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

From doing this project I have learnt a great deal about music magazines as well as publishers. I have learnt that to make a successful magazine you need to have a strong idea in which type of target audiences you are aiming at. From the textual analysis I did at the start of the project
enabled me to understand how a magazine promotes its artist. This is done by the way in which the artists are dressed, or the reputation the artist has. I learnt the need for cover lines as well as names of fonts e.g. san serif or serif and the connotations this may suggest. From looking at examples of different music magazines like Vibe and NME
gave me ideas on how I wanted my music magazine to look like. Although I did follow some codes and conventions of a music magazine I also developed my ideas and changed some of those codes and conventions as shown below where I have taken a long shot instead of a mid shot like most music magazines do.
From constructing a questionnaire I have learnt how to produce a questionnaire that people would understand and would find easy to fill out. From doing a questionnaire I
Have also learnt how time consuming it is to gather all the information together and put it into graphs or pie charts. This section of the coursework enabled me to understand the meaning of a ‘Demographical Profile’ and how important it is as a factor of making a music magazine.
The case study of a publishing house gave me much more knowledge behind the history of magazines and how a publishing company work. From case studying IPC I learnt that one publishing company can have many magazines they publish of many different genres from music and fashion to women and the home. I learnt that by having different styles of magazines targets different people with different interests. This company in particular has targets audiences of young people to older people over the ages of even 50 years old.
Although using Photoshop was rather easy in my opinion, due to my experiences before, I still learnt a lot through helping others in my class.
Taking the photographs were somewhat harder in a sense because I had to plan how to take them. Due to the weather conditions at the time I was unsure if I wanted to take the photographs outdoors. I wanted to take the photographs outside because I had already thought of a dynamic way in which I could take the photographs that would be different to how most music magazines headlines their music artists. For example most of the magazines I have looked at have only taken their photographs inside a studio, with controlled light and background. I didn’t do this because even though I had to face unpredictable weather it was still worth while because I had already intended to show juxtaposition between the clothes in which the models were wearing and the background they were posing in front of.This is shown in the example below.

I have found out how well I can get something done when I am under pressure or how well I can meet deadlines.For example, the deadline to finish the write up was due for the 30th of March to the third of April, and I maganged to get this done before this specific deadline.However, some parts of this project was harder because it was time consuming like planning how and where to take the photographs, I have extremely enjoyed this project because it pushed me to my limits as well as meeting the limits I knew I could meet.

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

From constructing my music magazine I have become very aware of how to use cameras, Photoshop and research information on the internet.
To take my photographs I found a specific location where there wasn’t enough light to take the photographs without using a flash. I took the photographs using a Canon Eos 400 D digital camera. To take the photos was easy for me, even though I had to plan how to take them e.g. composition between the two models, making sure the shadows of their bodies weren’t showing in the photos. I found it easy to work the camera because I have used it before.

Using Photoshop was also easy for me. This is due to the experience of using Photoshop before this project was assigned to me. I therefore have Photoshop at home, so most of my work for my music magazine was done at home. This made me very organised and helped me to organise my work and get it done in time to meet the deadlines. I didn’t have much difficulty in using Photoshop however after doing the front cover I had realised it was the size of an A4. I then had to open and A4 canvas and place the original copy onto it. The example below showing my original front cover and an alternative outcome; here you can see the difference.

Q5. How did you attract/address your audience?

I attracted my audience though the colours of my music magazine as well as other factors. As explained in the answers to the previous questions, the photographs I have taken show juxtaposition between two types of styles. With the graffiti background connoting urban culture and the clothes worn by my models connoting class by still fits in with the theme of the background. This is something my audiences can find similarities in. The style of the clothing can appeal to many readers because it is it common as most young people follow the trend. As the front cover shows two male models this would also attract many female magazine buyers to find out more about them. In terms of jewellery, I purposely didn’t dress the boys in a lot of jewellery because I didn’t want to follow the examples most magazines show when headlining male artist in genre music like R&B or Rap. The only jewellery that sticks out in the front cover is the rope chain as shown in the example below.


The cover lines in my front cover also addresses the audience’s interest. For example the second cover line showing what the magazine offers in terms of fashion, other then just focusing on music.


This would persuade people to buy my magazine because it doesn’t just focus on music, showing diversity in topics the magazine offers. This again is different to most music magazines as most only focus on music for example music in movies. As shown in the example below.



The puff I used,is another way of attracting audiences to buy the magazine. I have used one puff in the front cover of the magazine. I got this idea when I was researching magazines when I came across a puff with a similar campaign promotion. This was in October’s addition of NME.
I think this idea is effective because not all music magazines show support for a certain campaign like I did in my front cover. If they were to, they would normally write about it in the inside of the magazine. I changed the colours of it to make it my own, and decided to make the background of the puff black because it goes with the theme colours of black red and purple.





The title of the magazine would also attract a lot of people to buy this music magazine. Although my post production feedback shows that more people would buy the magazine because of the colours some did say that the title of the magazine would make them buy it. This is probably because the title ‘Ryder’ is spelt differently connoting street slang, and the angle it is in creates a dynamic edge to the magazine. This is also repeated when the main artist of the magazine ‘Infinitive’ is shown at a slanted angle.

