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FINAL EVALUATION

Looking back on my preliminary task of the college magazine, i feel i have learnt alot in the progression from college magazine to the full product.

My magazine represents my target audience because i used a suitable name which symbolised teenage social life. I felt it represented music because that's what happens at a houseparty- you dance etc to music. The colours were both bold, bright - to the questionnaires results and uni-sex to suit both genders who would read the music magazine. The layout also, is similar to some of the magazines i researched, however i have adapted them well, by making them unique with logos and style. I used the same design throughout the magazine, thinking about the typical conventions (extracting colours from models clothing etc or keeping colour schemes) and making the pages look contemporary (not old fashioned- boring fonts and colours like beige).

If i did the magazine again i think i would spend even more time on each page, and try and perfect each anchor, and photograph (as some i didn't need to edit with the blemish tool, or add gradient too) more. This may sound alot like what i was going to change in my pre-lim evaluation. But i think no matter how much you work at a project, there's always something you can make room for improvement for, and i have definately produced a much better magazine than my pre-lim!!!!!

I was organised in the evaluation because i did all the pre-productions, ranging from mood boards to magazine analysis, and technically, my skills on each of the softwares i used have improved tremendously since my pre-lim task.

PHOTOSHOOTS

Firstly for the photoshoot, i took the main cover and contents images at college and the DPS photos at home (using a white wall, to enable easy "Magic Wand" usage!). I found using the SLR Camera, easy, as i understood the basics of getting everyone in the frame and zooming etc. We used High-lighting to make "The Band" stand out more in the camera photo footage. To gurantee a good photo we had to move the lights about and position them in the right place where all the models could be focused on.There were a few off-focus and non-scaled photos, which i had learned from, to make the other photos exellent! The white back drop was used so it would be easier to cut out the picture and apply a background, much like a green screen (which we had used in the preliminary task). I used three models for "BARNEY'S STARDUST" (The Band), which i felt was enough to create the illusion of a group, but so the photo could be more zoomed in to a Mid-Shot of the models. I got the idea from my picture inspiration mood boards and research. I used props like fairy lights (for added glamour and festivity- connotation of a party)a hairbrush and blusher brush, because i wanted the "backing singers" of the band to be posing as if they were pretending to sing in microphones whilst getting ready for a party. I used two girls and one boy, because my target audience is mixed gender and also because i feel, girls will think of it as "girls read this" because of the dominance of gender on the page. However the boys would think "these guys who read this magazine get all the ladies" (without trying to sound stereotypical).

LEARNING ABOUT TECHNOLOGIES IN THIS COURSEWORK

During this process i have learnt all about the useful technologies in this project. To construct my products i used Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop, and i played around on InDesign. These computer softwares have greatly shown me how to edit photographs from my photo shoot and perfect my magazine cover etc, by using tools such as "Polygon Lasoo" and "Magic Wand". These two tools helped me crop pictures and remove any un-wanted shadow etc around the selected image. An example of this would be Poppy's arm/upper area- so to look respectable and not promiscious i had to use a dropper and paint tool to create a patch more of clothing and also the wand to crop her arm, as i mistakingly drew it with the black "paint".Paint Shop Pro i found easy (not only because i'm used to it at home, but because the layout is simple), and alot like photoshop (Which meant i could change the saved format to a PDF and carry on the work at college). It has "Layers" which you can move and add objects too, and also many other tools alike, like... a "Dropper","Mover","Selection", Zoom and again "Magic wand". For use of InDesign, i thought it vital to use specific tools like "Gradient" (which helped me decided whether i wanted a multi-tonal background, or transparency to the design cover, to have a elemental magazine). I used other tools like the "Direct Selection arrow" to practise my skills, which i them applied similarily to Photo Shop.

Learning these tool palettes has been vital in helping me produce a good "cutting edge (as my brief insisted) music magazine, that stands out and looks much improved from my pre-lim task, which i'll admit was very basic. I 've tried to use all elements of the softwares, to show skill in this topic.

Websites such as http//:www.photoshoplab.com have been useful to learning the tools step by step. Especially when there hasn't been a teacher on hand (at lunch etc).

My photoshoot was very substantial to what i feel the success of my magazine. The photoshoot was carefully thought out, by doing magazine cover image research and general magazine photo research.

