Task 1: Generating Ideas (P1,M1,U21)

LO1 (U21); Be able to generate ideas for an original media product based on a client brief. 

From reading the client's brief I know I must create a North London based music magazine showcasing up and coming artists and venues. 

The explicit requirements

The magazine has be available online as well as print based. The magazine will focus sheerly on the North London music scene and the talent and venues within it. I must also plan, pitch, produce and edit a fully annotated front cover and double page spread of my own content.

The implicit requirements 

The genre of music and the specific venues the magazine focuses on can be chosen by myself as long as it relates to the North London scene. The artists/ bands I research will be of my own choice but must be North London based. I will need to present my work through a choice of different mediums, these could include; photographs, audio commentary or written notes. 

 There are certain elements that I must produce in line with my product, these include;

• developing a proposal and sample materials
• creating production documentation
• producing original content for the magazine
• editing the content I have produced myself 

Possible ideas

Idea 1)  'New Kids On The Block'

My first idea is for a magazine is one which will sheerly focus on young up and coming artists. The magazine will almost completely concentrate on the younger generation of musicians rather than big industry names. The rising artists/ bands that I will include in the content will be aged 16-25 and representing the 'future of music'. The main genre will be alternative music, this'll cover indie rock, indie pop, pop punk, alt rock etc. My target audience would range from those aged 16-30. I chose this age range as it is whom the alternative music genre/ culture is most popular with. I would also include a small percentage of the content on world famous artists and how they got to where they are now.  

The magazine will include;

Brief history/ summary of alt music in the area e.g. the main influences, how the genre originated

Information on the key figures of alt music e.g. Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Flaming lips, Radiohead etc

Information on how major artists became famous

Exclusive interviews with new artists e.g. Q&A

Information/ fact sheets on new artists and bands

Exclusive photos 

News about up and coming concerts/ gigs

Pros and cons of this idea

Cons;

• People may not be interested in reading about unknown artists
• Audience of alt music fans may be too small for magazine to be successful
• Large age range or target audience; may be difficult to appeal to both ends of the spectrum 

Pros;

• Mixture of both globally successful and up and coming artists; familiar names of popular artists will increase interest rates/ appeal to fans.
• Content material, e.g. photos and interviews, should not be difficult to gather as young artists want publicity and to make themselves known.  
• News of upcoming gigs of small artists; publication of cheap, small gigs will appeal to the target audience of teenagers and young adults.

Idea 2)  Spectrum Music

This idea is based around the rising music scene in Camden. This would focus on all the genres which are applicable to the area, this would include; grime, indie rock, indie pop, drum and bass, electro, ska, reggae etc. I would focus on small but known artist/ bands which have originated or formed in the camden area. As well as including content on the talent in Camden I would also write about the music venues. For example, I would write about the history of the ‘Electric Ballroom’ and famous artists who have played there (e.g. Sid vicious) as well as including information of upcoming gigs of both smaller and well known artists. My target audience would be those aged 16 to 30 as this makes up 41% of Camden Town’s population.

Pros and cons of this idea

cons;

• People may not be interested in reading about unknown artists
• Range of genres may be too large, not specific 
• Large target audience; may be difficult to appeal to both ends of the spectrum

pros; 

• Great range of different genres, will appeal to multiple groups of people- large audience.
• Mixture of both globally successful and up and coming artists; familiar names of popular artists will increase interest rates/ appeal to fans.
• News of upcoming gigs of small artists; publication of cheap, small gigs will appeal to the target audience of teenagers and young adults.
• People are interested in their local area and want to know more about the current scene as well as the history.
• Content material, eg photos and interviews, should not be difficult to gather as young artists want publicity and to make themselves known.  

Idea 3)  Inside Camden

This concept would be based around ‘exclusive’ interviews and photographs of upcoming Camden based artists. The aim of the magazine would be for you to ‘get to know your local musicians’. Would include elements aiming to involving people in their local community, e.g. competitions, fundraisers etc. The magazine would focus on multiple genres in order to appeal to a larger demographic. My target audience would be those aged 16 to 30 as this makes up 41% of Camden Town’s population. 

Pros and cons of this idea

Cons;

• People may not be interested in reading about unknown artists
• Range of genres may be too large, not specific 
• Large target audience; may be difficult to appeal to both ends of the spectrum

Pros; 

• Great range of different genres, will appeal to multiple groups of people- large audience.
• News of upcoming gigs of small artists; publication of cheap, small gigs will appeal to the target audience of teenagers and young adults.
• People are interested/ want to support their local area 

Conclusion 

After weighing out the strengths and weaknesses of each idea, I feel the most successful concept is my idea one of 'New Kids On The Block’. I feel this would be successful as it will include content on up and coming talent as well as globally known names. As well as this, this concept has the potential to supply me with lots of content from artists themselves. This is because young artists want publicity and to make themselves known.

I believe that my product idea reflects the client brief as I will include all of the explicit requirements. These include the magazine being planned, pitched, produced and edited. As well as annotated front cover and double page spread of my own content which I will write. I believe the magazine concept fits the client brief as it works around the rising vibrant North London music scene and the up coming artists within it as the brief states; I believe the chosen genre of rock fits this.