Preliminary Contents Page.

In what ways does you media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In what ways does you media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Comparison of my media product and a published magazine.

Initial ideas for what I wanted from my final media product.

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

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

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

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

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

An institution which may distribute my product is BORA. This particular institution also distributes magazines such as ‘Kerrang!’ and ‘Q’ magazine.  For the ‘rock’ elements within my magazine, I believe it may have a similar appearance and feel as ‘Kerrang!’, as that magazine is a huge success, my media product has the same potential to appeal to a mass audience and also become a success.

‘Rock’ and other music magazines are seen mainly within shops and post offices in places such as Britain and America, however, due to research and my own personal knowledge of institution around the world who specialise in music magazines distribution; Britain is a leader for having music magazines, as I have American friends that express a want for the magazine, however it isn’t distributed in their state or America in general.

My magazine, I feel would be different, despite BORA possibly losing interest. I believe my magazine should be available in a majority of shops and outlets internationally, such as Sainsbury’s, Co-Op, Water stones, WHSmiths; not only would this widen my audience but it would allow for those in America without access to ‘Kerrang!’ to learn more about the artists they are interested in, and instead of having to buy multiple magazines, there is one with everything they may need all in one place.

In order to appeal to a younger audience who may have lost interested in buying a physical copy of a magazine, I have been considering producing an app for smartphones and tablets. ‘Kerrang!’ have already produced one, including one for podcasts which include stories from the magazine in case someone may have missed the deadline of release. This means that a larger number of people can access my magazine for a longer amount of time, not only increasing sales but also increasing interest and knowledge of magazine; promotion of my media product.

Another way I intend to target my audience internationally is by having an online version of my magazine, this means that as many check their social media sites, they may have the inclination to check the magazine and take it in maybe easier than having to turn the pages and maintain the interest to want to turn over and read even more.

Also like ‘Q’ magazine, which prides itself on ensuring they meet the demands of nearly all music genres, my use of a wide range of well-known artists can appeal to a mass audience, from any age group, gender or social background; though my primary target audience are teenagers/ students aged 13+.

Another reason BORA may want to distribute my music magazine comes in the unique selling point of how little advertisement I have included. As a reader of ‘Kerrang!’ myself, I find pages wasted on advertising which is merely using the Hypodermic Needle Model in order to promote sales and buying. My magazine contains near to no advertising whatsoever in order to gain a maximum potential for stories, interviews and a large range of artists; making my magazine a product useful for the Uses and Gratifications Theory of having my media product for information gain, or simply the pleasure of reading it.  

How did you attract/address your audience?

How did you attract/address your audience?

Who would be the audience for you media product?

Who would be the audience for your media product?

Music Magazine Second Double Page

Music Magazine First Double Page

Music Magzine Contents Page

Music Magazine Front Cover

Audience Feedback, Preliminary Task.

Courteney: 'It's different, I'd read it, Sounds more of a casual read, rather than having to focus on actually reading it for the information about the college. I especially like how they included things that we like to mock as well, like people on Twitter and Facebook who go out for a 'cheeky Maccie Ds' and annoy everyone else with statuses like that.'

Mollie: 'Editing needs improvement. There are obvious things such as colour schemes and its sheer lack of photos that show it's been produced by a students, rather than a professionalism. Things are lacking and I think the ideas were merely wasted by the final product and how it's substandard to the idea of making a joke out of the college.'

Olivia: 'It's fun and lively, it's aimed towards entertaining teenagers and I thought it was hilarious to think of a teacher in a different way and not really as a teacher; we don't know what they're getting up to when they're 'away'. The idea is fun and inventive and it's a shame the final product was lacking a little bit.' 

Sam: 'Add more things, original images, to the front cover. I think it's a bit bland and where the idea was kind of there, it clearly wasn't developed enough to create the final piece as I'm guessing you'd imagined it to look like.' 

Vicky: 'I like the fact that it isolates adults away from our generation. Its always fun to separate adults and teachers away from things, because the scenarios they may be involved in are so different to how we picture them, that it's just so funny! I can image James sat with a quick Subway, bunking off of college and then telling us how much better he felt!'

