My three finished music magazine products:

Front cover -

Contents page -

Feature article -

7.) Looking back at your preliminary task (the college magazine task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

5.) How did you attract/address your audience?

6.) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Displaying work using online forum

1.  I used slideshare to show how I constructed each of my products. This was my first time using it but I found it to be relatively easy. Using Microsoft Word I created the work and then displayed on this online forum. I felt that this wasn’t the best software I have used as the work isn’t presented as clearly or professional looking as other sites.
2. Prezi was one of the most complicated websites and as I had never used it before I decided to watch a few YouTube tutorials to get to grips with it. After I had mastered the basics, I loved using it because it displayed my work so well with so many different backgrounds and effects, and you can access it from any computer with a Wi-Fi connection. I used it for my first and last evaluation questions.
3. I used Issuu to display my ‘Locations, props and models report’, ‘NME Music magazine analysis’ and second evaluation question. This was relatively simple software. Using Microsoft Word I created the piece and then uploaded the document to the website. However once work is uploaded it is difficult to change it like you can do with Prezi but it did look professional on my Blog.
4. I had most knowledge and experience of using YouTube so this was the easiest website to use. I looked up some Prezi tutorials, watched short clips on what subcultures there are in the UK and will upload an evaluation question answer in the form of a filmed interview.
5. Flipsnack was easy software to use because I simply uploaded my pictures then added text to annotate. One difficulty with using it was that I found when you were laying out the work on edit mode, it displayed quite differently when you presented it so I had to keep going backwards and forwards to present it effectively. I used this website more than any other because it was brilliant to display my work in a flipping book. My three ‘textual analysis’ pieces, ‘target audience survey analysis’, ‘mood boards’ and ‘product drafts’ for my drawn and Photoshop were all displayed using flipsnack.
6. Photoshop was another piece of software that I had no previous experience with. I first used it during a practice session in class to learn the basics and then downloaded a thirty-day free trial at home to develop my skills away from class. My preliminary task was created using it and, as you can see, my skills had greatly improved between then and my next use which was my real task of creating three music magazine products. I fell in love with this software because once you get used to the different tools it is a brilliant way of creating good quality work. I also used it to create my Photoshop-made drafts, mood boards, media kit and the pictures of the brands above.

More on Photoshop ~ Layer Styles

• I used ‘Bevel & Emboss’ to give my text more shape as it made some parts appear to be standing out compared to others. The two parts of it were ‘Contour’ and ‘Texture’.
• ‘Contour’ was used to give the shape the outline, darker lines within each letter to give it the bold effect.
• ‘Texture’ did what it suggests – gave the shape texture.
• I used the ‘Stroke’ effect on most of my text because it gave it an outline (of any colour but I mainly used black) to help it to stand out on the page.
• I used ‘Inner Shadow’ to make the middle of the letter appear sunken in.
• ‘Inner Glow’ did the opposite to this – it made the inner appear to be higher than the rest.
• ‘Satin’ makes the letter seem shiner; I rarely used it because I felt it couldn’t be seen on small text.
• ‘Colour Overlay’ was really useful because it allowed the letter to look more colourful and bright after using many effects that don’t do this, such as ‘Inner Shadow’.
• I didn’t use ‘Gradient Overlay’ or ‘Pattern Overlay’ because I didn’t like the messy effect they created.
• I did use ‘Outer Glow’ however because it made some of my text stand out, as if a torch was being shone behind it, giving it a Hollywood effect.
• ‘Drop Shadow’ was also very useful because it made my product seem less flat and more 3D.

It is also possible to create shapes, for example I made a vinyl record among various others for my products.

Using free online forums to display work

Advantages	Disadvantages
You can display work in intricate and different ways	It doesn’t always show work professionally
It is free to use, distribute, and modify so you can display it on a Blog	The college Wi-Fi connection is weak so you can’t always access them
You can use it anywhere that you have Wi-Fi	If it crashes you have to wait until it is running again
It is secure content and available to anyone to use or view	Many of them require you to use Google Chrome because you can’t upload photos on Internet explorer and this isn’t always available to users
Users don’t have to wait for the next update to get rid of bugs as they are removed quickly	It isn’t always straight forward to use and you can’t learn all of the skills in a day so it is more of a learning curve - this could be seen as a positive
It is appropriate for all ages	Hiring a trained person to teach you could be costly
It shows others that the user is up-to-date with modern technology	It takes a while for users to perfect their skills

Blogger

This was my first experience using Blogger but it so simple and easy to pick up so I didn’t really have many difficulties and it soon became an easy but intuitive interface to use. I found the concept really valuable since it was my work was being displayed on my webpage as my blog, this is an exciting and new media to me. I used the different labels to separate my work to make it easier to view and look more professional. Also it was brilliant that I could display my work in so many different ways because you can create a standard blog with text and picture or put in a link to an online forum such as Prezi, issuu, or flipsnack to name a few.

3.) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

White-label music magazine would have great appeal to the publishing company IPC Media owned by Time Inc. They are well known for the very successful music magazines NME and Uncut. Although they already produce these two successful products, White Label is targeted at a niche in the market as it promotes new artists and genres with appeal to under 25s and would attract a new readership. I am specifically aiming my publication at a younger more diverse multicultural group, with an appeal to both genders but with an emphasis on the female reader. The magazine will reflect young British music lovers interests and passions promoting music that has evolved from their generation. This would tend to appeal more to a British publishing company although with British music achieving greater popularity each year I would anticipate my magazine would generate global appeal.

