Target Audience

I conducted a survey on Survey Monkey and collected 7 responses.
Q1:

My main target audience for my music magazine will be from the ages 16-25 as they are the ages that answered my survey the most.

Q2:

Even though the preferred genre of music for my target audience is rock music, I do not think that  my dance music magazine would suffer because it is the second favourite. It would also still be a good choice because dance music is what most people in my target audience would listen to in their free time or if they went to parties or in nightclubs etc.

Q3:

Here I discovered a very varied response, all of the people that answered my survey mentioned different things that they'd expect to find. I will ensure that I include these on my music magazine cover as that's what most people would expect to find.

Q4:

Once again, the answers are all very different except from some addressing the pose of the cover star - this shows that when I construct my magazine the main image will be very important.

Q5:

£2-£3 is the most common price chosen that people would be willing to pay for a music magazine. As it is a monthly edition I will need to take this into account rather than charging 50p for something that's only available once a month.

Target audience

After my construction on remake remodel task of a mixmag magazine, I discovered that my artist image was very similar to a mixmag cover of annie mac.

This is significant as Annie Mac is a DJ just like my artist. I will use this model, just with different ideas in my photographs when preparing for my final task as there's a nice connection between the two artists. This will appeal to my target audience that are likely to buy mixmag as this actually looks like a real mixmag cover. I'll use this edition of Annie Mac to influence all of my decisions - then the audience will really like my artist and she will appeal to them fully. The target audience are young adults so the male category will be especially attracted to the attractive female artist used on the cover - I can use this to an advantage to attract my target audience when I take new photos of the artist. Also, the female category of my target will be inspired by the female artist and want to be like her. On both accounts, the target audience will like my artists image if it's like Annie Mac. 

Organisation

For my double page spread, I have decided that when I construct it, there will be my artist image taking up half of the double page. I have not yet decided whether I will be using an MCU or a long shot or decided on which camera angle I am going to use. In my photo shoot I will use lots of different shots and angles.

The colour of the text for my double page spread will be all dependent on the colour of the artist's clothing and props and the background colour. The colour may link to the magazine's main colour scheme however, to keep a consistent flow to make it seem  and look professional. 

The text on my double page spread will be bold and clear to entice the audience. It will provide clarity so that it's easy to read and will keep people interested. This may have a connection with the font in the magazine's masthead or the font on the main cover stories on the front page - like the colour scheme, the type of font will have to appear consistent so it doesn't look tacky or unrealistic.

Research into similar products

I have analysed a mixmag double page spread.
I used this magazine specifically because it's a magazine that matches the philosophy/ethos of the magazine I want to create. (Dance music magazine).

Remake, remodel feedback

After peer assessment, my peer assessor commented that:
'The cover lines are laid out well around the face of the main cover star and the house colours comply with the ethos of the magazine. This can be used for your final magazine because the template is very successful in matching with the style of the magazine.'

My peer assessor also said that I had successfully included the conventions of layout and design:

• Masthead
• Pugs
• Puffs
• Dateline
• Main image
• Cover lines
• Bar code
• Selling line

I have successfully included elements of music mise-en-scene:

• Costume
• Hair
• Makeup
• Facial expressions
• Lighting
• Colour

My peer assessor concluded the framing of the shot (the close up) worked really well and is a typical finding of music magazine covers.

In my next draft of my front page I will need to take all of the above into account and use it to my advantage because it's good advice and I can now see that there is room for improvement. I am happy with the criticisms because it'll make me look at my work more closely in the future.

Remake, Remodel magazine front page task

I used the mixmag masthead because that is what my final magazine cover will be a reflection upon...

I used a skyline which mixmag use on most of their magazines which gives an offer and enlightens the reader that mixmag is 'the worlds biggest dance music mag'. I kept consistent fonts throughout the whole of the cover being 'Arial Black' and 'Arial Rounded MT Bold' - magazines don't usually have numerous fonts going on, but in this case I used two because it wouldn't make the cover appear too plain. There is anchorage text; bigger than the rest to highlight that it's a link to the cover star. I used a bright eye-catching oval shape as mixmag usually have an offer like this standing out in a bright shape on their magazine front covers. I used the colour scheme of black, white and red because the masthead was black, the clothing the model is wearing is black and finally red because of the contrast with the white background and the colour of the model's lips. I also included various cover lines which link to ethos of the magazine... they are similar artists. I made sure I added the dateline and a bar code. I specifically chose an MCU with direct mode of address as it'd entice readers and on most magazine covers, the cover star usually makes eye contact with the reader.  

In my real construction of my own magazine I will be able to use the skills I have learnt from this remake remodel task and have a real, professional looking magazine. I'll need a masthead, selling line, cover lines, anchorage text, pug, date line and bar code if I want to stick to the generic conventions. I'll need a consistent colour scheme and 2/3 consistent fonts to keep my magazine looking fresh and coherent. I now know that rather than a BCU, I should use an  MCU on my front page for the best effect - I will also make sure that my artist is facing forward, rather than holding her head at an angle... to create direct mode of address to entice the reader and make my magazine successful. I have decided that my artist appearance needs to be more wild to link to the genre of music. Therefore in the real thing I am going to ensure that the artist tones down her makeup but has wild hair - this will link to a cover of Annie Mac on mixmag - 

If I do all of the above, my magazine will be successful and look real. My artist has a strong connection to Annie Mac. I will use her to influence my later decisions - she will act as my artist inspiration as mixmag and DJ act as my magazine inspiration. 

Organisation

I am going to conduct a photoshoot within the next week. It will be of a number of my female friends individually, after the shoot, I will decide on which images I like best and which images I think could pass for a female DJ. 

The images will be of them all holding different poses, possibly with different outfits to give me a wider range to choose from when deciding on the final images I am going to use on my magazine.

Here are three ideas of models: