Audience Research- Audio

Questionnaire

This is the questionnaire that I conducted which will help me make my decision about the design, content, price and frequency of my publication.  

Analysis of Double Page Spread Articles

• The main image is large and leads on to the next page to link the pages together.
• Also includes the photographers credit.
• Uses a simple colour scheme; 2-4 at the maximum.
• This one only uses 3 colours.
• The headline is bold and uses stylised fonts.
• This is to draw the reader although it doesn't mention what the article is about.
• That is only don't by stand first.
• There is a drop capital at the start to show where the start is.
• This article even has the first few words in bold and a slightly bigger type size.
• There is usually an emphasised quote.
• In this article, the quote is on the photo and in the stand first.
• Includes a byline; who wrote the article.
• This article is written by 'Dorian Lynskey'.
• Always arranged in columns. Average is 2-4 columns.
• This article has 2 columns only.
• There is a strap line at the top which shows what the article is about.
• The strap line here is "Q recommends"
• As well as that, music magazine articles are usually written informally and the personality of the journalist comes through.

Analysis of Professional Contents Pages

Analysis of Proffesional Contents Pages on Prezi

Analysis of professional magazine covers

Analysis of professional magazine covers on Prezi

Researching the market place

this...

Initial Plans for my magazine

Ideas for my magazine:

Type of magazine: hip hop
Target Audience: 15+
Price: £2.30
Frequency of publication: monthly
Issue size: 75 pages
Regular content: news, reviews, gigs
Feature articles: band interview, live feedback

Evaluation of a School Magazine

I produced a school magazine front cover and contents page for the Preliminary exercise. During the construction of both media products, I used Photoshop and Quark Xpress. My strengths and weaknesses whilst using both programs are as follows. 

To create my school magazine front cover, I used Adobe Photoshop. The colours I have used are yellow and black. I chose these colours because they are simple and do not mismatch with each other. My main image is a medium close up of a student. To improve this, I could make the photo more in focus because it looks blurred and i could also add more colour to her face. Furthermore, I made the price stand out by adding a star-like shape to it. Therefore, my strength is attracting the audience to buy this magazine because it is cheap and that is how it challenges real media products. However, my weakness is in my photography and editing the images. I should also use more images on the front cover by adding layers to attract people to buy the magazine because it will make the magazine seem more interesting.

To construct my school contents page, I used Quark Xpress . It's the first time I've ever used this program and I found that it is very straightforward to use but I am limited on designing. My contents page follows the codes and conventions as it uses consistent colours and the text size is right size (11pt). Although I could have made my main article image the biggest image on the page.

Overall, my main strength in making both products is being able to attract the audiences attention with my use of bright colours. However my weakness is using the different techniques on both programs. Hopefully, by the time I construct my products for the main task i would've developed my skills, which will result in a much better media product.

Photographs For School Magazine

Rough layout of Front Cover and Contents Page

Front cover sketchContents page sketch

Plans for Contents Page

List of the regular contents:

• Geek Puzzels...“Play and you could win a chance to meet JLS!!"
• Uniforms Info...“Better, cheaper and aimed to make you smarter”
• Terrific Trips...“This year all our students will enjoy an adventurous tour around the UK!!”

List of images that I will use:

• A mini photo of the front cover
• Two friends looking very happy to get their results
• A girl standing in the corridor, smiling
• Another girl smiling

Plans For Front Cover

Mise-en-scene for front cover image:

• A classroom
• Medium Close Up
• Girl in school uniform

Coverlines for the front cover:

• A*'s for Life
• 99 ways to a succesful life
• Gold Rewards for the top 10 students
• Exam results improve by 30%

Codes and Conventions of a Contents Page

• Name of the magazine is on top
• Structured in columns down one side of the page (3/4)
• Includes headings of types of articles
• Editor's note
• A small image of the front cover
• Page reference numbers
• Same theme colour
• Subscription offer
• Subheadings are different colour and typeface over text
• Competitions
• Issue no. and date by 'Contents'
• One main image relating to a feature article
• Some magazines have an organised structure of images or a collage
• Page no.s on left of text
• An article could be one of the features and then sub line more detail about the article (smaller font)
• It is divided between 'features' and 'regulars'
• Includes a 'page no.' at the bottom, a date and a website added on too

Codes and Conventions of a Magazine Front Cover

• One main centre image that takes up the whole page
• Bars at the bottom of the magazine containing article topics
• Main pictures is usually the main feature article
• Studio photos that convey attitude
• Direct address
• Must have tag lines
• Must have buzz words e.g. 'exclusive'  and coupled with main article
• Name in a banner line at the top left
• Some images overlap the title
• The masthead must have a type face that is unique (trademark)
• The masthead is usually one word
• Main image must be medium close up
• The masthead must have a positioning statement, above or below the line (how it places itself in the market)
• The price and date of the issue goes with the title or by the bar code (usually 11pt size)
• Can include puffs to offer something extra
• The largest cover line is the main cover line:
• It is the largest typeface after the masthead
• It anchors the meaning of the image
• It usually excludes a subtitle, in smaller font, which has more info about the article
• Other cover lines are usually 1 or 2 words with consistent subtitles
• The first two lines of the cover lines must have highlights in colour, trigger and different font to the subtitle, which are used to intrigue the reader
• Bar code at the front because advertisements are normally on the back
• Cover lines frame the image down one side of the magazine
• Limited colour scheme used