7. Looking back at your preliminary task (the school magazine task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Looking back at my preliminary task I would suggest ways in which I could improve it based upon what I’ve learned from creating my magazine. I believe I could have made better use of images, a wider variety of texts, colours and more shapes.
In comparison to my final piece of course work I believe that my prelim looks relatively empty and full of space that I could have placed more information in order to attract the target audience develop the image and message of the magazine.

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

From creating this magazine I have learned how to use an SLR camera. I have learned how to take shots that suggest more than just a person smiling and how to create images that appeal to specific genres and audiences.
I have learned how to use Photoshop which taught me how to doctor photos in order to achieve the best possible finished product by using various image effects such as “film grain” in my cover image. I have learned how to write for a variety of different people from writing my magazine, aimed at rock fans, to writing my blog, aimed at examiners. I have learned how to make the most out of a front cover and how to place certain things on it so that it doesn’t appear too empty and sells an image to the reader.

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

I used conventional methods in order to attract my target audience such as dramatic colours and props which connote attitude and rock music. I wrote in a conversational style in order to create a relaxed, familiar tone in order to build a relationship with my reader and sell the story, whilst also using colloquial lexis in order to match the conversational styles of my target audience. The unique selling point of my magazine is that

4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

My target audience is rock fans who are in their mid to late teens who believe music is important and enjoy listening to live bands and new upcoming artists. Readers of my magazine are most likely to shop in alternative stores such as Affleck’s in Manchester and watch music channels such as Rockworld TV. They would buy my magazine because it reflects their interests in music and personal style choices.

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

Companies such as Bauer and IPC media would publish my magazine because they publish other magazines such as NME and Kerrang which follow a similar style and genre to my magazine.
My magazine would be distributed in a similar way to Kerrang and NME. Examples of how they are distributed are shown below; these include physical copies of the magazine in addition to online version found on the official website and TV stations.

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My model is female and challenges the stereotypical “girly girl” image. Although she is wearing some “girly” items e.g. bracelets and make up they add to her image as the makeup is NOT applied in a conventional way. It is bolder and asymmetrical. This gives my model a rebellious look as she is openly challenging makeup norms and displaying a more male glam rock look. She has a strong confident pose holding a guitar over one shoulder in order to make her appear confident yet comfortable.
When compared with the image of Lily Allen (RIGHT), Taken from NME, it is easy to spot similarities. For example the image of Lily Allen uses a strong pose and heavier than usual makeup. The hair style is also similar as it is slightly messy. Both images make use of the colour red which connotes aggression and at times Passion e.g. a passion for their work. Differences between these two images are also rather obvious. For example my model wears a grey hooded zip-through jacket which challenges the norms of female fashion and often connotes aggression due to a lot of negative attention from the press surrounding hoodies, where as Lily’s image leans more towards conventional fashion trends. Another obvious difference is the lack of an instrument in NME’s image.

Contents Page

I took inspiration mainly from NME and Kerrang when creating my contents page. As you can see from the comparison between my own contents page and a contents page from NME I kept some features such as a small story and an advertisement for subscribing to the magazine. I also kept a conventional contents list. I was influenced by Kerrang to use smaller images which relate to my stories and a message from the editor.

Music genre and how your magazine suggests it

I used heavy makeup on my model and stereotypical props such as guitars and microphones. As you can see, from the examples below that compare photos taken from Kerrang and NME and my coursework, I have used appropriate props that are familiar to this genre of music and used similar styles of makeup and dress.

Written content

Because my main article was supposed to replicate spontaneous speech I used a variety of spoken features. E.g. voiced pauses “Erm” and I noted sounds e.g. “(laughs)” This gave a better idea that the interview had been spontaneous and not scripted. For other parts in my magazine I adopted an informal style of writing this allowed me to communicate more easily with my target audience. I achieved this by asking rhetorical questions. My style of writing was very conversational. I used phrases such as and I maintained an informal style by using non standard grammar e.g.

Title font and style.

Throughout my magazine I used three fonts. These were Stencil std, Lucida sans and Ariel. I used Stencil std for my main titles because it is a heavy, bold font that grabs the reader’s attention. I used Lucida sans and Ariel for my actual stories and one title. I did this because Lucida sans and Ariel are sans serif fonts and give the magazine a more informal look. If, for example, I used times new roman, because it is a serif font it would increase the formality of the magazines image because it is a more traditional style of font that is less frequently used in teen magazines. The images to the left are examples from NME and Q.

People

I used a variety of people in my magazine. My main model was a girl called Shelley. I chose her as my model because she listens to rock music and therefore I thought she would be able to get into character more easily. I also used various people from around college who recreated a rock look in their day to day outfits and/or where involved in the music scene around college.

Props and costumes

Still attempting to catch the “regular teenager” image I dressed my model in a grey zip-through hooded jacket, a red top, leggings, slippers and fashion bracelets. I used props that generally connote music, fun, fashion and fame such as guitars, microphones, glitter and Lady Gaga inspired eye makeup.

Mise en scene

To match the title of my cover story “underneath it all I’m just a regular teenager” I took my pictures in a house in a bedroom to reflect the “regular teenager”. To further reflect this “regular” image I put clothes on the floor and around the room to make it seem like an ordinary teenager’s bedroom. For my other photos I used locations around college.

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

The title of the magazine
Like most music magazines I used a simple short title for my magazine name. I used a drop shadow amongst other effects and a strong font (Stencil Std)

Double Page Spread

Here's how my double page looks... please leave feedback

Contents Page

here's how my contents page turned out... please leave feedback

Front Cover

finally finished I think :)... please leave feedback

Magazine names

I have been brain storming a little for some names and haven't decided on a final one yet. I wanted something quick and possibly monosyllabic purely because it is easier to remember... Plus the majority of magazines have one word titles e.g. Q, NME, Blender etc

My ideas
Decible (related to volume)
A4 (a pun... A4 is paper but is also a musical note)
Tritonic ( 3 note scale pattern)

Contents pages

Ok, so I found some contents pages from music magazines... Personally I think they look a little cluttered so I may put less on my contents page than what these magazines have done

double page spread

here are some double pages spreads that I found. I've noticed that they tend to have one large or main image that takes up the majority of one side and other images, if any, are placed sporadically around the remaining space.