Production Diary

In todays lesson we looked at and analysed existing mastheads and names. By analysing the mastheads and names I was able to understand the significance of having a bold eye catching masthead because this is inevitably going to be the firs thing a reader will see. Furthermore the name is also important as it has to be memorable. For example the name Kerrang! originates from the sound of an out of tune guitar being strung. This makes it unique and therefore stands out against other magazine names such as Classic Rock to which ultimately serves a different purpose to Kerrang! This analysis has allowed me to deduce how I can approach creating my masthead and indeed magazine name.

Existing Names & Mastheads

Draft Proposal

Uses and Gratification Theories of Music Magazines

Uses and Gratification Theories of Music Magazines

 

 

Music magazines serve many general purposes to its audiences. This can be categorised, four-fold. Said categories are as follows;

• Information
• Personal Identity
• Integration and Social Interaction
• Entertainment.

 Firstly music magazines provide information to its readers in many different ways. The relay of information such as relevant events and societal expectations, plays a huge part in the information different genres relay to its readers. In addition the information aspect of music magazines, can add to a sense of fulfilment to the reader as from reading the magazine they will have gained knowledge, or will have leaned from the magazine. Furthermore the information has a societal impact on the reader because fans of a particular band or genre will desire as much information about said bands as possible in order to meet the social cliques' expectations.

Furthermore many music magazines aim to appeal to the personal identity of the reader, often using iconology to relay this notion. For example during the 1980's the 'New Wave of British Heavy Metal', 'Punk Rock' & 'Hair Metal' played massive roles in society and the way people dressed and presented themselves. For example, famous bands such as Motley Crue, Poison, Twisted Sister and Kiss, particularly in the United States, had a huge impact on fashion with many fans wishing to emulate their idols and they way they presented themselves, with such iconology as big hair, and obscene make up. For the same reason the punk revolt of the late 80's caused many people to copy Sex Pistols star, Johnny Rotten with such iconic things as safety pins in ears and Dr Martin boots. Magazines played a huge role in society at the time because often thy would provide style tips to readers that coincide with an image of important societal figures at the time leading many readers changing their own styles in order to feel a personal connection with the artist's presented, thus highlighting the personal identity enforcement in music magazines.

Integration and Social Interaction (as briefly mentioned) plays a massive part in magazine readerships, even in the modern day. Despite the encroachment of social media and the Internet music magazines are still a good source of information to fans, as many social cliques now resolve around the music world and particularly specific artists with many fan bases coming to the social foreplay in the modern era, with such developments as 'Directioners' (One Direction) and 'Beliebers' (Justin Beiber) causing many people determined to leave no stones unturned in finding information about their favourite artists, bringing a sense of one-up-manship within social cliques, that will give an indivudual the 'upper hand' and so this is why music magazines include such things and 'random facts' to appeal to the social sector, and to the readers demands.

Finally music magazines provide a much more innevitable purpose, this being entertainment. Reading provides much entertainment to people worldwide, and therefore the use of iconic acts and people audeinces find interesting to read about adds to the entertainment purpose of the magazine. Entertainment of music magazines effects people in many different ways, these include;

• Feeling of Escapism
• Relaxation
• Cultural enjoyment
• Filling Time
• Emotional Release
• Sexual arousal

Each effecting readers in different ways thus providing reason as to why entertainment serves a massive responsibility in the magazines success, and overall readability.
 

 



Music Magazine Survey Task

Please go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YZ5JYGK to complete my music magazine survey.

Production Diary

Investigating a Music Magazines Business Model

Music Magazine: Kerrang!

The History Of Kerrang!;

- Kerrang! is a UK rock music magazine.

- It is edited by Geoff Barton and was initially a one time supplement in the sounds newspaper on the 6 June 1981.

- This focused on the new wave of British Heavy Metal and the rise of other hard rock acts during its prime during the 1980's with now instrumental bands in the genre such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest,  Black Sabbath, Whitesnake, Saxon and Led Zepplin really becoming established names during this era..

