Evaluation of school magazine

For my preliminary task I was given the task to design and make the front cover and contents page for a school magazine. Straight away I was keen to begin my work as I already have a good strong interest in magazines. I split my making of the magazine into sections, the planning, my research, photography and then putting it all together to create my final piece. I feel already I had a good understanding of the key conventions of a magazine¸ from past knowledge and making of magazines. I planned my ideas, and feel that I put them all together to create the best magazine I could. I believe that my effort throughout was consistent, and I was willing to learn new skills for etc when using Indesign. I feel my final magazine pages hugely fit the brief and the conventions of a realistic school magazine. I believe that my front cover really stands out, the use of the school colours, strong medium close up of student taking up half the page and the good use of fonts and heading, all grab the attention of potential readers. I that my contents page looks very realistic and now I have a good understanding of how industries use photo software such as Indesign and Photoshop, When looking at my work I think that the work I produced does reflect my hard effort and passion for media studies, especially in the form of magazines.



My images I used for my magazine were all images that I went out and conducted and myself, here giving it the traditional school surroundings. I captured photos of all different age groups and genders, here because I got a realistic approach to if this was a real school magazine and was being aimed at all years of 7-13. I decided that for the image on my front cover, I would use a student from year 11, as this is classed as a mature student and I feel for the colours and layout of the cover it fitted in perfectly. I Photo shopped the image, just adding a little brightness and contrast to make specific elements stand out, for example the school badge and the models eyes making the bluer so its more eye catching to potential readers. I think that the layout of my images on the contents page fit perfectly, and tremendously make it look like a professional contents page for this type of magazine. The landscape image at the top of that page automatically brighten up the page, because the image is out a group of friends of which I took of year 11 students, outside, with bright colours al being shown. Down the right hand side there is also 3 images, again 2 of which are of students again of different ages, some from year 9 and sixth form. I decided that I wanted all of the images to look as professional as possible, using a plain background and trying not to manipulate and change the images. I wanted to keep the contrast on pictures and colours the same, so simple yet classic and effective photos were taken. On the cover and the contents page I wanted to keep the same colours and fonts throughout, to keep a consistent theme and professional layout. I used the colours same as from our school, red, black, navy and white, and I tried to use the images to fit around all of these colours and layouts. I feel my photography skills were put to the test, but I do however feel I put much effort in to put the photos together and make the images the best I could, and contributing to making my magazine fit the conventions and look like a professional product.




For this task, it was the first time I had ever used the software Indesign and Photoshop. Here however I saw a opportunity to learn the skills so that again in the future I would know how to use these and apply them to my work. I found it very interesting using software that is used in media industries, as an insight for me for the future. For my front cover, I used Microsoft publisher to conduct it, as I felt comfortable using this program. For my contents page I used Indesign, which at first was a challenge as you learn how to use it and the skills as you go through putting your work together which can be very time consuming. However on the other hand I feel that in the future I will be using Indesign and Photoshop for most of my publication work, as the standard at the end was much higher than I had ever used before. It gave a professional layout, good structure and the use of applying colours and photos was easy. I was pleased with the result as it made it look like a very professional product, and alongside with my front cover which I had made on publisher I feel all of it fitted together perfectly, because I followed the same conventions throughout, the same colour scheme, the same fonts and the pictures all had a particular theme.



Overall i’m extremely happy with my preliminary task of a school magazine. I learned so much on top of my knowledge of magazines. I feel that the skills I learned I can now put together and forward when doing other publication work, especially in the areas of software such as Indesign and photo manipulation like Photoshop. I’m extremely happy with the professional look and finish of my magazine, it had all of the key conventions of a proper magazine, the photos were took to the best standard I could and the time and effort I feel I put it contributed widely to the professional finished looking product.

Here is a copy of my school magazine front cover.

Here is a copy of my prelinary task of which i did. I was given the task to make a front cover and contents page, and here is the contents page which i made of In design.

The colours are the magazines logo red, also there is black to give the magazine and eye-catching impact effect on the reader.
The contents page features again the basics of a magazine contents has such as a mast head, again showing the logo of the magazine and the title.
On the left hand side of the page there is a section for the bands.This allow the reader to see the new and upcoming band in the next few issues. The colour sceme also allow the magazine to seem vibrant.

