Focus Group Video

 Today I thought it would be go to create a focus group and ask them questions on what they would like to see in a magazine. This will help me create my magazine and enable it to match the requirements of my target market. 

Target Audience Research

To further enhance my research I designed a questionnaire through survey monkey and sent the link of to everyone within my target audience (16-25)

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RVD3TK6

This is the link to my survey that my target audience answered!

Audience Research Questions

I have asked a few questions and go some feedback however I don't think this is really working as I'm not getting the answers in enough detail and therefore I think I need to change my strategy and start by asking open questions. Which means ones where I can get a detailed answer from. Often by using the words such as "why?" Or "how?" These graphs that I have completed will help me make some decisions they aren't final but they will now help me when it comes to making my project better and I know my next draft will much more focused. To conclude these two graphs the majority of my target audience liked the name instant and to be honest I do like the name as I think it's modern and helps add to the genre of the magazine so until further notice I will call my magazine that. Another Conclusion I have come to is my target audience like the colours black, white and purple. I'm unsure if i'm going to follow this trend yet as I might want to go against the judgement and try and create something new for my audience. However this feedback has helped me but I am going to go into more detailed research such as a focus group video. 

Target Audience- Genre

To make sure I make my magazine suitable for my target audience, I thought it would be a good idea to ask them some questions about music magazines. I shall display the answers as graphs, however some questions are open and therefore will set them out in a different way as they can't be described through a percentage or number. I asked a mixture of people who vary between the age of 16-25 as this is the audience I would like the focus on.  

Drawn Up Draft DPS

Out of all the drawings this is probably my strongest one. I really like the look of this one and will probably have to do the least changes to this. Uses the idea of Q's Jake Bugg article. I have created up an artist called Libby would is the main feature of my front cover also I believe it's a good original name. The spread is an interview I need to work more on spacing but I think in the picture it's just my terrible drawn skills. Tried to use a verity of fonts on this to add a personal touch, I want my interview to engage the audience. 

Drawn Up Draft CP

This is my contents page drawn up, I have decided to go with the blocky style as it looks best however I am unsure if I want to stick to 4 photos as I think I need a few more articles if I'm honest. Billboard often stick to the 4 approach however I am considering changing it to a 3 tab look instead to include some more articles. The articles are just made up and are not definite just to help fill the space for a moment and help me get a good look at the where everything will be! 

Drawn up Draft FC

Today I drew up my first ever magazine draft to get an idea of what it would look like round about. I decided to try out the name fresh however I am worried it sounds too young for my target audience and especially with the explanation mark. I think I want to try and keep with the same image on her, a close mid shot as I believe it will be most effective on my target audience. Purple may be the dominant colour I'm think white black and purple but will have to see. I know its early days and my drawing is terrible but bare with me! 

Names

Today I considered names for my magazine as I have no idea what I am going to name it! I know I want to do new fresh chart music that is aimed at 16-25. This is will be one of the hardest choices when it comes to creating my magazine as I find it so hard to find a one that will match. So far my favorites include fresh- as it suggests it's something new and different however I am worried it sounds too young and another one I like is trend as it suggest that the magazine is something new and in the public eye and popular, my other one that I'm considering is instant as I do like the name and it suggests it's the latest chart topping hits. To make sure I get the name right I think I will carry out a survey of my top 3 names and see what the results are. Decision making is so hard! 

Decisions

After detailed research I've decided I want my double page spread to follow the conventions of a Q style just like the images above me (especially the Ed Sheeran edition) as I believe it most suits my target audience. 

Double Page Spread Analysed 5

Double Page Spread...

My final double page spread is from Q again but it's a different layout and it features the very famous and beautiful Adele  This one is a bit more personal therefore I thought it would be a good to analyse as I think I am looking to do one that is personal and engages the audience.
Target Audience- It's important that when creating my magazine that I always think about my target audience everything I do, I must include in a few days I am going to start my target audience research I think the best way to get my ideas across would be to set up a focus group with the target audience I am using and then find out what sort of music they are into and what they enjoy reading about. If I need to I could use a character profile and learn abit more about my audience to make the magazine more personal. Q magazine have thought about there audience when creating this magazine article, as Adele is a very famous artist who is well known with an already established fan base therefore, its important that the readers learns something about the artist that they don't already know, as the audience probably know what songs she has out and about her love life as it's often across the papers and magazines, therefore they want much more personal things.
Layout- The image is on the left and the majority of the text is on the right, separation is key when it comes to creating the magazine. Apart from one, every other magazine has followed the rule of separating the image and text this is to add neatness and allows the reader easy access to the article. Spacing is another key feature when it comes to layout, every magazine uses white spacing to make their articles look neat and attractive  When it comes to making my magazine I will enable that I use spacing and separate my columns using either white spaces or block lines. Q use both in this article as they use a red block line also, this is very common in magazines as it helps add structure to the magazine and furthermore, adds a personal style to the magazine. You will find that most magazines use this technique and therefore I think it would be a good idea for me to! 
Style- The style of this double page spread matches Adele perfectly. She is a classy sophisticated lady who don't like to be the centre of attention instead she just likes to sit there and sing. The font is serif font due to her class and the type of music she does, it's not heavy or in your face its emotional and easy listening. The font suggests this article is aimed at fans of Adele who enjoy the music rather than the personal life of Adele. Another feature this article uses is the big letter at the start of some of the paragraphs. This is to add style to the article its a common convention that magazines do, it allows a starting point for the article. I think it would be a good idea for me to use this idea or possibly go for a drop capital as its a good graphic effect to use and its adds a personal style to the magazine.  
Images- Again, its one dominant image that spans the centre line to show off Adele's lovely dress. It's a very engaging image and she is directly addressing the audience to suggest that this article is personal. She gives off a very elegant look suggesting the type of people reading this magazine aren't going to be teenagers who want to know what the gossip is and who is she seeing. It seems to be a much more upper class image. The image defines the type of artist they are and when creating my image I think I would like a one like this, possibly a long shot or a mid shot not to personal and more focused on the music rather than a close up. 
Colour- They tend to stick to the 3 colour theme, to add consistency and provide a common theme throughout. Red, white and black are the dominant ones they all contrast each other, when creating my magazine it's a good idea to use to contrasting colour such as black and white as the white helps the black text stand out, I think I will consider using these two colours as they are easy to work with other colours and look good. 
Article- You can instantly tell it's an article due to the columns and other conventions. One thing articles tend to do is have quotes from the artists standing out. Q use this technique  this is to add a personal touch and engage the audience as normally it's a humorous witty phrase the artist has said and therefore it makes the audience want to read and find out why they have said that quote. The article is a sophisticated piece and isn't really what I am looking to write about. I think I have decided to write mine in the style of an interview as I believe it engages my audience more and allows them to find out interesting things about the artist and it's more front their personal point of view rather than the editor just writing it all up. 

