Evaluation Task 3

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I have researched several media institutions, such as IPC Media and Bauer Media.

Bauer Media's only main magazines which it publishes are Kerrang! and Q.

These are both music magazines, and from my research I can tell that it produces no lifestyle or health and fitness etc. magazines. However, I feel that the Bauer media group already has enough music magazines, and there is less room for my magazine. It is also not as big a group as IPC media. Q also has a very similar audience to my music magazine. Therefore it may not be appropriate for it to publish my music magazine.

The only other magazine IPC media produces is NME:

This does not have such a similar audience to my magazine, so considering this and the fact that it is the only magazine, I can see a gap in the market for my magazine with IPC media.

Therefore, I have chosen IPC media to publish my magazine.

(screenshot from the wikipedia page on IPC media - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPC_Media)

It is labelled as "one of the United Kingdom's leading media publishers" and sells "over 350 million copies per year". It produces NME, which has a varied music spectrum similar to my product. However, it does not produce any other music magazines, so there is clearly a gap in the market for STRUCK. The other magazines it produces are mainly lifestyle, health and celebrity so there is definatley room to host my music magazine in IPC media.

It publishes magazines such as :

• Look
• Now
• Loaded
• Daily Mirror

As there are two lifestyle magazines, Look and Now, I think that there could also be two music magazines published under IPC media.

I have extracted this quote from the wikipedia article :

"IPC Media groups titles under five magazine divisions: Connect (women's weeklies such as Now Magazine and Look), Inspire (leisure and specialist), Ignite! (men's lifestyle and entertainment), SouthBank (women's lifestyle and home interest) and TX (portfolio of television titles). In addition, there is Marketforce, the UK's leading magazine distribution business. Digitally they have WOTV and goodtoknow."

This means that my specialist group would be Ignite! as my magazine falls under the entertainment sector of the magazine industry.

Evaluation Task 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My media product represents typical young adults/ late teenagers; Sophia Martinez, my fictional artist and main act, is seventeen. Therefore, she portrays girls of this age, but as she is Mexican, she is expressing people of a different nationality. However, people would want to read the magazine to discover more about her persona and the nationality in general. I have used her as my USP (unique selling point) as the magazine will be known for one that focuses on foreign artists as well as just English ones.

As I used Shakira for my inspiration when creating my artist, I am also going to use her to compare to my artist.


The table shows the similarities and differences between the photo of Shakira and the photo of Sophia.

You can see from the table that Sophia represents some conventions of magazines, but in some ways she is different. Her main difference is her age; she is very young compared to artists such as Shakira. However, in terms of their posture, make up and position, they are similar.

Sophia represents teenagers and how they are not all necessarily bad people, which is the way that they are presented generally. She also conveys some foreign aspects, as she is bringing "Music from mexico". Throughout her double page spread she often calls herself "mental" and describes everyone in Mexico as being the same. She makes us think of Mexicans as happy, positive and bubbly people. Pathetic fallacy is used as she describes how she is "bringing the Mexican sunshine to England", suggesting that she herself is the Mexican sunshine! As many people would not have much knowledge of Mexican people beforehand, she sculpts a good opinion of them through her article.

Evaluation Task 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop

or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Here is a montage of the features used on my music magazine that I have decided to be conventional to a music magazine:

The title resembles the KERRANG logo, having a shattered effect like it. It also shares music connotations with KERRANG, as Kerrang is the supposed sound of an electric guitar and Struck is the sound of a drum being hit. This was my inspiration for my music magazine name, and I think that it is appropriate and conveys music successfully, sharing conventions with already existing music magazines.

The “Subscribe to STRUCK” box that I used is a typical feature of music magazines, promoting the product and persuading the audience to save money by buying the magazine in bulk. This is effective as it commits people to buying the magazine, and I have noticed this in other magazines.

The band index is a common feature of music magazines, which sets them apart from lifestyle or fitness magazine. My band index features a diversity of acts, such as JLS but also the red hot chilli peppers. This conveys the mix of artists could draw in the wide array of artists in my magazine and people, as something appeals to everybody. This is stereotypical of a music magazine and determines that my magazine is definitely a music magazine.

