Music Magazine Evaluation

Evaluation

Here is the link to my music magazine evaluation:

http://prezi.com/lvgdxegchff3/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Seven Question

Draft 2

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

My media product challenges other real media products as it offers a new design and interpretation on information, which may offer knowledge that others do not. It utilizes other design techniques from various content from other magazines, such as EMM, NME and Empire, even though these are not the same genre it interprets them to create a new style of design. This new style may attract reader’s due to its unique design, challenging other magazines. It develops not only itself but other magazines as well, promoting design styles that may inspire new designs and offering a newer, modern magazine. Each new magazine that is developed with its own characteristic, fresh design expands the evolution of print media. The contents page of my magazine uses an uncommon colour scheme, using a dark background with white text, standing out key parts of the text with red. My magazine cover picture on the front cover looks to the right rather then towards the reader, this challenges other forms & conventions, as it is an unusual idea used bringing curiosity to the magazine. A convention from another magazine has been used, the left third of the EMM front cover has been used and interpreted to fit the style of my magazine. The initial look of the magazine from the front cover is intriguing due to the blank white background. It gives the feeling of a stylish, unique ambience. (Add a pick of the pick used as inspiration for mag and a pick of mag)

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My media product is based on a dance & house genre music magazine. It is modern and targeted at a young audience with the age range of 16-26. Being targeted at a young audience the initial design and layout of the magazine is inspired from their stereotypical adolescence lifestyle. The style of the magazine is reflected from this stereotype, giving vitality and excitement through an artistic approach. Using various images of people within the targeted age group and adrenaline-fueled places. These images should suffice as they represent the appropriate behavior of a young generation, images with the aspects of being dynamic, riotous and adventurous. (Include images used)

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

The media institution IPC may be interested in my product, as the magazines published by this company are modern and popular, one of the magazines published by this media institution is NME which is one of many popular magazines that is distributed. IPC distribute many magazines such as Nuts and Country Life. The media institution distributes magazines for a wide variety of lifestyles, however they do not distribute any music magazines to a specific genre. My music magazine genre does not link to NME but it offers an expansion into a new market, which has a large target audience. It goes into detail about a particular area of music that is very popular, expanding the media institution’s consumer range and possibly improving cash flow.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The audience for my media product would be youths aged 16-26. The music magazine is a dance & house music genre. These aspects of music are energetic and party based, which is suitable for the selected audience. They will be interested on the latest, most popular music and any party/festival events taking place throughout the year. The genre of music is not gender specific although males are more likely to buy the magazine then females. This is because men are more interested in the details of events where as women tend to just participate in them.

How did you attract/address your audience?

The front-page sub-headings are styled with intriguing font designs, these are used to work with the main image to give an insight on the sort of features and attitude the magazine has. The colour scheme I chose gives the feeling of a stylish, exciting look. The image is of a young person with some anchorage text that is displayed with a unique bold style, explaining what it is, this may attract the chosen audience as the picture relates to their age, intriguing them as to who this someone is, being so young. (Include image of pic used) This may attract readers and the content may intrigue them to read on. On both the front cover and contents page there is an advertisement for competing for an expensive prize, bringing curiosity to readers. MixMag is a popular magazine from my music genre, the initial style of my magazine is based on it, especially the front cover, giving that stylish simplistic look that attracts readers.

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

Throughout the process of making this magazine I have learnt that there is much more to modern technology then realized. The software used in computer systems that are simply sold to the public is more powerful and capable of much more than known. Also, through attempting to create my magazine I have learnt that you need much knowledge on using the I.T. software, knowledge of the functions capable, to be familiar and skillful with the tools, and to have a artistic view. The software iPhoto and Preview on the apple computer system are more useful and capable of more then realized. The pictures I used for my own magazine were altered using these applications, it was through the use of experimenting with the features they offered was that I found they had more to them. When it came to experimenting with font designs I used Pages and Microsoft Word. Each one offered many designs and I found that each can design fonts to a more personlised level for one’s self, personally I found that the apple software Pages offered more variety and personlisation techniques. Whether it be a apply system or Microsoft system people use, each one is more capable and more advanced then people know. I think that I’ve acquired skills on how to use these design software features. How to crop and manipulate images, layout, and text to how I see fit, just like how I’ve done in my own magazine, cropping and edited pictures used in the contents and double page spread.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

