Evaluation influxx (1)

Evaluation

Magaz

ine

By Ellie Marsh

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge

forms and conventions of real media products?

Front Cover Comparisons

Similarities1. On both front covers there is the date, issue number and barcode these are conventions of all magazines front covers this follows conventions.

2. On both there is a similar shot which shows more of the body, this makes it easier to convey the genre through clothing and stance, there is no conventions for this.

3. On both magazines there is the use of red to highlight important information in the sell lines, this stands out and draws the reader’s eye this is a convention.

4. On both the cover lines are a mix of serif and sans serif fonts which shows contrast and a mix of classic/vintage with urban styles this follows conventions.

5. On both there is the use of puggs to draw the readers eye to a certain bit, these both use the same contrasting colours to make it stand out – this follows conventions.

Differences1. On my cover the image of the artists is a long shot to show all clothing whereas NME’s is a medium shot which doesn’t show feet there isn’t conventions for this.

2. On my cover there isn’t sell lines going across the image as I didn’t want to cover it but NME has the sell line right across the people this follows conventions.

3. On my magazine I offer a free poster to entice the reader unlike NME who doesn’t offer anything free making mine more appealing this follows conventions.

4. On NME the name of the magazine is slightly covered whereas I wanted mine to be visible as my magazine is new and not well known there is no conventions for this.

5. On my cover I rotated my text to make it look more urban and interesting whereas NME has text straight all over the cover this follows conventions for youth.

Contents Page Comparisons

Similarities1. On both contents pages there is the date so people know when it was published which also tells you when the next issue is due etc. This follows conventions.

2. On both there is a similar layout with the strip down the side with extra information on it related to the artists in the magazine. This isn’t a convention but an extra.

3. On both magazines there is the contrast of white text on black shapes, this highlights that information. This isn’t a convention but is very common.

4. On both there is very small text, this is a convention of magazines with sizing rarely exceeding around 10 for the main body of text. This looks professional.

5. On both there is the main article name and then a line of text beneath it, this is a convention as it tells the reader more information about the article.

Differences1. On both my contents page I use multiple images which is the convention whereas NME use only one image meaning mine is more conventional.

2. On both there is a similar layout with the strip down the side with extra information on it related to the artists in the magazine. This isn’t a convention but an extra.

3. On both magazines there is the contrast of white text on black shapes, this highlights that information. This isn’t a convention but is very common.

4. On both there is very small text, this is a convention of magazines with sizing rarely exceeding around 10 for the main body of text. This looks professional.

5. On both there is the main article name and then a line of text beneath it, this is a convention as it tells the reader more information about the article.

Double Page Spread

Comparisons

1. On both articles there is the use of uneven text, and quotes this shows the urban style for the target audience both magazines are aimed at. This breaks the conventions.

2. On both there is a similar sized text which is around a size 8 – 10. This is a convention of magazine articles and looks professional. This follows conventions.

3. On both magazines the article/picture credits are written quite small next to the title. This appears professional as this appears regularly and follows conventions.

4. On both there are images of the artists the article is about which may interest perspective readers and makes the page more interesting this follows conventions.

5. On both double page spreads there is a slight introduction into the article which gives an overview of what readers can expect this is conventional.

Similarities

1. On my magazine article there is tour dates which promotes the artist and relates to the information on their new album.

2. On my magazine there is three pictures taking up half a page whereas on the NME magazine there is one main picture taking up a page .

3. On my magazine the i use more than one quotations which is next to the pictures whereas the NME magazine has a quotation as the title.

4. NME has used black and white contrast whereas I have remained using my house style throughout including in the article.

5. My article makes clear who the artist is in the title whereas NME doesn’t tell you who it is until you read the article or look at the picture.

Differences

2. How does your media product represent particular social

groups?

Jess & George represent the social group I was aiming to

reach through their Indie apparel. I purposefully

included this to ensure that the genre of the magazine was obvious just from the clothing they are wearing.

Top button done up on shirt.

Vintage style collar follows Indie Clothes conventions.