Flynn: 'I like the way the colour scheme fits with the college. You can recognise the college just based off of that, and though I understand that it's a joke and a bit of a jackass of the college itself, it's nice to see the actual place represented by someone who is willing to have a stab and joke at some of its worst features in order to sort of soften the blow that there are things in the college that are possibly going wrong.' 

Uses and Gratifications Theory.

The main two theories or models applicable to my media product could be the Hypodermic Needle Model, or the Uses and Gratifications Theory.


I believe the Uses and Gratifications Theory is mostly suitable as, unlike TV adverts many dismiss subconsciously, there is a conscious decision in buying a music magazine. The idea is that we consume any kind of media because we find pleasure in doing so, or we want to find out more information that is otherwise hard to obtain. 


Music magazines use interviews and 'exclusive' information that claims to be totally new and previously unheard in order to appeal to their teenage target audience and give them the satisfaction of being the first to know a new piece of information. 


However, it can be argued that subscribers and those who regularly get a music magazine may fall into the Hypodermic Needle Model of getting a weekly magazine and not allowing any new information to be properly processed; buying the magazine such as 'Kerrang!' or 'Rock Sound', merely for the free posters and CD's available. 

Cover Lines.

My cover lines are similar to those seen mainly in 'Rock Sound', however apply to a much wider range  in audience by my use of different music genres.


I decided to use album reviews and fake 'scandal' stories in order to draw my audience into what they may be expecting; as well as enticing them, this method is seen primarily within 'Kerrang!', however they use extremes of this to exaggerate and gain more attention from their target audience.


Usually, music magazines are very busy with cove lines and tend to maybe 'overcrowd' with stories and possibly make the front cover look to busy. I decided to try and challenge this by having few, but important and current cover lines; only including 3. My aim here was to try and use my front cover as a 'teaser trailer' almost or my entire magazine. By giving only a few bits of information in order to make the reader want to continue reading.


The reason for my choice in genre for my cover lines came from the results o my audience questionnaire, as seen here: 
This allowed for me to see that a majority of young people have a very fluid preference in music, never really set into only listening to one genre of music.

Photoshoot Planning.

My ideas for my photo shoot consisted of wanting to try and appeal to a wide ranging audience in order to give my magazine a unique selling point; blurring the divisions between different music genres and stereotypes over what kinds of people listen to certain genres of music. 


Models:
By asking my group of friends who would be willing to be my models for this photo shoot and then seeing who may be the most attractive and suitable for giving me the kind of welcoming and inviting, as well as professional results in terms of photography and my music magazine. Soon enough friends Rickii and Louise were willing to take part and had the spare time to do it in. Having a mix of ethnicity and a range of different looking models, it allowed me to appeal to lots of different genres and give the tone of the magazine more depth. 

Timing:
Because the time of my construction was very near to Christmas time, I chose to act as though my magazine had been on sale for the entire year and were then producing a Christmas Edition of their usual magazine. This meant I had to incorporate lots of other factors into my photo shoot and the cover lines concerning puns and Christmas themed decoration. 

Location: 
In order to try and make my images easier to manipulate and having the use of a studio t my advantage, I chose to use the black backing of the photography studio to host my photo shoot, this meant I had access to lights, and lots of other facilities that would aid my photos and make them look more professional than if I had just taken them when I had the time and at the last minute. 

Props:
Due to my magazine being Christmas themed, as well as including humors and trying to be more attractive to my teenage target audience, fun and Christmas props were used. I had some fake presents made up, alongside chairs and other items in order to add height and somewhat cuteness to the images I wanted to take. I had my models, including myself holding and acting offended with presents to try and seem funny, alongside favoritism and creating mini story lines about a certain person getting more presents than the others. 

Costumes:
I didn't use full costumes as my photo shoot took place very 'spur of the moment' and I didn't have any intentions of bringing costumes, I wanted my Christmas theme to be subtle within the models and how they dressed, as they were also supposed to look like legitimate new band on the music scene. I chose to have all of my models in Santa hats in order to keep with the Christmas theme but also look like a band, not just a Christmas gimmick or people dressed up in a Christmas fashion. 

Font, Colour Scheme and House Style Exploration.

Second Idea.

For my second idea, I wanted to use video with a few different looking people t represent different social groups in correlation to my media product, I will edit this with music etc to show different genres and appeals of my music magazine. 

