionally the page number is presented in red font in order to stand out from the explanation and direct the audience where to go.

• The main element of this page is the image of Ville Valo, as his story is the main feature of the issue. His image also appears on the front cover so the audience are aware of his importance. The image shows a high angled long shot of the singer as he is lying on a dark rug. This is done so that the camera is directly above him and the audience can see his full body. He has a serious impression on his face and the mise en scene shows him to be wearing black clothing. This has connotations of the rock genre being represented which the reader can relate to the rest of the magazine. However, he is wearing smart black shoes and trousers which go against this theme of rock, showing to the audience that he is putting his own personal style into the genre. In addition, his stance shows him to be curled up in a ball to represent to the reader that he is very personal and is reluctant to share information with everyone. Ville is lying in the foetal position, this could reflect his childish side. This would support his quote about sensitivity as it is portraying him as being vulnerable to the harsh reality of the world.

• Alongside the image is a quote from Ville – this uses the same scribbled typeface to remain in the theme of the page. This font style signifies that Ville is approachable in the way that the writing looks natural and like anyone else would write it. The quote is used as a lure because it does not reveal much to the reader in order to make them want to look at the article to find out more.

ROCK SOUND double page spread

Rock Sound double page spread• As part of my textual analysis, I am going to look at a double page spread which appears inside the 132 nd

issue of Rock Sound music magazine. This particular issue was released in February 2010. The housestyle of the double page spread remains constant throughout through the use of a black and white faded background and the infrequent use of the colour red in order to make some features stand out from the rest of the page. The background is faded, which symbolises that the band are from old, simplistic times. This represents to the reader that they have the connotations of the typical rock genre of 1960’s and 1970’s.

• Additionally, the use of an image of the band helps to give a visual aid to the reader so they are aware of what the members look like. This longshot image takes up the majority of the double page spread and it is placed in the centre of the article in order to attract attention. The image is in black and white to fit into the theme of simplistic times. The mise en scene of the image shows the members to be wearing flared jeans, cowboy-style shirts and hats, and leather jackets. This portrays to the audience that there are strong themes from the 1970’s style (in fact, Lynyrd Skynyrd was formed in 1964 which represents that this image was taken from around that time). Also, the cowboy theme links into the washed-out housestyle. Additionally, the stance of the members in the image shows them to be symmetrical – this symbolises that their music has an order and sticks in with the style of rock music. In the same way, their expressions are serious to show that they are passionate about the music they produce. There is a caption below the image saying “legendary longhairs” – this agrees that they are a 70’s band as they are legendary and their hairstyles fit into the connotations of a typical rocker from this period. The fact that their long hair is “legendary” could suggest that they strongly influenced the style for rockers to have long hair – they set the trends for this type of genre.

• The headline of the double page spread is “Revolutionaries” – this represents that Lynyrd Skynyrd completely transformed the rock genre by adapting it to create a new style of music. The font is bold and outlined with red in order to make it stand out from the rest of the page. Additionally, the typeface has connotations of a country western as it is curly but bold. Underneath the headline is the strapline in order to give an introductory sentence to the article. This uses a scribbled typeface which represents the hurried handwriting of a lazy student – this will agree with the values of the young target audience of the magazine. Additionally, the strapline is highlighted in red to stand out from the rest of the page. As it says Lynyrd Skynyrd is one of the “bands we couldn’t live without”, it is a puff which is used to boost the group’s status.

• The main cover line of this double page spread is the title of the band “Lynyrd Skynyrd”, which helps to give them an identity. Again, a different typeface is used in order to stand out from the rest of the page. It is bold and black to fit into the connotations of the rock genre.

• The main article is written in small print and doesn’t appear as attractive as the rest of the page as it is plain. This encourages the reader to look at all the other features present in the double page spread before reading the actual main article. This is set out into two columns down the left side of the first page, like a typical layout in a magazine, making it easier to read. The actual article is not very large; this will appeal to the youth culture as they will have a short attention span. In order to remain interest in the text, the magazine has included a lure (a quote from one of the members which is included in the article) so that they are encouraged to read the whole article. This lure appears in large writing in the middle of the text to make it look more attractive. It has a different typeface from the rest of the article text in order to make it stand out to the reader. It uses the scribbled font which makes the text appear more personal as it has the connotations of hastily written handwriting.

• Finally, the right side of the second page is taken up with a grey box containing additional information about Lynyrd Skynyrd. This helps the audience to learn more about the band because, as they are not modern, they will not be as well known to the target audience. The information includes roots of the band, contemporaries, their influences, interesting facts and information about the songs they have produced. Throughout this section there are a range of images in order to remain interest and make the page look more interesting.

Summary of AnalysisNow that I have analysed the front cover, contents page and double page spread of four popular rock magazines I can start to look at incorporating some of the ideas into my final piece. I need to look at what I have learned from analysing each magazine, the common occurrences throughout the magazines and what I would like to include in my final piece.

Front Covers

I have found out that all four music magazines have a large image which takes up the majority of the front cover. Also, there are not very many other images used in the front cover (if others are included, they are rather small in comparison). Also, the logo is large and bold and is positioned at the top of the magazine. In the same way, all of the headlines are usually big, bold and central. There is a constant colour scheme used throughout (this is usually black, white and red). Also, the text included in each front cover is kept to a minimum and uses short straplines to attract the reader’s attention. I particularly like the way there is a constant use of the same font in all of the magazines. I need to make note of all these features of a front cover and use it to develop my final piece.

Contents Pages

From my research, I have learned that the majority of a contents page in the professional magazines are taken up with either one large image or a selection of images which illustrate the main features included in the particular issue. The group which is included on the front cover usually appear on the contents page. I particularly liked the way I which NME included a short article on the contents page to add more interest and catch the reader’s attention right from the beginning of the magazine. Also, there is a common theme on each magazine of the same housestyle used in the front cover – I will need to ensure I use the same colours throughout the front cover and contents page when I produce my final piece. Additionally, I like the way how Rock Sound magazine have included a large image and then only used six of the most important images. This makes the page look less crowded and confusing.

Double Page Spreads

Finally, I have found that all four double page spreads contain a large image which takes up the majority of one of the pages. Also, there is a constant housestyle kept throughout the double page spread. Additionally, the text is kept to a minimum and there are lots of images surrounding the article. I particularly like the way how each double page spread contains an enlarged quote from the text in order to catch the audience’s attention and make them want to read more. Also, I like the way how each article includes additional information about the band features. For example, the My Chemical Romance article which appeared in a Kerrang issue includes a summary of some of the new songs that are about to be released. I will make sure that I add lots of different devices to my double page spread, rather than just text, to keep the audience interested.

Market Research and Analysis

Now that I have completely the commercial product research, I am now going to look towards my audience’s views and opinions about the music magazine. this will help me to appeal to my audience’s values and ultimately make my magazine more successful. I will carry out the research in the form of a quantitative data questionnaire, vox pops and use the internet to visit chat rooms to get a wider variety of opinions.

Questionnaire

My questionnaire consisted of 20 quantitative data questions in which I asked 50 people. I felt that the amount of people I asked was a good range because the larger the number of people the wider the opinions I will have about music magazines.

Here is the quantitative data questionnaire I produced:

Question 1As part of my quantitative data questionnaire I included asked the reader whether they were male or female. I included this because the gender of a person may change the perception they have on a music magazine.

My results showed 23 of the people who completed my survey to be male and the remaining 27 were females. This is useful because it almost gives an equal representation of both genders.

Gender

Male 23

Female 27

Question 2For my second question, I asked the reader what age they were. Typically, I wanted to target my audience at an age of 16 to 19 but I added a few people who were not under this age bracket in order to give a wider range of answers. This was done to compare against people who fit into the category.

My results showed that the majority of people who I asked (42/50) were between 16 and 19. This is useful because I can now base the results from this questionnaire around the production of this magazine in order to appeal to my target audience.

Age12 to 15 616 to 19 4220+ 2

Question 3Next, I included the question `What type of music do you mostly listen to?” and gave them the option of selecting 3 types of genres because some people listen to more than one type of genre. I included this question in order to look at the most popular genre for my audience. In this way, I can base my music magazine around this genre.

The results showed that there was a wide range of musical preferences within the younger generation. However, the most popular were indie and rock genres. Also, I need to take into consideration the fact that some people may not have “seriously” done the questionnaire. Although there were some people who opted for the “other” option, it was not as significant so I didn’t need to consider it.I can now base my music magazine around the genre of indie/rock in order to appeal most to the young generation.

GenresRave 2Dance 8Indie 28Pop 4Folk 2Blues 29Rock 4Jazz 6R&B 11Emo 9Ska 5Classical 6Rap 1

Mainstream 1Other 7

Question 4The next question I asked was how much money would the reader be prepared to pay for a music magazine. I can base my results on what price I should include in the pug on the front cover of my music magazine.The results showed that the majority of people who completed the questionnaire usually paid £1.50 to £2 on their typical music magazine. This is useful because I can include a price, within this bracket, on the front of my magazine cover.

Price of magazine

£1.50 to £2 19

£2 to £2.50 15

£2.50 to £3 10

£3 + 6

Question 5 Types of magazinesRocksound 5NME 19Mixmag 0Q 8Top of the PopsKerrang 15Mojo 3None 19Other 3

The next question I asked was “What sort of music magazines do you buy?” This enables me to get an idea about the most popular types of music magazines available. I instructed the reader to tick a maximum of 3 boxes because some people read more than one music magazine.My results showed that the most popular music magazines were NME (with 19/50) and Kerrang (15/50), showing that more people buy rock genre magazines. However, there was a wide choice of people who do not buy music magazines, 19 out of 50 people, which was not useful for me because I cannot use these results.

Question 6How often do you buy the magazineEvery issue 1Every month 4Sometimes 18Few times a year 4Yearly 2Almost never 21

The next question I included was ‘How often do you buy the magazine’. The reason for asking this question was to get an idea of how often popular music magazines are bought by the young generation.My results showed that the majority of people hardly ever bought music magazines in the first place. This puts me at a disadvantage because this questionnaire doesn’t help me to appeal to my target audience. However, over half of the people did buy music magazines more frequently so I can concentrate on their opinions.

Question 7What magazine features interest you the most?Latest news 14Tour details 14Main feature article 11New bands 1Charts 10Doesn’t apply 15Other 0

The next question I included was “What magazine features interest you the most?” I included this question so I can focus on this aspect of my magazine when producing my final piece.

The results showed that this particular question did not apply to the majority of people I asked. Nevertheless, a large portion (14/50 each) of the people asked were most interested in the latest news and tour details. This is useful for when I produce my final piece because, in my double page spread, I can include the latest news and tour details for a particular group.

Question 8

Do you prefer a music magazine which:Is suited to your music taste 31Contains a wide variety of genres 19

Next, I asked the question “Do you prefer a music magazine which is suited to your music taste or contains a wide variety of genres?” I included this so that I can tailor my music magazine to either a particular genre or leave incorporate a wide range of music.

