Evaluation 7

Looking at the front covers, it is evident that the preliminary task has large blank spaces which should be filled with tag lines and images. There are no other images on the cover apart from the main image, which I think looks washed out and too dark. The image on the Music Magazine is brighter and looks generally better with the colours chosen and the facial expression of the model. She looks more engaged with eye contact and her facial expression looks more professional and determined. This shows that the photography has improved throughout the projects.

  It is obvious from looking at both covers which had the most planning as ‘Belle Melodie’ has the most components and as a whole, looks more interesting to the audience, so they would feel more inclined to read it. The front cover to my music magazine has as many tag lines and images on it as possible so there is no blank space. This makes the magazine look more interesting as a whole as the audience feels as though the magazine is going to be packed with engaging content.

  I didn’t include a main feature on my school magazine which I think is essential as it is the first item that is looked for on the magazine. On my music magazine I placed the main feature headline central right as opposed to top left which is where it is usually found. I think that including a main feature cover line gives the reader an impression of what the magazine includes and who the target audience is. The school magazine doesn’t make the audience clear apart from the image of a school girl. This is only clear as she is holder a school folder. Other that that, it isn’t obvious whether the intended audience is male or female. On the other hand, the music magazine makes the target audience clear with the main feature written in pink writing, a feminine colour, showing that the feature and the magazine is orientated around girls. This is also supported by the Polaroid of floral wellies, usually associated with girls, and the main image of a teenage girl.

  The journalistic aspect of the magazines has improved throughout as the text on the music magazine has more relation to the audience of the magazine, teenage girls, as opposed to music in general. On the school magazine, the tag lines included are just evolving around school in general instead of focusing around a narrower audience of girls. This shows a lack of planning to see what would appeal to my particular audience than students in general. This also applies to my double page spread. My preliminary page was very basic and there was too much blank space where there should be information. I tried to avoid this problem in my new double page spread for my music magazine by including as much information as possible and leaving minimal blank space to avoid it looking boring.

Evaluation 6

Before media studies I had never used a blogging site before, to track my media product progress I have been blogging on the site ‘Blogspot’. This gave me a chance to give my opinion on existing institutions and well known music magazines such as NME. Blogging helped to show the progress made throughout the production of my magazine and helped to show how I improved it gradually to suit my target audience. Blogspot helps to communicate the meaning behind my pages and how the decisions best suited my audience. Also, it can show the steady development of my components and is a much easier way of showing how I have improved and in what ways such as content or photography skills. In my opinion, I think that it is easier to communicate meaning through pictures and print screens rather than trying to explain it. Blogging gives you the opportunity to do this as show in the print screen above with my reader profile.

To make the components for my magazine I used a black Samsung ES10 digital camera. Once uploaded to the computer I also edited the photos on Windows Photo Gallery to make them look of better quality. I took all pictures myself and edited them myself. With the editing, I mostly enhanced the colours to make the picture look warmer and not cold and washed out. I feel that if the picture are good quality, they make the magazine look appealing to the audience.

Evaluation 5

My target audience evolves around the ‘Indie’ music style which is not as mainstream as other genres which are popular at the present. I chose to have Future Publishing as the institution in which my magazine would be produced by as this company follows a range of topics. In the music category, this company also supports a wide selection of music from many different genres. The name of the institution ‘ Future Publishing’ also suggests to the public that the company is interested in finding new material and bringing out smaller genres of music. I think that the name is appealing and would therefore attract the public more to read the magazine. The section of text listed above shows the types of music that the magazines ‘Future Publishing’ supports. It is evident from looking at the lists that the music style is a wide variety which appeals to my intended audience and the majority of the music isn’t mainstream.

  With the various magazines that ‘Future Publishing’ supports, it is clear that this institution is already fully developed but doesn’t follow a specific genre of music with the magazines they support. The ambition of this company is to provide music to a wide range of people from both ends of the spectrum. I think that the company is more likely to be successful as there is a wider target audience with the variety.

  

Evaluation 4

This is my reader profile to show my intended audience for my magazine. From looking at the images, you can see that clothes and accessories are a common occurrence. This suggests that the target audience are girls as this is an interest most common to that gender. The clothes shown are meant to look as if they are from a charity shop, hence why they are on a rail. The ‘Indie’ stereotype is usually based around the theme of vintage, anything from the past in music and style. I added a lot of vintage objects on my reader profile to portray this. Things include an old fashioned microphone, a floral cup and saucer, cassettes and a beetle (the car). All of these items were once very popular and in fashion. They were the thing to have, however times change and these things are no longer the height of fashion. For example, cassettes have been replaced with CDs. Most of the items that I have listed are music related to continue the theme of my music magazine.

  From looking at my reader profile, the audience would think that it is quite old fashioned but very music and fashion orientated. This shows that the main audience is girls as they are normally stereotyped to be the gender most interested in fashion and what they look like. This is supported by a picture of a girl with a guitar. The music that I am trying to advertise on my magazine is mostly acoustic which is mostly music which is not as widely talked about. This is the kind of music that isn’t mainstream. To show music on my reader profile I included a guitar which demonstrates the acoustic aspect of music. Also, the old fashioned microphone and amp are to show that even though the music isn’t mainstream, there are people that listen to this type of music and enjoy it. 

Evaluation 3

My front cover fulfils the majority of the conventions of a front cover to a magazine. Unlike most magazine covers, I chose to put my main sell line on the right hand side of the page as opposed to the top left hand corner, this is where it is usually positioned. This is because the top left hand corner is usually the first place that the reader looks. I changed the position of the sell line as I thought it would make the cover look different as a whole in comparison to others, also, the text is bigger and bolder than the rest of the text which makes it the main focus regardless of its positioning on the page. I think that if the sell line was in the left hand corner, it would cover the model’s face and it would give off the wrong impression. Apart from the main sell line, all the other components are arranged in the expected way for a front cover.

