AS MEDIA COURSEWORK

EVALUATION OF MY MUSIC MAGAZINE

Gerson Soares

Prior to creating my magazine, I did some research into other professional magazines, throughout this process I was able to identify conventions and forms of magazines and all the vital components that create a successful magazine…. Some of these include a strong central image, masthead and cover lines…

Masthead

Cover Lines

Barcode

Eyebrow

Eye Contact

Masthead: All magazines contain a masthead, they are to indicate the name of the magazine and relate to the magazines target

audience to an extent. An example of this is VIBE’s masthead are very simple and are usually one colour and does not focus too

much on detail, rap and r’n’b fans don’t pay too much attention to life and focus mostly on their music living a simple and non

complex lifestyle.

Cover Lines: Cover lines on VIBE magazines are limited and vary from 4 to 6 cover lines, the fonts used are also limited as

conventionally only one font is used but they vary in sizes and types. (Bold/Italics) Although fonts are limited the magazine still

manages to catch the audiences eye and sell big.

Barcode: On VIBE the barcodes are commonly placed in the bottom left corner of the page, it sometimes features the website

above or below and displays prices in various currencies indicating that the magazine is internationally sold.

Main Image: The main image is a vital part of the magazine cover as it sends various messages towards the reader and is a guide to

the reader around the cover.

Eye Contact: In order for a main image to be strong the model or artist must have eye contact with the camera, this is vital as the

picture has more of a relation with the reader and can also show the reader the emotions of the artist.

Eyebrow: VIBE sometimes use eyebrows to identify articles that may be included in side the magazine.

Buttons: Occasionally buttons are used in VIBE magazines to show special features and special articles as they are usually in

contrast with the cover background.

Q1.In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Masthead (PROOF)

Cover lines

Main Cover Line

Barcode

Eye Contact

Main Image

THE PROOF Magazine Cover

Using forms and conventions of real media products: One way that my product has used conventions of a real media product from the genre that I have chosen is the amount of cover lines and the fonts. From analysing other magazines of the same genre I found that the cover lines on the front

cover mainly use the same font but vary in sizes and colour. Another way that my product has used a convention of a real media product is by the design of my masthead, my masthead was influenced by the rap and r’n’b magazine

“the source” as they share a similar design.

Challenging of forms and conventions of real media products: A way that my product challenges the forms and

conventions of a real media product is that I have not included an eyebrow on my front cover, I felt that my cover would be complete even without an eyebrow as I had an

ideal amount of cover lines, instead of adding an eyebrow I used a blackberry barcode, reflecting today’s audience

critically

Real Media Contents Page

Gerson Soares

Page Numbers

Page Names

Chronological order

Description

Page Numbers: Page numbers are compulsory on a contents page because the job of a contents page is to

guide the reader through the magazine, without numbers the reader would have to look through a whole

magazine to find the article they want to read, the numbers are usually different font to the page name to

stand out, and on some occasions they’re different colour.

Page Names: As oppose to page numbers page names are used to show the reader the name of a page or a

certain article or feature within the magazine.

Chronological Order: A convention of a rap and r’n’b contents pages is that it is well organised and known

for having the page numbers in order easier and cleaner for the reader.

Description: Most page names in magazine are followed by a description usually underneath or next to it, but I have found that in my genre of magazine the description is usually underneath. The description is

commonly a different size, font and colour to the main page name in order to stand out to the reader and give

them more information.

THE PROOF Contents Page

Page Numbers Page Names

Chronological Order Description

Using forms and conventions of a real media product: A way that my contents page uses real media conventions

is by sorting my contents our in chronological order. Whilst analysing other music magazines of the same

genre as mine I found out that contents page within them are mostly tidy and set our in order from lowest number

and first page to the highest number and last page. Another way I have used a real media convention is I

have used different fonts for the page number description and page name, this is to help the reader identify the

three quickly. Another way I have used a convention is by using one image on the whole page, as looking through most rap magazines I found that the content pages have one image as the background for the page and then the

contents laying over it.

Real Media Double Page Spread

Main Image Stand First

Columns Drop Cap Headline

By Line

Main Image: In double page spreads the main images usually take up one page, and in this case this image is a full bleed image of artist Birdman.

Stand first: In the genre of magazine that I have been analysing I have found that most double page spreads contain stand firsts usually giving a brief description of the featured artist.

By Line: I have found that all magazines or at least the majority contain a by line indicating to the reader who wrote the article they are reading, by lines are usually placed at the end of he article in the magazines I have researched.

