Qualitative Research

To get feedback and ideas for my magazine, I created a questionnaire to ask people including the following questions. I will take the answers into account when creating my magazine because they will help me get an idea of what my target audience will like and dislike so I can make the perfect magazine to suit them. I got the answers to these questions via video, which are featured below:

1. What attracts you to a music magazine?

I now know that most people are attracted to buying a music magazine by the front cover, and if they like the artist featured on the front or any of the sell-lines.

2. What would put you off buying a magazine?

I have discovered that a few things that would put people off buying a magazine is if the colours were dull and didn't stand out. Also if the magazine was too expensive it would make them not want to buy it. In this case I will have to make sure that the colours on my own magazine front cover are eye catching and the price is reasonable for my target audience.

3. What do you like about this front cover? Also what would you change about it if you could?

The front cover was an NME issue with The Stone Roses on the front. In response, the picture on the front was a favourite, as well as the colour scheme. The only thing anyone wanted to change was to add one more colour.

4. What would you expect to see in a contents page?

Rachel told me that what she would expect to see in a contents page would be; an addressing header at the top of the page, images down the side which would relate to the articles and the contents to be in different sections so it was easy for the reader to navigate.

5. Do you like this double page spread? What do you dislike about it?

Grace said that she liked this DPS because of the use of colour, however she thought there was too much writing and not enough images. When I am making my own double page spread, I would definitely balance the images with the amount of writing I include.

6. What would you like the cover model to be wearing, and how would you like them to be presented?

Byrony said she would prefer the cover model to be dressed in something she would normally wear, maybe so she feels as though she can relate to that person more. Also, she said she would like them to be presented as casual/laid back, again so it's more personal to the reader.

7. What language do you like in a magazine? Also how do you like to be addressed?
Zoe said she liked a happy tone with informal language because its more relaxed and personal. She also said she liked to be addressed directly because it makes her feel important as if the person in the article is speaking personally to her.

I asked people who fitted the age group of my target audience so I would get their opinions on existing covers and articles and preferences that they would have if they were to buy a music magazine. I got a lot of feedback from the questions i asked, which is ideal because it means I can consider the exact opinions of members of my target audience when it comes to designing my front cover, contents page and double page spread.

Double Page Spread Analysis

As part of my research and planning, I have analysed three double page spreads in terms of image, content and pace. First of all, this first article is from a recent issue of NME and features Bobby Gillespie. The main image used is a striking shot in which he is looking straight at the camera, this is very effective because it makes it look as though he is having eye contact directly with the reader. Considering the DPS doesnt have a title, it becomes quite clear that the domonating image speaks for itself. If I was to change this article, I would add a title because it's more intriguing. However, the way NME have just used an image makes it individual and different to the layout of other magazines. The way Bobby is represented emphasises the genre of music he produces; long hair, slightly unkempt, but indeed gets away with it because he's in a suit. It shows two sides to his personality. Of course the article has drop caps to indicate the beginning, and the questions are in bold which will seperate it from the answers, so the reader will know who is saying what in the interview. Columns are used to break down the text and make it look neater, in a sense, it makes it look easier to read rather than being in huge chunks of writing. 

There is a pull quote which is in a larger font and in a different colour, the colour is pink to co-ordinate and identify with the suit that Bobby Gilespie is wearing. The colour palette used is limited and is chosen in harmony with the colour of the image. Certainly a dramatic pull quote if I ever saw one; 'we're headed back to the 19th century. Being watched, cuts and rights taken away. Everything is attacking the poor.' It's highlighted because it is thought to be an appealing quote to the reader, the type of language is quite formal as it' referring to a political matter, however the rest of the article is quite relaxed and informal, considering the talk of drugs and alcohol in the introduction paragraph. Quite a lot of artists who are featured in NME tend to have strong political views which are presented through their songwriting to appeal to their fans. The article is varied between first and second person, obviously first person is as though he is reading out his diary, whereas second person is as though he is talking to the reader, which makes it a lot more personal. Some readers may like the use of second person because they may feel they are getting spoken to directly.
 The pace is quite slow, with use of colloquial language to show it's a conversation. A lot of short sentances are used which could indicate a fast pace, for example; 'That's what we're about.' I like the use of colloquial language and the pace of the article, it's personal and enjoyable to read without being hard on the brain. You can understand it and refer to what's being said, instead of it being really fast pace and not getting the oppertunity to take in the point of the article. Swearing is also used, which adds to the informality and also the target audience.
A pun is included in the introduction paragraph, referring to one of Primal Screams (Bobby's band) songs; 'we don't like the idea of being preached at when we're trying to get our rocks off.'

