Monday, 11 May 2009
How I Asked For Feedback
I looked at other magazines with the same genre I had chosen and I researched into there sorts of ideas for my own magazine. When I was creating my magazine I asked my parents for some feedback and ideas on how to improve my magazine. I showed them images of my magazine design that I was producing. Most of the feedback I got back was positive but I also had a few suggestions on how to improve it. Aswell as asking my parents, I also asked other students to give me feedback on improvements that I could use to improve to appeal to a mainstream audience. They gave me a lot of feedback that helped me throughout my project so that it was the best of my ability, being a quality piece of work that would be a successful everyday magazine.
Friday, 8 May 2009
Glossary of magazine terms
Masthead – The name and logo of the magazine.
The Lead – the introductory paragraph of an article. Usually written in bold or capitals.Body copy refers to the text of your written articles, which should be produced as a printed presentation to accepted industry standards, e.g. correct use of language, font size, word limits etc. Usually written in columns.
Serif font – fonts like Times New Roman, or Baskerville Old Face, which have little bars (serifs) on the end of the letters.
Sans serif font – fonts like Impact, or Agency FB, which do not have little bars (serifs) on the end of the letters.
Drop Capitals – Really big letter, which start off an article.
Cross Head – Small sub-heading used to split up a large block of text.
White Space – white parts of a page other than text or pictures.
Mode Of Address – How the magazine talks to the audience.
Sell Lines – Text on the cover that helps to sell the magazine to the audience. Kerrang!’s sell line is “life is loud”.
Banners – text, which stands out because its on a coloured background.
House Style – a magazines distinctive design that distinguishes it from its competitors.
Borders – the gaps at the edges of the page.
Gutters – the gaps between the columns of text.
Leading - the space between lines of text.
Kerning - the space between letters.
Strap Lines – a smaller headline, printed above the main headline.
By-lines - name of the person who wrote the article. Picture Credits - where did the photos come from, or who took them.
Anchorage – The way in which text helps to pin down the meaning of a picture and visa versa.
Masthead – The name and logo of the magazine.
The Lead – the introductory paragraph of an article. Usually written in bold or capitals.Body copy refers to the text of your written articles, which should be produced as a printed presentation to accepted industry standards, e.g. correct use of language, font size, word limits etc. Usually written in columns.
Serif font – fonts like Times New Roman, or Baskerville Old Face, which have little bars (serifs) on the end of the letters.
Sans serif font – fonts like Impact, or Agency FB, which do not have little bars (serifs) on the end of the letters.
Drop Capitals – Really big letter, which start off an article.
Cross Head – Small sub-heading used to split up a large block of text.
White Space – white parts of a page other than text or pictures.
Mode Of Address – How the magazine talks to the audience.
Sell Lines – Text on the cover that helps to sell the magazine to the audience. Kerrang!’s sell line is “life is loud”.
Banners – text, which stands out because its on a coloured background.
House Style – a magazines distinctive design that distinguishes it from its competitors.
Borders – the gaps at the edges of the page.
Gutters – the gaps between the columns of text.
Leading - the space between lines of text.
Kerning - the space between letters.
Strap Lines – a smaller headline, printed above the main headline.
By-lines - name of the person who wrote the article. Picture Credits - where did the photos come from, or who took them.
Anchorage – The way in which text helps to pin down the meaning of a picture and visa versa.
Thursday, 7 May 2009
1) Question 1- In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
I have had a certain conventions to create a successful final product, I have created an effective masthead to go with the genre of the magazine, and I have also included this as a similar idea to a popular successful music magazine to make the final product as much like the real magazine as possible. Also I have taken my own pictures for the cover, using a main artist with medium close up shot following the conventions that an ideal magazine uses, for example not cutting body parts off, having the artist looking at the camera. This is so that the image looks like it would be on a normal cover. I have used mainstream audience idea so that my magazine would be for a wide verity of people that would want to buy it, just as a popular magazine would be aimed at, but although mine is aimed at a large audience, some popular magazines are aimed at a smaller more niche audience that would just use conventions to be aimed at the sort of people that would read the magazine.