- The original owner was United newspaper who then sold it on to EMAP (East Midland Allied Press) in 1991.

- However then in 2008 EMAP sold its consumer magazine to the current owner Bauer Media Group. 

- AC/DC's illustrious guitarist was the first to appear on Kerrang!’s first ever cover.

- Its been released weekly from the 6 June 1981 and also has a website with all the current news and previous issues (www.kerrang.com).

Publishing Company;

- Bauer Media is a small section of the Bauer Media Group.

- Bauer Media Group is Europe’s largest privately owned publishing Group.

- Bauer Media. supports other media groups offering 300 magazines in 15 countries, online, TV and radio stations.

- Bauer Media is a multi-platform UK-based media Group consisting of many companies.

- Two main attributes – Magazines and Radio.

- Continuing its history of magazine launches, closer was launched in 2002 and Britain's first weekly glossy, GRAZIA, was launched in 2005.  

- Bauer Media also publish 'Q' magazine. ‘Q’ magazine is a monthly published music magazine published by Bauer Media Group and founded by Mark Ellen and David Hepworth, in October 1986. It's synonymous with its association with charities. The magazine includes a very wide section of music, reissues, television, films, games etc. However most of the magazine is filled with interviews. The target audience for the magazine is aimed at the older generation who still to this day buy CD’s. 

How Does Kerrang! Make Money;

Kerrang makes it money by exploiting its established multi-platformed media, including radio & television, this enables Kerrang! to 'make money' because it means they can plug there magazine for example, as advertisements on their television channel on radio broadcasts for no additional cost, persuading listeners and viewers to buy the magazine, and vise-versa for each of the platforms. In addition Kerrang! charges £2.20 for each of issue of their magazines sometimes increasing this with specific articles or gifts that may add value to the magazine.

Kerrang! also ensures regular readership through this same system, as well as offering things such as free posters, CD's and other band memorabilia, therefore giving readers the notion that they are benefiting from reading this magazine, leading them to become avid readers. Furthermore subscriptions are available both online and as a hard copy, making it multi-platformed and more accessible to potential readers. 

Production Process;

Kerrang follows a generic music magazine and indeed other topic magazines, production process, that follows three main steps. These being;

1.       Pre-Production; This means ‘draft’ or ‘planning’. It is the first stage in production and this is where the vital research and planning is made so that you know exactly what is what. 
2.      Production;The Production is the second process. Usually the most straight forward part, where a piece of ‘raw data’ text and images are created . 
3.       Post Production;The third process in production would be Post- Production this is where editing takes place to ensure the issue will appeal to the target audience and all articles are relevant and censored.

Other Ways Of Raising Brand Awareness;

Kerrang! also hosts the Kerrang! awards, a prestigious day in the rock and heavy metal genre, in which the genre's pioneers and new comers unite and celebrate the music, with awards, for things such as, lifetime achievement, and best newcomer. This is an effective way of raising brand awareness because it will appeal directly to their target audience of whom will be most interested in an awards event for their idols, thus building a relationship and conceptual understanding of the magazines purposes potentially resulting in an increase in readerships.

Production Diary

Today in media we looked at the representation of our chosen genres in music magazines. This was important because it provides us with some valuable information with regards to the way in which we would approach the production of our magazine in such features as the photo-shoot. The importance of a good photo-shoot was apparent during this task because, especially in my chosen genre of rock/metal, the mood is very specific and ensuring said mood is met appropriately is increasingly difficult. From this task I have learned therefore that my models in my photo-shoot have to be quite arrogant and rebellious in order to conform to the hegemonies of this genre.

Representation of Artists/Genre of Music

Heavy Metal in particular as a part of the Rock/Heavy Metal genre is constantly demeaned in society with many referring to the apparent satanic thesis that seems to accompany the genre. This is also presented in many magazines that explore the genre often presenting the topic (band or member) in a negative manor in an attempt to reflect the anti-societal notion that surrounded the genre at its peak d

uring the 1980's. The genre is represented in a variety of different forms, ranging from the title of the magazine, the photography used or the very content of the magazine itself.