Double Page Spread Analysed 4

Double Page Spread...

I have looked at many double page spreads but this one has to be my favorite, I love the layout the colours the title just everything works. Its from Q magazine but has been made to fit and suit Jake Bugg fans. The only downfall to this double page spread is the fact its not an interview layout but apart from that this is the main style model I would like to use when creating my magazine. Q have done something a bit different when it comes to this specific article, as the one I am analysing after this is more associated with the Q house style but for some reason this one is different and its different in a good way! 
Layout- Set out using the typical conventions of a magazine article, the image is on the left and spans the centre line whilst the text is on the right. By looking at the layout you get the impression that the magazine want to focus more on the artist himself rather than the text as there is very little text when you actually study it. This is the type of look I will try and achieve when I create my double page spread as I want them to be focused on the artist rather than loads of text.   The title of the magazine is huge and takes up around half of one page, this suggests that, this artist is big or gong to be and that they are prepared to focus more on him rather than the text. The title engages the audience in. It is then followed by a sub heading which gives the audience a bit of extra information on what the article will be about. This is a common feature used in basically every magazine, I will definitely be using this when it comes to creating my magazine. 
Style- Personally, the style of this double page spread is great I love the look that Q use. They try and match the style of the spread to the artist. It is from the Q magazine but it doesn't follow the usual red connotations that we associate Q with. Instead, it focuses more on the artist and creates an old yet modern look. The colours play a key part within this double page spread however I will talk about them later. They do add to the style of the double page spread as they create a new original look this is to match with Jake Bugg as his a new and different artist. When creating my magazine I want to have a personal style that helps portray the type of artist I'm creating as well as engaging the audience. 
Images- Only one image within this spread but it spans the centre line and goes over one page, this is a common feature that magazines do, in this case the guitar cuts across the centre line, this is to show Jake Bugg in full performance it highlights how different he is from others. It shows him in performance and in an action show, this is to engage the target audience as they will be established Jake Bugg fans and therefore enjoy going to see him live and it shows that the target audience is probably more younger people as they enjoy going to concerts and getting up and personal with the artists. Within the image Jake is not looking at the camera and it looks as if he is focused on his music and concert which just shows the type of fans he has, it further implies that the article will not be about personal questions but more of an over view of maybe his singing career or what is coming up next for him. Due to it being a mid shot it shows that its more about performance and music rather than personality and the gossip. 
Colours- Key within this article as it's the first thing you notice when you look over. It's stuck with a black and white theme throughout and then uses the red to stick out. The black and white add quite a classic look to it and show it as quite old fashioned, especially the image however the red is uses to add something different to it and make it stand out suggesting that the artist is old but new its create an unusual image for the reader but makes them want to read on. It's a very original colour theme and shows that Q have thought about Jake Buggs music and what he stands for. It's a new and different look for the magazine which suggests Jake is new and different.I really like the colour idea for this double page spread, I am unsure if I will use, I need to think more about what type of image I want to be shown as my artist make this one is a big old fashioned for my artist. 
Article- The title of the article instantly engages the audience the use of alliteration of "likely lad" is catchy and gets you to read on. I think I will use a phrase of some sort when it comes to creating my magazine as its important to get the readers attention. The article is an overview of Jake Bugg you can tell that its not an up close and personal article and that it's more of a quick catch up on his life and how he got to where he is today. The relationship between the magazine and the audience isn't that personal. I hope to maybe be a bit more engaging when creating my magazine as I feel my magazine will reach the reader on a more personal note. 

Double Page Spread Analysed 3

Double Page Spread...