I used a quote from the interview on my front cover line for my interview with Sophia Martinez, and then used the alliterative line “Latino Loco”. The quote gives the audience a preview for the interview, so they can gain insight to the singer’s personality and immediately give the picture of her a personality.

The live gig photo that I have used in my contents conveys the separatism of genres in my music magazine, as the genre, which Sophia is, is quite specific and needs some broadening. I have seen this technique employed in various magazines, such as Q, which has quite a varied genre base; it has interviewed acts such as Cheryl Cole and also rock bands such as My Chemical Romance. This in turn attracts more readers as people with varied tastes will want to read the music magazine.

The quote “I’ll Make the O2 arena sell Fajitas” is set out apart from the text, in pink and black. This is a common feature of music magazines, as it draws emphasis to words in the text. The font also compliments the house style as it is the same and uses the same effect. This represents continuity throughout my music magazine.

The picture of Cheryl Cole's eyes bears some resemblance to the picture I used of Sophie. Both are making enigmatic eye contact with the reader, enhanced through a lot of eye makeup and a mysterious gaze.

The part of writing, "oh, it's amazing, isn't it? everything is so cute!" is very informal and this is typical of a music magazine. It is as if the artist is actually having a conversation with the reader, taking the form of a friend. The casual conversation present in the magazine is suggestive of a music magazine.

The polaroid-look photo adds a "personal" feel to the magazine ; as it looks as if they have just been placed there rather than an artificial computer feel. There are three photos, each showing Sophia in the same outfit but in a different pose, which conveys the different sides and complexity of her character.

I also used text wrap in indesign, which is frequently a feature of double page spreads.

I have also chose to compare my entire contents page with one of NME, which I feel bears some similarities:

As i have previously identified in my planning, I had to use these features of music magazines, as they were ones which featured in both Kerrang! and NME

Therefore I :

• Made my title start from the left and go to the right
• I used a strapline, although it didn't suit my magazine photo and layout to have it at the top, so I put it at the bottom instead.
• I used a circle with an 'extra' : "2010 calander"
• I added my artist names at the top
• I put Sophia Martinez, my main act, in a bigger font, I included a quote and a summary of the article to convey her importance.

Here is my front page compared to other front pages. As you can see, it uses conventions of a front cover well.

Double Page Spread

The article for my Double Page Spread:

Sophia Martinez
“definitely a whole lot of vida loca!”
So, Sophia, how are you finding England?Oh, it’s amazing isn’t it? Everything’s so cute! Those guards at Buckingham Palace, and those big red buses, and don’t even get me started on Harrods! Even the weather is the most adorable thing ever, it’s so modestly cold. Cute.

Eh, wish we thought of it that way. How different is i
t to Mexico?
Very... it’s so foreign! I miss being able to walk down the road in any direction and eventually get to a market wherever I go. And of course I miss my friends and family, and my Labradors Choco and Lata! I tell you what I miss most- my Nan’s tacos. But England is so much more civilized than Mexico. Men hold the door open for me here!
Have you had much time to see the sights? What with working so hard on your English album and your upcoming tour?
I get around! As the studio is right in the heart of London, I can take a stroll on my lunch break, before the days recording or after, whatever the mood takes me! One thing I’m determined not to do is waste the days away. I’m here for adventure,
and that’s what I’m damn well gonna get!