Headline: The headline is usually a quote from a part of the artists life or may sometimes just be their name, in this case it’s the name in bold big white letters contrasting with the background and catching the readers eye before anything else.

Columns: When writing their articles designers take into to fact the amount of columns in which they present the information in, when researching rap and r’n’b magazines I found that most information is put into either 1,2 or 3 columns and that they also calculate the number of words in each column

THE PROOF Double Page Spread

Headline

Stand First

Main Image Columns

Drop Cap By Line

Use of real media forms and conventions: One way that I have used a real media convention is that I have split the double page spread into one half being a full bleed image and the other being the editorial part with the main article. Another way is I have split my article into 3 columns which I have found in various rap magazines there are usually 1-3 columns of writing. Another way I have used a current convention is that I have used a stand first underneath the main headline giving a brief overview of the featured artists life. Another way I have used a real media convention is I have included a quote within the main image as I found out most images on double page spreads of the rap genre usually contain a quote beside them.

Challenging real media products forms and conventions: A way I have done this is I have not used a drop cap and kept the main article lettering the same size. Another way is I have designed 3 pages for a double page spread which even though may happen on occasions but is not very conventional. Another way I have challenged conventions is I have included miniature images within the main image, I believe this Is a challenge because when I analysed other real media double page spreads of the rap genre I found that the main image is usually solo on the page

Q2.How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Representation in the media is not real; It is the media producer’s idea of reality.

Male:85%

Female:15%

Student:50%

Class: Classes B & C

My magazine is aimed at mainly young males who enjoy chilling with friends in groups and who predominantly listen to R’n'B or otherwise rap. Its also targeted at males who have some dedication towards music and may write their own lyrics and like listening to local musicians rather than mainstream rap, some may use these as a guide.

My main image represents the target audience in many ways. One way that I think my main image represents my target audience is the fact that the artist is wearing a hoodie,

nowadays young rap fans tend to wear hoodies every wear and starts to become a main piece of attire. The photo also represents

the audience as the artist is doing a “spudding” gesture

towards the camera, this reflects the audience as young rap and r’n’b fans greet each other with a gesture called a “spud” and

that is a reason why I believe the picture represents the audience.

Another way my main image represents my audience is that

the artist is wearing a hat, which has also become a trend in the

life of young rap fans wear snapbacks, new era hats and summer hats are being used more and more each day.

My content represents my audience as it is

very simple and set out in neat matter

portraying a laid back character. It also

represents my audience in the way that even though I have used

slang or street words used in the present day, I have included complex language showing that

not all rap fans use slang and can not talk in a formal manner and that young males can

overcome stereotyping.

Q3,What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Intermedia is a privately owned company in America who have made major investements in a variety of organisations. Among the firm's most notable investments are Thomas Nelson, Universal Sports, @Home Network, InterMedia Outdoors, Vibe Lifestyle Network, and Puerto Rican station WAPA-TV. The Vibe lifestyle network suggests that VIBE is not just a magazine but a lifestyle network throughout America.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InterMedia_Partners

Distribution of my product and why?

I think that Intermedia would be a great company to distribute and invest in my magazine because it invests in some companies that to an extent relate to my target audience, by this I mean VIBE magazine and Universal Sports as the target audience for my product have some interest in sport. Another reason I think Intermedia would be and ideal investment as they are previously known for investing in VIBE lifestyle network, which includes the famous VIBE magazine, and my magazine relates to VIBE magazine in various ways one being they cover the same genres of music, so this is why I think Intermedia would be interested and would be perfect to distribute my product.

What about the money?

My magazine will cost £3.20 in the UK and will be sold internationally, to prove this I have included a US Dollar currency to show that my product will be available in other places besides the United Kingdom.

I want my product to be printed out in different types of paper, for example I want my front cover and back page to be made of glossy paper so the cover is immune to liquids, by this I mean matte paper absorbs liquids and is weaker than glossy paper. Ideally I would want my whole magazine to be printed out in glossy paper, but thinking realistically I would want my main pages to be printed in matte style paper as its cost effective and saves money for publishers.

Q4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

My audience are mainly 16-25 males living either in the UK or USA, my audience will also be males who have an interest in rap and r’n’b music. I believe that my magazine will attract more young black males that other ethnicities but it is targeted at young males regardless the colour so I think I will attract Black, Asian and Caucasian males.

