Evaluation Questions 1-7

Question 1.



Question 2.

How does your product represent particular social groups?

My target audience is 16-35 year olds of both genders. I think this is appropriate because 'Insight' is an extremely versatile magazine which features a range of different topics from fashion to horoscopes, so there's likely something for everyone. I think it suits these people because of the content. Most teenagers and young adults are into music, fashion and celeb lifestyles so it really just appeals to their interests. It's stylish and on trend both in appearance and in content. I think Insight represents young adults because of the article featured and the content featured in Insight from the celeb lifestyles (both young adults) and tips on gigging which is something typically teenagers and young adults too. I think it represents 16-35 year olds also because of Insight's appearance. It's smart and simple which means that anyone can carry it around day to day rather than, for example, certain genders or ages feeling embarrassed to carry it around with them.

Question 3.

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Question 4. -https://soundcloud.com/lenobasquiat/voice-011

Question 5.-

Question 6:
'What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?'

I have learnt how to edit my photos and create more sophisticated documents using Microsoft Word where I put together my front cover, double page spread and contents page. I feel that this has widened my abilities and skills on Microsoft Word very much and I now feel much more confident than I did when first starting this task. I have also learnt how to display my work in other forms rather than essay forms such as using Powerpoints and something new to me which were Prezi presentations because I had never heard of them before but enjoyed learning how to use them and changing the format so it suited my themes.

However if there is one thing I could change it would be that I tried more with Photoshop and editing my pictures on there instead because I think it would have been a good skill to learn and may have made my images more crisp and have more advanced effects on them. Although it worked for me on Microsoft Word, it's not the most technically advanced way to create front covers or edit images.

Question 7: 
What have I learnt from the process of the preliminary task up to my full product?

I feel I have learnt a great deal from this process including how to use different applications such as Prezi and Word. I have learnt lots of key media terminology and I have also simply learnt how to make a schedule to manage my time effectively when starting the planning for my magazine.. At first, during the preliminary task, I feel my skills were very limited, and I didn't really know what I was doing. However now I feel much more confident and able to do more complicated tasks. I also feel I have learnt how to analyse things properly and carry out thorough research when planning to make my own magazine. In the first stages of planning my magazine I also learnt how to take valid information in the form of questionnaires and be able to interpret the results I got into something I could use which I think is a skill that I will use throughout my life. I also learnt how to conduct thorough research on magazine brands to help me to create the brand image I wanted for my magazine. I learnt how to interpret what I saw on existing magazines and change it so that I could use it for my own. I also learnt how to simply make things work together, from colour schemes to images, because making magazines and editing pictures is something I'd never done before. I enjoyed having to make something based on mainly my own personal taste and what I think looks good which was why I was even more proud with my finished product. I also improved (but didn't perfect) my skills on Photoshop which has always been something I find challenging. I went and spoke to the school technician for some guidance which I had been putting off for a very long time, but after him showing me the basics I now feel slightly more confident and I don't see it as being half as daunting as it was before. Finally I learnt how to make, and upload things on my own personal blog which is something I'd also never done before, however now I think it's a great way to be able to clearly display your work and see if you have any areas of improvement.

Finished product: Front Cover, Contents Page and Double Page Spread.

I decided to change the look of my contents page after I looked for inspiration from 'MOJO' magazine. I noticed how many of their black and white content pages had extremely simple lay outs which was something I intended to create.I edited the main image the same was as I did for the image on my contents page. I also changed the font and text size of my double page spread to make it easier to read.

Progress: first drafts and final products.

For my front cover, I decided to  remove the first image i selected because I felt that the second image (seen below) was more eye catching and the model is almost looking into the eyes of the audience which I thought looked much better than a long shot.
I chose to keep the title in the same position because it's something different and quirky.

 For my contents page at first I wanted it to be a double page contents page, however I later learned that because I wanted to keep it simple, there was limited text on the page and it looked bare. So I chose to go with a similar style as my new double page spread and use a faint image behind the text. I got my inspiration from MOJO magazine. (As seen on my blog)

For my double page spread i decided to keep the boarders but re-arrange them, and then I simply changed the images and general colour scheme because I liked my article and title's layout and wording. I chose to use one main image and have it faded behind some text because I had seen it in many magazines and I thought it looked professional. I also went for a lighter colour scheme because in my market research I found that 9/30 people I asked wanted to see more colour in Insight. Although this is something I tried to get away from because I felt it went against my theme and general idea on how I wanted my magazine to look, I decided to lighten the page so it doesn't look too dull and still makes the reader want to read it.

