Existing Music Magazine Names

Existing names

Before I could decide on a name for my music magazine, I evaluated what existing magazine names meant and their connotations. This means I can understand why they were named what they were and the impact that it has on the look and context of the magazine.

Look of Magazine

Questionnaire

In order to help determine what my music magazine should look like, I made up a questionnaire and then asked a number of people the age of my target audience questions about the font, colours, magazine titles ect;

Results 

The results of my questionnaire showed that people want a magazine that is simple, un crowded and uses sans - serif font. The cover image should be a BCU and colours should be black, white and red. 

The preferred magazine title was Undiscovered, but Beat and Noise were also popular. Furthermore, the sell line should be 'music matters'.

Lastly, the contents page should be simple, with a structured layout with a few images and the double - page spread should have 1 page photo, then 1 page text with drop caps and columns.

Evaluation

In order to visualise what people want, I decided to do a mock up of the magazine cover based on the results I had collected. To the right shows what my magazine could potentially look like, however it is only a rough copy - my end product will look more professional. 

The layout is conventional but spacious - this is something that I will experiment with, because I am not overly keen on it - but straying from conventions has had a detrimental effect in the past, so I will need to work on what I want the overall magazine to look like. 

I like the use of a BCU for the cover image - this is something that I ideally want to keep and build on. However, although it is what people wanted, because of the lack of space around the image, it makes it hard to position coverlines and not spoil the images simultaneously. 

The colour scheme of the magazine is red/black/white. This is something that is hard to do, because it can make the magazine look quite dark, and I didn't think about using this combination of colours when creating my prelim because I don't like them. Having said that, they do work well and compliment each other, but I am still unsure if using them is something I want to do, even though that is what my questionnaire suggests.

By having a sans serif font throughout the magazine cover, it makes it quite boring to look at. There is no variety - this follows the idea of keeping it simple, but I like the way most magazines use 2 different fonts (serif and sans - serif), so this is something that I will endeavour to use when creating my final piece. Furthermore, I like the idea of the masthead being in a big, bold font at the top - this is something that is conventional and works well. It is simplistic, but recognisable, rather than having it it an obscure place like in the centre of the image. Having the sell line in the pug of the magazine works well and looks good - this is something that I plan on keeping for my final piece. 

Lastly, keeping the price/issue/barcode small is something that I want to keep because I think it doesn't detract from the main image and it is only a feature that is more important to the shop that sell it, rather than the customer, meaning that they wont be looking at it for longer than finding out what the price is.

Overall, I think that my questionnaire was successful. It provided me with constructive feedback that I can use when creating my magazine. Some of the results I didn't necessary imagine when I was thinking about what I want my magazine to look like, and I still don't like what some of the outcomes. Therefore, when creating my music magazine, I will use bits and pieces of the results, but things like the name, colour scheme and layout I am still unsure about.

David Carson

Who is he?

David Carson is an American graphic designer and art director. He is best know for his crazy and innovative designs for Ray Gun magazine in the 90s. His  deigns were different to say the least. They used unique typography and it defined the 'grunge typography'.  He challenged the conventions of magazine design and his layouts are extremely creative. Not every sing one of his designs is completely readable, but are instantly recognisable.

RayGun

Every single issue of this magazine was different. There was no set housestyle, was completely abstract and became known for its ever - changing style. The magazine experimented with every convention, which only resulted in the publishing 74 unique and very different issues.

What do I think?

These magazine covers are great in theory - they challenge conventions and offer something different, however in practice, the result is not so magnificent.

 

They are very abstract and artistic, but this is part of the downfall. This magazine would only have attracted a certain type of audience - and would undoubtedly become more of a collectors item rather than a magazine.  This is because the majority of the population like convention. Society today like things to conform to social normality. The avant-garde/modern art nature of these covers would be lost on most people and the abnormality would be too bizarre for people to accept. We are a society of convenience - like in how we consume things - magazines like this wouldn't last,  they are too complex, and it didn't as it only had 74 issues.

