Pitch of Music Magazine

My research has consisted of a questionnaire which allowed me to find out my specific target audience, so that I know who to cater for. This helped me because it allowed me to get the public’s opinion across to me, thusly making me fulfil their needs, views and interests. By getting their opinions across this will help me into improving my magazine so that it is the best it can be.

 My research also consisted of research into similar products. The other products that I researched were ‘Q’, ‘NME’ and ‘Rolling Stone.’ By doing this research I have found out a variety of conventions which will be very useful when making my magazine. I have found that the typography must include a variety of font styles and sizes, which will represent what is on the magazine. For example, the masthead is stereotypically larger than the main cover line; however this can be changed depending on the importance of the story/article behind the cover line. I will use these findings to make my magazine more successful because I have learnt how to structure the typography so that it is appealing to the audience. I have also found that the layout of the magazine should be set so that it follows the ‘route of the eye’. This is when the audience get drawn towards the masthead, then to the main/central image and then to the main cover line. Also whether the magazine is cluttered or organised depends on the genre in which the magazine wishes to connote. For example, if the magazine’s genre is rock then the magazine will be more cluttered compared to a magazine which connotes the genre classical music. The finding that I have received from this research has given me the chance to make my magazine more successful. This will be done making sure that I use the ‘route of the eye’ technique and I may choose to slightly give my magazine a cluttered effect so that it relates to the indie/rock genre of my magazine. I have found that the language that is suitable when making an indie/rock magazine should be quite informal; using short and snappy phrases which catch the attention of the audience, thusly enticing them to buy the magazine. I will use this type of language in my magazine to make it more successful and more interesting for the audience, thusly increasing the sales of the magazine. From the research I have found that when using colour, you should stick to a main colour group, such as red, white and black. These will be known as your trademark colours. These colours however can be altered so that it relates to what is in the magazine. For example, on the front cover of the ‘Q’ magazine I analysed, there was a main cover line of ‘Greenday’. This cover line was coloured green, so that it related to the band. This further emphasized the band when looking at the magazine. I will use a main colour group in my magazine so that I have a set of colours in which the audience can relate to. This should make my magazine more recognisable to the public which will increase the success of it. I have also found that the camerawork has a massive effect on how the image is portrayed to the audience. For example, if the image has a low angle of a musician, then this makes the musician come across has powerful. Also if there was a close up of a musician, then this will convey the expressions, emotions and effort from the musician. In my magazine I intend to use a variety of different shots so that the images I use relate and connote to the article/artist/band that I am portraying to the audience.  I also found that the mise-en-scene used in the magazine must relate to the genre, style and theme of the magazine. An example of a setting for my magazine could be a stage, because this would signify to the audience that the musician is performing. An example of a prop which relates to my magazine would be a guitar, a microphone or drums. These props would further connote to the audience the genre of the magazine. An example of costume used in my magazine could be darker clothing which would connote the darker style of the music genre. From these findings I will use similar ideas so that my magazine has a fully emphasized genre, therefore making it more appropriate to the targeted audience and increasing the demand for it. Lastly, I have found that the mode of address which I use for my magazine will have an enthusiastic tone. This tone could be connoted to the audience by using short phrases, capital letters, larger/bolder font and including exclamation marks. I will also use an enthusiastic tone when creating my magazine because this will get the audience upbeat and excited when reading the magazine.

By adapting all of these conventions to suit my magazine this should make my magazine become more successful. This is because I have learnt how to get the magazine to become appealing to the audience and entice them to buy it. By having the correct conventions in my magazine, this might increase the range of audience that buy the magazine, thusly increasing the popularity of the magazine.

I also conducted some research into an institution called ‘IPC Media.’ This company would be suitable for my magazine because it owns the magazine ‘NME’ which is similar to my magazine. This research has helped me to find out the demographics in which my magazine will cater for. This allows me to adapt the magazine so that it suits the audience which will increase the success of my magazine. I think that my magazine will be successful as a weekly issue rather than a monthly issue because magazines such as ‘NME’ have been very successful over the years when producing weekly issues.