Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
My media product uses and challenges forms of reals media. I have have annotated my work and professional work below to compare and contrast them. My product follows certain aspects of real media such as coverlines and prices. Also I have kept to a minimalistic colour scheme to use the conventions of real media. I chose my colour scheme and cover lines by conducting audience research in the form of a questionnaire.

As you can see above I have used a slogan at the top of my magazine because this follows codes and conventions of real media as shown below in the annotated real magazine 'Q'.
I have used a slogan at the top of my magazine because this follows codes and conventions of real media as shown below in the annotated real magazine.
My colour scheme contains only a few colours because this follows the codes and conventions of a indie music magazine.
My masthead follows forms and conventions of real media because it is horizontal and in capital letters which most magazine titles are.It is also big and bold to attract the readers eye.
The price of my music magazine is an average price of indie music magazine. I decided my price from my audience research.
I used a puff to draw the readers attention to the magazine. Other magazine of my genre also do this.
I have used one large main image which deviates from the conventions of real media,because it generally uses one main image and other smaller images on the front cover. However i think that my fron cover still appeals to the target audience.
Also over this image is anchoring text so the meaning of my image is clear.My image is a media close up. The solo artist is looking straight at the camera so she connects with the audience and engages them.The body language of solo artist also reflects the vibe of the Indie teens. She is somebody who my audience will recognise therefore she will attract my readers.
Each of the coverlines are related to the indie genre similar to other indie magazines.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
My media product represents the social group of “indie teens”, aged from 13-25.
It represents them because it includes music, articles and images that represents there lifestyle and things that they would be interested in also it includes artists and articles they would want to be included in it.
I tried to make my work unique and different to other magazines so it would attract my target audience, who are unique also.
The colour scheme also represents my particular social group because it is not all ‘pink and girly’ like a pop magazine but it also isn’t all ‘black and dark’ like a heavy metal magazine.
In my research the colour purple was the most liked colour by my target audience so I believe that is represents them well.
Also the ‘grungy’ looking images I have used connate the life style of an ‘indie teen’.
The my title ‘INDIEGO’ has huge connotations of the genre of Indie music because its is a play on words of both the colour indigo and the word Indie ,which relates back to my colour scheme of different shades of purple and Indigo.
Monday, March 29, 2010
The media institution that would distribute my magazine would be one that would be interested in producing a magazine of music with the target audience of teenagers. Publishers such as IPC, EMAP or BAUER, would publish my magazine, these are three of the UK’s biggest magazine publishers.
BAUER owns Q magazine which has a slightly similar target audience. And the music magazine ‘Kerrang’ whose audience is still teens but not interested in the same type of music has my target audience, ‘Kerrang’ is more of a ‘heavy rock’ magazine.
IPC publish ‘NME’ and ‘Uncut’ magazine which are similar to my magazine because they are music magazines. So they would publish my magazine ‘INDIEGO’ because it follows the same codes and conventions of ‘NME’ very closely. However it has a slightly different target audience so they would be interested in getting more money from my magazine.





Spot the magazine
Here are the links to some magazine distributors
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The audience for my magazine would be 13-25 year girls and boys all across the UK. These teenagers would be interested in ‘indie’ music and the ‘indie’ culture. I have done target audience to see what time of thing they would be interested in and included this in my magazine. They would be interested ‘Indie’ music and go to gigs and festivals. They would also be interested in the fashion and life style.
Below is a link to a youtube clip of Glastonbury Festival, the teenagers shown in this clip would be the sort of person who would by magazine. Also this clip represents the lifestyle of 'indie teens' well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZOwEgDiJDw
5) How did you a4ttract/ address your audience?
To begin with I created a questionnaire asking questions that would help me create my magazine to attract my target audience. Here are some of the questions I asked my target audience:
1.What is your favourite band?
