Question 7: Looking back at my preliminary task, what do I feel I've learnt in the progression from it?

Question 7

Question 6: What have I learnt about technologies in the process of constructing my product?

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Question 5: How did I attract/address my audience?

Question 4 - Who would be the audience for your media product?

My music magazine ‘Millennium’ is aimed at young people between the ages of 16 and 21 who are both male and female, this means a large majority of my target audience will be teenagers therefore they will most likely be in full time education at school, college or university and may have a part time job. This age range does not have a stable, disposable income so they don’t want to spend a lot of money on one product so I have kept the price of my magazine at £1.99 to ensure it is affordable. Most of my target audience will probably be living at home with their parents or in student accommodation; they will be at the exam stage in their life which requires a lot of studying to get qualifications to get a good job e.g. Doctors, Lawyers, Nurse, Teacher. 

Their values in life will still be spending time with their family and friends and going out to the cinema, park, youth clubs, shops, restaurants etc. They will want to enjoy their youth before having major responsibilities therefore they will want to spend their money on clothing, electronic items (such as phones, laptops, cameras, iPad/tablets), music (iTunes, CDs) and movies (cinema, DVDS) this shows that my target audience will spend money on items revolving around the media. My ideal reader would buy items from high street shops like New Look, Primark, River Island and H&M. They would dress in fashionable, current clothing which the retail shops would be selling; these styles are edgy and glamorous.

The most popular phone choice is smartphones, iPhones are a widespread product that many young people own as it provides them with many possibilities including apps, camera, iMessaging, Facetime, social networking etc so my ideal reader would have access to all of these. It would be an advantage for my music magazine because an app could be marketed for ‘Millennium’ and advertising could be an option to increase readership. They would listen to music online through YouTube which is an easy way to access it, however this requires the internet so sound cloud and Spotify are useful ways of downloading music. Other methods would include using iTunes to purchase singles or albums which can then be stored onto any type of electronic device so it can be listened to whenever and wherever.

My primary audience is 16-21 year olds which means that they will most likely be in group E according to the JICNAR scale because they will be students. However if they are still living at home, they may be funded by their parents/carers who could be in group ABC1. Therefore my music magazine has a secondary audience of my ideal reader’s parents, siblings and older or younger friends. So it must have different elements that would appeal to these age groups even though it’s mostly focused on attracting young people. I have incorporated a range of artists to achieve this which makes my pop music magazine mainstream as it includes contemporary, popular artists on the music scene right now e.g. Eminem, Katy Perry, Jason Derulo.

I will ask a sample group of both male and females from my target audience of 16-21 year olds, to see what they think of my pop music magazine 'Millennium'. I will record their opinions and ask them what they think of the magazine? Does it appeal to their needs? Would they buy it? What are the strengths and the areas for improvement? Maximum price they would pay for it? How often would they buy it? Is it worth £1.99? Do the artists on the front cover appeal to them? Does the photography attract them to it? Is the magazine name memorable? 

JICNAR SCALE

Group A (Professionals)

Upper middle class, e.g. Barristers, Doctors, Executives

Group B (Managerial)

Middle class, e.g. Bank Managers, Teachers

Group C1 (Non-Manual)

Lower middle class, white collar workers, e.g. Office Workers

Group C2 (Manual)

Skilled working class, Blue collar workers, e.g. Car Mechanic, Machine operators, Construction workers

Group D (Partly Skilled)

Semi or unskilled manual workers, e.g. Assembly line worker

Group E (Unskilled)

Casual workers, dependent on state benefits, students

I asked two students between the ages of 16-21, one female and one male to get both perspectives, to review the front cover of my magazine and asked them what they liked about it, any improvements that could be made, whether it's worth £1.99 and who they would recommend it to. It is important to get feedback from my target audience as the magazine is aimed at them and it gives me an idea of whether it is a successful product. 

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

Question 3

Question 2 - How does your media product represent social groups?

