My media product, which was a music magazine, uses but also challenges many forms of a real music magazine. For example, I ensured that I used popular factors used by the majority of music magazines, such as mastheads, plugs and pugs, photos, etc. Because the majority of popular, best selling magazines use these techniques I felt that it would be useful to use them too, to ensure my magazine was of a high standard and appealed to my target audience. However, some aspects of my magazine differed to the majority of music magazines; I decided to base my magazine around a number of genres: Pop, RnB and Dance. I decided on this because I felt there wasn't a particular magazine that was aimed at those who like these three genres - the majority just focus on one specific genre.
I found that analysising a range of music magazines helped me to gain knowledge of what factors were used in the making of these magazines, which allowed me to use some of these techniques to benefit my own magazine. For example, I noticed that many music magazines used lots of plugs to attract their audience, so I decided to use a range of plugs to ensure that I had the same effect.
Other factors I used that are similar to real life magazines are the use of my central image. Before I shot my central image, I collected a number of photos which inspired me for the shoot to give me an idea of what I wanted my central image to look like:
I took inspiration from this photo of Katy Perry as it was the type of fun, youthful shot I thought my target audience would be attracted to. Also, Katy Perry is a famous dance/pop artist, which is what I made my cover star.
I also used a wide range of pugs/plugs throughout my magazine. After much analysis of music magazines, I discovered that each and every magazine I analysed had at least one plug so I thought this was an important factor that needed to be included on my magazine in order for it to come across as realistic and for it appeal to my target audience.
This is one example of a plug which was used on my front cover.
I also used pugs such as barcode, price, date, issue, etc. I think these factors are important to the magazine because, although they are simple and don't normally fit with the design of the magazine, they add to the professionalism and give the reader essential details that are needed.
After analysing a number of music magazines, I saw that many used a reoccuring colour scheme. I think this looks professional and tidy, so I decided to do this also, choosing the colours for my magazine carefully and making sure that the colours I chose to use were appealing to my male and female target audience. I decided to use red for my stand out, vibrant colour as I feel red is eye catching and bright, and is also a unisex colour so would therefore appeal to both genders. As well as colour, images were important to my magazine because I noticed in my magazine analysis that many magazines don't use lots of photos, but they use important photos and more text - for example, NME often uses one photo to illustrate an interview. So, as I was using a limited amount of photos, I felt it was important to choose the right photos and the right way of publishing them. For example, I ensured that my cover image was the strongest of the photos I had taken on my shoot. I also ensured that the masthead, headings, text, etc went well with the cover image as this is the central factor of the magazine cover and therefore the other factors need to work well with it. On my contents page, I decided to use grayscale photos as I feel this looked more effective and professional than in colour, and they also went well with the colour scheme on my contents page.
I didn't tend to vary my font much throught my magazine, as the majority of magazines I analysed used reoccuring fonts which, again, I think reinforced the professionalism of the magazine. However, those that used lots of busy, bright fonts looked too childish and unprofessional so I decided to keep to using two fonts: Poplar STD for my masthead and my headings and Georgia for my text such as the interview on my double page spread.
I would also say that my media product compare well to a real media product, as I think I have created a realistic music magazine of my desired genre. By using factors such as an eye catching masthead, various plugs and pugs such as quotes, advertisments for competitions, etc, I think I have managed to make a believable music magazine. Whilst analysing a number of music magazines, I found that many used a reoccuring style/colourt scheme throughout their magazine. Throughout my magazine, I have ensured that I have used the same fonts and similar colours because I think this creates an appealing look and is well suited to my target audience.
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