Reader Profiles - Mixmag & My Own

After conducting our conventions analysis, we then found and researched reader profiles in order to gain knowledge on target audiences and why magazines conduct this research. I chose to look at Mixmag's reader profile as I had done an in-depth analysis of the magazine's front cover, contents page and double page spread already. I found a 'media pack' online that contained all the relevant information about Mixmag.

Then, based on the information and knowledge I gained through analysing Mixmag's reader profile, I then made my own based on the requirements for the target audience which I think would be best suited for the EDM/house music genre. I chose a random name for the magazine, 'Control', and included images of products or events that could be advertised within it that would appeal to the gender and age of my target audience; as well as statistics and information about the readers of the magazine.

Some of the images which I included in the reader profile I based off my own personal taste as someone who would be interested in buying an electronic music magazine aimed at that audience. I also included images which I think would be best suited for an audience interested in EDM and house music based on my knowledge of the genre. Creating this reader profile will help in the production of my final product as it gives me a general idea of who is reading the magazine and how I should tailor the content so that it appeals to them and they continue to buy it.

Conventions Analysis - Billboard & Tilllate

After doing an in-depth analysis of the Mixmag magazine, I conducted an analysis of the front cover, contents and double page spread of two more magazines. Below is my analysis of pop music magazine, 'Billboard' and 'Tilllate'.

Billboard is a printed magazine generally aimed at pop music and culture.

Tilllate was formerly a printed magazine however is now an online magazine, generally aimed at EDM (electronic dance music).

Conventions Analysis - Mixmag

For our introductory task, we took a magazine from the music genre which we are planning on making our magazine for and analysed the different features and conventions of it in depth so that we can gain ideas for our own product. 

I have analysed the conventions of this magazine in the powerpoint slides and explained how it relates to the target audience underneath each section on the blog post itself.

The magazine which I chose to research is 'Mixmag', a dance and clubbing magazine aimed at people (usually a young target audience) who enjoy listening to electronic and similar music. The front cover shows the target audience through its use of bright colours and the main image/feature story. The model herself is young and dressed in fashionable, colourful clothes which grab the attention of the main target audience. Also, the main feature which accompanies this image is headlined 'Festivals are go!' and this all suggests a young target audience due to the young model as the main image and main feature being about music festivals. The plug also further suggests the target audience, giving them a chance to 'win tickets to every UK dance festival' which would definitely appeal to a younger target audience who like and enjoy listening to dance and electronic music.

The contents page further shows the target audience through again, the use of the main image/feature story. The image is of a young adult, possibly late teens, who is evidently in some kind of club/festival environment. The model further suggests the target audience through her apparent age, the use of her clothes which are again, modern and fashionable and the setting which the photograph appears to be in which would all appeal to a younger target audience (late teens to early 20s) due to the fact it may be relatable. The stories and features would also appeal as they are features which a younger target audience who enjoy electronic dance music would find interesting to read about (such as 'Clubs of the year') as they may find them informative and relatable to their taste in music.

Finally, the double page spread also appeals to the target audience as, although the subject within the main image is not young or in a clubbing environment he is a fairly iconic DJ/producer within the chosen genre. Many of the target audience may recognise him and so this would attract them to want to read the article in order to find out more about him.

Main Brief

To design a front cover, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine. All images and text used must be original, a minimum of four images must be used.

Evaluation

What have you learnt?

During this preliminary task, we learnt how to use Photoshop, developing upon existing basic skills to slightly more complex skills such as using layers, selection tools, shapes, colours and text. Having used a basic form of Photoshop before called Serif, I was able to apply the knowledge I had from using that to this task. However, there were many things I hadn't done before such as use shapes and text, group layers into folders in order to keep them organised and use layer styles and adjustments. 

We also developed our analysing skills with our conventions and semiotics analysis. We had to look at the different features of magazines and become familiar with the names of these (e.g. masthead, skyline, plug, etc.) and then apply analytical skills in order to show how each of these features were effective to making the magazine look aesthetically pleasing and eye-catching so that it attracted an audience. 

How have you used technology?

During this task we had to use and become familiar with two different computers and their operating systems: PCs running Windows and iMacs running OS X. I was already quite familiar with OS X however it did prove difficult to use at times and there were many things I had to get used to such as the mouse not having a right-click button, the sensitivity of it quite low and the scroll direction being reversed (the latter two of which I was able to change and so this made everything a lot easier). Eventually, I found myself preferring to use the iMacs over the PCs as I found them easier to navigate and generally a lot more smooth-running than the PCs. 

Also, for this task I had to become more familiar with the exposure settings on my DSLR camera in order to achieve the effects I wanted within my main image. This meant learning what aperture, ISO and shutter speeds were and how to use them to my advantage. I also had to learn the different framings and composition of an image in order to make it pleasing to the eye and easy to work with when it came to editing the front cover (e.g. allowing space at the top of the image for the masthead and skyline).

