Scene magazine front cover

After drawing out my flat plans for my magazine and evaluating them, I made it on indesign.

This is my front cover, contents page and double page spread, I have changed some things from my original flat plan to improve it.

I think that my magazine develops forms and conventions of real media products as it does follow the typical indie music magazine conventions. I researches NME and KERRANG which both gave me ideas and inspired me to make my own magazine. Although my magazine chosen music genre is less rock and has a slightly wider range of music shown. For example on the contents page I have a list of artists who aren't all just one genre; one is pop rock whereas one is folk. I did this so that I could appeal to a wider range of people giving a wider audience.

The audience for my media product are young and similar to the band shown on the front cover. I chose a normal, cool and young people to pose as my band so that they will either remind the audience of themselves or they'll want to be like them. The band's style also represents the particular social group that is my audience but they wear black to continue the red and black theme. They enjoy a range of music genres but mainly indie music as that is the genre I have featured on my magazine the most. They will enjoy live music and gigs a lot. They will like the fashion style "scene". I have addressed this type of audience by using the colours red and black throughout the magazine which they'll like but in a trendy way. They are young and I have attracted the young audience by making the price small compared to some monthly magazines but also quite similar to monthly music magazines. Also the free CD and poster will attract the younger audience with a lower income. Within the social grades they will come under the ABC1 social category. My target audience's age is from the ages of 15-35 and with an equal male to female range. To anchor this I have chosen a band with both male and female members so that male readers will want to be like the guys but be with the girl and the female readers will wand to be with the guys but be like the girl. The words of the masthead are slightly wonky and there are white patches over them, this makes it look modern and conventional to the young audience. The band used on the front cover follow this specific style and the audience can relate to them. The camera angle looks up at them to show that they are superior, I got this idea from the NME interview picture of Glasvegas in which they look more superior due to the camera angle. On the double page spread I have chosen the bands' names to be Oscar, Dillan and Indigo. They are quite alternative and modernised names, I chose to do this so that the audience will think they're cool and want to be like them or can see themselves being similar as the band. The font chosen is also quite modern and bold which relates to the audience's style. The language used is again very colloquial and chatty and the type of language the reader themselves will use. I have often chosen to miss out capital letters at the starts of questions and answers which may look cool and colloquial to the reader. The background is black which gives it a modern and contemporary look to relate to the audience. I wanted certain parts of the magazine to stand out more than others, and so put them in different colours so that the readers' eye will be drawn to this part. For example I put the significant word NEW in red and capitals in a wonky line to separate itself from the rest of the writing. T he black outline makes it even more legible. Although the colour goes along with my colour theme, I wanted to use one more colour to make it slightly more interesting, I chose green for the word "festive". the colour relates to the word and stands out even more from the rest of the page. It also relates to the Christmas issue.

Both the magazines that I researched are distributed by big, successful magazine publishing companies. This is one of the main reasons that they are so successful. Therefore I would chose my magazine to be published in a different way with a more independent company. Because I believe that independent monthly magazines can also become successful. This will ensure that the magazine will be more select and original.

The main thing I have learnt about technology by making my magazine is how to use indesign. I am now confident with using the programme even though there is more for me to learn about it. But I could make another magazine and use it on my own without help. I also learnt the layout of a typical magazine and now understand how to do this on indesign. I know more about how to use photoshop as I used this programme with some of my photos, to change them to black and white and/or crop them. Because I used a font for my masthead from dafont.com, I know how to transfer the font into indesign to make it usable. I can now successfully upload photos and blogs onto blogger.com as I had never heard of the sight before.

I have definitely learnt a lot about the music magazine industry and how to construct my own magazine. Before I had no idea as to how a conventional magazine should look. When making my Sussex Downs magazine it was very basic and I have improved greatly on the quality of my work. I think that the process has been successful as has the product.

