Previous Students Work Table / Evaluation

Name of product	What I thought were the strengths	What I thought were the weaknesses
ID Magazine	Front Cover The front cover includes all the necessary information and the expected conventions of a front cover. It has correct information and no spelling mistakes. Also, the main sell point in obvious and eye catching, while the main image is framed correctly. Content Page The contents page includes the masthead, a website address for the magazine and some information from the front cover. Images from their articles listened in the ‘FEATURES’ column are on the page which gives a visual representation of the featured articles. The text is simple and to the point, with the relevant information. Such as band names. Are emphasised to be more eye catching. Double Page Spread The images look professional and well lit, making the image more appealing to the audience. It features a pull quote, which will encourage them to read the article. They also include brief information about the artist for anyone who dos not know them. The three colours used work well together, with the darker being used as the background for the general page and the interviewers text. The text is simple and easy to read.	Front Cover The main image is pixelated and not very well edited, using only novice skills of Photoshop. The masthead is also poorly edited and uses an unattractive font. The sell lines are not eye catching and the main sell point would not attract an audience as there is nothing exclusive or eye catching about it. Content Page They continue to use the masthead font for headers on this page, which is not visually stimulating and could repel people from the magazine. The images are also taken from the internet that would have cause the magazine to drop marks. They also repeat information that is unnecessary as it is on the front cover already. Double Page Spread Similar to the front cover, the only image used in this spread is pixelated and slightly blurry. The colour scheme used is bland and unappealing, using dull colours to contrast with the black and white text. The little overview they gave look awkward over the image and is poorly placed.
SESH	Front Cover The main image is evenly lit and the colours are bright and vivid.  It is obvious which sell line is the main sell point and the text is position well and doesn’t draw attention from the image. The fonts used are bold and can be seen from great distance, making them eye catching. The text is simple and punchy, making it easy for the reader to see what is included in the magazine. Content Page The masthead is present along with necessary information in the header. The text is simple and bold, with subheads giving information more information about certain articles. The font is the same as the one on the cover, and the text does not overlap the image used. It is worth noting that they included a subscription offer, which most magazines also include in their contents page Double Page Spread The spread also features the masthead, much like the cover and contents page. The background colour has been throughout all the pages and the text stands out against it. The same front is used again and they include a pull quote. The image is smaller than usual which allows more room for the text.	Front Cover The image used on the front cover is pixelated and badly cut out from its original background that makes it appear unprofessional and uses images from the internet that would cost them marks. The background image is bright yellow, which would draw attention to it, in a negative way, and the red text would also the same. The masthead is pixelated and the font is unappealing. Content Page The content page continues to use the bright yellow background and images from the internet. The images used are pixelated and small, leaving lots of blank space. Double Page Spread The masthead is unnecessarily used on the page, with the headline being plain and not eye catching. The image is awkwardly placed in the corner, is extremely pixelated and looks unprofessional. They do not seem to be connected to the main image on the cover also.

 From looking at these student's work i have noticed that pixelation of images is common, therefore i will use a high resolution camera to tackle the  issue. I have also noticed that blank spaces are left on the page, which i will not have as i will fill the areas with text or photos. Having photoshop skills to edit images is also essential as both students had problems editing their photos to a good standard. However, i also have picked up that i should use a colour palette to make my work appear clear and show continuity. The use of the usual conventions of a magazine will also help improve my work as it will be familiar to my target audience. Emphasis is also important as it will draw in readers to gain a larger readership. 

Photographs – which ones used, which ones you haven’t used and why

 These are the photos that i took on the photoshoot which i did not use. I took multiple photographs to allow as many possibilities for the outcome of the photos, and widen the choice of what i put into the magazine. I did not chose these photos as i felt they did not match the theme of the article, or just did not look appealing and would not attract my target audience.

These are the photos that i chose to use on my front cover, contents page and double page spread. I chose one photo for the front cover, two for the double page spread and four for the contents page. I chose to include four on the contents page to fill up shape and emphasise that he is the main article about the magazine. I chose these photos because they will attract my target audience.

Fonts with commentary

When creating my masthead, i used 10 different fonts to see which would look the best and more effective. The first font did not look interesting enough to be a masthead while the second and third seemed too bold for the formal feeling to the magazine. The rest of the fonts seemed too extravagant also except for the ninth, seventh and fourth, which all were similar. After asking a few people, we concluded that the ninth was the best because it looks sleek and can be used for the subheads as well as the masthead.

