Development based on peer and tutor feedback

Earlier drafts of my Magazine - The development from then to now.

Drawn Magazine Layout

I drew these layouts after analysing different Magazines covers, contents pages and feature articles. I created a rough copy for what I envisioned for my own Magazine whilst following the normal conventions for this platform of media. I tried to stick to this layout as best as I could when creating my magazine on Photoshop later on.

Construction Schedule

This is the construction schedule myself and my class had to follow regarding work set, how long we had to complete it and when it had to be in by. This schedule allowed me to keep up to date with all of my work and to stay on track to ensure that I had completed every task by the end of the coursework deadline.The amount of time allocated for work was based on the size of the task and its importance, for example for the planning and production of the main products we had 4-7 weeks.

Original Images

These are some of my original images used for my Magazine, Amplify. I used these images on the cover, contents page and feature article of my coursework; they are all photographs I had taken myself from gigs I had previously attended, as well from an arranged photo shoot with the featured artist of my magazine Lewis Davey. I made sure all of the photographs for my magazine were appropriate and in theme with my magazine, that being Indie Rock; I chose to do this particular genre as I listen to a lot of Indie Rock artists myself, so I knew I would have plenty of images from gigs to put onto my coursework. The quality of the images varies do to the context in which they were taken; At concerts it was difficult to take a fully focused image so I picked the images with the highest possible quality considering this. As for the the images of Lewis, these were of a better quality as they were taken in an controlled environment where I was able to manipulate the light, find the correct angles and to use focus. 

Location, props and costume report

I will be taking my images in a studio and in an outdoor environment (most likely the woods or beach), as well as this I have gathered images from various gigs and concerts that I have attended throughout the year.

For my Main cover image I feel a studio setting would be more appropriate as I will be needing to have a close up ‘professional’ looking image with all the correct features, for example lighting and positioning, rule of thirds etc. and a back drop that will not distract the audience from the feature of the image (this being the artist himself). The other images I collect will be incorporated on the contents page and double spread feature page.

For the images on my Contents page and Feature article I feel photographs in an outdoor environment would vary the dynamics of my product and will prevent repetitive images of the artist in a studio setting; creating a 'different' feel, which I hope would appeal to my targeted audience ‘’Indie scenesters’’.

To help emphasis the look I want to achieve I will be making my artist dress a particular way. This will incorporate black skinny jeans, a white ‘vans’ logged t-shirt and Red Asics Gel lyte III trainers, all these clothes associated with the hipster scene look. In co-ordnance with this all my artists clothes keep to the colour scheme I have decided on, this being black white and red. 

Finally the prop I have decided I want to use in some of images is an acoustic guitar this will be help by the artist in the image. I want to incorporate the guitar to support my idea that I want my magazine to be based solely on the music itself and I feel would complement the scene in which I plan to take my images (a woody, beach kind of scene) along with a wooden acoustic guitar stripping the frantic and technical side of the music industry down to the basics.

I feel all my ideas would appeal to my targeted audience, the alternative edge and look to my magazine will appeal to the lifestyle or the ‘’Indie scenesters’’ or ‘’hipsters’’ that steer clear of mainstream conventions.

Original ideas statement

Magazine Layout Drafts

Questionnaire Results and Analysis

Through my survey monkey questionnaire I was able to extract the information I need to create a successful music magazine that would appeal to my target audience.

First of all I asked basic demographic questions to decipher whether my audience would be largely male or female and what age category they fall into. From the results it shows a huge 80% were female and only 20% were male. Although from our results it’s more likely to be a larger female audience I would need to make sure my magazine appeals to both sexes. As well as this, the whole 100% or responses fell into the age category of 15-24 years. This suggests that I should focus my target audience towards a younger demographic. 

Next I wanted to get an idea of how musically orientated the general public are and whether it would be beneficial to involve ‘live performance’ segments or reviews and perhaps tours and dates. It shows clearly from the results, that a large 40% attend gigs quite often and 40% slightly often only 20% not at all. This means that this may be a good feature to incorporate in my magazine. 

