finished evaluation
TRANSCRIPT
Gender
Both are fairly and almost equally represented in articles – this also means the that the magazine will appeal to an audience of both sexes.
Age
The artists featured have a wide age range – though most are very current, and young there is also a feature on the way older music has influenced what is popular today.
Class and Status
A wide range of classes is represented by the acts in my magazine – the main article focuses on an originally working-class lady but the mise-en-scene is very elegant and classy.
-My product could be distributed internationally in addition to locally - and particularly in America, as several of the artists featured are from overseas, for example Brandon Flowers. With a large distribution company on board the magazine would make a much higher profit being sold abroad.
Advertising techniques:
-Online
-In other magazines
-Television adverts – This over time could possibly be extended to the magazine having its own music channel, similar to Q and Kerrang!
-Awards ceremonies – Q holds an award ceremony annually and it could help raise awareness and popularity of the magazine
Bauer Media Group
-The UK’s biggest publishing group-Publishers of Q, Kerrang! and Mojo magazines-Based in Hamburg, Germany and distributes to 15 countries worldwide-Very large company with around 6400 employees-Altogether publishes 282 magazines worldwide-Also run the TV and radio stations for Q and Kerrang!, so in future could help AM to expand into broadcast media.
AgeWide audience, ranging from older teenagers to adults. although the majority of the music featured is current and popular, one article is focussed on the way the 1980s has influenced modern music, meaning the magazine would appeal to both younger audiences looking to broaden their music taste and older readers who are fans of the older artists.
GenderAs previously mentioned both genders are appealed to in this product by having artists of both sexes featured in the magazine.
ClassThe magazine has a fairly informal writing style and features artists popular in the charts, so it would appeal to readers from most backgrounds. The price of £2.99 is relatively affordable, while the sophisticated look of the layout makes it seem very good value for money.
My audience research was done in the form of a questionnaire, which was filled in by 20 peers of mine all of whom were part of the “older teenager” demographic, and by presenting my results in graph form I could clearly discern which choices were popular and which aspects to include:
Factors influenced by results of questionnaire:
Price – £2.99
Short, snappy title
New issue Monthly
Black, white and red colour scheme
One large image on cover
Variety of fonts on cover
Professional, posed-for photograph
Factors influenced by results of questionnaire:
Colour scheme relates to cover
Part blocky, part scattered images
Several smaller images
Regular Features section
Run-down of current singles chart
Concert/Gig reviews
Upcoming tours/gigs
Wide variety of artists and genres
Factors influenced by results of questionnaire:Combination of written up article and Q+A
Song lyrics act as headline Interview
includes:
Artist’s personal life
How they started career
Their inspiration/idols
The language used in my article is relatively informal; written as though it is all a direct quote from the artist. Because of this it comes across very natural and readable, and the reader will feel as though they are getting true indication of what the interviewee is like.
The strap-line to my magazine is “Your monthly guide to the biggest names in music” and this seems to sum up the aim and give the right impression to the reader – that this is the only music magazine they will need to buy as it encompasses so many different artists, and that it is designed specifically as a “guide” to help the reader and be as helpful and easy to read as possible.
PhotographyAs every image used in my project needed to be original and of magazine quality, it was necessary to learn the basics of using digital SLR cameras to take professional looking shots in the studio available in school. One of the biggest learning curves for me was ensuring that my photographs were in focus, as the images from my first photo shoot appeared blurry and a re-shoot was necessary.
Focus is on arm as opposed to face
Image has too much exposure and is out of focus
Flash has not been used on camera therefore image is too dark for use
PhotoshopOnce the photographs had been taken the next step was using Adobe Photoshop Elements in order to improve the images and construct the layout of my magazine. A variety of tools were of use here in making my product as professional as possible:
The Spot Healing Brush allows
you to easily remove blemishes
from a person’s skin by simply
clicking
The Clone Stamp is used for
smoothing over large areas such as
skin. A sample is selected by
pressing Alt+Click on a certain
area, before being able to touch up
your photograph
The Enhance tool is useful in altering the lighting
and colour of the images once they have been taken,
to make the picture look warmer/cooler etc.
The Magnetic Lasso tool
lets you easily and
accurately sut out the
edges of pictures if you
want to alter the
background or, for
example have the cover
model’s head in front of
the title.
Since the completion of my preliminary task at the beginning of this project, I feel that I have learned a huge amount about how the codes and conventions of music magazines differ from those of school magazines. I have developed the skills I began to use in the preliminary task, so that I was confident using much more complex methods of editing and constructing my final coursework piece. Other skills that the preliminary task began to teach me that were invaluable in creating my final product were:
-Time management and keeping strictly to deadlines
-Looking at my work with a critical eye and making improvements
-Using technology in more complex ways (photography skills)
-Creating a magazine with a more professional look