The main image is a image of the featured artist in the magazine in this case its Oasis. The image is of a long shot of two of the men. Some of the writing is made to stand out agian appearing to the readers.

There is also headings for all of the main features agian making it stand out to all over the readers, making sure all the colours contrast and fit together.

This is the current front cover for Q magazine, and the way in which the front cover is shot and put together is of a similar layout to which i would like the front cover for my own music magazine. The image is over a very high quality, of which i aim to use a photo manipulation program such as photo shop in order to help me get the best quality photos. I also aim to use a close up or medium close up photo in order to create the best picture on the front cover and to make it eye catching and appealing to potential readers.

Here, i am now going to start the task for my AS media coursework, and to produce my own Music Magazine. I firstly need to do some intial research into the understanding of existing music magazinr that are already around from a simular genre and style to which i want to produce my music magazine like. I aim to produce a magazine with simular style and layout to ones such as Q magazine and NME. I would like my music magazine to have all the key conventions of a magazine and a music magazine, im particual the front cover, contents page, double page spread and a article with the main features.

When looking in close detial at Q magazine and analysing it, Q magazine also has other conventions and features such as an extensive review section, featuring: new releases (music), reissues (music), music compilations, film and live concert reviews, as well as radio and television reviews. It uses a star rating system from one to five stars; indeed, the rating an album receives in Q is often added to print and television advertising for the album in the UK and Ireland. It also compiles a list of approximately eight albums, which it classes as the best new releases of the last three months. Much of the magazine is devoted to interviews with popular musical artists.

These are all conventions and features which i wish to use and produce in my AS media coursework.
I would like my main feature(band) to be based around a new and upcomming girl group, however i would like my magazine to be aimed at males and femals so therefore keeping in mind the colours and designs i use, keeping the magazine apealing to both.

For my AS media studies coursework, i had a breif that i have to follow. I have been set a preliminary task of which i had to create a front cover and a contents page for a school magazine. For my main task i have been given the task to create a front page, contents page, and double page spread for a new music magazine, making it as realistic as possible. To make it the best i can, i aim to use a photo manipulation program and also a desktop publisher. I am going to use the blog as a place to present my work and the on going process of developing my work.

NME

NME – NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS



Choice 2 : NME “ First for music news”
The New Musical Express (better known as the NME) is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly by IPC MEDIA since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition. The magazine's commercial heyday was during the 1970s when it became the best-selling British music magazine. During the period 1972 to 1976 it was particularly associated with gonzo journalism, then became closely associated with punk rock through the writing of Tony Parsons and Julie Burchill. NME is a British weekly music magazine. Featuring agenda-setting news, the UK's most comprehensive gig guide, definitive reviews of the week's hottest gigs, tracks and albums, and fiery comment from the nation's most opinionated writers, it's the essential guide to the week in music. Krissi Murison was named the magazine's eleventh editor on July 29, 2009. The magazine's first female editor, she took over on September 1, 2009. Arctic Monkeys, The Smiths, Klaxons and Oasis were all introduced to the world via the pages of NME. NME comes out every Wednesday, is priced £2.30 and is available in all good newsagents. NME has a circulation of 48,459.
• It is now the longest standing, most famous and biggest selling weekly music publication in the world.
• NME has chronicled and helped to shape the history of music over the last 50 years.
• Today NME remains at the cutting edge of new music.
• NME supports breaking talents as they emerge into the mainstream and gains unique access to the world's superstars


The content of NME

The content of NME magazine is huge, spreading wide across the mucis insustry and the news. Its content is things such as, Music news - up to the minute news from around the world featuring the biggest and coolest names , Exclusive features on the biggest names in music from established artists to the future music stars. Singles reviews - NME reviews of the UK's essential downloads, single and music video releases, album reviews - NME offers the most authoritative and influential reviews of albums prior to their release. Live reviews of the most exciting performances from around the world and gig guides - the biggest and the best gig guide in the UK covering the smallest to the largest music venues. Access to photographs taken by NME's world - renowned music photographers and much of this content feeds from the award winning website NME.com including the latest news, features and reviews from the music scene.




