Audience Feedback for my Main Task Ideas

I will be asking my peers/classmates which 1 of the 2 ideas that I have come up with is the best. I will use a questionnaire which will have the 2 ideas explained and then a box for each of the people to give their own views on it and how I could possibly change it to make it better. They will all be in the target audience range which I have stated at the start of my task.

Time Schedule

I have devised a time schedule that I am going to follow to make sure that i am on top of music magazine. It will have all the deadlines of my Coursework and my blogging, this will be key in the completion of my task.

I decided that i was going to complete my task in 3 big chunks with an alotted amount of time to complete each area. This would be better because then i wouldnt fall behind if i had set small dates and then i would always know on a specific date that a certain area should be completed, i also feel this will make me more otivated to complete my task.

Research

Kerrang Magazine is one of the leading music magazines globally; I decided to look at a few of the Kerrang magazines to gain extra inspiration for my own magazine. When I have looked at music magazines, the front pages have always been packed with information and big titles to attract the eyesight of consumers. This is the best way for magazines to get their demand. All of the text is the right proportion for the size of the page, nothing is too big and it doesn't swamp the page. Commonly throughout magazines a large image is the main focal point of the page for example in this magazine the picture of All Time Low is the focal point because the main article inside the magazine is about them and the magazine want the readers to buy the magazine because of that band. Words like HUGE and AWESOME are in larger font because they are words which attract the attention and make reader want to open the magazine. They are wearing American Football kit which isn’t the stereotype for an Indie Band. This goes against the C&C of a Music magazine of this genre because it isn’t something you would normally see.

 

Research

C Motion-

Front covers follow the C&C of magazines covers. It is structured around the natural eye flow of the C shape. It is done by crowding the sides of the magazines with Cover lines and covering either the top or the bottom of the magazine. I have example of magazines which use the C motion. This theory is only used on the front cover, its soul purpose is to attract the eye of the reader or possible buyer. This is also a good example of how these magazines uses the rule of thirds to create their own front covers.

T Motion-

Naturally the eye is drawn from the top right hand corner to the top left hand corner. Then finally the eye is drawn down the page to the bottom. However this motion breaks the codes and conventions by following the T shape. The T shape consists of leaving majority of the covers space, which are filled with black and white images which are similar to each other. Meanwhile the text within the T zone uses Bold colours and eye catching fonts.

These are two ways in which magazines capture your eyeflow and make the magazine have a structured layout. These motions have been created to direct the eyeflow of the reader in a specific way so they will want to open the magazine. These motions are only used on the front cover.

Locations for Shoots

IDEA 1:

For my Front cover i am thinking of using a mugshot room in a police station. I will ask my local Police station to see if i could use their mugshot room but if i cannot use this i will use a white wall and black electric tape to recreate a Mugshot Room. But the subject will be smartly dressed in a suit or shirt and tie which will link in with my title THE USUAL SUSPECT because Rap artists are usually 'Gangsters' and wouldnt dress smartly, also you wouldnt see a smartly dressed man/woman on a mugshot line up.

 

 

IDEA 2:

 

Another idea for my location for my front cover is a graffitied wall or garage which links in to the genre of my magazine and what the nature of a rap artist is about. The rough areas and the poverty stricken areas are where Rap artists hail from and always rap about how they have come from the poorest places to the top of the music industry, and by using a rougher location it will create a better effect.

 





 



Main Task Front Cover Ideas

IDEA 1:
For my first idea i will produce a police mugshot image. This will relate to the genre and title of my magazine. The image will be framed in the middle of the page with coverlines of stories that are related to the image and the genre around the image forming the C Motion. This does not go against the codes and conventions unlike my Preliminary where i went against them by producing the T motion on my Front cover. I have learnt that i must not crowd the page with Coverlines and should follow the C motion because it creates the better front cover. From the research i have done i shall use Direct mode of address, use Pugs and teasers to draw in the attention of the reader, also use bright and vibrant colours that will stand out from the plain background, i feel that a plain background will be useful if i crop out an image but also for the mugshot. There is a local police station in my town which i could go to ask if they have a mugshot lineup, if so i will ask if i could possible use it and that will be the background for my Front cover.

 

IDEA 2:

For My second Idea I will use a graffitied wall or garage as the setting. This would be a good location because it links with the sort of areas that rap artists say they are from. The graffiti also links into the genre of music and graffiti is like tattooing a wall, and Rap artists always have tattoos, some Rap artist have tattoos on every inch of their bodies. I will have the artist with their back against the wall, with their leg leaning against the wall or doing a pose linked to what current artist do at the moment. For example Jay-Z says put your diamonds in the sky so i could get my artist to do the same.

Preliminary Task

This is the Front cover that i have produced for the Preliminary Task.
I have used the T motion as a Guide to create a Front cover. I have complied with the codes and conventions by having a bold title at the top of the magazine and a logo to remind you of the magazine that you are reading. i have placed the Cover Lines in a line down the middle of the page to create the T motion, it isnt exatcly the same as the T motion but i only used the idea as a Guide. I believe that the way that i have placed the cover lines is the best for what image is in the background.

 

I have placed the barcode in the normal position so it is familiar for readers. i also have placed the Cover Lines in the places i have to make it clearly visable and in direct mode of address. The subjects in the Anchoring image have a direct mode of address because whatever way you look at the magazine their eyes are focused on you. I have tried to make the Font cool and in with the current music style, but also considered if it is easy to read and can can clarly be distinguished from othe magazines.