3. What is your favourite colour?
4. How often do you buy a music magazine?
5. How much would you pay for a music magazine?
7. What special feature would make you buy a magazine?
The conclusions I made of this questionnaire really helped me attract my audience because I now know what they want and thing they would like to read about and colours that they are attracted to. I attracted my audience to the front cover of my magazine with an eye-catching image, in which the artist had direct mode of address with the audience to get their attention. In addition the pose she in is a very striking pose. The colour scheme would also grab for my front cover and contents page also attract my target audience because it is very bright and draw the target audience’s eye towards it. My cover lines include content that would interest my target audience things such as; ‘EXCLSUIVE’, ‘have to before you die’, ‘PLUS’ and ‘FREE’. These all attract the audience because it makes them feel like they are getting something they would get anywhere else. From my target audience research I concluded that my audience would be willing to pay £4.00 for this monthly magazine My double page spread colour scheme is also eye catching and it includes content that would interest both music lovers and musicians.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
To produce my front cover for my main task I had to use a piece of software called Photoshop. I have used this software in the past so helped me generally know what do to. But over the course of creating my word I learnt skill I hadn’t learnt before, for example, how to change the colour of persons facial features, for example I change the colour of my models lips and eyes. And how to make text stand out by using a number of effects and I learnt how to put small stars on to make words look special and exclusive. I have also learnt that you can produce all your work in one place which is called desktop publishing, with its still looking creative and professional.
7) Here is my comparison of my main and prilimary task.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009

The mast head for this magazine is also horizontal, bold and bright.
This magazine title is only one letter but is also in capitals like mine.
The slogan for Q magazine is aslo at the top by the mast head. The colour scheme is minimalistic, this magazine uses four main colours, one reason for this is to keep cost down.
Q magazine and my magazine both use bands at the bottom of the front cover, which shows i have followed the conventions of real media.Unlike magazines like this one i have only used one image. However it is also a media close up like mine and like most other music magazine. Like other music magazine the band is alos looking at the camera to connect with the reader and
enagage them.
Here is the annotated professional magazine
Friday, November 20, 2009
How hard it is to make it big!
1. How long have you all been together?
2. How did you all meet?
3. What do you enjoy about performing?
4. What influences your music?
5. Who are your idols/who do you aspire to be like?
6. Do you see this as a good way of making money?
7. How hard is it to make it big?
8. Would you like to be as big as?
9. Has anything embarrassing ever happened to you on stage?
10. How hard is it get gigs?
11. How close have you got to making it big so far?
12. Is this something you want to do for a career?
Thank you for taking the time to answering my questions.
And here is my article
What have we got to lose what have we got to win” is one the Hippy’s on the hill favourite songs and seems highly appropriate for what I’m about to talk about. They are four unique, talented friends and band members who met and grew up in the small town of Wallasey, however being a mere twenty minutes from the buzzing atmosphere of Liverpool opportunities are bound to come their way.
They are just one of the many new up and coming bands. However with so much competition in the modern day music industry, we decided to ask them how hard it actually is to make it big.
I met up with the lads after their latest performance at the 02 arena were they totally rocked the crowd and took control of the stage. Their fans were obviously under their spell singing along to every word and screaming for an encore at the end. The atmosphere was immense, even the rain outside couldn’t dampen the mood. I thought it was about time to get the inside scoop from the boys for all of you who wonder how people make it to the top.
Let’s start with the basics shall we. Hippy’s on the hill have been together for three and a half years, since they were only thirteen, a tender age to be exposed to all that attention and stress. They all met in Mosslands High school apart from Mikey, the drummer who was recommended to the three lads by friends. “He fitted in straight away” Hendo laughed the rhythm guitarist “Unfortunately” Mikey said smiling, getting evils looks off the others. They are all now inseparable and wise as well because they now all are doing their a level’s at Weatherhead media arts college, knowing everyone should have a plan B
I personally have always wondered what it would be like to be standing in front a microphone with a screaming crowd below me but the closest I can get to knowing is by asking. It is clear to me the lads can’t get enough of the rush, because as soon as I asked a smirk consumed the four faces starring back at me. They say they love “Having a lively crowd bouncing around, singing along to the music we’ve written. It gives us such a rush and makes us feel alive, like nothing we’ve felt before, now we’ve experienced it once we couldn’t live without it”.
I’ve often wondered were artists find inspiration to write new material for a catchy meaningful album, The Hippy’s were bound to know. Brad, the lead singer looked and me and replied “Were influenced by our everyday life, other bands and all of our friends really”. This intrigued me, so I delved further, curious about who their idols were and who made them want to go in to their profession.