I found that 31/50 people preferred a music magazine to be suited to their music taste. From this, I can ensure I keep to just one genre (rock). This is ideal for me as I am interested in the rock genre so I can concentrate on this theme throughout the magazine.

Question 9

Do posters/free gifts draw you into buying a particular magazine?Yes 38No 12

In addition, I asked the reader “Do posters/free gifts draw you into buying a particular magazine?” I asked this question because it will enable me to include an extra free gift advertisement on my front cover.

The results showed that more people were attracted to free gifts (38/50). Now, I should ensure that I include this on my front cover.

Question 10If so, which freebies are most appealing?Posters 16Books 2Concert ticket vouchers 11Download vouchers 3Badges 3Music store vouchers 9CDs 19Band merchandise 7Other 1

Also, I included the question, designed for those who do find free gifts attract them into buying a music magazine. I included a large list of possible free gifts. Additionally, I gave the option of “other” so that, if necessary, the reader could give another alternative to the selection.

The results showed that the majority of people preferred CDs (19/50 of people) and posters (16/50 of people). As these are rather large numbers, I am going to ensure that I include either of these free gifts in my music magazine. Although there was a reader who opted for another option, this was only one person so it wasn’t significant enough to take into consideration.

Question 11Where do you mostly consume your music from?YouTube 17CD 9Promotional CDs 0Downloads 9ITunes 17Other 3

My next question I asked was “Where do you mostly consume your music from?” I asked this in order to get an idea about the most popular sources for music. I included an option of “other” to widen the choices. However, there were not very many people who chose this, meaning that I didn’t take it into consideration.

My results showed that the majority of people listen to music on ITunes and YouTube (34/50). This is useful because I can make references to offers and updates on each site in order to appeal more to the target audience.

Question 12

Do you often attend music concerts?Yes 30No 20

In addition, I asked “Do you often attend music concerts?” This was included so that I could see if concerts are popular with my target audience.

The results showed that 60% of the people I asked do attend concerts. This is significant because I can include concerts when producing my final piece because the majority of my target audience will be interested by this feature.

Question 13If so, how often?Weekly 1Monthly 2Yearly 5

Occasionally 5

Few times 15Hardly Ever 2

Also, I included another question for those who attended music concerts. This allows me to explore the actual popularity of music concerts.

I found that 50% of the people who attended concerts went only a few times. This is useful because I can concentrate on other features inside my magazine because concerts are not that popular within my target audience because the majority of people do not do to them very often.

Question 14

How often do you prefer to receive a music magazine?Weekly 6Monthly 28Fortnightly 16

Next, I asked the reader how often they would prefer to receive a music magazine. This is significant because I can advertise this on the front cover of my final piece. I gave three options: weekly, fortnightly and monthly. This is reasonable because existing magazine usually release there issues within these periods.

I found that the majority of people preferred to receive monthly music magazines (28/50). This is significant because I can ensure that I have a monthly magazine when producing my final piece.

Question 15

Would you subscribe to a magazine?Yes 28No 22

In addition, I included the question “Would you subscribe to a magazine?” I asked this so that I could get an idea of the usual behaviours of my target audience towards music magazines.

I found that most of the readers would subscribe to a magazine if given the option. This is useful because I can include a subscription option when designing my magazine.

Question 16What font appears more attractive for a magazine logo?Sample1 8Sample2 15Sample3 6Sample4 6Sample5 4Sample6 8Sample7 0

3

Also, I included in the questionnaire, “What font appears more attractive for a magazine logo?” I have added this to my questionnaire so that I can appeal to the target audience by getting them to have their say in the production of my magazine. This will enable my final piece to appeal to the target audience.

From the results, I found that the top three most appealing font styles were relatively similar. This included sample1 and sample, which are rather bold and chunky fonts. Also, sample6 matches to sample2 as they are both are in the abstract style, which has the connotations of a student’s scribbled handwriting (this will appeal to the target audience). I can determine that, when producing my final piece, I should use a bold, abstract-style font.

Question 17What size font do you prefer in an article?Average 28Large 10Extra large 7Small 4Extra small 1

In the same way, I asked about the font size preference in an article. This is useful to research so I can get an idea of the preferences for my target audience.

I found that the majority of people preferred an average size font – this should be used for my article on my double page spread.

Question 18

What amount of text would you expect an article to contain?Average 31Small 10Large 9

Additionally, I asked about the amount of text the reader would prefer within an article. This is significant because I don’t want to bore the reader with too much information. Moreover, I would want to simplify things too much by not including enough text.

From my results, I can conclude that I should use a regular amount of text in my double page spread, as this was the most popular choice (31/50).

Question 19Magazine titleIce 5Clang 0Rock Paper Scissors 21Flip 2Edge 11Mosh 0Safetypin 0Jagged 4Rebel 7

Next, I asked which magazine title appeals most to each person. I included a wide selection of titles so that the reader is given plenty of choice. This is useful to include in a questionnaire because I can see which title appeals to the audience the most. This will ensure that the title appeals to my target audience.

I found that the most popular magazine title was “Rock Paper Scissors” with 21/50 people opting for this. As this is quite a long title, it may draw be too large to fit across the top of the magazine. To overcome this problem, I am going to take the idea from NME magazine (which was popular with my target audience) by abbreviating the title to “RPS”. This will make the title short and sharp – which is sure to attract attention to the magazine.

Question 20What features of a front cover attract the likelihood of buying it?Colours 8

Striking images 19Headline 9Font style 3Articles 8Free Gifts 11Attractive logo 6Particular bands featured 28Other 1

Finally, I included the question “What features of a front cover attract the likelihood of buying it?” This allows me to get an idea of what I should include when producing my final magazine cover. I allowed the reader to select more than one option because there are usually more than one feature which is significant to a person. Additionally, I included the “other” option, in case I forgot to include something significant. However, only 1 person selected this, so it was not that significant.

The results showed that 28/50 people liked to see a particular band featured on the front cover of a music magazine. This is useful because I can ensure, when producing my final piece, that I make the main feature band stand out on the cover. However, the results also show that all of the options given were rather popular. This allows me to ensure all of these features are present on the front cover.

Quantitative data: ConclusionFrom the results of my questionnaire, I havelearned:• The majority of my target audience prefer rock/indie genres. This is also present in the popularity of rock

magazines in my target audience. I should include these genres throughout my magazine. I should remain within these genres as the majority of people prefer a music magazine which agrees with their music taste.

• Most people usually pay £1.50 to £2 on a music magazine, I should keep within this price range.• Not very many people regularly buy music magazines. This means I will have to try my hardest to appeal to the

target audience in order to encourage them to buy my product.• The most appealing features inside a music magazine for my audience are latest news and tour details. I need to

include these inside my issue.• Most people prefer to see free gifts with a music magazine – in particular, posters and CDs. I am going to produce a

poster to go with my final piece because it is relatively easy to produce and will appeal to the target audience.• The majority of my target audience consume their music from ITunes and YouTube. I can promote these when

producing my final piece by possibly adding links to these sites.• Most people prefer to receive monthly issues of music magazines and would subscribe if the option was provided.

I will advertise that my magazine comes out monthly possibly on a pug on the front cover or include it in the contents page. Also, I will provide details required to subscribe to my magazine.

• The most appealing fonts for a magazine logo tend to be bold and have a scribbled, abstract style. I will take this into consideration when producing a suitable logo. Also, the most popular magazine title is Rock Paper Scissors. This may be too long, but I shall abbreviate it.

• The size font within the double page spread should be regular because this appeals to the majority of people. Also, there should be a standard amount of text used.

• I should include a wide range of features on the front cover of my final piece. This will appeal to the varied preferences of my target audience. In particular, I should make the images striking, use lots of colour and make the main feature band apparent.

Qualitative Data – Chat sitesNext, I used qualitative data to get additional research about what my target audience would look for in a music magazine. This is useful because it allows a person to give elaborate details in their answers, rather than using multiple choice.In order to do this, I emailed 20 people on the social networking site www.facebook.com and asked them the following questions:•What is your favourite music magazine and why?•What makes a front cover stand out to you and why?•What do you most look for in a music magazine and why?

From the 20 people I originally asked, I received 13 replies. Although all of the replies appeared genuine, I need to take into consideration that some people may not take these questions seriously and some do not have the time to complete them.

Qualitative Data – Chat sitesThese are the replies that I received:

Hannah White 07 March at 10:45 Reply

Erm fave music magazine, Kerrang! Why?? Cos it tells me when gigs are, like when bands I like are gunna come to some place new. Also helps me find new bands, like people I might never have heard of befor :)Usually the people on the front! Like if I like the people on the front I'm more inclined to wanna buy it, but also the bold letter and the contrasting colours :)I look mostly in a music magazine to tell when bands are touring/playing near me, I think its so I can be all like 'oooh we soo have to go see....'Hope that helped emma :) sent via Facebook Mobile

Hannah Greason 07 March at 15:08 Reply

Favourite music mag and why?Dont really read them but if i was to buy one, Id go for NME because it seems to be the most popular and includes recent updates on bands and tours/gigs that are on and when/where.

What makes a front cover stand out and why?Which band is on the front - i am more inclined to buy the magazine if i recongise the band! Big slogans catch my eye - plus i always flick to the page number the slogans point you towards - i.e. special features etc.

What do you look for in a music magazine and why?Band interviews, pictures/photo shoots, gigs and top charts/reviews :)

Toby Stephenson 07 March at 16:43 Reply

What is your favourite music magazine and why?I don't really buy them as such, but MOJO seems to have The Beatles on the front cover a lot, so probably that.

What makes a front cover stand out to you and why?If the magazine has a picture of a band/artist i like on the front cover and their name in a nice big font :) Plus whether it looks lush or not.

What do you most look for in a music magazine and why?Interviews primarily (posh), reviews of albums/bands, intresting facts about them. And it's got too look nice and well presented!

Alex Readman 07 March at 18:04 Reply

What is your favourite music magazine and why?I like NME because its got loads of different genres of music, it tells you about newbands so you can find new music. Also, it makes me look like a cool dude when i read it in public - obv.

What makes a front cover stand out to you and why?If theres a picture of that beauty - alex turner, on the front. Thats hot. Or any bands that I like on the front, and general prettiness.I didnt like it when mojo had that photo on the front that looked dead grainy. Its better if its in focus and colourful, then I'll notice it more in the shop.

What do you most look for in a music magazine and why?Interviews with bands I like, lots of reviews of new bands - I like to broaden the horizons of my music taste. Its got to be presented well or it wouldnt catch my eye in the shop and I wouldnt buy it.

Qualitative Data – Chat sitesKate Simons 07 March at 11:50 Reply

What is your favourite music magazine and why?NME because it includes loads of different bands, and information

What makes a front cover stand out to you and why?Bright colours, big main feature photographs, interesting stories

What do you most look for in a music magazine and why?Interviews, gigs, festivals, reviews :)

Natalie Brown 07 March at 11:27 Reply

What is your favourite music magazine and why?I dont read music magazines, im not really interested in them.