Magazine Cover Research: This was done by selecting a few magazines which my target audience were interested in, or had the type of music they liked. I then did a spider diagram around each one pointing out a few key elements, like "Poses", "Background" and "how many models" etc. This helped me generalise and again look back upon my typical magazine conventions.

General Magazine Photo Research: I created another mood board which had pictures that i felt i could base my photos around. I had to think about composition and elements of props/clothing the "artists" in my magazine where going to use. I wrote on assitate paper above the picture and wrote what i liked, and felt i could construct my photoshoot around. An example of this would be; the amount of people in the photoshoot, and also the black sequin dress which i made one of my models wear, because i felt it expressed a party, youthful/glamourous personality which my magazine target audience would appreciate.

Photo minipulation/printcreens in my scrap book proves the above points.

TILLATE.COM MAGAZINE DPS

My double page spread for Tillate.com magazine was key to helping me sort out my magazine layout for my final magazine cover. i divided the analysis in sections to do with design. The sections were divided into; typography (which included style colour and position),Images (size, position and mise-en-scene), design (colours, backgrounds and boxes), Layout (composition of elements) and Copy (Language, register and tone).

This helped with the success of the magazine as i felt it was important that each individual componant and denotations were carefully analysed, so readers of my magazine would notice similar representation.

KERRANG MAGAZINE DPS

Things are very much the same for this Kerrang DPS on Tyson Ritter, as to how i analysed

Tillate.coms DPS above ^

TILLATE.COM MAGAZINE CONTENTS

KERRANG MAGAZINE CONTENTS

I chose to analyse the Kerrang Contents page. I did this by seeing what they were advertising, how many pages there were and what types of anchoring they have. Again alike to the KERRANG MAGAZINE COVER i deconstructed what i thought a single-genred music "person" would like to read.

Although Tillate.com magazine is about Club music. Club music is a mix of popular music out there, so i thought it was important to deconstruct those aswell to help my Pre-Production.

TILLATE.COM MAGAZINE COVER

I chose to analyse "Tillate.com" Magazine because i felt it catered to the party theme (as it's about clubbing), aswell as being niche. This was vital because my magazine wanted to be original- something Tillate was. Although mine was not for a niche market i wanted clever technique ideas (like font etc) to make my magazine to stand out from other magazines on the market.

KERRANG MAGAZINE COVER

I analysed the magazine "KERRANG" because it catered to a Rock background (one of the favourite genres in the questionnaire). I thought about typography, image. layout, anchors etc. As it is a popular magazine i thought it was important to choose a mass marketed magazine to research the popularity factors of the magazine. above is the other half of my magazine ^

How did i attract my target audience? Was it a success?

To attract my target audience it was important that i used a variety of methods of analysis and research to get the correct audience impact.

I did a variety of things to help:

1. I analysed 2 magazine covers, contents and DPS's (Double Page Spreads)
2. I created a mood board from my questionnaire research
3. I Did a psychological profile of one of my target audience
4. For my Photo Shoot i did a mood board of interesting pictures i found in similar magazines to what i wanted produce.

I was successful because i addressed my target audience through a contempory style. My choice of mixed genre music, meant i made my magazine contents and cover contempory to suit a wide circulate magazine which would be massed produced, but looked niche; because of all the colours.

My music magazine represents a particular social group, because of the age 16-19. Their social status meaning old enough to really enjoy parties. It represents people as out-going and fun, because thats what the name HOUSEPARTY has as connotations/denotations.

Take alook at this Final magazine cover for example different social groups are represented through publication i.e; which celebrities they like, male and female references and music celeb fashion (something which widely represents groups of people). I was aiming my magazine at "Popular kids", although this sounds stereotypical, it would make people who don't feel "popular" as such, want to buy the magazine to be on trend.

My target audience and why

My target audience was 16-19 year olds ,as by these ages people are likely to be at houseparties and enjoy/appreciate listening to music regulary. I also decided that the audience would be both gendered- male and female. This was primeraly because the type of music i issued in my magazine appealed to both sexes, and at Houseparties you are more likely to have both male and females. I understood that perhaps, issues like "music celeb fashion" would be risky. seeing as in my questionnaire the boy's weren't fussed about clothes. (see picture below with the graphs and results).So i only issued a small page on my contents saying "celebs fashion", so to not dominate the idea of the magazine and give the boys the wrong impression. Afterall, it is about music!!