Inspiration for additions to my contents page.

Front Cover, Double Page Spread and Contents Pages: New.

Inspiration page explained...

My inspiration was mainly from my love of simple looking magazines and neutral colours. One magazine in particular that I found inspirational was Oh Comely (as seen on my inspiration page below) because I feel that the simplicity of the magazine's front covers in particular are very appealing and in this case I think less is more. They stay within a small range of pastel colours such as pale pink, blue, white and cream which adds to the simplicity and appeal in my opinion. I also think that all of the colours simply go well together and personally it's a magazine I would go for. I chose the two black and white images of Lana Del Rey and Johnny Depp because I love how black and white images look and I knew that that was how I wanted the images that I took and used in my magazine to be. They're simple and go with the neutral theme whilst still standing out enough for them to draw attention. The other things I included such as the netting material, candy floss and the ice cream were just images that I felt went with the overall colour scheme and 'feel' that I was trying to achieve whilst looking quite pale and delicate which is similar to the Oh Comely magazine and some things I've seen online etc that I thought looked good.

Inspiration Page.

Tasks to complete

This is starting to look good.

Tasks to complete:

1) Add notes to your posts to explain your journey: what are your inspirations behind the appearance of your magazine?
2) Consider the font (and check the spelling and punctuation) of your contents page - colour? Font? Bold?
3) Remove the white borders from your diagrams and re-post.
4) Change the article content post from one long column.
5) Check the font of your preliminary task analysis so that it is readable.
6) Check there is nothing missing - check the booklet (e.g. magazine ownership).

Any questions, please let me know.

Mrs Austin

Front Cover Finished.

Contents Page Finished

Finished Double Page Spread.

Magazine Ownership.

TASK: Question why would one company wish to own so many magazines?

One reason a company may wish to own more than one magazine is it increases their market share. Bauer media group own many magazines, they’re able to gain control over the market, especially as many of their magazines are well-known. Also, the ranges of magazines they create mean they can provide publications for different audiences. Bauer media group owns magazines from classic cars to mother and baby. This means they’re experienced with many target audiences which helps create a well-known brand image. This well-known brand image they have now been able to create will be beneficial because it will enable them to push out any smaller companies who aren’t well-known away from their consumers. No potential competitors are being allowed to enter the magazine business to take away their consumers. This will lead to them being able to dominate the market and stay on top of it for longer.

1.Ownership. Red Magazine.

·       Red magazine is owned by Hearst Magazines UK.

·       It was established in 1910 by William Randolph

·       Merged with Hachette Filipacchi Medias UK in 2011 to form Hearst Magazines UK.

2. Red magazine company profile:

·       Has an adult readership of 412,000

·       ABC1 80%

·       Median age of readers: 44

Source: http://www.hearstmagazinesdirect.co.uk/red.html

3. Editorial Pillars. (Content of Red Magazine)

·       Fashion

·       Beauty

·       Life style

·       Recipes

TASK: You now need to make an ownership and profile page for your own magazine, use the same template as the one above.

Ownership: Insight magazine.

·       Insight magazine is owned by Insight Magazine UK.

·       It was established in 1990 by Annie Wilkinson.

·       Taken over in 1998 by Alexandra Goodluck.

Insight Magazine Company Profile.

·       Has a readership of 450,000

·       ABC1 83%

·       Median age of readers 22

3. Editorial pillars (content of Insight magazine)

·       Music

·       Fashion

·       Beauty

·       Lifestyle

  Final Product.













                                                                   




Draft of final product.