What makes a front cover stand out to you and why?Bright colours and pictures, lots of stories to make me interested.

What do you most look for in a music magazine and why?I dont read music magazines so sorry, i cant help you there :)

Shaun Ingledew 07 March at 15:17 Reply

Favourite music mag and why?The Fly. its got my type of music in with good reviews and new bands, and most importantly its £FREE

What makes a front cover stand out and why?the band! , if its a band i dont really like, i wouldnt buy it (even if it is free!) and the bits down the side were it tells you what else is in

What do you look for in a music magazine and why?album reviews, new bands, good interviews

Diego Limon 07 March at 19:00 Reply

What is your favourite music magazine and why?NME because of the spectrum of music it covers and the fact that it introduces a lot of old bands rather than relying on established bands and nostalgia.

What makes a front cover stand out to you and why?an interesting photo of a band and a bright colour scheme. I like magazines to be instantly recognizable thats why i like NME because you can tell straight away even with a glance that its NMe just by the design and layout.

What do you most look for in a magazine and why?New bands, Reviews (of gigs and albums) , interviews with bands and tour dates.

David Waites 07 March at 10:45 Reply

NME .... includes a variety of upcoming bandsTop Bands, Special Effects, Exclusive e.t.c and also free stuff :) reason why more appealing than just a basic pciture

My fave band, gig news, headlones

Carina Gouldburn 07 March at 15:35 Reply

What is your favourite music magazine and why?Well, since I don't listen to modern stuff, I don't buy music magazines, therefore I can't really answer this question

What makes a front cover stand out to you and why?Good band or just a well presented page, if it 'looked good' I'd be more inclied to buy it

What do you most look for in a music magazine and why?Interviews, reviews

Qualitative Data – Chat sites

Benjamin Little 07 March at 16:10 Reply

What is your favourite music magazine and why?NME as you get free stuff with it, but seriously, gives you new bands, deceant reviews and dates for gigs.

What makes a front cover stand out to you and why?quite simple, big clear picture of a band making them stand out, and text on the edges about whats in the magazine

What do you most look for in a music magazine and why?new bands interviews, weirod and strange facts about the bands

Jake Taylor 07 March at 15:39 Reply

Favourite music mag and why?My favourite music mag is Kerrang. I like the variety of music it covers as it's the music i like. e.g. indie, grime, rock.

What makes a front cover stand out and why?I think the main featured photograph stands out the most, if it's interesting and of a band i can tolerate, then i'll buy it.

What do you look for in a music magazine and why?I usually look for bands that i like. I also look for upcoming festivals and gigs around my area. Q'n'A's are quite good too :D

Nicole Ward 07 March at 15:58 Reply

What is your favourite music magazine and why?Big cheese, i like the bands in this magazineee xD

What makes a front cover stand out to you and why?Having a band on the front I like :)

What do you most look for in a music magazine and why?Gigs, reviews, new bands and interviews. woo :)

Qualitative Data – Vox popsAs an additional part of my market research and analysis, I used vox pops in order to get an idea of what my target audience would like to see in a music magazine. This method of research is useful because I can directly ask questions to people who I have chosen, I can make sure that they fit into the audience that I am targeting my magazine towards. Also, due to the fact that I am recording these people, I can see their emotion when they are talking about their opinion. As this is qualitative data, the answers the people give will be suited to their own opinions, rather than just choosing from some options they can expand on their answers.

In total, I recorded 6 people and asked the following questions:

•What is your favourite music magazine and why?

•What makes a front cover stand out to you and why?

•What do you most look for in a magazine and why?

Qualitative Data – Vox pops

Vox Pops (written)Question 1: What is your favourite music magazine and why?Subject A: NME because it has the types of bands that I like and it has good articles as wellSubject B: I like NME because it has interesting articlesSubject C: My favourite music magazine is Kerrang because I like the bands it includes and I like the genres.Subject D: I like NME because of the interviews it includes in it.Subject E: My favourite music magazine would be NME. I like it because I like the broad range of covers. There are news, charts, new bands, it has loads of interviews. It is really informative. I like the advertisements as well – the gigs coming up – I really like that.Subject F: I like Kerrang. I like the type of music it talks about.Question 2: What makes a front cover stand out to you and why?Subject A: I would probably be more likely to buy it if it has a catchy headline or a picture of a band that I like. Subject B: The main feature article because it usually has the most information about a particular band.Subject C: A front cover stands out to me because it includes the logo and I always look for certain logos which I associate with certain magazines. I like it when the headlines are big and bold because they really stand out and get my attention. And also I quite like big pictures and colourful images and titles. That really attracts my attentionSubject D: I normally like bright pictures on the front and it depends on what band is on the front and what photo they have used.Subject E: A front cover would stand out if there was a big picture of a band, especially if I really liked it. And if it was colourful as well, nice bold colours.Subject F: I like the colour scheme. I think the logo is really good, I like the font it is in. It sort of stands out in bold.Question 3: What do you most look for in a music magazine and why?Subject A: If it has a band I like on it then I will probably be more likely to get it.Subject E: I would probably look for the new music in music magazines because you hear a lot of the mainstream stuff on the radio and the internet whereas new music, I think it’s more exclusive if you find out about it in a magazine.Subject C: Inside a music magazine, I am most likely to look for question and answer sessions. I like that because it gets you to know lots more details about each band.Subject F: I like the information about new and upcoming bands mostly.Subject C: And also if its got free stuff inside, like posters, I like that.Subject D: Normally what’s in in the charts and question and answer interviews.Subject C: I usually like the main article because it usually has the most information about the bandsSubject A: And lots of tour details so I know to go and see them….

Qualitative Data – ConclusionQuestion 1

Favourite music magazine

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

NME Kerrang The Fly BigCheese

Mojo

Favourite music magazine

Why

02468

10

Article

s

band

s

genr

es gigs

new b

ands

inter

views

rang

e of

cove

rsne

ws

char

ts

adve

rtise

men

ts

mos

t pop

ular

revie

wspr

ice

free

stuff

Series1

I have found that the most popular music magazine is NME – this is useful because I have already analysed this magazine so I can base my final piece around this style.

Also, I found that NME is popular primarily because of the types of bands which are included, the use of new bands and the type of genre it includes. I need to ensure that my final piece includes these features.

Qualitative Data – ConclusionQuestion 2

Why a front cover stands out

02468

101214

Bands

Colour

s

Bold le

tterin

g

Specia

l feat

ures

Exclus

ive free

Bright

clea

r pics

Article

s

Why a front cover stands out

From my results, I can conclude that most people feel that a front cover stands out to them because of the particular bands it features. Also, photographs which are bright, clear and colourful and that there is an appealing colour scheme on the front cover. I need to ensure that I include these when producing my front cover.

Qualitative Data – ConclusionQuestion 3

From my qualitative data, I have found that the most popular feature of a music magazine (the reason why people are inclined to buy it) is the interviews. I need to ensure that I include this in my double page spread. Also, charts and reviews appear to be very popular, as well as new music and bands. I should mention these features in my contents page.

Most popular in a music magazine

02468

1012

Band

I like

Gigs

News

New m

usic/

band

s

Free

pos

ters

Charts

/revie

ws

Main

arti

cle

Tour

det

ails

Pictur

es

Inte

rview

s

Most popular in a musicmagazine

DesigningNow that I have finished the commercial and marketing research, I am going to begin designing my music magazine for my final piece.I am going to plan possible layouts for each feature – the front cover, contents and double page spread. Additionally, I am going to incorporate the information I have found out from the market research in order to make my final piece more successful.

Front Cover Designs

Design 1 Design 2

Front Cover Designs SummaryDesign 1:

I like this design because it includes all of the connotations of a successful magazine layout. The features are neatly spaced out and the main feature photograph dominates the page in order to attract the reader’s attention

Design 2:

I like this design because it centres around the main article and has the other features around the edges. This is useful because attention is drawn to the centre of the page. However, I feel that it may look too busy and confusing for the reader.

Conclusion:

I have chosen to use design 1 for my final piece layout because it is organised and interesting for the reader. The quote will act like a lure to the audience in order to encourage them to open the magazine to find out more. Also, the free poster feature acts as a secondary lead and agrees with my market research as many people felt that a free gift, particularly a poster, would encourage them to buy a music magazine.

Contents Page Designs

Design 1 Design 2

Contents Page Designs SummaryDesign 1:

I like this particular design because it has the logo and contents title in the top centre of the image in order to stand out to the reader. Also, I have organised the page into the contents information on the right and the images to compliment the features on the left.

Design 2:

I like this design because I have organised the contents headline and logo so they appear on the left of the page. Also, I have mixed up the images and text so that the layout looks more fun and appealing. However, I do not like the way in which the subscribe option is placed at the top of the image because it looks out of place.

Conclusion:

I have chosen to use design 2 for my final piece because it is set out appropriately so that the reader can easily find the information when accessing the features inside the music magazine. I have also included a subscribe option because this appeared popular when carrying out my market research.

Double Page Spread Designs

Design 1 Design 2

Double Page Spread Designs SummaryDesign 1:I particularly like this design because all of the features are neatly spaced out across the page. I have included a large image of the artist on the first page in order to attract the reader’s attention towards the article. Also, I have positioned the article into two columns in order to fit into the style of a typical magazine article. However, I do not like the way in which the introductory paragraph is underneath the main article because it looks too robotic and boring.

Design 2:I like this design because I have included the introductory article next to the image of the artist on the first page. This is useful because it looks more like it is set out in a care-free way to reflect the nature of a typical student. Also, I like the way in which I have positioned a quote at the top of the second page in order to maintain the reader’s interest in the article.

Conclusion:I have chosen to use design 2 because all of the features are neatly arranged throughout the pages. Also, I intend on wrapping the text around the images to make it look more professional. Also, I like the way in which I have included the bulk of the article on the second page and made the first page look more attractive to the reader by including a large photograph of the artist.

Photo ShootIn order to produce my final piece, I need to collect a wide variety of photographs that I can potentially use in my magazine. This is vital because effective photographs will improve the overall success of my magazine by making it look attractive. In order to do this, I need to chose the appropriate people to take photos, ensure that they represent the typical stereotype of a rock genre and the background is suited to the target audience.

I have used my own camera (Panasonic DMC-TZ7) and arranged appropriate dates in which I can take the photos in a variety of different locations. I made sure that my subjects were available on these days.

Photo Shoot Schedule

• 5th March – Front cover and double page spread photo shoot with Alex at home

• 6th March – Poster and contents page photo shoot with Hannah, Emma and Sian at Blackhall Rocks

• 13th March – Contents page photo shoot with Shaun and Toby at Ward Jackson’s Park, Hartlepool

5th March – photo shoot with AlexFor this photo shoot, I took 102 images on my Panasonic DMC-TZ7 camera. Although the location of these photos were not suitable, I have the intention of cropping my subject out of the background.

