Analysis of my media front cover etc.

Analysis of my media front cover, contents and

Double page spread

            For my media coursework I had been given the task of producing audience research, writing a product brief, making an audience profile all for a music magazine idea and then designing a music magazine, contents page and double page spread. First I decided on the genre of music I would choose, I choose indie/rock/alternative. This is because I knew most about this genre. I asked 10 teenagers my questionnaire and I found out what there favourite colours were, what they watched on TV. Etc. So I had these answers in mind when I designed my magazine. I tried to get audience input to my magazine design by asking questions about magazine names and colours. With these answers in mind I tried to use them. I had to then carry out such tasks as taking photographs for the images. I choose to take a medium close up because with this shot I could direct my image at the audience. I thought of smaller details too, like I made my model wear clothes that would fit in with the style of the magazine and I choose a background that would give off the same effect I wanted my front cover too.

I choose the colours that I thought would appeal to my target audience and fit in with the style of magazine. I choose yellow, white and black for my front cover even though no one picked yellow as there favourite colour. I did this because I thought the colours worked well together. I used yellow because it was bright and when I asked what colours would you most like to see in magazine Fluorescent colours came out top. I used various different fonts to grab attention and make my front cover interesting. The gesture codes of my magazine were dominate. Even though I had a girl on the front, with the pose she was holding you could see she had attitude like my magazine front cover and like my target audience have. I held a lot of information on my front cover to create the messy effect and to make it as eye catching as possible. I used different band names a lot too to interest my audience. I used language that a lot of teenagers use, using words such as “hot”. I used anchorage text which fixed the meaning of the image and told the audience about the double page spread. I used buzz words like “special” and “free” to try and sell the magazine.

I called my magazine XO this is because it is short and snappy. I thought of five magazine titles and then gave my questionnaire audience to choice with the winner being “hype” when I thought about this I thought that XO would be more suitable for the magazine type and seeing as there was only one vote in it I decided to change it. I think this choice was wise because if I was to change to title I would have to change the target audience and music featured.

Originally I designed a front cover and contents page by hand, I was happy with this layout but when it came to it I decided to change my actual layout to make it more interesting and more appealing to my target audience  

So I decided to have the layout of my front cover and contents to be cluttered and fairly messy, this is because the people who would read my magazine (my audience profile) are much more likely to be interested and find it appealing. I decided to have my image slightly tilted to one side, this is because I still wanted the photo background to be on the front. So I tried it tilted and liked the impression it was giving off – which is “not perfect” and rebel like. My double page spread is quite different to the front cover this is because I choose to change the colours to fit in with the interview. I choose to write an interview using the pop star “Immy Brown” I decided to make her rebel like but also a good role model this is because when I read NME with lily Allan this is the impression I got. Also I didn’t think any celebrity would come into an interview and reveal all.

My media product represents particular social groups; I suppose you could categorize my product into the stereotypical stubborn teenager, indie scene group although I think my magazine is just for anyone with an interest in the bands I have published. I think the type of media institution that would publish my magazine would be the shops like WHsmith’s where it would sell and be alongside other magazines like itself, they would be competition but also have a very similar audience. If I tried to sell it in a small village corner shop no one would buy it but if say I sold it in a small village corner shop in Camden it would sell. I would also sell it in supermarkets where a lot of teenagers work and go shopping to buy it. I would also allow smaller shops to order in for a subscription basis. My magazine would be on the general sales line. I would put it on this line because this way I would make more money and create a bigger audience even though if I sold it on a subscription only basis my audience would be more loyal I think the general sales way would be better the my magazine, considering it will feature so many bands. One week an audience member may love the bands featured and the next not really be fussed, this would be because the Indie/alternative/rock genre I choose features a wide range of very different bands and my target audience of teenagers don’t always have money to buy magazines when it is such a hard financial time. I addressed my audience with a typical teenage attitude “moody” and I used a mid shot to make it look as if my model was staring straight at the audience, to grab their attention. I have learnt a lot about technology while making my product like how to use Photoshop. Before I didn’t really understand where or what everything was but after practicing with my magazine I feel confident in using it. I also feel more confident using a camera for practical shots. After doing a lot of test shots I can now take photographs in various different shots making sure I think about the shot and the effect I want to achieve. I have also learnt about writing articles I tried to keep my article interesting for the target audience being nosey as the interviewer and asking questions I myself would want to know.  I feel as if I have learnt a lot from this task and am very pleased with my overall product. Although if I was to do it again I would improve my skills on Photoshop before starting just so I know exactly what I wanted to create.