Final main task: music magazine

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

 I've come a long way from my preliminary task and I really feel I've improved greatly. Both my analytic skills and my creativity have expanded and I've learned a lot from my past mistakes. Also, a more thorough research for the music magazine task has proved to be very effective in providing me with a clear idea about what I should or should not include for such a task. For example, my target audience is more clearly addressed in my music magazine, also the layout and framing of photos denote a more professional looking piece of work. Finally, feedback from both the teacher and my friends helped me discover my weaknesses in producing a music magazine and work on them.
It is a well known fact that practice makes perfect, and my final product could still use a lot of improvement but I feel content with the level it is on, and would I see this magazine in a news stand I would buy it!

6. What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

The construction of this media product has greatly enhanced my knowledge of some basic programmes and software. With the help and advice of a Photography student, I have learned how to use a Cannon D500 SLR camera to take the photos necessary. Unlike other digital cameras, this camera provided me with a wide variety of options and unique features which made my pictures look a lot more professional.
 

Also, I've become if not proficient at least skilled in the use of Adobe Photoshop Elements 8, both in class with the teacher and experimenting with it at home. Having so many new and improved features makes it one of the best image editing software there is and so I didn't spend time trying to find another similar software such as Inkscape or Picassa,  but solely used this one, perfecting the product to the best of my ability.

I chose not to use Desktop Publisher because I found it rather tricky and a bit more complicated. Other websites that helped develop my product were dafont.com - where I found and downloaded the font I've used for the masthead and contents; www.surveymonkey.com - which helped me get feedback from a wide and quite varied audience; www.issuu.com - where I have researched existing magazines created by other teens.

5. How did you attract your audience?

In order to attract an audience, firstly I have considered the use of bright colours which considerably make the magazine stand out. Then, the photos used in all my four pages have a significant importance in attracting the reader and convincing him into buying it. Also, like for quite a lot of the professional magazines out there, there's a free give-away along with the magazine: a 'Best of Rock' CD, advertised in a visibly large, bright orange sticker on the cover.

The text is in turn very important because it has to address to a certain, previously chosen, group. I could describe the mode of address throughout my four pages as serious but slightly informal  and witty (the cover story interview) and also informative. Words like 'Plus', 'Special', 'The' on both the cover and contents and the use of the exclamation mark entice the audience further.

4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

I've decided to go against the bohemian, clean teen image I've promoted on my preliminary task, and totally opposite from that would be the dangerous, more aggressive picture the rock and roll style paints brightly. Therefore, the 'target reader' for this magazine would ideally be a guy, possibly mid twenties. He dresses at JD and SportsDirect, but occasionally buys band merchandise online such as shirts and wristbands and practically lives in Converse sneakers and worn out jeans. He listens to 'old school' rock music: R.E.M., Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and yet he really likes the music Annie and The Band is trying to promote. He plays guitar in a rock band too, so he can directly relate to her story. He's not rich but nor he is poverty-soaked as he works at some electronics store in his local area and earns just enough to get by. He hangs out with his mates a lot at the local pub where they occasionally perform. He is, above all, fun, loud and not exactly the type of guy a girl would bring home to meet her parents.

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

I believe that the main institutions that would possibly distribute Rock&Roll magazine are: Bauer Media Group (Q magazine's publisher), Future Publishing (Classic Rock's publisher) and Jan Wenner (Rolling Stone's publisher).

I have chosen these mainly because of the resemblance of my media product to these three best-selling magazines: the coverage of serious, high profile bands and artists and the hard-hitting journalism with a hint of dark humour.

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Although the picture on the cover is that of a girl, my intention was that the magazine I've created would appeal to both men and women (that men would find this girl attractive, while the female audience would read her story and relate to her instead). Also, in the double page spread I deemed that Mahonni would pass as a petite 24 year old, although she is only 18. I did this deliberately, intending my target audience to be quite mature (from young adults: 20 to mid 30's), hence the long, small font interview with quite a few pictures and the reference to two rather old bands: U2 and R.E.M. .
Finally, it could be said that just like Rolling Stone and Q magazine, it has universality , for it does not represent only a particular social group.

Evaluation: 1 In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of a real media products?

My media product follows closely the conventions of a real magazine with the prominent masthead at the top, the price and date on the upper right and the bar code - lower left corner, with the cover story in bold, so it would stand out and the other inside stories in a smaller font on both sides of the picture, which is the main feature. My magazine is mainly based on the well known magazine Rolling Stone, which fits perfectly with my chosen style, which is rock. The main colours I've used are crimson red, grey and black, which by my opinion denote best a more mature, classy but serious style. The picture, as previously stated, could be described as quite unconventional, due to the really low number of female rock artists appearing on the cover of such a magazine. I find it is a bit challenging, but an audience found it bold and eye-catching, so I stuck to it.