Here are some of the photos that I took:

Photo AnalysisAs I intended on using Alex for the front cover and double page spread, I needed a variety of different photos of her to add interest to the magazine and make it look more attractive. I want to create the impression that this particular artist is quirky and has her own unique style, as well as being approachable and friendly. I have decided to use this image as the main feature photograph on the front

cover of my final piece. I really like this image because Alex is dressed in an individual style – representative of the genre of music that she plays. In the same way, the mise en scene shows her to be wearing heavy make up and a sweeping side fringe – this is what the stereotypical indie style dress includes. Also, the lighting is not too dark but not too bright, this is perfect because the audience can clearly see the image.

I have chosen to take a mid shot of this particular image so that the reader can clearly see the person. Also, it is useful because it represents that she is equals because she is not looking down at the reader, rather, she is looking across at them.

Additionally, I wanted an image which contained a lexis of the subject hiding away from the audience. The way in which Alex is covering her mouth and there is a fake mouth in its place shows that she may be embarrassed about what she is about to say. This symbolises to the reader that Alex is about to uncover some deep secrets in this interview.

Also, I like the way that the image has a plain dark background. This is useful because I will not waste time cutting the subject out when I come to develop my magazine. The way in which the background is dark and the subject is bright symbolises that Alex is coming out of the dark, unclear world of music to bring the reader new and unique ideas.

As I want to keep the names of my models anonymous, I am going to change her name to Sky because I think that this is a suitable rock star name because it is unique.

Photo AnalysisI have decided to use this image as the main feature photograph on the double page spread of my final piece. I really like this image because Alex is dressed in an individual style – representative of the genre of music that she plays. In the same way, the mise en scene shows her to be wearing heavy make up and a sweeping side fringe – this is what the stereotypical indie style dress includes. Also, the lighting is not too dark but not too bright, this is perfect because the audience can clearly see the image.I have chosen to take a mid shot of this particular image so that the reader can clearly see the person. Also, it is useful because it represents that she is equals because she is not looking down at the reader, rather, she is looking across at them.Additionally, I wanted an image which contained a lexis of the looking innocent yet confused. This is done by the way in which Alex is half-smiling and has wide eyes which creates an unusual expression. Also, she is holding a flower to represent the way her music is natural and pure – there is no other indie artist which is like her. I am intending to add a quote “Life isn’t all rainbows and roses”. This will help to illustrate this quote as she is holding a flower to represent happiness, however she is looking confused and uncertain about her feelings.Also, I like the way that the image has a plain dark background. This is useful because I will not have to waste time cutting the subject out when I come to develop my magazine. The way in which the background is dark and the subject is bright symbolises that Alex is coming out of the dark, unclear world of music to bring the reader new and unique ideas.I am aiming to represent the subject as confusing and individual. This photo helps to symbolise this as, complimented with the quote, it shows that there is more to this artist than the reader would expect.

Photo AnalysisAdditionally, I have chosen to include this image on the second page of my double page spread of my final piece. I intend on adding it at the bottom of the page and making it relatively small so I can fit the text around this image.

I really like this image because the lighting is of good quality so that the reader can clearly see the image, also the lens of the camera is in focus and the background is plain so as not to draw attention away from the subject.

The mise en scene of the image shows Alex to be wearing individually styled clothing which helps represent her indie rock genre. Also, she is holding an apple which represents nature – this creates the impression that her music is natural and is not over-complicated with fake sounds. Also, I like the way in which there is a mid shot of the subject because the reader can clearly identify her face as well as being able to see what she is wearing.

Additionally, I intended using an image that has a lexis of Alex looking happy and innocent. I feel that this image is suited because she is smiling and looking down as if she is shy. In the same way, she is eating an apple which represents innocence.

Although the background of the image is plain and does not need removing, I feel that the brown will not fit into the theme of the black background that I intend on using on my double page spread. I will remove this when producing my final piece and only use the subject.

6th March – photo shoot with Hannah, Emma and Sian

For this photo shoot, I took 166 images on my Panasonic DMC-TZ7 camera. I chose to take these photos in Blackhall Rocks as this it is close to where I live. I feel that the location is suitable because it fits into the connotations of a typical rock band as it is a run-down area so portrays that the group have a blithe attitude. As I am featured in these photos, I used a tripod and the self timer facility on my camera in order to capture the images.Here are some of the photos that I took:

Photo Analysis

I have decided to produce a poster using this image in order to offer a free item to the reader. I like this image because it shows all of the band members clearly, however, it shows a close up of their faces.

The mise en scene of the image portrays the members from the typical rock genre as they are wearing black clothes and make up with red accessories. The subject on the left is wearing a black Ramones tee shirt – this represents that they are following the rock style by supporting` old rock bands. Also, she has heavy black make up on her eyes to make them stand out to the audience. As she is looking directly at the audience with a serious expression, it makes her appear intimidating and superior to the reader. Also, it would appear that she is the main member in the band because she is looking directly at the audience in order to stand out and she is slightly in front of the others.

The member in the centre is wearing a black leather jacket which also represents a typical rock star. She also has heavy eye make up and red lips to make them stand out to the audience and makes her look attractive. As she is smiling, it lightens the mood of the typical dark and intimidating theme in which this image creates. It shows that there is more to this band than simply their image.

Finally, the artist on the right is also wearing black to fit into the connotations of a typical rock band. She is wearing a bandanna which creates the style of a rock band. Also, she has a necklace with a skull on it to represent the dark and gloomy themes of the band. In the same way as the other members, she is wearing heavy eye make up and has an additional star painted on her cheek. This is useful because it has the connotations of a child’s face paint. This suggests that this band is fun and creative, however, as the star is painted on in black, it shows that there is still a dark side to them. The way in which this member is looking across the image represents their blithe attitude because it appears that she cannot be bothered to look at the audience as they are insignificant to themselves.

The way in which the members are crowded around the camera creates the sense of claustrophobia and they are looking directly at the audience in an intimidating way to create a sense of authority, as if they are peering into the audience’s lives. This symbolises the way in which their music are going to interfere in the reader’s life as it is powerful and heavy. I am going to call this band the Sabastian Grips because it is unusual, yet it sounds very powerful – this is the message I would like to get across to the audience.

As I intend on using these particular subjects in the contents page and the poster feature, I need to use a variety of different positions in order to add interest for the reader. I want to create the impression that they are a heavy, aggressive rock band so I need to portray them in the stereotypical behaviour of a rock group.

Photo AnalysisI have decided to include this image in the contents page of my final piece as I think this represents a typical rock band. I like this image because it is a long shot of the full band so the reader can see what they are wearing and their relaxed stance. Also, I feel that the lighting is suited to the image because the reader can clearly see what is happening in this image.

I feel that the background is suitable because it represents the blithe attitude of the band because the area appears to be from a common, working class background. This symbolises that the band do not care about the location and that they are the same as everyone else, they are not superior to the audience. In the same way, their stance represents a typical rock star attitude. The subject in the centre is looking away from the camera to represent the way they are relaxed and uncaring. The people standing on the outside of the image are stood in a relaxed manner and are crossing the drumsticks in the centre. This could represent that the person in the centre of the image is the most important member as the cross could symbolise importance and ownership of the band.

Also, the way in which the female on the left is loosely holding a red bandanna in her hand (which is a stereotypical rock style of clothing) represents that she is grasping the rock theme in her hands – showing that the band has strong connotations of a rock genre. In the same way, the colour red in the bandanna symbolises that the band is aggressive and deathly.

Additionally, the mise en scene of the image shows the subjects to be wearing stereotypical rock clothes. The subject on the right is wearing a

black leather jacket. This has the connotations of a typical rock genre. In the same way, the member in the centre is wearing mostly black and white. This shows that the band are not showing much colour in their appearance because they are presenting themselves in the simplest form – it is their music that is the most important and their image is unnecessary. Finally, the member on the right is also wearing black and white to fit into the themes of the rock genre.

13th March – photo shoot with Shaun and Toby

For this photo shoot, I took 26 images on my Panasonic DMC-TZ7 camera. I did not take very many images on this particular photo shoot because I did not need very many images of these people – they do not have a dominant role within my magazine. I chose the location of Ward Jackson’s Park in Hartlepool because has decent backgrounds for the photos.Here are some of the photos that I took:

Photo Analysis

I have decided that, out of the 26 images I took of these subjects, this is my favourite. I am going to use this on the contents page of my final piece. I think this will suit this page because it will compliment the photograph of Hannah, Emma and Sian as the particular image that I intend to use is also taken at an outdoor location.

I particularly like this image because of the background of an outdoor area. This is represents that their music is fresh and, just like nature, is given to the reader in its purest form. The lighting is also suitable because it is suitable for the audience to clearly see what is happening in this shot. In the same way, the focusing is at a good quality.

The stance of the image shows the subjects to be relaxing at the top of the tree. This creates the impression that the members have a care-free attitude, also, they are very adventurous. One of the members is looking directly at the camera in order to make them feel included, while the other is looking down. As this is taken from a low angle, it makes them look taller and superior to the reader.

The mise en scene of the image shows the members to be wearing stereotypical rock-style clothing from both time periods. The subject on the left is wearing smart clothing to represent a modern day rock band, while the subject on the right is wearing a casual hoody and a tee shirt in order to represent a typical band from the 70’s. This portrays the fact that the band uses influences from the original rock style, as well as adding a modern day twist.

As I intend on using these particular subjects in the contents page, I need ensure that their image represents that the subjects are from a rock band. I want to create the impression that the members are serious and have an individual approach to their music. Also, I need to portray them in the stereotypical behaviour of a rock group.

Photo AnalysisAlthough I intended on using the previous image for my contents page, I realised that the subject on the left has his eyes closed. I realised that this was not a very professional photograph to use.

Instead, I have decided to use this photograph as both of the subjects are looking in different directions (their eyes are open) to symbolise that the audience are insignificant and their minds are elsewhere.

Like the previous image, the mise en scene shows them to be wearing the same rock-style clothing, the background is suitable for an outdoor scene, and their stance is relaxed. Also, the camera is in focus and the lighting looks professional.

However, I do not like the way in which this image is not a close up because this may draw attention away from the main focus. During the production of my contents page, I will ensure that I crop the image so that the subjects dominate the image.

Final Piece – Front cover Production

In order to produce the front cover for my final piece, I used the programme Adobe Photoshop CS3. I then opened the image that I wished to go on the front cover as the main feature photograph.

I then zoomed into the image in order to get rid of some blemishes which appeared on the subject’s face. I achieved this by using the spot healing brush tool.

Final Piece – Front cover ProductionNext, I added a black background in order to fit into the connotations of a typical rock genre.

Then I used the brush tool and downloaded a smoky brush to add to the bottom left of the cover. I used a grey colour so that it blended into the background.

However, I felt that this did not look very good so I rescaled the photo so that it fit the full page.

Then, I added the masthead of my magazine in large white Myriad pro font at the top left of the front cover so that it stands out to the reader. Additionally, I added a large headline “shout” in the centre of the image. I also used the Myriad pro tool, to fit into the housestyle. I changed the colour to pink so it stood out to the reader.