Question 2- How does your media product represent particular social groups?
I have followed certain social backgrounds to appeal my magazine to, as I couldn’t aim it at every social demographic so I picked a few of the demographic to aim the magazine at, mine is aimed at C1, C2 and D. Which is semi-skilled workers and also labourers because it would be an affordable magazine, not aimed at amore higher paid job audience, and as it is a indie/rock magazine it would be more lower paid audience who enjoy the magazine as it would appeal to them.
Question 3- What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
IRM would be distributed by an independent company at the start, mainly because it is a new magazine. An independent company would sell IRM magazine for not much money to begin with because this will bring in the popularity of the magazine and also a little profit. After some time when the magazine has become established and become more popular with its audience a conglomerate company such as IPC Media or Bauer could sell the magazine at a higher price. This will make it more popular and bringing in higher ABC Circulation figures and a large profit. The readership would be able to access the product from monthly subscriptions to a conglomerate company and through newsagent shops.
Question 4- Who would be the audience for your media product?
My demographic target audience is mainly males and an audience of the age of 15-35. The target audience is average people with average lives and jobs that look up to big rock stars. The target audience would dress casually and wear jeans or tracky bottoms and wear casual t-shirts. My audience is people who would enjoys spending time with there friends and go to social events. Also they may be football fans because they enjoy watching and talking about it.
Question 5- How did you attract/address your audience?
IRM attracts its demographic audience by speaking to its audience in a peer to peer mode of address. The magazine front cover has an image of a not as famous and less popular rock star. This connotes to the audience an ideal self. This will attract the reader to buy the magazine. The photo on the front cover of a casual looking rock star addresses the readership to say it could happen to any one. Also this is connoted by a not as famous indie/rock star.
Question 6- What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
How to take photographs that have meaning to them. For example this photograph connotes a rock star attitude that thinks he is cool. I learnt that the photo needed to be a medium shot.
I have learnt how to use the software of Photoshop. Photoshop has allowed me to create my front cover. I have learnt how to use different fonts, shadows, banners, different colours shapes and tools to create my own music magazine. With the tools I learnt how to crop and cut images to make them to size.
Also I have learnt how to use QuarkXPress passport. I found this piece of software is better for creating products that involve mostly text, such as a contents page and a double page spread. I learnt who to link up text boxes to one an other so that text continues in one box after the other box is full, this gave me great help and saved me a lot of time when I was writing my double page spread article. I learnt how to create text boxes and rotate them with text in them to create effect on my media product. This is displayed in my final media product, the IRM double page spread has a pink banner on the top of the page. This was done through adding a text box and then making it pink. Also I learnt how to change the size of the gap in between text words.
I have learnt how to use cam studio. This enables me to show people what I have learnt through a video. I can record myself using the computer and save it as a cam studio video.
Question 7- looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
From the preliminary task I feel I have learnt a lot. I have learnt how us software of Photoshop such as photoshop. On photoshop I have learnt how to use different fonts, shadows, banners, different colours, shapes and tools to create my front cover for my own music magazine.
I have also learnt about software called QuarkXPress passport. QuarkXPress allowed me to create my contents, and double page spread. I learnt that QuarkXPress Passport is better to use for contents pages and double pages spreads, rather than a front cover because it its better to use for text. I learnt that QuarkXPress allows you to link up text boxes to one an other so that text continues in one box after the other box is full. Also I learnt on QuarkXPress how to use different colours text and different colour backgrounds to make my contents and double page spread look more appealing.
Also I have learnt how to use cam studio. Cam studio records what you are doing on your screen. This enabled me to create my on video of photoshop to demonstrate how to use it.