Normally, I do 3 Billboard double page spreads however after looking at 2 in great detail I feel they aren't exactly the type of layout I am hoping to do. I mean don't get me wrong I will use their ideas when it comes to images, colours and fonts however when it comes to layout and style I believe Q do a much better look as its what I am hoping to do when I create my magazine I chose this one as I'm hoping to do an interview format and this specific issue do that and therefore would be a good style model to use when creating my own double page spread.
Layout- This layout is very similar to the Billboard one I have just analysed it separates the image and text which is a common feature when it comes to creating a double page spread as it allows the audience to be drawn to the huge image and then focused on the text after. The interview is set out into 3 columns which is the perfect layout for me as it allows enough text for the audience get a enough information out of the magazine. Each question is followed by a white space to make it look neat and appeal to the audience. Spacing is key when it comes to the layout as a few white spaces can make your magazine look neat and it just adds that extra touch. However too many white spaces can make your magazine look empty and plain. Therefore you need to find the middle, where its the right amount of spacing to enable for your magazine to look well kept. Again, they have the title of the article in bigger font to the rest, this is to grab the audiences attention, in this case its "CEE LO GREEN" It instantly tells the audience what the article will be about and it shows that it will be a person account coming from Cee Lo. It is then followed with a sub heading which gives you a little bit more insight in to what the magazine article will be about, it's a sort of quick over view of what it will entail. These features are very common when it comes to making your magazine and therefore I will use these ideas as it engages the audience and helps them understand the article better.
Style- Q have a personal style and I really like it. One personal style is the first letter of the article often stands out from the rest. Often a drop a drop capital is used to stand out and engage the reader in. Q have used a big letter C in this case to add to the style of the magazine. I believe they used this as Cee Lo Green's first letter in his name is the letter C and this in turn engages the audience. I must note that some letters do not work in this case and only certain ones will have an effect on the audience. The red block is a personal style used by Q to allow consistency throughout the magazine. Another style feature Q use is their magazine name in the bottom right hand corner next to the page number, this is to add consistency throughout and it create a common theme for the reader. When creating my magazine I may use Q's idea and input the magazine name on the double page spread however this would be dependent on the size of my name as if its more than 3 letters its probably best that I just stick to using a website for the magazine rather than the name. 
Images- One image used which is very dominant and fills around 50% of the entire article. His image is very unique to his character. It create a cool mysterious image. He already has an established audience and therefore doesn't need to impress them. However he has always been known for wearing his sunglasses and therefore decides to wear them when in this image. His facial expression is very serious to suggest that maybe this article is very serious and personal and all about his life and music career  His is wear a top with no sleeves to show off his tattoo this is due to his character as he is often shown as the tough guy and it all adds to the image of the artists. Tattoos are being increasingly common on young adults therefore many of the people reading this magazine will aspire to be like him. Image is very important when it comes to matching the target audience therefore when I create my magazine I think I want a calmer atmosphere and a not so hard image. Possibly to do this I believe a women would be more suitable as she is easier help show the connotations I want to convey.
Colour- These help define genre and mood. However Q always stick to the same colour throughout. Red, white and black (especially red) are the consistent themes running throughout this entire article, this allows the audience to feel engaged and also it creates a house style for this specific magazine. For instance without the magazine logo on this double page spread you instantly know that it's Q due to the colours that run throughout this article. When creating my magazine I don't think I will use red as it's a common used in many magazines however I think I may try a different colour as its important I follow the codes and conventions of a music magazine but its also important that I add my own personal style to the magazine. I will test and play around with a few colours to enable they look good. 
Font- The title of the magazine is in serif font which is very unusual as normally that is for a more upper class and older magazine however they have decided to mix it up a little and use a more old fashioned font on a young artists. I like the way they have went against the conventions as it shows the type of magazine Q are, they don't always follow the rules as they like to be different and edgy. Everything is easy read font and certain things stand out by using the bold and colour tool. The questioned asked by the people are in bold font and stand out, this is a technique I will use when creating my magazine and basically it looks good. 
Interview- Personally, I love the way this layout. The interview is perfect and looks great and is effective on the audience. An interesting feature that Q use is, they don't ask the questions the audience have got in touch and asked them as underneath the questions are names and places of the people who have asked the questions. They did this as it adds a personal touch to the magazine and engages the audience even more as they feel involved. The questions that were asked are ones like "can you do any impressions?" "what would you have as your last meal?" These are very basic questions and many of the questions asked aren't about the music which conveys the type of magazine Q are and the audience who read it. They aren't really bothered about the music they are more concerned about the personal lives of the artists they want to know funny things that will entertain them. When creating my magazine I will consider my questions very carefully as I'm unsure if I want to focus more on the music or the person or even a mixture of both! 

Double Page Spread Analysed 2

Double Page Spread....

To continue my research I thought it would be best to try and find another Billboard article as I like the style of it and would definitely consider using it when it comes to creating my own magazine. This layout and style seems much more suited to mine rather than the other on as it follows the general structure from most double page spreads
Target Audience- Even when you glance over at this article you can tell its aimed at a younger audience. The whole piece is a summer special which is more associated with a younger audience as they are most concerned about what is best to wear in the summer and the plans that are in the summer. Even the image is linked with the younger generation due to the costume the model is wearing and the age he is. Overall I would say the target audience will be around the age of 16-25. This is the type of audience I want to aim for when I create my magazine as they are most interested in the type of music that I am focusing on.
Layout- The layout is very common within double page spreads as the image is on the left and followed by the article on the right. They are separated from each other to make it easier for the audience to read. The main article is set out in a column and spacing is a technique used to add structure and separate the lines. When creating my magazine my teacher advised my to stick to 3 columns as it looks best and it gets enough information across to the reader, therefore I don't think I will follow this pattern of columns as I believe this doesn't look as good. However I do like the way the dominant image is separate from the text as it looks good and allows a clear distinction between them both. The title is at the top of the columns is a bigger font to allow the audience information about what it is about and the page number in the bottom right hand corner as well as the issue date and the Billboards website. Most magazines include the page number in the bottom right hand corner its a consistent theme that runs throughout most magazine as its an easy access for the reader and allows them to know what page they are on. I will use this when I create my magazine.
Style- Billboard are a modern, young magazine that like to focus on chart music and whats in now and from there style they allow the music genre to be shown off. Due to them doing a "summer preview" you can tell that they are fresh and new and like the audience to know whats coming and who is going to be big this summer. The summer time special is specific to Billboard as you wouldn't find mojo or NME doing a summer time special as it just doesn't fit into their range and target audience.  So even the name of the article is special to their style of the magazine. I will consider style very carefully as soon enough I will be doing a drawn up draft of my magazines as I think it will be good for a first attempt as I need to see where I would put everything and what it would look like. It will good to use as a start basis.
Images- Only one image within this article however, it's a dominant one and takes up around 50% of the entire double page spread and the man portrays the typical conventions of that music genre. Mainly his costume shows that stereotypical youth in his shorts and top to show the casual look and further imply the summer preview special and therefore shows the magazine has thought about what image to show. He is directly looking at the camera and his body language shows him being quite cool and looks as if he is pretending to be an aeroplane (to possibly enhance the summer edition) His age and appearance portray the typical man who would buy this magazine, young and loves the summer likes to have fun, is out going and just likes to have fun. When creating my magazine I think I will use one main image exactly like this magazine however I think mine will be a women as I can access one easier, I have the perfect girl who would fit into this genre of music and this type of magazine.
Colours- Colours have connotations towards them and now due to this being a summer preview you associate certain colours with it, such as bright happy colours and this is exactly what Billboard have tried to do, however they do it in a subtle way where it's not to in your face and it still looks neat and tidy. The word summer is written in a variety of different colours to show the change in time and to represent happiness. Blue is a colour that sticks out within this as it's used for the dots in between some of the words and it a dominant circle colour used in the background of the article. Blue can used to show clear and fresh and new, it's create a calm atmosphere and works well against the white. Green is another colour used to highlight something out to the reader. The green is used as it matches with the summer special and is shows nature and grass and is one of the colours of summer. Billboard have thought very hard when it comes to colours and when I make my magazine I will consider  colours very carefully as it's important for them to match my article and make sure they give off the right connotations and work in contrast to each other.
Article- The article is the key to everything. All the colours, fonts images need to match up to the article and in this case Billboard have done a brilliant job of that. The article is about a new up coming artists called T.L Within the article they are foreshadowing his greatest and informing the audience that he is going to be a rising star and something big is going to happen. Therefore due to this article you get the impression this is aimed at a younger audience who don't mind listening to new things and who are open to change. They want to be in the know of what is going to be in this charts this summer. When it comes to making my magazine I will enable that my article matches the audience however I think mine will be in the form of an interview therefore I think it would be best if I analysed an interview at some point to get a good idea of what they are like and what sort of questions are asked and how the layout works. 