Final Piece – Front cover ProductionHowever, I found that the headline “shout” did not compliment the photo because the subject is covering her mouth. Therefore, I changed the title to “Speechless” because this is more suited to the image.

Next I added a “Plus” section to the magazine, which appears below the masthead. Again, I used the Myriad pro font and a pink colour, but I made the font smaller because this section is not as significant to the magazine. In this section I included some of the features which were popular when I carried out my consumer research.

Final Piece – Front cover ProductionNext I added a catchphrase to my logo: “First for music and more”. This was also in small pink Myriad pro font in order to fit into the housestyle. I positioned it under the logo so that the reader can associate the magazine with this strapline. The way in which the magazine claims to be “First for music” creates the impression that the magazine offers exclusive information about rock music.

Then, I decided to change the headline to a slightly lighter colour because I felt this was more appealing.

Final Piece – Front cover ProductionThen I added a “FREE” section in big bold lettering on the top corner. This is the secondary lead because it consists of text and an image. This will attract the audience to buy the magazine because it appears that they are getting something for free.

Also, I have added the barcode puff at the bottom right of the page – this will enable the magazine to be recognised.

In the same way, I have added a quote from Sky in order to lure the audience into reading this article. I have changed the font, colour and positioning of each of the words to make it appear more attractive and stand out to the audience.

Also, I have added a black strip across the bottom of the page which contains well known bands which would interest the reader.

Next, I have included the date, price and issue number of the magazine below the poster section. I have positioned this vertically and placed it in white text so that it blends in, rather than standing out, to the cover. This is because this pug is not very significant. I also changed the names of the bands so that they were more suited to the target audience.

Then I added a black box, in which I added the strapline “Sky reveals all…”. This acts as a lure because it encourages the audience to open the magazine in order to read more. Also, I used the font Viner Hand ITC which has the connotations of a students scribbled handwriting.

Final Piece – Front cover ProductionNext I made the headline stand out from the page more by embossing the edges so that it appears to jump out of the page.

Finally, I enlarged the masthead so it stands out more and squashed the strapline so that it fit neatly underneath the logo. I also enlarged the headline in order to make it stand out further to the audience.

Final Front Cover

Before completing my final front cover, I realised that there was a spelling error in the quotation on the bottom left of the page. I changed this to make my cover look more professional.

Final Piece – Contents Page ProductionIn order to produce the front cover for my final piece, I used the programme Adobe Photoshop CS3. I then added a black background and added a large “Contents” title in large Myriad Pro font. I then decreased the space between each letter in order to add interest to the headline.

Next, I opened the image that I wished to use and added it to my contents page.

Final Piece – Contents Page Production

Next, I realised that I had a spelling mistake in my subheading, so I corrected this to make it look more professional.

I then chose another image for contents page and positioned this below the previous image at an angle so that it adds more interest for the audience.

However, I felt that the image was too large so I used the crop tool to get rid of some of the photograph that was undesirable. I then positioned this on the right of the image below the headline.

Also, I added a logo so that the page can be easily related to this particular magazine. I used the same Myriad Pro font white font to fit into the housestyle of the page. I placed this behind the headline so that it looks desirable. Then I changed the headline to a pink colour so that it stands out to the audience.

Next, I added a “Whats inside” subheading in the same style white font. I put this in a smaller size font so that it doesn’t stand out as much to the audience.

Final Piece – Contents Page Production

Next, I added the majority of text needed to give information to the reader. I used the page number and feature in bold capital lettering. This uses the same pink typeface which is used throughout the page. Additionally, I added a small caption in white font.

Then, I used the crop tool to remove the undesirable parts of the bottom photograph. I then enlarged it so it stood out from the rest of the page.

Final Piece – Contents Page Production

In addition, I added a short caption to the image of Shaun and Toby. This is placed inside a black box and consists of small white font so that it does not stand out to the reader as much because it is not very significant.

Next, I realised that the page numbers did not match the description as it says the “charts” section was 20 pages long. I corrected this fault.

Also, I added another feature with a short description.

Final Piece – Contents Page Production

Next, I made the size of the subheading slightly bigger so that it stands out to the reader but doesn’t draw attention away from the headline or logo.

Also, I changed the positioning of the images to make the page look more attractive.

I then added a subscription option at the bottom of the page in the same typeface in order to maintain a constant housestyle. I included this feature because, when conducting my market research, I found that most people would subscribe to a magazine if the opportunity was provided. I have added a website because, although this is a print screen project, leading magazines have cross media ownership and link between medias in order to target a wider audience.

Additionally, I have added a page number and small logo at the bottom right of the page. This gives the audience extra information about the pages and also reminds of which magazine they are reading.

Final Piece – Contents Page ProductionNext, I added a quote from the Sabastian Grips in order to add more interest to the page and act as a lure to encourage the audience to read this article. I changed the font style of particular words to make the page look more attractive and professional.

I also added a page number to each of the images to make it look more organised. This uses the same typeface as the rest of the page

Additionally, I felt that the masthead and logo looked too large and dominated the majority of the page. I squashed the title more to make it look less overpowering.

Also, I changed the top image to a clearer one because the original had one of the subject’s eyes closed which didn’t look very professional.

Finally, I changed the positioning of the text and the images to make it look less organised and more slapdash in order to reflect a student’s disorganised nature – this would appeal to the target audience. Adding to this style, I added some “splats” to the background because I felt it looked too plain. I used this by using the brush tool and I downloaded some brushes from www.free-brushes.com/

I then felt that the quotation crowded the page too much, so I changed its positioning and used the “^” symbol in order to act as an arrow so the reader would be aware that the quote is associated with the above image.

Final Contents Page (CHANGE THIS)

Free Gift FeatureAlthough I was not required to create a poster for my final piece, I had taken so many photographs of Hannah, Emma and Sian that I felt that it was a waste not using them.

I decided to create a poster as a free gift because my market research had shown that many people were attracted to buying a free gift when considering music magazines. Also, I am really interested in the production of a magazine so felt that it would be interesting to include an additional feature to my final piece.

Final Piece – Poster ProductionI have chosen to use this image because it shows a close up of the band looking serious and intimidating. I feel that this creates the impression of a superior rock band. Also, I like the way you can clearly see the faces of each band member.

I added an effect to the image to make it stand out more to the audience. I went into filter, then sketch and clicked on the water paper effect. This made the white and black sections of the image stand out to the audience.

Next, I removed the area of light from the top left of the image by using the fill tool. This focused the attention more on the members by not having a busy background.

Also, I added a logo for my poster so the reader would know who the band are. I used white Myriad Pro font and changed the colouring and size of the first letters to make them stand out.

Final Piece – Poster ProductionI decided to change the font of the logo to make it look more professional. I felt that the band name “Sabastian Grips” sounds Asian, so I found some text which would represent this style. I used the font Matura MT Script capitals.

Then, I felt that the colouring of the first letters looked too cheap and tacky. I toned down this blue colour to make it more professional and blend into the poster.

Final Poster

Although the subject on the left appears to have red eye (due to the camera), I felt that by leaving this in the image it would maintain the theme of black white and red, which is typical of a rock theme. Also, it makes the subject look more scary and intimidating.

Double Page Article

Editor of Rock Paper Scissors, Emma Readman, talks exclusively with Sky Shadow as she climbs the slippery slope of success. Beginning her indie music career in 2008 with her funky hit “Blackened Kiss” saw Sky shooting into the charts and she was soon idolised by teens everywhere. Emma puts her into the hot seat by getting up close and personal with this exceptional artist.

Emma: Congratulations on the success of your sensational album “Not Alone”. It appears that your music style revolves around the positive aspects of life. What inspired you to write such happy music?

Sky: Thank you. I really wanted to get the message across to my fans that, although life isn’t all rainbows and roses, we need to look on the bright side of a situation. Without this, we will not be able to move on and achieve our goals.

Emma: I see. So did this lead you to become so successful?

Sky: Well... It wasn’t the only thing, but I guess it helped a lot. I had to really work hard to get to where I am today and sometimes all the pressure and work really got me down. By convincing myself that it was worthwhile, I managed to get through all the tough times. But I think my success was mostly due to luck. There are so many amazing artists out there that are just waiting to be discovered. It was my agent that helped me to get a contract and teach me how to walk, talk and act (chuckles). Without her, I would have been clueless…. Oh, and the support from my friends and family!

I created a magazine article to be included in my double page spread. I chose the style of a question and answer interview because it was popular when I carried out my market research. Firstly, I planned out my article on Microsoft Word:

Emma: Well, it appears like she has helped you a great deal! Did your agent inspire your unusual fashion sense or was that adopted from your own personal taste?

Sky: That was mostly due to my individual nature. I like standing out from other people and I try not to copy other styles. I want people to remember me as “the girl with the unusual style”. It’s nice to be noticed.

Emma: Yes, it’s better to stand out from the crowd than blend into the background. You do that exceptionally well! I find that your stand reflects your music because it is very different from other indie music. Would you agree?

Sky: Yes, that is my thoughts exactly. I would hate to find out that the public are comparing me to another artist because I don’t want to be the copy cat, I want to be the one that people copy from!

Emma: That’s a good way of looking at it. Finally, could you tell me a little bit about your new single “Ice Cream Sundae”?

Sky: Well, it is based on people’s double personalities. It’s compared to an ice cream sundae as it looks and tastes scrumptious, but it can get too sickly if you have too much. Although I really do like ice cream!

Emma: I like the connection! I am really looking forward to listening to your awesome new track, which is released on 15th April. Until then, I wish you all the success in the future and thank you for your time.

Final Piece – Double Page Spread Production (page 1)

Firstly, I opened a A3 page on Adobe Photoshop CS3 and placed it horizontally with the intention of designing both pages of my double page spread together.

I then added the image to the left of the page and wrapped the introductory paragraph around the artist. I used the same typeface of Myriad Pro font. I made this white to stand out from the rest of the page. Next, I added a quote from the text in large font at the top in order to attract the reader’s attention. I changed the colouring of some of the words to make them stand out.

Next, I decided that designing both pages together would be too tricky. I changed this by transferring the left of the double page spread onto a separate page. This gives me more room to work on.

Then, I changed the text to pink in order to fit into the housestyle of the page. Additionally, I changed the size of the quote so that it fit across the top of the page in order to stand out more to the reader.

Final Piece – Double Page Spread Production (page 1)

Next, I decided that the pink font proved difficult to read so I changed it back to white.

Then, underneath the quote, I added the name of the artist “Sky Shadow” so that the reader would be aware of who said these words. I placed this in bold to stand out from the rest of the text.

Next, I changed the colour of some of the words in the introductory paragraph, like “Sky Shadow” and “Blackened Kiss”, to make them stand out to the reader because they are important to the article.

I also added a page number in the same style as the contents page so that the reader can easily find this article.

Final Piece – Double Page Spread Production (page 1)

Finally, I changed the page number to conform to the number the article was assigned to on the contents page. This is more professional and the reader is not given false information.

Also, I have added a small “RPS” logo next to the page number so that the reader is aware of the particular magazine they are reading. This also makes the page look more professional.

