Contents Page
Double Page Spread
Friday, 18 November 2011
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Evaluation
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
The layout of my front cover conforms to conventions of real media products by having a one eye-catching image as the main focus. The image takes up the whole page with lures justified to the left and right of it. There is a banner at the top with a plus line and this conforms to the conventions of magazines generally.
My contents page uses conventions in the way that the catches and stories are layed out in a way that is very popular among other magazines. I have developed this by having different sections of the contents page to make things even easier to find within the magazine. The layout of the pictures subverts conventions but I think this is for good reason as this idea of subverting conventions appeals to the target audience.
The layout of my double page spread conforms to conventions by having a key image of the star on the page. The way the picture takes up the whole page and the text is placed on top also conforms to conventions of real media products.
The layout of my front cover conforms to conventions of real media products by having a one eye-catching image as the main focus. The image takes up the whole page with lures justified to the left and right of it. There is a banner at the top with a plus line and this conforms to the conventions of magazines generally.
My contents page uses conventions in the way that the catches and stories are layed out in a way that is very popular among other magazines. I have developed this by having different sections of the contents page to make things even easier to find within the magazine. The layout of the pictures subverts conventions but I think this is for good reason as this idea of subverting conventions appeals to the target audience.
The layout of my double page spread conforms to conventions by having a key image of the star on the page. The way the picture takes up the whole page and the text is placed on top also conforms to conventions of real media products.
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Evaluation
Looking back at your preliminary task what do you feel you have learnt?
A main critisism of my preliminary task final production was that the front cover image was a good photo but it didn't suit the style of magazine or the target audience. The magazine was a snow special and was about the heavy snow fall that occured causing disruption to school life. The image of a calm snowy scene didn't suit the school magazine as these kind of scenes are not what appeal to the audience. An image of children playing in the snow or of a snowman would have been more effective for a school magazine front cover.
This helped me to progress into my main task as I learnt from my mistake and it helped me to grasp a good concept of audience targetting.
My preliminary task contents page didn't have much on it and this was something that originally didn't improve much in the initital stages of my main task. After some more extended research of real life products and their contents pages I am much happier with my final contents page production for my main task. The preliminary task allowed me to experiement and was very useful in creating a better final main task production. Through self-evaluating and being ciritical of my own work I was able to improve.
Although my preliminary task didn't include creating a double page spread, I still feel that the experience of creating my preliminary task was helpful in the construction of my music magazine double page spread. I feel that there is a much stronger theme and consistency between the three parts of my main task. I learnt that this was important as my preliminary task didn't have much consistency or any kind of clear theme running through it. When creating my documents for the main task I was more aware of this concept.
A main critisism of my preliminary task final production was that the front cover image was a good photo but it didn't suit the style of magazine or the target audience. The magazine was a snow special and was about the heavy snow fall that occured causing disruption to school life. The image of a calm snowy scene didn't suit the school magazine as these kind of scenes are not what appeal to the audience. An image of children playing in the snow or of a snowman would have been more effective for a school magazine front cover.
This helped me to progress into my main task as I learnt from my mistake and it helped me to grasp a good concept of audience targetting.
My preliminary task contents page didn't have much on it and this was something that originally didn't improve much in the initital stages of my main task. After some more extended research of real life products and their contents pages I am much happier with my final contents page production for my main task. The preliminary task allowed me to experiement and was very useful in creating a better final main task production. Through self-evaluating and being ciritical of my own work I was able to improve.
Although my preliminary task didn't include creating a double page spread, I still feel that the experience of creating my preliminary task was helpful in the construction of my music magazine double page spread. I feel that there is a much stronger theme and consistency between the three parts of my main task. I learnt that this was important as my preliminary task didn't have much consistency or any kind of clear theme running through it. When creating my documents for the main task I was more aware of this concept.
Evaluation
What have you learnt about technologies from the process off constructing this product?
