Introduction to my AS media coursework

As part of my AS media coursework I will make a music magazine. I will take my own photographs and use Photoshop to edit my photos and magazine on. I will carry out research my looking at existing music magazines as well as researching my target audience in order to help me meet the requirements of the audience I will target my magazine towards.

Codes and Conventions

Front cover

The colour scheme used on the front cover is only red, black and white. The bright red background allows the white writing to stand out, grabbing the reader’s attention. The writing is laid out so that the white writing is on the red background and the red writing is on the white background of the picture and this technique really makes the writing stand out and be clear enough to read.

There are four headings in bold, white writing with the one at the top being the biggest showing that it is the most important. They each have sub-headings underneath them therefore after the main writing catches the reader’s attention they can then read what the magazine is about in more detail. The red writing across the white part of the picture has been written in capital letters and the same sentence is repeated over and over again following the shape of the person’s cheek in the picture giving an eye catching effect.

The text has been written in an informal way using slang, such as ‘grub’. This style will grab teenagers’ attention because it is how friends talk to friends rather than being a formal piece of writing. Having ‘festival’ written in a larger font than the other headings shows teenagers that this magazine isn’t just about ‘weird science’ and ‘the real world’ it is about their social lives too.

The picture used has been edited in contemporary block black and white colours allowing the picture to stand out against the block red background. The facial expression used in the picture looks like somebody is shouting or singing at a party therefore targeting its audience of teenagers. The layout of the magazine looks like an advert that would be given out at a festival, therefore again targeting teenagers.

The title of the magazine is ‘Fusion’ which is the coming together of something. This could be representing the coming together of teenagers going to new schools or colleges, going to parties and meeting new people. There is a sub-heading underneath the title saying ‘every generation needs a new revolution’ which is again targeting teenagers by saying they are the ‘new generation’.

At the top right hand corner of the magazine it says ‘Free issue 1’ immediately grabbing the reader’s attention; mainly teenagers as the majority of teenagers don’t have money of their own yet while still in full time education. With it being free it allows the target audience to read the magazine and get hooked so the next issue they will be more likely to buy it.

Contents

A lot of different colours have been used on the contents page with a block white background helping to make the other colours stand out grabbing the reader’s attention. The main title is written in black, making it stand out against the white background immediately telling the reader what the page is about. There are headings showing what different pages are in the magazine all written in different colours creating a fun, rainbow effect. The colours are what make the reader interested enough to then go on and read the smaller, black writing.

The different headings are written in a smaller font than the title with information about each of them underneath in a smaller font in plain black writing. The most important parts are big and bold, then as the importance lessens the writing because smaller and not as noticeable. The reader gets interested by the bold writing used for the word ‘contents’ then notices the smaller, colourful sub-headings which then leads to reading the information about each of them, the even smaller parts.

Again the text has been written in a colloquial style, using slang, informal sentences such as ‘get off the sofa’ and ‘snack attack’, appealing to the target audience.

The main picture used on the contents page is a tape with colours coming from it representing different genres of music. The target audience here is teenagers as stereotypically teenagers are known for knowing recent, new music and playing it loud; the bright colours coming from the tape represent the loud music. There is a border along the top and bottom of the page with what the page is about at the top and the magazine name at the bottom. This is so the reader is constantly being reminded about what they reading so if they want to read the next issue in the future they know exactly what they are looking for.

The title of the page is shown twice with it being at the top, right hand corner in a pink, small font and it being in the middle of the page in a black, bigger font. It is repeated as it makes it easier for the reader to find the page when flicking through the magazine to have what each page is at the top corner. It is then repeated in a bigger, bolder font because the reader has then opened the page and the contents becomes more important.

At the bottom right of the page we are told that the magazine is printed on 100% recycled paper. A lot more people are now aware of recycling especially younger people as they have been taught about recycling for most of their lives. The recycle logo is also used to ensure the reliability of this. If the magazine is advertised as being recycled more people are likely to buy it as more people look out for the recycled logo when buying products.

Above the recycled logo is a bright yellow box standing out against the white background with black writing inside of it. The writing tells the reader when the next issue is coming out making the reader think about buying the next one before they have even started to read the first one.