Feedback- As Media Main Task - Rhiannon Sanders

After completeing my music magazine i decided to get it analysed by members of the target audience so i took it into the college one lunch time and got a random sample of 10 males and 10 females all between the age of 16-19 to assess my flat plans and final design of my magazine. These were the results:

Looking at the flat plans we can see that 6/10 males liked it and 9/10 females did. When i asked people as to why they didnt like the idea of it they said that it was down to the fact there wasnt enough on the contents page and that it looked 'messy'. After showing them the finished design the numbers changed 7/10 males said they liked the finished plan and 10/10 females did. When i asked the males as to why they didnt like the magazine they said it was too girly, although the colours were 'punky' and were different from most magazines it just seemed to appeal more to a female audience. I then asked both the males and the females what they liked about the magazine. Both genders said they they liked the photos and the colours used. They said that the photos included in the magazine were really good and that the poses pulled by daria and the photos used on the contents page such as the green room photo really let the audience relate to the person in the photograph. Eye contact they said was something which made them want to read on more about the magazine.

After them telling them what they liked and disliked about the magazine i asked them what they thought i could do to improve the magazine: The main points made were that people thought that the article on the two page spread shouldve been longer and could have had a large interview with Daria on it. They also thought that the use of more brighter colours or variations of the colours would have been a good idea.

These are two bar charts showing the male and female views of my flat plans and my final design.

Overall after hearing other peoples views of my magazine i have come to the conclusion if i was to do my magazine again i would make sure that the colours appeal to both genders instead of mainly one. Although they link into the genre of the magazine there are other colours which fit into the category which appeal to both genders. I have also learnt that i should probably do a check of my magazine with people as i go along. If i show people my progress with my magazine then i can see if they like how its going and i get their view on what they think looks good and what doesnt look good.

Evaluation of the finished magazine - As Media Main Task - Rhiannon Sanders

In this section i will be analysing my own music magazine and comparing back to my flatplans. This section will look at My Front Cover, Contents Page and Two Page Spread.

This is the front cover of my magazine - ListenUP! (LU!). After re-looking at my flat plans i decided to adapt it various ways therefore it is very different to what i was going to do.

Firstly i decided to change the photo from a combined photo of U-Turn and Daria* to a single full body shot of Daria* I then decided to put it as the main photo on the page and let it fill the page. This meant i didnt have to put a background in. Having a background on the front cover means the photo will be smaller which may mean that the audience dont take as much notice of it. I decided to use the edited version as it added a block colour of pink into the front cover helping to attract the audience. Although the non edited photo is also in colour i decided to use this one as the 'different' look helps to show the generalised style of the magazine which in this case is Indie. Similar to many magazines in the same genre such as 'NME' and 'Kerrang' a big photo taking up the whole cover is used. They also use a photo which makes a statement which is memorable for example on the NME front cover i analysed earlier we can see the poses of the band and the different colours of clothing makes the photo memorable and stand out on the white background. After deciding to change the photo i had to decide on the texts to use. At first i decided to use block letters in capitals to make it stand out however after looking at different fonts and analysing what is used in Indie Genre magazines i changed the style and went for a 'stamp' look which gives the sense of difference. After looking at different combinations of capitals and lower case i went for capitals and lower case. ListenUP. Before i put it into my magazine i changed the colours around and the spacing of the letters which lead me to decide to have white text and to make it quite wide. This made it bigger for the audience to see. The rest of the text on my page was all Arial however after trying to change the colours of the text i stumbled across an effect which let me only do an outline. This means i can have a block colour on the outline of the text but the rest of the colours will be the background photo. The colours i used for the text on the page changed throughout the page. A different story would be in a different colour. Changing the style of the text and using the photo to cover the whole of the front cover meant the organisation of the text had to change to fit around the photo. In Kerrang magazine the text is in block letters which stands out which is different from mine. However with the use of spacing in the text on my title meant that i can still gain the 'standing out' effect. The barcode and issue number are simple and are in the same place as on my flat plan. The barcode is vital for being able to pay for a magazine. Putting it down in the corner means that it is easily visable. Similar to this placing the issue number up in the top corner means it will catch your eye but not take it away from the main purpose of the front cover (to tell you what the contents of the magazine is). Most magazines leave the barcode in a place which is easy to see so that it can be easily paid for. However the magazine issue number normally goes where the barcode is but with a space at the top i decided to add that in. On my flat plan i also decided to put cliparts/graphics around the photo and title, this was designed to add a individual/different look to the magazine however this wasnt possible when i made the decision to increase the size of the photo.

Like most of my magazine the flat plans for the front cover are very different from the magazine now. However the contents of the pages and the photos has pretty much stayed the same and only has slight variations.