This photo of famous metal band 'Motorhead's lead singer Lemmy Kilmister, accentuates how the metal genre is represented in music magazines. This particular cover provides a more stereotypical view of the genre. Also generically many of the artists are presented in a negative manner in rock and metal magazines and so that is something I aim to present in my photography for my front cover.

Clothing is an essential part of any music magazine but notoriously so with rock and metal magazines. The genre's movement during the 1980's centred largely around what the artists looked like, especially in the USA with 'hair bands' as they were referred to such as Motley Crue and Poison, being the idols for many youths at the time. Said looks soon became synonymous with the bands and so whenever they appear within magazines for example the look is expected to be upheld and so synonymous items of clothing such as denim and leather attires are expected by readers and so are likely to appear in the magazine. Therefore I aim for my model to wear leather and follow the protocols that seemingly follow the clothing aspect of the genre's magazine representation.

Iconography is a massive contributor to the genre's magazine representation. Often the artists presented on the cover of magazines will adopt a certain pose that may well be synonymous with that artist. For example in the cover below we see the infamous Ozzy Osbourne sporting a pose that is easily distinguishably a part of his character and his stature within the genre. Using this iconography is effective as the reader will directly relate to the pose and it therefore allows them to appreciate that issue of the magazine, and its contents.

The contents of the magazine are also influential in the representation of the genre as a large amount of pull quotes and other quotes feature throughout many of the stories. This is particularly prominent in this genre because it is widely known that the genre consists of many eccentric artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Axl Rose, Tommy Lee and Keith Moon, and providing a multitude of quotes is effective because it gives the reader an insight into their hectic and eccentric lifestyles further implying the importance of iconography in the representation of the rock and heavy metal in music magazines.

Conventions of Music Magazines

Rock/Metal Music Magazines.

 

As part of the courses research task section, I have looked at and analysed three different rock and heavy metal magazines. This is the genre I wish to portray as my final piece, and so I decided to analyse magazines within this field specifically, to take not of what aspects make a successful, rock/metal magazine.

 

There were three aspects of said magazine we had to analyse, this being;

• Cover Page
• Contents Page
• Feature Article (Double Page Spread)

 

                                       Front Covers

 

Firstly I would like to talk about the conventions of  a typical rock/metal magazines front cover. During my analysis I noticed many similarities between the three different magazines. For example, the use of fully bleeding images across the pages masthead.

 

Here we see a prime example of exactly how a full bleed is effective in a rock/metal magazine. This is effective because the name of the magazine is so synonymous with this genre and has been very well publicised, presenting the masthead clearly is not a necessity, instead it gives the magazine allowance to enlarge the image making it stand out to the reader, making the magazine potentially more desirable depending on the target audience, and in this case the use of two bands considered to be pioneers of the music genre, the target audience will indubitably be large and wide, further giving reason for the enlargement of the icons used. 

 



 Also in the above image we see the use of iconography; synonymous imagery relative to the genre. As previously mentioned this is particularly effective because, being iconic it means these images are easily distinguishable particularly, again, to the target audience. Noticeably in the Metal Hammer front cover, in which the band itself is not presented (Iron Maiden) however the bands figure head, or mascot is, further suggesting that this images iconography will be more successful and effective than using the conventional shot of the band or lead singer. The image itself usually foreshadows the feature article, readers can expect to find within the magazine.

 

In addition, although the textual colour differs between the two magazine above, the background colour remains a reoccurring theme; black. Connotations suggest that the genre is a dark and mysterious genre of music. However the more direct reasoning may be as a result of the pragmatical fashions of the era. The 1980's rock and heavy metal scene largely centred around black leather and big hair, something completely derived from the brightly coloured and dance filled 70's, and so became synonymous with this genre of music. Therefore the use of this colour is a reoccurring theme use by each of the following successful rock/metal magazines;

• Kerrang!
• Classic Rock
• Revolver
• Metal Hammer
• Decibel

and so, given this is the same genre as I wish to use in my final piece the use of black is essentially a necessity in this field. Colours such as red and white are also seemingly iconic with rock/metal magazines and so will also contribute, hopefully, to the success of my magazine.