Article for my double page spread. (Interview with a singer in my magazine)

‘So, Lana I’d like to start off by saying 

congrats about your No.1 single!Thanks, it’s literally been one of my dreams ever since I Was a little girl.‘Summertime Sadness’ (the song title) means a lot to me, so it’s a huge accomplishment.‘It’s great. Quite upbeat compared to your usual songs though? Why do you think this is?’ Well, I’m just in a really good point in my life right now, I’m really happy and I think that reflects a lot in my music. ‘I assume that has something to do with a new man on the scene? Tell us more about you and A$AP ROCKY’ *laughing* Well, you know there’s not much to tell. We've gone on a few dates and we have a great time together. I think our

personalities just click and it’s not often to find someone like that.‘Well one thing’s for sure, you make great music when you’re together! Tell us about your song together ‘Ridin’.’

Thank you! Yeah that song was a lot of fun to record. Somehow in the studio things just flow... it didn't take that long to come up with.We both love it.‘Well, I personally love you both together! I hope you continue to have fun.’

*smiling* I’m sure we will.Right, before we all get too jealous about you and A$AP, let’s talk fashion! We adored your look on the red carpet last weekend!’

Thanks so much. It was made by one of my favorite designers. *laughing* I’m not really a dress kind of girl, but I loved it.‘Well it looked wonderful on you, maybe you should wear them more often!’ Maybe, but I've always been a tomboy at heart. I love my jeans and sneakers!

‘Yeah, me too! So, Lana, I've been wanting to ask, have you got any tips? What are your

 favourite pieces in your wardrobe?’ Well, as I said, I like to be comfy... like all the time. So anything I can be comfortable in but still look good in is a win for me, you never  know who you’ll meet throughout your day.I like to make a good impression. My tips would simply be to dress in what you love, don't worry about what anyone else is doing...oh, and always be confident in yourself.‘Woah, well you defiantly have done that! We all love your wardrobe here. So about your music, is there anything out in 2015 that we can look forward to? Well, I’m not gonna reveal too much, i just want my fans to know that I have a surprise for 

them... so stay tuned in 2015.‘Great! Thanks so much for having this chat

 with us! We hope you have an amazing 2015’ It’s a pleasure, thanks a lot. It’s going to be a great year.

Double page spread plan.

The plan for my magazines front cover.

Creating the front of a magazine.

Creating the front cover of a magazine.

TASK 1: Create a conventional magazine that targets your audience.

Front page elements.

Title: ‘Insight’

          I chose this name for a title because insight means ‘the capacity to gain an         accurate and deep understanding of someone or something’, which fits the idea of my magazine idea because I will be featuring various different articles about a range of different things in which people can gain information and an insight into the topic.

Coverlines: ‘All about the hottest gigs of 2015 in this month’s issue!’

                   I chose to keep with the general theme of my magazine when choosing cover lines because I wanted it to be simple, so I only chose one. I chose this one mainly because my magazine is music based, and I think my target audience would be drawn in by, and want to know about the gigs of 2015.

Tagline:  - - -

             I chose not to use a tagline because I wanted the front cover of my magazine to be fairly minimalistic and I thought that too many coverlines or features would make the main picture I use look too busy and take away from my initial ideas of how I wanted it to look.

Main Coverline: ‘All about the hottest gigs of 2015 in this month’s issue!’

                          I chose this coverline to be my only one, for similar reasons to why I don’t have a tagline. With all of the text, I think it looks scattered and goes against the vision I had of how I wanted the magazine to look.

Colour: Different shades of grey and white.

             From the start, I knew that I wanted the colours of my magazine to be very neutral and simplistic. I knew I didn’t want to use anything bright or too eye-catching, because I thought the overall layout and finish of the magazine would be eye-catching enough. I chose to stick to these fairly limited colours to ensure I kept with my theme, and make a certain brand image for my magazine that would be easily recognisable to the audience.

Price: £4.99

        I chose to price my magazine at £4.99 because I think it’s very affordable to my target audience of teens/young adults, and especially as my magazine is produced monthly, I think it’s very affordable considering the content and overall appearance of the magazine.

Image:  Lana             Del Rey.

           I chose one main image of Lana Del Rey because I decided that the magazine would be a special edition based on Lana Del Rey, her fashion n and her love life, so I chose to feature her on the front cover. I changed the image to black and white to keep in with the theme I was going for.

Barcode: I chose to use a barcode so it’s easy for me to track the amount of people purchasing my magazine so I can tell if the target audience are appreciating what I’m doing or if I need to change it. Also, appearance wise, it makes the magazine look a lot more professional.