This is my contents page, for this one i decided to use a background instead of a photo. After narrowing down the choices to two different colours i decided to do a gradient where they mixed into eachother. Most magazines use a plain background normally white or black; this helps people with a simple look. Which doesnt side track the reader. If we take a look at the Kerrang contents page i analysed earlier we can see that they have used a white background. With a table layout for the photos. The use of table photos means it has a neat layout but you can still see the 'indie' look because of the photos used. In my magazine flat plan i decided to place the photos at the bottom in a line. After moving the photos around i decided to put them in a column down the right hand side of the page. You are more like to look at the photos first so i put three photos on the page which are most likely to have the biggest impact. I then placed the page number of the article in the bottom corner of the photo. Therefore they dont have to read through the contents page;The contents page on magazines is the least read page in any magazine and is generally referred to so people can find the article they are looking for. At the top of the page i put the title 'CONTENTS' so to notify the audience of what the page is. I decided to use a different text from the front cover title but to make the indie style i used one with 'bouncy' letters and a font which enabled me to put a star into the title. Like the front cover i used spacing to make the letters stand out more. In my flat plans i decided to dot the stories in random places across the page using different angles and styles of text, when i attempted this it meant i couldnt have too many words on it as they would overlap. It also added a messy disorganised look which meant as a reader you would be distracted from the photos and maybe decide not to bother reading it. So i decided to change this idea and instead i put the stories in a column going down the page in numerical order. I used a basic font for this - Arial. It looks neat and is also clear and simple. The main story - which was on the front cover i made larger than the other stories i decided to do this because as i mentioned earlier not many spend time reading the contents page so if they are looking to read the main article it is easy enough for them to find it. I also decided to use a middle spacing layout this made it look neat but also didnt take up the whole of the page. The message from the editor to the readers was orignially supposed to be put in the right hand corner. In most magazines such as the magazines i analysed we can see that the editors message normally goes at the top of the page under the title. In ListenUP we put the editors message under the title yet in the middle this worked well as the articles on the contents page were put into a column. The name Listen up was done exactly the same as on the front with the use of capitals on the word 'up'. I also put capitals on the word England i decided to do this as it is a magazine designed for people in the UK and makes the reader aware of it. There is also a big underneath the contents notifying the reader of subscription - there is a special offer advertised which will make the reader consider buying it as its cheaper than buying the magazine each week, normally a subscription or advertisement would go in a coloured strip at the bottom of the page. In NME and Kerrang they use a simple colour and add a small advertisement which would be explained on a different page. In NME they use a black box with white writing in. This stands out from the rest of the page as its adding a block colour in. In my magazine i decided not to use colour this is because the use of a different style text worked as a boundary between the contents and the advertisement. I was also going to use clipart or my own designed images on the contents page. Originally i thought these would add a different but retro look to my page which helped to add a unique look. I decided to try and make these on the programme indesign, the original designs were hard to make on this programme so i chose to do simple lines and circles however similar to the random placing of the articles i found it hard to find a specific place which wouldnt take up the whole page. This meant i had to change my plan again. In the end i decided to do simple block stamps on the page (stars) in black. They stood out against my background and added a cool look to the page
This is the first page to my two page spread. I decided to focus my two page spread on the front cover story; Daria. Following my flat plans i decided to dedicate this page to only a photo. This showed a main link to the story on the second page. The photo i used was a head shot of Daria, this has good eye contact going on. Eye contact helps to form a link between the reader and the person in the photo. I decided to go for the 'scrapbook' look and i put the photo on and put white rectangles around it looking as if it has been taped in. Scrap books are a big thing for young people and most magazines do a scrapbook layout in their magazines. I stuck the name in white at the top over the corner of the photo to also link in with the scrap book effect. The font i used is the same as what i used on the contents page, i decided to use it as its a bouncy fun font and with only one simple bit of text on this page it would stand out alot against the photo. Similar to the contents page i used a gradient background. Most magazines do have coloured backgrounds and i thought i would continue with the same colour scheme throughout the whole magazine. I decided to do a gradient with pink into black and continue it on the other page with it running the opposite way so it looked flowing. At the bottom of my page there are a few symbols on my page. These symbols just added a different look to the page. I didnt want to add anymore photos as it would draw the attention away from the main photo. In the double spreads i analysed earlier one of the two pages is normally dedicated to a photo however they have a little bit more text on it; generally explaining what the pages were about.

The text on this page says:

The ‘Indie Scene’ has taken over the south coast and everyone is there!
At the age of 17 and in her first year in the music industry shes really giving it a go, with 6 singles 5 of which hit the top 15 in the UKtop40 and her one off concert selling out in three day shes definately somebody to keep your eye on.
Since she was 6 shes had the inside experience of the indie/rock music industry - her father Rod Donnis was drummer for the band UTURN until they split after 20 songs and 2 albums. Darias* rockstar upbringing has meant being a singer has always been her ambition/ with people such as Katy Perry mentioning her in interviews her style and songs are definately making a trade mark.
When we caught up with her in her home town of Eastbourne she took LU! for a bag of chips and a walk along the pier where we found out about her view on the music industry today."Theres alot of great bands out there but most of them are too similar which ruins the whole magic of music. Music is supposed to have meaning and power behind it which isnt easily visable in todays music. With everyone singing about how ‘they’ve had their hearts broken’ it gets boring. It has to be memorable not only a catchy tune but with lyrics which mean something. Sooner or later people are going to get bored of whats out there if its all the same. So to break the loop and be different i decided to be outrageous and do a hyper song. A catchy beat about being in a good mood. Different i know and from just talking about it you’re going to think its crap but dont judge it till you hear it and you may be impressed. The lyrics have a meaning and are pretty fun. I had a great laugh recording the video and making this song in Eastbourne.