 

This defiance of convention in its - self becomes conventional. It begins to look like trying to hard to be non - conformist that it is just being done for the sake of it. It is undoubtedly unique, but it has been done now. Anyone who breaks from convention will fall into the convention of trying to be different. However, there is still the need to be different, and people wont ever stop trying to break the rules because that's what we, as humans, want to do - we are all different.

 

Consequently, RayGun is a perfect example of how wrong breaking conventions can go. The magazine became more of art, which explains why it didn't last. I personally like some of the cover designs, but to follow this designing principle would make my magazine unappealing. Conventions are there for a reason - they show what works and why, it attracts people. To stray away from this would result in a try - hard magazine that just become more of a joke than popular.

Consumption of Magazines

Patterns of consumption

Nowadays, how we consume information is changing. With the rise of social media and downloads, CDs becoming almost an alien concept.

 

The way we buy music is different now, Spotify and iTunes are becoming more popular and something like vinyl is now only for the indie kids who wish they were born in a different age. This therefore has an effect on industry because less people are buying and are instead free downloading and streaming - so there is less money going into the music industry. Furthermore, people are illegally downloading lots of music, so this means that people who create the music don't get any credit or profit from it.

 

This also links to the question; 'why pay when you can get it for free?' - this is something that demonstrates the nature of humans now and how people are wanting more and more, but without paying for it. Therefore, most people today are economical and these people would typically be seen as mainstreamers. 

 

Are music magazines still relevant?

Today, the number of music magazines still available has declined since the majority of them were first published. This is not surprising, seeming as the rise of the internet and social media is beginning to swallow them whole. Therefore, presenting the question are they are still relevant today, in a world full of technology, do we still need spend money on something we can just Google?

 

Furthermore, social media now allows to connect to the artists. We don't need to buy a magazine and read an article - we can just follow them on twitter. This attitude towards music magazines is somewhat sad, that people don't care for them much. The NRS suggests that the majority of readers are ABC1 males aged 35+, they are 50 quid blokes, so this connotes that the majority who have an apathetic approach towards music magazines are mainly the younger generation - they are the ones constantly on phones and always buzzing about social media.

 

However, one of the popular, if not the most, music magazines is Kerrang! This magazine bucks the trend of failing music magazines and is based around rock or metal music, and still have an avid reader audience. Interestingly, they aren't just ABC1 35+ males, according to the NRS many of them are females of different ages. This then leads to the question; how has it lasted?

 

There may be many other reasons for its success, but the simple fact is that it is unique. Most music magazines are pop, or focus on what is current, but Kerrang! chooses to focus on its specific genre, and perhaps this is why so many people want to read it, because they know what they are getting and are therefore familiar with it. It could also link to the idea that as consumers today, we like to own things. We like to buy CDs to show we have the album physically, not just downloaded onto our phones. This could potentially have something to do with the idea that if you don't own their latest CD, are you even a real fan? This is the same with Kerrang! The audience may want to have a physical copy, and they then almost become collectables.

 

Can music magazines survive?

Due to the fact that how we access information is constantly changing, it is still debatable if music magazines can survive. Eventually, it is inevitable that they will stop - times are changing, technology is constantly improving and we are always wanting the newest, shiniest thing. This consequently means how long they will last is uncertain, but they won't last indefinitely.  

Also, the internet is more convenient. It doesn't cost money to find the latest lyrics to a song, and  is it undoubtedly much more faster than looking in a magazine. Today, people want easy, their lives are too complicated and are too wrapped up in themselves. Consequently, peoples priorities change, and sadly, making time to buy and read a music magazine is becoming to much effort.

Fifty Quid Bloke

"This is the guy we've all seen in Borders or HMV on a Friday afternoon, possibly after a drink or two, tie slightly undone, buying two CDs, a DVD and maybe a book - fifty quid's worth - and frantically computing how he's going to convince his partner that this is a really, really worthwhile investment."