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

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Final Products

Final Double Page Spread

This is my final version of my double page spread, I have tried to follow the typical conventions to ensure the structure is organised. The main title is 'ISSY' which has been arranged like so to add an element of interest, a photograph of my model has been placed inside the letters to link them together and to make it look more interesting and exciting. The house colours are the same as my front cover and contents page, most of the text is in black however the pull quotes and stand first are in cerise which means the style is kept the same. The drop cap is in a serif style font to make it appear more feminine as my article is focused on the success of a young, female music artist. The questions asked are in bold, Century Gothic text which emphasises them and makes them stand out. Issy's answers are in a clear,regular Arial font to show the reader where Issy's response starts. There is a reader interaction box in the bottom left hand corner which says 'Tell us what you think' which involves the reader, the music magazine's web address of 'www.millennium.co.uk' is promoted/advertised again in the bottom left hand corner of the page to encourage people to go online and view it. A pull quote has been positioned in the centre of the interview page (purposely in capital letters) so the readers are drawn to it. The other pull quote has been put next to the largest photograph on the page which again attracts the reader and encourages them to read the full article. The main photograph is a mid-shot of Issy looking away from the camera which portrays her to be quite mysterious and cheeky therefore the reader is enticed to find out more about her. Finally, there is a page number in the bottom right hand corner which is an important convention to ensure the reader can find the page easily, it must match what is on the contents page so it's not confusing and unorganised.

Examples of page furniture

Conventions and research of a double page spread

• A large image- of artist who has been interviewed.
•  A pull quote - taken from the interview with the celebrity.
•  Bold text – important names.
•  A stand first – introduction to the article/feature.
• Text – size 11, same size used throughout.
• Drop cap – usually bold, tells reader where to start reading.
• Columns – usually 2-4 to keep an organised structure.
• By-lines – put under images to credit photographer.
• Short headline- Usually just 1 or 2 words to state what the feature is about.
• Usually follows same colour scheme.
•  Informal tone - Quite chatty, especially if it's an interview.
• Allow title to bleed onto the other page to show the pages are linked.

This double page spread is from 'Q' music magazine, it is focused on Lady Gaga which is evident as the whole left hand page is taken up with a professional, high quality photograph of her which is in black and white. The photograph is quite seductive and controversial as there is a lot of skin showing which conveys Lady Gaga's outrageous personality. The large red 'L' in a serif style font overlays the text, it stands for the subjects name so the reader can link the image to the text, it also adds an element of interest and makes it look more exciting. The heading at the top says 'lady GAGA' to clearly state what the feature is about, 'lady' is in a more feminine, flirtatious, sophisticated font where as 'GAGA' is emphasized in capital letters which suggests her madness. A faint stroke has been placed underneath to separate the title from the rest of the text and it's in a larger font because it's more important. There are 3 columns which consist of small text, this follows the typical conventions of a double page spread. There are two drop caps, the 'S' in the first column and the I in the third column which suggests those are important parts of the feature and draws the reader's attention to it. The colour scheme matches that of the Q magazine (red, white and black) which keeps a constant link between each page. The date, page number and logo of the magazine are placed in the bottom right hand corner which again follows typical conventions of a double page spread and reminds the reader while continuously promoting 'Q' magazine. 

Page furniture:

•       Pull quote
•       Crosshead
•       Opinion Box
•       Boxouts
•       Folio and slug
•       Reader interaction
•        Information Bar
•       Drop Cap
•       Header sell/strap
•       Byline
•     Caption/Caption header 