Time Inc. is an extremely successful company, selling over 350 million copies each year with more than sixty media brands and printed products. In addition they have many online platforms including apps & websites for tablets, mobiles and laptops. This relationship with new technology would have great appeal to my my young audience. Five-hundred new magazines are launched every year and only three out of ten last more than four years. IPC own over sixty media brands which demonstrates how successful they are. The combination of my target audience with their success grounded in new technologies and media would ensure publishing success.

My magazine is new and exciting as it is promoting British music both current established and up and coming. It is a fresh and innovative product attractive to its young audience, perfect for IPC Media who would benefit from expansion of their readership into new markets. The USP (unique selling point) of my magazine is that it introduces new genres and musical styles from upcoming British artists into the world of music. This fits in to the wider IPC ethos.

The magazines they currently own, NME and Uncut, are both aimed more at men and involve rock music. However my magazine is aimed at all young people of a younger age, involving indie-mixed music which is becoming increasingly more popular to today’s youth. I believe that the music magazine industry has a big gap in the market for a product like mine which is aimed specifically at young people and offers a wide variety of new artists, genres and British talent.

IPC Media, as White-Label publishers, would gain a product with huge potential because it would engage with a wide and diverse range of readers. White-Label would promise to find the latest and best emerging talent whilst retaining interest in already successful popular British artists. It would attract a range of advertisers who would generate new customers.Young people are more likely to buy the latest clothing or products in order to create then follow current trends. Advertisers would be willing to subscribe to each issue to allow for a growing market place. Furthermore products would also be advertised online and on other media platforms increasing potential custom. White-label would have some similarities to other IPC Media products as part of a music magazine spectrum potentially acting as a gateway magazine for young people who would go on to read NME or Uncut. Advertisers would be keen to engage with the magazine to establish their place at the cutting edge, associating with being cool and trend setting. This engagement with young people may lead to brand loyalty as they continue to associate their lifestyle with promoted products 

IPC's distributor is Market Force, a major company that distributes magazines and also delivers information to its clientele of buying habits and disposable income in various locations. IPC Media would use this information to discover the most effective retail outlets to promote and sell White-Label to increase readership. By mapping the amount of money spent on music related products such as gigs and festivals, leisure activities, restaurants, travel, and other related products IPC Media can judge appropriate magazine outlets. A majority of the target audience of White-Label would include students. Students spend more judiciously enabling targeted marketing and advertising. Likely retailers would include University shops, newsagents in educational settings, campuses and areas of high student occupation where students would be accustomed to seeing it on the self, facilitating planned and impulse purchasing. Due to students relying on public transport WHSmiths and other retailers such as post office would be excellent retailers as chain stores often found in or around train and bus stations. I would also be keen to align White- label to popular clothes outlets such as Topshop and Topman and other young British fashion stores continuing the alignment with emerging music and fashion. Using this information IPC Media can selectively chose where to distribute the magazine for best potential of sales.

Another exciting prospect of White-Label would be an online version. Young people use electronic devices including smart phones and tablets allowing them to browse magazine articles on the go. This has many potential benefits for the publishers because not only will help to cut down production costs but it could greatly raise the income from advertisers. Technology is the future with more and more users of social media sites. Clever use of media would allow links to sound and vision allowing  a multidimensional sensory appeal. White-Labels’ future is indeed promising.

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2.) How does your media product represent particular social groups?

4.) Who would be the audience for your media product?

   When it comes down to advertising there is a vast variety of products that my target audience would buy. However the main items would be related to music such as, albums, festival tickets, gig tickets and band merchandise. Closely linked with music is fashion. Many music lovers aspire to create the look favoured by their favourite artists or achieve a similar trend or style.I would therefore encourage clothes outlets to advertise in the magazine whose style mirrors the featured artists.

   My target audience includes all young Brits of both sexes aged fifteen to twenty-five from any racial background or culture who is interested in exploring emerging British music. They would be mainly students at the end of high school to finishing university. Their financial situations would of course vary but the majority would be experiencing some economic hardship and the price and products in the magazine would reflect this.
   I am aiming my magazine at people with a keen interest in contemporary music, cool and unusual places to hang out and adventurous enough to aspire to new experiences,in music fashion and travel. They will generally be individualists; aspirational people seeking out new music from artists known and unknown which they can introduce to others. They would stay ahead of current trends happy to set their own through individual style decisions. They care about issues above and beyond the mainstream. Examples might include the environment and green issues and some political awareness, This is not their primary drive however. These young Brits are active and sociable embracing new trends and supporting others to do the same.They are also practical and down to earth. They have a working drive and culture. They are realistic dreamers.

In order to show my target audience, I decided to create a media kit which gives some demographics of my target audience as a whole:

Psychographics

• Interests: Music, Fashion, Travelling, Food, the World, Discovering new places, Hidden hot spots, Festivals and gigs.
• Clothing habits:  Individual high street/designer brands like Topshop, Zara, H&M, All saints, Kurt Geiger. With a kooky twist involving vintage and Charity stores. Also new online brands creating undiscovered 'hipster' designs. Mainly clothing that will separate them from the majority; they will like to be individual and unique.
• Preferable music genres: Punk rock, alternative rock, Indie, house, Trap and folk will be the majority of genres my audience will like however they will be interested in discovering new styles that people haven't heard before. Basically anything that is not mainstream.

A mood board with examples of typical brands which would appeal to my target audience:

A mood board which gives a good idea of what my target audience is interested in:

  

Demographics

• Age: 15-25
• Gender: Mainly female but some male.
• Income: Mainly student’s minimum wage.
• Education: Studying, from end of high school to end of university (for some).
• Occupation: Full/part-time student.

This is an image of a typical member of my target audience:

I did a lot of research on the modern subcultures of today's young people using http://www.uktribes.com/.

1.) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?