Final Double Page Spread (page 1)

Final Piece – Double Page Spread Production (page 2)

Firstly, I added a black background by using the square tool and then added the text that I had prepared for my article. I used the font Myriad Pro in order to fit into the typeface of the rest of the magazine. Also, I changed the colour to pink to fit into the housestyle.

Next, changed the text so that it fit into two columns because this the typical style of a magazine article. I left a space in each column to add extra features to the page.

Final Piece – Double Page Spread Production (page 2)

Then, I changed the colour of some of the text to white so that the reader would be able to distinguish between what the reporter (Emma) is saying and what the artist (Sky Shadow) is saying.

Next, I began to change the colour of the name of the person speaking to the alternate colour in order to add more interest to the text.

Also, I added a quote that was taken from the article and enlarged it, placing it at the top of the page. I changed the colour and style of each text to make it look more attractive.

Final Piece – Double Page Spread Production (page 2)

Then, I added an image to the bottom of the page and wrapped the text around this. I edited the image by using the eraser tool in order to remove the background of the image. This enables the subject to blend into the double page spread.

Next, I changed the colouring of the names of the people who were speaking back to fit into each paragraph because I felt that it would be confusing to the reader.

Final Double Page Spread (page 2)This is my final production for the second page of my double page spread. I have made some corrections to the article as I discovered there were some spelling mistakes. I changed it in order to make the article appear more professional.Also, I noticed that there was still part of the background present on the image at the bottom. This reduced the quality of the page. I removed this by using the eraser tool.Next, I realised that the page looked a bit plain so I included some decorations (xoxox) at the top and bottom of the article to make it look more attractive.

Evaluation

Evaluation (written)When I found out that I had the opportunity to make a magazine for my media coursework, I was thrilled because the production of magazines and the print industry really interests me. I didn’t need too long to decide to carry out a print task because this was best suited to my interests.

Firstly, I began by writing my brief. I found this section of my coursework useful because it allowed me to manage the time I had successfully to ensure that I carried out each task effectively and to the best of my ability. I used the brief as a checklist to make sure that I had included everything. Also, it helped me to plan ahead and organise what I needed to do.

Next, I had to produce my preliminary task, this included the production of the front cover of a college magazine and a mock-up of a contents page. I created both of these on Adobe Photoshop CS3 at college. In order to create my preliminary task, I needed to collect a wide range of images which would be suitable for a college magazine. I scheduled to do this during my media lessons at college and took photographs of the people that were available. I do regret not actually organising a specific time and place for someone to model for these images because it appeared that some of the people who were available were either too busy or reluctant to having their photo taken. This limited the images that I could use.

Evaluation (written)For my preliminary task, I decided to use the colours red, black and white because this fit into the theme of English Martyrs College as the logo uses these colours. I felt that the preliminary task was successful because it was designed for a student audience and I maintained a constant housestyle throughout. However, I felt that it looked too crowded and I didn’t have a great deal of time to make it look completely professional. Nevertheless, I learned from this task because I could reflect on the positives and negatives in order to make my final piece look perfect. It also gave me an idea of how to use Adobe Photoshop CS3 as this programme was new to me.

Once I had completed my preliminary task, I decided on the genre that I would base my music magazine around. It didn’t take me long to determine that I was going to produce a rock magazine because this is the type of genre that most interests me. This would enable me to target my magazine to the tastes that I like – fitting into the target audience of young adults. In order to research this rock genre, I created an overview of the genre through research on www.wikipedia.com. I could then look back on this and use it as a guideline so my magazine could conform to the genre.

Next, I decided to analyse 3 images of well known rock bands. This was useful because I could use these images as stereotypes of rock genre and get more ideas when taking images for my magazine. I ensured that I analysed 2 images of modern rock bands (Arctic Monkeys and the Fratellis) and one traditional rock band (The Ramones). This is useful because, as the rock genre is so diverse, it enables me to explore the sub genres.

Evaluation (written)Next, I looked at commercial product research by researching four leading rock music magazines (“NME”, “MOJO”, “Rock Sound” and “Kerrang”). I looked in detail at the background of the magazine, an example of their front cover, contents page and double page spread by analysing the different types of features and devices they included, for example pugs, lures and kickers. This was useful because I could get an idea of the themes that had been used throughout each magazine and get ideas of what to include in my final piece. I could see the standards that I would need to meet when producing my music magazine. Although I did not copy any of these designs, it helped me to get some understanding of how magazines are produced and gave me some tips of what to include in my final piece.

After my product research, I began looking at market research and analysis. This included researching through qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data included a questionnaire of 20 questions that I asked 50 people to complete. I felt that the length of the questionnaire was good because it allowed me to go into detail without completely boring the person completing the survey. I ensured that I gave a diverse selection of answers but did not make them too unrealistic to ensure the person took the questionnaire seriously. Then, I converted the answers into pie charts through Microsoft Excel so that the information could be represented in an easier way to interpret. This is useful because I could easily see the most popular answers. I was pleased that the most popular answers stated that I should make a rock/indie magazine because this was my intention from the outset.

Evaluation (written)In addition, I used www.facebook.com to research qualitative data. This was done by asking 20 people on this social networking site a series of 3 questions and I asked them to answer in as much detail. I then analysed the data to find relationships and common themes. Also, I used vox pops in order to ask a variety of other people the same questions. The purpose of recording people as they are speaking is useful because I could see the emotions in their faces as to how they feel about a certain issue. However, I regret the fact that I did not ask very many people and I limited my questions. It was hard to complete vox pops because many people did not take it very seriously so I decided not to use their answers. Also, many people were reluctant to being recorded so I could not receive their opinions.Once I completed the qualitative data, I created a bar graph for each of the questions to represent the most popular answers. This proved difficult because, due to individual opinion, there were a wide variety of answers and some of the same answers were worded in different ways. However, I decided by representing the information in this way, I could easily see which connotations I would need to include in my music magazine.Next, I decided to create some designs for my front cover, contents page and double page spread. I created two designs for each of these and then analysed them both before selecting the most suitable design. I based my designs on the existing layouts of the rock magazine products that I had previously analysed. I feel that this section of production was useful because it made it easier when producing my final piece. Also, I could ensure my magazine looked professional by basing it on existing products. The only regret was I felt I could have used a wider variety of designs to choose from.

Evaluation (written)Then, I organised photo shoots in order to ensure that I collected a wide variety of photos needed to include in my music magazine. I planned for these photo shoots to happen out of college time to ensure that my models had plenty of time. These dates ranged from 5-13 March – I regret leaving it this late because it limited the time I had to do image manipulation, analysis and overall production of my final piece. Fortunately, I took a wide selection of images to ensure maximum quality and I used a range of different subjects to give my magazine diversity within the rock genre.

After I had taken my photos, I looked through them and selected the images that I felt would look the most professional and be the most suitable for my magazine. This was hard because I had took so many photos so narrowing it down proved difficult. When I had finally decided, I analysed each of the images in order to ensure that they were stereotypical of a rock genre and were suitable to be used in my magazine.

Finally, I produced my final piece. At first, I was really concerned that I would not have enough time to successfully produce this and that it would not look very effective. However, I feel that it looks very professional and I am pleased with how it looks. I was happy that I remembered to take lots of screen shots during the production because I was able to talk through the individual stages in great detail. Again, I produced my final piece on Adobe Photoshop CS3. This is useful because I gained experience in this programme when I produced my preliminary task.

Evaluation (written)There are various aspects as to why my final piece was so successful. This includes a constant housestyle of pink, purple and black. This agrees with my market research because many people stated that they preferred a music magazine which was colourful. I think it looks professional because it was based on existing magazines and uses photographs which portray stereotypical rock artists.

I feel that I have been successful in targeting my audience when producing my final piece. This is due to the fact that I have included well known rock bands on the front cover in order to attract the reader’s attention and make them want to buy the magazine if it was on sale. However, I decided to change my target audience to more feminine based as I have included a female artist on the main feature photograph on the front cover and I have used a pink and purple housestyle throughout. Nevertheless, I still feel that my magazine is successful because, as I am a female, I would be able to tailor my magazine to this particular audience well because I am aware of what appeals to young females.

I am really pleased with my final front cover because I have included all of the connotations for a rock genre. I have ensured that the main feature photograph is central and firstly attracts the audience’s attention. Also, I feel that I have kept a good, constant housestyle throughout. In the same way, I have ensured that the logo is large to attract the audience’s attention and included a catchy, memorable strapline to accompany this.

Evaluation (written)This strapline contains a puff in order to inform the reader that this magazine is well known and successful. I have also included a secondary lead – the free poster, some kickers and pugs containing the barcode, price, date and issue number. I have placed these features appropriately on the page and I feel that it doesn’t look too crowded and doesn’t contain any dead space.

The only problem which I have with my front cover is that the poster image overlaps the main feature photograph. This was unavoidable due to the fact that I flattened the layers so I could not change this when I spotted the fault. However, I don’t feel that it draws attention away from the main photo so my front cover still remains professional. Also, the majority of professional magazines have their main feature photograph overlapping the magazine logo – mine does not do this. However, I felt that, by overlapping the image, the audience may not recognise the logo because the magazine is not that well known.

Next, I produced my contents page. I found this the most interesting to produce because I got to include a wide variety of different images to make it appear more attractive to the reader. I feel that this page looks the most professional because it is set out in an orderly way and agrees with the preferences of my target audience. I feel that the way in which the contents title and logo of the magazine is overlapping looks very professional and adds interest to the page. I like the way I have used captions and quotes to explain each of the images to the reader. Also, I feel that I have set the actual text in an orderly way because the page numbers are set in ascending order. I have included a subscribe option because it was evident in my customer research that people preferred to be given this option. The splats in the background are particularly successful because they reflect the messy attitude of my target audience. They will be able to conform to this feature.

Evaluation (written)However, I feel that my contents page could have been improved through including more of the features in the magazine. It is evident that I have not included all of the pages so this may cause confusion for the reader when they are trying to find a particular feature. I decided to only select the main features of the magazine because I didn’t want to overcrowd this page and make it look like that of an amateur.

Next, I feel that the production of my double page spread was successful. I was worried about producing this because I was unsure of what to write in the article. However, through consumer and market research, I decided to create a question and answer article and include lots of quirky and imaginative topics, as well as talking about the artist’s music and style.

I feel that the double page spread was successful because I have included a variety of different images of the artist so that the audience can get a clear idea of who she is and what she looks like. The images helps to represent that she creates indie music. Also, I kept a constant housestyle throughout, which remained the same in all of the magazine pages I created. I particularly liked the way in which I wrapped the text around each of the image because it made it look very professional. Also, I liked the way I included a quote at the top of the page to introduce the article and allow the reader to become curious and want to read more. I changed the font style of some of the words so that it looks more interesting and appealing to the reader. I also liked the way in which I have

Evaluation (written)changed the lettering of some of the words in the introductory paragraph so that they stand out to the reader. Additionally, I have changed the colour of the font so that the reader can easily determine who is speaking during the question and answer part of the article. I feel that this looks more organised and professional.

