Front cover Evaluation
For my preliminary exercise I was instructed to produce the front cover of a new college magazine featuring a photograph of a student in medium close-up. I also had to implement some appropriately laid out text and a masthead. A was also asked to produce a mock-up of the layout of a contents page to demonstrate my knowledge of using DTP.
For the cover I wanted to demonstrate ideology of the college and also use conventions to show the audience what the magazine is about. The first thing that I began thinking about when starting the task was the photo. I had a few ideas about what the photo should imply. That it should show that students attending Wyke College achieve success and get were they want to be. I began thinking how I could show this using a medium close-up. Through careful thought I produced a photo of me and a fellow student walking out of the college. Although our faces are not shown I believe that it shows a great deal about the college. I wanted it to look like we were leaving the college on a good note. That after our time at Wyke we fulfilled our potential and are off to achieve great things. Although both the faces are not shown the body language presented by each student gives us ideas on how they are feeling. The student on the right is pointed in a forward direction. This signifies that the two students are moving forward with the help of the college. To show my ideas further I added the title success to the front cover. It was important for me to place the title in the correct place. As this was only a draft I believe that the title is not exactly were I wanted it but if I went on to produce the magazine I would alter it. The cover would not work if I had put the title in the middle or at the bottom of the page. I also put the title in red to stand out from the background. I originally had the title white but this did not stand out and didn’t catch the eye very well. As well as this I added a plug to draw the audience in and create interest.
Friday, 24 April 2009
Friday, 3 April 2009
Evaluation
Evaluation of Music magazine
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
For my main task I was asked to produce a front page, double page spread and contents page of a new music magazine. The music magazine was to be aimed at a specific target audience and relate to their taste and personality. The magazine must be individual and stand out from others. For my music magazine I took inspiration from the very popular music magazine NME, which dominates the Indie rock section of the market. It is the main magazine to follow up in this market, as it has been revolutionised the music magazine industry. It also shows many conventions of a music magazines, which I aimed to follow but did challenge at times. For example my magazine has a masthead, which follows the typical convention of a music magazine. The masthead is bold and clear which draws the attention from the reader and intrigues them. Another convention of music magazines are plugs. These are things on the cover that advertise special guests, prizes or guests. I have once again followed this and added a plug on the front cover of my magazine. The plug is very large in context with the page and stands out. However one conventions that I have challenged from a typical music magazine is colours. Usually a music magazine will only have three colours. This is to keep the magazine simple but effective. However in my magazine I wanted to use colours to give a sense of feeling. Fir example they front page has many colours including blue, red, white and black. I wanted to make the magazine stand out from the rest and give a mood to the magazine as well.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
The media product I have produced represents social groups. The social group that I have represented is young people, which I have shown in a positive light. I have shown the people in my magazine as being young, happy and free. I have done this by making the models in my magazine as smiling, which represents them in a positive light. I have also presented them as being tidy and well dressed. The male model is wearing bright colourful clothing which represents the social groups personality and attitudes. The female is smartly dressed which shows us that the group are not grunge or untidy. It gives us a sense of sophistication and sensibility. As well as this the image is mostly untouched. This shows that the group is free, that they are not affected by major music labels and mainstream success. As well as this I have represented the British in an unorthodox manor. The masthead is filled with the union jack, but is messy and unconventional. This gives a sense of a messy lifestyle, not a simple one which many groups enjoy. It also represents the social group as being bold and not being afraid to be different. The colours I used in all of my products were picked to give a sense of mood. My double page spread uses three main colours yellow, black and red. These represent the band and social groups as being dangerous, and rebellious. As well as this the red represents passion, that the band cares about what there music says to the public.
How did you attract/address your audience?
