Equipment and Technologies to be used

Equipment and technologies i will use to produce my magazine;
Technologies

PhotoShop- To manipulate photographs to make them relevant and more effective on my magazine cover, to make it look more appealing to the target audience.
InDesign- To make my magazine.
Dafont.com- to create a relevant font for my magazine genre.

Equipment

Cameras- To take pictures of my group or act for the cover and contents of my magazine.
Lighting Kit- to make the images look more bright and appealing.
Studio- As a setting for my photos to make them have a more professional look.
Memory Stick- to transfer images from camera to computer to be made into my magazine.
Props and costumes- to make the mise em scene of my band look more realistic and believable.

Planning; Decided Name for Magazine.

The name ideas i came up with for my music magazine where;
Indoprock, Microckphone, Instrumenting, IMM {individual music magazine} & NobleMusic.
To find out which name to give my magazine, i made a questionnaire and asked 50 people which name would be the best for my magazine. the results showed...

Indifference; 17

Microckphone; 12

Instrumenting; 9

IMM; 3

NobleMusic; 9

These results showed that Indifference got the most votes, i think this is the best name for my magazine as it covers the target audience and purpose of the magazine; people who are interested in different genres of music. IMM got the least number of votes, i think this is because it is just initials, so at first glance people would not know what the purpose of the magazine is...
Microckphone got the second highest number of votes, however, i do not like this name because it seems like an unoriginal name that doesn't really show the main theme of the magazine. NobleMusic also didn't get a lot of votes, i don't like this name because again it shows no purpose and lacks inspiration. As well as Instrumenting, i don't think this would work as it is more well suited for a magazine that teaches music, rather than one that promotes and advertises it.

Chosen name for magazine: IndopRock.

Institutions to produce my magazine.

IPC.
IPC Media (formerly International Publishing Corporation), a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Inc., is a consumer magazine and digital publisher in the United Kingdom, with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year.
It has 6 divisions.
-IPC Newspapers (including The People and The Daily Herald from Odhams, as well as the Daily Mirror and Sunday Pictorial).
-IPC Magazines, publishing the consumer magazines and comics.
-IPC Trade and Technical, publishing the specialist magazines.
-IPC Books, handling all book publishing.
-IPC Printing, handling all non-newspaper printing operations.
-IPC New Products, a launching pad for products which used new technology.

As this institution produces magazines being consumer and comics, this will be ideal for distributing my magazine as music magazine often appeal to consumers, as they offen advertise and sell things to do with music.
Also, as it distributes many type of magazines and newspapers, i think my type of magazine will be amoung them, as the company has a very high profit per year, this shows it must distribute many types of magazine.
It also handles non-newspaper printing operations, meaning they can print magazines.

Questionnaire.

For research i did a basic questionnaire to identify the target audience. The findings are presented below. 50 people where polled (in College)

Type of Magazine:
Music: 16

Fashion: 11

Celebrity: 20

Women: 1

Fitness: 2

This shows that more people in this age group are buying celebrity magazines. With 2/5 people choose this genre. This shows that celebrity is the most popular, however, music magazines came in second with only 4 less people reading than celebrity. This shows that music and celebrity are the most popular within young target audiences. Womens magazines came in last with only 1 person choosing to buy this genre. This is because womens lifestyle magazines are aimed at an older audience, when my target age group is young people. Also, fitness magazines only got choosen twice, this is also because it is aimed at older men rather than the younger audience who don't care as much about fitness as the older age group does. The last genre chosen was fashion. This got chosen 11 times. This shows that younger poeple also like fashion. My findings have helped me decide what to put in my music magazine. That it should be a music magazine that also includes celebrity and articles about fashion.

I also did a questionnaire to show the most popular music magazines within a younger audience. This is again polled out of 50 people.

Music Genre:

Pop: 7

Metal: 5

Indie: 19

Rap/R'n'B: 10

Dance: 9

This poll has shown that the most popular music magazine genre is Indie, showing that i have made the right decision in what genre to make my magazine, as nearly 2/5's of poeple chose this. However it also showed that 19 people chose Dance and R'n'B. This shows that the download top 40 has a big influence in what type of music people like. As the Top 40 is usually dominated by Dance and R'n'B tracks.

Analysing Journalistic Style and Structure of a Article.