Double Page Spread Analysed 1

Double Page Spread... 

Today i'm starting to analyse 5 different double paged spreads. Each day I will post one as they take time to do!  The first one I'm looking at is Billboard and although you may not be able to read the writing due to the tiny text, I will explain to to you and what the article is about and what lexis it uses. All these following features will help me create my own double page spread as I can use their codes and conventions in order to create my open personal double page spread.
Layout- When you look at this you can instantly tell its a double page spread however, they subverted the expectations of a normal double page spread and normal they have one dominant image that features on the left or right hand side of the article and takes up just over page. Instead on this one the image is landscape and the text is in a L shape around it. Furthermore, its set out as columns to make it look neat and it allows the reader easier access to the article. When it comes to creating my magazine I will stick to around 3 columns as I think it's best to and I don't think I will have as much text as I feel it's too much in your face and I want it to be a mixture of image and text and not just focus on one. Another thing that double page spreads do is a headline to grab the attention of the audience in this case "its been just since weeks since Rihanna's" This headline grabs the audiences attention and makes you want to read on. Its bold and must bigger than the rest of the text to stand out and is then followed by a sub heading which is still slightly bigger than the normal font used in whole article this segment summaries what the article will be about. These two features are ones I will use when it comes to creating my magazine as it makes it look better and engages the audience.
Style- Each magazine has a personal style and Billboard will have there own personal style. Billboard have the page numbers at the bottom corners on their articles and also the name of the magazine and the date of the issue, each one is separated with a single thin line. Even these little elements make the magazine personal and add style and sophistication. Furthermore a personal style that Billboard use is quotes directly said by the artist in bigger and brighter fonts. This engages the reader in as it shows its a personal account from Rihanna and therefore a reliable and accurate source. It makes you want to read on. Often many magazines use this convention, I will study a few other ones and see if it's common and then decided weather I want to do this. Another thing Billboard have chose to do is get you a brief history of Rihanna's older hits and how successful she is in the big black box at the top of the spread. This is due to the target audience, as they will be interested with Rihanna and her previous hits as they are the type to listen to up to date chart music. This section within the spread matches the target audience and therefore is effective. I need to make sure that the style matches my target audience and engages them.
Images- Always a big part in any part of the magazine. This article contains 3 images. One main one that grabs the readers attention it's a wide shot of Rihanna at her concert. Even the location of this specific audience relates to the target audience as it suggests the type of people to read this magazine will be out going and enjoy going to concerts and watching performances they don't just want to sit at home, they want show a performance with costume changes and dancing and personal. Then furthermore her costume suggests definitely a younger audience, due to the lack of clothes possibly 16-25 where appearance plays a big impact within life. Her facial expression is very aggressive and in your face she is pulling a face which suggests she is lighthearted and not to be take seriously although you appears to be looking at the camera a helmet is covering it suggesting she likes to entertain her audience and put on a performance. I really like this idea when it comes to creating my spread however the only problem I am going to have is trying to get a location that looks like a concert and in action as it will be quite difficult to mirror something like this. However I do like the idea and will think about how I can come across this. The other small images suggest a much more sophisticated look for Rihanna, it gives you some extra information about her life and shows an image of her in Topshop which yet again links to the target audience and they would the type of people who read this magazine are bothered about clothes and appearance and therefore would shop in high street fashion stores such as Topshop. It's good advertisement for them both and more importantly this engages the audience. I will consider my images very carefully when it comes to my double page spread as I need them to link to target audience and engage the reader.
Colours- Throughout my research and I just about come to the conclusion that just about every part of the magazine sticks to a 3 colour scheme in order to create a common theme and to make it look and all related. Pink, black and white are the dominant colours. The pink contrasts the other two and is used get certain things to stand out. Its also used due to Rihanna's costume as she is in pink and therefore pink is used throughout the article to provide a common theme as it all looks like it belongs there and it shows Billboard have thought about the article and matched it up to the specific article. Due to pink being one of the dominant colours it suggests that this article is more aimed at women as pink stereo typically is more aimed at the females rather than the males based on colours alone this suggests a more female audience however this is a very naive judgement.
Font- Very similar to what I normally talk about its sans serif to help to the modern look of the magazine it matches with the image and message its trying to get across to the reader. Its very easy to read in the actual text is in very small font possibly size 8 or 9 to fit everything in. I will use a small font when writing my article to make sure the audience get loads of information about the artists and furthermore I will use the bold told and italics to highlight certain things within my article.
Article- It's always key that you get have articles within your piece that match with you target and in this case Billboard get it right. It's taking about the wax work of Rihanna and you can tell that Billboard magazine is aimed at young adults who have an interest in chart music and enjoy hearing things about the latest fashion trends and what the celebrities are going and this article fits perfectly into this as chart music magazine tend to rarely stick to talking about music and tend to focus more on appearance and the look, its always about the latest gossip rather than the type of music they are creating. I think my article will be in the style of an interview therefore I need to focus more on style models that have a layout like that and focus on the type of question I should be asking due to my music genre. 

Double Page Spread

Today I began looking at double paged spreads and I thought it would be best to mind map it, just plan what I am going to write about and it helps me get a better idea of the common codes and conventions within a double paged spread.  It worked for me with the contents pages so I thought it would be best to repeat. 

Images

What features do FP, CP and DPS images have and how do they tend to work as a Cohesion? 

Today we looked at images and how they impact front pages, contents pages and double page spreads. We forced on images alone and how you can tell a lot from the image. I looked at a few in detail and I'll put a few on my blog and show the I can tell the genre of music and the target audience. Images and all these music magazines help convey the genre of the magazine and give off a representation of the target audience. For instance the one in the middle, the images suggest it's aimed at people who are into listening to music and possibly enjoy the sound of it due to the picture of the headphones, The front cover image suggests its aimed at young adults her facial expression shows an edgy side towards her and that she quite an out going person which reflects the target audience. However the one on the left suggests a more urban look and band style. Aimed more at an established audience who are into the killers and. The contents page of Q suggests it's all based on The Killers which stretch a very wide audience. As you can see images are vital when it comes to matching the target therefore, I need to make sure I get it right! I need to use the correct images. 

