AS Media Music Magazine Conclusion

I have had both strengths and weaknesses in different aspects of my coursework. 

Strengths 

I feel my strengths included:

• Finding and taking suitable photographs to use within my magazine on the front cover, contents page and double page spread. To take my photographs I used both a 12.2 and 5.1 mega pixel camera, these cameras allowed me to produce the photographs I needed for my magazine to a good quality. I found it very interesting to take different photographs from different angles and using different camera shots, even though I chose not to use them all within my magazine.  
• Using fonts which fitted in well with my chosen genre. I used a website online called www.dafont.co.uk which has thousands of different styles of writing; I chose a font from the 'Handwritten' section which looks like it has been written by a normal person as it is neat yet also has a personal touch.  
• Putting together each page in a clear and easy to read manner. This was one of my main aims for my music magazine because my target audience are from the younger generation, therefore they will want to be able to read it quickly and easily. 

Weaknesses

There were a few parts of my music magazine that I feel I did not do to the best of my ability and would like to improve if I were to do this project again; these include:

• Choosing how to layout my front cover and double page spread. I found this part slightly confusing and would alter both slightly if I could do this again. I feel my front cover design turned out quite well as it fitted my template and the large photo grabs the readers attention. My double page spread is a simple layout which follows a colour scheme; it is easily to read and the large photograph is different from conventional interview photo's. To improve my double page spread I would apply more effects to the text area and perhaps some other smaller photo's to personalise the interview. 
• I found in particular the programme I used to edit my photographs and create the pages of my magazine, called GIMP, difficult to use as it is a complicated programme and it was also my first time working with it. This caused me to have a disadvantage with my coursework due to lack of experience with the programme although it did shine in some aspects.  

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed completing my music magazine as it has given me an insight to a different way of editing to appeal to a certain audience, in a subject I enjoy - Music.     

School Magazine

School Magazine

Ideas for my Double Page Spread

Ideas for my Double Page Spread 

NME Double Page Spread 

Ideas for my Front Cover

Ideas for my Front Cover

This is a template which I am going to use to produce my music magazine front cover. The photograph is going to be the largest part of the front cover, taking up most of the page. The NME magazine below shows the same sort of template which I wish to follow. 

Information about my music magazine

Information about my music magazine

My music magazine will consist of around 30-40 pages each with articles, interviews, photographs and more. I have chosen this number of pages because my magazine is aimed at a younger generation which prefer short, sweet and packed with information they are interested in. 

The price of my music magazine is £2.00; I chose this price due to my target audience and the amount of times my magazine will be published a month which is twice. My target audience is the younger generation ranging from 14-25 years old, with this information it is likely that they are either unemployed or are studying at university therefore do not have large amounts of disposable income. I feel my chosen price is suitable and will be competitive against the other music magazines available on the market.

Potential companies which would sponsor, distribute and publish my music magazine

Potential companies which would sponsor, distribute and publish my music magazine

Sponsor

I believe that HMV would be a great sponsor for my music magazine because it is one of the largest distributors of music, film, games and tickets. This conveys to me that it is a very popular company and by sponsoring my magazine could provide me with direct access to my target audience and information about my chosen music genre.

Distribute 

 

This company is a subsidiary of the media conglomerate Time Warner and publishes 130 magazines including NME. I feel this company will be suitable to distribute my music magazine as it has many years experience and will provide it to my target audience with good quality.

Publish

 

This company, based in the UK, publishes magazines which reach over 26 million UK adults. I have chosen this company as it will reach the target audience I am aiming my music magazine at.

My Music Magazine Proposal

My Music Magazine Proposal

 

Preparation

Before starting my music magazine I had to decide on a genre; after looking at a range of existing music magazines I decided to produce a magazine that was based on the Indie genre. I came to this decision after looking at the music in the charts, seeing what music is already popular and what is up-and-coming and by looking at existing music magazines. Popular artists within this music genre include Ed Sheeran, Florence and the Machine and Ben Howard. This genre of music is associated with the new fashion trends surrounding Britain and festivals which are a huge part of the British summer, therefore appealing to a vast amount of the younger generation.