Date: I chose to put a date because if someone is subscribed to the magazine, and have a few issues of insight, it’s simply easier for them to order. If one is missing, or for whatever reason they didn’t receive an issue, that can be quickly sorted out so the consumer is happy and gets what they want.

Production Log:

By Friday, 9th January please ensure that you have uploaded your cover, DPS and contents page, as discussed.

Magazine Analysis- Case Study.

1.   Colour in Magazines.

KERRANG!

The colours used are mostly red, yellow and orange. I think these colours go with the genre that KERRANG! Is being is mostly based on rock and ‘alternative’ styles on music. The colours red, yellow and orange could also be associated with fire which is then commonly associated with rock bands. The title however is white and bold which makes it stand out from the ‘loud’ colours used in the front cover and background. I think the white colour will attract the attention of an audience because it’s completely different to its background. Also, I think that the colour yellow in particular is used to highlight particular information such as special features like ‘6 freaking weird posters’ which is a feature which ma interest a large amount of their readers.

Analyse the colour that is used in the magazine:

Throughout the magazine the main colours used are red, yellow, black and white. I think red has the connotations of love an danger, however in this context I think its used more for anger rather than love because KERRANG! Doesn’t really have any content about love etc. Also, yellow is used to be very eye catching as most of the special features are written or have yellow around them which makes it very apparent what the magazine is trying to show off. Lastly, KERRNAG! Uses a lot of white in their titles in particular which I think is a good way to make your titles stand out and especially as most pages have coloured backgrounds it makes the titles really ‘pop’.

2) Analysing the Front Cover of a magazine:

Front page elements.

The main image on KERRANG!’S front cover is of the band that is one of the main features in the magazine. Their picture is places over the title which shows the picture very clearly. I think the picture looks friendly to the reader because it’s quite a fun image and all four of the band members are smiling and look like they’re not taking it too seriously.

The title is big and bold on the cover however in this case it is positioned behind the main image which suggests that the image is the main focus and is more important than the title. This could also suggest that because KERRANG! Is already a well-known magazine they’re confident enough to not have to display their title so much all the time to continue to gain profits and the interest of their audience.

The articles displayed on the front cover are of exclusives from bands, ‘freaking weird’ posters and features from solo singers too. I think this would interest their target audience because KERRANG! Is a rock music magazine and most of the features are to do with or are about people associated with rock music so readers will be reading about their interests.

The language used in KERRANG! Is slightly informal, they use words such as ‘freaking’, ‘till’ and ‘mega’ which are all informal however not out of place, I think this style of writing suits the laid back feel you get from KERRANG! I don’t think it would particularly grab the reader’s attention because my assumption is that people who are into rock music etc. wouldn’t be shocked by using ‘til’ instead of ‘until’ however if you were used to reading more formal magazines it may be slightly different.

The colours are mainly red, yellow, and black and white. Red has connotations of love and anger; however I think it’s more anger in this case. Yellow makes everything stand out more to the reader and the black backgrounds compliment this by giving a basic background to showcase the features articles and pictures affectively. I think the colours really suit the magazine because they’re both bright and simple at the same time. Also the colours on the front cover almost seem like fire which could also link to the magazine seen as its rock.

I think the price is very affordable. Its only £2.20 which most people wouldn’t see as a great expense. It also does contain many features such as things to do and different posters so it’s worth the money you’d pay for it.

 I think the target audience for my magazine is both genders ages 16 plus. I think this because KERRANG! Has many features so there is likely to be something in there for everyone as long as they like rock or ‘alternative’ styles of music.  I think a few examples of colloquial words and phrases used to attract the reader are ‘freaking’, ‘mega’, ‘BOOM BOOM’ and ‘when Rock stars lose their shit’ which is quite informal and not something you’d see in average magazines but seems almost normal when it’s in KERRANG!

3) Analysing the contents of a magazine:

The contents page of the magazine I’m analysing, KERRANG! Is set out quite simply as It’s based on a white background. This is affective to the reader because it is then able to put the main focus on the contents and features that the magazine has to offer.

