Research: Kerrang!

Kerrang! is a UK based magazine published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published in 1981 originally as a one-off supplement focusing on the rise of rock music and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.  After the success of the first issue, Kerrang! was then sold fortnightly until 1987 when it then became a weekly magazine. In the 2000's, Kerrang! became Britain's best-selling music magazine. Kerrang! is aimed at people who specifically listen to rock music. The regular price of Kerrang! is £2.20 in magazine form however Kerrang! also have a website. The average edition of Kerrang! would have around 70 pages although a special edition would contain more. Regular contents of Kerrang! magazine include: interviews with artists, reviews on concerts and CD's and information on tours and new artists.  

Evaluation Of Preliminary Task.

In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
The media product created for my preliminary task is a college magazine so I have not challenged any real media products. Although, I have followed the usual conventions of a magazine and full filled the brief that was set, which included using a DTP to edit my image and create the text. 


How does your media product represent particular social groups?
My media product represents a social group of students as that is who my magazine is aimed at.  The image used on my front cover is realistic and appealing to students as it is positive and gives a bright feeling towards student life. 


Who would be the audience for your media product?
I have created my media product for students at the Isle of Man College although I think that aspects of the magazine could also appeal to staff at the college. 


How did you attract/address your audience?
On the front cover of my magazine, I put an attractive and happy young student on the front as I think the smile of the student will appeal to any gender.  The front cover also has a bright colour scheme of blues and purples, which as I have mentioned earlier, contrast and go well together as well as appealing to both the male and female audience.  The masthead on the front cover is very bold and bright which is eyecatching and will attract the target audience.  As for the sub-headings on the front cover, I have chosen a verity of phrases which will each appeal to a different aspect of my student audience. 


What have you learnt about technologies form the process of constructing this product?
In creating this product I have learnt how to use Microsoft Publisher in multiple ways as I used it to not only piece together my magazine but also construct the different styles of text. In editing the image for the front cover I have learnt to use different editing software including the basic editing software on Microsoft.  When taking the images for my front cover, I learnt which angles, lighting and positioning was suitable for my model and the magazine I was aiming to create.   

Contents Page For Preliminary Task.

This is the contents page for my Preliminary Task.

Edited Front Cover

After finishing the front cover of my College magazine, I decided that I was not entirely happy with the end result that I produced. I thought that the front cover I had originally produced was slightly bare and did not have enough information on it. I then decided that the front cover needed  something more to make it a little more eye catching to the audience. 


I added the shape and entered the text 'Christmas Decorations Inside!!!' as this magazine is a November issue, Christmas is approaching and many people enjoy the festivities and creating things during the season. I used a bold blue colour to stand out more than the rest of the text placed on the fron cover. I also moved the 'Movember' and 'Everyone Is Getting Involved' down a little to the bottom of the page to allow space for the shape and text. 


I am pleased with the slight editing to the front cover of my magazine and I think that it is now even more suitable for my target audience of students at the Isle of Man College.

Front Cover For Preliminary Task.

This is the front cover for my preliminary task completed:

I am pleased with the end result as the colours stand out and compliment the image very well.  The editing of the image has improved the quality of my front cover as it now looks more like an image that would be used on a front cover and not just a casual photograph.  I think that the sub headings I have chosen work well together as the variety of colours make the magazine even more eye catching and the text I have used still appeals to the wide audience of the students at college.  

Edited Front Cover Image.

This is the edited photograph I am going to use for the front cover of my College magazine:

I am pleased with the small amount of editing on this image. I brightened the image slightly to make the background a little lighter and give the student a little more colour as the orignial image was too dark for the front cover. 

Front Cover Images.

Yesterday, I took some pictures of a male student for my front cover and after looking through the images and anazlyzing them, I think that they are appropriate for my magazine. The photographs give a positivie vibe as the student is smiling and happy. The images I took also show the student relaxed. I wanted the student I chose to look happy to be at college but to also look relaxed in the environment. 
Here are some of the images taken yesterday:

These four images are four of the best images I took. Overall, I took over 30 images of the student. None of the above images will be used for my front cover although I think they are also suitable.  The image I have chosen specifically for my front cover, I thought was the most appropriate and the ebst image taken.

This is the image I will be using for the front cover of my college magazine:

This is my favourite image taken. The pose of the student is very casual and relaxed which is a positive thing, the student looks very natural and happy.  I wil need to edit this image slightly as the shaddows will effect the text on the image.  The image will also need to be brightenend slightly, however, this will not take long to do as it is a minor issue with the image.  Overall, I am very pleased with the image. 

Text Construction Of Front Cover.

Here is the text I am going to use for my front cover.  It is constructed onto the plain background of Microsoft Publisher. The text is positioned as I have planned for it to be on the front cover. The colour of the text is also how I would like my front cover to look. I am pleased with the font that I have chosen for the front cover as I think they work well together and each title and sub-heading stands out with it's own individual colour. I specifically wanted each piece of text to have a different colour as I thought this would bring more attention to the front of my magazine. 

Front Cover Images.

Here are some examples of the type of images I took for my magazine before deciding that none of them were suitable for the front cover. After looking over these images I came to the decision that the lighting was not right for my magazine and the shots were too close to the face of my model. The hair of my model was also not placed correctly as one of the eyes were partially covered in the majority of the pictures taken, which was not the type of image I intend on using for my college magazine. However, after practising with a camera and taking multiple images, I now know the specifics of the image right for my front cover.

Colour Scheme For Preliminary Task.

I have chosen a colour scheme for my preliminary task of blues and purples as I think these are calm and do not target a specific audience. I think purple and blue contrast to create both a warm and cold combination and although my college magazine will not be a Winter addition I think the colours I have chosen will go well together. 

Preliminary Task.

We have just been given access to our blogs this afternoon.  However, I have already begun working on my preliminary task. 


Before I gained access to my blog, I made a plan of the front cover and contents page on paper. I also made a note of the ideas I had in mind for my magazine:


Masthead- 'Colleish' I chose this because it is the Manx translation of College and I thought that this would particularly appeal to students of the Isle of Man College.  


Sub-headings- I have chosen multiple sub-headings for the front cover of my magazine, including:

• New Term!
• Quiz and Activities for YOU.
• Luke Wright visits our College
• Fundraisers
• Will you join 'Movember'?

I finalized these choices because I thought that each of these headings would appeal to a different aspect of my target audience. 

I have not yet finished creating my college magazine although I am making progress and grasping the concept of the desktop publisher I will go on to use for my main piece of coursework.  


On November 8th 2011, I took pictures specifically for the front cover of my magazine however after looking through the images throuroughly I do not think any of the pictures taken are suitable for the front cover of my college magazine. I also started to create the text I would like to use on the front cover of my magazine, once I am happy with the text I choose I will then add the text to the appropriate picture.

New Blog!

This is my new blog for my AS Media Coursework!