Through the construction of my media product I have greatly developed my skills in using Adobe Photoshop and In Design. At the beginning of the preliminary task I had very little experience of using any Adobe CS3 products. I now have a good understanding of Photoshop and In Design and can use them to turn paper designs of media products that I have designed in to well constructed CS3 documents. While I started developing my contents page in Photoshop, because I felt more confident using it, I found that stepping out of my comfort zone and experimenting with In Design was greatly beneficial to my finished product. I also became familiar with In Design and now feel confident in using it for future products.
While taking shots for my front cover I also improved my photography skills, using different settings on the camera and the tripod. The front cover shots were particularly difficult to take as the model was jumping on a trampoline and so the timing for the shot had to be perfect to capture the moment and get the perfect shot. To make this happen I experimented with different settings on the camera such as image stabilization, self-timer and I also experimented by trying shots with the flash which was very helpful for capturing an image that wasn't blurred.
I have also gained experience in using blogger which was something I hadn't used before starting this project.
Through the construction of my media product I have greatly developed my skills in using Adobe Photoshop and In Design. At the beginning of the preliminary task I had very little experience of using any Adobe CS3 products. I now have a good understanding of Photoshop and In Design and can use them to turn paper designs of media products that I have designed in to well constructed CS3 documents. While I started developing my contents page in Photoshop, because I felt more confident using it, I found that stepping out of my comfort zone and experimenting with In Design was greatly beneficial to my finished product. I also became familiar with In Design and now feel confident in using it for future products.
While taking shots for my front cover I also improved my photography skills, using different settings on the camera and the tripod. The front cover shots were particularly difficult to take as the model was jumping on a trampoline and so the timing for the shot had to be perfect to capture the moment and get the perfect shot. To make this happen I experimented with different settings on the camera such as image stabilization, self-timer and I also experimented by trying shots with the flash which was very helpful for capturing an image that wasn't blurred.
I have also gained experience in using blogger which was something I hadn't used before starting this project.
Evaluation
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
My magazine would be distributed by newsagents, super markets and other retailers who distribute popular mainstream magazines. I would also like it to be available to order on the internet as I feel this is important for my target audience. Websites such as http://www.mynewsagent.co.uk/ are an example of the types of websites I would like my magazine to be available from.
I would like my magazine to be published by 'Brauer Media' who publish the already very popular 'Q' and 'Karrang' music magazines. I think they would give my magazine a great starting point as the music magazines they already publish are very popular. I think that my magazine would fit in well to their company as they currently have one very popular pop music magazine and one very popular rock music magazine. My magazine is a pop/rock music magazine and so this appeals to both audiences. I would like my magazine to be in the music magazine section so that current readers of music magazines will be attracted to it and may even buy this magazine instead of the other magazine they may have previously bought. I would also like my magazine to be sold in music shops to target music fans who may not have considered buying a music magazine before.
My magazine would be distributed by newsagents, super markets and other retailers who distribute popular mainstream magazines. I would also like it to be available to order on the internet as I feel this is important for my target audience. Websites such as http://www.mynewsagent.co.uk/ are an example of the types of websites I would like my magazine to be available from.
I would like my magazine to be published by 'Brauer Media' who publish the already very popular 'Q' and 'Karrang' music magazines. I think they would give my magazine a great starting point as the music magazines they already publish are very popular. I think that my magazine would fit in well to their company as they currently have one very popular pop music magazine and one very popular rock music magazine. My magazine is a pop/rock music magazine and so this appeals to both audiences. I would like my magazine to be in the music magazine section so that current readers of music magazines will be attracted to it and may even buy this magazine instead of the other magazine they may have previously bought. I would also like my magazine to be sold in music shops to target music fans who may not have considered buying a music magazine before.
