edge the evaluation We look over the process of the creation of edge Evaluation Exclusive -Evaluation Exclusive -Evaluation Exclusive
the magazine aPRIL 2016
edgE Professor M
WE cATch up WITh ThESE RISINg STARS AFTER ThEIR RouNdhouSE gIg SELLouT
CiaN MartiN SEE hIS VERdIcT oN ALL ThE LATEST ALbumS
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA edge magazine @edgemag subscribe at: www.edgemagazine.com
The Questions 03
Maddy
ExcLuSIVE FIRST Look AT hER NEW ALbum
eVaNs
We talk exclusively to Alice Evans as s h e prepares to headline Glastonbury NEWS- REVIEWS - INTERVIEWS- FESTIVALS
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
06
How does your media product represent particular social groups
07
What kind of institution might distribute your media product and why?
08
Who would be the audience for your media product? 02| www.edgemagazine.com
SEpTEmbER 2016 | ISSuE 17 | ÂŁ3.99
10
How did you attract/address your audience?
11
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?
12
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
question One
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
M
My magazine shares a variety of features that are showcased in other media magazines, I chose and adapted different ideas that I thought were most effective. Throughout the planning of my magazine I referred to music magazines such as Kerrang and Q for guidance as these two magazines are popular and fit well with their individual genres, a factor I was keen to highlight in my magazine. From these magazines I share conventions many conventions. A key factor I noticed throughout both was a set colour scheme mainly consisting of three set colours, such as Q using black white and red and being highly effective upon viewing. Kerrang’s colour scheme is much darker and I favoured this tone for my magazine. Another convention I share is the advertisement of my magazines social media, many music magazines do this as well as advertising their website which I have also done on my contents page and on the bottom of each page by the page numbers. I feel this lends an aspect of formality that my magazine aims to be perceived as. Sectioning on my contents page is also reminiscent of Q magazine with subheadings of ‘news’ ‘on the cover’ ‘reviews’ ‘regulars’ and a band index being present.
F
eatures on my front cover share conventions from magazines. My mast head is positioned in the top left hand
corner of the front cover, this is typical of many music magazines such as Q. it’s also the largest piece of text on the front cover in order to attract attention immediately. The main image of my magazine challenges the conventions of many typical magazines, I did this on purpose to highlight the individual, unique, edgy tone of my magazine. It is alternative as it pictures my main model and cover star, Alice, looking serious staring into the camera, whereas women are stereotypically pictured as laughing and playful. I felt imagery of this lighter tone would not fit my magazines target audience or the dark tones consistent throughout. Sell lines are also shown on my magazine’s front cover following the conventional pattern of the title being large and bold with a small description underneath. These then each link to the ‘on the cover’ section of my contents page; this is also a shared convention that I thought was useful for ease of reading for the viewer. Another aspect of my contents page that I use to allow easier reading of my magazine is a ‘band index’ section, this is typical in a magazine and allows readers to see what page their favoured artist are featured on. Showcasing artist and other people presented in the magazine is done through images, this is a common feature in a music magazines contents page as it gives more insight into the magazine through the tone of the pictures, what is pictured and also allows the page to be more www.edgemagazine.com | 03
lively and not a dull, text filled page that could potentially deter readers from being interested in the magazine and its articles. The images also share the convention of having a page number pictured in it to show what page the person pictured is featured on, furthering the clarity present on a contents page. A typical factor in a contents page that I believe to have adapted is the positioning of the title of contents; Although my subtitles are positioned in a straight forward format which follows usual conventions, the main title of ‘contents’ is positioned in the bottom right hand corner. I liked this design as it gave an alternative take to an otherwise conventional page and indie music revolves around this sense of independence or originality. Features of subscription boxes, website and social media promotion were also used on my contents page, these are prominent and important aspects of magazines, especially in this modern, technical period and are effective promotional methods that a lot of magazines utilise.
M
y feature article takes up two double page spreads; this even number of pages used is often followed in formatting an article as it allows the display to show both images and a large amount of text. I utilised this norm and had my first page have no text in order to show off a main image that took up the double page, the text then began on the right page, overlapping some of the image; this is a normal feature in an article. For the second double page spread, a total of 4 images are used one main image that this time takes over the entire right page whilst the text is on the left side and has 3 images of the main artist positioned in a row on the left side of the page, working as a border. A variety of images are common in an article that is focused on one artist. In the text, conventional methods of writing have been followed and adapted; these include a quote taken from the person interviewed and also a question and answers format which
04| www.edgemagazine.com
readers tend to enjoy reading.
I
have also created an additional feature page for my gig guide, I chose to create this to extend myself as a media student. However creating this I had to be sure it fit with the conventions of the rest of the magazine, to do this is labelled it with its said page number listed on my contents page, as a conventional music magazine would do,and also added musicians from the band index that were said to be featured on this page. This shows the detail I put into my magazine to make it seem as professional as possible whilst also aiding its readability.
question two How does your media product represent particular social groups?