This is the second page to my two page spread, this page is dedicated to my article which is linked into the the photo next to it. The article is about Daria* the latest person on the indie scene. The article is linked to the whole magazine as she is from the south east. My local magazine idea has been emphasised here. I decided to use a plain/simple coloured font so that it stood out against the background, if it is not easy to read then people wont bother to read it. The text isnt too small and isnt too big. With a simple font it meant it was easy to read and looked presentable. I did a summary title at the top which summarised who and what it was about. I tried to make the writing as visable as possible and added a wider spacing gap so it wasnt too scrunched together therefore making sure people want to read it. On most magazines youd have bigger bolder writing highlightin remarks which have been made in an interview. If i had done that i would have had to limit my story. I did add a few quotes but not that many and didnt highlight them. I used the same background as i have done on the other page and the contents page however i have switched the colours round, if you look at the two page spread together we can see that the gradient colours flow from pink into black and back into pink. This helps to emphasise that the pages are somehow linked together. I have also added pictures to the bottom of the page, these are other photos i have taken of Daria, the different photos link into the article as i spoke about catching up with her in a local hotspot, the pier. The background of the pictures show different areas of the pier and also show the sea. My flat plans of this page do not include any photos and i just put text on, this would have benefitted me as i would be able to improve the article and add in quotes in bold however by doing this it looked boring and 'too much' so that is why i added a few pictures to the page.

If i was to do my two page spread again i would add a little bit of text most likely to be an introduction to the page with just the photo on this means i can go into more depth with the text and i could copy other magazines and emphasise the quotes made by Daria.

I also changed my story on my page and instead of talking about her music influences and how shes in competition with others i focussed it on her so people could get a low down on the newest artist who is predicted to be a big hit.

Like most magazines i have used traditional magazine points to help me promote my magazine and make it look appealing, neat and presentable. I have used a column layout to make it look neat and put a sense of order to it. I also decided to use photos which use eye contact so that the readers can be drawn in and it forms a sort of link between the audience and person in the picture. I have also used a simple layout of the titles/barcode and tag line which is used in many magazines; making it easier for people to 'scan the barcode' or to identify the magazine.
However there are also some 'new' things which i have used in my magazine which arent used in other magazines. I decided that i would use coloured backgrounds on each page, this is different from most magazines as they use simple plain backgrounds so not to distract the viewer. The idea behinde this was to help with the 'style' of the magazine and help emphasise the difference between this magazine and the other magazines. I have also used bright colours so that the attention of the audience will be drawn to the magazine. Bright colours stand out so will catch the eye quicker. The different style of font used on the contents page is also different from many other magazines, normally it is a simple font e.g Arial/Times New Roman however i have decided to use a font i found on Dafont.com. I decided to use this as it makes the page more interesting to look at. People dont normally spend much time on the contents page but with different text it makes it more interesting for the reader.

Gaining a large audience for my magazine is my aim however it is more important that the audienceis suitable for the type of magazine. When i decided to make ListenUP i decided to aim it at students both male and female around 16-19. The younger adult. Not only because they are at the age of where music is a big influence to their identity but also because this age group is more likely to buy a magazine and are likely to go to gigs/concerts. I also decided to make it a local magazine; the South East. By targetting my audience to this group of people i had to think about the stories they would want to hear and what will appeal to them. Being an Indie magazine meant it was going to be different and have a look which would have to stand out against other magazines. To do this i chose colours which stood out and are bright therefore appeal to the young adult audience, language which wasnt too formal and was simple to understand but also used phrases or styles of writing (using capitals and lower case letters mixed up- ListenUP) which are different, fonts which had a memorable look (The Contents page has a symbol at the end of the title) and costumes; clothes which would be worn by the Indie kids. I looked at each little thing and attempted to make it look different from other magazines in this genre.

Publishing my magazine is vital for it to be noticed/purchased/to make profit, to do this i need to look at who would be best suitable. As my magazine is local to the South East I'd need to choose a publisher which has very good distribution levels in the area or just publishes in this area. As the articles included in the magazine are all about whats happening down the South or people who are local it means that it would be insignificant to anyone in any other area. After publishing it we have to look at who may stock the magazine, to gain a larger audience i would probably put it in most shops such as Tesco/Sainsburys or corner shops. They sell local newspapers which are very popular and there arent many local music magazines so it could be very popular. However as its only going to be in the South East distribution will have to targetted aswel therefore maybe putting it in shops which are specifically linked to the indie genre and record store such as HMV who have indie sections.

While producing the magazine i have used two new programmes which i hadnt used before - indesign and photoshop. They are very complex programmes to use however once you get the hang of them they are easy to use. Indesign provided me with the tools i needed to edit my text and design my magazine in the way i wanted i was able to go into much more editing depth than i would do with any other programme. For example the title text which i found on Dafont was easy to download and put onto my page. Photoshop also helped with the editing for example on the photo i used on the front cover i needed to get a perfect line of pink around Daria* this was made easier with the tools photoshop has. However some simple tasks which would have been simple to complete on paint/other editing programmes was made harder as there were specific ways you had to complete them.

Overall i think that my magazine portrays the genre that i decided to use, however i didnt stick to my flat plans, this worked well as i was able to improve my magazine but also in a negative way as the flat plans are there to help me and by changing it they are useless.

If i look back at my preliminary task i can see i have learnt alot. I have looked in depth about target audiences and what they like and the layout of magazines. Although my preliminary task was layed out in a simple way the use of columns/tables meant i was able to keep it neat. I also think i played it 'safe' because of the colours and the fact my background was left plain. Now i have learnt about target audiences i have learnt to link everything to the style and the genre.

Photo Edits - As Media Main Task - Rhiannon Sanders

This is the photo i have used for the front cover of my magazine. The photo was originally taken in full colour and after editing it in black/white and sepia i decided that colour was making more of a statement for her. After decided the base colour i added a tone colour for the background.