Double Page Spread Layouts

Final Contents Page

This is the final mock up, I have tried to follow the conventions of a typical Contents Page to show a clear structure. The Title 'Contents' is across the top of the page in simple sans- serif font, I have kept the image of Issy the same of her in a black dress and heels and have placed her sitting in front of the 'O' which adds an element of interest. The issue month and year has been placed in the top right hand corner to make it stand out to the reader to show how recent and up to date it is, this has been balanced out with 'Millennium' in the top left hand corner. There is one main column down the left hand side which has Features, Reviews and Every Week sections, these sub-headings separate the text and make it more organised. Then there is an 'Exclusive' box creating a second column. I have kept my house colours the same (Black, White and Cerise) from my front cover to maintain the same theme for my music magazine. The page numbers are positioned next to the corresponding sub-title and I have used a particular font from dafont.com for the numbers placed next to the images to make them prominent. I have kept a similar font for all the text, either using Arial or Century Gothic which is the same as my front cover to keep them linked and to make it look professional. The main image is of Issy because she is the main focus in this issue of my music magazine, then I have used a smaller image of Katy Perry (photographed at The JingleBell Ball) to promote the competition to win 2 VIP tickets and a image of Scott Innes (photographed at the Clothes Show Live) to talk about him as a new artist. 

More developments of Contents Page

These mock ups of my contents page are very basic, the text size must be smaller to allow more room for information. The columns must be organised, I think it will work best if I have one main column down the left hand side and then a 'Exclusive' Box in the bottom right hand corner.

It's important that my music magazine appeals to both males and females, therefore the photos must show a range of artists/bands and the features/reviews must involve news of both genders so it will be interesting to a wide audience. The Title in the first one takes up a lot of space which means the text would look crowded so it's better if the title 'Contents' is kept simple like the second one. I will separate the text into Features, Reviews, Every Week and Exclusive to maintain a clear structure and I will use a maximum of 4 photos so it's not too image dominated as the text is important on the Contents page to inform the reader of what is featured inside the magazine. 

Developments of Contents Page

I have used grids and guidelines to create an organised layout, I have used a photograph of

Issy to place across the title 'Contents' which makes it look more exciting and fun. I have experimented with the 'M' sign behind the title to give it connection with the magazine name 'Millennium'. The Issue month and year has been placed in clear view so the reader can see how up to date it is. I have created a black banner to go across the top right hand corner which says 'Win Wireless Tickets' to intrigue readers to purchase the magazine and find out how to take part in the competition. I have placed the subscription web address at the top in the centre to make it stand out, however it may appear quite crowded so I may move it to create more space. I have used two photograph options of Issy to see which one works best, in my opinion I think the second one does because she sits well on the letter which makes it look artistic. 

Contents Page Conventions and Research

This contents page from 'Q' magazine is quite minimalistic, but it has an organised structure.

The heading is ‘Contents’ which makes it clear what the page is about and it has the magazines logo next to it which is ‘Q’ in white over a red, square pug. The magazines strap line has been placed underneath, ‘Discover great music’ is in a red font which links the house colours of red, white and black. The issue number has been put in a red circular pug which makes it stand out, the grey lines add to the design to create a further sense of interest. The main image is of a main article/feature, in this case Lana Del Rey; the page number on the photo corresponds to the headline in the column down the left hand side and then the page number for further in the magazine. The headline 'Features' is in a red rectangular banner to draw attention to it. The page numbers are emphasized so the reader is drawn to different stories and can see them easily. There are 3 smaller images of different celebrities/groups which gives it more variety and excitement, which again have the page number to make it organised. There is a cursor shape hovering over the smaller image at the top which links to downloading the songs online and adds to the design. There are only 5 cover lines which means it’s spaced out and not too crowded, the celebrity names are in capital letters and in a slightly larger font because they are the most important. Then underneath there is more information about what the feature entails. In the bottom right hand corner there is the issue month and number which informs the reader how up to date it is, and another small 'Q' logo. In the bottom left hand corner there is a web address which allows the reader to subscribe for a regular issue which appeals to music lovers.  

Contents Page Layouts

Double Page Spread

Millennium has had the first exclusive interview with the newest star on the music scene, Claire was sent to find out the latest from Issy to talk about her new number one hit and answers some of your questions! At just 17 years old, the star from Birmingham has had a huge success in a matter of weeks, all starting from her Youtube videos and being recognized by Roc Nation one of the biggest record labels founded by Jay-Z. 


Has the amount of fame/attention shocked you?