First Idea.

Responses.

In order to try and gain some sort of response and feedback from my designs, I described and redrew what my magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread were to look like once finished, and asked people of different ages, gender and music preferences. 

Cj: Male, 17, prefers rock and alternative music, self described working class, student.
Jo: Female, 38, doesn't have a preferred music style, self described working class, employed.
Matilda: Female, 17, doesn't' have a preferred music style, self described working class, student.


Me: The magazine is called 'Kick!', what do you think when you first hear that, what impression does it give?
Matilda: 'Hm, something to do with music. Kick gives the impression of something rock style, as I think of rockers jumping.The use of an exclamation mark also gives the impression of fast pace music.'
Me: Okay, thanks. The use of different artists, does that appeal to you more than a genre specific magazine?
Matilda:'Yes, a range of music means more people can be involved.'
Me: As a student, what price range are you willing to pay for a magazine like this, and does the price I have chosen seem appropriate?
Matilda: 'Hm, I suppose it depends on your income and how often it comes out. If it's weekly, then it's a good price.'
Me: Brilliant, thankyou. And finally, does 'Kick!' sound like a magazine you would subscribe to and keep up with?
Matilda: 'Yes, as long as the standard is maintained.' 

Me: The magazine is called 'Kick!', what do you think when you first hear that, what impression does it give?
Cj: 'It sounds punk rock, gives it a punky vibe.'
Me: Okay, thanks. The use of different artists, does that appeal to you more than a genre specific magazine?
Cj: 'Yeah. It's better than just focusing on one thing.'
Me: As a student, what price range are you willing to pay for a magazine like this, and does the price I have chosen seem appropriate?
Cj: 'That's fine, I'd pay no more than £3.00 for a music magazine.'
Me: Brilliant, thankyou. And finally, does 'Kick!' sound like a magazine you would subscribe to and keep up with?
Cj: 'Yes, I would keep up with it.' 

Me: The magazine is called 'Kick!', what do you think when you first hear that, what impression does it give?
Jo: 'I wouldn't' associate it with music straight away.'
Me: Okay, thanks. The use of different artists, does that appeal to you more than a genre specific magazine?
Jo: 'Yeah, it's more interesting.'
Me: As an employed woman, hat price range are you willing to pay for a magazine like this, and does the price I have chosen seem appropriate?
Jo: 'How long and big will the magazine be? Will it include quizzes and puzzles? I would say it's a reasonable price given these are included.'
Me: Brilliant, thankyou. And finally, does 'Kick!' sound like a magazine you would subscribe to and keep up with?
Jo: 'Um, yeah.'

Update.

As a result of technical difficulties, I have not been able to upload my photo shoot with friends. I have had a laptop repair and a camera delay. The camera I used to take the photos for my magazine was not my own and I am currently waiting on the images being sent to me in order to begin making my magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread. 

The front cover consists of my friends and I as a made up band 'Signal The Sirens' with a running theme of a Christmas edition of my magazine, with themes and colour schemes to match; reds, greens, props of Christmas trees and presents. Alongside this there are offers and exclusive interviews, album reviews and 'scandals' within well-known bands in order to attract the target audience using dramatic effect.
The contents page is largely based around the band I made up and the 'explosive' entry to the music world in order to not only try and seem professional like many magazines such as Kerrang! do, but also to use my own images to make the magazine.
The double page spread consists of an 'exclusive first seen interview' with my made up band along with punk or rock style images that show what the band may be about, including humor and continuing the Christmas theme with us in Christmas hats and using presents and Christmas tree props. 

Another mistake I made was leaving my final copies on my college account and hence not being able to put all of the final pieces of my magazine together. 

My current ideas revolve around a red, black and white colour scheme, and a made up band consisting of my friends and I used as models (Louise and Rickii) The genre of my magazine is rock or alternative with the name of 'Kick!'. However, I will also include artists and other music genres in order to appeal to a wider target audience of teenagers and young people, without having any speific gender target; 13+.

I have included well-known artists; Gerard Way, Ed Sheeran, The 1975 etc, in most popular genres based off of my audience questionnaire that informed me that a majority of young people do not focus on just one genre of music, however are fluidly involved in multiple genres and artists.