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Preliminary Magazine

Preliminary Magazine-Contents Page

Front Cover

Contents Page

Double Page Spread

Pictures taken to use for the magazine

I have chosen to use this photo as the image of the R&B artist, 'Leah Lopez' on my contents page. I have chosen to use this photo because I feel that it is suited to the genre of the magazine, I have dressed my model in the same outfit (puffer jacket with a fur hood and a thick gold chain with black ribbon), as she wore for the front cover. However I have used a different pose and shot (medium close up) for this one.

Pictures taken to use for the magazine

For this photo I have dressed my model up in appropriate clothing, in order to fit the genre of the magazine. I intended a sexy, yet glamorous image. To acieve this I have dressed her in a black lace top and blue shorts with gold buttons, i have also dressed her in red heels, I have chose thesse colours as they are all complimentary to each other in achieving the look of a female R&B artist. My ideas for the mise-en-scene stemed from previous observations I had made from other R&B artists.

Pictures taken to use for the magazine

Pictures taken to use for the magazine

Pictures taken to use for the magazine

Pictures taken to use for the magazine

Pictures taken to use for the magazine

I have chosen to use this photo as one of the images on my double page spread as it is suited to the shared personality of the R&B artist, 'Leah Lopez', as the title of the article is, 'Tears, Tantrums and Triumph'. This photo portray's her as a bit of a diva.

Pictures taken to use for the magazine

I have chosen to use this photo for the image on the front cover of my magazine. I chose this photo because, it is more suited to the front cover as the model is looking at the camera which can be seen as direct contact with the reader.

1st sketch for my music magazine

Based on the research i have gathered on the internet, I have created my own design idea for a media product with resembelance to that of the real media products. I have included the conventions of a real magazine, for example, sell lines, date and issue number, the main image, offer to the reader and a barcode. As these are just sketches, they will be used to create the design for my music magazine but, the end product may have some differerences as the sketch is just a guidline.

2nd sketch for my music magazine

Focus Group Questions

This is another form of audience research, that I have used in order to find out more about buying behaviour.

The following are the quetsions that were asked in order to find out this information:

What do you like most about the magazine?

Is there anything else you would like to be interested in the magazine?

How could the product be improved?

How does the product appeal to you?

Music Magazine Questionaire [Pie Chart]

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Questionniare

Music magazine questionnaire

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Initial Ideas

Before starting my planned sketches for my media product, I put together a few ideas for a questionnaire, in order to find out peoples opinions on music magazines. This is an important part of the music magazine as audiences are constantly changing. Things like size and impact, of the media on audiences in general and the effectiveness of advertising also needs to be considered as well as how audiences interrlate with the media. When deciding on the possible questions for my questionnaire, I will have to think about how consumption of media and how it has changed over the past few years. Through feedback that I will recieve, through the questionnaire I plan to create, I will be able to identify those changes whether or not those cahnges have been influenced as a result of changes in age, interest and circumstances. When developing my initial ideas for my front cover, contents page and double page spread I will have to think about the information that I am going to put into my magzine in regards to demographics, for example, age, social class, gender, and income. I will have to spend more time trying to identify specific groups in order to sell to my targeted audience for the magazine.

Audience Theory

Inorder to start my plans or sketches for my own media product, it is essential for me to research the audience. This serves a purpose as part of my production as I need to know what intrests the audiance and use it to my advantage in order to craete a media product that will attract them and make them want to buy my magazine. The following information was obtained from the media textbook.

Audience-consumers of media text

The ways in which the audience can 'read' texts:

• Preferred or dominant readings- that are easier to relate ot by those reading it. Mianstream, maost people can relate to it.
  


• Negotiated readings- the redaer is forced to idnetify with characters in a book/ TV.
  


• Oppostional or resistant readings- something that contrasts with the perspective of the viewers. opposite position to what point the program was trying to make.
  


• Postioning audiences and points of view- audience automatically assumes stereotypical views. They way this is done to make other people assume stereotypical views. (characters portrayed to the audience).
  


• Mode of address-can be quite a complex and subtle construction. At one level, it concerns the language the media organisation adopts to communicate with its audience. Beyond the actual words used, there is also aquestion of register: the manner, or tone, in which they are spoken. High culture stations, such as the drawn out form of speech used on the BBc's Radios 3 and 4. Popular stations use a much more abrupt and energetic manner of speaking.

Uses and gratifications of the first magzine I looked at:

• Diversion-an escape from the routines of daily life, from the burden of oyr problems, as an emotional release, as relation, fantasy.



• Personal Relationships-to help companionship and social intercation with others, discussion of shared experiences and interests.