 
 

This term was coined by David Hempworth in 2003 to pose the question; is the fifty quid bloke the last bastion of the music magazine?

 

 
It runs with the idea that only ABC1 35+ males are the only people who now buy music magazines and that the changing patterns of consumption are forcing music magazines out of the picture, replacing it with the newer, shiner age of the internet.  

Preliminary Magazine Comparison

Comparing magazines

 To see if my school magazine was successful, I have compared it to an existing magazine.

Evaluation

My magazine and the pre - existing one have different audiences and aims. 'Back to School' is a primary school magazine for parents - which obviously hasn't been made by the children. Mine is for 6th form students, and is made by them too. This means that there will be different ideas and themes because of context.

 

The masthead of the pre - existing magazine 'Back to School' uses two different colours, and is positioned in layers - this makes it look more interesting, whereas mine is straight and looks more like a heading. Mine is conventional, which explains why it looks quite boring, although it is in a different font to the coverlines. Consequently, for my music magazine, I will experiment with ways I could make the masthead look more interesting, rather than just having it as a heading at the top of the cover.  

Underneath the masthead, the pre - existing magazine has a sell line - 'parents guide to primary school' - this is something that I didn't include on mine. I have something similar - 'New year, new teachers, new start' - however, this only works for the beginning of the year, and therefore would no become part of the house style because it is not applicable to every issue, unlike the other magazine. I would like to have a sell line on my music magazine because I think they almost summarise the magazine, and not having one would deviate from the conventions of a magazine - this is something that is not always successful, as demonstrated by magazines in the past.

 

The coverlines on my prelim are conventional, and almost list - like. They differ due to the fact that some of them are underlined, however are not particularly interesting. They don't offer anything different to look at, and this is because with such a busy background, it was hard for them to be any different. 'Back to School' experiments with lots of shapes and colours, consequently why it is more aesthetically pleasing. The magazine uses a broader range of colours, and by putting coverlines in bubbles and using arrows, it makes the magazine bolder. This is something that I will consider when designing my magazine, however I don't want to make it too crowded. Therefore, when I make my cover, I want the background to be less busy, so the coverlines are bolder and vary more.

 

The pre - existing magazine uses social media icons, whereas mine doesn't. This is something that could have improved mine, because it was for students - who use social media. It is a good idea because it adds something to the magazine and involves the internet - something that is slowly consuming music magazines. Therefore, I could use this for mine because it would update it and appeal to my target audience of the younger generation.

 

The image of 'Back to School' is a BCU, whereas mine is a midshot. Therefore they differ because the way you can position the coverlines is different as to not detract from the main images. Furthermore, the coverlines and colours are linked to the image because its uses the colour of what the child is wearing. This is similar to mine because I linked the black with the black of top, although black was really only the colour I could use in order to make them stand out. For my music magazine, I want to make the colour scheme bold, and for it to compliment the mage in order to make it look more professional.

 

Consequently, my magazine in comparison to the pre - existing one looks rather poor. The most notable difference between the magazines are the coverlines - so this is something I want to improve on to make my final magazine look professional and appealing.  

Weekly or Monthly?

When should I publish my magazine?

Magazines are released at different times, sometimes circulation can have an affect on when they are released, but it is mainly weekly or monthly when a new issue is released.

 

The NRS can help to determine weekly or monthly because of the readership figures, and this can consequently have an effect on the USP of magazines.

 

The statistics shown below indicate that more people choose to buy magazines weekly, but more people read magazines online monthly. This could be due to the fact that there are many ways to download magazines now; you can buy monthly subscriptions, they can be given as gifts or can be free to read on the internet.

How does this impact me?

