Tuesday, 19 October 2010

Questionnaire

For my AS Media coursework I  am producing a music magazine. I would be most grateful if you could answer the following questions.


On a scale of 1-5. 1 being very important and 5 being irrelevant, how do you rate the following aspects of a music magazine (Please circle)

 
Use of Images           1           2            3           4             5

Competitions             1           2            3           4             5

A free gift                1           2            3           4             5

Quizzes, Crosswords  1           2            3           4             5
Etc

Quality of band when 1            2            3           4            5
Interviewing

Information about      1            2            3           4            5
Upcoming gigs

Information about      1             2           3           4            5
Upcoming festivals

Reviews                      1              2           3           4           5

Readers emails            1              2           3           4            5


1)    Gender? Please circle your answer
        Male                Female    

2)   What colours would you associate the with Rock music?

3)   How often do you purchase a music magazine?
Weekly           Fortnightly     Monthly    Every 2 Months
Once every 6 months     Once a year      Never

4)   Around how much would you expect to pay for a music magazine released weekly?

5) On average how often do you attend music gigs?
         Weekly           Fortnightly     Monthly    Every 2 Months
         Once every 6 months         Once a year           Never


6) Around how much would you expect to pay for  Magazine released weekly?


7) Who is your favourite artist in Rock music?



Wednesday, 13 October 2010

Magazine Research

NME Cover Mumford
Nme
Retail Price- £2.20
Published Weekly
Genre- Indie Rock
Issue Size- 70 pages
Company- IPC media




   

Magazines like NME interview bands that are embarking on a tour, or releasing an album. Bands use magazines like NME as a stepping stone in getting their name out there to the public, to sell tracks and tickets, and reach public stardom. Nme regular includes line ups and latest news of festivals, tours and gigs.

Mumford feature

NME are usually known for interviewing bands that are embarking on a tour

The Interview with Mumford and sons is something similar that i am aiming to create. In it they talk about their tour and their rise too fame, but add a comical effect by discovering that they are "surprisingly massive piss heads"

Nme is usually associated as using Gonzo Journalism This basically means that the writer is involved in the interview using first person narrative. As i am interviewing a band i hope too do the same.

Q

Frequency of Publication- Monthly
Genre- Rock
Retail Price- £3.99
Issue Size- 200 pages
Company- Bauer media group
http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/
http://www.qthemusic.com/

Features- Special collectors editions, four different rare pictures of John Lennon on four different covers. Interview with Gorillaz





Q often feature and celebrate historic events for historic figures that have made a major influence in the world of music. To mark the occasion of John Lennon's 70th Birthday, Q celebrated it by having 4 different covers of John Lennon. This makes the magazine issue unique.

Other regular features on Q include music compilations, Q50, cash for questions crossword, ten commandments, and reviews on film music,television etc.

Uncut
Genre- Indie rock
Retail Price-
Frequency of Publication- Monthly
Company- IC media
Audience aimed at- 25- to 45-year-old men

Features

For the latest issue announce the 25 listed albums that are up for this years Uncut music award, along with the judges, who by this time next month will have cast their votes on the eight albums from the long list that their eventual winner will be selected from. This persuades the reader to buy future issues, or subscribe as they will be eager too find out the winner.

Uncut Magazine cover

They also regulary include a free exclusive gift with the issue. For example the latest issue something free with the magazine. By offering a " Songs of the south" CD for free. Readers are more likely to buy it as they are buying something more than a magazine.


Mojo
Genre- Rock
Retail Price-
Frequency of publication- Monthly
Mojo Magazine often focuses about bands of the past, rather than the modern era. Bands who were in their prime in the seventies and eighties are usually included in Mojo. 