This second article is also from NME, it's an interview with Paul McCartney. Straight away it is different from the other DPS considering it has a title and a dominating image. The title is a quote from the interview, which is in a large capitilised bold font to instantly stand out to the eyes of the reader. Directly underneath, sits a small enigma code in an italic, smaller font.

A lot of blue is used in this double page spread, similarly, both articles co-ordinate with the outfit of the artist in the picture. In this case the colour is blue, which connotes tranquility and relaxation, a complete opposite for a rock and roll star, but still sophisticated and carefree. I love the body language in the main image, the way the guitar is presented over his mouth hints that he is speaking about his music and that only. The way he is presented is sharp, smart and experienced, which couldn't be more true considering McCartney was in The Beatles. I would personally add a caption to this picture, something which explains it, however NME have chosen to again let the image speak for itself.

One whole page has been used for the image and the other page includes all of the writing in four columns. Two other images also on the page with the writing to break the text up more and make it look easy to read. No quirky angles or drop caps are used, which makes the article seem more formal than fun and represents the age of the person featured in the article. I like the composition and flow, the way the images are added as more detail and to represent the text elements. When reading the text, the pace is faster and more dynamic with no swearing. A pull quote; 'Kings Of Leon sound great, know what I mean?' appeals to the audience, showing part of Paul McCartneys interests in modern day music and who he approves of. This is more colloquial and includes a rhetorical question, it is clear that this has been spoken and not written. The pull quote is in a display font, as well as the title and enigma codes, whereas the article itself is all in the same usual plain font. I would consider using the font in my own DPS because it makes the important parts of the text stand out without using bright colours which could distract the reader.

 

This article is also from NME, featuring Liam Gallagher. The interview is presented in three columns, with a dominant image which conveys the whole subject of the article. This shot is quite powerful and makes the reader aware of who the interview is about. His body language is quite loud as he holds an old copy of NME towards the camera, leaning forward slightly as though he is getting closer to the reader. His facial expression is quite moody and careless, which shows his personality and attitude. The clothes and props are all key to the interview. Liam is wearing a black leather jacket and blue jeans, with his hand in his pocket to emphasise his relaxation. The fact that he is wearing sunglasses is mysterious, because the reader can't see his eyes. There is in fact a caption at the bottom of this image; 'hold on mate, theres a bluebottle on the lens' is a comical reference to the way he is posing with the rolled up issue of NME in his hands. A pull quote is again used as the title of the double page spread, with the enigma code underneath. The strap line is typed in a gold don't which indicates Liam's wrath and importance to the music industry. I like the way the speech marks around the text are in good to indicate that the words spoken have came from a very important person. NME are making Liam Gallagher look like a modern day rock and roll God through their use of colours. The quote also promotes the magazine, as it states that this famous artists buys only NME, therefore it must be good. They've advertised their magazine through one of their articles. It's obvious that the article is going to be informal and colloquial due to the swearing in the title. The way Liam is described as a 'drop dead rock n roll loon' uses alliteration which rolls off the readers tongue. I think the use of text in articles is important and will definitely use puns, rhetorical questions and shock tactics to make it more interesting and intriguing. The article is written completely in first person, which focuses completely on Liam's point of view. As usual, the title and strap line are all in display fonts, whilst the article itself is in a copy font which is easier to read and clearer. To separate the questions from the answers, parts of the copy font are in bold. Drop caps are used to direct the reader to the start of the article, it is in gold to co-ordinate with the colour palette of the article which is black and gold. I like the way the gold is used to represent him as being special and shows that he is respected by the magazine, such as the pull quote which refers to the famous Britpop feud between Blur and Oasis. In the article, various amounts of repetition are used; 'I like winding me kids up, I like winding me mam up, I like winding me missus up.' It's clever the way it has been written, as it emphasises his accent and dialectic manner, the use of 'me' instead of 'my' and also words such as 'innit?' Really capture his Mancunian twang and informality.