From the start of the preliminary task to progressing and finalizing my magazine, I feel like I have learnt much about the computer software I have used. From starting off to now I feel I have also gained an artistic perspective through a magazine editor’s approach. Altering designs from not only my perspective but for the reader’s perspective also, thinking about how the design and layout will be seen as well as how it’s designed. Also, debating and considering on what designs would be suitable and attract the targeted audience, what will catch the reader’s attention and make them curious. Because of learning about this new broadened view of representation and expanded artistic sense, it has interested me about the design aspect of media and may consider moving further into the media design industry. These skills can benefit in the future for example, giving a presentation, when designing it you can think about how it will look and appeal to you through the perspective of the audience. When designing products etc, the consideration of how ideal the outlook of the design will be.

Music Magazine double-page spread

Double-Page Spread draft 4

Here is a improved draft of my double page spread. I removed the top two images of the left side of the page, covering it with a single image. There was empty space that I felt the need to fill, I placed it with quotes of that from other magazines, giving information from what others have said. The text has been increased to cover the majority of the right page. The look of the design and layout is stylish and set out to be like that of a dance magazine. The 'I' symbolises the topic, being the first letter of the artists name. The text for the article is displayed below:

The new profound artist has been pursuing this dream since he was 17, not bad for only 3 years experience. “I was just a usual teen, minding my own business, sitting back with a can of Pepsi whilst looking round the Internet. It was then I found a performance by a DJ called avicii, just seeing the decks and the way he manipulated the effects to create such a good song”. It was then he realized that this is what he wanted to do. “I bought myself some cheap decks and began learning and practicing. A few months went by and I started performing at birthdays and private party events. After some time after that word got out of my talent and clubs were starting to hire me. The atmosphere of what was happening to me was surreal.”

Iridescent has recently signed with Adidas to be the new face of the sports wears company, taking a photo-shoot for their new sports wear magazine as seen on the left. “I can’t believe wants happened lately, it still feels like a dream. I never thought I would become this big, signing to be the new face of a major sports wear company, becoming one of the biggest artists in the UK” says the 20 year old from Liverpool­­­. The rising star has become a local hero, and is a huge supporter of Help the Heroes.

He talks about how it felt the first time he performed in front of hundreds. “The pressure was suffocating, I could not believe how nervous I was, and I could barely stand.” However, as soon as the young artist got on stage, the rhythm flowed and his love for his music became lionized. Over the last 14 months the artist has gone through a huge transition, from working at club to club till a certain someone noticed his talent. This someone is Hugh Dewar and he is now managing the young artist. Iridescent has signed on a record deal with Spinoff Records and is now becoming more popular then anyone ever thought.

The newly released album ‘G6’ is officially the first published album by the artist, we managed to grab a quote from the artist about it “This album will official mark my steps in music history, I thoroughly enjoyed making it, it will be the pure backbone of my music”. The newly released album has already sold thousands of units and has become one of the UK’s top 5 sold albums.

What is he up to now? We managed to catch up with the artist and find out what his latest project is…

“At the moment I am working on a new single, but what will make this different from the rest is that I am going to make it the quintessence of life through the use of dance music. What inspired me to take up such an idea is that I wanted to create a single that would convey its beauty, serenity, and magnificence.”

Speaking with his manager, Iridescent is scheduled to play at many events this summer, his popularity his risen rapidly. He is signed to play at the Cream Ibiza event in of course Ibiza, the world’s number one party spot, he’s sure to bring the house down there with that kind of atmosphere. The artist is also scheduled to play right here at the UK’s biggest dance festival the nation has to offer, Creamfields 2014. This year is a very exciting year for Iridescent, it has official become the kick start of a whole new world for the young artist.