Preliminary Task - Front cover and contents page

For our preliminary task, we were asked to produce the front cover of a new school magazine. 

We were also asked to incorporate into our design these three key parts of a front cover 

1. A photograph of a student in medium close up, 

2. some appropriately laid-out-text 

and 

3. A masthead

This is what I produced:

Next for our preliminary task, we were asked to produce the context page of a new school magazine. 

We were also asked to incorporate into our design these key parts of the contents page

1. A list of the articles included within he magazine

2. some appropriately laid-out-text, with page numbers

and 

3. A bold title

This is what I produced:

EDM target audience Time-lapse Finished Character

This is my primary EDM avachara image. 

I published a video earlier on in my blog, which shows you how I ended up with my secondary image. This will help me because it allows me to understand what to dress my subjects in, to make them relate to my readers more.

This avatar is an accurate description of my target audience because, the EDM Genre is generally a teenage/young male adult dominated music scene. However the fashion may vary between each individual, this character is just a rough estimate on what I feel is popular.

This is my Secondary EDM avachara image.

Front cover, Contents page and double page spread plans

Above we have my design plans for my front cover, contents page and double page spread. These will correlate somewhat with my final piece, although they are my first draft. Meaning they will ultimately change a little before they are ready, and to my liking. Eventually, extra little pieces of the plans will change with the feedback, and the detail will be expanded on each plan. Until I achieve my final designs and layouts

DJ Name Generator For Magazine Main Feature

In order to come up with a DJ I decided to use a Name Generator, most of them were inappropriate to my genre or even the ways in which they could have been interpreted, such as this one. I found this useful because I haven't found a suitable name yet for my cover artist, and this website allowed me to mix and match names and phrases to find the best possible name. Although this name can be seen as rather innapropriate if read in the wrong context, but in musical terms, means that I have possibly found a beginner DJ. Although I probably won't use this name for my main article, it was interesting to see what answer the website came up with. 

Research Findings Film Credits

This is a film credits scene, underlining the information that I have gained whilst planning my magazine, and how they will help me create my final piece in order to look as similar as possible to a real magazine. What I learnt was when I was researching publishers, that each magazine contains a barcode, and inside the barcode is situated key elements, such as price, name and issue number of the magazine, to make it easier to purchase and to modernise each magazine. Therefore as a result of this, I shall try to incorporate a barcode-like feature on my front cover.

I learnt that, all magazine front coves can be produced in two different ways, these are the 9-grid and the Z pattern. I applied it to my own magazine planning by looking at magazines that already exist, and trying to understand what layout they have used and how affective they look.

What Have I learnt So Far?

By creating three prezi's on Front Covers, Contents Pages and Double Page Spreads, I have broadened my knowledge on these keys areas of my magazine, and as a result of this I hope to create a magazine to a professional standard.

I have also learnt about The Uses and Gratifications theory, on which i created a short film about to help me understand the basics of the theory.

Staying on the subject of The Uses and Gratifications theory, i was then involved in a discussion or a focus group film, in which myself and a few others discussed and assessed our views and opinions on The Uses and Gratifications Theory.

Also I have learnt about and analysed the key concepts and conventions of a double page spread, this will help me compose and design my double page spread article correctly.

I made each decision for my front cover, double page spread and contents page, before I had specifically taken the images and made up my titles for my articles, because then I would be able to change and update the look to make sure the magazine looks presentable.

The key specific decisions that I made based on my research, were that dependent on the genre and target audience of my magazine, certain features had to be designed and displayed in a certain way. I used the key concepts and conventions of a double page spreads and front covers, to help me design them sufficiently. 

For example for my genre, my main target audience are Young adult Males, therefore I would not include girly colours or headlines, because girls aren't at the forefront of my market.

Target audience feedback - font

In my survey, the title 'Bassline' was the most popular. As a result of this I made a tally chart of five fonts that I was thinking of using for the title of my magazine.

Here is a list of fonts that I shortlisted for my magazine title. I created a survey of twenty five people to take part in choosing which font they liked the most. which i handed to people which would be interested in my genre and asked them to tally the font that they think the word "Bassline", which is my magazine title, looks most appropriate. The font that has the most votes is 'Secrets Stencil'

I didn't choose the other fonts because they don't have the impact that I think my magazine should. also they are harder to read and interpret the word "Bassline"

I chose these 5 fonts, because I believed that these fonts suited the style of my magazine the most, because they portray the sort of edgy drops and sketchy beats withing a typical EDM song 

Audience Research Piktochart Survey Analysis

Magazine Market Research Survey

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/256RSB7

Heres a screen shot of part of my survey, in order to ask my target audience their opinions on some of my ideas for my magazine, I produced this survey. This will help me to gain a better understanding of what my target audience want me to include in my magazine. I will use the feedback to directly affect the production of my final piece.