If I were to redo this feature of my magazine, I would ensure that I spend more time in producing the actual content of the article because I feel that I rushed making it. This part may not have been as successful as I anticipated. However, I still feel that I made a good job of the article and I managed to fit it into the stereotypical layout of a music magazine and include topics which would interest my target audience.

Finally, due to the sheer amount of images that I took during the photo shoots, I decided to produce a poster as a free gift of the magazine. This was useful because many of the people who completed the questionnaire stated that a free gift would encourage them to buy a music magazine. I feel that the poster was one of the achievements of my final piece because it is clear and concise and helps to represent a typical rock band – Sabastian Grips. This was useful because it fit into the theme of the rock genre and the production of this feature was relatively straightforward.

Evaluation (written)I feel that, through this production, I have developed more skills and knowledge in Adobe Photoshop CS3. As I have not taken any other A levels that would have helped with these skills, I found it harder than most people to complete the task effectively. However, I feel that I did make my final piece look professional and I am happy with my overall achievement. I have learned new skills such as airbrushing, changing the effects of images, as well as the basic tools such as adding text and creating new layers.

Additionally, I feel that I could have used my logbook a lot more during the production because it would have helped me to manage my time a lot more and ensure that I was organised and prepared for each task. It feels like I did not fully plan my work down, rather, I just jotted down ideas and extra information.

Overall, I am pleased that I chose to produce a print piece for my coursework because I thoroughly enjoyed completing each tasks and I feel that I produced an effective final piece. Also, I learned lots of new skills. The reason for my success was mostly due to the time and effort that I spent on each section of research. Without research, I feel that I wouldn’t have been able to have successfully produced a magazine because I would not have been aware of the different connotations to include, what my target audience liked and what was popular within existing magazines.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

I feel that my media product uses forms and conventions of real media products because, through commercial product research, I was able to look at different professional magazines and use their ideas. This was useful because it enabled my final product to look more professional. I tried my best to stick to the conventions of a rock magazine because I felt that this would ensure that the standards of my final piece remained professional.Some of the connotations that I used when producing my final piece included a constant housestyle throughout the magazine of pink, purple, white and black. This was evident in all of the magazines that I researched so I felt I should use this technique in order to create an identity for my magazine. I decided to do this from the outset because I felt that it would make my magazine look more professional.Additionally, I ensured that the main feature photograph dominated the majority of my front cover in order to attract the audience’s attention. This idea was also taken from commercial research because it appeared that all professional rock magazines used this technique. Also, I positioned it here because the reader is able to see it much easier so I felt that this was the best position for my main feature photograph. In the same way, I ensured that the logo and headline of the main feature stood out from the rest of the page. The logo was positioned at the top left of the magazine because this is what is typically done in a magazine – helping my magazine to look more professional. I ensured that both of these features were large and bold. I maintained a constant typeface of Myriad Pro font because this helped to create an identity for my magazine and it is what professional magazines usually include.

Also, I ensured that, on the contents page and double page spread, I included a page number and logo on the bottom right of the page. This is the typical connotations of a magazine and would have allowed the reader to easily find specific pages. Ultimately, this would have organised the magazine and make it look more professional.Another feature which uses the connotations of a real music magazine is the way in which I used a question and answer interview in my double page spread. I used this specific article because it appears to be very popular within magazines and it was easy to produce.Next, I ensured that I look images that would conform to the connotations of a rock genre. As the genre is extremely diverse, I used models which represented a variety of different sub genres. I used Alex to represent indie music, Hannah, Emma and Sian represented heavy rock And metal while Toby and Shaun represented soft rock.These sub genres were constructed in different ways. For example, Alex’s photos used a stance which represented her as an equal to everyone, the mise en scene showed her to be individual and quirky. In the same way, I ensured that her clothes were visible in the images because this was an important symbol of her image. I used plain backgrounds to avoid attention being drawn away from the individual. The colours used in her photos were bright in order to symbolise the way in which she is happy and interesting.Additionally, I portrayed Sian, Hannah and Emma in a different way to reflect the themes of the music they were representing. I ensured that their makeup was heavy and black in order to fit into the connotations of a heavy metal rock band. Their clothes were also black to add to this theme. In the same way, I took the

Photographs in a rundown and shabby looking location. This would help to represent that this band do not care about their looks or where they are – the most important thing is the music that they create. In the same way, I ensured that the images used involved the stance of the models to be slouched and uncaring. On one particular image, I used the idea of crowding the subjects into the image in order to create a claustrophobic atmosphere. Added to the fact that they were looking serious and menacing, this created the impression that they were superior to the audience. This was the typical theme of a rock band and I felt that I captured this genre well.Also, I used the connotations of a typical modern rock band in order to capture the images of Toby and Shaun. This was done by having a relaxed stance in order to create the impression that they have a blithe attitude – this would allow the reader to relate to this because they too will have this attitude about life as I have targeted an audience of young adults. Also, I ensured that the mise en scene showed them to be wearing clothing of a typical modern rock band. Shaun was dressed in a tee shirt and hooded jacket which reflects a casual and carefree attitude while Toby was wearing a smart coat to reflect the military style which is the current fashion. This is useful to use contrasts because it helped to agree to the preferences of a wide target audience of young adults.Additionally, I maintained the connotations of a music magazine by the way in which I included a subscribe option in the contents page of my magazine. This also agreed with my market research and analysis by the way in which people said they would prefer a subscribe option. I ensured that I included a website address so the audience could easily contact the magazine company. This also agrees with the connotations of a magazine because the majority of existing media companies have cross media ownership. As I have included a website, this would be popular within my target audience because they will be able to widely access the internet to get more information about my music magazine.

In the same way, I included lots of techniques which have typical connotations of existing music magazines. These include a pug containing a barcode in the bottom right of the front cover of my final piece – this is typical of a professional magazine. Additionally, I included another pug with the date, price and issue number of the magazine. This all added extra information to the reader and ensured that I included what is expected on the cover of a music magazine.Additionally, I added a secondary lead to my front cover. This conforms to the connotations of existing magazines as it helps to draw the reader into buying the magazine. By sticking to these connotations, I could insure that I kept my final production piece as professional as possible.Finally, I ensured that the stories used within my music magazine used forms and conventions of existing magazine products. For example, I included an interview with a rock artist as the double page spread – this is common within music magazines so it ensured the reader would relate to this feature. In the same way, I included a free poster feature. I decided to use this because free items are becoming increasingly popular within music magazines, so it will enable me to attract my target audience more effectively. Moreover, I included tour details, popular rock artists, lyrics and chart singles. These are typical features which are present in existing music magazines. By including these in my final piece, I could maintain within the connotations of a rock magazine to ensure that my final piece is as professional as possible.

Although I used the connotations of a typical rock magazine, there were some ways in which I deviated from the genre. Firstly, I changed the target audience of my magazine to females. This is not usual for a rock magazine because most males like rock instead of females. However, I felt that there was a gap in the market so I used this audience in order to maximise profits if my magazine was to go on sale.However, there were not very many other ways in which I deviated from the connotations of a typical rock magazine. This is useful because it ensures that my magazine remained professional and I could follow other rock bands to ensure that I was making the right decisions. I developed on the ideas of existing magazine products when creating my final product. This made it easier to create and gave me lots of ideas about the different devices to include.

How does your media product represent particular social groups? My media product aims to represent young females,

therefore I have only featured women artists on the front cover of the magazine. I have reinforced dominant ideology of women on the front cover by getting my model to pose in a fun and playful fashion. This goes against the views of traditional women being “seen and not heard” by perceiving them as the dominant gender because males are not present on the front page. This will appeal to my target audience because they are represented as powerful and positive.

In the same way, I have deviated away from the typical stereotype of women being seen as a sexual object – I have ensured that my model was fully clothed. Also, the way in which she is covering her mouth with her hand shows that she is not going to reveal anything of a sexual nature to the audience. As the target audience of the magazine is for women, they will not want to be portrayed in a negative way.

My magazine is not like this because the women featured in my final piece are not represented in a sexual way.

However, I have remained with the stereotypes of a typical women in the way that she is wearing a lot of makeup and is wearing the latest fashion. This portrays women as being fashionable and beautiful, this may be seen as a negative because it shows them as being materialistic. Nevertheless, it is clear that young women have an interest in fashion so my magazine helps to represent this particular social group. Although I did not ask this particular question when completing my marketing research and analysis, as I am a young female, I have noticed that this is the common interest within this particular audience so I have ensured that I have included fashion and beauty in my magazine.

Additionally, the female social group has been represented by the way in which I have included a housestyle of pink and purple. This has the connotations of femininity. Also, the way in which pink is used represents love, happiness and passion. This would appeal to women because this is the ideological emotions of a woman. In the same way, the connotations of purple is of royalty and mystery. This would help to represent that women are mysterious because they have an unclear personality – this would appeal to my target audience because they will not want to be seen as simple. The way in which my housestyle suggests royalty would appeal to women because they would feel special and given VIP treatment.

In the same way, I have included an image of my model eating an apple in my double page spread. This was done at a medium close up so that the reader can see that she is fully clothed in order to prevent them getting the impression that she is a sexual object. The idea of her eating an apple was used in order to represent an average person – she is not superior to anyone else and does things which normal people do. This suggests to the audience that young people are approachable, innocent and friendly. This is useful because teenagers are usually stereotyped as being rowdy and menacing; a negative light has been cast on them. However, I have ensured that they have been represented positively in order to break through this stereotype.

Also, I have represented the social group of females by the way in which I have included interchangeable fonts. This is useful because it represents the fact that not all women are the same – the different words show different personalities. Additionally, this particular quote that I have included in my double page spread helps to target the social group of women because the language includes rainbows and roses. This appeals to young females because they are mysterious, happy and beautiful objects. This could be related to women in the way that women are also mysterious and seen as being pretty objects – this may be a negative aspect because they are seen as possessions. In the same way, the layout of this quote helps to target the social group of women because it is not ordered and appears to jump out of the page – this suggests that women come in lots of different personalities, therefore they cannot be stereotyped into one particular category.

Another social group which I have represented in my final product is the working class. As I have targeted my magazine to this particular group, I have ensured that I have included connotations of the group so that my audience can relate to the magazine. Firstly, I have ensured that the price of the magazine is not too expensive so that my audience would be more likely to buy it.

Also, I have ensured that I have not used too complex vocabulary so that my audience would be able to understand the text. This is due to the fact that a working class audience may not be as educated as other social groups. In the same way, I have shortened the length of my double page spread article and included lots of images. A working class audience may have less interest in reading at length and be more concerned about the look of the magazine, rather than the article itself.

This represents the working class in a negative way because they are perceived as uneducated, having a short attention span and the possibility of them having financial difficulties.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I feel that a magazine shop, such as WH Smiths, would be willing to distribute my music magazine because it would fit into the large selection of rock magazines that it already distributes. This media institution would be suitable because it has a large selection of large and small scale magazines – this is useful because, as my magazine is not very well known, the institution would still be willing to distribute it in order to extend their collection of goods.