The publishing institution of NME
IPC Media is a leading UK consumer magazine publisher, started in 1968. Almost two in every three UK women and over 44% of UK men read an IPC magazine. That's almost 26 million UK adults.
IPC's diverse print and digital portfolio offers something for everyone. Our 80 magazines include What's on TV, Pick Me Up, Woman, Now, Marie Claire, In Style, Woman & Home, Ideal Home, Nuts, Wallpaper*, Country Life, The Field, Rugby World, Practical Boat Owner and Look, our latest high street fashion and celebrity weekly. Our digital properties include NME.com, the third largest commercial music website in the UK and housetohome.co.uk, the UK's first homes portal. IPC’s brands are very simply at the heart of the UK's cultural life.







The typical reader profile
Visually looking at the NME front covers, it seems that the magazine is in particular aimed at men. It would be aimed at someone who is very much involved in music, maybe is already in a band or is looking to enter the main music industry. As NME is a weekly magazine, the reader profile would be someone that can afford to buy it.

This image founded, shows what people would expect the typical reader to be like.






Layout Trademarks of NME

NME is the same as any other magazine. It has all the conventions to make it a perfect weekly magazine, showing and contributing to its status and well earned reputation.
NME shows all the latest music, photo shoots and stories on artists, the latest news and many more. Fantastic photography and good layouts are used to make sure that the magazine is to a excellent quality, and making it clear and readable for the reader.






Here is a selection of pages from a NME magazine. It’s clear that all of the main conventions are displayed, great pictures, bold heading, and articles all fitting in with the main image of the magazine.




The Images are all over a extremely high quality, and are very clear. The imagea are big, setting the scene for the article, and showing the band Cleary. The Images all a extremely high quality, and are very clear. The articles are often out in columns, with a bold, clear heading standing out clearly across the page. All of the Colours fit contrasting with each other.



Does NME reflect the values of its audience?
NME has a great track record - 50 years experience of cutting edge journalism for music fans and the most Up To Date - NME.COM is the first with music news around the world, with real time updates. Its extremely accurate - If you want the truth and confidence in what you publish then choose NME.COM
Access to the stars - Every day of the week, any where in the world NME is reviewing all the biggest names and the newest bands. It has easy Integration, the content delivered to you whenever and however you want it and it’s extremely cost effective - A fraction of the true commission cost, and access to the best writers.

Analysis of Vogue magazine

Choice 1 : VOGUE- “ Fashion as it happens”

Introduction
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine published in 16 countries by Condé Nast Publications. Each month, Vogue publishes a magazine addressing topics of fashion, life and design. Vogue is a highly prestigious high end fashion magazine. Vogue has recently been described as "the world's most influential fashion magazine". Vogue is most famous as a presenter of images of high fashion and high society, but it also publishes writings on art, culture, politics, and ideas. It has also helped to enshrine the fashion model as a celebrity. Vogue is regularly criticized, along with the fashion industry it writes about, for valuing wealth, social connections, and low body weight over more noble achievements. The British edition of Vogue, its editor in chief is Alexandra Shulman and is published monthly by condé Nast Publications monthly, with a circulation of 220,000. British Vogue is a fashion magazine that has been published since 1916. British Vogue is more commercial in approach than other editions of Vogue. It is the most profitable British magazine as well as the most profitable Vogue besides the US edition. In 2007, it ran 2,020 pages of advertising at an average of £16,000 a page.
This magazine can also be found online at www.Vogue.com



The content of Vogue
Vogue is a fashion insider. It shows content (about 90% of it shows advertising for different designers) for what is "in style" for that specific season that the issue comes out for. It has tons of glamorous ads ranging from clothing designers to jewelry designers. A vogue magazine shows all the key conventions of a fashion magazine. When flicking through a Vogue magazine, its not hard to realize that most of the Magazine is adverts, however most of these adverts are for high end fashion brands, showing sexy glamorous adverts, all which fit in with the image of the magazine, showing adverts from brands such as Jimmy Choo and Chanel.