Scene magazine contents

Scene magazine double page spread

"Scene" flatplan double page spread

This is my double page spread for SCENE magazine. I have chosen to do an interview with the band featured on the front cover. I wrote out half of the interview to get an idea of the type of language I was going to use. Like the language used throughout my magazine I wanted to make it chatty and colloquial, as if the journalist was friends with the band. I want to make the band also sound friendly and funny so that the audience likes them and want to read on.

I may use the red and black colour theme for the questions and answers like I did on the contents page. This will ensure that the magazine can distinguish itself from others and so people will recognise the brand.

I will take three photos for the band one of which, on the left page, will be big alongside the main flash. There will be a main flash to pull the audience in and then a subhead that will make the reader want to continue reading the article. Quotes from the band will also be used to do this.

"Scene" flatplan contents page

For my contents page I am going to use the same style writing as the masthead, to establish the brand and give it a modern look. It is also in a big font to catch the audience’s eye. I want the contents page to be fun to read and have a mini article on it too. There is a feature in the middle which shows different readers of SCENE every month. This will involve the audience and make them feel a part of the magazine and equal to other bands featured in it. The language used in this short interview will be colloquial and chatty so that the audience feels the journalist is friendly and that they can relate to them. By having the number 2 instead of the word also makes the language colloquial. It is also the type of language that the audience would use themselves. The typography will follow the two colours red and black, the questions in red ad answers in black. This is to make it clear and legible. The people on in the photo will be happy and at a gig, this will make the reader relate themselves to them and they'll want to be where they are. There will be eye contact with the audience and the people on the photo to catch the readers eye, but it will be casual a casual and fun picture. The word questions is at an angle and this will anchor the colloquial and fun feel of the article.

I would like this photo to be black and white as with a white backgound it will stand out but also i will continue this theme throughout the magazine.

Every time the masthead SCENE is written, it will be in the same typeface as the title on the front cover, this will establish its brand so that it can be easily recognised. The language used on the strap line at the bottom will be persuasive. This is so it encourages them to subscribe to the magazine and so buy it each month. The exlamation mark also does this.

The line of "top singles" already gives the reader an insight into the rest of the magazine and is another feature to look at on the contents page. There will be a variety of bands to relate to a slightly wider audience but each band will follow the typical music conventions that the reader will enjoy. This line also breaks the page into three colums so that the page does not look too chaotic.
I have already made two mistakes by saying it is a weekly magazine when it is supposed to be monthly, but this means I can change and fix this when making my rel contents page.

"Scene" flatplan front cover

This is the flat plan of my front cover for my magazine that I will eventually be making. I have got ideas and related several features to my research magazine as this will follow the same indie music magazine conventions.

The title is "SCENE" which derived from the popular fashion and music style named which is also named scene among young adults. It has a double meaning and also signifies the scene that the magazine promotes. It is a polysemic sign and it’s also as if the title is saying "this is the scene to be in". The typography of the title is black and bold and makes it stand out to the audience most on the page. I want it to look modern and conventional to anchor the meaning of the title and relate to the young audience. It is bold to be eye catching to the audience and in a significant type face so that people will recognise the brand and this will establish it. I may have some of the title behind the photo, this will show how the audience is expected to already know what it is and make the picture more important. I got this idea from the KERRANG magazine I researched as they also put the title behind the photo.

The band used on the cover shot will follow the specific style so that the audience can relate to them. There will be eye contact with him and the purchaser, this draws the reader in. I chose one man from the band to be on the front cover as he is the lead singer and the person the audience will know most. His style will be similar to the audience’s a mainly male audience will want to be like the person on the front cover and the female audience will want to be with him. He will also be smiling and happy to make the consumer feel happy and then buy the magazine. I wanted the bands' name to sound quite British, modern and like they're a real indie band. The name "The Carnabys" is also a popular street in London, this shows where they are from, but is also quite a fun, conventional to indie music, name. I chose to write “the Carnabys take over London” as they come from London and so it relates to the bands’ name. This is the main flash and so will draw the readers in, so i put it right on the middle and will be in a different colour to the rest of the writing.

