In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My magazine was created to compete with the popular market of rock magazines. My main inspiration was from Kerrang! and I followed some of the conventions that I noted from this magazine such as a large masthead, strapline and a range of coverlines. I took some ideas from Kerrang but the challenge was to have more vital information than Kerrang so that my magazine would be more atractive than its rival.
Being the first issue of my magazine I wanted to make it stand out from others on the market I did this by deepening the aspect and changing the colour. The audience would be intrigued by the low price and the fact that it features teenagers in their own bands to become the next featured artist.
Other conventions include the strap line having bands not many people would have heard of. This would get them into new bands and the magazine provides information about them and includes a gig guide so if the a band appeals to someone they can check when they are touring.
The final attraction would have to be the mention of a prize give away leading more into reading, which is what can be usually found on a magazine of a particular genre. All these features are used so that my magazine doesn't look any different from other magazines but also creates something new to compete in the world of magazines.
I decided as the final idea I would have the black and white version. This is because you rarely see a limitation fo colour. It seems more grown up and restrics to a certain age limit. By doing this I also challenged the conventions
In the audience feedback I was told this red was too bold and made a statement and was rather distracting. Even though red and yellow are commonly used on music magazines, but because I had loads of information down the side, the writing started to merge into the images.
How does your media product represent particular social groups ?
The age of Matt and Dom represents teenagers and the choice of clothing stereotypes them into an automatic age group. If I had got younger people then I would have to add more pictures and make all sentences shorter so a younger audience wouldn't get bored. Stereotypically the teenagers look bored and moody and this reflects dominant ideas in society about teengers and rock music
The fact I have the male gender on the front cover makes it appeal to a certain audience. The font used was found on 'dafont.com' its not really suited for the image but it does attract. I feel that the red side bar lets the image down because it's too bright and looks untidy.
My magazine is for students and teens, I feel a small improvement could be the fonts and layout. Its too simple and looks like a child has done this subjecting the work down to a different level. Even though the image is good it's not best for front page material but the fact that Dom and Matt are students suggest the stereotype that they are having difficulties with money and the band. A place that the readers can all relate to and see how they dealt with it.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media products and why ?
If created then it would be selected as a small free run in Kerrang!, to get high promotion I would suggest an advert to show people about the cheap price and the link between it and Kerrang! If all sales would be pursuit then I would suggest that a solo sale would be appropriate. My magazine would therefore by distributed by a company like Bauer media group who publish Kerrang
I take the idea from seeing various adverts helping a new magazine to push them in the right direction. If the magazine some magazines you have mini spin off ones so I want to take that idea and put it into a well know magazine. In which the correct age range will read and maybe even subject bands they know into the magazine.
How you appealed to your target audience?
I had reasecarhced magazines that featured simlar topics. in which readers would reconise these simlarites but understand that our magazine had more topics. I felt making a magazine link to others would create a new battel in the market and everyone would have to be top of their game.
Bold colours and niche bands connects to the popualtion that would read the genre of my magazine. Images that were relevant to the magazine hellped dipict who will listen and let people understand the particualr age range.
Who would be the audience for your media product ?
My main target audience is students. I feel the best representation is shown by the image. This is a uni sex magazine, the image can be appealing to both genders. Females may find them attractive while men would want to hear about their experience. Small sections of the maginze would include advice on getting started into a band. This small dedication was represented in the contense page. (The picture is at the bottom, it wont stay in the correct place.) I have listed this as feedback I did this because it was an opportunity for the audience to ask how certain people made it big. If i was to list it under a student guidance I think this would intimidate people and make it feel like a student magazine, so it wouldn't be that popular.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product ?
I had a couple of problems when using photo shop and I wasn't that experienced I had to use the computer program 'Gimp'. While creating my images I again wasn't equipped with the technology so didn't get print screens of my progress. The main bit of technology I learnt how to use was an online blog, I did have a couple of problems along the way. I realised that I did need to have a wider range of images and to label things more clearly.
The use of of new computer programs have increased my IT skills not to a higher standard but to an acceptable state. Using Dafont as you can see from the left let me experiment more with masthead and let me have a wider choice of fonts on the final product.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product ?
I have learnt to pace myself, focus on my goals and follow my plan as best as I could like I said I really wanted to experiment more. I really enjoyed analysing magazines I really liked and this task involved something I took an interest in.Further more in comparision to my student magazine I feel everything has improved, whether it was using better fonts or doing more comparison towards available magazine it was what I wanted. I think in a case for improvement I could have added more pictures and shown how I expanded some ideas such as taking print screens of my working progress.
One thing I'm not too happy about is the way I used Dafont but never cropped anything. I have learnt a lot and am personally pleased with my end results.