By cropping round Daria and the lampost i was able to select just the background - the sea. The use of a bright colour helps emphasise the individuality and statement making which Darias characteristics follow. I tried really bright colours such as blue green and yellow but i decided pink was ideal. Pink brings across her feminin side and also adds a 'punky' look to the photo.
I decided to just do the background in a different colour as it makes her stand out.

This photo is going to be used on my contents page, i decided to crop the photo down and just have a full top half of the body shot. Cutting it down has meant that the photo is focusing on Daria as its taken most of the background out.

The photo was already in black and white and as it gives a different look on the photo i decided to keep it and instead i added a name at the side. The text i used is a simple text in Arial and is in capitals this means its easy to read and catches the eye. I then decided to add a colour changing from Pink to Black. These colours are specifically linked in to the more indie/punk sort of genre as the girls link in a bright girly colour with the black statement making colour. By mixing them together it makes the writing stand out and adds a bit of colour to the photo.

Using this on my contents page its showing who she is without having to read anything, this is an upside if the reader is only wanting to look at this article.

This is the photo i shall be using as my main photo on my two page spread, i decided to use a headshot for this as it is focuses on her and it brings the audience in. In this photo Daria is looking straight at the camera this works well as it shows eye contact between the reader and Daria.

Eye contact between people makes things more personal so in terms of a article in a magazine it draws the reader in to read about it. This can also be linked into the hands up to the face, this action generally gives the assumption people are in shock however in this photo we can see through her eyes and the way her eyebrows are raised she is smiling or happy, so as a result we get a shocked or mischievious look.

To edit this photo i used GIMP - GNU image manipulation programme. The programme is a relatively simple photo editing programme. Which lets me add effects and adapt photos to my desire. I took this photo in black and white and then changed the tone colour to purple. This gave it a different look and a colour. Photos in magazines are generally black/white, sepia, negative or normal. By using a simple colour its adding a new look to the photo, adding style and individuality. I decided i would go for a darker colour as this would benefit me with my next effect.

The second effect i used was spotlight, the use of a spotlight can enable a photo to focus on just one area, in this case i used it to focus on her face. I tried various amounts of light and then various angles which the light comes at. After looking at many different spotlights i decided to go on a face on light with a white light and black edges. The use of this with the dark purple meant that in the middle it was a simple black and white photo and then slowly changed into a purple photo and then into black round the edges.

With the use of eye contact and a spotlight i have been able to build up a photo which will draw the audience in and make them want to read on and find out about her.

Photos - As Media Main Task - Rhiannon Sanders

For my magazine i have taken many different photos, most of the photos are of Daria for the main article and front cover however i also have photos to link into other stories which i am putting on my contents page. This then gives me many different photos from different areas which link into the music industy and in particular the indie scene. These include Green Room photos, a concert and a photo shoot of Daria.

The photos taken in the green were taken at an after party they are shots of one member of a band. The photo used is a full body shot where he is making a statement. The band member has already expressed his style through the use of his clothing but also with the pose he is doing he is adding to the individual look. I decided to take this photo because it shows he is posing for the magazine and shows interaction between him and the readers.

These photos are all taken at concerts. The idea to add all of these will benefit the genre of my magazine, they are from a range of different styles of music appealing to many different voices as the age of groups varies. It will also appeal to people of different areas as one of the photos is of a band member from an American band. You have photos of the band members singing, photos of the band members talking to the audience and also setting up for the concert/song. The lighting in the photos adds to the effect. The older band has simple lighting and the newer bands have newer styles/effects with the lighting.

Clothing in photos plays a large role in the effect of the photo. The photo of the band member - Jesse preparing to play is messy - skinnies and a t-shirt with messed up hair. This style is generally stereotyped with the Indie scene. Simple but effective. The singer in the dress with pig tails shows that he has a different style and is making a big impact. This will draw the audience in - either for entertainment (laughing) or because they think its interesting.

These two photos will play a big part in my magazine as they show the main person involved with my magazine story/front cover. The photos are both taken on the pier of Eastbourne. Linked into the the story which talks about her being from the South East - Eastbourne. The pier/seafront is one of the main attractions of Eastbourne. The two photos are different because of the colour effects - natual and grayscale.

Like the other photos clothing has been chosen to aid the style of magazine. the clash in two different angles of stripes on her jacket and t-shirt make it stand out. Combined with the use of accesories of different styles of things she likes it adds to the statement making idea.

The first photo is in grayscake this photo will be going in my magazine with the 2page spread. I decided to take the photo in grayscale to get a range of different effect photos. The use of black and white has a significant individual effect. The black and white is making a statement and as the only black and white photo it draws the attention to it. The pose that Daria is pulling is a statement in itself, the hands on hip style gives a sense of authority or attitude. The use of attitude in this helps to emphasise her individuality. The smile on her face is something which will draw the audience in. With her laughing it shows shes happy and will just make the reader want to look at it.

The second one of Daria climbing a lampost on the pier will be my main photo and will be on the front of my magazine. I have decided to use this as my main photo as the pose she is doing makes a statement. The arm out while the other is holding the lampost gives an unwritten message of 'this is me' . The pose gives a welcoming sense to the audience which can be portrayed as a reason to read the article. With Daria climbing up a lampost on a pier its giving a wild look as its something dangerous which people wouldnt do which also adds to the indie/outrageous style.

These are two other photos of Daria i took using different photo lenses on my camera.