There will be a colour theme throughout the whole magazine; red and black. This will relate, appeal to the audience and help establish its brand.

There is a strap line at the top of the magazine which I would like to be a different colour to the rest of the page. This will draw in the readers’ attention. It says “exclusive Cage the Elephant tour dates!” the band will be popular among the audience and so they would want to find out when they are touring. The word exclusive will make the reader want to buy the magazine as they can only find out this information inside SCENE. There will also be a picture of the band so that they see it first as it catches their eye and then read it. This will be repeated with each issue near the brand logo, people will recognise the cover instantly. The “Christmas special” I will put in another bright colour so that it stands out. Probably green as this will relate to the Christmas theme. Also the word special draws in the audience as it sounds as if this issue will be different. The fact that you get a free CD and poster when you get the magazine encourages the audience to buy it. The magazine looks more entertaining than informative and this is anchored by the "chatty", colloquial language used. Also with exclamation marks it looks as if the journalist is excited about the magazine too.

There is a Main sell followed by a picture: "Pete and the Pirates Live" wich will relate to the writing. It indicates content in the magazine and relate to the other bands featured on the cover.

I placed the bar code away from the cover shot and centre of the cover, so it does not distract the audience's attention. The price is quite average/cheap for a monthly magazine but also shows that enough work has gone into the magazine so that it is good.

Kerrang front cover

This front cover is from the magazine "Kerrang!" which first started in the 80's, when this type of rock, British heavy metal and the rise of a well known band "AC/DC" began to grow more popular. The music it features is similar to that of NME's but Kerrang presents more hard rock and "Emo" styles of music.
The title has been established as it is the same on every cover. Kerrang! also has a Kerrang! radio and T.V channel which enforses the recognition to the title. Many people know the title and so the image is over half of it which tells us it is a well established brand. It is black on white which makes it clear and stand out to the reader. A modern, Sans Serif type font is used which is anchored by the modern music it represents. The word Kerrang is a loud sound a guitar can make and the exclamation mark anchors this. There are lines going through the masthead, this signifies that the sound is so loud, it has broken.
Similar bold writing is used throughout the cover, most of the writing is white but the writing around the band name "you me at six" is yellow. this emphasise the band title and makes it stand out more. The word FREE is in red so that it is eye catching and ensures the reader will want to read more. there is a strap line at the top which has three different band names, this is so if the reader don't like the main band on the cover they will probably be interested in one of these bands and so will still want read the magazine.
The band featured on the front cover are all wearing black, the sophistication of this colour is contradicted by the casual style of their clothing. It is also the same colour as the title, keeping the colour scheme of the whole page more simple.

double page spread NME

This is a double page spread of Glasvegas who are also on the front cover of the magazine. A photo is used which takes up the whole page, this is eye catching and shows that the band is important. All the members look relaxed but very cool. The camera angle looking up at them shows they are superior. They all wear black which makes them more of a group. Only the lead singer wears sunglasses so that the audience can differentiate who is more important within the band. They are also in quite a natural backgrouond but there are some steps in the room, they are used as a centrepiece for the band to sit and lean on.

Although it is an interview, a lot of the writers' views and experience of being with the band is given. This means that the audience gets another point of view from someone who has actually met the band. It starts off with an interview with the women who sells the bands' merchandise but who is also a social worker. This ties into alot of their lyrics. The language used is quite colloquial to make it feel chatty and relaxed but there are also some very formal words such as "problematic" and "transposing". Swear words are used: "dickhead" , the younger audience may think it is cool as they use the words themselves and it adds to the colloquial feel. The text of title is very bold and and Sans Serif is used, there are also splatters of black around the writing which makes it look casual as if someone has just painted it on. It could also relate to the picture, that the room is about to be decorated. The rest of the text is quite formal looking as Serif writing is used, this makes it legible. The angel wings around the title reinforce the idea that Geraldine who sells the merchandise is seen as an angel.