M
y magazine was always aimed at 14-25 years old in the ABC1 bracket. Also due to the genre of my magazine being indie I have found that my magazine also appeals to individualists. In order for this to work I had to make the tone and appeal of the images, layout and fonts correspond with this target audience. Indie fans enjoy both new music shown in the magazine whilst also admiring their favourite musicians, due to this my images have been specifically taken to showcase both people male and female and their musical talents by including props of instruments with them. My main article model is pictured with instruments as her article is centred to her music, this also encourages the readers to see her musical talent and, even if not familiar with her, be more likely to take interest in her primary article. Mainstreamers are also a secondary group I considered as potential readers, this is due to established artists also being featured in the magazine that both groups would enjoy, well known artists such as the Arctic Monkeys or Coldplay are showcased on the contents page and in the band index so mainstreamers can buy the magazine to read about them, such as with the Coldplay review. Students can read this magazine with ease and enjoy it as a pass time or as a reward after revision. Older music fans may also read this to keep up to date with music news. The easy read format of the magazine allows it to be read at any time, from before bed to on a train journey, giving it greater appeal of readability.
www.edgemagazine.com | 05
Question ThrEe What kind of institution might distribute your media product and why?
I
feel that the institution to distribute my magazine would preferably be a well-established media company who are familiar with distributing music magazines. I decided this was a key factor as my magazine is new to the market and a group that is known and trusted would allow it to get viewed faster and would assure the quality that I aim my magazine to be perceived as and worthy of its price tag. My survey results showed that many people were quite reluctant to spend a large amount of money on a magazine so my price tag could be justified if the reader trusts the distributer to deliver quality. From my research I decided that Bauer media group was ideal. It is well established with products such as ‘Kerrang’ magazine, aimed at a more rock favoured audience and Q aimed at an indie audience, initially I thought this clash would cause me to have to choose a different group. However the tone of the magazine makes them different and in my opinion allows the
06| www.edgemagazine.com
magazine to fit will with their distributed properties. A well-known media group such as Bauer that is known for its music magazines also helps in expanding the magazine as musicians will see this new products from Bauer and be more likely to want to feature in it.
question FOur Who would be the audience for your media product?
A
s I have previously stated the target audience of my magazine s is 14-25 years old in the ABC1 bracket. From market research I have also found that females are more likely to buy the magazine as they are more interested in this music genre. I feel that this is an appropriate target audience and considered this when pricing my magazine at ÂŁ3.99. I liked this price as it is available to younger readers as it is disposable “pocketâ€? money, whilst also being high enough to show you are paying for quality. Market research has showed that similar style magazines are also in this price range so readers of other magazines will be comfortable paying this amount. Also the nature of my magazine highlighting up-and-coming and established artists both individualists- Who often spend money on items such as new music, vinyls or on gigs- and mainstreamers will see this magazine as appealing and the price tag will not deter them from buying. Due to the vast amount of musical variety available in my magazine, I must also consider the potential single time reader who has purchased the magazine due to their interest in a featured artist (who will be easily accessible via the index), this can lend to the effectiveness of my set magazine genre, as when they are reading the magazine about their favoured artist they may look at other articles and due to the magazines shared genre and tone may enjoy further reading. Due to the younger
age of my target audience, they will be accustomed and regular users of social media, therefore I have highlighted the different forms of social media that Edge is associated with. I choose the two leading social media sites of Facebook and Twitter due to their popularity so more readers are more likely to be on the sites and they are useful sites for advertising with users able to like, react and retweet posts so other members see and giving information.
www.edgemagazine.com | 07
Question Five How did you attract/address your audience??
T
o entice this potential reader my main cover star and also artists pictured on my contents are primarily female, meaning these artists can work as role models towards female viewers or they may see them more relatable than male artists so my advertising showcasing them more, the primary audience of women will take a greater interest and be more likely to purchase the magazine. However this is not to say that men are not also interested, therefore the balance is showcased artist must be seemly equal and not one sided to deter potential readers. Also women are still interested in male artist as indie is a genre that is central to music, not just who sings it. Articles released must also suit my reader; examples of this I have used in my magazine include a gig guide. Gigs are known to showcase a variety of musicians, both established and rising stars whilst also having a variety of music types played, this interests indie fans as they like a variety of music and like discovering new people. Due to this an article such as a gig guide or an article reviewing a performance at a gig or festival is appealing to my target audience. The type of music preferred by my target audience can also link to show something looks to grab their attention, for example with darker songs can come the association of darker tones, due to this I have used dark tones throughout my magazine to not contrast from the music being written about. The look and feel of my magazine makes it look like an interesting, fun read which allows it to be read for enjoyment
08| www.edgemagazine.com
as well as for insight on potential new favourite artists. I considered uses and gratifications theory when designing my magazine and how it will appeal to my audience, they can read it for a hobby or, due to the age of my target audience, as a break from study as a form of relaxation. To do this I also had to acknowledge the language used in articles, not making it too complex or ‘waffling’ to cause them to lose interest or feel it is too much effort of a read. It was obvious to me that enticing the reader in does not only rely on making this current issue seem interesting but also showing good content that’s worth reading monthly so they would be interesting in buying more in the future.
question Six What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?
