AS Level Media Studies Music Magazine Foundation Portfolio By IBRAR TARIQ

Contents  Time Organization (Main Task)  Research and Questionnaires  Resource List  Photography (Photo Shoots)  Drafts  Front Cover Page  Double Page Spread  Evaluation and Analysis

Time Organization Main Task (Music Magazine) WEEK 1  Work Started on the Main Task (Music Magazine Front Cover Page, Contents Page & Double Spread Sheet)  Research done with the help of using Internet & going to several book stores and music stores in search for music magazines. WEEK 2  Organized all my research and information.  Music magazines cover pages searched on the internet.  Important notes were taken down.  Photography (photo shooting) done.  Started to make first cover page model for the music magazine using Adobe Photoshop CS5.

WEEK 3  Photographs were selected which were used in the music magazine.  Photographs brightness and contrast adjust by using Adobe Photoshop CS5.  Photographs cropped and resized by using Adobe Photoshop CS5.  Different fonts downloaded from for the text to be used in the music magazine.  Barcode image downloaded from the internet and placed on the cover page image using Adobe Photoshop CS5.  Colour (temperature, tint & saturation) of the images adjust by using Windows Photo Gallery.  Work started on the music magazine cover page and the contents page with the use of Adobe Photoshop CS5.  Text placed on both the cover page and the contents page.  Cover Page and Contents Page completed in 2 days.  Work started on the music magazine double page spread with the use of Adobe Photoshop CS5.  Each image placed in a separate layer.  Brightness and contrast of images adjust again.  Text placed on the double page spread.  Double page spread completed in 2 days.  Final adjustments made to the Cover Page, Content Page & Double Page Spread.

Initial Research (Cover Pages)

Initial Research (Double Spread Sheet)

 Magazine cover pages and double page spreads shown in the previous slides were some of those I found on the internet.  The magazine covers I found mainly had an image of a famous artist or a band with eye catching taglines and cover lines. These magazine were all very attractive and were mainly aiming the younger audience around the age of  All magazine covers used a range of different colours and fonts in their magazine. All images were eye catching and were clear.  My research included magazines such as The Rolling Stones, NME, Q magazine, KERRANG!, Vibe, Metal Hammer and Rock Sound. Among these magazine I found KERRANG! And NME most attractive and enjoyable to read. Initial Research

IDEAS FOR THE COVER PAGE  Inspired by magazines like NME and KERRANG! I decided to make my magazine cover similar to them.  For the background I decided to have black colour so that the subject (the model) can be in more focus.  I wanted the image of the model to be sharp and eye catching so that it could appeal to the target audience.  I thought that the title for the magazine to be “Millennial” as it is the name given to the most youngest generation.  Also my magazine is not targeting any particular genre of music. IDEAS FOR THE DOUBLE SPREAD SHEET  For the background I decided it to be the original photograph of a wall as it will look simple.  One original photograph of the featuring Artist was used (included in the photo shoot were photographs of my friend).  These pages include the Artist's interview, on how He started his musical career and about His success and music albums, taken by me. Initial Research

Research Questionnaire Results  Through research and a survey in my school I came to the knowledge that more males preferred reading music magazines than females.

 People answering this question aged from years.  Around 80% (mostly people aged 16-24) said that they like reading music magazines.  People ageing from years mostly said they do not like reading music magazines. Research Questionnaire Results 80%

Research Questionnaire Results

 Through research I came to the knowledge that more males preferred buying music magazines than females. I also found out that people aged from years preferred reading music magazines.  Research also proved that the audience are attracted by the front covers, contents, pictures and featured articles of their favourite artists in a magazine.  I also came to know that good front covers, clear images, catchy taglines and free stuff inside a magazine are essential to attract audience.  Mostly the audience want to buy a magazine at a good affordable price. The audience want the music magazine to be worth their money and they don’t want it to be cheap or way too expensive.  The audience look for the product quality.  The audience are more likely to buy a music magazine featuring their favourite artist or band.  Research also showed that teenagers are more likely to buy a music magazine. Research Evaluation

Resource List Mentioned below are the list of resources available to me while making the music magazine.  Adobe Photoshop CS5  Adobe Photoshop  Samsung 10.2 megapixel digital camera  Microsoft Paint  Microsoft PowerPoint 2007  Microsoft Publisher  Windows Photo Gallery  Internet (downloaded fonts from and used for research and information on different music magazines)  Music Magazines such as NME, KERRANG! Etc  Newspaper articles on artists and music bands.  Laptop  Models

Photography Below shown are some of the photographs taken on the photo shoot.

Drafts Some of my early work and designs of how the magazine should look like.

Drafts Above shown is some of my work on the double page spread. I chose white background first but then I decided to Add a photograph of a Wall. The colour toning was done on the images which attract the audience and text (the Story) was later placed on the double page spread.

Final Magazine Cover Page and Contents Page From Left to Right: Magazine Cover Page and Contents Page.

Final Double Spread Sheet Above shown is my final double page spread after placing the text (story) and adjusting all images used in the pages.

Evaluation 1.In what ways does your music magazine use, develop or challenge forms and convention of existing music magazines?  My music magazine cover conforms to the conventions of existing music magazines, as the layout is similar to most of the music magazines. Different coloured text is used so that the cover does not look over bearing. The layout of my magazine cover challenges the existing as it is very basic and simple with bright colours which gives it a distinctive appeal and distinguishes if from other magazines. The masthead (title) is on the top while the image of the model is in middle area of the cover, all of these conform to the typical media conventions. 2. How does your music magazine present a particular social group?  My media product represents a social group of teenagers and young adults. I think I have achieved this through usage of different images, layout and informal language that I have used. Also my music magazine divides social groups through gender and age. With the use of young artist image on the front cover and an article of the same artist featuring inside the magazine. I think overall my magazine has targeted the young audience.

Evaluation 3. What kind of music institution might distribute your music magazine and why?  Many institutions can be used to distribute my music magazine. Mainly retail outlets, music stores, book stores and game stores. They can attract more and new customers who may come for the magazine but may end up buying other products/items available to them as well as the outlet will experience an overall increase in their sales. This could be a good investment in distributing and selling the music magazine. 4. Who is the audience for your music magazine?  It is appealing to younger audience (16-24 years) as my model is of the same age group as the audience to whom the magazine is aimed at. Through research I also came to the knowledge that more males preferred buying a music magazines. And audience of the age ranging from years were more likely to buy a music magazine than others.

Evaluation 5. How did you attract/address your target audience?  I have used many different fonts and colours for the masthead (title), tagline and cover lines to attract the audience. A clear bright image of a model is used to attract the audience as well. I have added many effects using Adobe Photoshop CS5 which gave the magazine a unique distinctive eye catching look. The price of the magazine is pretty cheap and affordable to the audience as the price is based on my research and most of the audience preferred a price in the region of PKR. 20. Also my magazine includes free stuff inside such as a sample music CD, poster of the featuring artist, consists a lot of images from concerts and music concert guides through which audiences are attracted. 6. What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing the product?  This project has been very useful to me as I learned a lot from it. I have learnt a lot of new Adobe Photoshop CS5 techniques for example the using the pen tool, creating different layers, how to put effects, and placing the text. I have learnt how to adjust the colour (temperature, tint and saturation) and exposure (brightness and contrast) of an image while using it.  I also learnt the way on how a magazine is structured, why things are where they are and why it helps to attract audience and also the importance of appealing of the target audience. I learnt how to improve my photography by different angles of shots and discovered the importance of internet for research.

THANK YOU!