This double page spread is about the indie rock band Razor Light. It is originally from Q magazine. This would appeal to an audience who like rock and indie music. The features of this journalistic style is it makes memorable quotes in bold and larger writing so people who usually skim read articles for the pictures will be interested enough to read the full article. This is an effective style as it increases the number of readers and buyers. Also for people who don't usually read the full article, it uses large images to appeal to them, using a large image of the full band and several smaller images. The main interview also uses a colloquial informal chatty tone, as this is how most young people would speak, showing them that it is for their age group and also making it more fun to read, rather than an educational article.
It is also set out in columns like a typical article, and the layout of the images is also typical and easy to read. However, I think the design of this, using the black and whites with electric blue make the whole thing look youthful.

Using Media Theory to Discuss Target Audience.

Using the media ''GRASS theory'' (gender, race, age, social status.) i would say that the target audience for my magazine would be:
Gender: Both
Race: Both but mostly white British... As this is the most popular genre in young white people, as genre tends to differ between race.
Age: 16-25 years.
Social Status Subsidence; mostly students or unemployed young adults.

Demographic Profiling.
Although old fashioned, Socio-economic segments are widely used in marketing. The group i would put readers of this magazine is group E: unskilled or unemployed.
As readers of this are usually students who are in College or University. Meaning they aren't in work or skilled yet. As they are in studies, music is a good way to pass time, hense why it is popular within this age group.


Psychographic Profiling.
This aims to appeal to the audience's emotions and psychological needs. This approach categories an audience based upon aspirations: Mainstreamers. As the rest of the groups are mostly about wealth and social status. As readers of this magazines are young, they will not yet have social status or wealth.

The typical image of those that would read my magazine are portrayed in the image below.

Identifying a USP

The unique selling point for my magazine is it uses original talent unlike main stream magazines like Hello! and OK! which talk about celebrities lives, lies and what's going on in other people's lives. Rather than actually what people are interested in... Like music whether the reader plays music or just listens to it. As magazines like mine show unsigned acts as well as famous acts. This is unique as it shows the reader that they can achieve the same. Magazines like this also give tips on how to play instruments etc. Therefore learning when the main purpose of the magazine is just to entertain. Examples of magazines like this are NME...

This cover shows a act that is not well known. Showing the point made above. It also shows that readers don't need well known acts on the cover to be interested in the magazine.

Analysing Band Images.

Analysing band images like posters and CD covers in terms of representation for target audience.

This image is brightly coloured, abstract and simple. The basic fonts and image make it a plain yet eye catching design. I think this appeals to the audience because as it's target audience is teens and young adults, the eye catching design makes them want to buy it, as they care more about the music rather than the cover. But as the design is so youthful, it will make people see it on the self and want to buy it. Also, the bright colours may connote the sound of the music, as the Ting Tings have a particular individual vibrant sounding music, this is portrayed well by the album cover.

This album cover is also brightly coloured and vibrant, a reccuring theme in young audiences CD covers. This is particulary effective as the hand drawn cartoon images are clearly for the younger audience, as cartoons connote youth. This represents young and fun music, rather than album covers that use black and grey themes, which connote darker music, like Heavy Metal. For example:

This is also for a younger audience. But is completly different to the other covers i have chosen. Both the covers fit into the Indie Rock genre of my magazine. As the top to examples are more indie, and the 3rd is definatly more rock. 2 of the most popular genres with young poeple, combined. Which is a hybrid creating more readers.

Circulation Figures for music magazines.

As my magazine is in the Rock genre, I have researched into the circulation figures of current magazines like this.
However, as this information is from June 2010; figures could have differed.

Music magazines (percentages represent year-on-year change)

The Fly - 108,207 (0.4%)

Mojo - 91,678 (-6.2%)

Q - 89,450 (-10.7%)

RWD -78,867 (1.7%)

Uncut - 74,067 (-3.2%)

Classic Rock - 70,323 (0.0%)

Metal Hammer - 44,034 (-4.3%)

Kerrang! - 44,013 (1.8%)

New Musical Express - 33,875 (-17.3%)

These figures show that Rock magazines aren't as popular as they used to be, with 4 making a higher year to year sale and five earning less. For example Q earning 10.7% less. Showing that even the more well known magazines are making loses.
However, information from the Press Gazette website shows that Cosmo, a leading woman's magazine has also dropped by 9% and the Radio Times also falling to selling under 1m copies. This shows that it is most of the magazine industry loosing profit, not just Rock magazines.