Evaluation
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
My magazine is aimed at young people who are interested in pop and rock music. I have used a young artist as my cover star as the target audience will be able to identify with her. The style of the artist's clothes and the electric guitar reflect the genre and the feel of the magazine. The magazine has a fun, youthful image as the cover is very action packed and care-free. The cover suggests rebelling from adults and this is something that appeals to the young audience and the social group. Reception theory states that a particular social group will interpret media texts in a similar way but the same media text may be interpreted differently by a different social group. The audience will identify with the front cover and may even be influenced by the cover star's style. The electric guitar shows the type of music and the image gives a fun and appealing representation of the culture and life style associated with the genre of music.
My magazine is aimed at young people who are interested in pop and rock music. I have used a young artist as my cover star as the target audience will be able to identify with her. The style of the artist's clothes and the electric guitar reflect the genre and the feel of the magazine. The magazine has a fun, youthful image as the cover is very action packed and care-free. The cover suggests rebelling from adults and this is something that appeals to the young audience and the social group. Reception theory states that a particular social group will interpret media texts in a similar way but the same media text may be interpreted differently by a different social group. The audience will identify with the front cover and may even be influenced by the cover star's style. The electric guitar shows the type of music and the image gives a fun and appealing representation of the culture and life style associated with the genre of music.
This cover of 'Q' magazine has a similar feel to my magazine with the fun image as the main focus and the electric guitar emphasizing the genre and the fact that it's a music magazine.
Evaluation
Who would be the audience for your media product?
The main target audience for my magazine would be teenagers to young adults. The magazine is a pop and rock music magazine and anyone who is interested in the genre or any of the artists included would be drawn in by the lures and pictures. For this reason the magazine is not strictly just for the target age range and anyone can easily pick it up and read it if they wish. The target audience will want to feel as if they 'own' the magazine and the themes and genre, for this reason the language and over-all style of the magazine may slightly alienate an older audience but they will still be able to read it. The magazine in the hands of an older reader may take them back and remind them of their youth.
The magazine will have a relaxed and youthful mode of address which will subvert the conventions of a more formal magazine or one aimed at adults. This appeals to the audience. Also, as mentioned earlier in my blog, uses and gratifications theory states that the audience read the magazine in a particular way depending on the context and what they are using it for.
The main target audience for my magazine would be teenagers to young adults. The magazine is a pop and rock music magazine and anyone who is interested in the genre or any of the artists included would be drawn in by the lures and pictures. For this reason the magazine is not strictly just for the target age range and anyone can easily pick it up and read it if they wish. The target audience will want to feel as if they 'own' the magazine and the themes and genre, for this reason the language and over-all style of the magazine may slightly alienate an older audience but they will still be able to read it. The magazine in the hands of an older reader may take them back and remind them of their youth.
The magazine will have a relaxed and youthful mode of address which will subvert the conventions of a more formal magazine or one aimed at adults. This appeals to the audience. Also, as mentioned earlier in my blog, uses and gratifications theory states that the audience read the magazine in a particular way depending on the context and what they are using it for.
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Evaluation of Drafts
I asked a member of my target audience to evaluate my magazine in their own opinion. This helped me a lot when improving it.
A problem with my front cover, as described in the above video, that I agree needs attention is the lack of stories. I will add another story to the cover to make the magazine appear more packed full. This will show that the magazine is value for money. Another problem is that the stories don't look as if they have a lure and then a description. This makes it appear that there are two headings for separate stories and not a lure with a discription that belongs to it. The font sizes need to be adjusted so that the subheadings are smaller than the headings so that they look like one story.
Although the contents page now looks much better. I feel that I still need to put more stories in. My target audience member also brought up this point and so I will add more stories. I will also add more pictures to fill the page with information.
I am happy with my contents page, however I will add some stroke to the heading and may even change the font to make it stand out more. I will also 'feather' the edges of the text boxes to give the page a more finished look.
Development of contents page
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
My contents page
I felt that my contents page went against conventions too much I also found that it didn't have enough information on it and after seeking advice I decided I would do some research to help me improve this. I researched more into conventions of similar music magazines and their contents page layouts.