The Conventions, The Producer and The Target Audience of My Text

In regards to my front cover, i will keep the conventions shown on normal front covers. The main image will be black a white, which is not a normal convention, but will be centred to make the model central to the cover. The body language of the model will have them be drawn into themselves and not looking into the camera to make them appear mysterious. The subheads that i will use will show main articles in the magazine as well as a hook to draw the reader in. The font used for the logo will be very similar to the one used for the subheads to show continuity through the magazine. The choice of words on the cover will appear slightly formal so it will appear professional and well written. The regular style of composition of a front cover, Masthead on the top right with subheads framing the main image, will be used and will incorporate a colour palette to show the difference between the subheads and the main sell line. The colour palette will also be used on the contents page and double page to set a theme for the magazine. Using the familiar conventions will attract my target audience as it isn’t obscure, but the formal language will show the magazine is professional, something my target audience would like.

If my magazine were to be published in the “real world”, i would have Future Publishing publish the magazine. Since they publish over 150 magazines in different genres, they would be able to get involved in the music magazine market through this magazine. They distribute nationwide which means the magazine could get to anybody who wanted to purchase the magazine. As they do not produce a magazine which is similar to the genre of my own, this means they would be open to a new market and possibly a new target audience. The many magazines they publish attract every kind of target audience and have gained moderate success with each. This could benefit my magazine as they would know how to market the magazine to the right audience, using past experience as a guide.

The target audience of my magazine will be mainly females from the age of 15 to 25. However, the magazine will also be accessible to males as the articles will have variety in genres. I chose to have the age 15 to 25 as i see this as the main age for people to explore different types of music, as they are usually still in education and have free time to enjoy them. I have aimed the magazine at people, who attend concerts regularly, hence the live reviews that will be included, as well as they being more internet based people who are opinionated and do not usually follow society’s trends. This would allow the magazine to write about a wider variety of topics in the magazine which can stem from music. As the magazine is published monthly, my target audience do not necessarily have to shop often to buy it as it will be available for the full month in physical form, as well as it being available online for them.

I think that the magazine could be sold in newsagents as well as more popular stores like WHSmiths and supermarkets as they commonly sell music magazines among other types. I also think it could be distributed to music stores as it is an music based magazine and could be sold alongside albums that are featured in the magazine.

Emails organising models / locations for photo shoots

Below is an email i sent to my model a few weeks before the shoot to remind him of the details of the photoshoot including the time/date/location of it.

Photoshoot Planning

What emotional impact do you want your photography do have upon the reader? How?

The photography used is pretty basic but the black and white themes of the photos will show a little of the sadness portrayed in the article. The reader will reflect this feeling.

What personnel do you need? Who are you going to photograph?

I am using one model to be the photos, as well as them providing a bass guitar as a prop, and i will be taking the photos and editing them.

What props will you need?

The only prop i will need is a bass guitar, which is used in one shot for the interview, which will be provided by the model.

How are you going to emphasise colour?

To emphasise the colour, i will add layers on photoshop which will make it more vibrant and edit the hue and saturation of the colours. Also in one of the photos, i will emphasise the colour of the model’s shirt by making the rest of the photo black and white.

Have you briefed your personnel/models?

I have told my models where the photos have been taken, what they are for and what to wear to the photoshoot. I have also told them the time/date/location.

What lighting will you need? Any other equipment?

The only lighting i will use in the flash on my camera as there will no natural lighting when i am taking the photos.

Where will you shoot? Will you need a backdrop?

I will shoot around certain areas of Newcastle City Centre, using the landscape as the backdrop.

Make-up? Costume?

The photographs are supposed to look casual so no makeup was required for the model, and the costume was just casual clothing which is connotated with the genre of music he is in.

Final Front Cover / Contents Page / Double Page Spread

Here is the finished copy of my Front Cover, Contents Page and Double Page which i completed using Photoshop on the school computers as well as in my own time.

 Front Cover

Contents Page

Double Page Spread

The Reece

1.    Are there any potential hazards that could pose a health and safety risk where your photo shoot will take place (trailing cables/traffic/other objects )?

      There were some potential hazards on my shoot as it was outdoors in a city centre, at night. There were some risks of traffic as well as distractions around them.

2.    What will you do to ensure these risks are minimised?

      To minimise the risk i will do the shoot with plenty of caution and make sure to stay away from any immediate hazards, such as traffic.

