Image analysis: Front page spreads, double page spreads (DPS) and contents page spreads

Mock ups for my magazine

Focus group response

Focus group response:

Why was it useful? – My focus group research has proven useful as I know how to tailor certain parts of my magazine to fulfil requirements of the reader. Such as publishing an online version of the magazine to those who want easy access to the magazine. Another example which came up was to include features that other magazines don’t include such as: live chats with celebrities featured within the magazine. This will help engage the magazine reader not only to the magazine material but the artists featured within my magazine. This isn’t offered by other magazines which is why my magazine is going to be more appealing to a reader.

How has it helped you in the decisions you will make when creating your magazine? - I’ve been given feedback which is going to help me with the design of my magazine as I know what style of artists to feature within my magazine. I know the expectations of the reader which means I understand on what colouring to use within my magazine and how to display features making them appeal to the reader.

Did I find out something I didn’t expect? – I found out that music lovers of the pop genre play this style of music on a daily basis. This explains the impact the genre has upon the readers and their love of ‘pop’ genre music. As I was oblivious to the fact this style of music could appeal to individuals this much.

What were my general findings? – I found that the readers of ‘pop’ genre magazines tend to buy a pop magazine once a month, this is due to costings and their finances. I now know to only publish a monthly annual. However if my magazine becomes on demand, I know I can make a 2 weekly annual. Or I could publish a purchasable online version for mobile phones as many students are on the go and the magazine would be more easily accessible through a cellular device as opposed to a paper copy.

Has it made me change any initial ideas? – It has made me consider doing a purchasable online magazine. This means I can make more money and it’s more easily accessible to my target market.

To conclude, I have came to understand some key  information that's going to help me inboth decision making and the production of my final product. I am keeping the genre of my music magazine as pop as it is very popular as discovered from my focus group, that my target audience knows quite a lot about the particular genre. I also found out that the ideal price range for my magazine would be around £3.99. This is because the people in my focus group were all students, and they only have the ability to purchase magazines when they have extra money available. It is manageable to pay out this once every month which is why I've decided to publish my magazine on a monthly basis. Most of the people in my focus group told me that they liked to read 'Top Of The Pops' magazine, which has more pictures of artists and fashionwear then articles. This shows me that my target audience, young females, are highly into fashion and they would rather look at images and redeem vouchers and the things on offer from the magazine then reading loads of articles. One main point that I have learned from my focus group is that they would really like to have a live chat with celebrities included. This lets me know that I should really include a plug with a web adress and image of the artist available to chat with. This would undoubtably improve the sales for my magazine within the target audience that it is aimed at.

 

Audience research focus group

For my audience research I’ve carried out research via a focus group. The aim was to ask questions about my audience, magazine content and the pop genre. This has helped me gain knowledge on the type of artists and what material I should include within my magazine; live chat online, competitions, free giveaways etc. I have also created questions to ask which will help me tailor the magazine to my target audience. This is important as it will help improve on sales for my magazine.
 

1: Do you frequently buy music magazines?  (Once a month – monthly)

2: What magazines do you buy and why? (Billboard, we love pop and top of the pops – because it shows chart music and music of the pop genre)

3: What do you think to an online version of the magazine? (much more easy to access and it’s much more suitable to students who already carry a lot of paperwork. Being able to access the magazine online would mean the magazine would be much more tailored to student life).

4: What is the most popular genre of music that you listen to? (Pop as it is mostly in the charts and it is catchy. The music is played most on the radio – Capital FM and I’m able to put on the music I love by turning on the radio)

5: How often do you listen to the ‘pop’ genre? (Daily basis)

6: What artists would you associate the genre 'pop' with? (Katy perry, Cheryl Cole, Taylor Swift, One Direction, Rita Ora, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Rihanna etc)

7: What do you expect from ‘pop’ magazines? (Pop artists, Celebrities, gossip, fashion – clothing, bright colours)

My Prezi

Colour scheme, outfits and costume ideas!

Different font types

Here I've explored multiple font types to see which best suits my pop title 'fanza'. The typical 'pop' style font is tall and bold. It appeals to the audience. It's typically bold and stands out. Theres a few displayed here which would work well for my magazine as they're clear to read, tall and bold.

Connotations of the pop genre: research

Pop genre videos

The last three videos posted have belonged to the pop genre. They each have displayed examples of bright colours. They're up beat and very catchy. This is a common theme within the pop genre. The videos that come with the songs are likewise very interesting and eye catching.

Pop genre research: Cher Lloyd

Genre research video: Pop Icon One Direction

My Choosen Genre

GENRE:

The genre that I have chosen to use for my music magazine is (modern) pop. This genre is the most radio played. It is suited to a broader range of audience from young children to the older aged.