If my magazine was realistically going to be made, it would be printed. This means that it should be published every week, however this could potentially put it at risk of making it too often, so it then becomes less popular because there are always new ones in circulation. This could also have a detrimental effect on the USP because it will no longer be unique, it will be almost over - done. This means that if published monthly, a better magazine could be created because it will be more anticipated. Although, this means that in order for it to be monthly, then there really should be more information because it needs to satisfy the readers for a longer period of time. Therefore publishing it weekly or monthly each have pros and cons.

The National Readership Survey

What is the NRS?

Since 1856, the NRS has been providing the "most authoritative and valued audience research in use for print and digital advertising trading in Britain". With the rising of social media, NRS now provides information about the increasing readership of online publications.

 
• Readership - this is a rough estimate of the amount of people of a specific target audience have read the magazine. The figures show the audience demographic, and can be useful in prediction what else they might read, although there are many people who can deviate from general demographics.

 

What's the problem?

The NRS doesn't always give the best information, this is because;

• The range of audience is too big - there is no young adult category, as 15 -34 is a big difference, this then suggests that all 15-34s have similar interests. Also, 35+ is too large as well - this also suggests that they are all the same, therefore there cannot be accurate comparison or readership.
• Socio - economic status are too broad - they are grouped together, therefore it doesn't give an accurate result of readership because, as an example, the 55% of readers in ABC1 could all be B, but you wouldn't be able to tell.
• Not all information collected - it is impossible to get every single reader, so some magazines might seem to have little readership, but could have more than is recorded.

How does this help me?

I can use this information to conclude that the best target audience is ABC1s because they have purchased more, meaning they have the disposable income to afford magazines. Also, it shows that magazines are more popular amongst the 15-34 year olds - this is ideal for me because my specific target audience are the younger generation. Furthermore, Q and NME have a high audience of the 15 - 34s, so this means that I can look at these magazines to see what is inside in order to make my magazine more appealing to my target audience.

 

Different Double - Page Spreads

Double - Page Spread Ideas

Sticking to the idea of simplicity, the magazines I have used for inspiration are CLASH, Harpers Bazaar, Marie Claire and Q. Again, not all these magazines are music, so I will have to adapt my design for my magazine for it to be suitable for a music magazine.

This is a double page from CLASH - I particularly like the fact that it is arranged neatly and in 3 columns that are all the same size. Also, I like the idea of having an image on one page, and then text on the other - this is a theme than runs throughout the double page spreads of the different magazines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harpers Bazaar uses a very simply layout - I feel like this would be too simple for a music magazine, but then it could also potentially suit mine because I am doing an indie rock music magazine and it tends to break from the convention of pop or rock and is individual - therefore something like this would be unique. I think the idea of having the shape of the text mimic the shape of the image is clever and its something that I would look at doing in mine. Lastly, I think that the drop cap of the first word is a good effect.

 

This is a double page spread for Q and it features Lana Del Rey. Again, I think having a photo on only one side is a nice effect and means that it isn't ruined because it doesn't get creased by the fold in the middle. Having the letter underneath the blocks of text is a different way of creating a drop cap which I think looks interesting - something that I will consider when making mine.

Lastly, the double page spread in Marie Claire is perhaps my favourite. This is because I think that it is simple, but with the diverse rang of fonts and the different text layout makes it interesting to look at. I would have to adapt the content, for example; if I choose to do an interview or a band/artist, I could use a similar format to create a look like this. I also like the fact that there are no bright, bold colours, this links to the idea that indie magazines tend to be less bright and use colours that aren't gender specific.

Different Contents Pages

Contents Ideas

For my magazine I would like a simplistic look, this is why I have chosen and CLASH and INDIE as inspiration for the front cover. I want to continue the theme of simplicity throughout the magazine, and for it to be part of my housestyle. Due to this, I have chosen CLASH and GQ as inspiration for my contents page. Although GQ is a fashion magazine, I like the layout of the page.