Lastly, I had to make a Blogger account in order to post all my work in the form of a blog and get used to using it. This included making posts, changing the text in the posts, adjusting the pictures so that they looked good on my blog and regularly updating it. This was all new to me as I have never had a blogger account before and so I had to learn how to use everything so that I could get my blog to look just as I wanted it.

What conventions have you used and why?

In my final image I used a main image, masthead, skyline, footer, plug, date, website, barcode, price and multiple feature stories. These were all used in order to make my magazine look as professional as possible and attract the target audience (which is students at a college). I tried to keep these conventions looking clear, bold and colourful in order to make the magazine eye-catching and easy to read. I slightly challenged the genre of college magazines by making my front cover bright with feature stories that might attract a teenage student (such as the summer festivals article) rather than cramming it with information about academic-related articles. However, I didn't really challenge the placement of conventions and this was because I wanted to keep my magazine cover looking as realistic as possible.

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What would you change if you were to do this task again?

If I were to do this task again I would take more photographs for the main image in different locations and of various students (e.g. science students, art students, etc.). I would pay more attention to the exposure when photographing indoors in order to get clearer pictures that would be easy to work with. I would also try out different angles such as tilted angles, low angles and high angles; props such as science equipment, art equipment and computers and poses such as somebody sat writing, drawing or working on the computer. This would give me a greater scope and variety of images to use as a main picture as well as images to include within the magazine. 

If I were to do this task again I would also make the magazine look more professional. I am not keen on how the plug looks with the shape and gradient and think with drawing or downloading shapes could give the magazine more verisimilitude. I would also download and use more fonts as I think using only two main types of font really restricts the visual appearance of the magazine.

I would also ask the teacher more questions as I usually take it upon myself to find things out alone. However, if I had asked a teacher it could have made the task a little quicker to do and my magazine cover may have looked better through receiving more feedback on how to improve had I sought it more often. 

Final College Magazine & Contents Page

This is my final college magazine cover and mock-up contents page for my preliminary task

Final Front Cover

Contents Page Mock-Up

As mentioned in my previous blog post, I used Image 6 as the main picture. The font which I used for the masthead is called 'Headline' (which is not featured on my mood board, however is very similar to one or two fonts which I did include) and the feature stories included fonts 'Headline' and 'Helvetica Neue' in light.

I did not edit my main image at all as I wanted to keep with the natural colours and lighting in the photograph and not risk making it look less natural through editing it. I stuck with a colour scheme containing mostly blues, greens and reds with white, black and grey being the main colours used for text. The colour scheme was heavily influenced by the images which I collected and displayed on my mood board and the colour scheme ideas which I drew from that (in the same blog post). However, when working on the final magazine cover I used the colours within my main image by picking them off certain aspects (i.e. blue jeans and red lipstick on subject and green trees in the background) in order to get a colour scheme which worked best with the main image.

I stuck with the mock-up layout of the front cover that I posted on my blog earlier and included almost everything picked out on the conventions analysis so that the front cover contains as much information as possible and is eye-catching to the target audience.

For the contents page mock-up, I also stuck with the contents page layout which I posted on my blog earlier and added a variety of contents, including the ideas for contents which I also drafted in that same blog post. I then added in what images would go where and gave it a title. However, the font which I used for my title I would adapt and change to fit with the front cover if I were to make the actual thing.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with the outcome of my college magazine however, I feel that there are some things which could be improved in order to make it look more professional and realistic, such as a better-looking plug and one or two more font styles.

Draft Front Cover

During my free time, I took one of the images from my framing photoshoot and used it as a main image in a draft of a college magazine front cover. I then played around with the various tools and texts on photoshop in order to get more used to its features and pick up skills which I could then use when it came to creating my final front cover.

I quite liked the black, white and pink colour scheme however, many would argue that this would make it predominantly aimed towards girls and women and so I have decided against using a similar colour scheme in my final front cover. Instead using colours which will make my magazine as gender neutral as possible.

I downloaded a font called 'Headline' to use for the masthead and feature stories. However, I'm not entirely sure about using this same font for the feature stories as it looks a little bit overwhelming so I may change this later.

I wanted the headline to be just behind the head of my subject and so took the opportunity to try different tools and layers on this draft to achieve the effect whilst keeping it looking as realistic as possible. This required me to work with the polygon selection and paintbrush tools, feathering and layers and so these are all skills which can be applied when it comes to creating the final front cover.

Lastly, I also worked with shapes, gradients and opacity for the plug and feature stories. It took me an awful long time before I finally found the gradient tool but when I did, was pleased with the outcome and will definitely apply this to my final front cover as well as the rectangular shapes that make the feature stories clearer to see.