Target Audience

Target Audience...

Today we thought about how to target an audience. In order for my music magazine to be effective I need to make sure my magazine appeals to my target audience. So far I am thinking that my target audience will be around 16-25 as they are the type who read my music taste. To enable that this information is accurate I will set up questionnaires and research into my magazine. I will focus on qualitative as these are opinion based questions and therefore are more personal. Furthermore, I think it would be a good idea to use open questions when interviewing my target audience as I can gain a personal response from each. To do this it would be best to film, maybe a focus group of my target audience. Throughout the project I know it's important to keep my target audience in mind, this means showing them my drafts, ideas and rough cuts and gaining constant feedback throughout and how their input helped shape and form my magazine. 

Initial Ideas

Today I thought it would be a good idea to stop for a moment and reflect on my previous posts and where I am at so far. This is my initial ideas for making magazine due to my research that I have done in my last 10 blogs. This mind map will help me gain a better understanding of my what my magazine will include and who it will be aimed at. 

Contents Page Analysed 5

Contents Page...

For my final contents page, I've decided to analyse NME as it's very similar to Q and features similar conventions. I thought it would be a good idea to get a grasp of all the different contents pages as I need to make sure that they all follow similar conventions. Within this blog I think I will be making some decisions on the the type of features I want to include in my contents although they are not definite I think it would be a good idea to write up some things that I really would like to do or even just try out.
Layout- To be honest the lay out of this one is very crowded and in your face. The layout suggests it's aimed at some out going person who enjoys going out to concerts and socialising with people. NME do stick to the blocky style and therefore all 3 magazine types that I have analysed have stuck to this style rather than the image dominant one and therefore I have made the decision to go with this look as it create a modern style for my target audience. It allows everything to be in line and correct, it brings some order to the magazine. However, NME do it slightly different to the other two I have analysed they don't use spacing as much as Q or Billboard, more things are crammed into this contents page and everything seems to be in your face. This suggests the audience is more aimed at maybe people who aren't interested the modern music and more into rock and indie. They focus more on performance rather than personal image. The fact that even by looking at it you can tell it features more text shows it's more focused on informing the audience of the music rather than looking good and neat. When creating my contents page I will use the blocky idea however I will not copy off NME as I believe they are too messy for the type of audience I am trying to attract, I want more clean and in line and therefore spacing will be a key concept when creating my contents I would like to use line separators and white spacing to help create a modern clean classy look to my contents page.
Style- Every magazine has its personal style and I hope I can create a personal style for my magazine. NME has created their personal style. On the left hand side of their contents page they have a band index which allows the audience to access the specific band they are after. This personal style reflects the type of audience that NME are trying to aim for. From this you can tell that they are interested in just the music and nothing personal or the latest gossip.The band index stretches from Girls Aloud to Guns 'n' roses which shows that its quite a wide variety in music and appeals to a wide audience just focused on music alone. I think when I create my magazine I want to focus more a specific genre of music and then find out all the gossip from that genre. I'm thinking modern, chart music as it's something I am interested in and I enjoy listening to them. I need to make sure my personal style reflects within my magazine and relates to my target audience. 
Images- Features 2 main images that are both the dominant images. They are very active photos which suggest the target audience is out going people who enjoy going to concerts and listening to music up and close. They are action shots and focus more on the playing of the image rather than the appearance. It shows that this magazine is very musically based as Q and especially Billboard tend to focus more on personal image and the personality of the artist rather than the music, however NME tend to take a different approach focusing more on the playing the music rather than the looks behind it. When creating my magazine I think I want to focus more on the image of the artist as it's important to me that they look good as I want them to relate to my target audience.
Colours- Red seems to be a very popular colour for music magazines. This contents page has used very similar colours to Q. Yet again they stick to a 3 colour scheme which I think is a great idea as it helps create consistency throughout. Therefore, I will consider colours carefully when I create my contents page as the colours need to work with each other in order for certain things to stand out like titles and the small print text.
Font- Although it is quite similar colour to Q, it appears to be more in your face and this is due to the font. Everything on this contents pages seems to be bigger and bolder. They seem to have increased the font size and used the bold tool a lot more, this way it creates a different look as shows a quick an in your face look. It suggests the target audience are more out going and possibly a bit older as they have stopped caring about the looks and layout of the magazine and just want to focus on the music and text. I believe this is too in your face for my liking, I want to aim more at 16-25 year old and therefor need to focus more on appearance and neatness of the page. The font needs to smaller and less bold, it needs to be less angry.
Language- Lots of text within this contents page, and therefore each words needs to reflect the target audience and engage them. Nearly every section of the contents page is discussing a band or artists like "muse" and "tracks" unlike the other ones which tend to focus more a wide variety such as the newest technology and the latest fashion. This is all related back to the target audience and engaging them, as the type of people who read NME will not be interested in fashion or technology they just want to hear about the latest music and whats going up and when the next concert is. When creating my magazine I will make sure that my language is suited for magazine and do some target research into what type of articles my target audience read. This will they will feel engaged when it comes to making my magazine.

Contents Page Analysed 4

Contents Page...