Target Audience

Aspirations & InterestsThe majority of the audience of THE PROOF would be young males who aspire to become big and famous one day, but at the same time realising its becoming harder and harder day by day. PROOF’S target audience may have a minority who write their own lyrics and regularly visit a studio to record some tracks to distribute locally, where the majority may “jam” in groups and mainly being concentrated on earning money as oppose to being a lone wolf. PROOF’s target audience’s main interests include sports, the sports played are predominantly football or basketball, as some may participate in a local club team in spare time. Other interests include clothes and trainers as young males are becoming more and more vein and dedicating more time to look good (“Swagged out”). Some shops where PROOF’s audience may shop include Hollister, JD and Superdry.

Q5.How did you attract/address your audience?

Gerson Soares

I have used different methods to attract as well as address my target audience, some of these ways include images used, language used, layout and construction of certain parts and manipulation. First of all, one of the ways I have attracted and addressed my audience is by the image used in my front cover as well as my double page spread and contents page. In all my images the artists has kept his attire consistent, he is wearing a hoodie representing the youth of today, in the present day hoodies have become a trend in the lifestyle of young males as well as females. The artist is also wearing sunglasses which represents swagger which is another thing that has become very popular in young peoples lives. By swagger I mean how the youth of today all want to look good as well as the best and sometime sunglasses may just be the icing on the cake for some outfits, and from my own experience of hanging around with my target audience I have found that they are fond of posed pictures with sunglasses, hoodies and hats, which brings me to the next piece of clothing that the artist is wearing, on the main image the artist is also wearing a hat which represents young people to an extent as hats are becoming more and more popular if they weren't already, as young males are wearing a variety of hats to go along with clothing such as snapbacks, new era hats, summer hats and others. Another way I have addressed my audience is by the use of my cover lines. Depending on what the cover line says uncovers whether or not it relates to the audience, and example of this is in one of my cover lines I have included the “new breed”, this attracts my audience as again from expereince I have found that the PROOF’s target audience is always looking for the best next thing to follow taking me back to the “new” in “new breed”.

Q6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Gerson Soares

Throughout this project I have learnt and used new technology as well as enhancing my knowledge on technology I already knew about…

Adobe Indesign: Indesign is used to create pages and is the programme we used to create our front cover, contents page and double page spread. Seeing as this was my first time using this adobe program I found it hard to navigate and use the program effectively. But after using it regularly I found it was becoming much easier to use, and at the end I was able to create a decent final product, and I can say now that if I was asked to create a page I would be able to with some confidence.

Wordpress: Like Adobe Indesign I was also new to wordpress. Wordpress is a website where you can create a blog and post stuff on it. We used wordpress in an effective way, we used it as a place to post our work on the blog so everything is in one place making it easy for the examiner to mark. We split our blog up into 5 different categories, these include the home page, the preliminary task page, research and planning page, construction page and the evaluation page. I didn’t have a lot of difficulties using word press.

Adobe Photoshop: Again like the other adobe program I was also new to using photoshop but it is not my first time hearing about it as it is talked about a lot. Photoshop is used to manipulate images into getting the desired message across or is sometime just used for fun. To start off with I found using photoshop the hardest our of all because I didn’t really know how to manipulate the image enough so that it is effective but after some help from friends I can just about use this program and change and edit an image majorly.

DSLR Camera: I am not new to using cameras but I was new to using professional cameras such as DSLR’s. I learnt the correct way to hold a camera and how to use a DSLR overall. DSLR’s are professional cameras used to take high quality pictures for things such as billboards, magazines, posters etc. The first time I used a DSLR was for my preliminary exercise, our college magazine. The results I received from the camera were very good but the downside was when you tried to resize or crop and image it became pixelated and lost the sharpness of the original, but from the help of my teacher and positioning of the camera I learnt to overcome this downside

Q7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Gerson Soares

Throughout this course I have learnt a lot about technologies, programs and most importantly publishing in media. Looking back at my preliminary task and comparing it to my final product I do indeed see a difference and a development in design. This is due to the fact that I learnt how to use new programmes and new technology that I had never used before. I learnt that when designing a magazine planning is vital within the production. When planning key thing should be taken into consideration such as language, layout and most importantly images used and what they represent and portray. I have also learnt that the audience notice the smallest things within the product whether it’s a by line or even a typo so you have to be very considerate when planning and writing your article. From analysing other magazines I have learnt that even the amount of words in a column are calculated, the amount reflects to the intended audience of that magazine. An example of this if you were writing and article for an older audience more editorial copy would be used but on the other hand if you were writing an article for a younger audience less writing would be included and the page layout would be more creative