Existing music magazines which have inspired me

This magazine has influenced me from the way it lays out its front covers. The type of shot used on this front cover is a close up shot which creates a feel of dominance; the dark shadows and vacant expression also create a mysterious effect which makes the reader want to read the article.
The artists and bands included in the magazine are written in clear fonts to one side of the page, along with a festival ‘special preview’. This shows the reader who and what the magazine is about. The magazine follows the same colour scheme within the front cover which stands out against the dull and simple background colour.
This front cover has influenced me as it is clear and easily to read yet effective.
The target audience of this magazine is teenagers and young adults. The music genre of NME is indie/rock/rave.

Kerrang! is another music magazine that has influenced me and my research. The front page layout is eye catching, bright and extremely different to the example given above. The name of the magazine is bold and recognisable due to it always being the same and present in every magazine they produce. The colour of the magazines name is dull compared to the other writing, however it is contrasting to the background colour.
The type of shot of the image is a medium shot and portrays an upcoming band. The image clearly shows the main singer of the band in the foreground with the others behind him. The name of the band 'Kids in Glass Houses' is the largest font on the page with the most predominant colour; this catches the readers eye and attracts them to the magazine.
The background is plain white but spaces behind the main image are filled with smaller images and information of who and what is included in the magazine. The genre of this magazine is Indie/Rock and the target audience is teenagers and young adults.

AS Music Magazine Double Page Spread

Double Page Spread

The Artist

The artist used represents the chosen music genre due to the clothing worn, hair and makeup and what is said throughout the interview. The way she was dressed represents the typical style of people who listen to ‘indie’ music.  She is photographed outside which is different from other photo shoots and gives the impression that she is care free and different to other artists.

She includes within the interview that she refuses to be stereotyped; this indicates that although she fits the genre of my music magazine, she may also fit others too. This challenges the stereotype of my music magazine as it shows that it doesn’t have to target just one genre. The artist says that she doesn’t associate her own music to just one genre, therefore appealing to more than one target audience.

Photo Planning

The type shot used is a long shot and it shows the artists whole body from a short distance away and also provides a broad image of the scene. This photo shows that the artist is different from other artists as she is having her photo shoot outside instead of in a studio. She looks comfortable and relaxed within her surroundings which gives the message that she hasn’t been changed by her fame and using her money outrageously.  The background of the photo is grassy and bright; this suits the layout of the magazine as the other pages are also bright and colourful.

There is only one photo used in the double page spread as it is a large, effective photograph which attracts the audience and makes them want to read the article.

Photo Manipulation 

Analysis of my Double Page Spread

AS Media Coursework

Contents Page

I have structured my contents page to be in a box format. The photographs included in the page are associated with the articles included on the front page.

The main photo is the largest and the others are situated around it.

The contents page links with the front page as the main images on both are in festival settings. The layout of both are similar, both with a main photograph with information structured around it.

NME Contents Page

NME music magazines contents page influenced my own design of a contents page. They used the same structure with the photos situated in a box like way.

Photo Manipulation

AS Media C/W Music Magazine

Preparation

I decided the name for my music magazine as it is targeted at an audience who will enjoy to "lounge around". It is also suited to the music genre of the music magazine because it is aimed to be a type of festival name; the magazine will include various festival information and pictures.

I decided that I wanted the font included on my Music Magazine Front Cover to look like it has been handwritten. After looking online at a website called www.dafont.co.uk at the theme 'Handwritten'. I chose a varied range of fonts and used them within the front cover.

The main colours of my front cover were decided because I wanted the background colour to be bright and eye catching. It also reminds the reader of summer which is prime festival season, this will appeal to the target audience.

The chosen target audience of my music magazine are teenagers and young adults who appreciate Indie music. New music will also be included within the magazine and this will appeal to this chosen audience.

The unique selling point of my music magazine is that it includes both new and existing music, large festival updates and varied articles. There are very few music magazines targeted at the same genre as mine and my magazine will represent and promote the genre. 

Photo

The shot I used for my front cover is a medium shot taken from the side. The model is looking up to something in the distance for example a stage. This is suited to my music genre as it has a festival theme and is suited to the indie genre.

The clothing being worn in the photograph include a festival-style straw hat, sunglasses, a lanyard which are all stereotypical of festival goers. The reader can immediately tell that the model is participating at some type of festival.

The lighting of this shot shows the sun reflecting off the sunglasses, this give the photo more of a festival theme. This is important for the type of music I have chosen to base my music magazine on.

Analysis