After Analysing 3 of Billboard I thought it would be a good idea to have a look at some similar contents pages out there. Some that are aimed at nearly the same audience. Therefore I decided to analyse Q magazine. 
Layout- Q has stuck with the blocky layout as everything has it's place and is in order. The main texts tends to form in the shape on a L. I really like this idea by Q as it makes everything look neat and tidy and it helps the reader access certain parts quicker. Again, it contains the title of the word contents and features the name of the magazine. To provide a consistent theme throughout. To split sections up they use red and black bold lines these are a common convention found in many magazines as everything becomes easier to read due to the line separators. Spacing is a key feature when it comes to layout, nearly everything is filled however small spaces are left to make everything look neat and in line. When I create my magazine I will enable I get my spacing just right and measure everything up before hand and enable that the text and images work together and furthermore, I will use line separators as its a common convention used in all magazines to help divide up specific sections of the magazine.
Style- When you first glance over at this magazine you instantly get the impression it's a contents page and that it's Q. This is all due to the style. Q often use boxes and squares as it creates a modern look for the audience. Like Billboard it has a special where it contains the "every month" column where it's the things that will always appear within the magazine. I think this is a good idea when creating my magazine as it shows the already established things. I will have a look and see if the other contents page that I study features that too, before I make the decision to fully use the idea. Q also use chronological order in their contents page (apart from the every month) this provides structure for the audience.They also have a very personal touch to the magazine just like Billboard and they have a special "Q Review" section. Which allows Q to express their personal opinion of things and it gives the audience advice. Even the name "Q Review" is quite catchy and rolls off the tongue. I really like the idea of having something personal towards your magazine and I will consider doing something like this when creating my magazine. 
Images- Contains 2 images. One dominant image takes up around 40% of the magazine and it features a band. It's a long shot of 4 males. This suggesting that the band are quite serious about their music and it's not a personal occasion to get up and close with the band but more to focus on their type of music.  The background of the photo is unusual and suggests they are edgy and something different. This image suggests the type of the music the people buying the magazine will have. Their pose and facial expression suggests a very casual atmosphere and one appears to not even be looking at the camera which shows that this band may subvert our expectations of the stereotypical band. Due to the age and the look of the people within the image it suggests a wider audience than Billboard possibly stretching more to 18-40 as they seem quite casual and not bothered.  As, their clothes (t-shirts) further imply the fact they are a laid back band and are not interested within looking good and more focused on their music. The second image is very unusual and it features a man smartly dress leaning against a column. This image further enhances the fact that this magazine is more focused on the music rather than getting close and personal with the band/artist. This image could show the artist as quick afraid and more committed to performing rather than his personal image (although he is in a suit which suggests some upper status) For my contents page I am thinking of using around 2-4 images that help portray the genre of the magazine. When taking my photographs I will make sure that I get a few different shots as the image can represent the type of music. 
Colour- Red is the dominant stand out colour within this contents page. However we know that this is a common convention used with Q as they liked to stick to red as dominant colour to create an established theme. The red matches with their brand name. I really like the idea of this and will consider using it when creating my magazine as I believe it helps the target audience more and allows a persistent theme running through the magazine. The contents page has stuck to a 3 colour scheme of red, black and white. As these all contrast with each other. Of course the red is used for the main titles as when you first glance at the contents page these stand out. Text is in black and I like this as it makes it readable for the audience working against the white background. These two colours are often used throughout music magazines as they are nice colours that look good and work well with other colours. I will consider using these colours when creating my magazine as they add to the appearance of the magazine. 
Font- After analysing so many different pages its beginning to sound very repetitive. I know. But, it must be done. Yet again it's the same font throughout to add consistency. The sans serif is used as it's a modern magazine that likes to use different bands and artists that are new to the market. Capital letters are used to show the titles of things. It provides clear information for the audience. It's then followed underneath with a brief description of what each page is about. 
Language/Article- The language suggests the audience that Q are trying to attract. The titles of their articles include "mp4" "my brilliant career" "buskers" these suggest a possibly young working adult who enjoys technology. Possibly from around the age of 20-35. It suggests they have quite a wide variety taste in music and enjoy like easy listening music that is always going to be good. For instance this issue features an Oasis special therefore Q already have an established audience as they know many people are fans of Oasis and will buy the magazine just due to Oasis featuring within it. This suggests the audience are quite open minded about the music taste, as Q don't has a specific genre they just tend to go for modern/classics. My articles will be picked out and I really like the idea of having a special edition of something as its an already established audience and it always the audience to learn a lot about the artist/band. 

Contents Page Analysed 3

Contents Page... 

I wasn't sure if I should do one more from Billboard just to make sure that everything is correct and that they follow certain codes and conventions. I've decided to do one more from this magazine just in case I just want to make sure that it is a consistent theme throughout. I may have a lot at some different things as well within this contents page just so I don't repeat myself and so I can further enhance my research. 
History Of Billboard- I thought it would be a good idea to research into the history of Billboard and how many viewers it has. It's published on weekly bases and it obtains more than 4 million visitors each more in over 100 countries. The main focus is the USA for a target audience as it costs £5.50 over hear to buy but thats due to importing therefore the bands featured and language used is aimed more at an American audience and when I create my magazine I will be focusing on a British audience. 
Layout- Its key when it comes to contents pages as most contents pages tend to have a certain style. Most go for a blocky and in this case Billboard definitely always stick to this. Everything is in square shapes and in line. Most of the time everything is in the same place as the previous ones. Blue block lines are used to divide the contents page and make it look neat and tidy. This feature I will use in my magazine as I really like the idea as it adds organisation to the magazine. 
Style- The style of this contents page should give the reader some idea of the target audience. When you first glance at it you should be able to tell who it's aimed. Due to the shape and text of the contents page its suggested that it's aimed at young adults around the age of 16-25. As they like to quickly glance at things and know what they are reading. This is the type of style and audience I want to engage when creating my magazine.
Images- Billboard always stick to the 4 images on the contents page. One being a dominant one. In this one it's a mid shot of a young women. Her hair and make up are perfect the represent the modern society. Often the audience who read this magazine will aspire to look like her. Her clothes are casual except this chain across her body to suggest originality and something a bit different. It could possibly show that she is a new artist with something different to bring to the music market. Her facial expression is serious and body language gives off the impression she is a dominant independent women. This image gives women a good name and therefore engages the audience. I will use a dominant image when creating my magazine that reflects my target audience as I believe it's a good idea and I also like the idea of the 3 in a row images at the top of the contents page. Although I'm not sure about the positioning I would definitely consider using them within my magazine as it helps inform the audience of the type of people the magazine with be discussing. Also I think the idea of 4 images on a page is good as it's not too much or too little. The three images at the top of the magazine tell a lot about the personality of the type of people who would buy magazine. From the images on this contents page it suggests the target audience are modern and enjoy popular music and are concerned about there dress sense and going out to concerts.
Background- I haven't spoke about this yet but Billboard always stick to a white background to enable other features to stand out. The white works in contrast with the blue and black to help highlight the text. When creating my contents page I will need to make sure you can read the text clearly therefore I think I will stick to a plain colour background possibly even a white or a pastoral colour to work in contrast of my text colour.
Text- All of it is very similar to the previous ones. However I changed the name of this one as this one is slightly different as the text is on top of the image to suggest that it has more dominance over the image. Maybe, its because she isn't that well known. The black numbers work against the image so that they can still stand out. I don't think I will include this idea when creating my magazine as I want it even more blocky and separate from the image. I don't want to overlap. 