3.    Will the time of day/weather affect the outcome of the photos? Have you allowed for this?

      The time and weather will affect the photos as it is outdoors. However i have planned it to be taken during the night so i have prepared for darker weather. The outcome of my photos will still be a high quality as i will use the flash on my camera and photo editing later to brighten to the photos.

4.    Have you considered the background to your photos, particularly if taken outside? How will you ensure you will get the background you want?

      The background of my photos will vary as they are taken at different locations but the cover photo will be on a background which has little depth and appears to be matt.

5.    Have you considered lighting? What about the ‘problems’ of natural lighting, either outside, or streaming through a window? Will you need to use a flash? Have you considered reflective objects that might spoil the effect?

      As it will be dark during the time the photos are taken, there will be very little natural lighting. However i will be using a flash to lighten the initial photo, before re lightening them in photoshop. There are no reflective objects or props in the shoot which could cause problems.

6.    Do you need permission to take photos in the place/venue you have in mind?

      The place where i took the photos is closed down with no apparent owner, therefore i took the photos there.

7.    Do you need to book time in a room (eg the photography studio at Shiney)?

      No because i am using software at home to edit images and using public areas to take them.

8.    Are other people/crowds likely to be an issue for you? What have you done to ensure that it will not spoil the effect?

      The area i am taking the photos in has very people around during the night so crowds would not be a problem. 

9.    Are you reliant on lifts/props/friends’ equipment/models? How have you planned that these things will come together at the appointed time? Plan B?

      I was semi-reliant on the model as i needed him for the actual photo, and he was providing the prop we used for a photo. Everything else was in my power so i could organise it easily to fit in with the models schedule. 

10. Finally, have you thought of every eventuality…?

      I have considered many outcomes of what could happen in the photo shoot and created alternatives which  can be used if necessary.

Audience Research and Analysis of Data

When planning for my magazine i created a multiple question survey which i put on various social networks and asked people to complete it. 9 People completed the survey and below are the most relevant questions and answers in the form of graphics.

The first question enquired about the person’s gender which is essential for my magazine as it is aimed primarily at females. Although more males (56%) took the survey, i think the magazine will be accessibly to both genders.

Next i asked about the age of the person taking the quiz. Matching my results, i am aiming at 15-17 year olds as this was the majority of the results.  However, it will be accessible to people of any age who are interested in music.

To find out what platforms people discover new music, I found that people find their music on YouTube or through friends while Magazines and other platforms was the least popular way. To help people discover new music, i would not only feature music in the magazine but also embed new videos into the website.

As the magazine will have a lot of variety in the articles, i also asked which style of article they preferred. The majority answered ‘Interviews’ and ‘Album Review’ type articles therefore i am mostly having those style in my magazine. However, i will also include a few live reviews and feature articles as they also received a significant amount of votes.

With my information i have concluded that my choice of target audience is suitable but it helped shape some of the decisions i will make about the content of my magazine. I have also included the rest of my results in the form of a table which includes general questions about music

1. What is your gender?
Female	4
Male	5
2. What is your age?
<10	0
12 to 14	0
15 to 17	8
18 to 20	0
21 to 23	0
24 to 26	0
27 to 29	0
30 <	1
3. What genre of music do you listen to the most?
Alternative	1
Classical	0
Comedy	0
Country	0
Dance	0
Electronic	0
Folk	0
Hip-hop / Rap	1
Indie	1
Industrial	0
Metal	1
Pop	0
Pop Punk	2
Punk	2
Rock	1
Singer/Songwriter	0
Soundtrack	0
Others	3
5. How do you discover new music?
Radio	3
Friend	5
Related artists on iTunes	3
Youtube	7
On various social networks	4
Magazines	2
Films	3
TV Shows	4
Others	2
6. How much would you be willing to pay for a weekly music magazine?
<£1.00	2
£1.01 - £2.00	1
£2.01 - £3.00	4
£3.01 - £4.00	2
£4.01 - £5.00	0
£5.01 <	0
7. What type of articles do you prefer?
Interviews	5
Album Review	4
Live Review	3
Feature Articles	3
Q&A articles	2
Others	2
8. Which music magazines do you read?
NME	1
Q	0
Kerrang!	7
Rocksound	1
9. What intensives will make you want to buy a magazine?
Posters	6
Free CD	6
Online Extras	2