I have learnt about how pictures need to look on a contents page of a magazine. It needs to have no cluttered backgrounds. Also make sure to focus on lead singer if it is a band shot so the audience know who they are. If a single audience make sure it a medium shot- close up. Need to leave room for a masthead and don’t cut off heads. Also make sure it isn’t a high angle shot. Also animate your band- make sure they look at the camera
I have had a certain conventions to create a successful final product, I have created an effective masthead to go with the genre of the magazine, and I have also included this as a similar idea to a popular successful music magazine to make the final product as much like the real magazine as possible. Also I have taken my own pictures for the cover, using a main artist with medium close up shot following the conventions that an ideal magazine uses, for example not cutting body parts off, having the artist looking at the camera. This is so that the image looks like it would be on a normal cover. I have used mainstream audience idea so that my magazine would be for a wide verity of people that would want to buy it, just as a popular magazine would be aimed at, but although mine is aimed at a large audience, some popular magazines are aimed at a smaller more niche audience that would just use conventions to be aimed at the sort of people that would read the magazine.
Question 2- How does your media product represent particular social groups?
I have followed certain social backgrounds to appeal my magazine to, as I couldn’t aim it at every social demographic so I picked a few of the demographic to aim the magazine at, mine is aimed at C1, C2 and D. Which is semi-skilled workers and also labourers because it would be an affordable magazine, not aimed at amore higher paid job audience, and as it is a indie/rock magazine it would be more lower paid audience who enjoy the magazine as it would appeal to them.
Question 3- What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
IRM would be distributed by an independent company at the start, mainly because it is a new magazine. An independent company would sell IRM magazine for not much money to begin with because this will bring in the popularity of the magazine and also a little profit. After some time when the magazine has become established and become more popular with its audience a conglomerate company such as IPC Media or Bauer could sell the magazine at a higher price. This will make it more popular and bringing in higher ABC Circulation figures and a large profit. The readership would be able to access the product from monthly subscriptions to a conglomerate company and through newsagent shops.
Question 4- Who would be the audience for your media product?
My demographic target audience is mainly males and an audience of the age of 15-35. The target audience is average people with average lives and jobs that look up to big rock stars. The target audience would dress casually and wear jeans or tracky bottoms and wear casual t-shirts. My audience is people who would enjoys spending time with there friends and go to social events. Also they may be football fans because they enjoy watching and talking about it.
Question 5- How did you attract/address your audience?
IRM attracts its demographic audience by speaking to its audience in a peer to peer mode of address. The magazine front cover has an image of a not as famous and less popular rock star. This connotes to the audience an ideal self. This will attract the reader to buy the magazine. The photo on the front cover of a casual looking rock star addresses the readership to say it could happen to any one. Also this is connoted by a not as famous indie/rock star.
Question 6- What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
How to take photographs that have meaning to them. For example this photograph connotes a rock star attitude that thinks he is cool. I learnt that the photo needed to be a medium shot.
I have learnt how to use the software of Photoshop. Photoshop has allowed me to create my front cover. I have learnt how to use different fonts, shadows, banners, different colours shapes and tools to create my own music magazine. With the tools I learnt how to crop and cut images to make them to size.
Also I have learnt how to use QuarkXPress passport. I found this piece of software is better for creating products that involve mostly text, such as a contents page and a double page spread. I learnt who to link up text boxes to one an other so that text continues in one box after the other box is full, this gave me great help and saved me a lot of time when I was writing my double page spread article. I learnt how to create text boxes and rotate them with text in them to create effect on my media product. This is displayed in my final media product, the IRM double page spread has a pink banner on the top of the page. This was done through adding a text box and then making it pink. Also I learnt how to change the size of the gap in between text words.
I have learnt how to use cam studio. This enables me to show people what I have learnt through a video. I can record myself using the computer and save it as a cam studio video.
Question 7- looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
From the preliminary task I feel I have learnt a lot. I have learnt how us software of Photoshop such as photoshop. On photoshop I have learnt how to use different fonts, shadows, banners, different colours, shapes and tools to create my front cover for my own music magazine.