Retro style jacket follows Indie Clothes conventions.

Desert Boots are openly acknowledged as Indie style shoes.

Converse are openly acknowledged as Indie style shoes.

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media

product and why?

A more appropriate publisher for my magazine would be Bauer, they produce music magazines which generally focus of a range of genres and don’t focus on Indie-Pop specifically or at all. This means there is a gap in the

market for Bauer Media to produce an Indie music magazine to rival IPC’s Indie magazine NME. Bauer Media reaches over nineteen million UK adults across multiple

media channels a week. This would make Bauer a perfect publisher for my magazine. As seen in the table below there are no magazine covering Indie-Pop for young

adults/teenagers for Bauer Media.

Bauer

Magazine Name Music Genre Target Audience

Mojo Music - No particular genre

The MOJO audience is predominantly male (77%) and affluent (63% ABC1).

Q Music - No particular genre

The audience is split 75% male to 25% female and is affluent (with 68% ABC1).

Kerrang! Rock Music 15-35 male bias

Bauer

These figures were calculated from the average readership of each issue in the year starting Oct 2010 and ending September 2011.

Magazine Name

Average Issue

Readership

Mojo 248

Q 427

Kerrang! 356

These figures clearly show there has been a drop in readership in Bauer’s music magazines so a new Indie-Pop magazine may be the perfect answer to increasing readership again.

Magazine Name

Jan-Jun

2011

Jan-Jun

2010

YOY %

(year on

year) chang

e

Mojo 87,262 91,678 -4.8%

Q 80,418 89,450 -10.1%

Kerrang! 43,033 44,013 -2.2%

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

Jess & George represent the target audience that I was aiming for. Also, the way in

which they’re styled has connotations with Indie

clothing which is the target audience also. The ways in which they are represented

and would appeal to the target audience of teens/young adults

(stretching to a maximum of around 25), both female and

male interested in Indie music.

Both genders are included which would appeal to both genders in the target

audienceTop button done up on shirt.

Vintage style collar follows Indie Clothes conventions.

Retro style jacket follows Indie Clothes conventions.

Desert Boots are openly acknowledged as Indie style shoes.

Converse are openly acknowledged as Indie style shoes.

Age – Their age is that of the

Target Audiencemeaning they would

appeal to them.

Indie-Pop music magazine aimed at a target audience of BC1C2’s around 13 – 25 (young

adults/teenagers). I chose this genre as from my research into this target audience this would be highly appreciated and caters

to their musical tastes.

The Questionnaire I used.

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

Focus Group resultsA focus group was held with 2 male’s and 2

female’s aged 16/17. This fell perfectly into the age range I was targeting and enabled me to see what each gender thought of my ideas. I pitched the idea of a music magazine called “Impulse”

originally but the male’s didn’t like this name. I then suggested the name “Influxx” which both

genders liked a lot. I then showed some ideas for fonts and the original font wasn’t liked but the

second one chosen was (see below). I also pitched to them the ideas I had for articles, they agreed with all and said the artists chosen and the subject of the articles were all something they would really enjoy reading (some a little

less than others depending on gender/interests)

(First shown and disliked)

(Second shown and liked)

Based on my research from my questionnaire results and the focus group I decided some

articles I would create for my magazine were:

• Up and coming band THE QUEEN OF HEARTS interview.

• Ellie Goulding new album review

• Foster the People Birmingham gig review

• Top 20 chart

• Poster of Foster the People

• Up and coming gig information

•Which acoustic guitar is best on a budget?

• I used colloquial language such as “new band on the block” (in the article)

• I used rhetorical questions such as “What is the best acoustic guitar on a budget?”

• I included all of the clothing connotations of Indie-Pop style.

• I also offered the incentive of a free foster the people poster.

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of

constructing this product?

I learnt how to use a

camera and location to

take effective and

professional photos. This was the raw image

which I then improved using

Photoshop. I learnt how to use Adobe

in Design to create my

contents page and

double page spread, this

was useful for layouts, it enabled total control over where everything

would be.

