Final Front Cover

Third/Final Front Cover Progression

After my second attempt at creating a front cover, I decided once again to change my style. In order to start this front cover I inserted both the skyline, footer, masthead and the main image.

This is because these are parts of the magazine that need to be placed so that the rest can be arranged around them. You can see that the main image also has a drop shadow inserted, which was used to make it stand out off the page and therefore become more of the main focus that it would have been. I also made the footer slightly transparent so that the main image was not totally covered and give the impression that the information placed in the footer is more important. The masthead is slightly covered by the main image as I have noticed this is many magazine front covers in my research and therefore took that idea and used it in mine. The logo of the magazine is also used next to the masthead so that I can refer back to it and use the logo throughout the magazine rather than using the full masthead.

In order to create the footer and the skyline I had to create a rectangle shape and then change the colour to the same pink that I had featured in my masthead, using the eye-drop tool. I then made the footer slightly transparent by changing the opacity.

The next step I took was to add text into both my skyline and my footer. These are very conventional for this part of a magazine as they display USP's that my target audience would be very interested in. I also added space where I would plan to add images within the footer and also the bar code alongside the date and price. These features are also extremely conventional as it is what stores need in order to ensure sales but also for the audience so that they know how much the magazine costs and what edition it is/whether it is up-to-date.

I chose to keep the price and date quite small so that it would not take up too much room and allow less space for the main stories and more images - as this is what my target audience is most interested in looking at.





I then added my main story headline. I placed a transparent banner over the top of the main image so that the audience then know that the text covering this image is relevant to the image itself. I then used a different font ('French Script') as opposed to the one used in the rest of the magazine ('Impact') so that it stands out and demonstrates it's importance. I also used more yellow so that it stands out more against the pink and black.

Then, I added my images and the text that is relevant. As you can see some of my images have a pink box with a drop shadow used behind them, similar to that of which I used for my main image. This is so that the images stand out of the page when surrounded by the amount of text that I have placed on the cover.

The features I have chosen to use are conventional stories that audiences would find on a pop magazine. I have added an element of gossip, bands, solo artists, star style, tickets and freebies as a way of giving my target audience a variety of different features to choose from. Also, I have placed these headlines and images around the main image so that the image is still central on the page and the main focus along with its headline. There are a few banners and text that cover small parts of the main images but the face of the model used and the clothes she is wearing are still very visible, which I thought would be the main idea behind the layout.




After looking at my front cover I felt as though something wasn't quite right. This was due to space that had been left on the left side of the page on the pink banner I had created for my headline.

In order to fill the space, I moved my headline text around. There is now very little space left on the page and so I now feel it looks a lot more professional than it did before.

Front Cover First Draft

Magazine Progession

The first step towards making my final magazine front cover was to choose my colour scheme. I chose to work with pink, green and white as they are quite feminine colours and so will attract my target audience and also because they work well together.

I also chose my masthead within this part of creating my magazine. I chose this specific text because the layout of it looks very feminine and will attract younger audiences, as older audiences will be looking for something more sophisticated or at least  a bit more stylish.

My next step was adding my main image. I chose this image because the model looks very happy which suggests a happy and fun tone for the magazine. The white flowers on the floral dress were also used to give the connotations of innocence for the model.

While adding this image I also adjusted the levels and brightness of it. This is so that it doesn't look dull and stands out against the white background. It also makes the entire page look more colourful and adheres to the needs of the pop genre.

For this image I also had to remove the background, I used the quick selection tool to do this without having any rough edges. I then went around the model with an eraser with the opacity ranging between 20%-30% in order to give her a softer look against the masthead and any other possible text I will be using later on.

After I had gotten my main image at a standard that I was pleased with, I began to insert some of my text. I started with the skyline and footer text.

I inserted two USP's that may attract my target audience, as younger girls will always be interested in freebies and also the 10 most popular albums of 2014 may attract them too because they are in the era that downloading music is extremely popular and so they will need this information.

The text I used is bold Impact. I used this because it stands out a lot against anything else, it is simple but also very effective in the way that it gets the audience's attention. I also stuck to my colour scheme while creating these to make it look organised and professional.

I then started creating my feature stories. The main story was added first as I knew that this needed to take up most of the room on the page and so I added it first so that all other texts would be placed according to this specific text.

I changed the colour scheme slightly on this text by adding the colours yellow and red. This is so that this article in particular stands out against the rest of the text that will be on the cover later on. This emphasises it's importance to the magazine, rather than just relying on the size of the text.








After a lot of deliberating I decided that this layout would not work for the effect I wanted to have on my audience. This is why I decided to completely change the layout and colour scheme. The following is the process of creating my first successful draft.