How’s the album going then?
Well it’s out in stores next month. I’m just makin
g my finishing touches. It’s insanity, how have I come from some little naive girl who only speaks Spanish to this, recording an album in English [laughs] it’s definitely a whole lot of vida loca!Any Spanish tracks?
None that are just Spanish, but I’m bringing out a Spanish album with it. Actually that’s a lie, there are a couple of bonus tracks of the Spanish album, and I do have a couple of lines in most songs. Thing is, that pretty much happens when I’m talking as well, i’ll be speaking English and if I like the word better in Spanish, that slips out instead! So watch out for some Latino lines in the songs! It’s a microcosm of bringing a splash of culture to England!
We’re very grateful for it! So, what is on the album?
Something for everyone, I like to think. A few Latino beats, and a few more chilled tracks, perfect for a Sunday afternoon. Not to mention the collaborations with the amazing Akon and Dizzee Rascal. I’m a very lucky girlHow was it, singing with those famous artists?
I was completely star struck! And all I could think
was “they’ve agreed to be here, they want to sing with me”. It was amazing. I can see where Dizzee gets his name from, he certainly made me feel that way!
Who inspired you?
Mostly foreign artists, who have broke through to the English music market. I’ve always loved Shakira and Ricky Martin. Not to mention the Spanish god that is Enrique Inglesias. But I don’t want to be just another English artist who is foreign. I want people to know me for my Mexican roots and Mexican style- I want more than anything to convey to the British public that I am here, rooting for Mexico, and giving them a taste of the lifestyle we lead. So, while I do have idols, it could just be a case of my thoughts making me who I am.

When is your UK tour?It starts in early April- I’m in the O2 arena from 2nd- 5th and then I tour to Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh and Brighton. I’m nervous already! I bet i’ll march on stage and say “Hola Londres, ¿como estas? (Hello London, How are you?). Or i’ll trip or something. I’m a big tripper. I’m definatley going to make the 02 arena sell fajitas though. And maybe we’ll have an onstage piñata! But shh- you’re not getting any more secrets out of me!
Ok, ok. So you’re album is out in a month, and if it’s anything like you’re debut English single “Jungle”, i’ll be a scorcher! How excited are you?
Oh, I can’t even think of a word to describe that! Tremendamente (Tremendously). If people like it that is! Oh I hope so.
More excited than you are for your tour?
That’s a hard one, that is! But I’d say more for the to
ur. Then I’ll get to meet the people who have made me who I am. What I love most is getting out there and doing my country proud- showing everyone that a young girl from a small Mexican Village can achieve her dreams. And introducing England to us Mental Mexicans! Yes, that’s what I’m all about!

Here is my double page spread so far:


I have not yet finalized my introduction of it, therefore it is not complete, hence the white space! I need to sort that out and adjust the text size, so I can fit my album cover on it as well. I may also play around with the gradient.

Research and Analysis of Double Page Spreads

My first double page spread which I am looking at is My Chemical Romance from Kerrang Magazine; the same issue that I did the analysis of the front page.






This double page spread is dark, symbolizing the genre of music which My Chemical Romance is assosiated with. "Gothic" or "rock" music is associated with the darkness of night, so the darkness seems appropriate. The red and white represent a contrast to the dark background and black and white photos. The photos used are live action shots, conveying the power and energy of their performance. The picture of lead singer Gerad singing into the microphone has previously been used on the front cover, so the front cover and double page spread are connected in this way. The black and white photos convey mystery as not all is revealed, and are appropriate for the music genre; if they were a pop band, the photos should be expected to be in colour to mirror the music conveyed. The fact that the only colour on the page is red effectively conveys danger and warning. This illustrates how the band would want to be seen; dangerous. The article is small and all in the same colour, and starts with a big "M". Through my research I have found that the large letter at the start is conventional to music magazine. Therefore, I will use it on my double page spread. Although I cannot read the article, I can tell that it is reasonably short. This adds to the mystery promoted throughout the article, as it is wondered what the article is conveying. The title "we're being the best MCR we can be", suggests that they are one of a kind, which is supported further through the images.



The band is successfully conveyed as a rock/metal band, which is their image. However, I will not be taking many conventions from this page to use on my own magazine as my singer does not share the same features, nor is part of the rock music genre.


The next double page I am looking at is an interview with the band Razorlight, from "Q" magazine.






This is probably not the first page of the interview; as there is no masthead. However, it is the only one I could find online. It depicts a picture of the whole band splashing through water, mise-en-scène effectively being used to convey them as fun loving, happy go lucky individuals. The water that they are going through conveys a type of danger, but they are overcoming this.































