Cyan Stuart's Media Studies Blog

Jan 6

Contents Page analysis

Front Cover analysis

Final intro to double page spread

Final Contents Page

Jan 4

Media Evaluation Draft

Media Evaluation

Over the past few months I have researched and evaluated music magazines and the audience that they attract. We were then asked to design a magazine of our own that would appeal to our chosen targets. I have completed the three tasks which were to produce a front cover, contents page and a double page spread. I have challenged the forms and conventions of real media. I have developed my ideas throughout working on my magazine changed my ideas to make them better.

I believe my project holds a variety of aspects that relate to real media, my music magazine is named ‘Strings’ this relates to real media as its apart of an instrument, the names emphasises the theme of my magazine as I have created a new Folk magazine that appeals to those who love folk music and indie bands. The name strings creates a certain familiarity to Folk readers as they would all be aware of the word.

On my front cover I used a mixture of sans serif and serif to create a mixed feel of class and simplicity, the variety of font also make the cover look differing and interesting to the public eye. I tried to design my magazine around the style that would accompany my theme; (Folk) the heading was designed as if someone had hand written it. The images that I used complement on another as they are not glamorous and glittery, but soft and portray sophistication. This I believe to be good as it appeals to my target audience who are above the age of 17-18.

On my front cover the model I used had soft blonde hair I composed the photograph to make it simple with no added objects in the background, the colours of the clothes complement the colour of the background which I changed and adapted on photo-shop. The content that I displayed on the cover and inside the magazine was an interpretation of real media. Throughout my research I took the conventions of other magazines to then adapt them into a style of my own that would appeal to my target audience.

Whilst evaluating my work and other magazines such as Acoustic Magazine, it is clearly stated that there are a variety of social groups, and each group seems to have an own style and taste in music. My audience ranges from the age of 19-35 its targeted at an older age group as through out my research my surveys showed that not that many young adults of the age 14-18 were interested in a Folk magazine. Although on my front cover my subject is a woman I did not want this to mean I was stereotyping Folk to be popular in the female gender. I would have used a male I just believe this picture really establishes my aim in which to make a folk magazine simple and sophisticated.

My music magazine ‘Strings’ would benefit more if it was distributed monthly and then advertised around shops and stores like HMV, WHSmiths. I believe this due to the growing interactivity online and with digital features people would be wiling to look online or subscribe to the addition by mail or email. I would also have my magazine selling in shops like Superdry or Urban Outfitters this would then attract my audience to the magazine and that way they could then subscribe. I believe this would work well as ‘Strings’ is a monthly addition so to have it provided and sold in the big shops such as HMV would not be as beneficial.

I believe the layout and design of ‘Strings’ attracts the audience as it’s a striking photograph that shows it to be a folk magazine without giving too much away. The bold headlines grab the public’s attention. I provided surveys and quizzes in the magazine to attract the readers each month, it allows them to become interactive with the magazine and contribute. The magazine also gives away prizes for those lucky winners. For the public knowing that they can take part in producing a magazine every month gives them a sense of achievement which will then give them the need to purchase it every month to see the progress.

I used many technologies whilst producing my music magazine, my Panasonic G1 camera, Photoshop cs3 which I edited my images on regally. As the project furthered I gained skills that I could used in the magazine that would benefit me. I was able to edit backgrounds change the colour of a picture, assemble everything together so that it looked professional.

The way that I would document my progress was through a site named Tumblr, it’s a ongoing Blog which you are able to post your progress up on. I did surveys to convey information about what audiences would like in a magazine, I used survey monkey and facebook to do so. This was beneficial as many use Facebook so I was able to gather information from a range of ages.

When I look back at my project both the music magazine and the school magazine I see the progress that I made developing not only design but ideas along the way. Whilst making my school magazine I didn’t have to knowledge of Photoshop and the skills that I had to design my music magazine. The difference in quality between these to projects will show my improvements and adaptations.

Dec 13