Contents Page Analysed 2

Contents Page... 

To get a consistent feeling for Billboard I thought it would be best to analyse another from this magazine I really like the style and look of the magazine.
Target Audience- After analysing both these magazine I thought it would be good to mention something about target audience I  just began studying it yesterday within sixth form. It's very important when it comes to creating a magazine as you always need to have them in mind and Billboard constantly have them in mind when creating their music magazine as each bit of image, every image reflects the message they want to get across to the audience. From looking at this contents page I get the impression it's aimed at young adults from around the age of 16-25 who enjoy going to concerts and are out going people who enjoy listening to upbeat charts songs. 
Layout- From looking at the other magazine I can tell they tend to stick to a certain layout when creating their contents page. Of course they, like the blocky style as they used it on the last one. They also stuck to the 3 images across the top of the magazine and also have the same titles from the sub sections.  They do have them in a different place due to the main image on the contents page being a landscape mid shot instead of the other one. Everything has it's place within this contents page and everything is made to fit around the main image.  Spacing is used to separate each sections all the numbers are in line with each to make it look and provide easy access for the audience. I will look into spacing more when I create my magazine as I believe it's a key feature when creating a magazine as it's provides a fresh clean modern look to the magazine  Therefore, when I use Indesign to create it I be careful when measuring my lines out, as I want it all the in line.
Style- Very similar style when you look at you can instantly tell it's from Billboard. Of course it features the usual No 1 charts of the left hand side to represent the genre of music the audience enjoy listening too. Furthermore it has the magazine name at the top of that no1 music chart to show where it's from. This is a common convention that most contents page do as it provides a theme running through. The page number is in the bottom right of the magazine as well as a website to provide a more global audience and to get them further involved. Although I won't use the same style features as Billboard I think it's important to look at specific style as it will influence me to put a personal style on mine whilst also sticking to the codes and conventions of a music magazine aimed at young adults. 
Images- Features 4 images on the contents page. One is more dominant than the others. Its a mid shot of two men. Their clothes suggest a casual atmosphere and the man on left looks quite country due to the shirt he is wearing. They are both wearing shades of blue to match with the 3 colour scheme they seem quite laid back and are directly addressing the audience. However I think it is quite unusual that they have features these two men on the contents page as they aren't what i expect to see, they subvert my expectations of the contents page. However the power of 3 images at the top of the contents page reflect the type of people I would expect to be looking at this magazine. The top right image is Katy Perry singing live at a concert. This suggests that this magazine is aimed at outgoing people who often go to concerts and enjoy the music of Katy Perry (already established fan base). She is young women and many women find her inspirational and want to be her. All the three appear to be action mid shots to reflect the target audience and what they would be interested in, it appears a much more personal approach. 
Colours- From looking at the previous one I think I can just about come to the conclusion that they use the same colour scheme for all there contents page as it provides a constant them. All the colours work together stand out each colour has a different role. From instance the blue within this contents page is used as line separators as it make it more accessible for the audience.  It separates the main image from the articles from the bottom part, everything looks well structured and neat. The blue highlights the important things that the magazine want you to look at straight away like it did for the last one. 
Font- Very constant throughout the magazine the title "contents" is the same font as the previous one I analysed.  Again it sticks to sans serif which I'm sure you've heard me mention many time before. I know it's beginning to sound a bit repetitive but it's a very important thing when it comes to fonts. As if I decided to use the other one Serif font it would appear more upper class and possibly aimed at older, posher people. Therefore I need to make sure I get the correct audience and font when creating my magazine. Certain things are in capitals letters and the colours they appear to be witty one liners such as "English beat" these stand out from the rest due to text. It sums up the name of the article without giving loads away as it wants you to pick it up and read the article inside.
Language/Articles- To be honest the language is very similar to the previous contents page and reflects the target audience. Each article is summed up with a few words to grab the audiences attention. One is called "global networking" now the language used in this suggests the a younger audience as they are more likely to use this sort of thing and therefore be more interested within this magazine. I want to make sure every article with interest my target audience and will do some further study on this as I believe it's very important. 

Contents Page Analysed 1

Contents Page...