 

Finally the use of sell lines is influential in any magazine as it informs the reader what else they can find within the magazine.

 

                                  Contents Pages

Here we have two different examples of a contents page and its layout, in a rock/heavy metal magazine. The first image is of Metal Hammer magazine and the second from Kerrang!. Again here we see the reoccurring colour scheme of black, red and white. Noticeably although Kerrang! uses yellow coloured text, at least two of the three colours depicted previously occur in the majority of successful magazines in this genre, as shown in the two images here.

 

 Identifying the main articles and the sub articles has been very well presented in each of these contents pages. However in this case I feel Metal Hammer's contents page is much more effective as it shows the reader what is special and unique about this issue in particular, in the form of the 'Features' section. Generically in every rock/metal magazine contents page the use of adjoining images to the text is influential in the clarity of the page. The images are used to provide a visual interpretation of the text and the articles further in the magazine.

 

Added professionalism is apparent in the use of banners and button to plug free gifts or other things into their magazines. This is also a reoccurring theme on the front covers, as it provides a unique selling point to the magazine further helping the magazine to be successful and is something I may use to further portray my understanding of the features of a successful magazine.

 

Both magazines presented on the left here, also present;

- Long Shots

- Mid Shots

- Close Ups

- Band Photos

Showing that for a successful contents page a variety of camera angles must be used to further incline my capabilities of software and key techniques.

Feature Articles (Double Page Spreads)

We see once again the re-use of the main colours previously examined, further suggesting the connotations with said colours and the genre of music being presented in the magazine. In addition however in both of the magazines presented here, we see many key attributes to a successful double page, feature article. This include;

• Pull Quotes
• Image bleeding
• Box Outs

Pull quotes are used predominately in both and are presented in much the same manner, in that they contrast with the background causing them to differentiate from the main article drawing reference to them. The Kerrang! extract below overlaps the main image. Most readers will be attracted, firstly, to the image, and then secondly to the pull quote due to its encroachment on the image. In the Classic Rock extract above, the main pull quote is presented in much the same way, in that it overlaps the main image, however in this instance it is also used as a heading for the page. This is effective as it draws the readers attention to this point, therefore it is apparent that in order to make my magazine look professional incorporating a technique such as a pull quote, in a similar layout could be particularly beneficial to me.

 

Furthermore in the Kerrang! extract we see how the images has been bled with the masthead of the article, therefore making it relative to the adjoining article, allowing the reader to have a visual perception of the text. This is also accentuated by the pull quote also being bled with the image, vitally beside the person being quoted, further adding meaning to the text. Classic Rock however have bled their main image with its adjoining text in a different way, using a box out as the main contributor to this process. Bleeding an image with the article is massively beneficial to a successful magazine, adding purpose, meaning and a visual aid to the article, whilst also making the article interesting and appealing to potential readers.

 

Finally as briefly mentioned above box-outs are also included in the generic conventions of a music magazine of this genre. Often they are used to derive from the main article by providing further additional information relative to the topic of the article. Classic Rock and Kerrang! both use  box-outs effectively in their feature articles, both achieving the sole purpose of a feature article. On the contrary however it is the layout and set up the differentiates the two magazines, with Kerrang following the generic codes and conventions, by inserting within the textual part of the article, whereas Classic Rock have used their box-out rather unconventionally using it and bleeding it with the main image to provide a stepping stone effect with the important part of the article and the image being connected by a bit of random by relevant text regarding, in  this case, Robert Plant.

 

To summarise therefore, the use of image bleeding, box outs and pull quotes will be very influential in the resultant success of my final magazine.

 

 

 

 

Feature Article Analysis

Contents Page Analysis

Magazine Cover Page Analysis