Yes! I didn’t expect such a good response. You can’t predict how well your song will go down with everyone; it still hasn’t sunk in that it went to number 1 in the UK! It’s very strange being recognised when I go out, and signing autographs is definitely a new experience.

·        Can you remind us of the title of your new single?

 It's called 'Careless' and it's a dance tune, we worked really hard on trying to make it memorable and catchy.

·       Did you write it yourself?

Yes, I wrote the song myself, I’ve been song writing since I was eleven so I’ve had lots of practise! I’m hoping my skills have improved since then though. I love spending time in the studio, it’s become my second home recently.

·        Have you written songs for any other celebrities?

I’ve co-written a few songs for a couple of underground artists in New York, but other than that... I’m yet to work with other celebrities. It would be so strange hearing a song I've written being sung by major artists, I mean could you imagine Rihanna singing your song!

·        How did you react to the fans response?

I was so shocked! I couldn’t believe it. I’m so grateful for every one of them. I can’t wait to start more promotional work and spend time meeting them.

·        Who do you take your musical inspiration from?

I take a lot of inspiration from smaller, less known artists that I have met over the last two years. I admire so many celebrities but I want to make sure I create my own style, so I try not to have too much similarity with them. I want to stand out, but in my own way.

·        Have you met any celebrities yet?

I have met a few... 

I got to chat to Katy Perry at the Jingle Bell Ball which was amazing! I have idolised her for such a long time.

·        Who would your dream collaboration be with?

That’s a difficult one, but it would probably be Lady Gaga. I love how fearless she is, and to collaborate and perform with her would be an incredible experience! I think our crazy personalities would match perfectly.

·        What were you doing before this recent success?

I’ve been writing and recording for a few years now, and I played at open mic nights as much as I could, but I was working as a make-up artist up until now!

·        Is this a dream for you?

Of course! I’ve only ever dared to dream about it though; I never thought it would become reality!

'I've only ever dared to dream about it'

·        Will you be releasing a new single soon?

I’m currently working on my new single now; it should hopefully be completed in the next couple of months. I am planning for it to be released on the 2^nd of March 2014.

·        How would you describe your style of music?

I suppose pop/R&B, mainly music that you can dance to and have on at parties! But there’s usually a lot of meaning behind each one of my songs.

·        Will you be going on tour?

Maybe once my album is complete, that’s something I will aim for. I think any musicians dream is to have a sold out arena tour!

·        Have you thought of a name for your fans?

I haven’t yet, but I’m open for suggestions!

·        Are you working on an album?

I am *laughs* though I would like to keep it quiet and surprise people. I won’t give away too many clues.

·        Who is your fashion icon?

My fashion icons would have to be Paloma Faith and Lana Del Rey. I love the vintage pin up style, and they are both very classy and glamorous.

·        Can you play any musical instruments?

I can play the piano; I learnt when I was seven. I’ve also had a few guitar lessons but I’m not so good at that! The piano really helped with my song writing, I could write down the music and then put lyrics with it later.

·        From what age have you been singing?

I’ve always enjoyed singing from about the age of 5, but I never thought I was any good and I definitely didn't think it was possible to achieve a number one hit!

·        What music do you listen to?

Hmm the type of music I listen to varies, I love to listen to lots of different things and explore different styles. My favourite song at the minute would have to be ‘Puppy Love’ by Lana Del Ray.

·        Are there any exciting celebrity events that you have been invited to?

I’ve been invited to the Brit awards in February! I was so surprised to be asked to go… I’m really excited, I will have to decide what to wear *laughs* can’t wait!

·        Where do you see yourself in the next 12 months?

I’m not sure quite yet, I wasn’t expecting such a huge response from my single but I will carry on writing and recording some more songs and hopefully be on tour! Who knows what will happen.