In the same way, music stores such as HMV would be likely to distribute the product because it would attract audiences who listen to rock music – they would visit this particular store so this product would be more likely to be bought from these stores.

Additionally, gigs and festivals may distribute my magazine because I have included a section in my product which includes upcoming gigs and festivals. I feel that this would be useful because, as people buy the magazine, the gigs and festivals will be promoted so people will be more likely to buy tickets for these events.

Also, I feel that digital publishers will be likely to distribute my product because, as 17% of magazines being published online, digital publishing is becoming more popular. This would enable my product to be accessed easier by a wide variety of audiences. These could include publishers such as http://www.musicmags.net/ as they target less popular music magazines – this would be suitable because my magazine is not very well known. Also, this company produces magazines from the roc genre, this will conform with my final production. Although it appears to produce more adult magazines, it may be useful that me magazine deviates away from this because the company will be able to target a different audience in order to get more profit.

How did you attract / address your audience?The target audience of my final product was aimed at females of 16-19 who had an interest in rock music. I decided to choose this due to the fact that I fit into this category so it made it easier for me to include the connotations that I know would interest this audience. Also, through my questionnaire, I found that I received more information from this particular audience so it would have been easier for me to tailor my research in order to effectively address this audience. In the same way, I fit into this category so I was able to make important decisions which I could ensure would appeal to this particular group.

I ensured that I conformed to the age group of my target audience by including images of models of the same age group. This would interest the young audience because the audience would be able to relate to them. In the same way, I ensured that the models were dressed in the latest fashions of a rock band. This was vital because female teens stereotypically have a great interest in fashion.

Also, I ensured the lexis of the magazine was targeted to an audience between 16 and 19 years. This was done by selecting words that are familiar to the audience, for example “awesome” and “electric”. This would enable the audience to relate to the magazine, thus encouraging to buy the product if it was on sale. In the same way, I ensured that the article on the double page spread was not too lengthy. This was due to the fact that a young audience are more likely to have a short attention span so would not be interested in reading lots and lots of information. Instead, I made sure that I included lots of images in order to make the page look more attractive and add interest for the reader.

In the same way, I included stories on the front cover of my music magazine which would appeal to my target audience. For example, the main feature present on the front cover was of a female artist – this would appeal to my target audience because it is clear to see, through the use of a female main feature photograph, that my magazine is targeted at a female audience.

The fact that my double page spread is an interview article allows me to target my audience because they will be interested in reading about the lives of a rock artist. I have advertised this feature on the front cover of my magazine in order to attract the reader so that they will be encouraged to buy my product.

Also, I have included tour details on the front cover of my music magazine in order to attract the audience. As I have targeted young adults, they will have a common interest in festivals and gigs, therefore it is useful to include this feature as they will be interested in the upcoming concerts in their area.

Additionally, I included lots of bright colours in the housestyle of my magazine. This fits into the connotations of a young target audience because they are attracted to bright colours. This was evident in my market research because many young people said that they would be attracted to buying a music magazine if there was a bright housestyle.

Also, on the contents page, I added some splats of purple in the background. This was done in order to agree with the stereotype of a young audience because it helps to represent a students messy and unorganised attitude to life. The reader will be able to relate to this feature and therefore be more likely to find the magazine more interesting.

I was not too concerned about deviating away from the stereotypes of a typical rock magazine because this would be able to relate to my target audience. As young people, we like to be considered as individuals who do not follow the crowds. By making my magazine unique from any other, I would be able to interest the reader and make it more likely for them to want to buy the product. In the same way, the article included on the double page spread conforms to the idea of individuality. This is due to the fact that Sky Shadow (the artist being interviewed) states “I don’t want to be the copycat” as she has a unique attitude and dress sense.

Additionally, I have developed my media product in order to agree to the views of a female audience. This has been done by using a housestyle of pink and purple – these are colours stereotyped to that of a female. In the same way, I have included a female artist on the front cover in order to show that this is a female dominated magazine.

Also, I have included connotations in order to fit into the themes of a rock magazine – this would agree to the ideological values of an audience interested in the rock genre. I have included a housestyle of black and white – this is stereotypical to a rock magazine. This would allow the reader to be able to relate this magazine to the genre of rock, therefore they will be more likely to buy and read it if it was on sale.

In the same way, I have included images which help represent a rock genre. I have ensured that the models were dressed in the appropriate clothing, their stance was suitable for a rock genre and the images showed a location which represented a typical rock artist. This would enable the audience to relate the images to a rock genre, therefore will want to buy and read the magazine.

Additionally, I have chose a suitable magazine name which represents a rock genre – “Rock Paper Scissors”. I felt that this was a good title because it is original and quirky. The fact that it includes the word “Rock” is useful because it helps the audience to see which genre the magazine includes. The use of the work “Rock” also helps to represent the fact that there is a strong female theme throughout this magazine. This name was chosen because, in my questionnaire survey, it was the most popular with my target audience. In the same way, I took the idea of abbreviating the title to “RPS” from the professional “NME” magazine. This makes the title short, professional and more catchy to the reader.

Finally, I have ensured that I have included a variety of various rock bands on the bottom of the front cover of my final piece. This is useful because it looks professional as this is what existing products have done with their music magazine. In the same way, the reader will be able to relate to the bands and recognise the fact that there are rock bands and want to buy the magazine in order to find more about these well known bands.

Who would be the audience of your media product?The audience of my media product is aimed towards females at the age group 16-19 who are interested in rock music. I chose to use this age group because I fit into this category so will be able to conform the magazine to this particular group by providing an insight into the type of things that I like. In the same way, when doing my market research, I needed to get information about the type of features that my target audience was like. By choosing this specific audience, I was able to access people in this category through my friends and peers from my college.

When I looked through the questionnaire I made as part of my market research, I found that the majority of people who completed it were females between the ages 16-19 who had an interest in the rock genre. This also encouraged me to target this particular group as I had lots of information about what they liked in a music magazine.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?There are various technologies that I have learned about throughout the construction of my media product. Firstly, before this print task, I did not know how to use the programme Adobe Photoshop CS3. Through the production of my magazine, I have learnt how to use the basic tools, such as adding text, changing the colouring and renaming the different layers. Also, I have learned more complicated processes, such as applying the spot healing brush tool to an image, adding effects and using the lasso tool to crop around an image.

Another thing that I learned through the process of constructing this product is that technologies are not very reliable. On one occasion, I saved my final piece, only to realise that the file did not register and my work was lost. Fortunately, it was during the early stages of production so I did not loose a great deal of work. Nevertheless, I found that backing up my work onto a memory stick was more beneficial because I had 3 different copies of my work – on my memory stick, at College and on my home computer.

Additionally, I have learned how to create graphs on Microsoft Excel. This was needed when completing my market research and analysis because I wanted to represent the information clearly. I found this useful to learn because it helped to make my research look more well presented. This organised my work and allowed me to tailor my final product to the preferences of my audience.

In the same way, I have learned that the internet is a very powerful way of attracting and addressing a particular audience. When I carried out my commercial product research, I found that existing products usually had cross media ownership. For example, they usually owned a website, and sometimes had influences in radio and television channels. This was useful for my because, when developing my final piece, I ensured that I included a website address in order to attract a wider audience and allow the reader to access more information about this particular magazine company.

In the same way, I learned that research was extremely important in the production of my music magazine. Without the use of my qualitative and quantitative data, and the commercial product research, I don’t think that I would have been able to achieve a very professional final piece. This is due to the fact that I would have not been aware of the common themes present within existing media products, as well as the interests of my target audience and how to represent them.

Also, I have learned how to use Microsoft Publisher when constructing my final piece because I created page designs on this programme. I learned how to create boxes and add text. Although this is only basic knowledge of the programme, it still helped me with the layout of my final piece by organising my work so I could see how my magazine would look.In the same way, I developed my understanding of the programme Windows Movie Maker. I needed to use this when completing the quantitative data of my market research and analysis and evaluation. This was useful because I could present my research in a visual way in order to make it look more appealing and interesting. I could show the emotions of the speaker in order to see how they feel about a certain issue. I learned how to insert and delete a movie clip, add and edit the text, split clips and publish the movie file. Although I already had a basic understanding of this programme, it had been a while since I used this so I had to relearn how to use some of the tools.Finally, I have learned how to use and post blogs on the internet. I used the website http://www.slideshare.net/ to create a blog and post my work on the internet. This is useful because I am using a different form of media to post my research and work. This will make it widely accessed so that people will be attracted to my music magazine. As I have not used a blog before, I did not have any idea how to use the programme. However, I learned how to post blogs, edit text and add images and videos.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?Through the stages of my preliminary task, I have learned about the preferences of my target audience. Before my preliminary task, I had not completed my market research and analysis. This meant that I did not have a good idea of the type of things that my target audience liked. I decided to do the questionnaire and vox pops. This is useful because I could see the patterns of what people like within my target audience and create my magazine which is suitable to their taste.

Additionally, I learned that I needed to schedule my photography when completing my final piece. Through the production of my preliminary task, I did not book a specific time and place for taking the photographs. In the same way, the date and location of the photo shoots were organised so that I could ensure that I had plenty of time to take the photos and the mise en scene helped represent the genre and tone of the image. Also, when producing my preliminary task, I did not arrange for a specific model, rather, I just relied on people who were available around the College during my magazine. I decided to use people who conformed to the theme of the magazine on my final piece – this would ensure that they fit into the stereotypes and represent the genre of rock.

Also, I learned that, in my contents page, I needed to add more information about each of the features included. My preliminary task simply listed the features of the magazine and showed a page number. However, I felt that this looked too crowded and did not give the reader sufficient information about each article. In my final piece, I made sure that I only wrote about the most important articles and gave a short introductory paragraph about each. This made the page look more attractive as it was not crowded with lots of titles. Also, it gave the reader an insight into what each feature is about. Although it may have been more beneficial to include all of the articles in the issue, I felt that this looked too busy and unattractive to the reader.

Additionally, I have ensured that the housestyle of my final piece remains constant throughout all the pages. During the production of my preliminary task, I found that I had a different housestyle on the front cover than the contents page. This did not look as professional because, after completing my commercial product research, I found that most existing music magazines kept a constant housestyle throughout all of the pages. I ensured that I did this on my final piece so that the audience could quickly identify which magazine they were reading.

Another minor aspect of my preliminary task that I decided to change when constructing my final piece was adding a price to the front cover. I forgot to include this in my preliminary task – this may have derived my target audience from buying the magazine because they do not know how much it will cost. I ensured that I added a price to my final front cover so that it looked more professional.

Bibliography• Microsoft Word• Microsoft Publisher• Microsoft Excel• www.free-brushes.com/ • Paint• Adobe Photoshop CS3• Microsoft PowerPoint• Windows Movie Maker• www.facebook.com • www.wiki.answers.com/• www.wikipedia.org • www.nme.com• www.kerrang.com• www.rocksound.tv/magazine• www.mojo.co.uk• http://www.slideshare.net/