I learnt how to use

Photoshop to create my

front cover. This was also brilliant for image manipulation and

editing which I used throughout to

improve image quality.

Say what each one is best used for!

WHAT DID I LEARN?! NEED TO MAKE THIS CLEAR!

I learnt how to remove a blemish from a

picture by using the clone stamp tool to

remove the shine from the guitar. I did this by selecting the texture

from the guitar.

I then ‘painted’ on the texture over the shine which made it look the same as the rest.

Photoshop Skills

I learnt how to crop out an image from the background by using the magnetic lasso

tool to crop the guitar out so there was no background.

Final Product

I learnt how to edit a pictures brightness/contrast to make it look more

professional and appealing.

I learnt how to edit a pictures colour balance to make it look more professional

and appealing.

I learnt how to insert a puff

onto my front cover.

I learnt how to insert and edit text in

Photoshop. I selected a font

from Dafont.com, wrote in my

chosen text and made it large.

I then opened this text in Photoshop.

I deleted the background using the magic wand

tool .

And then painted the colour onto the

text with the paint brush tool.

I learnt how to insert a border on Adobe Indesign using a shape tool, removing the

fill and changing the line style.

Adobe Indesign

Skills

I learnt how to arrange the pages appropriately from

this...

To this...

I learnt how to insert a Photoshop file

onto Adobe Indesign.

7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you

feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full

product?

My Preliminary Task

Front Cover Comparisons

Similarities1. On both covers I included puggs, I think they are both incredibly effective in drawing the eye to a certain piece of information.

2. On both covers I used strokes on the cover lines to ensure that they stood out. I also used contrast to ensure that they were eye-catching.

3. On both covers I used underlining to highlight text. This made it stand out and reinforce the importance of the information.

4. On both covers I used rhetorical questions to involve the reader more. This makes the reader more likely to pick up the magazine.

5. On both covers I used a brick wall background, this appeals to the target audience as its seen as almost ‘urban’ therefore appropriate for teens.

Differences1. On my preliminary task I included a sell line, in the main task I didn’t feel this was suitable for a music magazine due to conventions of real ones.

2. On my music magazine I included a barcode and price. This looks professional as though you are able to purchase it.

3. On my music magazine I used a long shot. This is a convention of music magazines when more than one person is pictured.

4. On my music magazine I used the incentive of a free poster to entice readers to buy it. This is also a convention of magazines.

5. On my preliminary task I didn’t have many cover lines but in the main task I put much more as this looks professional.

Contents Page Comparisons

Similarities1. On both covers there is the date, this is a convention of contents pages of all magazines. Both are at the top of the page therefore visible.

2. On both there is a similar layout of pictures across the page corner to corner breaking up the text, looking attractive and looking interesting.

3. On both magazines I used shapes for the page numbers to make them stand out from the rest of the text making it easier to find articles.

4. On both titles I used a strokes which enhances the text so it stands out from the page. This also matches the titles on the front covers.

5. On all images on both pages I anchored them. This made the page appear more attractive and was practical to find the relating article.

Differences1. On my main task I put a title for the articles and then extra information below which was far more professional and gave further information.

2. On my music magazine the images were far better quality, not as zoomed in and without the flash shine appearing.

4. On my music magazine I put a page number and website which is a convention in real magazines on contents pages.

5. On my preliminary task I didn’t have many articles but in the main task I put many more as this looks more professional.

3. On my music magazine I used a message from the editor to make it seem more professional and personal to the readers.

Although we didn’t create a double page spread in the preliminary task, I think this shows the skills I have gained as I have managed to produce one of a good quality following all the key connotations that are required. Also, I used many different techniques to create this style which I hadn’t been aware of in the previous task showing an improvement in knowledge.

How I feel I’ve improved overall• Better quality images• More professional layout of pages• More and better quality content• Use of more magazine conventions• Use of creativity • Exploration of different fonts• Improvement of skills in Photoshop and

Adobe Indesign• A consistent house style use effectively to

promote attention where required• Using more technical features to produce a

more professional and polished finished product