I have attracted my audience by represented their particular social groups in a positive light. The social group would become discouraged if their group is represented in a bad manner. For instance if the band on the cover were rough and untidy the social group would not want to buy the magazine. By promoting the group in a good manner the audience will want to buy the magazine to become what they are seeing as it is shown in a positive light. The audience will feel more comfortable with a magazine that represents them and understands their ideaology. Magazine that may misunderstand the social group or represent it in the wrong manner then they will become uncomfortable. People are more likely to buy things that represent themselves and show their own personal lifestyle. My magazine will attract I wider audience as it does not segregate one social group. The models are dressed casually which doesn’t isolate any social group. However this may also put some social groups off as it is not extremely specific to themselves. Another way that I have attracted my audience is to advertise new gig listings. This will attract the groups who go to live gigs and like to see what is happening. As well as this I priced the magazine very cheaply which will appeal to my target audience.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Throughout the assignment I have not only learnt how to use new programmes such as Photoshop, but have also developed excising skills as well. Before I started the assignment I was aware of photo shop but did not no how to use it to full potential. After learning the skills I soon became comfortable with the programme and wanted to learn more. My skills became more advanced allowing me to produce a better quality of product. My new found skills enabled me to add certain finishes to my photos which made them look more tidy and professional. A good example of this is the picture on my contents page which I had to cut out using photo shop. At first I was struggling to remove the whole of the background leaving just the model, but after being shown how to zoom in and use the rubber tool the picture became more crisp and clear. As well as this I developed my original skills on programmes such as desktop publisher. I already had a brief knowledge of the programme but with teaching learned how to use it to full effect. I learnt how to manipulate objects, photos and texts which I couldn’t previously do. This encouraged me to go further and make my magazine more complex. I am now comfortable with the desktop publisher and would find it easier to create the magazine a second time round. I have also become more effective when taking photos with cameras. I had previously used cameras for social desires but never on a more complex level. I have learnt the difference between a good and a bad shot, and have become more comfortable with the whole process of taking photos.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
I wanted to target a specific group to enable my magazine to appeal to them. My main target group were males aged between 15 and 30. I did this because they are the new near of music, and particularly like indie rock. As well as this men at young ages are looking for music to inspire them, and often decide on the music that represents them the most. This we I will introduce Indie Rock to the teens and bring the lifestyle forward. I have targeted the man who lives the true indie lifestyle, partying to the early hours and being rebellious. Males who go to gigs and live shows are also targeted as they need information on bands and tour dates. I have also targeted a female group as I have added a female band member. This opens up the opportunity to sell, and result in higher sales.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
For my media product I would look at a media institution such as Emap to distribute my product. Emap is a highly successful distributor of magazines such as Heat, FHM and also Zoo. I believe this type of institute would be ideal for my product as it is well established in the media ranks and would be able to distribute my product all over the world. As well as this Emap’s media brands span all aspects of digital media, in broadcasting, advertising and film. A good example of this is screen international which is a source for news, analysis and industry data, from the most experienced and authoritative voices in the international film market. It has a multimedia website, screen daily, which is open 24 hours. The institution attracts readers from around 130 countries, who rely on them to provide crucial information. I also believe that my product itself would fit nicely into an institution like this. I believe this because there are no other magazine that target my specific audience. Although the institution provides magazines for men, they are mostly about film or general interests rather than just music. This would be a positive step for Emap who would be able to grasp another sector of the market. However an institution that I would try to avoid would be IPC. Although the institution is highly successful and dominates the majority of the market it is hard for me to see a place for my magazine. Almost 26 million adults across the UK read once of IPC’s magazine, but the major factor for my decision not to rely on them for distribution is there already existing magazines. A major factor is there distribution of the highly successful music magazine NME. This magazine dominates the music market and its particular target audience is similar to that of mine. I believe that it would be hard to compete with the magazine and my product would struggle to sell. So by choosing the institution that does not have another magazine similar in style to mine I believe it would attract the audience better and in turn sell more copies.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?
