Initial Ideas for Music Magazine

For this part of designing my music magazine I considered all the possible music genres that I could think of and could use to base my magazine on. I asked a few of my peers as to which music genre they would prefer a music magazine to be on and I decided that I should do a drum and bass/dubstep. I considered doing a heavy metal or punk genre because I though that I could be really creative and expressive with the make up and the location and setting for the photoshoot for my magazine. Then I thought of who my target audience would be and I would rather do a drum and bass/dubstep genre for my magazine as it seems to be a popular music choice and there is quite a lot of this genre of music about.

Introduction to the Main Task

Now that I have completed the preliminary task, I will design a front cover, a contents page and a double page spread of a music magazine. I will complete this in several different stages:

- Week 1:

I will post initial ideas for the magazine on my blog and what I am planning to contain in my magazine. I will then develop a pitch. I will then analyse 2 front covers, 2 contents pages and 2 double page spreads from different music magazines.

- Week 2:

I will post my pitch and audience feedback on my blog and will then carry out more audience research that will benefit the development of my magazine. I will then think about taking photos for my magazine and considering all the things that I will want to use for these images such as make-up, costumes, props, models, locations etc. I will then complete a mock up of my magazine pages.

- Week 3:

I will develop my front cover and use different ideas and techniques to experiment with it to see which looks best and will appeal to my target audience so that they will want to buy my music magazine. I will also post my photo shoot onto my blog of all the possible images that I will use for my magazine.

- Week 4:

My ongoing task is to develop my front cover as I gain more audience feedback that will help me decide what content should be used in my magazine. I will make adjustments based on this audience feedback so that it will appeal to my target audience. I will also complete a draft of my double page article and all the possible content that may be used in it.

- Week 5:

I will design my contents page and make a draft of this and gather more feedback on it and will make adjustments to fit the requirements of the feedback that I have collected.

- Week 6:

I will design my double page spread and will use all possible content that may be used so that my audience can get an idea as to what is going to be used in it. I will again gain feedback from my target audience on this.

- Week 7:

I will finalise my magazine design of all my pages. I will then begin to draft my evaluation and I will continue to do this for the next couple of weeks and develop it. I will complete this and make any adjustments to my blog when making final checks. 

Student Magazine and Contents Page

Initial Ideas: Focus Group

For this I asked a few people within a focus group 8 questions about what they would want from a student magazine and I found the results were pretty similar and I found what students would want from a magazine.
I asked the students to expand on their answers and tell me why they thought that and the reason for their answers. This is a small selection of the answers that I was given by other students.
- What content  would you like to see in a student magazine?
The content that I would be interested in reading are things that are relevant and modern and not just all about students and education such as music, fashion, gaming. I think that it should also have information and options about student life and career options and also the courses that are available and the enrichment..
- What colours would you like in/on the front cover of a student magazine and what would catch your eye and appeal to you so that you will want to buy it and read it?
I think that students magazines should be aimed at both genders so I think that the unisex colours of black/red/white would appeal to all students. But I also think that different shades of blue would be a good colour scheme for a front cover because it looks professional and sophisticated.
- What sort of images on the front cover would make you want to buy the magazines?
Images and insights of the content would be helpful as we could see what was included in the magazine, for example, a gaming control to represent gaming. I also think that it should include images of students that are happy and successful because I think that this will encourage people to be successful and buy the magazine because they think it's a happy and successful college.
- What font style would you like to see on the front of a student magazine? 
I think that the font style on the front of the magazine should be in lower case letters and in one bold colour, because it is simple and but effective and I think that it is much easier to read.
- What positive things about the college could I include on my front cover that will encourage students to buy and read the magazine
Including positive student comments into the student magazine about the college and the courses might help encourage people to buy this magazine and may even encourage them to join and take up new courses and subjects and try new things.
- What layout would attract your attention and make you want to buy this magazine?
A simple layout would attract my attention and not too much information, but a few images.
- What price would you be willing to pay for this magazine
I think mainly between 20p and 50p because it's loose change that students are likely to have and I think that for the amount of information that will be a good price and good for students.

Initial Ideas

For my magazine I have decided to conduct a focus group to get the information of what people want from a student magazine. Before I start to research my target audience I will give some thought as to what points I will focus on that will relate to the information that I will need to get from my focus group. These will include points like:
- The name/connotations of the name
- Content
- House style
- Mode of address
- Images/pictures
- Price

All these are elements of what makes a magazine good or bad and I want to find what students want from a magazine by using my focus group.

I want the name of my magazine to connote to the student life and I want students to find it interesting, so that they will buy it, and continue to buy it. I want the name to reflect what students might want.
I want students to find the content interesting and a good read. So I will try to include things that all students will like, for example, music, fashion, gaming, social life etc. I will show this on my front cover and on the contents page. I will include relevant information about the college and other students opinions on college life. This information will include detail on the courses, enrichment and other bits and pieces about the college that students will find helpful.
The house style will be informal but not too cluttered so that people cant make sense of it. I want the house style to be quite modern and relevant but something that students will find intriguing and eye catching.
I will try to use direct mode of address and I don't want it to be formal, I want it to be chatty and something students will enjoy reading.
The images and photos that I will use will be of students and things that are perhaps relevant to the student life. I aim for other students to use it as a form of inspiration so maybe other students will thrive for success so that they can be seen as successful.
The price will be quite reasonable, I want it to look like a high budget magazine, but I don't want it to be so expensive that students can actually buy it. If its of a decent quality, people will want to buy it, otherwise they might see it as 'wasting their money'.

Preliminary Task Action Plan

For my first task, I am going to identify the generic conventions of student/college magazines. I will create a mind map to show my research on an A3 piece of paper and will take a picture of it, or scan it, and then I will post it on my blog.

I will also analyse in detail a front cover and the contents page of a student magazine and then I will take a picture or scan this and then post it onto my blog.

Conduct a focus group to establish what the student audience wants from the new magazine so that I can use this information to develop my magazine front cover so that it will appeal to students.

I will use the findings from my research and analysis (from the magazines that I have analysed and and produce and mock up of a front cover and the contents page.

I will then begin to design the front cover and continue working on this magazine until it is completed and meets the design brief and appeals to the target audience.