The first step I made after beginning to create my second attempt was to insert my footer, skyline and masthead. I also decided on my colour scheme, which is pink, black and white. I chose these colours as pink helps to determine the audience of this magazine, black has been used as it is very dominant and powerful against other colours and so will help my features to stand out, and white has been used because it is quite plain and so would not clash with colours within possible images I may use and also fits well with the other colours in this scheme.

 I then inserted my image. I did this before anything else so that I know where to put my stories in relation to the placement of the image. This is so that there will be no text clashing with the image and will therefore make it less cluttered and look more professional.

The dress my model is wearing has been chosen because of the white floral pattern which matches the colour scheme well and also because the flowers on her dress connote the idea of innocence and gives the audience an idea of what the article inside will be about or at least the type of article it will be.

While adding this image I also adjusted the levels, this was so that the photo would not look dull or boring and would stand out against the vibrant pink I have chosen to use.

For this image I also had to remove the background, I used the quick selection tool to do this without having any rough edges. I then went around the model with an eraser with the opacity ranging between 20%-30% in order to give her a softer look against the masthead and any other possible text I will be using later on.

After placing my image in a place that I found suitable enough for a front cover, I inserted the skyline and footer text.

I inserted two USP's that may attract my target audience, as younger girls will always be interested in freebies and also the 10 most popular albums of 2014 may attract them too because they are in the era that downloading music is extremely popular and so they will need this information.

The text I used is bold Impact. I used this because it stands out a lot against anything else, it is simple but also very effective in the way that it gets the audience's attention. I also stuck to my colour scheme while creating these to make it look organised and professional.

I then started creating my feature stories. The main story was added first as I knew that this needed to take up most of the room on the page and so I added it first so that all other texts would be placed according to this specific text.

I changed the colour scheme slightly on this text by adding the colours yellow and red. This is so that this article in particular stands out against the rest of the text that will be on the cover later on. This emphasises it's importance to the magazine, rather than just relying on the size of the text.

After inserting my main feature article, I then started inserting the rest. All the text fits in with the colour scheme of pink, black and white and the only bit of text which strays from the rest of the text is a band name which has been written different to allow my audience to recognise them. 

Magazine Photoshoot

Images That I Liked

The images above are the shots I had taken in my photo shoot for my magazine front cover. These particular images are the shots I had grouped together because I found them successful in what I was trying to achieve. The model in all of the photos is smiling, which is what I wanted as a way of giving the connotations of happiness and allowing my audience to understand the tone of this magazine.

Masthead Font Choices

Test Shot Photoshoot

Medium Close Up
This is a successful image as it is shot from the waist up, which is what is known as a medium close-up. This image would be successful on the front cover of a magazine as, through research, I have found that the typical shot used for a front cover is medium close up.













Close Up

This is a successful image in the sense that it was supposed to be shot as a close up, although it would not be as successful as a medium close up on a front cover as it is too close to the artist and does not leave much room for text. 

Long Shot
Similar to the close up, this image is successful in that it was supposed to be a long shot, but would not be as successful on the cover of a magazine. This is because it is too far away from the model which means there would be very little emotion in the image and also means that there is a risk of having too much empty space on the magazine, making it look quite amateur and uninteresting.










Two Shot
This two shot would be successful on a front cover if it were showing a bad or partnership in music etc. This is because it is framed as a medium-long shot and so isn't too far away that you can't see their emotions and also can see how they are dressed, which fans of artists tend to be very interested in.

Example of bad lighting
For a pop magazine this image would be very unsuccessful as the lighting is very dark and goes against all conventions of the pop genre. The shadows on her face connote the idea of a darker genre such as indie or rock and so would be misleading to the target audience.

Example of good lighting
This would be good lighting to use for a pop magazine as the light makes the model look bright and would emphasise any bright colours that they would be wearing. It also makes sure that the model is the main focus of the image and would be very difficult to find a distraction.















Badly framed 
This would be unsuccessful on a magazine as the photo does not leave much room for a masthead, feature stories or any of the conventional elements. Also, it doesn't fit with the pop genre as it slightly disorientates the audience and younger audience may find this off putting.

Photography Research Task

Front Covers

I personally find that the main image on this Vibe front cover is very effective in the way that it catches the audiences attention. The model (Eminem) is stood with his arms folded which could connote that his article is something he isn't completely comfortable speaking about or something personal. He is giving direct address while his facial expression looks very serious, or almost angry - this tells the audience that the article is not something that anyone should find comical in any way. He has a vest on which allows him to show off his tattoos, as a man with tattoos is conventionally portrayed as a 'tough guy' it tells the audience that the article is about something that he has possibly had to overcome. Also his facial expression, the way he is stood and the tattoos help to emphasise his power within this industry.