I have mainly analyzed the layout of double page spreads here, however, for my task I must also focus on the article behind the layout. Therefore, I have looked at some online interviews, as they are easily accessible, free and I can read them better than the pictures of magazines I have found on google images! Here are three that I particuarlly liked, and relate well to my singer:



Interview with Shakira



A star since the age of 13. The fourth richest woman in pop. Saviour of thousands of children. Oh, and a bit of an academic to boot. Is the Latino sensation Shakira just too good to be true?

It’s a sweltering night in the Bahamas and in a back room of a recording studio close to her home in an exclusive gated community, the belly-dancing Latino pop star Shakira is ripping the tinfoil wrapping off a rib of beef with almost indecent speed.
'Finally!’ she exclaims in her quick-fire Spanish-American accent, rolling her eyes to convey that she knows divas shouldn’t eat at all, let alone gnaw ravenously on ribs. 'I can only have meat once a week and today is beef day, so I’m happy. It’s this diet I’m doing; it’s pretty cruel. All fish and vegetables.’ But then her pouty face clouds over. 'But you’re not eating!



That makes me feel bad. Maybe I should eat later. And we need to turn the air-conditioning on, you’re melting! Not me. I’m like a mosquito, I love humidity. I don’t sweat.’ ............



FULL ARTICLE - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/6122146/Shakira-interview.html

Polaroid Photo

Another element I wish to put on my double page spread is a polaroid photo. I feel that this will give it a personal touch and it will show good use of photoshop.
As I am unsure how to do this at the moment, I have researched online for various tutorials.

After reading through this one, this seems the most manageable : http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/create-a-polaroid-effect-of-your-photo/
I will now use photoshop at school to create a polaroid effect for my photo.

This is what i've come up with :

CD Covers

I want to add a CD cover to my double page spread, as it will portray music and give a reason for the singer to have an interview, because they have an album being released- infact I have spoke in the interview about the first English language CD of my artist being released.

To make this CD cover, I need to carry out research into what they generally look like.

As my singer is a female solo singer, I have carried out research into famous solo girl singers. I have opted to research these four female singers:

• Lady Gaga
• Cheryl Cole
• Rihanna
• Britney Spears

Lady Gaga

The album is a close up of her face, illustrating her blonde hair and glasses with glitter and sequins on. The words "Lady Gaga" are in bold at the bottom and "The Fame" is written on her glasses. The glitter connotates "fame", as do her sunglasses which illustrate how she does not want to be recognized due to her "fame", therefore keeping her eyes covered and her fringe long over her face.

Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole's album "3 Words" boasts a black and white photo of her wearing a flamboyant hat with lace covering her face. She has bare sho

ulders and back, and is the main focus of the front cover due to a plain background. She is making eye contact with the viewer, suggesting that the "3 words" apply to all the viewers. Her name and the album name look like they are tattooed onto her, making the album more personal.

Rihanna

Rihanna's new album "R", is partially self titled, named after her initial. She is making upwards eye contact with the reader, and the camera is at a high angle. Normally this makes the viewer feel dominating, however her look and stance make it seem like she can jump up at any moment. She has a hand over half her face, hiding herself. This suggests secrecy, and as if there is more of her to be shown in the album. Her pouting lip makes her seem threatening, and the fact that the title "R" appears to be written on in lipstick gives the reader a personal touch, as well as hinting at her femininity, which is still present through her tough outerface.

Britney Spears

Britney spears is sitting on a podium, with her body turned and her face facing the camera. Her album is titled "the circus" and the font and bright colours suggest this. However, as she is in a more demure colour, she stands out against the brightness of the colour as a whole. The viewer is led to wonder how she takes place in "The Circus", and they want to read on to find out.

All shots are medium close ups of the artist, depicting themselves and their femininity. They also establish what the songs are generally about, for example Cheryl Cole's "3 Words" songs are going to be about love, as the "3 words" referenced to are "i love you". Conversley, Rihanna's make up and stance suggest that her albums are going to be about her transition to a stronger, no nonsense woman. These claims are supported by the songs on each album.

This is the CD cover which I have designed :