Looking back at my preliminary exercise I believe that I have made improvements in my product making. My college magazine was ok but could have been better. The magazine didn’t follow the conventions of a typical magazine. For example although there was a masthead, it was small and didn’t catch the eye. I then implemented this into my music magazine, making the masthead larger and brighter. As well as this the positioning of the text in my college magazine wasn’t very good and could be improvement. On my music magazine front cover I made sure that the text was in relevant places and made it bold and attractive. I did this by producing a column which highlights it further.
In conclusion I believe that through my improvements my music magazine is effective and appeals to its target audience. From learning new skills I have been able to make my music magazine more advanced and polished. I believe the colours and images represent social groups in a positive manor which will allow for greater sales. By being involved with a huge distributor such a Emap I can distribute my magazine all around the world and increase popularity. All in all I believe my magazine has been successful and will appeal to many people.
1769 words
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
For my main task I was asked to produce a front page, double page spread and contents page of a new music magazine. The music magazine was to be aimed at a specific target audience and relate to their taste and personality. The magazine must be individual and stand out from others. For my music magazine I took inspiration from the very popular music magazine NME, which dominates the Indie rock section of the market. It is the main magazine to follow up in this market, as it has been revolutionised the music magazine industry. It also shows many conventions of a music magazines, which I aimed to follow but did challenge at times. For example my magazine has a masthead, which follows the typical convention of a music magazine. The masthead is bold and clear which draws the attention from the reader and intrigues them. Another convention of music magazines are plugs. These are things on the cover that advertise special guests, prizes or guests. I have once again followed this and added a plug on the front cover of my magazine. The plug is very large in context with the page and stands out. However one conventions that I have challenged from a typical music magazine is colours. Usually a music magazine will only have three colours. This is to keep the magazine simple but effective. However in my magazine I wanted to use colours to give a sense of feeling. Fir example they front page has many colours including blue, red, white and black. I wanted to make the magazine stand out from the rest and give a mood to the magazine as well.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
The media product I have produced represents social groups. The social group that I have represented is young people, which I have shown in a positive light. I have shown the people in my magazine as being young, happy and free. I have done this by making the models in my magazine as smiling, which represents them in a positive light. I have also presented them as being tidy and well dressed. The male model is wearing bright colourful clothing which represents the social groups personality and attitudes. The female is smartly dressed which shows us that the group are not grunge or untidy. It gives us a sense of sophistication and sensibility. As well as this the image is mostly untouched. This shows that the group is free, that they are not affected by major music labels and mainstream success. As well as this I have represented the British in an unorthodox manor. The masthead is filled with the union jack, but is messy and unconventional. This gives a sense of a messy lifestyle, not a simple one which many groups enjoy. It also represents the social group as being bold and not being afraid to be different. The colours I used in all of my products were picked to give a sense of mood. My double page spread uses three main colours yellow, black and red. These represent the band and social groups as being dangerous, and rebellious. As well as this the red represents passion, that the band cares about what there music says to the public.
How did you attract/address your audience?