 The pace of the article is fast due to the language used, the energy and the swearing makes you automatically read it in that way. I personally prefer slow paced articles, but the pace of this fits in with the main point, to show Liam Gallaghers personality off. I like the way the interview is extremely laid back and therefore an enjoyable read for the target audience. The informal text sounds more friendly and appealing which is what inspires me about NMEs articles. 

Contents page analysis

As a task we analysed a contents page of a magazine, looking at all of the main features and why they are used as an advantage to the reader. This contents page is from Q Magazine. It's quite unusual as it only has two images, also the colour scheme is very simple maybe to reflect the type of people who are included in the magazine. The page title is very short and sweet and informs the reader that this is indeed the contents page; the exact place they need to look in order to find what they are looking for. It includes the logo of the magazine for identification the red and the 'contents' text is in black. The reason for the magazine doing this maybe to exaggerate the individuality of the magazine by switching colours. I quite like this idea of including the masthead in the contents page, I may use this idea in my own project. The main image of Liam Gallagher is extremely strong in terms of facial expression. I like the way he isnt looking at the camera and the size of the image screams that he is part of the main article. the page number in which he is featured is placed on the bottom left hand corner to link the image with the page, this is so the reader can navigate the article if they want to read it. I love the image and how it is presented, I would use a strong image in my contents page because I think it would present a main article very well.

This contents page for NME is obviously a completely different layout to Q Magazine. For a start it doesn't include the magazine logo, however the logo is included in the box which advertises magazine subscription. I like the way that the page numbers on this contents page stand out and are a different colour, this is again a way which is easier for the reader to navigate the whereabouts of the article. I would consider the idea of a different colour for page numbers because it is vital information which needs to stand out for the person reading the magazine. Another different feature which this magazine has, is that each article has an image to match with it. This is so it appeals to everyone and they can see what the person in the article looks like. For example, they may see the image but not know what the name of the person is and the other way around. Another clever feature of this contents page is that they have added a direct quotation from each article to draw the reader in to want to read more. The quotations are clearly in speech marks and are also differentiated by the different fonts. I would use a feature like this because it makes the idea of an interview more personal to the reader. All of the images edited in size depending on the importance. Miles Kane's image is the largest which suggests his work is being promoted or he is the cover star. On the Q contents page, there was no subscription advert, whereas on NME the advert makes it look as though they are considering the income of their audience; 'save up to 42%.' On the other hand it is a way to increase sales. They have also got a 'plus' category for other articles which are not as important.

 

This contents page is from an older edition of NME, I know this from analysing the more recent contents page above, it's completely different. Similarly to Q Magazine, NME have included their masthead in the page title in the same font but again seperating the words with different colours. The main image is of a band performing live, showing that this will be a link to the main article. In terms of layout, this contents page is completely different. It has been put into sections which will give the reader a better idea of what is in the issue. I personally find this layout better and would consider using a similar idea for my own contents page, although I would differenciate my main articles and add quotations.
The website is promoted to increase sales and there is also an advert for subscription to the magazine. I like the way it stands out by being in a bright colour which would instantly catch the readers attention. NME's old contents page is definitely a lot louder than the recent one, I prefer the softer font rather than bold.