I thought about the Primary and Secondary audience, by brainstorming their interests, and activities. I decided that the target audience would enjoying listening to different genres, specifically the UK Top 40 Show - which plays all the latest songs in the charts. The audience were going to be interested in contempory and new music, because initially to have the best "HOUSEPARTY" you need new music.

I decided that the audience would enjoy socialising by going to gatherings, cinema, shopping and ofcourse parties. And although some boys deny liking shopping (http://www.blinman.com/shopping.htm) - they do like to look good(http://www.wikihow.com/Look-Attractive-(Guys) , so to have a wide circulation of the magazine it's important to think of the type of people who would be interested in reading my magazine.

TALKING ABOUT A WIDE CIRCULATION:

I think there would be a wide circulation because the people i questioned for my questionnaire said they preferred reading about different music genres. This will then appeal to people who like to read about different genres, and people who enjoy reading about single genres, as they would pick the magazine up to read about articles of their musical interest.

Also if the target audience is Male and Female the circulation would be wider. It is primerily aimed at 16-19 year olds, however adults interested in throwing a HOUSEPARTY for their children may be inclined to find out what music they need to play. Younger children may also pick up the magazine from older siblings, as they are interested in knowing what the older teenagers are listening too.

Media Institutions

Whilst deciding who my target audience were i had to think of a media institution that would possibly distribute my magazine and why. I had already decided that the circulation of the magazine would be in the thousands as many people could read the magazine...all genders and all ages - whether actually the target audience, or adults interested in latest music, or having a houseparty for their child! That is why i made the magazine colours uni-sex and the images and content age appropriate.

I thought that a "Party Media institution, and a Charts Media institution" would distribute my magazine, as the name of it (HOUSEPARTY) held the correct connotations that these type of niche/mass marketed institutions would hold.

I think retailers like "WHSMITHS and BORDERS" would sell my magazine, as these are big companies which sell niche and mass marketed music magazines.Even music shops like "Hands Music" (a small company in Kingston-Upon-Thames) could sell the magazine, as afterall it is about latest music.

I would reach my target audience through Web advertising on popular websites such as "Facebook" and "Twitter", to create word of mouth. I would then do a TV advertisment as i feel it is important people see what the magazine looks like instead of radio where you'd just hear about it. These two sources of media advertisement would be good because again the age range of readership use one or the other, maybe even both forms of technological convergence.

Online features could be interviews with readers about the magazine, star ratings, competitions and discounts to webusers of the magazine. This then caters for people who can't get enough of the magazine, or those who need a little persuasion to buy it.

PRE-LIMINARY TASKS

The Pre-liminary task was set before we did any of the proper research for our music magazine. We had to make a college magazine!

We were put in partners and took photos on the Green Screen. We then used InDesign to create a basic magazine cover, so the real magazine looked alot more professional. I named my magazine "6.1 6.2" because in A level years at college they distinguish the two years by those names, meaning sixthform1 sixthform2. We did a questionnaire in class to see what they wanted issued on the college magazine (with college connotations in mind). As you can see from the picture, they wanted "horoscopes and leavers photos".

Ideology and Representation

These key terms above ^ were important in the making of my music magazine. As you know, ideology means something that guides an individual or large group. That is why i created a questionnaire and target audience, to really identify my magazine audience, from their interests and feedback.

The questionnaire, guided me in many ways i asked valuable questions which would guide my research like:

What magazines do you read? if not why?

If you read a music magazine, do you want to read about a particular music genre, or about different music?

When you're at a Houseparty, what do you enjoy listening to?

Please state 8 of your favourite artists:

What is your favourite colour?

Do you think a magazine should look stylish?

Do you prefer music magazines which i.e. discuss what music celebs are wearing?

Would you be interested in a magazine which was about music you should play at a houseparty?

Do you listen to the Big Top 40 Show?

Do you think magazine about all the lastest music, is more interesting than a specific genre of music, like Rock or R'n'B?