I have also learnt about software called QuarkXPress passport. QuarkXPress allowed me to create my contents, and double page spread. I learnt that QuarkXPress Passport is better to use for contents pages and double pages spreads, rather than a front cover because it its better to use for text. I learnt that QuarkXPress allows you to link up text boxes to one an other so that text continues in one box after the other box is full. Also I learnt on QuarkXPress how to use different colours text and different colour backgrounds to make my contents and double page spread look more appealing.
Also I have learnt how to use cam studio. Cam studio records what you are doing on your screen. This enabled me to create my on video of photoshop to demonstrate how to use it.
I have learnt about how pictures need to look on a contents page of a magazine. It needs to have no cluttered backgrounds. Also make sure to focus on lead singer if it is a band shot so the audience know who they are. If a single audience make sure it a medium shot- close up. Need to leave room for a masthead and don’t cut off heads. Also make sure it isn’t a high angle shot. Also animate your band- make sure they look at the camera
Thursday, 30 April 2009
IPC Media
IPC media are a conglomerate that is owned by the Time Warner Group. IPC Media own music magazines such as the NME. NME stands for “New Musical Express” and this magazine is a big success as it brings publication of new bands and legendary bands through the NME awards. It targets a mainstream audience of middle aged men, between ages 20-35. They target this audience because it is for people like young adults and students. The magazine costs £2.20 so it is cheap for a popular music magazine and it is affordable for students to pay because approximately a third of NME’s readership is students. Also the sub genre of this magazine is Rock, indie and pop.
IPC Media own the Guitar and Bass magazine. This magazine is partly a music magazine but also could be classed as a more hardware and electrical magazine. This is also true with the HI-FI News. These two magazines cost around £4.00 each.In July to December 2008, the ABC Circulation Figures show that the NME magazine have sold 48,459 issues per month, However NME magazine have been hit hard with a loss of sales over the last six months and have lost over 8,000 sales. This shows why the price of the magazine is so cheap because they are trying to get people to buy it again. They’ve put the price to £2.20 to try and sell more, in order make more sales and create a profit.
At the moment NME are making £106609.80 which is a fairly good profit, however they are loosing £17600 which is a lot of money to loose, as their over all profit per a month should be £124209.80.
IPC Media own the Guitar and Bass magazine. This magazine is partly a music magazine but also could be classed as a more hardware and electrical magazine. This is also true with the HI-FI News. These two magazines cost around £4.00 each.In July to December 2008, the ABC Circulation Figures show that the NME magazine have sold 48,459 issues per month, However NME magazine have been hit hard with a loss of sales over the last six months and have lost over 8,000 sales. This shows why the price of the magazine is so cheap because they are trying to get people to buy it again. They’ve put the price to £2.20 to try and sell more, in order make more sales and create a profit.
At the moment NME are making £106609.80 which is a fairly good profit, however they are loosing £17600 which is a lot of money to loose, as their over all profit per a month should be £124209.80.
Monday, 27 April 2009
Production Schedule for Magazine
Monday
3.10 pm
In this lesson I will be doing my treatment. In the treatment I will include things like house styles. Also I will include what my target audience is e.g. male or female, age and what cloths my audience would wear and that they would be into indie/rock music.
Also in the treatment I will include things such as what my front cover will look like and what the main image of the cover will look like. Also include what cloths the band will wear for the front cover image.
I will include what my contents page will look like and what the main image of the contents will look like. Also include what cloths the band will wear for the contents image.
Also I will include what my double page spread page will look like and what the main image of the double page spread will look like will look like. Also include what cloths the band will wear for the double page image.
I will also say what props the band will be using and have e.g. guitars, microphone, sunglasses, and chains.
I will also include the health and safety points about where I will be taking my pictures.
Tuesday
1.35 pm
In this lesson I will write a double page spread article about my band. The double page spread will be all about my band (the regulars) and on the left page will be the title and the main article about the band. On the right page it will be a big image of the band sitting against a wall with their guitars.