Aspiration is a huge part of the music industry; everybody has an idol and somebody to try to match up to, the lads let me in on who they aspired to be like “We have loads of idols but AC/DC and The Red Hot Chilli Pepper’s are both immense and after watching them live many times when we were younger it was clear this was our ultimate dream to aspire to be as big as them. You could say we even aspire to be like my dad, Pete who in the Band Insanity because when I was younger he was my hero, I thought he was amazing, and still do” said Brad, the lead singer and lead guitarist.
Who doesn’t need extra cash? , I can’t think of anybody who wouldn’t say yes “We do it for cash and anything else of top of this is a bonus” answered the bass guitarist Sean the lads obviously aren’t any exception, but doing something they love and getting paid for it, cant be a bad life. I know I wouldn’t turn it down.
But money isn’t all they need, luck plays a big part in getting anywhere “Its all about luck, most success we’ve had now is down to luck and being in the right place at the right time. You can’t just wait for the record label to come to you, you’ve gotta be in it to win it”.
Luck is all well and good but a huge thing that helps them along the way is social networking sites like facebook, myspce, twitter and bebo. Everyone who is anyone has one. Advertising on there has really helped them. They can sell tickets for gigs or even advertise their new album and pick up new fans along the way, its astonishing what the Internet can achieve. But it’s not only the Hippy’s that use this way of advertisement nearly every celebrity does. People as big Lilly Allen and Robbie Williams have twitter. The lads are now playing alongside with the big boys. The good stuff is obviously great. But along with the good comes the bad, the embarrassing moments and the let downs. Brad went bright red as soon as I said “Any embarrassing moments”, “I’ve fallen off the stage , I went to jump in to the crowd and slipped , I was devastated” I tried not to laugh but I now understood the red face. Another downside is the frequency of work “It’s normally not that hard to get gigs, but sometimes we have dry patches , and man they can drag , it seems like were never going to get anywhere. You’ve just got to have faith and without doubt something good with come along”.
They may be a long way off seeing their faces on Kerrang and TMF but for their age their certainly not doing bad. All of them seem adamant that they will one day be a household name and after meeting them I don’t have any doubts either. They are four stand up guys and very bit of success they get.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Title: Indiego
Positioning statement: The Ultimate Indie Bible
Price: £3.00
Issue size: 170 pages
Frequency: Monthly
Distribution: Newsagents, supermarkets, HMV, W.H Smith
Rationale: The approach of the magazine is very much from a music lover’s point of view. We will offer opinions and insights; and articles interviews will focus very much on what the music lovers want to know and ask.
Style: The style of my magazine is informal and humorous. Images will be the dominant feature of layouts. ‘
Regular content
-Gig guides
-Editors letter
-Music forum letters
-Letters
-Subscribe and save
-Small ads where fans can buy and sell CD’s and music etc
-Access all areas
-My record collection (A look at a certain celebrity’s records)
-Quizzes
-The dirt on …
-Questions and answers
-Honour of the month
-The story behind the song
- Access all areas
-My record collection
-A round with…
-Last requests
Feature Articles:
-Gigs you must go see
-150 albums’ you must see before you die
-Articles about bands
-Interviews with artists
-T4 search for the next up and coming band.
-Do’s and do not’s of music festivals
-The ten best artists of all time
-Big stars best moment
-Gig adverts
-150 albums you really should here before you die.
-Come back acts –take that, west life etc.
-Where they the ultimate band?
-Music festival reviews
-Last requests
Images
Front Cover:
Teenage girl connoting stereotypical indie teens
Contents:
Indie girl holding guitar
Money
Records
Girls at a festival
Image of editor
Image of front cover
Thursday, November 5, 2009
1.Most peoples favourite indie band varied however the top two favourites were Kings of Leon and The Stereophonics.This shows that i should focus on these artists and do main articles about them.
2.The word indie reminds people of many things such as camping out ,drugs,fame and fashion.However the thing it reminds people of the most is festivals,make-up ,skinny jeans and alcohol.This means the reader will respond positively if I include these topics in my work.
3.The most popular colours chosen by my target audience were black and purple.This effects my work because these are the colours that will attracted my audience to buy a product so I should incorporate these in my colour scheme.
4.The majority of my target audience seem to buy music magazines once a month so this is how often I should distribute it.