The front cover of a vogue magazine, without doubt always has a well known celebrity or model on the front, which fits the image perfectly. The image is normally shown from a medium shot, showing from the waist upwards, in practically concentrating on the face of the model/celebrity. It’s often said that if you are on the cover of a vogue magazine, then you have earned status and reached the top and you are extremely successful. Kate moss is the famous model who has appeared on the cover of vogue more than anyone else. There is always a glossy, glamorous front cover, and within the issues there’s is hundreds of adverts. However there is also fashion spread, sections on current trends, the latest fashion shows and best dressed of the month. Huge Fashion spreads and fashion shoots with the most dream able clothes features and the most beautiful models in the world. There is often a article or interview with a celebrity, often the one featured on the front. There is a huge section on beauty and hair, which all of this comes straight of the catwalk into the magazine. There are lifestyle articles, often on travel or gardening, and art and exhibitions. Vogue offers something for everybody, its wide double page spreads, glossy, glamour and sexy photo shoots, the latest high end fashion, showing ranges of designers, catwalk hair and makeup and then a contrast with articles on lifestyle and art, all contribute to it being the top selling fashion magazine in uk.











The Publishing Institution of vogue


Condé Nast Publications, Inc. is a worldwide magazine publishing company. Its main offices are located in London, Madrid, Miami, Milan, New York, Paris and Tokyo. Condé Nast is run by S.I. Newhouse Jr. Condé Nast Publications publish Vogue every month, not only in the United Kingdom but also America. Condé Nast is award winning, for publishing the world’s most stylish magazines. It also publishes magazine such as GQ, Glamour, Vanity Fair, Good Housekeeping, Easy Living, GQ Style, and many more. Condé Nast is credited with creating the now widely used magazine marketing strategy emphasizing magazines focused on a particular class or interest, sometimes known as lifestyle magazines. Many Condé Nast magazines have their principal focus in fashion, although the company's publications also include travel, food, home, culture, and other interests. By 1998 the group included 17 such publications, many of them the largest in their markets. It had an average total circulation of over 13 million issues a month, and an estimated actual readership five times larger than that.



The Typical Reader Profile
Vogue is always classed as a very high prestigious fashion magazine, aimed at people who are highly interested in fashion or like to keep up on the current trends that there are. Its aimed at a mature audience, over the age of 18, however nether the less doesn’t mean to say that younger girls who like fashion who aspire to work in that industry cant read it.
The depth of the magazine is very detailed on fashion, reporting trends and good strong articles. The range of articles are all from high end brands, enforcing the idea that maybe people who read Vogue are people who can afford to buy things from the fashion houses. Often people subscribe to Vogue, these are people that are dedicated to the magazine and have probably been reading it for many years. Its also aimed at a journalistic audience, people who love to read and write, aspiring journalist or writers. Vogue can be broken down into subgenres as there is a huge audience who read it every month.







Vogue magazine set out there magazines making sure that all of the key conventions for a highly prestigious fashion magazine is there.

There photo shoots for there fashion shoots would be very professional to a excellent standard. The images for these fashion shoots would take up a whole pages, normally double page spreads or a few pages on a selection of clothes. There could also often be a article which sometimes goes with it, especially if the photo shoot was on a celebrity or authority figure.
There pages often have a few pages of fashion, and then there may be several pages of fashion adverts, all of which again are high end fashion adverts.


Much of the articles are written in columns, making it organised, presentable and readable for the person reading the magazine. It’s a glossy magazine, which through he images and writing gives a extra reason for its high earned status.

When first opening the magazine, there is often around 25 pages or straight adverts, and then 2 pages of contents, and a editors letter. More adverts and then straight into fashion, the main content of the magazine. Often concentrating on the main fashion trends and shows, what celebrities are wearing, the newest designer clothes, all of which the reader would lust for. There is then a huge section on beauty and hair, followed by the main article of the magazine, and then numerous fashion shoots. The back pages are often filled with adverts too, however with the very back cover a advertisement which would oh cost thousands of pounds to be featured there.















Does Vogue Reflect the values of its audience?

Vogue is one of the top selling high end fashion magazine in the world. Its earned a high end status for giving the reader exactly what they want. A glossy fashion magazine, with designers everywhere, the latest fashions and also articles debating the latest global issues, sometimes on fashion, and then in contrast the next month on the global recession. The reader gets a bit of everything when they read Vogue, A filled magazine, which with the good reputation and status it has, will continue to receive issue after issue with the content and conventions it continues to deliver.

New blog :)

New Blog! Created for media studies AS level at school. Pretty basic atm but does the job!