The article for my double page spread will be all about the band (the regulars). In the article it will include an introduction about who the band is, what genre music they play and create. Also how long ago the band formed and how they got together. It will also include a interview with the band. It will be about there life outside of music like their hobbies and interests.
Wednesday
Evening
Take 9 pictures of my band outside college. 3 pictures for front cover, 3 pictures for contents and 3 pictures for double page spread. I will choose the best picture for each one. The pictures will be of my band that I will be interviewing in my double page spread. The band will be wearing bright coloured casual t-shirts, jeans and white trainers. The poses of the band will be wearing props such as sun glasses. Also the band will be doing poses that make them look cool.
Thursday
9.00am
In this lesson I will create my front cover. I will use 1 of 3 of the images I took of my band on Tuesday. I will use the best and most suitable picture for a front cover. The front cover will have the name of the magazine in the top left corner in big, bold capital letters. It will have the picture of the lead singer of the band on the front cover on the band. It will have a big bold arrow pointing at the picture with the words in the arrow saying “Exclusive Interview”. Next to the main image it will have a little title saying “The Regulars”. Underneath the little title it will have a sentence saying “Exclusive interview with the boys”. The front covers main colours will be black, white and pink.
Friday
3.10 pm
In this lesson I will create my contents page. I will use 1 of 3 of the images I took of my band on Tuesday. I will use the best and most suitable picture for a contents page. My image on the contents page of my band will be the band walking towards the camera. On the picture the band will be wearing white trainers, jeans and jackets. Also they will have sunglasses on.
My contents page will keep the same house style as the front cover (e.g. colours black, white and pink). Also it will have the same style masthead as the front cover.
Friday
Evening
I will create my double page spread. I will use 1 of 3 of the images I took of my band on Tuesday. I will use the best and most suitable picture for a double page spread. My image of the band will be the band sat against a wall with there guitars and where sunglasses. On the picture the band will be wearing causal t-shirts, jeans and white trainers. I will put a catchy title on the left page. Also I will put the article I write on Tuesday on the left page. On the write page I will put the picture on the right page.
Monday
3.10 pm
In this lesson I will be doing my treatment. In the treatment I will include things like house styles. Also I will include what my target audience is e.g. male or female, age and what cloths my audience would wear and that they would be into indie/rock music.
Also in the treatment I will include things such as what my front cover will look like and what the main image of the cover will look like. Also include what cloths the band will wear for the front cover image.
I will include what my contents page will look like and what the main image of the contents will look like. Also include what cloths the band will wear for the contents image.
Also I will include what my double page spread page will look like and what the main image of the double page spread will look like will look like. Also include what cloths the band will wear for the double page image.
I will also say what props the band will be using and have e.g. guitars, microphone, sunglasses, and chains.
I will also include the health and safety points about where I will be taking my pictures.
Tuesday
1.35 pm
In this lesson I will write a double page spread article about my band. The double page spread will be all about my band (the regulars) and on the left page will be the title and the main article about the band. On the right page it will be a big image of the band sitting against a wall with their guitars.
The article for my double page spread will be all about the band (the regulars). In the article it will include an introduction about who the band is, what genre music they play and create. Also how long ago the band formed and how they got together. It will also include a interview with the band. It will be about there life outside of music like their hobbies and interests.
Wednesday
Evening
Take 9 pictures of my band outside college. 3 pictures for front cover, 3 pictures for contents and 3 pictures for double page spread. I will choose the best picture for each one. The pictures will be of my band that I will be interviewing in my double page spread. The band will be wearing bright coloured casual t-shirts, jeans and white trainers. The poses of the band will be wearing props such as sun glasses. Also the band will be doing poses that make them look cool.