5.Most people would spend £5.00 on a music magazine ,however they were all pretty similar results and my magazine will be a new one which means people are not familiar with it and less likely to buy it so I will set the price it at the lower cost of £4.00
6.This question helps me alot with the content of my magazine I will not feature adverts quizzes and articles that are very opinionated very heavily becasue people have indicated that they dislike them.On the other hand I will include music news,reviews,gossip,come back reviews and posters more because these thing were popular with my target audience.
7.The things that would make people buy a magazine are free things,posters ,gossips ,articles on new bands and artist ,festival reviews and quizzes/competitions and gig reviews so i will include all of these in my magazine .However people seem to like festival reviews and articles on news bands the most so these should feature on my front cover.
8.The thing people enjoy reading the most is "Who's Dating Who?" and "The Best Ever (Bands,Music,Artists ECT) so these thing should also feature on my front cover, I do all of these thing to attract people to buy my magazine and make a profit.
9.The majoirty were female by a narror margin.
10. The majortiy age of people who complete my questionnaire were between 15-21
Monday, November 2, 2009
1.What is your favourite band?
Kasabian 3
The kooks 2
Kings of leon 5
Stereophonics 4
Muse 2
The dykeenies 1
Paramore 2
Blink 182 1
Blue october 1
2.What three words do you asscocaite with indie music?
Skinny jeans 9
Make-up 7
Fashion 5
Gigs 7
Festivals 11
Drugs 6
Alcahol 7
Big hair 3
Mud 1
Fame 1
Camping out 3
3.What is you favourite colour?
Purple 4
Black 4
Red 2
Blue 3
Green 1
Pink 3
Yellow 2
White 1
4.How often do you buy music magazines?
Once a week 5
Every two weeks 3
Once a month 7
Not often 5
5.How much would you pay for a music magazine?
£3.00 6
£4.00 6
£5.00 7
More 1
6.What do like and dislike about muic magazines?
Dislike
Adverts 8
Quizzes 5
Articles that are to opinionated 4
Nothing 3
Like
Music news 4
Reviews 5
Gossip 3
Come back reviews 6
Posters 2
7.What special feature would make you buy a magazine?
Free stuff 4
Posters 1
Gossip 3
Articles on new bands/Artists 5
Festival reviews 5
Quizzes and competitions 1
Gig reviews 1
8.What tpye of thing do you enjoy reading about?(Please circle)
Celebrity gossip 3
Festivals/Gigs 4
Whats hot ,whats not? 2
Whos dating who? 5
The best of... (Bands artists ect) 6
9.Are you male or female?
Female 9
Male 11
10.How old are you?
15-17 7
18-21 6
22-24 4
25-27 3
Here is my questionnaire:
1.What is your favourite band?
2.What three words do you asscoiate with indie music?
3.What is your favourite colour?
4.How often do you buy a music magazine?
5.How much would you pay for a music magazine?
6.What do you like and dislike about magazines you read?
7.What special feature would make you buy a magazine?
8.What type of thing do you like reading about (Please circle)
Celebrity gossip
Festivals/Gigs
What's hot ,what's not?
Who's dating who/
The best ever... (bands,music,artists ECT)
Other (Please state)
__________________________________
9.Are you male or female?
10.How old are you? (Please circle)
15-17
18-21
22-24
25-27
Thank you for completing my questionnaire.
-Strapline
-Strap quote- Get the readers attentions
-Beggining -Short summary -Stand first
-First letter is larger
-Large image
-Limited use of colour.For example black and red
-Eyecatching colours
-Artists names are highlighted
-Pictures of journalist -By line
-Text in columns
-Page numbers
-Title of article
-Title of magazine
Codes and conventions
-Dominated by pictures
-Layed out in columns
-Number of page next to topic
-Subtitles
-A little explanation
-Date
-Credits
-Editors Letter
-Webiste
-10-12 size font
-Magazine title
-"On the cover"
-Subcription details.
-Different sized pictures
-One main image
-Title
-"Contents"
-Generally two pages.
Codes and conventions
-Main title - direct mode od address - unique
-Main picture
-Bar code
-Price
-Date
-Puff
-No writing on the face
-Buzz words
-Postitioning statement
-Supporting images
-Colour scheme
-Coverlines
-Masthead
-Issue number
-Headline
-Tag line
-Familiar faces
This would all help me in creating my own music magazine.