T
hroughout this process and I have learnt and developed skills on a variety of programmes and techniques. Initially I had minimal InDesign knowledge and throughout this process I have learnt many skills such as inserting images, words, designs and creating a pleasing layout. These skills and usage of InDesign then linked with the usage of technologies such as nexus font, this
BEFORE
application allowed me to download fonts online and use them on my magazine; I found that this process was vital and aided my magazines a substantial amount, allowing appropriate, stylised fonts to be added to my magazine allowing it to looks more appealing and professional. Image manipulation programmes such as Photoshop are ones I was initially highly unfamiliar with, however now after using
AFTER
www.edgemagazine.com | 09
it on my images I have found myself far more comfortable with it and see this skill as highly useful. I have included before and after images of my front cover image that I have altered, I made the image noticeably brighter in order to stand out more when accompanied by the white font of my cover page and also altered minor details such as the imperfection of a stray hair coming down her face, I removed this using Photoshop and, although a virtually unnoticeable feature, the removal allows more attention to be paid to the cover star and has been removed well so not alteration is immediately noticeable. I have done a similar alteration to an additional image for an extra article in which I have got an originally quite dull image and brightened it using Photoshop and got rid of a minor imperfection, I feel that this highlights my new found comfort using Photoshop.
A
lso the process of production and planning has taught me a great deal with sites such as slide share, issu and wordpress becoming far more familiar with me. Before this process I had never used these sites before and now I am very comfortable with them and can even incorporate them into separate studying. Survey money, an online polling site was also used in my audience research, this programme was useful and fun to use, allowing me to get a greater view on my viewers, this, much like the other sites, is a highly useful site that can also be used in other studying now, even though I wasn’t previously familiar with it. Another aspect of production was the photo-shoot, in this I had to take pictures for my magazine, at first I was worried as I had never used a high tech camera before however once given guidance on how to use it I feel I utilised it well and this is evident in my pictures. Also the camera effects of gels were used in my photo-shoot, these helped me show how material effects can aid in photography and liven up a picture.
10| www.edgemagazine.com
Question SEvEn Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
edgE Professor M
WE cATch up WITh ThESE RISINg STARS AFTER ThEIR RouNdhouSE gIg SELLouT
CiaN MartiN SEE hIS VERdIcT oN ALL ThE LATEST ALbumS
Maddy
ExcLuSIVE FIRST Look AT hER NEW ALbum
eVaNs
We talk exclusively to Alice Evans as s h e prepares to headline Glastonbury
M
compared to my final product. The preliminary task preliminary task now appears, bland, rough and was initially a misguided as I daunting one, testing my ability used simplistic on InDesign. It techniques. was then that I However now, realised that I had in my final task little knowledge I have used of the programme images far more effectively, got and I feel my a variety of advancement is clear when texts that are y
SEpTEmbER 2016 | ISSuE 17 | ÂŁ3.99
NEWS- REVIEWS - INTERVIEWS- FESTIVALS
www.edgemagazine.com | 11
appealing to the eye and fitting to the images and been more thoughtful in my layouts, preventing areas from looking too congested or empty. The aim of the preliminary task was to create a school based magazine, to do this I had to take my own photos around the school in my lesson time, this was a contrast from my music magazine as I had a photo shoot time allocated to me in which I could properly prepare for and organise, such as getting models, props and brainstorming ideas for images that would fit my magazine. This preparation time benefitted me a lot as the spontaneous nature of my photos for the preliminary task lead to the images not fitting well. This, combined with my bland text use on my preliminary task lead to the magazine not looking appealing to potential readers. This theme of emptiness continued on my preliminary tasks contents page, although more imaginative than the front cover as I attempted to use the layout of a picture of a corridor to base my text around. However the text is still dull and unevenly spaced, this is both due to my poor layout and lack of ideas on what to include. I did not have this issue in the construction with my music magazine as I had previously thought of my articles descriptions, titles and main article text in the 12| www.edgemagazine.com
planning process which then just needed to be added in later. My main article of my preliminary task was not compulsory, however over the period of constructing the front cover and contents page I had an idea of an ideal double page spread layout that I was interesting in incorporating into my final task. In this I took a picture with the main image taking up one page and text being positioned on the other page, I liked the design of this and therefore used the same layout for my magazine’s main image. This design process did prove helpful, as evident by the usage of this layout in my final task and its seamless fit even though the tone of the two magazines are a large contrast. Even though the layout is shared on the two pieces you can still clearly see the advancement made on the final task with a variety of bigger, more appropriate texts being used in the music magazine which
were exhibited due to my advancement in InDesign skills throughout the process. I also extended my final task by creating an additional gig guide page, I did this to advance myself, much like I tried to in my preliminary task. The page uses an altered image from Photoshop, a programme I have become more familiar with throughout this process, so could not use in the preliminary task. I feel these additional pages highlight my ambition to pass expectations and I have kept these ambitions throughout this course.