The language used in my double spread is mostly colloquial.

I have purposely written like this so that the young target audience I am aiming at would relate and understand.
In the introduction of the double spread, I wrote in a formal tone due to it being the context of music and the artist I am writing about.
The interview section is purposely written in a chatty tone because it is an interview. I have used purple to highlight the interviewers question and red to highlight the names of the artist when they speak. This makes it easier to see and understand what is written, addressing the audience. I have used what most magazines do by writing quotations from what they artists say in a bigger font standing out to the audience so that they will be interested to read on.

Q4. Who would be the target audiance for your media product?

The target audience for my media product is certainly teenagers and young adults, preferably from 15 to 21 year olds. This is due to content of the magazine as well as the music promoted and the bright and eye catching colours of the magazine. I think it appeals to an older target audience over 18 year olds because although the photographs show graffiti background the clothing worn by the boys show a sense of maturity. I have purposely used this combination so it would appeal to a bigger target audience of both sexes. I can also say that more girls would probably buy this magazine because of the models on the magazine as results show in my post production feedback.
From examples of different music magazines like Vibe magazines December 2006 addition showing a two shot of the rap artists Eminem and 50 cent. They are posing in a way in which would seem intimidating connoting the ‘hard’ ‘gangster rap’ image that the genre of artist promotes. This would automatically appeal to fans of the two as well as males from the age of 15-25. I think this is quite similar to my magazine due to the way in which they are posing. However, I think my magazine challenges the some aspects like costume worn. Most music magazines promoting a particular genre of music artist dress them in the clothes which would appeal to their target audience. For examples you wouldn’t expect to see a rock artist wearing ‘gangster’ clothes, medallion chains and trainers.



In terms of race, I think my music magazine targets people of all races. However, this is determined also by their interest. For examples someone of black origin may not be interested in a genre of music like R&B, it just depends on the interest of that person no matter what race they are. I think my magazine would appeal to people who likes the types of artists and music it promotes.
Most people who would actually buy this magazine are people who would be willing to spend more than £1. Most music magazines don’t sell their magazines for less than £1.For example, NME sells their magazines for roughly £2.10 an issue, as shown below.

From the post production feedback, I can conclude that only a percentage of the people I asked would be willing to pay more than £1 but less than £4 for my magazine. This was because all the people I asked were students in full time education. Perhaps I should of asked an older selection of people, who maybe work to find out how much they would pay for my music magazine.

Q3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Publishing companies like IPC publishes a larger variety of magazines and therefore has a wider ranger of audiences they target. This therefore creates a lot of competition within the publishing company as some of the magazines they publish like Mary Claire and in style which are relatively similar to each other.
After researching different types of publishers that could distribute my magazine I have found a publishing company called ‘Future plc’ that publishes more then 80 newsstand magazines. I have chosen this firm because I have realised they only focus on music of a particular genre. I.e. rock music. As shown below.

Future magazine covers a wide range of different types of magazines, from gaming and music to sports and computer magazines. They also have many different websites event they showcase to their consumers. Therefore, the company is rather successful because of the different target audiences they attract.
Future plc is an international special-interest media business, founded in 1985 as a UK company but later in 2001 the company became world wide by being distributed to the US, France and Italy. Future focuses on ‘creative, innovative and competitive culture’. Their statement reads “we produce more than 80 regular newsstand magazines, 62 websites and 25 annual live events. We have strong market positions in all of our sectors: games, music & movies, technology, sports, auto and crafts. Future sells more than 4 million magazines each month; we attract more than 18 million unique monthly visitors to our websites, and hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts to our live events.” This clearly shows how broad their target audiences are and this is the reason I chose Future plc to distribute my music magazine. Although my magazine is rather different to the music magazines future publishes I think the diversity of my magazine will still attract people to buy this magazine as it still abounds with the types of music magazines they publish.
Another reason I was interested in this firm is because although this started out as a UK company, it has branched into the states and some parts in Europe. Because my music magazine covers artists from the UK as well as the US making the magazine familiar with consumers in different countries rather then a cult target audience.
This particular media institution might want to distribute my music magazine because it would attract different types of people making it more diverse. My magazine appeals to more teenagers then older adults due to the content, and the bright colours shown on the front page. This could be the reason my magazine might not do as well with this publishing company due to their magazines being more classic and simple.
However, some magazines they publish are eye catching and quiet familiar to my music magazine although they do not promote the same genre of music.
[As shown below]

Q2 How Does Your Media Product Represent Particular Social Groups?