Final front cover

This is my final front cover, I have chosen to use this photograph of my model because it is the most engaging as it is a close up, and she is looking directly towards the camera. The image has been positioned in the centre of the page, the masthead 'Millennium' has been placed across the top. It's in a white sans-serif font which is quite simple but makes it clear and bold. The main headline is 'Issy' which is in the second largest font size as it is important, it's again in a white sans-serif font with a black stroke around the outside which makes it stand out and informs the reader what the main article/feature is about. The strap line underneath it is 'Brand new release', the 'NEW' is emphasized and in a red/pink colour which links my three house colours of black, white and cerise. The barcode has been placed in the bottom right hand corner which makes it look more professional, the price is '£1.99' as that is an affordable price according to the feedback from my questionnaire and the issue date has been put next to the barcode so it informs the reader how recent it is. The black banner has been kept the same, with more celebrity names to intrigue a wider audience, especially their fan base. The pull quote has been moved closer to the main headline so it is clear that it links with the 'Issy' headline and it has been put in a bolder font to make it more prominent. The headlines are down the left hand side, the celebrity names have been underlined  and I have added a cerise dotted line underneath to separate them and give it a organised structure. The cover lines give the reader more information, I added an extra one about 'The Vamps' to cover more and fill space.  I created a more exciting pug which is in the top right hand corner, it says 'First Issue' in the middle which creates more interest and around the outside it says 'Win VIP tickets to see Katy Perry:' which attracts potential readers as it implies there is a competition inside and again uses my three main house colours. 

Fifth draft of cover

This front cover uses a close up shot of my model, I have edited the photo on www.picmonkey.com by firstly cropping it then adding the same effects of 'Cross Process' and 'Tranquil' to brighten the colours and make it look like a more professional photograph. I have used the masthead 'Millennium' which goes across the top of the page, in a white sans- serif font which makes it look bold. The pull quote is in the top left hand corner which is in white, spaced out text so it's easy to read. The white circular pug with a black outline is in the opposite top corner with 'NEW' in the centre which is in 'Impact' font so it stands out to my potential audience and it may help generate more interest in the magazine. The main headline is 'Issy' which is in a large size and is in white with a black outline to match the pug, this makes it more prominent so it stands out from the photograph. Underneath, the strap line is 'Brand new release' where again the emphasis is on 'NEW' because this is the word that will catch the readers attention. Other headlines are celebrity/band names which are underlined and in a slightly larger font to appeal to their fan base, the cover lines give the potential buyer/reader more information about what articles/features are included inside and intrigues them to pick it up. The black banner has been kept in the same place (across the bottom) with more celebrity names to appeal to a wide audience, they are all pop artists which is important to keep it linked with my pop genre. The bar code has been positioned in the bottom left hand corner to make it look like a real magazine and the price is displayed at '£1.99' which is a reasonable price according to my questionnaire feedback. 

Fourth draft of cover

This front cover uses a mid shot of my model, I have added a paint effect over the top of the original photograph to make it look more arty and the bright colours link to the genre of pop and make it look fun and youthful which matches my brand identity. I have used the masthead 'Loud' across the top of the page which has been placed behind the model, it is in the largest size and adds to the visual syntax. The pull quote has remained the same, 'I'm the one who is normally behind the scenes' has been placed in the top right in bold, spaced out text to ensure it is clear which will intrigue my potential audience to read the magazine. The main headline is 'Issy' which is outlined in black to make it stand out on top of the photo. Underneath the main headline there is a strapline, the 'NEW' is more emphasized as it's bolder and in a 'impact' font because it's the most important word and will stand out to potential readers/buyers. The black banner has been kept the same with celebrity names so it appeals to a wider audience, they are both female and male artists which means it's suitable for both genders. A bar code is placed in the bottom right hand corner to make it look like an actual magazine and the price is also displayed. The headlines are down the left hand side, the celebrity names are underlined and in a slightly larger size and the strap lines are underneath to add extra information. 