Development
This is my front cover in development. After my very first draft it was suggested to me in feedback that I should move the barcode to the bottom corner as this is more conventional. I also changed the shape of the catch about the competition as this fitted in more with the style of the magazine and the target audience. I added a border at the top of the page with some strap lines in it as this is a popular feature of magazines in my research.
The layout that was suggested by my audience for my contents page was very unconventional and so the production went through many changes. I experimented and moved the pictures and text around to help me decide on their final position. I also tried out different pictures to see which ones worked best. To add interest to the page also experimented with shapes in the background to pick up on the shape on the cover for consistency.
My double page spread was made simpler as the photo was very good and really suited my idea perfectly. I made a translucent red tinted box for the text to go in to make it stand out against the picture and placed the text around the model. I eventually changed the title of the article to something that was more catchy than just the artists name as this was something that stood out in my research.
These were some of my photos for my double page spread. I wanted the make the picture take up the whole page and leave space to put the text so that it wraps around the model. I think that this will work very well with the photos that I have.
Friday, 4 November 2011
Double Page Spread Drafts
I drafted three possible options of layout for my double page spread. Again I asked my target audience sample for their feedback on which they preferred.
This was the least popular design with my target audience. This would have allowed room for more pictures but they said the page looks more impressive it has a big picture of the artist on it. This also draws attention to the page when the reader is flicking through the magazine.
This was very close to my other design as being the most popular. However, it was the second most popular because the audeince liked the way the other draft shows the whole guitar and also that the picture takes up the whole page. With the text wrapped around the model. This is also more conventional.
Consequently, this draft was the most popular with my audience I was happy that I got a picture that made this draft work well for my final production.
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Contents Page photography
From my audience feedback I recieved a lot of comments about the need for a lot of pictures on the contents page. I took this in to account and decided I would use pictures for the three big stories on the page and include page numbers next to the pictures to show where the story is. This will break up and page and make it look more interesting for the audience. It will also draw more attention to the main stories in my magazine.
These are some pictures I took for my main stories to go on the contents page of my magazine.
I used real pictures from a Kylie Minogue concert that I took myself for another story in my magazine. I think this is useful as it varies the types of images and also the magority of the target audience would be interested in going to concerts.
I took some photos in greenwich as this is a very popular music location. I used a picture of the O2 in my contents page as this is one of the biggest and most popular music venues in London. This appeals to the audience as many of them might have been there for a concert or want to go there. I included an article about an awards ceremony held by the magazine which would be held at the O2 arena.
These are some pictures I took for my main stories to go on the contents page of my magazine.
I varied the shots of my cover star to make a variation for the different parts of the magazine.I still included the guitar to reinforce that she's a musician and I included the stateboard for the fun, care free feel.
I used real pictures from a Kylie Minogue concert that I took myself for another story in my magazine. I think this is useful as it varies the types of images and also the magority of the target audience would be interested in going to concerts.
Contents Page Drafts
I made three possible drafts for my contents page. Again I asked my target audience for their feedback on which was their favourite design.
A few of my target audience said they liked this layout as it is the more conventional of the three. There is only one picture on this draft and some said that this made it less appealing to them.
This was the least popular with my target audience. They found it boring and too traditional for the genre.
This was the most popular contents page and the design that I ended up using, although I added more pictures to it in my final production. It breaks from conventions and this appeals to the target audience, I think this is why it recieved the best reception when I showed it to my target audience. This also fits with uses and gratifications theory as the audience want it to fit their genre of music and break from conventions.
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Front Cover Photography
Uses and gratifications theory
The target audience for my magazine is generally young pop and rock music fans. According to the uses and gratifications theory media texts are interpreted in different ways by different consumers. Some readers of the magazine may read it to be informed on the latest information on the bands they like so that they can fit in to conversations with their peers. Others may try and imitate the style of the bands or artists and use them as role models. The magazine may also be read by passive readers who just pick up the magazine by chance. The young audience may like it if the magazine alienates the older generation as then they feel that it belongs to them and as this is my main target audience I will try to create this effect. However, I will ensure that older audiences will still be able to read it if they want to.
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