For both these photos i used sepia however in the second photo i used a more negative version of sepia. The idea behind these two different effects was to gain various different photos

The use of a full body shot on this photo is ideal because just a photo of her head and shoulders wouldnt show the fun, instead it would just show a happy person by using a full body shot it shows she has the fun factor again, with the big smile on her face and the swinging on a post shows shes having fun. I also used a different angled shot for this photo. A simple photo will be taken straight. By putting an angle on it its giving it its own identity and memorable mark. The emphasis on this photo and the rest of them is to be different and make a statement which angle helps to impose. The use of sepia in my photos has also given me a wider range of styles in my photo again it adds to the 'different' look on the photo.

Fonts - As Media Main Task - Rhiannon Sanders

For my title i logged onto Dafont.com and looked through all the fonts to find one i thought was suitable. Using too many different fonts in a magazine isnt ideal as it can get too busy and confusing.



My plan for the front cover was to find a big bold simple font style so i would be able to make it stand out through the use of colour and it wouldnt take the attention away from the photo which was the main thing on my page.

However after looking through many fonts i decided that i would use a more complex font so that it made a stand out logo which would be recognised straight off. After focusing on randomised fonts i came across 'IndiestarBB' this is different from most fonts as various symbols you can use on your computer come up with different shapes. As a result i decided to test it. I decided to put a star at the end of my logo and it gave it that extra individuality and stood out. The text was interesting as the letters were in a straight line but were various sizes.

The only downside to this font was that it would automatically come up in capitals which meant my idea of it being lower case up until the UP so to add individuality wouldnt be used. However as the star was also showing a different look on it i didnt mind.

The second text i considered was 'Idiot font' this font uses a stamp sort of effect so showed a different way of portraying a 'different' look. The upside to this text meant i was able to use my lower case letters. Although it has no symbols at the end the style of text still looked interesting and memorable. .

Like the other text it has a downside this one being this text wasnt that bold and the letters looked 'thin' so were rather close together but with the use of the magazine desing programme i would be able to slightly edit it.

After narrowing down my search to just two different fonts i came to the point where i couldnt decide so i decided to show 9 of my friends which one they thought looked better. The decision between both of them was difficult and the end result was 4-5 to Idiot font. My friends said that a stamp has more of an effect and would benefit the genre of magazine better than the other one as it had rounded edges which gave it a simple younger look to the magazine and wouldnt link to the genre.

After deciding the title text i found another text called 'Illuminat' This uses a stamp effect to yet it it a individual stamp for each letter. After looking at the text i decided i would use this for the title of the contents page. This meant i had 2 different main fonts i could use throughout my magazine. The difference between this one and the front cover fonts is that it has small 'thin' letters and is made noticable by the background used on each individual stamped letter.

The benefit from this text meant that its all lower case and is noticable but wont mean people are taking too much notice of it. The stamps used are different sizes which will add to the individual look.

The rest of my magazine will use the font 'Arial'. The use of a simple text is beneficial as it is easily read and is clear but will take the eye away from the titles so that you can read it.

These three fonts are the only ones i will use in my magazine the use of anymore will become to busy and i think that these fonts portray enough of an individual look to support my desired genre.

After selecting my fonts i have to look at different colours. The colours will need to stand out. I have decided i will use bright colours such as bright green and bright pink and blue. The blue and the pink will compliment eachother and the green will make a statement and stand out against the other colours.

Flat Plans - As Media Main Task - Rhiannon Sanders

These are the flat plans for my music magazine. Included is a Front cover, contents page and a two page spread.

My front cover will be the main focus of the magazine, having a good front cover is vital for a magazine as it needs to catch the readers eye, if it doesnt then they wont buy the magazine meaning that there is no income. The front cover includes the brand logo - Listen'UP. I chose this as the title as it it links to the idea of a music magazine but we can also play around with the design of the letters so therefore makes it original and different which relates to the style of the magazine as indie music is a 'different' style. My tag line -let the music make the choices. Refers to what the magazine aims to do; give you the low down on whats hot and whats not in the music industy but also gives us all a chance to view bands which we might not recognise.

The main photo is of UTURN and Daria - this photo relates to the main article in the magazine - the main flash this first story on page which is mainly there to show the interesting areas and indicate what will be included in the magazine. I have decided to use a full body shot as the positions the band members of U-TURN are very different from how normal band members would stand this adds to the individuality of the band. The individual style of each member works well together and helps bring the 'individual look of the magazine across. The text i will use here will be biggere and bolder that the other stories on the front page because being prominent will mean it draws the audience in. Also on my front cover there will main sells these are also main stories which will make the reader want to read the magazine but arent the main focus. Having these advertised on the front cover enables the reader to see what else is going on in the magazine. The main sells on my front cover will be the Innerpartysystem tour and the Tickets.

Similar to many other magazines i have used columns and rows to help me lay my magazine out so it will not look messy or to busy. The use of columns and rows in magazines can vary depending on the target audience with formal magazines it will straigh and simple so not to distract the reader away from the main stories. With my magazine i have made sure that there is order but made sure that its not too simple. By doing this i have been able to move the writing around and place it in random text boxes. With my target audience being a younger audience the different shapes and different layout of things helps to give it originality and fun.

The use of a barcode is necessary with all magazines as its the main tool used by all magazine companys to ork out how many sell and to whom the magazines are ebing sold. The use of this can help to make the magazine better and to gather information on what should be included. Although my barcode is big its not distracting. Placing it in the corner means it is easy to find and is not interfearring with any of the articles on the front of the magazine.