My Music magazine mainly focuses on a target audience of young teenage, urban readers who are interested in a genre of ‘New music’. I decided to relate my artists for my music magazine to ‘Go Go’ music because it is becoming very popular amongst the younger generation. My music magazine represents this particular social group by, firstly: The cover lines (about fashion and American and British music) the clothes worn by my models and the background to the pictures (creating an urban feel to the magazine). Due to the colours and layering of my music magazine I would say that the social groups the magazine mainly focuses on are teenagers who would buy this magazine for a cheaper price as shown from the results of my post production research shows that more 15-19 describe their style as ‘urban’ and chose that they liked the colours of my music magazine the most in comparison to the title or the artists it promotes.
Although my front cover headlines artist who promote rock/pop music as well as new school and R&B it familiarises with the bounds of teenagers and young adults.
When looking at Music magazines like ‘NME’ I can say that their magazines represent a social group of people who listen to music such as punk rock, indie, pop and it promotes many American artists as well as British. In this case the target audience for this magazine would be to people aged 16-25 who listen to this type of music. This is the same case with magazines like ‘Rolling stone’ whose target audience would be people who would know a lot about music and film. This magazine in particular connotes American music culture and therefore would promote well known American artists.

Q1.In What ways does your media product use,develop or challenge codes and conventions of real media products?

My Magazine in many ways challenges the codes and conventions for a real Music magazine. First of all, in terms of camera shots and techniques I have taken the photographs mostly in long shot angels. For example my front cover shows a long shot featuring two people. When I compare this with ‘VIBE’ magazine I can conclude that they tend to use more mid shots for the front covers of their magazines. Examples are; June 2008, December 2007 and May 2007.





I chose to make the long shot my font covers because I have realised most music magazines headlining male artists tend to use mid shots in comparison to Female artists; showing the whole of their body. This is clearly constructed to branch out to a bigger scale of music magazine buyers and target audience a balance of males and females. When music magazines like ‘VIBE’ headlines a male artist like ‘Lil Wayne’ shown in their May 2008 addition, shows the rapper posing in a threatening way, although dressed very formally in a black suit. This still connotes the ‘Gangster Rap’ image that the magazine promotes in order to meet the interest of their buyers.
My Music magazine on the other hand headlines a long shot of the two boys, one standing up and one bending down looking away from the camera whilst one is looking to the camera. This again breaks the codes and conventions of a music magazine showing scale and composition in how the boys are posing.

Symbolic codes and conventions in media i.e. clothing and colours in most magazines I have looked at shows little clothes being worn especially when female artists are promoted. In terms of male artists, they are promoted through class and basically looking good and looking rich. For example, in Novembers 2007 addition of ‘Jay z’ on the front cover of ‘Rolling stone’ shows him in a much more ‘business’ way then usual. The photograph it self connotes wealth, and domination as target audiences’ would know he owns a number of business which enables him to have the reputation he has. In comparison to September 2007 addition of ‘Christina Aguilera’ posing in a latex sailor outfit which links to the theme of her new album ‘Candyman’. This automatically appeals to more male audiences due to it being more sexually suggestive.
On the front cover of my magazine shows a graffiti background juxtaposed with the two boys wearing shirts. I carefully thought this through and decided to dress the two boys in shirts and by choosing to the take the photographs in front of a graffiti background made the front cover of the magazine more eyes catching. The colours therefore are also very eye catching from the background showing mainly blues and greens to one of the boys wearing brown and white to another wearing a pink and black checked shirt. I personally think this works very well in reaching out to my target audience as my questionnaire results show that most fifteen to nineteen year old would describe their style as ‘urban’ or’ other’ furthermore when asked ‘what colour would appeal to you more in a music magazine?’ more then half of the students I asked said ‘Bright colours’. In this case I used the codes and conventions of a real music magazine by adapting the need for it to be eye catching, bold and vibrant.
However, when it comes to costume and jewellery as well as the background I have challenged the codes and conventions by juxtaposing two different elements of fashion (urban and smart/casual wear) together. This subsequently target audiences a younger generation.

The colour theme of my magazine (purple, red and black) are also frequently repeated in the contents page and the double spread page. This is somewhat different to most music magazine. For example ‘NME’ has a wide range of different colours they use for the contents and double spread. The magazine doesn’t use the ‘NME’ colours which are red black and white for the rest of the magazine. They tend to play around with the colours a lot more just like most music magazines. Perhaps this is done to show variation.


Different types of music interest different types of people. From Hip Hop and R&B to punk rock magazines like ‘NME’ and ‘Rolling stone’ cover a larger target audience due to the different types of music artist it promotes. For my magazine used the same examples they show by headlining different types of music. I decided to put real artists of different genres of music from American artists to British Artists. I chose to do this to show diversity as it will appeal to more people.Results from my questionnaire show most fifteen to nineteen year olds listen to R&B and Hip pop and only a small percentage listen to rock music. From the results of the questionnaire, I decided to base my double spread page of the made up group ‘Infinitive’ to promote a genre of ‘Go Go’ Music. This is a result of most ‘New Music’ being listened to by a younger generation of people. I personally think this is affective because although it’s becoming very popular it has been around for a long time as exampled in my double spread. In the write up, I gave examples of past music icons who have started out the genre. Most students who took my question also said they will be attracted to buy a music magazine because of the artists and the music it promotes. This is why I focused on showing different types of music artists on my front cover to insure that my music magazine reaches out to a wider target audience