• Personal identity-to explore new experiences and pionts of view, to reinforce our personal ideas, values and beliefs about life.



• Surviellance-to apply the need for information in our complex world, to keep up to date with events.



• I then started my primary research on the audience and audience research, this included looking at qualitative information, in regards to questionnaires(also used as an audience research method)-closed questions, for example, how old are you? and quantitative research-open questions, for example, which age were you happiest?

The audience research methods:

Qaulitative information: is usually based oin numbers, statistics or tbales/ graphs to 'measure' and produce hrda data. it ofetn involves working wiith large groups of people.


Qualitative reasearch: often attempts to explain or understand something and may involve more discussion and analysis of people's attitudes and behaviour. It usually invloves working with a small numbers of people of 'focus groups'.

The textual analysis of an example double page spread

I also researched and observed the conventions of a double page spread from music magazines, in order to help me to compose my own double page spread as part of the media studies coursework. This double page spread is partialy conventional, in the sense that it has a title and sub title for the article. The format of the text is also in columns; this makes the article easier to read. The article begins with a large font, 'Times new roman' letter. There is also the use of the name of a famous music journalist, this helps to sell the main article and keeps the reader interested in what they are about to read. the double page spread also uses the idea of intertextuality for the title of the article, for example, the title of the book, Heart of Darkness written by Joseph Conrad, has been used to create the title of the article, 'Art of Darkness', this possibly cannotes an energetic indie group. The interview is written in continious prose which suggests a journalistic/reportage style to signify the band's importance. The name of their album, 'xx', is used as a recurring motif throughout the article, this is a method used to help promote their album. Mise-en- scene is also linked to the title of the article, as the artists of the group are all dressed in black clothing that covers up most of their bodies; this can be identified as a connotation of darkness. The lighting (image lit from below) is used to create big shadows behind the artists, this can also be linked to the connotation of darkness.

The textual analysis of the 1st contents page

I have also researched contents pages from these music magazines in order to help me with my own one. I have selected three different contents pages with varied layouts. The first example follows the usual conventions of a contents page from a music mgazine with a few exceptions. The contents page has a medium longshot image of the R'n'B music artist, Ciara, this covers the bottom of the page, she is dressed in fashionable clothing- a leotard and waist-belt with heels (fashion consious), allowing the reader to identify that this magazine is targeted towards young people. This also gives us an insight into what genre of music the magazine focuses on and their target audience, this may be, people who like RnB and Hip Hop, aged 16-24. The image is part of a feature article but not necassarily the main feature, this is part of the unique selling point (USP). The format of the word 'contents' is unconventional, it is split up into three sections. Behind the word contents is a 'V' for the title of the magazine, 'Vibe' this is a recurring motif; reminding the reader of what magazine they are reading. The date/issue os the magazine is also on the contents page. The text is also simple and informal in order to appeal to their target audience. The page numbers are also in a large font. There is also a simple theme of colours used, faded black, silver and white, this looks professional, as most mgazines use limited use of colour, this makes it easier for the readers to read it. The text in the black area is printed in white and the grey and white areas the text is black and grey. The contents page has features; not the ordinary, this helps the reader to know what topics are in the magazine.

The textual analysis of the 2nd contents page

The layout of this contents page is conventional, the contents page has the title of the magazine as the header and the date/issue. There is the use of one image. The image may be part of the feature but not necessarily the main feature. The close-up image of the artist James Blunt is also part of the unique selling point. The emotional expression on his face relates to the music he produces which is mainstream indie music, the reading on may reveal the reason for this. There is a limited use of colour on the contents page; black, white, red. This is expected from this magazine as most magazines use limited colour; this makes it easier for the readers to read it also looks professional. The contents also includes features; such as, 'burgers guide', 'why I love Lennon' and 'the 25 most pathetic rock stars', these are an additional to the issue which also help to sell the magazine. They also suggest that the readers like not just contempary music but also music from the late 60's and 70's as there is a reference to John Lennon, it also shows that readers don't just read the magazine for information but for humour as well.