Again, I find this front cover image very effective in the way that the model (Amy Winehouse) is giving direct mode of address and so instantly making a connection between the magazine and the audience. Her make-up is dark and her eye-liner has large wings which is iconographic of Winehouse, and so this image allows the audience to recognise her instantly as it is familiar to them.
Her clothes can only be seen in the corner of the screen, this makes her look very provocative but also shows that in this article she may be very vulnerable. Her expression makes her look quite sad or delicate which also allows the audience to sympathise with her before actually reading the article.

I like this image as it appeals to both males and females. This is because Lady Gaga is a powerful woman within the music industry which appeals to her female fans, however the way she is dressed (or rather, undressed) appeals to the male gender. The spikes on her pants and her long gloves show that she is not afraid to be 'edgy' and emphasises the type of person that she is. Her white hair is wild and contrasts with her clothes which also makes her stand out. She is giving direct address which promotes her confidence and tells the audience that her article is likely to be focussed on her confidence and her power.










Contents Pages



I like the images on this contents page because it is not posed. This is because NME know that their audience are the type of people that go to gigs and so these type of images may interest them more. I also like that they have shown another edition of their magazine in the subscribe section, this is so that they can show their audience what kind of magazine they are and also what the people who subscribe will be receiving.

The image on this contents page is very effective as the model is looking directly into the camera which instantly creates a connection between both the magazine and the reader. Although she is also reaching out her arm which connotes her reaching out to the audience, while also holding up a guitar which emphasises the genre of this magazine as music (most likely pop as the model is a pop artist).

The clothes that the model is wearing are very common which could tell the audience that she is a 'normal' woman rather than a celebrity diva. Her hair is also down and has not been styled in a specific way which tells the audience that she is not the type of artist to emphasise their fame themselves. This gives the audience the impression that she is down to earth.





The images on this contents page are posed but show the artists in what seems to be quite a 'natural habitat' for them - which could instantly make the readers feel a lot more comfortable around familiar areas.

We know instantly that the main image on this page is Adele as her image is larger than the rest and also takes up a small amount of space of another image which suggests that her article has been prioritised.

Also, the images are within the colour scheme as the main colours are red and white both on the page and in the photos - which helps the magazine to create it's house style.

Demographics

• Demographics: Measurable characteristics of media consumers such as age, gender, race, education and income level. 
• The characteristics and statistical information that distinguish a group of people. 
• These characteristics commonly include age, gender, ethnicity, occupation, interests and other quantifiable criteria. A business' target demographic captures the group of people at which their products or services are aimed. 
• By looking at these characteristics of an audience it helps us understand how to target a product, it helps to differentiate how to appeal directly to an audience. 

My magazine will be aimed at young teenagers within the socio-economic group E. This is because they are more than likely to be unemployed and will also still be in full time education because of their age. To adhere to their needs my magazine will be filled with images and very little text, this is so that it doesn't look boring and becomes a lot more aesthetically pleasing. The colour schemes will be brighter and I will also include selling points such as competitions or free gifts like posters etc. 

The price of my magazine will be brought down because this group of people will not be able to afford paying for an expensive magazine. This means that it will be in the £0.70 -  £1.50 range. 

Response to Focus Group

Why was it useful?
I found my focus group video very useful because it gave me a clear understanding of what my target audience would expect to see within a pop magazine and also what they would expect to get back from purchasing for it, for example the freebies/competitions or the type of articles to include. I also received an estimate as to what I would have my price at by asking what my target audience would be willing to pay.

How has it helped you in the decisions you will make when creating your magazine?
The answers I received have helped me make decisions about the price of my magazine, what to include on the front cover, the type of articles to include, which freebies to offer and why, and colour schemes which I found extremely helpful.

I have now decided that for my magazine the price will be between £0.70 - £1.50 as this is the range in which young teenagers in full time education would be willing to pay. On my front cover I will be including a lot of pictures and bold text in fun fonts to emphasise that this is a magazine for young people. The types of articles I will be including will be gossip articles or general interviews with an apparent pop artist that I will create through the use of my model on the cover. I will be offering freebies such as posters etc. as this group of people are within the age group that tend to stick posters of their favourite artists around the bedroom walls and so this would make my magazine a lot more successful. Finally, the colour scheme of my magazine will become a house style as I will use it through my front cover, contents page and double page spread. These colours will be bright, colourful and will work very well together (For example, red, blue and green).