This is my contents page for my music magazine, the contents page is one of the most important pages of a magazine however people spend on average the least amount of time looking at this page. The purpose of a contents page is to inform the readers of all the stories in the magazine and what pages they are on. One or two stories may be on one page at a time as they may not be as interesting. The more interesting the stories the more pages they will cover they will also have bigger titles on the contents page as to be noticed quicker than the other stories. Many magazines will have pages where you the audience can get involved, these pages will generally be towards the back of the magazine and only cover one or two pages.

On a contents page there is normally a welcome note from the editor or from all the people who make the magazine. Instead of doing that i decided to do a summary of the magazine. The brief summary lets the reader know what the magazine is aiming to do just like a mission statement for a business does. I decided to place this in a corner as when you turn over from the front cover the top corners are generally where your eyes focus on first and as a result it will be read by the readers.

Like the front cover i have used a column layout however i decided to only use it in certain areas like the different photos at the bottom and on the magazine summary and on the rest of the page i decided to 'randomize' it, this helps to emphasise the genre of my magazine and adds a young look on the magazine. With the diagonal randomly placed stories it will make the reader want to have a look at them. However by doing this there is a downside, with the randomly placed stories it means there will be alot going on one page and as a result it will confuse the readers or clutter up the page. As a result i have tried to make the main stories stand out with bigger text and by putting random photos in different places it will cut it up into different sections. The photos i will use will be random photos linked in to different stories. For example a photo from a backstage party and from a live concert.

I have also decided to include a strap line; a line of text hich goes at the top or bottom of a page normally shown on the front cover, to advertise subscription to the magazine. Generally a strap line wouldnt be used for this but it is a good way to advertise something. The strap line will be in a bright colour so will be eye catching to the reader.

This is my double spread page in my magazine. One page is totally taken up by a photo and a title for it 'Who Will Win' the use of the a big photo makes a statement, By using a big photo it shows that it is the main story and is something the magazine would like you to take interest in. This photo will be of just Daria as it will link into the story on the 2page. For my photo i will make sure it is either a close up photo or a full body shot which will mainly be her and no background. I shall edit the photo so that it gives the individual funky look with it. By doing this it is getting her style across.

The 2nd page is a story all about Daria and how she is one of the upcoming artists of the year and is in competition with UTURN over the top stop for ListenUP's band of the month. The story will be in bold writing as it is easy to read. I have decided that there i should use a simple background as it will not distract the reader and will make it simple to read the story. There is alot of writing however it is split into sections so will mean it is easier to read. I have decided to use rows for the text but have not introduced columns onto the page.

Apart from the title on the photo and at the top of the second page there isnt much to stand out. The page is dedicated to the article and photo.

Rhiannon Sanders As Media Preliminary Task - flat plans

These are the flat plans for my college magazine, a flatplan gives me the main draft of how my magazine will turn out. They are simple and dont include colour/photos however the plan of where they go and what colours i may use could be included in this.

My flat plans were very helpful to me with desiging my front cover/contents page. I have kept the layout the same however i have changed a few things. On the contents page i decided not to include photos on the page as it would draw the attention of the reader away from what the contents page is designed for. It would also make it feel 'clutterd' or busy and wouldnt work properly.

Analysis of existing magazines - As Media Main Task - Rhiannon Sanders

Kerrang have gone for a big photo on the front, the band featured is 'Biffy Cylro' who are a well known band so without the use of colours/words the magazine has already started to interest the readers. The lead singers photo stands out against the rest and covers the title this gives the idea they are a big band and they mean business. It gives a sense of power over the reader. Kerrangs title is in simple colours (black and white) however it still has a big impact with a simple lined pattern on the letters by doing this it makes it stand out more. As no other magazines have the same sort of design on their logo it makes it unique and individual which means it is a memorable name and relates to the individual style of the magazine. The use of a simple red at the top and bottom of the page adds a impact and a slight bit of colour to the page as a result draws the reader in. The use of little photos on the page also shows what other interesting stories which will interest the reader are featured.

The contents page for kerrang uses the grid layout. Using the grid layout means things are set in order. Not only does it look neat but it also gives a nice layout for many articles to be included. The use of boxes to show a different article on each page means its clear. With a photo for each article it draws the readers attention to it. Colours are once again kept simple black and white for the main background/text and yellow for the numbers so they stand out. With the use of simple colours the reader isnt distracted away from the main things. With the use of one red square you will want to read it. By advertising subscription in this block they have made sure the reader has read it. The stories which havnt got as much priority are just listed to the right this gives good layout and doesnt mean they will take up too much space where main stories can be advertised. Language on the contents page is simple there are no main articles its just titles and page numbers so can be just left with box standard simple words. The use of different text to highlight the title of the page lets the readers know what the page is doing for the reader.

The band is presented as being a dark band this is shown through the photo and the style/presentation of the page. The photo is in black and white whichadds a different feeling to the image. Coloured photos give the feeling of warmth and if you can relate to it where as greyscale/black and white photos have a block where its us looking at them and gives a fierce loook towards the audience which suits there identity/style. The bold big letters have a sense of making a statement and have a 'solid' feeling so are strong and meaningful. With the black colour being used again it all adds to their identity. The use of black and white also adds an older feeling to the photo, this generally fits in with the age of the band. There is also a large amount of green used on the spread this highlights certain pieces of text which would interest the audience more than other areas. It also acts as a divider between the questions and answers which the interviewer has set. The language used in the article generally stays the same throughout however changes when the band members talk to the interviewer. With the use of bad language throughout the interview it could be agued that the article could be aimed to appeal to a wider audience by using phrases/words which are more suitable for an older audience. Having an interview lilke this means the audience are able to relate to the band and find out facts/information which they wouldnt get from songs/internet. Kerrang have used Slayer as a main article because the target audience will know who the band is as they are very well known.