Third draft of front cover

This front cover again uses a close up shot of my model looking directly into the camera. My model has deliberately been positioned more towards the right hand side so there is enough space for the headlines down the left hand side which shows an organised layout. The celebrity names have again been underlined as they are the most important , and the straplines underneath are in a smaller size. I have used another masthead of 'Muse' which has been placed in the top left hand corner which adds to the visual syntax as the potential reader should notice it first. A 'New Issue' white banner has been put across the right hand corner with a black outline to draw attention to it and may interest more people. The main headline has stayed the same, 'Issy' as it is important that the new stars name is in a large, clear, bold font which is more prominent than the rest of the text. Underneath the strapline is 'New Release' which is in a smaller 'Impact' font but gives the potential reader/buyer an idea of what the magazine is about. The black banner across the bottom of the page has also remained the same as it clearly shows what other celebrities are included inside which will intrigue a larger audience. The bar code has been placed in the bottom right hand corner which makes it look more professional and it also displays the price of '£1.99',  which according to my questionnaire is the price that most people are willing to pay. The pull quote 'I'm the one who is normally behind the scenes' has been positioned on top of a white, rectangular pug (the transparency has been reduced slightly) which makes it stand out more. 

Second draft of front cover

This is another front cover idea for my pop music magazine, I have used the edited close up shot of my model looking directly into the camera so there is eye contact which is more likely to catch the attention of my potential audience. The masthead 'Millennium' is in 'Franklin Gothic Demi Cond' font which is quite simplistic however it is clear and bold. The bar code has been placed in the top left hand side to give my magazine as sense of professionalism. The pug is a white circle with a black outline to make it stand out, with 'NEW' in the middle this tells the reader it's a new issue and may persuade them to take a look. The pull quote 'I'm the one who is normally behind the scenes' has been placed next to the model on the left hand side which suggests she has said it and intrigues my potential audience to read on to find out more, the text is in a 'Century Gothic' white font which is clear. The main headline is 'ISSY' which is white with a black outline to make it more prominent, informs the reader that is what the main story/feature is about. The smaller headlines are on the right hand side, the celebrity names are in white, underlined and in a slightly larger size as they are the most important. Then the straplines are underneath in black writing, using the 'Century Gothic' font again to keep it all linked. There is a black banner across the bottom of the page with more celebrity names to encourage fans to read it. The house colours on this cover are black, white and purple which has been used in the text and in the image to keep everything connected.

Photo editing for my front cover

I have used www.picmonkey.com to edit this photograph, firstly it had to be cropped as it was originally a landscape photo so it has been made portrait. I then added the 'Cross Process' effect in blue which tinted the photo slightly, then the 'Tranquil' effect was added over the top to increase the brightness and make the photograph look of a sharper, higher quality to catch the attention of potential buyers/readers. The make up effects were useful to boost my model's facial features, I chose a vibrant pink lipstick and added the eye shadow effect to darken her eyes and finally used the 'blemish fix' to give it an airbrush finish to make it appear more professional. 

First draft of front cover

This is my first attempt at a front cover for my pop music magazine, I have edited the original photo on http://www.picmonkey.com/ by adding the 'Cross Process' effect in blue which changes and enhances the colour slightly. I have used the 'Boombox' masthead as I thought it was most connected word with music and clearly informs the reader what genre of magazine it is, it is in white which makes it look quite simplistic but effective. The main headline is 'ISSY' which is in the largest font with a black outline to ensure it stands out from the rest of the cover, this tells my potential buyers who the magazine is largely based on. Underneath it says 'NEW release', the emphasis is put on 'NEW' due to it being bold which intrigues the reader. The cover lines are  current artists names over a white rectangular pug, which shows who is included inside which would persuade readers to read/purchase it, especially if they were interested in that particular celebrity. The bar code makes it look more professional and adds to the look of an actual music magazine, the price is also displayed in the top left hand corner of the bar code. 'Katy Perry' and 'Chase&Status' are also in large text (century gothic) as they will be main topics in the magazine and their fans will automatically be encouraged to read/purchase the magazine. There is a white stroke separating the two names which makes the structure clearer and so the text doesn't appear to be too crowded.