To create this front cover I used Photoshop. I used the Levels tool to change the contrast of the image so that the background wasn't to bright and looked blurred. I have also added the fonts and titles from Photoshops database and everything on the page is copyright free.



Preliminary Planning

This is my contents page layout.
i have produced a layout for a contents page for my preliminary task. i have kept my design within the codes and conventions of music magazine by having a large bold title with a logo which relate to other titles and have the same logo on every double page to create continuity throughout my magazine.

I have also kept to the codes and conventions by having the features of a magazine down the left hand side of the page, this makes it easier for the reader and can follow the C motion of eye contact around the page. There will also be a note from the editor like in most magazines, which i feel will help the magazine to be current and have the same feeling as a leading market magazine.

i will not be making the text to small but not to big because i am aiming the magazine at 16 - 25 year olds and they dont want trouble reading the magazine otherwise they wont purchase the magazines.

The Background will be an Anchoring image on a plain background so the features and other editts will be easily visable and can be clearly read.

Magazine Names Feedback

I asked 30 people who are in the target audience on what they thought of each of the names, and then to choose there favourite. I have produced the results into a tally chart so it is easy to see the clear favourite. As you can see from the chart one magzine name was favoured more than the others.

'' THE USUAL SUSPECT '' was the name that was prefered most. I am happy with the results because that is the name that i liked the most too.

 

THE USUAL SUSPECT is a good name because it relates to the stereotype of a Rap artist and where they have come from/grown-up. Rap artists genuinley come from the poorest areas which could be Poverty stricken or areas in which criminal activites are ever present. This is where the Gangster image comes from.

Magazine Names for Main Task

I have come up with some names that I will consider for the final name for my magazine. I have related the names to my genre of music which is RAP. I have thought about using a play on words to create a better effect and relate it to a cover line/story on my magazine cover and double page spread for example.

I will ask some of my peers (who are the age that i am aiming my magazine at) to say which name they feel is the best. I will record the results into a tally chart and then combine the results with my own favourites to decide on a final name.

Research

I have researched into what avaliable magazines look like, I have looked at NME, KERRANG and VIBE magazines. These are three of the leading magazines in the market at moment. I have taken certain aspects of each of the magazines layouts.

I have noticed that all magazines use the Main Masthead at the top with a large background image. Some of the magazines overlap the image onto the title, this may block out a letter of the title but it will give a better effect. I would look to use it in my final product. Also i want to put the Cover Lines of the magazine around the image with one maximum placed upon the person/people in the image. For example this Vibe Magazine has the Anchoring Image of 'Diddy, Rick Ross and Janelle monae' overlaps the title of VIBE. I really like this Magazine because this is the type of music that i listen to and i would enjoy making a magazine about something that i enjoy.

Since VIBE magazine is aimed at 12 - 24 year olds my target audience fits in that bracket so therefore this is within the conventions of Music Magazines.

Codes and Conventions

I have produced a powerpoint slide which explains the codes and conventions of a music magazine, and how my own magazine will go along and go against these.

http://www.slideshare.net/Slingshare/slideshelf

Preliminary Planning

PRELIMINARY PLANNING:

 

For my preliminary task I have to create a magazine relating to schools using a medium close up image.

I have decided to aim it for sixth form students at my school, this is because I am in sixth form myself and creating this magazine would relate to people of my age (16-18 years old). It will have to have bold titles and funky font to attract the eye of a teenager, also the cover lines on the front of the magazine will have to relate to them and what is the latest debate within sixth form.

This will be the image that i will use for my front cover, although I had more images that I could have chosen from but I feel that this one has the right compasition and would sit well on the front of my magazine. The two people are wearing similar outfits and are posing similar also goes well. I feel that a medium close up was the right camera position for the way that they are sitting/ standing, and the background of the image compliment eachother. I also feel that having two people in the image will look better so i can relate the cover lines to the image. I used to 2 boys in smart clothing to link it to a Cover line that i have thought up. It will link into the school debate whether the smart 'business wear' that the school has put into place for the sixth form is working.

I will be breaking the codes and conventions by not following the C motion of a front cover and i will be using the T motion as a guide to help me with my front cover.

 

Feedback on TA and Genre

I have given out my questionnaire to 30 of my target audience 15 male - 15 female and i have collected the results into a table which i have produced. There wasnt an outstanding clear favourite but Rap did get the most votes. I am pleased with the results because i wanted to produce a rap magazine and my target audience want to see a Rap magazine created.

Target Audience and Genre

Target Audience:I am going to create a magazine for 16 - 25 year olds because I am inbetween these ages and i wish to create a magazine in which i can relate to and it is about something that I enjoy.

 

 

For the genre of my magazine i am thinking about creating a Rap Magazine. Rap is a genre of music which i enjoy and people of the target audience I am aiming should enjoy too. I have created a Questionnaire to collect results in from Peers and people of my target audience. I will be collecting results from 15 boys and 15 girls to make it even and as fair as possible.

 

 



Brief

Preliminary Exercise: Using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of a new school/college magazine, featuring a photograph of a student in  medium close-up plus some appropriately laid out text and a masthead. Additionally candidates must produce a mock-up of tyhe layout of the contents page to demonstrate their grasp of the DTP.

 Main Task: The Front Page, Contents and Double page spread of a new music magazine (if done as a group task, each member of the group to produce an individual edition of the magazine, following the same house style).