My Article

The image above shows a screenshot of my article which I wrote as a practise for the double page spread which I will be creating as part of my coursework. I decided to do an album review for AM, the new Arctic Monkeys record. I chose to do this because it is new music news and it is also a link to the genre of music which I will base my magazine on. I wrote my article in columns to break up the text for the reader, in a double page spread there are normally 3 columns per page. The image that I have included is from the internet, although I have credited it at the bottom of my work, I understand that when it comes to creating my own DPS all the photographs must original work by me. The way I wrote the article was quite informal but not too informal, kind of in the middle. The reason I did this is because I feel as though it's more personal to the reader if you're informal in a magazine. A magazine should be fun to read, it totally depends on your target audience though. If your magazine is aimed at very high class people with high income, they would probably prefer the formal stuff. If the target audience is a student, they probably get most of the formal stuff at college or university, so would probably prefer to read something a bit less serious and personal to them. The colour scheme was black and white, I chose this because it is classic and a sophisticated way to present the band, but also because the colours on the new album are the same, which shows a link.

The title of the article was very basic to what it was going to be about. On the other hand, the second part of the title was a reference to an Arctic Monkeys song lyric, which the reader would know straight away.

I completed a check-list given to me by my lecturer, this was to make sure I had included everything I needed to make a successful article. My work was also marked by my lecturer and she gave me constructive feedback on how I could have improved, I will consider the improvements when creating my DPS. The article I created was not a double page one, which I would obviously change if I did the task again.

 

My Mood-board

I created this moodboard in class, I started to look at existing articles out of magazines such as; NME and Q. I chose these magazines because I read them and they include bands which I like. I have annotated the moodboard with post-its but some of them may not be readable. I'll explain some of the ones I can't read on screen.

First of all, the NME masthead stands out to me as a reader because of the block lettering and colour. The colour indicates maturity and passion which can suggest the audience of the magazine, but also is a trademark colour which is associated with the magazine itself.

Secondly, I like the way the bands in the black and white are presented. They are all in the same suits which represents their co-ordination and their smart attitude. if i was to photograph a male band, I would like them to dress this way because it gives the magazine a fantastic look and reputation. 

The 'Happy Mondays' logo in the bottom right hand corner is appealing to me, it represents the 'Madchester' music scene because of the colossal amount of different colours used together to make it look fun and rave-esque.

Facial expressions are also effective in magazines because they are a reflection of the type of article it will be. The cover image of Liam Gallagher at the top of the mood-board shows that he is carefree and relaxed, suggesting a personal interview where he will be quite open to questions. 

Finally I love the way that Lana Del Rey's make-up looks in this image. It is authentic and vintage which is the look I would use to represent a female model on my own front cover.

The fonts and colours I have used in this mood-board are an example of the types of fonts I like and would use in my own product. The main colours of these magazines are black, red and white. I like the colours because they are associated with the genre. They are also quite eye-catching and tend to attract a more mature and older audience which is unisex rather than pink and purple colours which would appeal to younger girls. 

Magazine essay

This is a basic explanation of my own magazine which I will be creating, or an idea anyway. I will change some things I have mentioned because I have discovered different ways in which I can present my own magazine. The essay I completed was a basic overview of the name, colours and fonts I would use. As well as the artists I would use and why, my target audience and cover star. It was marked by my lecturer and I got written feedback. I explained every choice I made and why I had included certain things in the magazine. For example, I explained that the magazine would be aimed at 16-25 year olds because I personally felt as though not many indie/rock magazines are aimed at a young audience. This is due to the adverts they include and the words/content they use. I also explained that I would use Jake Bugg as a cover star because he links with the age range of the target audience, and he is now very successful. If I was to do this task again, I would explain the content of the double page spread and whether I would make it formal or informal, and the pace of the writing. 

Front cover analysis

Music magazines have basic features which make the magazine more attractive and specifically suited to the interests of the reader. Colours, images, fonts and the type of text that they use are just some of the design aspects of the front cover. Take this one for example;

This is a March 2008 issue of the NME, including then men of the moment Miles Kane and Alex Turner. The attractive thing to readers about this cover are the cover models, main reason being they are current, youthful and styled to perfection. They're wearing all black which indicates a classic and mysterious look. Which draws the reader in even further to read the magazine. As for the colours, they are very basic but effective. The main colour palette consists of red, white and black, which has an impact and makes the writing stand out without taking the attention away from the main image. The font used on the cover is mostly all the same, in order to make layout look sophisticated which reflects on the magazine. The speech from the interview is typed in an italic font which discreetly differentiates it from the enigma codes. 