Thursday
9.00am
In this lesson I will create my front cover. I will use 1 of 3 of the images I took of my band on Tuesday. I will use the best and most suitable picture for a front cover. The front cover will have the name of the magazine in the top left corner in big, bold capital letters. It will have the picture of the lead singer of the band on the front cover on the band. It will have a big bold arrow pointing at the picture with the words in the arrow saying “Exclusive Interview”. Next to the main image it will have a little title saying “The Regulars”. Underneath the little title it will have a sentence saying “Exclusive interview with the boys”. The front covers main colours will be black, white and pink.
Friday
3.10 pm
In this lesson I will create my contents page. I will use 1 of 3 of the images I took of my band on Tuesday. I will use the best and most suitable picture for a contents page. My image on the contents page of my band will be the band walking towards the camera. On the picture the band will be wearing white trainers, jeans and jackets. Also they will have sunglasses on.
My contents page will keep the same house style as the front cover (e.g. colours black, white and pink). Also it will have the same style masthead as the front cover.
Friday
Evening
I will create my double page spread. I will use 1 of 3 of the images I took of my band on Tuesday. I will use the best and most suitable picture for a double page spread. My image of the band will be the band sat against a wall with there guitars and where sunglasses. On the picture the band will be wearing causal t-shirts, jeans and white trainers. I will put a catchy title on the left page. Also I will put the article I write on Tuesday on the left page. On the write page I will put the picture on the right page.
Monday, 20 April 2009
Bauer research
Bauer Research
Bauer media productions own Mojo, Kerrang and Q music magazine. The three magazines have different sub genres. Q magazine is a mainstream music magazine mainly focusing on pop and rock music. It is aimed at mainly male readers aged between 16-35. Q magazine is a monthly magazine that cost £3.90 per issue.
Mojo is a mainstream magazine that is aimed mainly at male readers aged 16-35.
Mojo magazine is a monthly magazine that costs £4.30 per issue.
Kerrang magazine is a mainstream music magazine mainly focusing on rock music. It is aimed at mainly female readers age 16-35.
The ABC Circulation figures indicate that Q magazine, had a major relaunch in the autumn of 2008, they managed to push an extra 10% of its readership and gain extra 10,000 sales. In months July to December 2008, Q sold around 103,000 issues. Q magazine sell there magazines at £3.95. So if they keep selling at this rate they could make a huge profit. For the issue in October 2008, they have made a massive profit of £406917 in Britain. Q targets its demographic audience with a moderate price tag, this is so its target audience can afford it (middle aged men and students and workers aged 16-35). With reference to the content of the magazine, Q has a house style of red and black in a serif font. This is continued through out the magazine weekly. Q use images of bands like Artic Monkeys to appeal to audiences as ideal selves as they have a rock star attitude. This helps create a role model for the readers and helps to target the demographic audience and sell the magazine.
Bauer media productions own Mojo, Kerrang and Q music magazine. The three magazines have different sub genres. Q magazine is a mainstream music magazine mainly focusing on pop and rock music. It is aimed at mainly male readers aged between 16-35. Q magazine is a monthly magazine that cost £3.90 per issue.
Mojo is a mainstream magazine that is aimed mainly at male readers aged 16-35.
Mojo magazine is a monthly magazine that costs £4.30 per issue.
Kerrang magazine is a mainstream music magazine mainly focusing on rock music. It is aimed at mainly female readers age 16-35.
The ABC Circulation figures indicate that Q magazine, had a major relaunch in the autumn of 2008, they managed to push an extra 10% of its readership and gain extra 10,000 sales. In months July to December 2008, Q sold around 103,000 issues. Q magazine sell there magazines at £3.95. So if they keep selling at this rate they could make a huge profit. For the issue in October 2008, they have made a massive profit of £406917 in Britain. Q targets its demographic audience with a moderate price tag, this is so its target audience can afford it (middle aged men and students and workers aged 16-35). With reference to the content of the magazine, Q has a house style of red and black in a serif font. This is continued through out the magazine weekly. Q use images of bands like Artic Monkeys to appeal to audiences as ideal selves as they have a rock star attitude. This helps create a role model for the readers and helps to target the demographic audience and sell the magazine.
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