The textual analysis for the 1st example of a music magazine cover

The first example of a music magazine cover follows the usual connventions of a magazine in general, the genre of the magazine is hip-hop and R'n'B. The typical connventions of a magazine includes the masthead, the example of the music magazine I have chosen also has this, this isn't necessarily the leading story. Following the header is the name of the magazine' vibe'this suggests the genre of the magzine R'n'B/Hip-Hop and the target audience of the magazine (16-24) , I know this as the names mentioned on the front cover of the magazine gives me an insight into what genre of music this particular magazine focuses on. As for the age group the artist is dressed in fashionable clothing (fashion concious) , so this suggests that the magazine is targeted towards young people. The composition of the title(mast head) is also conventional as it is positioned behind the main image. The main image/ focal point is the music artist/singer 'chris brown'. This reveals the lead/cover story of the magazine (intereview) to the reader. There is also typography, amongst this there are sell lines; they appeal to their target audience and reveal what kind of music is involved. There are also tie-ins, for example,Mega Music' and ' CDs are dead - the 30 hottest spots for Hip Hop and R&B on the web' ; this can also be seen as the offer to the reader. The music magazine cover also has a barcode at the bottom, left hand corner. Overall, Iwould say that the layout of the magazine is simple. The connotations(mise-en scene) of the music magazine include the tattoos; this illustreates Chris Brown as a 'bad boy', there is also the colour of his t-shirt whisc is red; this colour connotes danger, the colour of his t- shirt alos links him to the article as tyhe word, 'virgin' is printed in the same colour. The jewelry worn by Chris Brown is also qiute flashy; this reveals that he lives a wealthy lifestyle. The 'NY' hat that Chris Brown is wearing ties in with the genre of the magazine as it represents a hip-hop/ R'n'B style.

The textual analysis for the 2nd example of a music magazine cover

The second example of a music magazine cover is also conventional, although there is a lot of space (very plain compared to other music magazines). The magazine has the sell lines, which are at the head of the page; they appeal to the target audience(16-24), intrested in rap/ hip-hop, I know this as the names on the front cover give us an insight into what genre(s) is in the magazine, the artists on the front cover are also dressed in fashionable clothing (fashion conscious), therefore appealing to young peoplem, this too suggests the kind of music involved. The magazine also has the date/ issue of the magazine. Following this is the title of the magazine 'Rap-Up', the name of this suggests the genre of the magazine, however there is a contrast as the names on the front cover are all names of female artists and the genre, 'rap' is usually associated with male artists; this could be seen as the change in music over time. The facial expressions of the artists on the front cover are slightly subversive as they look freindly; usually 'rap/ hip-hop' artists look quite serious, this is unconventional and subverts the stereotype of this particular genre. There are sell lines of which include the use of alliteration, for example,' Stop & Stare', this is an advertising technique used to engage the audience. The artists are all dressed in individual style, the clothes they wear are a represntative of their genre of music, for example (from left to right) Teyana Taylor is dressed in funky hip-hop clothing; big hair, big hooped earings, bright colours and patterned trousers. Keri Hilson is dressed in classy R'n'B clothing; simple colours black nad white dress, one leather glove and big dangly earings. Solange Knowles is dressed in funky clothing; shinny silver skirt and 2 differnt coloured stockings, stars on her shoes. By the information provided on the front cover, readers can identify that there is information concerning fashion as well as music.

The textual analysis for the 3rd example of a music magazine cover

The 3rd example of a music magzine cover, like the 1st and 2nd example, is also conventional. The header of the page is the slogan of the magazine. It also has the sell lines, this appeals to the target readers (16-24) and suggests the genre of the magazine (pop indie). There are also offers for the readers, for example, ' All the months albums, gigs,films nad DVDs reviewed and rated'. The composition of the title/masthead of the magazine is conventional as it is positioned behind the artists. The magazine also has the date/issue, price and the magazines website, this reveals convergence as their target audience can also use the website to find out more about the music they listen to, this also gives them a chance to catch celeb updates, this can be classified as surviellance in the uses and criticism audience theory. The group' Coldplay' is the focal point of the music magazine cover; this suggests what the interview is about or the person/people being interviewed. The clothing of the music artists represent their genre of music which is modern day pop indie, they are dressed in punky clothing; leather jacket. The lead singer has a tattoo on his hand that has no obvious meaning, however the target audience for this type of magazine may be able to identify with it. The front cover also has personal relationships/ surveillence; looking into the private lives of musicians rather than their music, this is similar to the conventions of a celeb magazine. This is ecxpected from a music magazine- in terms of music updates. The music magazine also has the name of the a really big music journalist, 'Miranda Sawyer', this can also be seen as a sell line, as she also writes for the Obsrever ( Music Editor). the group look emotionless; this links to the main story of the magazine, as the main story/ interview, 'World Exclusive- Coldplay-Four months of fear, tantrums and nudity', may reveal why the group singers have the emotionless expression. There are also smaller iamges showing what allowing the audience to see what is in the magazine, for example, images of U2 and Bloc Party.The magazine also has the name of the group, 'Coldplay', in a bright colour (yellow) this is to catch the readers attention. This is the uinque selling point of the magazine. Other techniques are used, such as features like, ' Essential music guide. They also use the use of rhyme, for example, 'Q review', which is catchy and cdan also be classified as a sell line. The magazine also has a barcode.