This shows the genre of music people like.

Honestly this worried me a little, because I was planning on doing a hip/hop and R'n'B magazine, and this chart points to most people listening to Rock and Pop, with only a couple of people saying they like R'n'B and none saying they like rap. However, this has just given me more determination to make a magazine that is something unique and is something that appeals to the few that enjoy genre, such as myself.

This is a pie chart showing how much people are willing to spent on a magazine. Most people would be willing to spend between £2.00 and £2.99 for a magazine, which I think is quite reasonable if not a little cheap. I'm not sure what price to sell my magazine at exactly but around £2.50 is probably a good price for now. This would means that it's quite cheap for a magazine these days, meaning that my teen target audience should have enough money to be able to afford it.

Target Audiance Feedback

Here are some questions i asked to some of my target audiance, as a way of getting feedback and a way of helping me design my magazine.

Mood Board

This is the mood board I created when I first entered AS Media.
It contains pictures of some of the artists and styles I could use in my own magazine.
It contains most of the artists I would consider using to write an article about if I were a real writer and also lists artists I could use when adding things to the contents page. It has also given me a few ideas as to how I could structure my magazine, in terms of picture placement and font styles.

'Q' Contents Analysis

This is a contents page from 'Q' magazine, that I found online. I was drawn immediately to the big red bar at the top. This makes the page stand out, and also makes the page look important. There is no real main picture on the, page, however there is  more of a cluster of smaller images, making it look like there is a lot of content in the magazine, while still looking quite tidy, with the images being on the right, and text on the left. There is a very tidy colour scheme, that runs through the whole magazine, making it look very tidy. It shows all of the biggest interviews, and features in the magazine, showing that the magazine caters to it's target audience. The red is something i'm certainly looking to use in my work because depending on how you use it, it has so many different connotations. In things like blood as we saw on a previous cover it signifies violence and anger however in something like a fashion magazine or even in a film red can show class and wealth. If you wanted it too it could even mean love however this wouldn't fit into the theme of my magazine. I'd also like to have man smaller images on my contents page as opposed to one large one. The bigger articles could have a slightly bigger picture, however I feel that if the reader is not interested in the main article they may turn of on the magazine altogether if I make the picture too big. I hope to find a happy medium.

Analysed :)

There are some things in this that I would like to use in my magazine. One particular thing is the swagger that Usher has. He looks like it took him two minutes to get ready but his outfit is great. It's that kind of 'I look good wherever and whenever' mentality that I really want to capture. Honestly I don't like that mentality myself but that is one of the conventions of the hip hop genre and it will appeal to the my target audience. However there are a couple of things I don't want to use also. I don't want to have any props such as the bag in this picture. The bag implies that he's just robbed a bank. If Usher is as rich as he seems he shouldn't need to go about robbing banks. I get that it makes him look tough and like he doesn't care but to be honest his clothes are enough to show this. I would like to rely on these things for my magazine. I'm not sure i'd use many things from this contents page because it's just not the style i'm going for. However if i can do one thing i'd like to replicate the presence that Usher has. If I can get my model to dominate the page like he does I'll be very happy.

Covers and Annotations!!

This cover is both conventional and unconventional at the same time, mixing things that are both common and irregular in the hip/hop genre. Firstly it looks very clean and cynical, quite professional as well. I like this because it shows that there is a different side to the artist that you may not see in his music videos. This gives connotations of money and power, it looks lil he's "The Boss"and that he has money to waste.However it's not something i'd use in my work because i'm looking for a much more gritty and grimy aesthetic, meaning that i'd have to use much more muddy and dark tones to make it feel like something that's been made for the people.

This cover is totally different and is more conceptual than the first. Using very clever camerawork and possibly editing a blood-like effect has been created. It looks like blood has been splashed across the artist's chest and across the wall behind him. This gives connotations of violence and possibly even madness, however because the blood is in straight (ish) lines across the screen you get the feeling that this madness or violence is controlled and is more of a statement of intent and warning than any actually harm done. The shot is also low angle, which gives him a towering presence, however his expressions is one of disapproval more than anger. This man feels like he is better than you and he has the power to put you in your place. In my own work I plan on using a low angle shot at some point as this will make my model seem more believable and powerful, however I don't want to use any effects such as blood because I don't want to make it seem like the magazine is for thugs and people who like violence. It's for people who like music so that is what I want to portray.

The Beginning...

In the beginning... there was media.

For our AS Media coursework, we have been set the task of creating out own music magazine.
We will need to create: A front cover, a con-tens page, and a double page spread. I will have to use all original pictures, words, and headers to make sure that it is not only all my work, but to keep within copy write laws. I am still thinking about which genre i would like to do...