This is the front cover for a NME magazine. The use of a big photo taking up the whole page makes a big statement the photo of The Wombats and the silly poses of the members links in with the story about them 'why britains gone silly for the lords of the indie dancefloor'. It also makes a link to the fact they are an 'indie band' and being different means they can get away with being slightly weird in their poses. The use of colours on the page are kept to Yellow, Blue and White mainly this makes the text stand out more on the photo as they are bright and catch the eye. With the use of bold big writing it will be the writing which the audience are drawn to first and not the photo this is a strange thing for a magazine to do as they aim to attract the audience by who is being featured in it. Having 2 mini photos on the front cover shows that there are other 'big stories' in the magazine but they arnt as big or important as The Wombats cover. The cover will appeal to the target audience - students - as its bright and makes a statement. Compared to 'gossip magazines' and others aimed at different audiences its laid out differently with slanted writing and there being no order of where things go.

The contents page is very jam packed which means that the audience may not read it all. This isnt an ideal layout for a contents page as you want the readers to read ALL of the magazine so that they want to buy the next one. The main stories such as ones linked to big name artists like on the front cover are in bigger which means they catch the eye of the audience.

The colours used on this page are simple - black white and red. This is a simple colour scheme however it still attracts the reader. With a simple red line to the side the colour makes you want to look at it so you will read the information. The categories given for the contents are in bold this helps the reader get to the area of the magazine they want quicker. The big bold writing is simple but effective. Having the photos 'mismatch' gives the feeling/look of a scrap book. Many young people make scrap books which then links the magazine to the audienence. By doing the scrap book look it gives it a unusual/new look which most magazines dont follow. the language used on the contents page is simple and doesnt have any puns/aliteration in. This then shows the audience its not really a page to concentrate on but instead just refer to it.

This is a typical 'all about the band' double spread. The name of the band 'the teenagers' links in with the photo of the band. The photo of the band has been taken in a bedroom with photos of typical things guys may have on their walls for example pictures of bands and girls. The colours used also link to the band with a stereotypical view that the colour blue is for boys it links into the band being an all boy band. The other colours used - black and white are simple but have a modern and simple look. Being an indie magazine means that they will generally be different from other magazines which this does. With the main spread on the band they have covered the page with a big picture this and the stories on the page fit in with the 'grid' layout which most magazines follow. This makes it look as if it has order and effort has been put into it. With most of the page being focussed on the band there is a little article on the side about 'what everyone is talking about' this shows that its not something which should be mainly read but as your on the page you might aswel read it. The language used is simple and easy to understand, this could be because of the target audience being students meaning its easier for them to understand but it also could be because of the way the band is and the portrayal of them.

Target Audience - As Media Coursework Main Task - Rhiannon Sanders

After chosing to design an indie magazine i needed to research into different magazines to see what to put into it and who it should be aimed at. I chose to look into Kerrang and NME.

In 1952 NME hit the shelves and now 57 years down the line its been named Europes biggest selling magazines and one of the longest running well known magazines in the music world. NME focuses on the indie genre of music and brings us all the new and up and coming talent and all the gossip on new albums/songs. The main audience for this magazine is aimed at men between 17-30 however recently the amount of magazines sold has been overpowered by women. With women now buying this magazine the editors are now including stories/music which may appeal more to women. NME are now adapting to many different audiences and as a result different age groups are now reading it. The price of the magazine is £2.20 this price reflects the sort of audience reading the magazine - students/low income.

Kerrang magazine was first published in 1981 and is a weekly released magazine. This magazine is slightly different to NME as its more aimed at the 'rock' area of music.Like NME it is known across alot of the world and as a result is becomming more popular so has widened its products to a radio station/concerts/TV channel and award show. This increases circulation figures and brings in more revenue.Like NME it is aimed at the same audience - 17-30 however in recent years it has been recognised that the magazine is now being bought by a younger audience because the stories are now appealing to a wider audience as they are featuring more 'poppy' rock bands such as 30 Seconds To Mars and Elliot Minor. The price of this magazine is also £2.20 this also generalises the audience to be students or people with a low income.

Introduction - As Media Coursework Main Task Rhiannon Sanders

For my main AS coursework piece i have to design a music magazine to a genre of my choice. The magazine must include a front cover contents page and a double spread including a main article.

To achieve the highest level possible i have to consider the audience and what stories will be most enjoyed by that audience. I will also have to include photos which i have taken myself and an article on the double page spread which i have written on a specific topic linked to the theme of my magazine.

To design the best magazine i can i will have to research other magazines from different genres. This will give me ideas of things to include in my magazine and the style for it.

For my preliminary task i had to design a college magazine with a front cover and contents page. This enabled me to learn how to use flat plans and imaging programmes which would help me for my main coursework. By doing this i learnt about colours, images and text and how different things can affect how the audience may look at it. This has let me get a general understanding of how magazines work.

For my magazine i have decided to design my magazine around the 'indie' genre this means i can include many different bands/artists as indie covers alot of different sub-styles. I was influenced to do an indie magazine from magazines such as NME or Kerrang.

Rhiannon Sanders AS Media Preliminary Task - contents page analysis

This is the contents page for my magazine, i used the same programme to design this.