Another example of an effective front cover is the Q Magazine below, although personally I'd say this cover is aimed at the pockets of men rather than women. Q have chosen to use Lady Gaga in quite a provocative way, this could suggest that the interview is more about her personal life than her music career. In some cases it could put people off buying it, in others it will make people want to buy it even more. Its certainly a striking image which would stand out on news stands and make people want to buy it. The model is wearing black tight fitting trousers, with just a large black glove which she uses to hide nudity. The colours are quite dark which would not appeal to the likes of young people, it is quite clear by the image and colour that Q is for an older audience. The fonts are different for each sub-heading, which makes the magazine look more interesting and individual. The red colours stand out against the grey background, especially the Q logo and the '100 most shocking moments in music.'

Finally, this issue of Q magazine stands out by the use of black and white. The main image is a close up shot of Noel Gallagher's face, while the red and white sub header above him explains the main article. The use of black and white could stand for the contrast between positivity and negativity, showing that the person has a good and bad side to them. By the filter of the image being so gritty and exaggerated it emphasises the appeal of the cover. It's absolute genius because its effective to readers of the magazine. I would use an image like this because its extremely in depth and shows a completely different interpretation of the band. It's a band that they may be interested in reading about and as soon as they pick up the magazine they will recognise the face on the cover. Personally, the cover would attract me because I'm a huge fan of the band. So I recognise the face on the cover and would be interested in reading it. Unlike the second cover. All margin placed headings are in the same font. This makes the magazine look neater and doesn't distract from the main point (the image.) 

The colours again are the same, white, red, and black. I like this colour palette because it goes with the colour of the image and doesn't detract any attention from the main image. Most indie magazines especially Q and NME stick to specific colours which make the covers more appealing to readers. Another reason is so certain colours are associated with the magazine. 

Magazine Poses

Invitational- The mouth is often closed in this pose, with a small hint of a smile. The model tents to be looking over her shoulder slightly towards the camera. The aim of this look is to create a mysterious sense and to emphasise the eyes.
















Romantic/Sexual- Hints at availability and is normally aimed towards the male audience. Usually involves a female presented in a sensual way.

















Super Smiler- A full face shot with a huge smile, head thrown back, this indicates confidence and is a hard sell.
















Chocolate Box- This look features a small parting of the lips with a small glimpse of the teeth. Normally a close-up shot which is used to present flawless beauty.

The features of a front cover

Today I studied the aspects of a magazine front cover, including the masthead, essential information, main sell line, sub-head, sell lines, bar code, main image and colour palette. We went over the positions of these aspects on the magazine front cover and why they were placed this way; The masthead and tag line are always at the top of the page, one main bold image is used, the article the magazine will try to promote will stand out among the rest, and the not as important information will be reduced in size. To make a successul magazine, a certain type of audience is suggested through framing, mise-en-scene and the font. I also learned about the different types of poses a cover model will use on the type of magazine. A magazine for men will normally involve a woman presented in a sexual or romantic way, whilst a magazine for teenage girls would use a full face shot which wouldn't be so provocative.

AS Media Studies: Coursework Brief

As part of my AS Media Studies coursework I have been asked to create the front cover, contents page and double page spread of a music magazine. All photography and writing must be original and all of my own work, the reason I have created this blog is to record all of my planning.
To get inspiration, I have looked at other music magazines such as NME, Q and MOJO as they include the sort of genre that I am interested in. I am going to focus on rock & roll/alternative music and also music from the Mod era, this would include bands such as; The Who, The Rolling Stones, Northern Soul, The Strypes, The Stone Roses, The Jam, Beady Eye and Miles Kane. Ive chosen this genre because I personally love it and would enjoy creating a magazine focused completely on my favourite bands.