Initial plans for my magazine

Price- £2.00
Frequency of publication- Weekly
Issue size (number of pages) 60-70
Regular content- Interviewing certain bands embarking on tour
Feature articles-

Tuesday, 12 October 2010

What are the strengths and weaknesses of both the product and your use of new media technologies

The magazine cover and contents contain features and is mainly structured following the codes on cons of a usual magazine, like the features and relevant images i have included, however there is vital features and design aspects that i have missed out such as the barcode, and the image not being direct address. I think I have used the software well, as my cover and contents relatively look like they would be part of a published magazine. Having because of the colours i have used my writing at times is difficult too read, a huge inconvienience for the reader.

Monday, 11 October 2010

How did you use new media technologies in the construction of your media product?

For my magazine cover, I used Adobe Photoshop CS3 to create my Magazine cover, and QuarkXpress for my contents. Now that I have experience using this software I can use it for my music magazine more efficiently. I have learnt the construction process of making a contents and cover for a magazine, and adding images, and sizing them to the size I want.

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

      Despite me following some of the codes and conventions of a magazine cover, and contents I have not followed all of the codes and cons. For example I have not included a barcode, the image is not direct address, and the writing is sometimes difficult to read because of the colours I have used. In magazine covers there is normally one big image and several small images to follow with the sub lines, however there is no small images on my cover.

Sunday, 3 October 2010

Rough sketch of Magazine contents page

Rough sketch of School magazine cover Grade

Codes and Conventions of a Magazine double spread




-One main image on one of the pages

-Artists names are in a different colour to the rest of the text
-Has the writer and Photographers name included
-First letter is bold with capitals (Known as Drop Capital) which shows the reader where to start writing











-Images are usually direct address





-Name of mag next to page number
-Simple colour scheme, colours kept to a a minimum
-Sometimes picture is across the whole DPS with all text on the picture
-Quotes are sometimes in the headline, on the picture or in the stand first or to break up the text








-Stand first introduces the article and is positioned under the headline, often includes Journalists name





-Other techniques to drop capitals include Bold Text, slightly bigger type size, capitals for the first few words
-The article is usually written informally and the personality of the journalist comes through
-Byline, who wrote the article and Photographers credit
-Headline, sometimes use stylised fonts and are used to draw the reader in but it doesn't tell the reader what the article is about, that's done by Stand first
-Laid out in columns 2-4












-Strap line at the top






Codes and conventions of a Music magazine contents page

-Lots of images
-Issue date and number
-Brief summary of whats in mag
-Photos mainly not direct address
-Mainly laid out in columns
-1 Main pic relating to feature article
-They have page numbers which anchor the written contents
-Name of mag is at the top and the word contents
-Subscription and contact info
-Sometimes an editors letter
-Simple colour scheme
-Contents divided into categories and headings used to identify each category
-Image of front cover
-Contents are written in the same
-Page number one or two words which could be artists name or ambiguous text to intrigue the reader in bold type (first line) often capital letters (average 12/13 points)
-Gives you more specific detail about what the articles about, smaller font and Roman font(no bigger than 11 points)
-Photography is credited for the front cover
-Features and regulars main category headings
-Bottom: Page number/mag title/issue date/ web address
-Fonts (typeface) only 2 types sans serif (without hook) sans serif (with hooks)

Codes and conventions of a magazine front page

-Title of the mag is always at the top of the mag, width of the corber, or is not the top left corner
-All have a bar code, issue number, and price (11 point sized)
-Gives information about whats inside
-Big Bold writing
- A consistent recognisable, trademark font
- A logo
- A focus on a certain issue, aswell as coverlines
- Direct address, image of the article looks at you directly, conveys some sort of attitude
- Positioning statements, usually above or below the title
- Matshead, everything that goes with the title
- Usually offering something extra to the magazine
- Buzz words "Exclusive" usually goes with the main feature
- Main cover line is the largest text of the cover after the title and it anchors the meaning of the image
- Usually a subline in smaller text giving more info about the article
- Other codelines are usually one or two words with sublines explaining them consistently across the design
- First two lines in colour or a large font size/ diff font to subline