Again i have decided to use column/rows for the layout of my magazine it splits up the writing and adds order to the page without using lines to distinguish a difference int the story.

On this page i have added a photo of the college logo which just adds the whole emphasis that its a college magazine. This is the only photo on the page which means it is eye catching to the reader.

On the contents page i have stuck to just using three colours: the ones i used for the title - pink and purple/blue and black. Using just the main colour as black gives a clear but simple look on the page, having just a little bit of colour means its more likely to stand out and be clear.

The size of the text differs depending on what its talking about. The little piece of writing about what the college magazine is about is really small as its not really that important where as the main stories and the page numbers are in bold and also very big which makes it the first thing you look at on the page.

Fonts only change between two, the one which is used for the magazine name on the front page and the one used for the rest of the writing, having a different text will make it stand out against the rest of the stuff on the page.

If i was to do this again i would add more photos at the side of the main stories, i would make sure these link in with what the stories are about there for it gives the reader something else to look at as it is rather plain. The use of a background colour would have also added another ideal effect to the page. Using a coloured background would make the black writing stand out more.

Rhiannon Sanders AS Media Preliminary Task - front cover evaluation

This is the front cover of my student magazine. I used Adobe InDesign to help me make my magazine cover. This programme is used by many companies to actually make magazines as its simple and has a wide rang of tools to make the magazine how you want to.

The layout of my magazine uses a column/row layout which keeps it looking neat. Using rows and columns means that the magazine doesn't look messy and you can choose certain blocks/rows to catch the readers eye.

I used a single photo on the front surrounded by writing. By using one photo the attention of the reader is drawn to it and then to the writing. Having too many photos on a page can mean the bigger stories on the page aren't acknowledged as there is so much going on on the page.

I stuck to using 5 colours on the page - pink and purple/blue for the main title, black for general writing and green/gold for the title of one of main stories. Having too many colours can look too 'busy' and will ruin the look of the magazine. Keeping to a few colours keeps it looking smart but simple at the same time. I used Pink and Purple/blue for my title as on a white background it shows up and makes a statement using bright colours like this also makes it stand out as the title. The black has been used for all the stories and general writing on the page as its formal and simple. Using the same colour for most of the writing means the reader will know its explaining different stories going on in the magazine.The colours used for 'hellosailor' are colours associated with sailors/navy. The colours also compliment eachother and stand out compared to the rest of the writing.

The size of the writing has different effects. The bigger the writing the more attention it will attract therefore i used bigger writing for the titles of the stories and the main name of the magazine.The '09/10' on the magazine is a way of notifying the reader of the magazine and telling them its a new term so a new magazine. Using a different style text compared to the rest of it has the same affect as using different colours however it doesn't stand out as much as the title.

On my magazine i kept the layout simple however i used different effects on my writing. Using different alignments and effects such as 'bold' and 'italics' can help seperate different bits of text without using lines or boxes. It also makes the page more eye catching as the background is simple. The different uses of alignment add to making the magazine look smart. Having writing scattered all over the place can make it look messy.

The use of alliteration on the story Lewes Look On Life' means it catches the readers attention. Having alliteration also means that it is more likely to be remembered as its using the same letter in each word of the title. In this case L L L.

If i was to re-do my magazine i would try and use the rows/columns to my advantage and put the photo in the middle which will have more of an effect than where it is now. Also by putting the image in the middle it means that we can move the stories round and not have them all on the side. i would also try using the colours in different ways and possibly use them on the background so that i have more colour on my page.

Rhiannon Sanders AS Media Preliminary Task - Photographs

These are the two photos which i took for my front cover of "Lewes'SHOUT out". I aimed to get a photo of a student outside of a Lewes College sign so that it gives a general link to the name of the magazine. My aim with the photo was to get a medium close view which would give the reader something to react and link to. Having just the sign in the background means that the eye wont be distracted by whats happening and at a quick glance you know what/where it is. I also chose a student smiling as it shows that shes happy which generally gives the view shes happy at college and what shes doing. A smile also attracts the reader as her face is one of the main points of the picture. the height of the photo was also vital to my design if i was to take a photo from above then it would give the sense of overpowering and therefore have a different affect than i aimed for. Being at the same level isn't overpowering and gives the reader something to relate to as its a pupil and its a magazine for everyone to read.

Out of these two photos i decided to use the first photo as it not only has a medium close view but is facing us. The image where she is looking to the side doesn't have as much of a welcoming portrayal. Both of the photos fit my target designs of the level, smiling and showing something to do with Lewes college.

Rhiannon Sanders AS Media Preliminary Task - introduction

For our preliminary task we have been asked to design a front cover and contents page for Sussex Downs College magazine, the target audience can be staff or students. To complete this task we need to include flat plans which are draft layouts of the design of our magazine including barcode, date and stories. A medium close up photo of a student as the main picture and a masthead and specific text aimed at your target audience.

My magazine is aimed at students of Sussex Downs - Lewes campus. The plan of "Lewes'SHOUTout" is to let the students know important things happening at college whether that be socially or important evens such as exams. The reason i did a magazine like this is because it enables students to have something which keeps them 'in the know' of college and to be able to express their view on things.

I decided to call it "Lewes'SHOUTout" because its simple but catchy. Putting Lewes into links it to the Lewes Campus of Sussex Downs. The phrase 'SHOUTout' is a popular name used to describe a newspaper as its letting people know about whats happing around them.
Using SHOUT in bold has made it stand out, by making it stand out it will bring the attention of the reader to it first.