Did you find out something that you did not expect?
Through this focus group I did not find anything that I really wasn't expecting, as I knew about a lot of the reactions from the target audience through previous research.

Has it made you change any of your initial ideas?
Through this research I have changed very little, but the price I had originally had in mind has changed as I found that this audience needs this type of magazine to be a lot cheaper in order for them to afford to buy it. I also changed my colour scheme ideas as I had originally planned to use more than three colours, but find that it may make it seem cluttered if I was to use any more.

Focus Group Video

Focus Group Questions

1. What 5 elements would you expect to see in a pop magazine?
2. Which 5 artists do you think of straight away when considering the pop genre?
3. What types of articles would you prefer to read in a pop magazine?
4. What colour schemes would be best to use for this genre, using only 3 colours?
5. What kind of USP would appeal to you most? For example, competitions, give aways etc.
6. What price range would you place a pop magazine within and why?
7. How often would you expect a new edition of this magazine to be distributed? (Weekly, Monthly, Annually).
8. What costumes/props do you associate with this genre?
9. What do you want to see more of in music magazines?
10. Do you buy music magazines at all? If yes, why? If no, what would persuade you to buy one?

The Importance of Audience Research

Audience research is what helps you determine everything you need to be including in your magazine. This includes everything from colour schemes to feature articles, USP’s and models. It is important for any magazine to appeal to their target so that they can make the maximum profit possible. It also helps magazines in the way that a lot of their profits come from adverts being placed in them, and the audience research helps with the decision of what types of advertisements would suit this magazine.

Style Research & Ideas

Since my research I have created 3 styles that my target audience would find very familiar and also would be able to afford themselves. This is so that the model on my front cover would seem like the type of person the readers can relate to and therefore interest a lot more people within the target audience.

Colour Scheme Research & Ideas

Colour Schemes for pop magazines a generally very bright and also quite feminine. This is because the target audience for pop magazines tend to be young teenage girls and boys (mostly girls) and so these colours appeal to this group of people more than others. For example, a pop magazine would be filled with pinks, blues and purples rather than browns, blacks and occasionally reds too.

On a magazine, the colour scheme is usually a combination of no more than 3 colours - this is so that the magazine doesn't look too cluttered and also so that the magazine can create a "house style".

I think that this colour scheme would work really well on a pop magazine as it is not gender specific and it also includes primary colours which keeps the magazine very simple for younger audiences.

I also like this colour scheme, it is very feminine and so would probably not appeal to many male readers - which, for this genre, would not be much of a problem. They are different shades of pinks which means that they would work well together on a printed page and follows the conventions of a pop magazine house style.

This colour scheme is one of my favourites, it is a lot more than the recommended three but all colours work really well together and there are a lot of contrasts in this aswell which means that there will be no clashes and also means that the content on the page will stand out a lot more.

The colours are pastel colours which would make the page seem very simple and basic, this is so that even though there are a few more colours it will not look cluttered or "scruffy".

Possible Names for My Magazine

Existing Magazine's Name Research

Originally it was to be called Cue as in the sense of cueing a record, ready to play, but the name was changed so that it wouldn't be mistaken for a snooker magazine. Another reason, cited in Q's 200th edition, is in that a single-letter title would be more prominent on news stands.

Named after the onomatopoeic word that derives from the sound made when playing a power chord on a distorted electric guitar, Kerrang!

Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title that would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music. MOJO was first published on 15 October 1993; in keeping with its classic rock aesthetic, the first issue had Bob Dylan and John Lennon as its first cover stars.

This magazine is a simple initialism of the phrase "New Musical Express".

Front Cover Mock Ups

Mood Board

The Pop Genre Research

Reader Profile

Reader Profiles & Genre Definition

Reader Profile is a term used to define the research done into a certain target audience. This can include the audiences gender, age, their socio-economic group & their occupation/education situation.

Magazines need reader profiles so that they can gain a thorough understanding of their target audience to ensure that they use the correct elements in their magazine that will appeal to their target market. They look at aspects such as gender, age, occupation (socio-economic groups), hobbies, fashion, general likes & dislikes.

Socio-Economic Groups are used within reader profiles to tell the company what kind of occupation their target audiences have and how much they earn. This is used to work out a price for the magazine that these groups of people will be willing to pay.

By using a reader profile the company which creates this magazine can then decide on things like what articles they are going to feature, how many images need to be included, what colour schemes they should use, the models they should have featured, the price of the magazine, the type of adverts that will be included, the types of competition prizes they should offer etc.

FC, CP & DPS Analysis 3