Why have I chose this genre?

• Firstly it is the main genre of music that I listen to. This will help me create my magazine as I'm already knowledgeable on the genre and what is needed to create a magazine. 
• This genre is very popular, especially amongst teenagers and young adults. My target audience for my magazine is students, so this gives a good age gap for my magazines target audience.
• There is so much music included within the 'pop' genre which gives me more then enough material to display within my magazine and it means I'm able to adapt it to my readers style,
• Notably there are many existing artists and products within the genre. I can easily adapt my magazine to the readers giving them the information, goodies and products that they wish to gain.  
•  Benefitably this will make it easy for me to talk about artists and advertise products that the target audience will be interested in.

Front cover spreads

Here are examples of Pop, Indie and Rock front page covers of magazines. Each including bands that fit to each genre. The mastheads in all three of these front covers display the magazines name. This means the reader can easily identify their preferred genre.

 

 A similarity of all magazines is the fact that the main image stands out. The reader can easily identify the artist on the front of each magazine. The first cover is a medium long shot, as it shows the full band (The Saturdays). However the second and third cover pages use a conventional medium shot for the cover image which is commonly used. This shot was probably used in the second and third covers as they are men, they are showing how they are serious about their music. Each of the covers include feature stories on genre - related artists.

 

Contents pages genre research

The contents pages here all have their masthead on the top of the page to allow the reader to yet again know what magazine they are reading from. All of the contents pages have a front cover story picture with the page number of the article. This picture is larger than the others to allow the reader to know that it is the cover story.

In this 'pop' genre contents page, it is made clear by the colours, images and text "we (love) pop" that the contents page is pop - related. The main image consisting of Tulisa appeals to pop genre fans. It also shows that the main picture is the cover story of this magazine; edition. The masthead relates to a love of music and the artists included within the page.

This contents page features The Courteeners which is an indie band. Although I'm doing a pop magazine I've taken a look at other genres to see different styles of contents pages and how they adapt to a different audience. This contents page just like the pop contents page features the logo. It is also clear that by the colours it isn't going to be a glam - pop or rock magazine. The contents masthead is big and bold in the top left hand corner of the page, where as the pop magazine didn't feature a 'contents' title.

DPS genre research

It is typical for a photo of the artist included in the double page spread - to take up a full page or a large quantity of a page; sometimes both. They're usually a medium close up. In pop magazines they tend to be more revealing as opposed to rock. The double page spread goes over the two pages, which means the two pages go together allowing the reader to know that they're of the same context including that one artist. All the articles have stand firsts, which allow the reader to know a little bit about what the article is going to be able before they read it.

The double page spread on Cheryl Cole interestingly features the main image of her and another image of her on the page consisting of text. The use of pictures featuring Cheryl Cole is used to grip the reader also.

The next image featuring Lily Allen has an over lap of the mast head and Image. This is also a feature used by magazines including double page spreads.

 

The final double page spread shown has the image of Lady Gaga spread over both pages. With very little writing it is key that the image is the main focus of this DPS and the aim is targeted at the readers pleasure. This DPS is clearly of pop genre as Lady Gaga is a pop singer. The reader can easily identify a genre by the artist featured in a magazine. As if the DPS image was to include a band like 'you me at six' it is obvious the magazine would be of a rock genre. A typical magazine of rock genre is kerrang.

 

Here a kerrang - rock genre DPS is present. The former band MCR are displayed in this example. A convention used is the DPS has given a website link in the top left hand corner. Like wise to the majority of DPS's a medium close up has being given of the artist (in this case the lead singer).

 

Personal reader profile!

Genre moodboards and ideology

 

Each genre conveys a different image. They each appeal to different types of audience. For example pop will appeal more to a younger teenager - young adult, as to an older aged pensioner. Each style is unique and has ideology that matches the portrayal of each genre. As the ideology of indie as displayed is very vintage. Pop on the other hand withholds a fashion statement on a  modern look. As to rock which makes a statement of tattoos, piercings, bright coloured hair, extreme look.

Genre Research

Conventions analysis

Main Breif

To design a front cover, contents and a double page spread of a new music magazine. All images and text used must be original, a minimum of four images must be used.

Here is my evaluation: prelinary task!

My Magazine

Conventions of a magazine

I created a slide on conventions so I can gain knowledge and understanding to each convention used and why.

Magazine convention labels

 On my magazine conventions I have descripted one slide as there was no need to redo the description on labels for the other slides as I have already explained the purpose of each feature on a magazine front cover.

Feature story ideas for front cover.