  The language used through the magazine is formal in its style as the readers have to be able to understand what is being said. The sell lines on the cover include exclamation marks for emphasis on a point or to show excitement. This makes the page more fun and therefore enticing to purchase. Also, there is a rhetorical question asking whether the reader is ‘Going to a Festival?’ This makes the page much more personal for the reader as it is directed specifically at them. It persuades the potential customers. As well as the used of questions, there are commands to give hints to the reader to go to a certain page. This is used on my contents page. For example, the language used is directly aimed at the reader to get them to do something such as going to a page in the magazine.

  The main image on the front cover is typical for a front cover with the space completely covered and eye contact gained to engage the page more with the reader. There is another main image of the contents page which is not typical for this type of page. Usually, there are around six small thumbnails ‘dotted’ around the page to divide the text but on my content’s page, there is one main image at the bottom of the page and then one smaller thumbnail. I chose to make this picture presentation different to the usual layout as it would link to the pictures on the front cover and double page spread with similarities in style. This makes all three pages look smart and presentable which is appreciated by the reader when reading the pages.

Evaluation 2

From looking at the front cover for ‘Indie’ magazine, ‘Belle Melodie’, it is evident that the magazine is full of exciting, fresh ideas and articles to read. The language used is formal to make it easily understandable by all readers and to encourage people to buy the magazine. The front cover is what the reader sees first when they look at the magazine and it has to make a good impression. By using Standard English in a formal style, the reader sees the magazine as being interesting, easily interpreted and sophisticated.

  My intended audience is late teens/ young adults who are interested in ‘indie’ music, meaning anything that isn’t so mainstream compared to other genres of music. Instead, it has a smaller fan base who are more interested in that style of music over other genres in the industry. The ‘Indie’ genre is about individuality and creating sounds that are new and original. The text is well suited to this audience and draws the reader in. The language and topics included show that the main audience for this magazine is females. For example, ‘fashion flaws’ is used and fashion is most commonly associated with women as this is the stereotype that suits. This alliteration is short, sharp and catchy. It catches the reader’s attention. The language used is also very engaging with the readers. The use of rhetorical questions and informative text makes the reader question themselves about it. ‘Going to a festival?’ This question is personal and pulls the reader in as they answer the question. This is also made very direct with the use of pronouns such as ‘you’ as it is a direct referral to the person reader it.

  As well as the persuasive techniques, the colours help the writing to stand out for the reader. Certain words stand out more than others which create a summary of the magazine as a whole. Words include ‘bigger, better, festival, chart, update, sound, now.’ This suggests to the reader that this a music magazine and contains the most up-to-date and recent information about music.

  Lastly, the main image has the most significant affect on the reader. This determines whether the reader will pick the magazine up or not. The model in the picture is making eye contact, this makes the magazine seems more appealing as they are engaging with you. The overall look of the model also gives the reader an outline as to what kind of music the magazine focuses on and what style there is. In this case, the model is dressed in a very simple manor but looks smart, sophisticated and determined with her facial expression. This is welcoming to readers.

Evaluation

My magazine product is orientated towards ‘Indie’ stereotype and music, the images on my double page spread are all of my artist by themselves. This is reinforcing the fact that my artist is very much independent in what she does and has become successful through this. This proves individuality,  which is commonly associated with the ‘Indie’ genre in the sense that its is all about ‘standing out from the crowd and producing something new that the audience is not used to. This indicates that the sound of the music produced has to be individual and not mainstream. Her facial expressions are fixed and concentrated, indicating that the artist is determined in her career, she is looking ahead and hoping to succeed in her career. My magazine is aimed at someone who likes individuality, who wants to do well and is willing to put the hard work and effort in to do this. The artist looks calm and contented in her appearance, which also demonstrates her style of music. It is soft and easy to listen to.

  The readers of this article are intended to be ‘festival goers’. This is made clear in the article by the mention of a tour and upcoming concerts for which tickets are available to buy. This is also supported by a small subheading about what to wear to a festival and a picture of wellies, traditionally worn to festivals. It is mentioned in my double page spread that my artist has played at festivals and is planning a tour. This proves to the reader that this magazine shows interest in festivals and offers them to the reader, therefore they should be fans of this. A young audience is indicated by this as the majority of young people are willing to pay to go and see their favourite singers or bands live. Also, the small icon of coloured wellies suggests a young teen/adult audience as this is something that they would wear. This makes the intended audience clear.

  The double page spread interview and review on the featured artist, Lily Andrews’ includes significant information about her career at present, where she stands amongst other artists and what she plans to do in the future. She is represented as a successful artist, keeping all fans fans and general readers up to date with the progress she is making in her career as a singer/songwriter. This is clearly stated as a subheading on the article, referring to Lily as ‘Singing Sensation’. She successfully delivers in a difficult industry as demonstrated by the statistics following her great success.

This represents my artist and general singers of the ‘Indie’ genre that this style of music is successful despite not being as mainstream as other types. Therefore, before the reader has even looked at the article, they are well aware of her profession. There are continuous reminders about her position in the charts with her new single, the release of a new album, music video, tour and a clothes line. With these constant reminders, the reader is fully informed of her success. Following on from her success, the reader is able to see that as a singer, Lily Andrews is established and has made her mark in the industry. She looks fashionable, fresh and sophisticated in her pictures which gives a good impression to the reader as she is new and independent. The artist is following the genre of ‘Indie’ music and creating her own style which the pictures demonstrate.

  

Final Product