 

Below is the contents page is from CLASH - I like the look of this because it is simple - it only states what is in the magazine, instead of lots of pictures. I also like the fact that it has organised it into sub-headings for each topic - this would not be applicable to mine because my is specifically music based, but I could use it for things like covers or features. It also sticks to the convention of indie magazines - no bright colours. Lastly, I like the idea of it being set out looking like a set list/line up - this relates to music and is clever because it is what you would look at if went to a gig or concert.

 

Below is the contents page of GQ - I like the fact that they are both relatively simple, with only two main concepts; text and a few images. I think that having some of the numbers enlarged is a clever way to make the page numbers stand out - so its something I would look to do for my magazine. In terms of photos, I like that some of them are circle, although I wouldn't use bikes or drinks, I could use things like instruments or specific artist to make it look more interesting. Lastly, I like how the text is arranged in centred columns, rather than blocks of text.

Below is a different contents page of CLASH - this is different from the last because it is more colourful and the layout is different. I also like the fact that it is across two pages, this breaks from the convention of one page and allows for more space. Furthermore, I like the idea of having the issue number finishing off the bottom of the T in the word contents - this is something that I will look at having on mine. Also, the page numbers in the different bubbles creates a different effect that is fun to look at.

 

Deconstructing Features of Music Magazines

Front Cover 

The magazine cover to the right is Q. As you can see, the key features of a cover are all present. 

Denotation

The masthead is in the top left hand corner and the coverlines are placed around the image of the artist. The image itself is a big close up and the colour scheme is mainly white and blue. There is also a barcode in the bottom left-hand corner.

Masthead

The masthead is situated in the top left-hand corner, this makes up part of the magazines housestyle because the masthead is consistent with every issue. It is bold and is in a serif font - this connotes tradition and familiarity, consequently why it is part of the housestyle. It is also part of the pug of the magazine because of its placement. Furthermore, the colour of it is red - red typically connotes passion - so it could reflect the magazine and its passion for music. This also links to the fact that the strapline underneath the letter say 'discover great music' - this also shows the love of music.

Coverlines

The coverlines are placed all around the main image - this means that it doesn't detract any attention from the artist. The majority of the text is in a sans - serif font, apart from the masthead and the pull quote at the top of the cover. This shows that the magazine is quite modern and clean, following the style of most magazines rather than keeping the font traditional. The white also highlights how pale the skin is of the artist, which connotes a sense of purity and clarity. Furthermore, the different sizes put emphasis on more words than other - an example would be that the word 'FLORENCE' is large because she is the artist, however 'St Vincent in Tokyo' is smaller because it is only an article in the magazine. Also, the colour blue of the text is significant because it links to the blue make up on the artist - this then highlights the eyes more.

Image

The shot of the image is a BCU (Big Close Up) - this connotes that it is more personal and quite intense. It also links to the pull quote "I feel so alone" this then shows that she has no where to hide. Furthermore, the lightning is quite harsh - this then reinforces that everything about her is all in the open. She has also been postioned to look at the audience and the blue around her eyes could connote tears - this reflects the idea that she is a 'women on the edge'.

Contents Page

The contents page here is from the magazine We Love Pop.

Headline

This particular magazine chose not to use the word contents for the headline, but rather 'We Love This' - this then creates a better effect because it is more interesting. It also connotes that because they love it, then it almost compels the audience to love it to. There is also the name of the magazine in the top right-hand corner, this is a good effect because it is bold and bright - this conforms to the ideology of pop magazines. 

Text

The text is arrange in columns in a mixture of serifs and sans-serif, this creates quite a quirky  effect, which makes it more eye catching and more appealing to the younger generation because it looks more fun rather than formal. Also, the use of the bright colours is typical of what you would expect from a magazine, and it connotes how childish pop magazines often are, but this could be from the fact that they are mainly aimed at younger teenagers rather than adults. The 'Inside this Month' section is interesting because it is in a box - the whole page has been split into sections - but it highlights what will be in the magazine more than if it was just listed formally.

