OCR Media Studies – AS Level

Unit G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media

Planning & Research

Name: Joe DolanCandidate Number: 2043Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic SchoolCenter Number: 64135

Set Brief - Print

Music Magazine – Production

Preliminary Task Progression and Planning & Research

Section 1) –Preliminary Task

Preliminary Task Progression–Evidence

Front CoverStep-by-step

Firstly I set margins around my page to give it some structure and it allowed me to align text and images more accurately

Giving it brand identity was my next step e.g. colours and symbols/logo

Inserting the Masthead font was the next step

I then added the headline with the subline and gave it some social media links for example Facebook & Twitter. I also included the barcode and issue price and linked the layers together.

I then added in some of the main headlines

When I added the main photo I came to the conclusion the original layout of the headings was going to cause them to overlap and make it look unprofessional and unclear.

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6.5.4.

Decision at the End

I decided to fill in the dead space with a bottom footer which filled in the space and made use of the space

Final Front Cover Design

From my original feedback I made my front cover more accurate by using the margins therefore making it more professional as before it seemed a lot of my text was not aligned correctly. Also I linked some of the layers which made it easier to make alterations to my work as I wouldn’t have to constantly modify my layout.

Preliminary Task Progression–Evidence

Contents PageStep-by-step

Firstly I inserted margins to align my work Then I added the social media

links, the brand identity for the school from my previous front cover and also St. Andrews logo’s across the page.

I then focused on the editorial side of the contents page and the features surrounding an editorial section e.g. the signature of which I wrote and scanned in and also my picture of which I got off the St. Andrews website.

After the last process I included the main picture of the main headline and did all the headlines and caption included. I also included a form of advertisement for a school quiz club.

I then created the mask head and finished all of my headings. I chose this masthead because it is bold and is clear to the reader.

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5.4.

3.2.

Final Contents Page

Section 2) – Log Book

Music Magazine – Genre research• Production Process• Date of Publication – The first thing that is done it to set the date the magazine will be published to the general

public. This will help with setting a schedule for the development.• Managing the Schedule – You must have enough space in the schedule to fix any mistakes before the deadline.• Editorial and Budgetary Decision – It is the editorial decisions which involved the content that is covered in the

next issue of the magazine. Once they have made the decisions they look at how much money is available for them and how much should be spent in the production of the magazine.

• Content Acquisition – Probably the most important step because without content there would be no magazine. There is in-house staff writers for the magazine and external writers that write about a specialist nature. There is also artwork and illustrations and pictures in the magazine.

• Sub-Editing – This focuses on the quality control, it involves checking the accuracy of the facts, making sure words are spelt correctly, property grammar and punctuation are used, make sure that the articles follow the house style and work on the page layout.

• Page Layout – This person will correctly lay the articles out to put it together as a magazine using powerful programs such as Desktop Publishing (DTP) or InDesign or Pagemaker to do this. The advertisers are also placed into the content.

• Proof Reading – The editorial department will print a hardcopy of the magazine in order to read through it and to find any mistakes. Any mistake that is spotted is quickly corrected, the editorial keeps proof reading until all the team is satisfied there is no mistakes.

• Printing – The entire magazine is send to the printer, Pre-Press’ are printed to check all the colours and layout is fine before printing hundreds or thousands of copies.

• Distribution – It is the final stage where the company packs the magazines and go to a warehouse to go to the general public.

16 XXL 140.000 IDR

Rank Name Circulation Publisher

Established Magazine for my Research

The white background makes the main picture very clear and helps Robbie Williams stand out. The Mast head is bright head which helps it stand out from the bright background.

The lighting is very high key of which makes Robbie Williams hair stand out and shows the font standing out in correlation with his hair. He is in front off every layer apart from his name that shows how he is important and stands out as opposed to everything else.

The layout is very confusing as there is a lot going on therefore it makes it hard for the main Heading to stand out as all the headings are bright and bold. It is represented in a sarcastic cartoon theme which suggests the story surrounding him is sarcastic and more comedy focused as the picture is sardonic expression.

The font used is bright, bold and colourful but isn't the same all over as it changes in colour and size which makes it unprofessional but acceptable as it is a ironic front headline.

The costume used matches the colour for some of the font colour used and also the magazine brand identity which is a good choice but not much of it is being shown to the reader.

The biggest verbal code on this page is ‘Robbie’, which connotes the issue’s main headline is going to be revolved around him and some sort of ironic saying. The inclusion of his name also ‘signifies’ (De Saussure) the ‘star appeal’ (Richard Dyer) he possesses.

Date/Issue/Price is shown next to the barcode of which is placed in the bottom left corner of the cover. This way it is completely out of the way so it does not disrupt the main image on the cover.

Katz inform and educate use of the EXCLUSIVE allowing the audience to be aware off how this magazine is a one off and shows Robbie Williams as a star promoting the star appeal.