I am now moving onto contents pages and because I really liked Billboards front cover I thought it would be a good idea to analyse a contents page them as they seem to have the target audience I am leaning more towards. I really like the style of Billboard and I think i'm going to use that to style my magazine.
Layout- Billboard have decided to go for the blocky style enabling it to look neat and focused. This layout provides consistency throughout and allows and mixture of text and images.Everything looks in line with each other and the three images at the top of the contents page are all perfectly in line with each other as well as the numbers at the left of the contents everything has it's place making it easy to access for the audience. Billboards contents page is sub sectioned into different categories such as "upfront" "in every issue" and "charts" these provide easy access for the audience as they can jump to what they are interested in straight away. Furthermore apart from one section the rest of the contents page is in numerical order to make it look neat and accurate.It provides a sense of structure towards the magazine   When creating my contents I think I will strongly go with the blocky style as it's easier to do and is more effective towards my target audience and furthermore use sub sections to separate certain things to make it easier for the reader and definitely will use numerical order as it helps the audience more.
Style- Every magazine has it's own personal style. Now, I haven't looked at all the contents pages for Billboard yet but I did a quick overview of them and noticed that on the left hand side of every contents page of Billboard it contains the no1 charts for albums and singles. This is a personal thing that Billboard do as the genre of music they focus on is chart music and therefore they inform there audience every week of who is number one as the people reading the magazine are interested in this type of music. Of course, when I analyse the other contents page from Billboard  I will be able to inform you of more constant themes that run through the contents pages. Therefore, when I create my magazine I am going to have a certain style that relates to the pop culture music as it will engage my target audience more. 
Images- Featured 4 different images. The main image is a long shot of Miley Cyrus it takes up a bit of the contents and is obviously one of the main focuses. Her clothes represent the modern and highlight the target market for this magazine. You get the impression it's aimed at young adults who are fans of Miley and listen to popular recent chart music. Her hair and make up are perfect to convey the ideologies of the perfect woman. Many women reading the magazine will idolize to look like her. Her clothes represent the modern society look, they are hip and trendy to show off her personality and her youth. Her facial expression is happy and not directly looking at the camera to show she is focused on something and else and perhaps if you read her inside article you will find out more. The positioning and body language of her creates a casual atmosphere between the reader and the magazine. The other images are in line with each other and all give you an insight of what is to come within the inside articles. They all help add to the specific target audience as they are band and artists the target audience will want to read. Each image matches to a specific part of the contents page and has a number next to it, this allows the audience to flick to that certain page as it provides easy access for the reader. When creating my contents page I will enable that I include some images within my contents page that relate to the target audience.
Colours- Contains 3 main colours blue black and grey they all work with each to help certain things stand out. The blue is used to separate things and for titles of contents pages. Normally there is one colour that often stands out from the others and in this case it's light blue. Blue is strongly associated with calmness and tranquility and Billboard want to set a calm tone towards the magazine and engage them fully with the magazine.  Colours are key when it comes to creating a contents page and I will try to stick to 3 colours that contrast each to make certain things stand out from each. 
Font- Its what the audience read therefore it needs to clear and readable. Billboard have kept to one font except for the word contents. This is to a theme throughout and to make to look sophisticated. Furthermore, it sticks it a sans serif font as this creates a modern look and reflects the target audience as they will be young adults who are looking for good modern magazine to read and the font reflects it. Often to highlight things they use capital letters to show the title of certain sections as it looks good and helps the title stand out from the rest of the text. From analysing the fonts I've decided I'm going to stick to no more than two fonts as it gets confusing and looks messy. 
Language/Articles- Always important when it comes to engaging the audience as each article that is on the contents page has to engage the target market and make them interested. It talks about films such as "lord of the rings" which is has a huge market for young adults (target audience) and furthermore at the bottom talks about going "online" and joining them, which is more for the younger generation as you associate them more the younger people. Each article and the language includes within it relates and engages the target audience. Instantly when you scan over it and just glance at it you get the impression of who the magazine is trying to aim at. To make sure I include the correct articles I will include my target audience and do some research into what they enjoy reading and what sort of things they would like to see within a contents page. 

Mindmap Contents Page

Contents Page... 

Today I began looking at contents pages and I have a quick overview of a few and constructed this mind map to help me understand the common conventions of contents pages. This will help me plan out my 5 contents page I will analyse as it tells me what I am looking for. 

Front Cover Analysed 5

Front Cover...

My final one I am going to analyse is the front cover of the music magazine NME. Although it has a slightly different audience as it tends to stretch more to an older audience as well and features some slightly different artists it still reaches out to the audience I would like to attract and has certain codes and conventions that could help me create my magazine.
Brand Name- In top left hand corner just like Q magazine and is in bold capital letters to stand out, it's on top of the main image to suggests the important of the magazine and how dominant it is. By the research I know my magazine name will go at the top of the of the front cover but i'm not entirely sure where abouts as that is dependent on the magazine name as normally if it's 3 or less letters the name tends to go in the top left hand corner and then when it is longer it often goes across the top front filling in the entire top bit. 
Main Image- Takes up the majority of the magazine I would say around 70% to show it's the main focus. It's a mid shot of Florence to suggest it's quite a personal account and that NME have got up and personal with her. From this research I think it would best if I used a mid shot that is focused in the centre of the page around 60/70% of the page as it's a common convention used in the most music magazines as it engages the audience.
Hair/Make-up/Costume- Her hair stands out in this photo to suggest her originality within the music industry. It slightly matches with font colour to suggest a consistency. Her face is quite natural and minimalist to represent her as a natural beauty. It means the audience can relate to her as she isn't heavily made up and sets a role model towards the target market. She is wearing a waistcoat and shirt and hat to suggest I quite casual chic image. It create a modern tone and represents how women would like to dress and it isn't too much. It's a very modern image Florence is creating and there is reflective towards the target audience as they will more than likely be young adults from around the age of 16-30 who are concerned about their personal image. When creating my front cover I will make sure that my artist is not heavily done up and has clothes that reflects her character and that are also relatable to the target audience. They need to relate towards the artists otherwise they won't buy my magazine. 
Positioning/Facial Expression- She is standing at a slight tilt and with her hand across her body and one hand up to further enhance the casual look it suggests that inside she is going to open up her personal feelings towards the audience. Her mouth is partially open and she directly looking at the audience to build a relationship between the reader and the audience, it breaks down the barriers and creates a relaxing atmosphere.I will make sure that my artists directly looks at the camera and I need to make that their body language and positioning gives off a certain impression.
Colour- Focuses around 3 consistent colours- orange, white and black. Often when it comes to magazines they tend to stick to the power of 3 as it helps create a theme and generally they tend to use black or white or even both and then one other colour as they help contrast each and then the individual colour helps certain things stand out from the rest. Like the orange within this magazine is used as Florence throughout her life has always been associated with orange due to her naturally long orange and therefore this colour is used within this issue as it gives off some her personality and it's something that Florence would personally choose and want to be related to. Therefore, when creating my magazine I will make sure that I consider my colours carefully as I would like them to reflect my artist and also work in contrast with each to more certain sections stand out. 
Font- Constant theme of just one font is used throughout this issue of NME. It's sans serif to suggest a modern look to the magazine and it matches to the main artist featured on the magazine as Florence is a modern contemporary artist and it's therefore reflected within the font and style.   It uses bold colours and italic to make certain things stand out. I will use sans serif when creating my front cover as it will be a modern magazine aimed at a younger market and therefore the font needs to look chic and edgy.
Language- I've constantly said its so important when it comes to the front cover as language is key when it comes to target audience. Every word that has been inputted into the magazine is used to reflect and engage the target audience and in this case I strongly believe it's aimed at young adults. Firstly, it uses plugs to engage the target audience offering them free posters, from this you can tell the audience is young adults as they are most likely to hang up posters around their bedroom rather than the older market. Also is mentions other artists such as "Rihanna" who are associated with young adults (16-25) and then it also mentions "Steve Jobs" who is the creator of apple and we relate the apple products and technology with the young adults therefore they will be more interested within this magazine as a whole. I will study language very carefully when creating my magazine as it needs to reflect the specific target audience I have chosen. They need to relate to it and it needs to convey ideas associated with that target market.