1.) In what ways does your music magazine use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of existing music magazines?
My music magazine follows the conventions of existing music magazines, that I have annalyised. I have stuck to the main conventions of music magazines; I have my main image in the centre of my front page, which is also big and is covering most of the page. I have used big font and a bold text style font. I have also used colours that will stand out and work together so that it is eye catching and stands out against the other music magazines. Also on the front of my magazine I have to other stories and headlines around the edge of the page, this also draws in readers attentions in towards the magazine, with well know names; famous people the fans want to read and find out more about them and there lives. For my contents page I made it simple and easy to read and understand. Again for my double page spread I made it full of colour, with a bright background and images of the main star on the front cover and the article is about. I have kept my images in my music magazine with the genre of music and target audience. My double page spread is bright, colourful and eye catch for the readers and it draws the reader in, I have the questions and answers on the left hand side of the page and the images and main, full page ‘poster pull out’ on the right. Like the normal conventions of a music magazine the main story gets a double page spread unlike the other stories and items featured in my music magazine.
2.) How does your music magazine represent particular social groups?
My music represents young teenagers, and which are both new in the music industry. The text anchorage that goes with the image, is telling the audience that it is ‘mayhem’ in the music business, but the word ‘mayhem’ can be used in both a good, and crazy, excited way and ‘mayhem’, too much to deal with and stressing out, not really enjoying it at the moment. Also young teenagers in general are being portrayed in this magazine in a good light and that they are being shown for their talent, and not in the media for bad way. For my contents page, I have shown the readers the information that you would usually see on a contents page; the page numbers and what is on that or them pages and I have also set out the page in sections with heading, so that if the reader wants Chris Brown’s look, then they would go to the section about or title, ‘fashion’.
3.) Who would be the audience for your music magazine?
The audience of my music magazine are teenagers; 16 to young adults; early 20’s. This is would be my target audience because teenagers are listening to Hip Hop and new music coming in to the charts and want to know about it and the artist. They also sometimes can be easily lead and although being easily lead can be a bad thing, sometimes it can be an advantage, and they want to be like a successful music artist.
4.) How did you attract/address your target audience?
I attracted my target audience by choosing to do a hip hop music magazine, because I know that what’s my target audience listens to and knows the artist’s in that genre. I have used a young female on the front which will inspire young teenagers both male and female, to go out and try and don’t give up on what they want and believe in and where they want to be in life. The bright colours used and the famous names of people use in my music who my target audience will know on the magazine will draw the target audience in because they will want to know and hear about what their favourite artists are doing. Also I found out what music, genre and even age my target audience likes and are by doing a questionnaire.
5.) What kind of media institution might distribute your music magazine and why?
Emap, would be a good media institution distributor for my music magazine because the company are one of the leading distributors. Also I think that the distributors of Kiss will be a good choice because the target audience for my music magazine listens to the same genres of music that kiss play on the radio and the artists that make Kiss; R’n’B and HipHop. I know this because I have done a questionnaire to find out the genre of music people like and listen to and in their age range.
6.) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing your music magazine?
The technologies that I have learnt from the process of constructing my music magazine are; how to use Photoshop CS3 and Illustrator CS3. Using Photoshop I have learnt how to use the different techniques to give the overall image a professional look and finish, also how to make to photo stand out more. Using Illustrator CS3 I know more techniques that make the magazine look more professional, also the different layers you can do to build up the finished page. I have also learnt how to set up and manage my own blog, to prestent my work.
7.) What do you feel you have learnt in the progression from creating the school magazine (preliminary task), to creating your music magazine?
I now know how to use the programme, Photoshop CS3 so that I can cut and crop around the edges of the photo, which will allow me put the photo on a different background, with out the existing one there too. Also I can touch up the image, to change the colours of the clothing, or make the subject in the image look better, younger or, more striking and effective and the lighting better which will make the overall image a perfection finish. Also I have learnt about what people in my target audience age want to read about through the results from my questionnaire which is Hip Hip and R’n’B and not Punk, Goth or metal which is on my front cover of my preliminary tasks. I think I have learnt how to layout and structure the different pages in my magazine now compared to my preliminary task and first drafts.
Audience Feedback: From my results on my blog from the poles overall people liked my front cover and contents page more than disliking it.
-