The target audience who purchase Q are stereotypically males with 68% of the consumers showing an interest in the rock cultured magazine. The consumers aged 15-25 are from the socio-economic category A, B, C1 due to the fact that the magazine is released on a monthly basis for £3.50 which would suggest a price some would imply as expensive and to expensive intrinsic to their class. Most of Q’s magazine would have a ‘personal relationship’ (Theorist) due to the artists releasing their personal statements causing them to become closer to the artist's and understand their background rather than their musical information and career. They can also understand the artists fashion sense and be more prone to buying clothes if their favourite artist is shown modelling clothes that look good on him/her. Q also provides a variety of rock cultured music therefore incorporates the Maslow theory for example aesthetic needs that helps the audience appreciate the genre they are more knowledgeable of as people are willing to purchase something they know involves there type of music. I believe that Q magazine does not have a specific target audience and is targeted for people of all ages including students and parents. Q Magazine may also target ‘Survivors’ (Maslow) who wish to have security and a routine in their magazine and the content it will, consistently provide. The audience most likely reader Q magazine for ‘diversion’ or to ‘inform and educate’ (Katz)

From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is the fact that this issue of Q magazine is an exclusive, wide targeted audience magazine. The people who are avid readers of Q magazine would be more tempted to buy the magazine as it’s exclusive and has a great title and rhetorical question of which people wish to find the answer too. The main image’s sarcasm may also make readers wish to see why he is showing that emotion and what his quotes are about.

Publisher research

http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/brands/q

Q is published by Bauer Media, a media company that manages a portfolio of magazines, digital products, radio and TV stations in local markets across the world.

Q mainly focuses on up and coming/well known rock and roll artists . Therefore their target audience are people who enjoy reading about rock music. Readers are mainly teens/young adults aged 15-25, and have enough money to buy the magazine each month.

Q magazine has a circulation of 48,353 copies distributed in January-July 2014. The magazine also has 339,000 readers.

Q’s audience is younger and more affluent than any other music monthly. 97% of readers rate Q as a quality magazine. In research it outperforms competitors on measures such as best interviews, writing and awards winning photography.

Conventions of XXL

Cover lines- There are few cover lines of which suggests that there is stories within but by stating only the name of the artists it build suspense and makes the reader want to purchase so they can find out about these artists.

Masthead- The mast head is bold and the colours work well in standing out together but it is slightly covered by the main image suggesting this artist is more important than the mask head.

Barcode- Allows the reader to understand this is a business which makes money out of magazines therefore they are going to need to purchase before they read.

Font- The font throughout the Page is kept the same colour and outlined on the headline but it changes style when the artists names are mentioned and decreased in size.

Main image: The main image is clear and stands out the most. It portrays the artists fashion very well and makes it clear to the audience his style.

Lighting-The lighting is dark and low key of which portrays a night scene and can show how the hip hop culture revolves in the darkness.

Also having a popular male artists helps to involve both male and female fans.

Strapline- Within this magazine the strapline is very subtle as the font size is much smaller than the Masthead and is located in a position that is hard for the reader to see.

Star Appeal- Kanye West is shown as the star appeal in this magazine as he is advertising his fashion and links well with the cover line towards him. The colour scheme is also based around him as well.

Issue/Date/Price- The issue, date and price is presented inside the barcode. It gives the month and year of October 2007 and states the issue as 96 and the price is presented there as well.

Target Audience and/or socio-economic needsThe target audience for name of magazine magazine can be denoted as young males from age 15-30 but can also involve females just not as popular as the male interest in hip hop. This is for the E category as the individual readers for this category would be younger and it is released 6 times per year therefore would be a non frequent purchase of $5.00 which is above average for a magazine but its infrequent release settles the overall cost.Readers of XXL would have a personal relationship with the artists due to their age as most hip hop artists are young therefore it can help the individual readers relate to the artists as they can understand at that age and class. The reader could experience diversion as the fashion can attract the reader to change their approach to fashion as they are fond of what their idol is wearing and chooses to be like them.Katz theory can be used within this XXL Cover for example the audience is able to identify a role model that has similar traits for example the fashion that Kanye is wearing within the magazine. This therefore helps the audience aspire to be someone they see on the magazine e.g. Kanye West because they think he looks like someone people look up too.Maslow Theory- Can be linked with Esteem needs as if they are struggling with self confidence they are able to be motivated by an idol such as Kanye West who they can look up too and more importantly achieve a role model status.

From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is that XXL magazine directors are able to get in contact with some of the top celebrity artists therefore making it exclusive as they are able to provide the reader with information towards the artists that they couldn’t get from other magazines. Also using an artist on the front cover who is in the top charts makes it more appealing to the readers as they know they are good at what they do and they want to know how they got there and what they are working on next. Stars represent shared cultural values and attitudes, and promote a certain ideology of which in this XXL front cover is ‘A decade of dominance’. Audience interest in the values promoted their 'star quality', and it is through conveying these statements outside music that performers help generate a good perspective from the audience they are performing to. Kanye’s star appeal initiate’s a fashion trend, with legions of fans copying his hairstyle and vintage clothing approach.

Publisher research

XXL is an American hip hop website, published by Townsquare Media, founded in 1997.• Then, visit their website and deconstruct the information you can find about the

target readership in terms of socio-economic needs, circulation etc.• XXL mission is to take a mature real and intelligent approach to hip hop music. XXL

keeps up with hip hops energy and targets the people that live for urban music. The general target audience for XXL magazine is 78% male readers, with the median age of 27, and 44.7% college buyers, and 67% African Americans. Priced at $5.99 XXL is the number 1 selling magazine on the newsstand which outsells magazines like Rolling Stone, Vibe, and spin. The readers of XXL purvey hip hop culture; consume music, and fashion and lifestyle on a level that defines logic. The readers are either in clubs, online, onstage, and at shops (places they can gain or access music from). XXL readers helped the magazine to become NO.1 most influential brand in rap media. XXL is no.1 selling ABC audited music publication sold worldwide and is the hip hops media brand.

http://XXL.com