Evaluation

In my research, I looked at all the codes and conventions that music magazines use so that I could make my music magazine look professional and like the ones that you would actually see on magazine stands in shops. I gave my front cover a large title (about 2 inches in height and placed at the top of the page, which is the conventional place for the title to be) so people can read it easily and so that they notice it in and amongst all the other magazines. I have also included large writing (not as large as the masthead because that is supposed to be the most noticeable piece of writing on the product) my largest headline is the main feature of the magazine – I made it large (not as big as the masthead) so it will catch peoples eye so that people who have an interest in this band will want to read what the magazine is saying about them. I put some other headlines on it so that people know what else would be included in the magazine and this will make them want to buy it as there is bound to be something that they are interested in if they are part of the niche audience that I aiming at. I put other conventional aspects of magazines on such as; a barcode, a website that relates to the magazine, the date it came out and and issue number. This is just the basic important information to inform the buyer so that they are in the know. In the contents I made the titles quite large and noticeable again. I also included page numbers in case some people want to flick straight to a certain article that they are interested in. I also included a short sentence or two underneath the titles of the pages (on the contents). This is so the reader will know what to expect to find on each page. Also, it is a way of enticing them to look as they might not be interested in looking if they have no idea what the title of the page means. I put the title of the magazine on the contents as well to show continuity. All the font on this page is white or red which is exactly the same as what I have done on the front page; again I have used the same two fonts.  On the double page spread I put the title in the same font as the relating headline on the front page, this is to keep the house style the same and consistent throughout. I also numbered the contents and the double page spread. I used the same font and size and placed them in the same place (the bottom outer corner) on each page. On the double page spread I had a photo that was quite casual which allows the audience to relate to the artists, as they are people too. The band are just messing around pulling faces, I think it will make people like them more as it makes them look like fun, real people. I also made the photo relate to the article itself because one of the people in the photo are wearing a Young Guns t shirt, which is a band that is mentioned in the article. This is an example of synergy as the this band are promoting Young Guns and also in the interview they talk about the band and the tour. I also used another photo on my double page spread of one of my models with two other people I named as the backing members of the band. I did this as, the article is mainly about the two front people of the band but I also wanted to show that there is other people in the band. I had these as two males so that it would also relate to the opposite sex.

I think my magazine represents the audience (social group) that it is aimed at because they are quite outlandish and I put a girl with red and purple hair on the cover, which is something that this particular social group may be expected to do. My evidence of this comes from my research of the genre; I found out about the distinctive looks that the audience and the bands are expected to have and bright hair colours and crazy hair is one of the factors that I noticed. This relates to them and will catch their interest. It has a set genre that would relate to a niche audience so it will only feature bands and music that they will be interested in and they will like. I think it represents this social group in quite a fun way because I have used green and red (which are complimentary colours) and they are quite bright and different.

I think I would use the institution Bauer Media because they publish Kerrang! which is a magazine which is directed at a niche audience, therefore I should probably use this as they know how to publicise/advertise and reach out to my specific audience.

The audience for my product is 15-25 year olds with an interest in post punk, goth rock and alternative rock. They will most likely be students at college or university and have a strong interest in music and the music scene. They are likely to have brightly coloured, extreme highly styled hair. The may dress in dark clothes, skinny jeans and tank tops or band t shirts. If they are more into the older bands that are in this genre, the girls may dress in lace and black dresses. Doc Martens are another thing you may see them wearing. Females and males will wear makeup – heavy eyeliner and red or black lipstick.

I attract my audience by giving them free things in the magazine like posters, I also put an up and coming band in that genre, on the front. This will work because younger people like to put posters up on their wall of bands they like. On my front cover, I have used two models; the first model is in the foreground, slightly in front of the second model (with the red hair), but she is slightly bent down so you can still see the second models face and expression. The first model has quite a neutral expression and the second model in the background has quite a friendly expression. They are both forward facing, which means they’re open which will make the audience feel more comfortable as it is quite a friendly pose. I think because of the friendly shot, it will make people more likely to want to purchase the magazine.

To produce this product, I used a camera to take the photographs, which I then edited in photoshop. I found photoshop quite easy to use, but it takes a lot and time and patience, for example; when you’re working with photo’s - cutting the images out to place on a plain background takes a long time and took me a few tries for my front page. The reason that I used photoshop is because it gives the magazine a more finished, professional look, which is what I was aiming for. If I had hand rendered it, it wouldn’t have had the same professional quality that actual magazines have and also people are probably not very likely to want to purchase it.

In the progression from the preliminary task to the full product, I have had a lot of practise on photoshop and learnt how to use it much better. I think my music magazine is a lot more professional looking than my college magazine and you would be more likely to find it in a shop. I think, in the progression from the preliminary task to the full music magazine, my research skills have more definitely improved – I’ve understood the concept of  LIIAR (Language, Institution, Ideology, Audience and Representation) better and the LIIAR research on front covers, contents and double page spread helped me understand all the conventions that are included in magazines and how they are used to make a front cover look attractive and make people want to buy it. It helped me be able to use them all in an effective way. Also, it helped me understand how to set out the actual content of the magazine which will make people want to keep on reading it.