Image 

The use of image on the contents page is really effective because it links to the context of the magazine - the images are all of pop artists because the magazine is on pop. Also, they make the page nicer to look at and connotes that because it is aimed at the younger generation, that they would rather look at pictures of their favourite artists rather than read large chunks of text. The line of images along the bottom also connotes how most people who buy pop magazines are materialistic - they are the mainstreamers of society. These images show what posters are available inside, so it is typical of westernised teens to want to get something out of the magazine like a poster to show off. 

Double - Page Spread 

This double - page spread has been taken from a Billboard magazine, the article is all about Nicki Minaj.

Headline

The headline of the article is 'The Gospel According To Nicki Minaj' - this clearly shows that it will be all about this particular artist. 'The Gospel According To' part of the headline is written in a bold, black serif font that connotes tradition. This could be done because the Gospels were made a long time ago, therefore serif font is fitting with the theme because it looks old rather than in comparison to the sans - serif font used for her name. The large font of Nicki Minaj's name offers diversity against the previous font, so therefore making it more interesting to look at and suggests that she is the focal point of the article. The use of the colour pink indicates femininity and beauty, this potentially have been used to show her bold sense of style that is on show in the image. Lastly, the use of 'according to' indicates that she is an individual, this also links to the image because not everyone has her style.

Strapline 

The strapline below states; 'Bow down mortals, the newly crowned Day - Glo queen of Hip - Hop stands before you. Jamie Hodgson joins the throng and inscribes the 10 commandments of our saviour'. The strapline is again written in the black serif font like the headline, this connotes tradition again and links to the idea of it being old. This means that it reflects a certain degree of seriousness and the idea of the '10 commandments' links to the fact that here words are 'Gospel' - they are something new and something we must listen to. Furthermore, by stating she is 'the newly crowned Day - Glo queen' indicates that the article will be somewhat of a document about her rise to fame. It also links to the idea that we should again listen to what she had to say because she is the 'queen'. Lastly, by stating she is 'our saviour' - it links back to the idea of the Gospels and the 10 commandments. It also links to the image of her and connotes that Hip - Hop was in need of something new and exciting - and with the way she is portrayed with all the bright colours, she is just that.  

Image 

The image of Nicki Minaj is a mid-shot, as she is only visibly from the waist up. This means that her costume can be more visible - and for this particular spread, it is her costume that holds the main focus. All the text is positioned around her as to not interfere with the picture, which in a way almost highlights the image even further. Her clothes are bright ad bold - this could appeal to a more younger reader and the fact that she is wearing an 'icon' ring could suggest that she is a new icon for the Hip - Hop genre. This links back the the idea that she is a saviour for the music genre. Lastly, there are no shadows - this connotes that she is a bright and confident person if all the light is on her. It also suggests that by using the pink, she is a playful character that will reflect positively on the audience.

Different Magazine Covers

Cover Ideas 

For my music magazine I have decided to use the genre of indie rock, my inspiration for what I would like it to look like are the magazines CLASH and INDIE. Although it is only CLASH that is about music, I really like the look of both of them, so the content is irreverent because I am only looking at the style.

Why?

I like how simplistic they look - this is what I am aiming to have because when a cover is overcrowded, it detracts from the main image, but these two magazine are perfect examples of how well a simple layout can work. Also, I like the fact that the colour scheme is white - it gives a clean look which is something that I would like mine to be. Furthermore, I like the fact that there is only a small amount of coverlines - this is something that I don't like about most magazines, how busy they can end up looking. However, in order to attract an audience, I want to make sure my magazine has the right amount on it so people pick it up and read it, instead of just gazing at the photo.

Lastly, for my preliminary production, I wanted it to be simplistic - this didn't end up happening when the colour scheme ended up being busy, but when I chose the student I didn't want them to smile or look overdone, because I think making it plain makes it more interesting. 