I have attracted my audience by represented their particular social groups in a positive light. The social group would become discouraged if their group is represented in a bad manner. For instance if the band on the cover were rough and untidy the social group would not want to buy the magazine. By promoting the group in a good manner the audience will want to buy the magazine to become what they are seeing as it is shown in a positive light. The audience will feel more comfortable with a magazine that represents them and understands their ideaology. Magazine that may misunderstand the social group or represent it in the wrong manner then they will become uncomfortable. People are more likely to buy things that represent themselves and show their own personal lifestyle. My magazine will attract I wider audience as it does not segregate one social group. The models are dressed casually which doesn’t isolate any social group. However this may also put some social groups off as it is not extremely specific to themselves. Another way that I have attracted my audience is to advertise new gig listings. This will attract the groups who go to live gigs and like to see what is happening. As well as this I priced the magazine very cheaply which will appeal to my target audience.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Throughout the assignment I have not only learnt how to use new programmes such as Photoshop, but have also developed excising skills as well. Before I started the assignment I was aware of photo shop but did not no how to use it to full potential. After learning the skills I soon became comfortable with the programme and wanted to learn more. My skills became more advanced allowing me to produce a better quality of product. My new found skills enabled me to add certain finishes to my photos which made them look more tidy and professional. A good example of this is the picture on my contents page which I had to cut out using photo shop. At first I was struggling to remove the whole of the background leaving just the model, but after being shown how to zoom in and use the rubber tool the picture became more crisp and clear. As well as this I developed my original skills on programmes such as desktop publisher. I already had a brief knowledge of the programme but with teaching learned how to use it to full effect. I learnt how to manipulate objects, photos and texts which I couldn’t previously do. This encouraged me to go further and make my magazine more complex. I am now comfortable with the desktop publisher and would find it easier to create the magazine a second time round. I have also become more effective when taking photos with cameras. I had previously used cameras for social desires but never on a more complex level. I have learnt the difference between a good and a bad shot, and have become more comfortable with the whole process of taking photos.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
I wanted to target a specific group to enable my magazine to appeal to them. My main target group were males aged between 15 and 30. I did this because they are the new near of music, and particularly like indie rock. As well as this men at young ages are looking for music to inspire them, and often decide on the music that represents them the most. This we I will introduce Indie Rock to the teens and bring the lifestyle forward. I have targeted the man who lives the true indie lifestyle, partying to the early hours and being rebellious. Males who go to gigs and live shows are also targeted as they need information on bands and tour dates. I have also targeted a female group as I have added a female band member. This opens up the opportunity to sell, and result in higher sales.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
For my media product I would look at a media institution such as Emap to distribute my product. Emap is a highly successful distributor of magazines such as Heat, FHM and also Zoo. I believe this type of institute would be ideal for my product as it is well established in the media ranks and would be able to distribute my product all over the world. As well as this Emap’s media brands span all aspects of digital media, in broadcasting, advertising and film. A good example of this is screen international which is a source for news, analysis and industry data, from the most experienced and authoritative voices in the international film market. It has a multimedia website, screen daily, which is open 24 hours. The institution attracts readers from around 130 countries, who rely on them to provide crucial information. I also believe that my product itself would fit nicely into an institution like this. I believe this because there are no other magazine that target my specific audience. Although the institution provides magazines for men, they are mostly about film or general interests rather than just music. This would be a positive step for Emap who would be able to grasp another sector of the market. However an institution that I would try to avoid would be IPC. Although the institution is highly successful and dominates the majority of the market it is hard for me to see a place for my magazine. Almost 26 million adults across the UK read once of IPC’s magazine, but the major factor for my decision not to rely on them for distribution is there already existing magazines. A major factor is there distribution of the highly successful music magazine NME. This magazine dominates the music market and its particular target audience is similar to that of mine. I believe that it would be hard to compete with the magazine and my product would struggle to sell. So by choosing the institution that does not have another magazine similar in style to mine I believe it would attract the audience better and in turn sell more copies.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?
Looking back at my preliminary exercise I believe that I have made improvements in my product making. My college magazine was ok but could have been better. The magazine didn’t follow the conventions of a typical magazine. For example although there was a masthead, it was small and didn’t catch the eye. I then implemented this into my music magazine, making the masthead larger and brighter. As well as this the positioning of the text in my college magazine wasn’t very good and could be improvement. On my music magazine front cover I made sure that the text was in relevant places and made it bold and attractive. I did this by producing a column which highlights it further.
In conclusion I believe that through my improvements my music magazine is effective and appeals to its target audience. From learning new skills I have been able to make my music magazine more advanced and polished. I believe the colours and images represent social groups in a positive manor which will allow for greater sales. By being involved with a huge distributor such a Emap I can distribute my magazine all around the world and increase popularity. All in all I believe my magazine has been successful and will appeal to many people.
1769 words
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