Many positive lists are used when describing the band, using lots of adjectives. Also clear opinions in short sentances are used such as "they are the most important band in Britain".

NME contents page

Like the front cover, the contents page has the same style of writing. Lots of bold headings are used to make the text eye catching which is Sans Serif. This again makes the writing very legible. The title NME is on this page but smaller than on the cover, this ensures the reader knows and remembers what they are reading. The colours red and black are also followed on to this page, the red background on the "band index" gives a link from the music and the title on the magazine. Both black writing on white and white on black is used, this makes each section stand out as all the subheadings are white on black. The capital letters emphasise the title.

A picture is used in the middle of the page to ensure that it stands out. There is black and red in the picture which follows NME's theme. The picture is of a popular new band who play indie music it is also taken at glastonbury, a popular festival which many people know of. The fact that the photo is taken from a live performance which gives it atmosphere and makes the reader want to be there.

The language is quite colloquial for example they use "glasto" instead of glastonbury. this suggests that the reader knows about the festival. The language also makes the reader feel as if a friend is talking to them as the text is informal and conversational.

although it is a contents page there is still a point of interest, a short story about the ting tings this keeps the reader interested so that they want to read on. The structure follows the conventions of any contents page, with two thin collums eaither side. One is broken down by subheadings giving short and easy-to-read bits of information.

The readers of NME will have band which they are interested in and they can easily find each band in the collum on the left. This encourages them to read on. The title "this week" sounds as if the magazine has information about everything that has happened with music during the week. The left collum looks as if they are newspaper cuttings this makes it appear

NME front cover

For my music magazine which I will eventually make, I have chosen a indie rock/pop genre which is based on my two research magazines. indie rock is independant and alternative music which may also move onto major labels.

Many music mags with this genre are very popular such as NME and Kerrang, so these are the magazines I am going to use for my research as they both follow out the typical conventions of indie music magazines.

The name NME stands for "new musical express" which tells us that the magazine is fast and gives us lots of new infomation about popular and new music. This name comes from the 50's when it first started and they have kept the title but modernised it. They do this because if they still called it that, it would be far too long and so they have named it in the abbreviation form "NME" as it is a short and catchy title. It is a polysemic sign with other meanings attatched to it, such as when you read it, it sounds like the word enemy. This could signify that when you read the magazine you are tough and are other peoples enemy's which is anchored by the red colour. The colour also helps it establish it's brand. The use of font is quite modern which enhances the message of modern music. All the writing is bold, even if it's not a heading, this forces it to stand out as it becomes more in your face. The sans serif font style also adds to the modern theme and improves the legibility.

Although "Glasvegas" is the main heading on the cover, there are also other bands mentioned to ensure the reader will be interested in one of them. A quote is used from the Strokes which makes the reader want to read on. An unanswered question is asked about the band Oasis, this makes you want to know the answer and you can find out quickly as it gives you the page number.

They use the colour red throughout the page to enhance the title so that it can establish its own brand. The colours used are quite bright and stand out and there is alot of black, the connotations of this could be "cool", darkness and also indie. The band Glasvegas wear black clothes with dark hair and NME have continued the colour on other parts if the page. Their expressions are sinsere and the lead singer wears sunglasses which appears quite threatening.

The use of language is informal and assumes knowlege about indie music by using different band's names. Alliteration and punctuation is used to make the text stand out to the reader.

By the barcoad there are prices form other nationalities, so the magazine is sold in the United States, Canada and Europe. I have looked on ipcmedia.com, who are the publishers for NME, and i have downloaded an audience reader profile. This tells me what the readers of this magazine are like, including quantative and qualitative data. Such as 69% of readers are male, their average age is 24 and 65% are in the ABC1 catagory.