Demographics

Audience Demographics

People can be categorised into different groups depending on their socio-economic status. What social grade they are given depends on the on the social status and occupation of someone. 

• A - upper middle class (lawyers, doctors, scientists, well-paid professionals)
• B - middle class (intermediate managers, teachers, administrative or professional)
• C1 - lower middle class (bank clerks, nurses, administrators - "white collar")
• C2 - skilled working class ("blue collar" - skilled manual workers, electricians, ect)
• D - working class (semi/unskilled workers, van drivers, post letter sorters)
• E - those at the lowest level of subsistence (students, state pensioners, unemployed)

What is the problem?

There are problems with this way of classifying a target audience because now, not everyone can fall into a certain group in todays society. Also, some people can identify themselves as a different class, but are seen as a certain one socially, this is known as embourgeoisement. Also, it is almost insulting to identify people depending on how much they earn or what job they do - consequently why today many people feel that there is no social class.

Target Audience

What genre will I use?

For my music magazine, I have chosen to base it around the genre of alternative indie rock. This is because I am interested in this genre, and the music is slowly becoming more and more popular, with some artists making it into the charts. This shows that people are now beginning to more from only listening to pop, to listening to different mixes. Furthermore, this genre is more of a 'genuine' form of music. This means that the artists often perform better live and are usually the types to do gigs rather than large concerts. Therefore, I can use this in the context of my magazine to appeal to the audience.

Who is my audience?

Due to the fact that I am focusing on the genre of alternative indie rock, my main target audience is the younger generation. This links to the fact that the psychographic group I am aiming at is 'Explorers'. Consequently, this means that they are open to new ideas, trying new things and show individualism. They will also be largely westernised, so I can use this to an advantage with the fact that explorers want to try new things, so they can afford to buy the magazine because of the lifestyle that they live. 

There will be no specific gender that my magazine will be aimed at, so this means there is a larger target audience. The age is the younger generation, so this is around 16 - 20+, because this means I can create a magazine that is accessible to younger people, but is not too childish so young adults can enjoy it too. 

Attaching an audience

There are many ways that I can attract my specific audience. I plan on making the magazine more about the music, rather than the merchandise and all the personal details of the artists. Some of the artist information will be included, but it is more about what the music is like, rather than finding out about what their favourite colour is. Also, I would like to put information in it about what is trending and why, things like what are the best gigs to go to and how well artists perform when live. This relates to how the psychographic of explorers are individual and open to new things, so this would appeal to them.

I plan on having a simple layout, that it not too crowded or busy. This is because I don't want the magazine to turn into an information overload, and for the main images to still have attention, rather than being written all over. I have yet to decide a colour scheme, however because my audience is any gender, I don't want it to be colours that are attached to a specific one, e.g. pink is associated with girls. Therefore, I am looking at using colours like green, red, purple - but I am not totally certain.

Analysing Images

When analysing images, it is good to know what type of shot has been used, the colour/why and to take into consideration the lighting, positioning, props and costume - these 4 can all be defined as Mise en Scene.

 

Shots

Each shot taken connotes different things, this is important because an article could say one thing, but the image paired with it could send a different message, therefore needing to know which one to use is helpful when deciding what I want to do for my music magazine cover.

• Big Close Up (BCU) - typically a persons face, used for a more personal, intense effect.
• Mid-Shot - a persons torso, often used for bands, used to show more and can include props.
• Long - Shot - shows the entirety of a person, used to show the costume or background.

Colour

The colour of an image can having different meaning and connotations. It can highlight what an image is trying to show and often enhances a particular aspect of an image, e.g. the colour of the subheadings could be green, matching the green of the artists eyes.