I used a variety of style questions, like "please tick the box", yes or no questions and writing answers, this is so i got a proper feedback from my target audience. i didn't want to bore them with silly questions, so they would end up giving little detail to their answers like "dunno" or something like that! i also kept a minimum of 10 questions which would be key to finding my answers to create an excellent music magazine, and again not bore my target audience.

My analysis from the magazine questionnaire results showed me what my target audience wanted. Over half said they would prefer to read a magazine which was not about a particular genre, Green was their favourite colour, but in a close second were the colours;Blue, Pink , Black and Red. 100% of the people from my survey said they thought a magazine had to be stylish. Only four more people more said they'd like an issue about fashion, current music was most popular to listen to, only one person said they wouldn't read a magazine which was about music to play at a houseparty. 50% of people listen to the Hit Top 40 Show and over half of people would like to read a magazine about the latest music instead of a particular genre, like Rock or R'n'B.

The analysis helped me come to a value magazine decision, i trusted the people i had surveyed as they ranged from 16-19 both male and female and they gave different, but truthful responses. That is one reason why i think my magazine was a success.

From the analysis i concluded that my magazine would be about current music which you could play at a houseparty. For the magazine contents and cover i would use plugs and anchors which were about artists found on the Hit UK Top 40. Colour and style wise the magazine would be contempory and to the target audience specifications.

Using, developing and challenging forms/conventions of a real music magazine

What ways do my music magazine "HOUSEPARTY" do this?

I firstly had to think about what a magazine looked like. By analysing numurous amounts of music magazines designed for different audiences, i had to pick out the typical conventions, so my magazine would stay dynamic, but still have a typical magazine edge people enjoy reading and looking at.

For example, I would look at the fonts, and decide why they were like that...why did they have a certain name? why were they are certain size/font/colour? could they be changed stylistically every issue? and did they leave a memorable imprint in my head, so next time i saw that particular magazine i would remember it?

Secondly i would focus on image- what is the picture portraying? is it suiting a multiple age audience? is it focusing on a particular gender? does it appeal to both men and women?

These questions were important in understanding the magazine's style.

I focused strongly on:
Main Image - The celebrity endorsed in the magazine " BARNEYS STARDUST"
Colour - Attractive for buyers, different per issue? extracted from main image?
Magazine genre - Identified by magazines content, typography, colour, style and celebrity
Secondary images - Small, and give the reader an idea of what's in the magazine
Strapline - Bold, and dominant on the page, relating to main image
Information - What is in the magazine
Lettering - Mainly subheadings and plugs to anchor the audience through different font style
Masthead review - Unique typography, relates to magazine genre, needs to be recognisable
Plug - "Do you want the best houseparty ever?" caption entices the reader to buy the magazine
Lead story - Usually something to do with the celebrity endorsed in the magazine cover

and then considered where to place:
Date - situated near barcode, and sometimes the masthead.
Price - situated near the barcode, and again...sometimes the masthead
Issue number - Indicates to reader how many issues there have been of the magazine
Language - The context, is it formal,informal, feminine,masculine?
Celebrity endorsement - The endorsed model used as the main image- blemish free/photoshop!
Advertising - Kept to a minimal on front page- usually found in contents; Addresses, slogans and webpages for the magazine.

All these helped me develop my forms and conventions of a real music magazine because i wanted my magazine to a reflect a "normal" music magazine i had researched like "Tillate.com" for example, however i challenged the forms because i was forever trying to make my magazine unique, by the Name, Font/Logo, Colour and Image.

I did mood boards to show my target audiences interests, and also a psychological profile of one of a typical reader of my magazine "HOUSEPARTY".

These helped me develop my magazine because i could always check to see what sort of style and look my target audience was interested in, and they challenged them because i wanted my magazine to look niche- but mass marketed!!

Music Magazine Evaluation Introduction

My brief was as follows; create a music magazine front cover,contents page and double page spread, by using Photoshop and InDesign. Analyse other magazines by deconstructing, and finding out the typical conventions. As i had paint shop pro at home i used that to formulate lots of my magazine! all i did was convert the file into a PDF and JPG.

This blog is being used to show my progress and what i did to achieve my final piece of coursework.

I have chosen widely on making a dynamic magazine which could be read by both genders, however the personal profile i chose to create was of a female because i found out with a little research on google.com, that women read more magazines than men.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.ph?storyID=14175229

Enjoy!!