Final Outcome Music Magazine and College Magazine.

FINAL PRODUCTION 

Music Magazine Front Cover 

Music Magazine Content Page

Music Magazine Double Page Spread

PRELIM

 

 College Magazine Front Cover

College Magazine Contents Page

Evaluation -

Q5. How did you attract/address your target audience?

In this video she talks a lot about how my magazine relates to my target audience very well. She also praised the actual title of my magazine talking about how it has two meanings, 'here' as in the magazine is in the now and 'hear' obviously relating to music. She talks about the colour scheme bringing the whole magazine together through the content page and the front cover, she also says that this makes the magazine stands out and it is very eye catching and attractive.

The colour scheme running throughout my magazine is red and green, this is because of the audience questionnaires I gave out around college. My target audience chose those two colours that best suited a music magazine, therefore hopefully my magazine will appeal to them greatly.

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

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

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

Research

To start thinking about creating a magazine I needed to research the codes and conventions of real media products so I had a clear understanding of what was needed to make it successful. I chose the genre of my magazine to be indie alternative so started looking at media products such as Q and NME. These magazines don't focus on one particular genre of music but cover many instead which makes it appeal to a wider range of people. When using the internet for research I learnt that most magazine front covers use a medium close up for the main image with a direct mode of address to the audience.  

Planning

After handing out several questionnaires to my target audience I learnt what they wanted to see in a magazine, this made it easy to create what should be a successful product. I learnt about publication plans and how they are a good way of planning out the guidelines and structure to my magazine, this was helpful as when I came to creating the magazine in photoshop and quark I already knew exactly what was going to be in it. Before I took pictures of the artist and models used in my magazine I planned out which type of shots I was going to take so that I had a rough understanding of what to do in the shoot. I made sure that I took a lot of images so that I had a fair few to play around with and see which one fitted best.

Photography

As I took photography at A level I had quite a good understanding of how to use a camera and get good images. I needed to make sure I portrayed the genre of music through the image taken so I dressed my model in casual clothing with striking make-up. I used a Canon 500D to take the images for my music magazine, I learnt from my mistakes on the college magazine where I found it difficult to crop the main image as there was too much going on in the background, therefore I made sure that the model for my music magazine was standing against a plain background so that it was easier for me to cut out on photoshop or give me the option of sticking with the original background all together. I learnt about using props to represent the genre of magazine, for example headphones and microphones signifying music and talent. 

Journalism

After buying several NME and Q magazines I read many articles that helped me recognise the style and layout of real media products. I used friendly/modern language to create a relationship between myself and the artist, I also did this so that my target audience could relate to it. I used the structure that I found most common for music magazine double page spreads buy placing one large image of the artist on one of the pages then writing the interview on the other. I made the question and answers different colours to make them stand out. I used a purple colour scheme for my double page spread which I think worked well with linking it all together.

From making my college magazine at the start of this task to my final product you can see the clear progression made, my photoshop and quark skills developed a lot and I was able to create a magazine that I think looks real and genuine. I learnt about the layout and size of texts needed on a front cover. There is a lot of blank space on my college magazine where as on the final product it is mostly filled up with words and information about what is going to be in the magazine. 

There is a very clear difference in the quality of the content page from my prelim work to the final product work. You can see that after doing research I learnt about the use of columns on a content page, the offer of a subscription that will appeal to my target audience, the structure and layout of the whole page, the understanding of higher quality pictures to make the magazine look professional. I also learnt about the importance of having different features each week but also having regular content available to the reader.

It was the first time that I had ever used the quark editing programme so it was all new to me, therefore it took a while for it to become easy to use. You can see that my first attempt at creating a double page spread didn't work out too well, there are no colour schemes and the images don't really fit around the text. I feel that my skills on quark developed the more I worked with it, you can see the the final outcome of my magazine worked well, the structure and layout is like a common magazine and the colour scheme works really well with the headphones and text.

Audience Feedback

I asked a member of my target audience, a boy aged 19, to give me feedback on what they thought of my magazine. I recorded the converstaion on a voice recorder then played it back and typed it up-

Front cover-
I like the front cover, the red colour scheme really works with that time of year and links the whole page together. The main image of the artist is good, she looks like a successful recording artist, the fact that she is looking into the camera really draws me in and makes me want to read the magazine. I like that there is a wide range of artists from different genres, it is appealing as you've not just focused on one type of music. The fact that the magazine is a 2012 special makes it feel exclusive and one of a kind, making me want to buy the magazine.

Content Page-
The content page looks really professional, the way you have used the columns makes it look good and it is easy to read. I like how the page is filled but it is organised at the same time. The offer of subcription you've included is a good idea as it is a way of saving money. The way you have carried the red colour onto the content page also works well and you can tell that it is part of the magazine. I think the competition to win the headphones is good for the music magazine, that would definitely convince me to buy your magazine.

Double Page Spread-
Again the use of your colour scheme is good, its good how the colour of the head phones the artist is wearing also links to the text on the other page. The three text columns and main text looks professional.

Interview with Laura Ellen

You're very busy at the moment Laura, what do you do to relax?
- I am very busy but I'm not complaining, I love what I do, I wouldn't change a thing. If I am not singing I usually have to rest my voice so to relax I like to do things like go to the cinema and eat out. You can often find me tucked up on the sofa watching a good rom-com too!

The past year has been a really good year for your career, how will 2012 better it?
- I hope that 2012 will be just as amazing as the last, now I am a bit more recognised in the UK I'd love to just continue working and producing my own music. This is the first I've spoken about it, exclusive news, in summer I am looking at moving to America where I'll be launching myself over there, I am really excited about that as you can imagine, I love America too, especially New York and all the shops!

WOW Laura, that sounds fantastic. HEAR feel privileged that we're the first people you're sharing that amazing news with. Are the rumours true that you'll be soon joining up with Kanye West to produce some music?
- (Laughs) I saw that on Twitter this morning, I have spoken to Kanye a few times over the phone, we have said we'd love to do it but no actual plans have been made. Maybe not this year but 2013 look out! I feel like just keeping my feet on the ground for the time being, I don't want to get carried away with myself, I'm still only 17.

Oh yes, HEAR follow you on Twitter. It seems like you make a lot of time for your fans, you do loads replying to them. What do they mean to you?
- My fans mean the world to me, without them I wouldn't be anywhere. I always make time for them, like they did for me when I was just starting up. I do try my hardest to reply to them all because I care and want to listen to what they have to say.

You're only 17, where do you get your inspiration from?
- John Mayer, I love John Mayer! His music is so inspiring, he is a really great artist, probably my favourite at the moment, I like to listen to him in the car driving around, his songs are lovely to sing. I also love Drake, Beyonce and Rihanna. I get most of my inspiration from everyday life, if I see something interesting when I'm out and about, I'll go home and write about it, even if it's just a sentence or two, you never know when it will be useful.

What can we expect from your album? Any John Mayer covers?
- Nope not on this one, this album purely contains my own music that I've written and produced myself. Most of my songs are meaningful and emotional, about being happy and sad, love and heartbreak, there's a good combination. There is one or two that will get you up on your feel dancing, some really fun songs in there.

Finally, why is it called 'Light Up Higher'?
- Its called that because I want people to feel lifted when listening to it, I want them to be happy. Not sad and low. I want everyone to feel like they're being lifted higher, so they feel more important, have a good time, thats the main thing.

That's everything from Manchester girl Laura Ellen.