The thing that jumps out to the audience on the contents page most however, is the main image of a singer who features in the magazine later on. It’s a large image and draws your attention to it because of how the singer is dressed (in a mask) and because of the comical caption ‘Corey wasn’t a fan of photographers taking crotch shots’. This image is very suited to the target audience because its music based (which KERRANG! Is) and is obviously based on either rock or ‘alternative’ styles of music which the readers of KERRANG! Are likely to be interested in. Also the word ‘contents’ is placed in a washed-out style circle which suits the feel of the contents page and also give the opportunity for them to highlight that ‘Its only 128 days ‘til download!’ which is something the target audience would be interested in, also.

4) Analysing the double page article of a magazine.

The double page spread I chose to write about in KERRANG! Is an article about a band names ‘Fall Out Boy’ titled “Pete and I make up one member of Fall Out Boy’.

As soon as you go onto the page of the article the main things that get your attention are the title, they use three different fonts, two different colours and underline some phrases in the title to emphasise it. The colours really make it stand out, also. However the main thing that I think stands out are the image used and the uniqueness of the images. The image consists of pictures of all members of the band merged into one. For example an eye from one member next to the eye of another etc. It’s almost as if the pictures are like Polaroid’s too which is quite different and I think it looks really good when the one image is made using all of the different faces. The theme of the article is celebrity lifestyle. It’s based on the members relationships on and off stage and the fact that two in particular, saying that ‘None of us (the two members) are complete in our capacity in the band. We need each other.’ I think this article is interesting because although Fall Out Boy are known for their music, it’s good for their fans to ‘get to know’ them more than by just simply listening to their music and this article gives fans an insight into their personal relationships with each other and the dynamic within the band.

5) Analysing the editor’s letter in a magazine.

The Editors letter in KERRANG! Is along the right hand side of the page. It looks minimalistic which is contrasting to the other features on the contents page which are more eye catching and ‘in your face’. I think this is because KERRANG! is already a well-known magazine with many people reading it month after month, so generally they focus on the content rather than ‘introducing’ it to new potential readers. On top of the letter, there’s a picture of the editor in a casual setting with his/a dog which initially shows the reader the laid back feel of the letter itself and also shows the friendly, laid back approach he’s trying to create. The language is also informal which adds to the relaxed feel where words such as mega and questions which make the letter seem more personal and directed to the audience. Also the way it’s written is less formal for example instead of starting it with ‘dear readers’ or a more formal approach, it’s started with ‘Okay, first things first’ which seems that the editor already feels comfortable with the audience and it’s although you’re having a conversation with a friend.

Questionnaires.

My questionnaire on my magazine:

1.     Do you think ‘Insight’ is attractive enough to make you want to buy it?

·        Yes

·        No

·        It’s not my style of magazine.

2.     What feature do you think makes Insight most attractive?

·        The colours

·        The layout

·        The images used

·        The content

3.     If you could choose one feature that you find least attractive and change it, what would it be?

4.     Do you think the title insight reflects what the magazine is about?

·        Yes

·        No

·        Not sure

5.     Do you think that £3.50 is a fair price to charge (monthly) for insight?

·        Yes

·        No.

Questionnaire (task 1) answered.

I asked 30 people to fill in my questionnaire.

1.      Do you think ‘Insight’ is attractive enough to make you want to buy it?

•        Yes                                                                           22

•        No                                                                              3

•        It’s not my style of magazine.                                   5

2.      What feature do you think makes Insight most attractive?

•        The colours                                                             10

•        The layout                                                                 1

•        The images used                                                      11

•        The content                                                                8

3.      If you could choose one feature that you find least attractive and change it, what would it be?

The majority (9/30) said that they would like to see more colours used within the magazine.

4.      Do you think the title insight reflects what the magazine is about?

•        Yes                                                                        15

•        No                                                                           6

•        Not sure                                                                  9

5.      Do you think that £3.50 is a fair price to charge (monthly) for insight?

•        Yes                                                                        27

•        No                                                                        3

From my graph I can tell that Insight is a good name for the magazine. It also taught me that the majority of people thought that the images used were effective and said this was Insight's most attractive feature. They said that Insight reflects what the magazine is about, and that £3.50 is a fair price to charge for the magazine. However one thing that stood out to me was the amount of people who said they would like to see more colours used in the magazine, which is something i had tried to move away from.