Question 10

This question made me consider my own influence on my magazine more - I began to question whether to change my plans to coincide with the responses to my survey, or whether to stick to my plan because I made it with the analysis of my own research. The outstanding response was 72% of the respondents choosing sans serif font as their favourite to read on a music magazine. If I was to ask this question again, I'd add a written answer box so I could discover why this is their favourite. Personally, I prefer serif fonts, but this question has helped me to strike the right balance between the two so it appeals to my target audience.

Question 9

This question was one which the respondents could give more than one answer to. 25 people said that they like finding out about an artist's personal life - so I assume this is their life away from their career including things such as family and partners. It surprised me that only 7 people said that they had an interest in an artist's future career because I thought that this was something which fans wanted to find out before anyone else, and this is the sort of theme which my magazine promotes. The second top answer is musical influences, though I hadn't considered this to be something which people took an interest in - I will now have to incorporate this into my article. I will look back on this question when I come to writing my article and have a look at answers belonging to individuals so I can analyse my target audience's views more closely.

Question 8

As I expected, the most popular response was simple language - which I will definitely use because it clearly appeals to a wide audience, and will be important especially as my target audience can be as young as mid-teens who may not understand language which is too complex. Just slightly more than the number of people who voted for complex language, 17 people voted for explicit language. Although this was part of my original plan, analysing this survey and looking at the ages of the people who have filled it in has led me to change my mind. I have decided to now use mostly simple language, with as few complex words as I can, and no explicit language whatsoever - I just hope this doesn't effect the humorous aspect of my article and its appeal to an older audience.

Question 7

The aim of this question was to help my final decision of the colour scheme for my magazine. The top result was blue, with an outstanding 14 of the respondents choosing it as their favourite colour. However, I have decided not to use this colour because I think it can be stereotyped as more appealing to males rather than females, and it would be wrong to use it if this was what would define the kind of audience which I am aiming my magazine at. The second top rated colour was red with 10 of the votes, and again, I am deciding not to use this colour because it is the main colour used in Q magazine, and I don't want Q to influence my music magazine too much. Instead of using the third most popular colour (pink) I have decided, along with the influence of my front cover photos, to combine the two most popular colours and use purple as my main colour.

Question 6

I didn't expect an outstanding response to this question, so it was interesting to find out how many of my respondents preferred colour photos. This outcome fits well with my plan, though, because  only plan on using a black and white photo for my double page spread, so the majority of my photos will be colour to keep them eye catching. Although I don't agree with the majority of the respondents, I am not going to change my plan and base it on this survey because then my magazine will lose its purpose and that is to follow the codes and conventions of a music magazine.

Question 5

I was surprised to find that 17 of the respondents preferred a mid shot on the front cover of a magazine, though this might be because I, personally, much prefer close ups. Out of the front covers I analysed, a mid shot only appeared once and that was on Mixmag, a dance genre magazine which made me think that this was the kind of genre which most people preferred, though this wasn't the result on question 3. As this was the most popular answer, I have decded to experiment with different angles for my photos, however, I am still drawn to my ideas of a close up, especially due to the positive feedback I got from this survey. I had a feeling that a low angle photo wouldn't be very popular because I know it isn't a very attractive angle and it can be quite intimidating, so it didn't surprise me to see that only 1 person preferred it. This is also the case for the long shot, 12 people voted this as their favourite type of photo, though it contradicts a lot of the feedback from question 3 which revealed that people like close ups because they feel "closer to the artist". Though I will be experimenting with photos in the studio, I doubt I will use any too extreme (such as a low angle) because these tend to be unconventional, especially for an Indie magazine, as well as being my least favourite type of photo. As for a high angle photo (which I've been thinking of using), I will try and achieve this but I am having doubts as to whether it will look as good as I've imagined it to.

Question 4

As seen above, the front cover image received 31 of the number 1 ranks for the feature which most draws someone to a magazine. I already know that the front cover image was the feature which most draws me to buy a magazine due to buying them myself, however I didn't think this many people agreed. This result emphasizes how important the front cover image is and how important it is to take time with to get the right photo. It also made me think about what type of photo I want on the front and the type of message I want my readers to get from viewing it. Ranked second is the stories and plugs featured on the front page, which I have already began to think about: I want the readers to have a personal connection with my magazine; I want them to feel as thought they are the only person who knows this information. This is why I am including features such as "Behind the scenes with..." and "V Fest: who's there?". Ranked third is an amusing headline. Having began making my magazine, I'm finding it difficult than expected to invent the persona of the main artist on the front page (my friend Reece). I need to invent a quirky name for him which stands out, and from there, invent an amusing headline which also ties in with my double page spread. After a while, and looking at a lot of other Q magazines, I have decided against using an amusing headline because I don't think it fits with the style of photo I have planned for the front page: a close up of the artist with a serious facial expression. I will, however, consider using a pun in the quote, instead. Ranked last, as I thought, is the layout. Thinking about it now, I've realised how the layout isn't very important to the reader: because if the magazine follows the conventions of a normal music magazine, then the layout will be appealing anyway, and so the layout is only appealing to the creator of the magazine. I already have an idea in mind for the layout of my magazine and I doubt I will stray very far from this idea due to the simplicity of it.

The second part of question 4 is the written answer which all respondents must complete. I hoped that all the respondents would take the question seriously, however a few didn't, so I have taken their answers out and selected the relevent comments. Below is the answers which the other 34 respondents gave:

It makes it easier to see details

I have seen many magazines like this and think it attracts more attention

Because it gives the reader a proper sense of the genre of magazine due to the clarity of the picture

Long shots feel too far away and close ups are too in your face

Feels closer to the artist, more engaging

Close detail to the artist, more engaging

Closer detail to the person

Because it shows dominance and confidence within the photo

Easier to use/see

I don’t have a preference, it depends upon the story that the picture is promoting

It’s what they mostly have on front covers and I think it looks professional

Focuses on subject’s face and you can see some of the clothing which can match the colour scheme of the magazine

See what people are wearing

It allows you to see their face and clothes without the image looking too crowded

Eye catching

I like to see what the person is wearing

It fits on an A4 page better

Looks better

Usually appealing

Gain more information

I like finding odd details about the artist which I might not have noticed before

I can't, of course, analyse every single answer, because magazines can be subjective and I know my magazine won't appeal to everyone. However, a couple of the answers seemed relevant to me: for example, numerous people said that a close up makes them feel closer to the artist, and it's more engaging - this is partly the reason why I have decided to change my front cover plan [the final result is on my rough cut with I will upload]. Also, comments such as a close up shows 'confidence and dominance' in the photo gives me confidence because using a close up for the front of my magazine brings with it the attitude which I want my main artist to have; I want the readers to have a positive reaction when they see the photo. The fact that 20 people said the layout was the thing which they cared about the least was good because that gives me more space to experiment and work within what I've noticed about the magazines I've analysed. The plugs and an amusing headline were voted joint second (each with 3 votes) as the things which most draws the readers to the magazine. However, as they weren't deemed very important at all, I know that I should concentrate on my front cover image the most. I have decided to use my artist's name (which I haven't chosen yet) as the main headline across the bottom of page, which means I can build the character of the artist by using a quote along the side of the page which will be short and straight to the point.