Investigating Popular Music Genres.

Investigating popular music genres through analysis of Download Top 40.


http://www.theofficalcharts.com/singles-dowload-chart/

With the Top 5 consisting of;
Bruno Mars
Jessie J
Rihanna
Katy B ft Ms Dynamite
& David Guetta

It is clear that the dominant genre in popular music in 2011 are R&B and dance music. As none of the Top 5 are in the Pop, rock or metal genre.
Going further down the list it carries on with mostly the same genres. With the exeption of Adele who is mostly in the Pop/soul genre.
Number 6-10.
Adele
Black Eyes Peas
Far East Movement/Cataracs/Dev.
JLS
Matt Cardle

With the exception's of Matt Cardle and Adele being mostly in the Pop genre, these carry on with the R&B and Dance being the dominant genre. However, Matt Cardle and JLS show that Televison also has a big decision in people's music choices and what people listen too.

After investigating this, i have decided to interprate some Television refrences into my magazine, as it obviosly has a big influence on the music industry in 2011.

Initial Ideas for project.

Initial Ideas.

For my project i will make a music magazine under in the indie rock genre...
names i have thought for my magazine are;
- Indoprock. As an abbreviation of Indie Pop and Rock... Fitting the genre of my magazine.
- Microckphone. So an image of a microphone can be interpreted into the design of the logo, also fits under the music and rock genre. And making it look more eye catching.

I also know that i will use an image of a band or soloist. Holding instruments/ character performance and costume to represent the rock genre.
Also, i will use darker colours, like black, red and navy blue. As most inspirations i have looked at under this genre follow this darker colour scheme.

Conventions of a music magazine.

Convention of a music magazine cover..
This is a cover from Q magazine. Q is under the indie rock genre, so appeals to ages usually around 15-40. This is shown in the darker colours of the cover, it is not bright like a younger audiences magazine would be. The darker colours also connote the indie rock genre, as it is known as being darker than other music groups like pop, the duller colours represent this well. Other features of this cover is the medium shot of the person being interviewed, looking into the camera for direct address with the audience. Other features is the tag line, saying what is happening in the magazine, also using a quote from the interview. This gives the reader an idea of what to expect from the magazine and interview, also wether or not the magazine looks interesting enough to buy. The cover also has sub stories with pictures. Also making it more appealing to the audience.
My magazine cover will be the same as this in the way it is the same genre; indie rock. Also similar, i will use a medium shot picture of a person/band and will use sub stories with pictures. The layout of this cover is very basic but looks effective and busy. Showing a lot of information in the magazine.

Coventions of a music magazine contents page...
This contents page also from Q magazine is effective.. The divided layout between images and writing creates and interesting layout. The pictures appeal to those who don't usually read a contents page, and add interest to a page that people aren't usually interested in. When making my contents page i am to remember to put in at least 80 pages. For example, this magazine contains 200 pages. It would not look realistic if my magazine only contained 30 or so pages. Again, the page contains quotes from each page, giving the reader an idea what the page is about and wether they will be interested. I will use this idea in my magazine, because it makes the contents page look more interesting and is also appealing to the reader. Also, the whole page uses a red, black, white and mustard coloured theme. This has recurred from the cover making it all look like a part of the same magazine. And also following the indie rock genre theme. The faded photographs also help portray this effect.

Conventions of a music magazine article

This is a feature article of again an indie rock genre magazine. The unique style makes it effective and eye catching. The choice of abstract shapes and colours replicates the sound of the band featured music. I like the design of the page, as it isn't the same as typical feature articles. Typically, articles are just an interview set out in columns with a couple of pictures. I prefer this layout that the typical. I will use a more unique design in my feature, also to try and replicate the vibe of the genre using 2D shapes and matching colours.

Preliminary Task - SMC Magazine Cover

For my preliminary task i have designed a magazine cover for a college magazine.
As it is a college magazine, it has a young target audience ranging for ages 16-19.
To appeal to the younger audience, i have used a picture of a student to appeal to other students that are reading and make it familiar. The picture directly targets the audience in the way the student in the picture is looking directly into the camera. Also, the brightly coloured fonts make it appealing to the younger audience. However, the recurring fonts and colours make the cover also have the professional look as well as the young bright look. Also, the way the person in the picture is wearing a Glee jumper, appeals to a wider audience; college students that like Glee. I have used this because a lot of people watch the show?