 

Mise en Scene

This defines what makes up a image shot. It can be broken down into 4 categories;

• Costume - what the artist wears can connote what is in the article and usually links with colour scheme.
• Positioning - the positioning of an artist can connote many different things, artists are usually shot with their eyes facing forward - this catches the audiences attention.
• Props - what is included in the shot, they would be specific instruments linked to the artist.
• Lighting - different types of lighting can suggest the context of the magazine. It also connotes different things about the artist; high key - bright/harsh, connotes the artists life is in the limelight, there is no where to hide. Low key - dark, more mysterious, mainly used in rock magazines. Backlit - light shone from behind to show artists silhouette, gives a edgy/different feel.

Media Text and Terminology

Print Terminology

New print terminology;

Advertorial - print advertisement designed to look like a housestyle of the magazine.

Banner - advertisement that runs either along the top or bottom of a magazine, e.g. 'freebie inside'.

Bleed - printing an image to the full size/edges, meaning there is no margin.

Circulation - the number of distributed magazines at a given time.

Drop Cap - the enlargement of the first letter at the beginning of a sentence.

End Marker - fancy/elaborate ending to sentence (full stop).

Pull Quote - enlarged quotes of an article around an image or breaking up text.

Pug - 'Ears' of a magazine - top left/right of magazine, typically the price or logo.

Slug - housestyle logo for a particular section of the magazine.

Typography - the font, colour and sizing of the text.

USP - 'Unique Selling Point', typically the main image of the cover of the magazine.

Psychographics

Audience profiling 

For our music magazine, we have to create a profile for an ideal reader, this is called a Persona. There are many factors that I need to consider when making it, for example; age, gender, interests, lifestyle and socio - economic group. I also will need to think about those who are not in my target audience, but will still have access to the magazine, e.g. a parent buying a magazine for their child - this is called the penumbra effect. 

People can be categorised into different groups when determining a target audience;

• Mainstreamers - seek security. These people tend to be domestic, conformist, conventional, value for money and are often the largest group.
• Aspirers - seek status. Materialistic, acquisitive, orientated to image and appearance, persona and fashion. Typically younger people. 
• Succeeders - seek control. Strong goals, confidence, work ethic and organisation. Supports stability. They are usually higher management and professionals. 
• Resigned - seek survival. Rigid and authoritarian values. They are typically interested in the past and tradition, likes familiarity and are usually older people.
• Explorers - seek discovery. Energy, individualism and experience. Values adventure and highlights satisfaction and instant effect. They are the first to try new brands and are the younger demographic - mainly students.
• Reformers - seek enlightenment. Value their own independent judgement. Most anti-materialistic, socially aware and tolerant. Often seen at the leading edge of society. They are least likely to buy something if it is new.
• Strugglers - seek escape. Tend to live for the moment and make little plans, often seen as disorganised. Heavy consumers of alcohol and junk food. Visual impact and physical sensation are an important element in their brand choices.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow

Abraham Maslow was a psychologist, most well known for creating his hierarchy of needs. He stressed the importance of focusing on the positive qualities in people, rather than treating them like a 'bag of symptoms'.

Below is his most famous creation, his hierarchy;

 

What's the problem?

There are many arguments against the hierarchy, in terms of where to put things and what should have been on it. This was Maslow's personal opinion, consequently meaning why there is such opposition. I personally feel that it is quite outdated. This is because in the psychological needs, Maslow felt that this is where respect for others should be. I believe that no matter who you are and where you are in terms of the hierarchy, you should always have respect for people. This is something that you should not develop, you should learn it early and carry it throughout life. Furthermore, it basically states that you first need a house before you can have friends, and you are almost less of a person if you don't progress up the levels correctly. The idea is quite insulting, suggesting that if you have everything other than friends, then you can't get to self - actualisation. Lastly, it doesn't state anything about self - respect, which I feel is something everyone needs. 

Why is it relevant?

This is relevant because my target audience will be in the UK. This means that they will be westernised, so the idea of materialism is prominant. The hierarchy shows that material items are not key to a persons standard of living, but rather enhances their quality of life. This means that my audience will have the luxury to go out and spend money on a music magazine.