The main theme of a music magazine is very important and should successfully represent its targeted music genre. Through this I wanted to see what specific genres are most popular and what would appeal the most and to a larger audience. The results show that Indie, house and techno and RnB music seemed to lead all with 20%, however the category ‘other’ had the most votes with 40%. These results present me with possible genres that would work successfully in a music magazine and give me quite a varied range to choose from. 

As well as all of this we also wanted to know how often my target audience read magazines. On average 40% said they read moderately often and 60% of responses said slightly often. With print in the media industry being at a new age of ever advancing technology and online media, my magazine needs to be effective enough to grab an audience who will be avid buyers and readers and effectively support the magazine in print form. 

I then asked an open question for the responses to give me more qualitative data to examine, what they would specifically want featuring in their ideal music magazine ‘’What do you think should feature in a successful alternate Indie music magazine?’’. The main answers that were repeated quite often were ‘upcoming tours and dates’ and ‘interviews’. 

Next I used another open question, this time on the audiences own opinions on effective colour schemes for my product. From the responses the most reoccurring colours mentioned were ‘black and white’ with additional mention of one or two bright colours incorporated which I should consider using in my own product.

Magazine Publisher - IPC Media/ Time Inc. UK

Another Publisher I think would publish my Music magazine would be Time Inc. UK. Time Inc. UK is Britain’s leading publisher of print and digital magazine content. The international publishing corporation was formed in 1963 and now today, and is now one of the world's leading media companies reaching more than 130 million consumers each month across multiple platforms. 

As of September 30th, 2014, Time Inc. operated approximately 40 websites that collectively have over 100 million average monthly unique visitors around the world. The company also operates integrated publishing businesses that provide content marketing, targeted advertising programs, branded book publishing and marketing and support services.

Time Inc. UK, publishes a very large range of magazines from mainstream women's brands including famous women's titles including Now, Chat, Woman and Goodtoknow; TV entertainment brands including What's on TV, TV Times and TV & Satellite Week. Their specialist portfolio has a wealth of leisure brands including Country Life, Horse & Hound, Rugby World and Decanter, as well as lifestyle brands including Mousebreaker and NME. As well as this they also publish a number of women's fashion and luxury brands including Marie Claire, InStyle and Wallpaper* lifestyle titles including woman&home and Essentials and home interest brands including Ideal Home, Livingetc and housetohome.

Due to their large portfolio of so many different magazines they publish, Time Inc. UK does not just have one specific audience; they are able to cater to a large number of people and their interests. Because of this, I think this publisher would have no problem in publishing my own music Magazine. As it already says, they publish NME a very popular music magazine. As long as they magazine was professional and they think would be successful I don’t think they would have any problem with my product.

Magazine Publisher - Bauer

If I were to publish my magazine, one of the publishers I would most likely go for would be Bauer. Bauer Media is a division of the Bauer Media Group; Europe’s largest privately owned publishing Group. The Group is a worldwide media empire offering over 300 magazines in 15 countries, as well as online, TV and radio stations.

Bauer is the most influential brand in UK media, at any time around the UK 4/10 people are either reading, viewing or listening to something Bauer have made. 

Six of the top ten most influential magazines belong to Bauer itself, with readers receiving authentic, fresh, informed and entertaining content. This content drives people to take action. In fact 42 million actions every month, buying products Bauer recommend, choosing websites they suggest and watching films they rate. The same is true of their radio TV and online brands; every month box TV channels attract 10 million more viewers than MTV.

Bauer’s business is built on influential media brands with millions of personal relationships with engaged readers and listeners. Their strategy is to connect with their audience with excellent content through ‘’broad multi-touch point brand platforms, wherever and whenever and however they want’’.  They do not have any particular target audience in mind; in fact their wide portfolio of influential brands gives them advantages over pure play magazine or radio competitors as they can cater to any audience.

Due to my magazine being a professional Music journalism magazine, targeting at a younger unisex audience, I think Bauer would publish my magazine. They aren’t bound to any specific targeted audience so as long as they thought the magazine is professional and would be successful they wouldn’t say no.

History of the Magazine Industry

Mood Boards and Analysis

Full Music magazine analysis

Textual Analysis