The type of music magazine I am going to produce it Indie “Q”
My target audience will be 15-25 year old, both male and female, who enjoy Indie music.
Task two: Kerrang (Special edition)

Price: £6.00 special edition or normal £2.20
Frequency of publication: Monthly
Issue size: 130 pages
Regular content:
Festival tours
News on different stars
Things to win
Live reviews of a number of artists
Gig guides
Album reviews
Features:
Band interviews
Big stars best moments
Gig adverts
Classic rock magazine

Frequency: Monthly
Issue size: 138
Regular content
-Classic rock online
-The dirt
-Questions and answers
-The story behind the song
-What’s on your CD?
-Reviews
-Subscribe and save
-Letters
-Honour of the week - special concerts
-Ever met Hendrix?
-Rock back pages
Features
-Similar music from the 70’s
-150 albums you really should here before you die.
-Come back acts –take that, west life etc.
-Where they the ultimate band?

Price: £3.90
Frequency: Monthly
Issue size: 162
Regular content
-Access all areas
-Soapbox
-New to Q
-Q Hero
-My record collection
-Cash for questions
-A round with …
-Q50
-Q quiz
-Last requests
Features
-Sting
-Green day
-Pop Babylon
Decisions for my magazine:
Issue size: 170 pages
Frequency: Monthly
Regular content
-Gig guides
-Editors letter
-Music forum letters
-Letters
-Subscribe and save
-Small ads where fans can buy and sell CD’s and music etc
-Access all areas
-My record collection (A look at a certain celebrity’s records)
-Quizzes
Feature Articles:
-Gigs you must go see
-150 albums’ you must see before you die
-Articles about bands
-Interviews with artists
-T4 search for the next up and coming band.
-Do’s and do not’s of music festivals
-The ten best artists of all time
-Big stars best moment
Friday, October 16, 2009
Finally we used Quark Xpress to create our contents page.
I had to make it in to columns, and fit all my photographs and texts so they looked okay,and get a background colour and title colour that both stood out and went with my colour scheme.
Here is my contents:
Evaluation
My media product uses develops and challenges forms and conventions of real media in many ways. In my front cover I have used one main image in the model is using a direct mode of address which makes my work unique. Also I included a bar code which uses the conventions of real media. The price is placed in a puff to draw attention to the bargain that they are getting which uses real media because real magazine all draw attention to any free gifts or bargains the reader may be getting to get more sales. The date is also included in this to stick to the conventions of real media. There is also writing on the model face so that you can see the image clearly. The colour scheme is also minimalistic which sticks to the conventions of real media. I have also used cover lines that would make my target audience more inclined to buy the magazine. The other things I have I have done to stick to real media are the issue number, tag lines and familiar faces, because of all these things would makes my sale ratings higher.
My content is laid out in two columns and has the numbers of the pages next to each topic to make it’s easier to the eye which uses the conventions of real media. I have also written an editors letter so that the readers are up to date with what’s going on in the magazine. I have used seized 12 font so that I can fit all of article on the page and so that it is still easy to read. Also at the top of my content I have used my magazine title so that they are reminded of the magazine they are reading again. I have used regular content, on the cover and feature articles which uses the conventions of real media because it makes it easier for readers to find the articles they want to read. I have not included subscription details in my contents because of the cheap price. Furthermore I have used a variety of pictures all of different sizes to make my contents more appealing to the eye this is typical of real media. And finally at the top of my magazine I have used the word ‘contents’ to make it clear what page they are on.
In the creation of my preliminary task I used both Photoshop and Quark Xpress. This was the first time I had ever used Quark Xpress so I learnt a lot and think that it will really help when it comes to creating my main task. In addition I learnt a lot more technical skills on Photoshop which I had used in my media GCSE however found the practice really helpful. I also used the Internet to upload on to my blog and do research. Furthermore I used Microsoft word and a camera to take images.
In conclusion I think the strengths and weaknesses of my works are that, I have used good content and layout, however I have missed some of obvious things out like a positioning statement, in doing this I have learnt what to do differently in my main task. I have also found it useful to learn more about the technologies I will be using and make any mistake now rather than later.
























