Main Task: Evaluation FINAL

Question 1: In what ways does your media duct use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

At the start of the project I looked at various music magazines such as Billboard and KERRANG some recently published and some older issues of those same magazines for a style and genre of music I liked, and to look at how the presentation of that magazine was altered between issues depending on who was in it to attract a very specific target audience namely the fans of that band or style of music for examples of how a professional magazine targets the target audience for the music in any issue of their magazine to sell the maximum number of copies and to see how I could incorporate this into my music magazine as different individuals or groups look for very different aspects based of their taste in music and having chosen Alternative Music I needed to design my magazine to appeal to people who like the Alternative Music genre.

A selling line is a key part of most music magazines as it is a focal selling point providing limited advertising for the magazine and a brief insight of the content for the buyer, as I was trying to creat a professional looking magazine I included this convention in my front cover as a way to advertise the content of the magazine to encorage the target audience to buy it and to communicate the genre of this magazine to that target audience as you can see above were it says ‘alternative music.

Another convention I used for my music magazine to create that impression that this could be a professional magazine was a Master Head at the top of the page as this convention is common in most music magazines. A Master Head is the first part of the magazine a person viewing the magazine will see it draws their attention to the type of magazine it is which is often distinguishable by the layout and font used for the master head, to convey this to my magazine and to make it stand out from the rest of the magazine I downloaded a specific font from www.dafont.com called “EpoXY histoRy” to use for the title of the magazine for the Master Head to make it big, bold and different so it would stand out from the rest of the magazine and the layout and style of the font I feel will appeal to my target audience. Another convention I used common in music magazines is to have the Main Image in front of the master head as it looks more professional and interesting to a person viewing the cover

Another convention I followed to attract my target audience are Cover Lines as they are a standard part of music magazines and provide an insight for the target audience into what the magazine is about as even if the individual in question isn’t interested in the band on the cover they will see the cover lines of the other bands featured in the issue and may be interested in one of them so still bye the magazine and by including bands of the same or similar genres of music my magazine will appeal to the widest range of my target audience

Another Convention I have followed when producing my magazine is a Main Cover-Line as it is a convention found in most music magazines. A Main Cover-Line is normally the name of the singer or the title of the band displayed with a brief chunk of text to explain the image as some people may not recognise the image but will know the name of the band and to promote both the magazine’s content to the target audience and to promote the band or to show fans of the band that something about that band is included in the issue. As I was trying to create a professional looking product I included a main cover line in front of the main image with another font downloaded from www.dafont.com called “28 Days Later” to make the Main Cover-Line stand out from the other cover lines on the front cover.

In traditional music magazines a medium close up camera shot is used for the main image this is a convention I have developed as my product uses a medium long shot. I have done this because I wanted to show more of the band and it gives the impression it’s not so in your face like rock magazines but of being more laid back and relaxed like the alternative music genera that my product was based on I have also done this also attract my target audience e.g. people who are fans of alternative music.

A barcode is a convention found in all magazines as a way to scan the product into a checkout when being paid for and a website relating to the product is used in most magazines and trying to imitate a real product I used both these conventions in my product.

My contents page uses conventions found in real magazines firstly including a small image of the front cover this is a convention found in most music magazines and as I was trying to imitate a real magazine I included it as part of my contents page, another convention I followed is the heading of the page found in all magazines for the title ‘content’ I again used a specific font front www.dafont.com like the cover page “EpoXY histoRy” to keep a level of consistency throughout the magazine which is important to the product as the target audience will associate a specific Patten of colours, fonts and style with the magazine and keeping that consistent will make it easier to read. Another convention I followed was to include other images of the same or similar style to the main image on the front cover as again it keeps the magazine consistent and attracts the target audience of people interested in alternative music as they associate the images with the theme of the magazine. Another convention i followed was to include Editors Notes as they are often included in the contents page of music magazines, Editors Notes are a way to directly relay to the target audience the purpose and feelings of the magazine and its contents.

My double page spread follows conventions found in real magazines firstly a convention I have followed is having an image across a whole side as it gives a focal point and a visual representation on whom the article is about. Another convention I have followed is a caption in front f the image again using a font downloaded from www.dafont.com called “28 Days Later” to make the caption stand out as it draws the target audience’s attention and entices them to read the article. Another convention I have followed is a big bold header for the page of either again the name of the artist or a quote or phrase associated with that artist, something fans will recognise and read the article to gather an explanation of the header. Another convention I have followed is the article is in neat even columns to make the article easy to read.

Question 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My music magazine is targeted at both teenage boys and girls whom listen to alternative music. This social group was represented through the use of images throughout my magazine firstly the main image on the front cover represents the social group that is my target audience in the position they are standing in, very laid back slouching like they have nothing better to do which many teenagers can relate to making my magazine appeal to the maximum of my target audience. Another way is through their costumes they are dressed in what to a teen counts as casual everyday cloths again conveying the impression that they are doing what they want to do and have nothing better to do, one of them is dressed in a plain hoodie the other in a grey hoodie and a black body warmer and a black cap these costumes are stereotypes associated with teenage artists of today and suggests they are laid back and don’t take themselves too seriously; this is emphasised by the positioning of the cap on backwards. Which is another stereotype associated with teenage alternative music. I felt the costumes conveyed the accurate impression and an insight into the rest of the magazine to the target audience.

The headphone cables on the model represent a important aspect in the life of all teenagers and represents something everyone no matter what genera of music they like can relate to as everyone likes some form of music, Just showing headphones suggests to any viewer that its something to do with music which is why I included it in my magazine as it’s just another indicator that this is a music magazine.

Question3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product & why?

In reference to the case study on publishing houses i conducted in the research stage, I think Bauer Media would be likely to publish and distribute as my magazine firstly because magazines published by Bauer Media such as KERRANG target the same kind of age rang as my target audience so they know the demand and the market for music magazines for a teenage target audience and another product out there means there reaching more and more of the maximum target audience which just adds to the companys profits.

Secondly the style and specific genera of music my magazine is unique there isn’t another magazine the same as it on the market so that’s a good selling point and similar specific music magazines like KERRANG which focuses on rock music is very successful to the target audience whom listen to rock so they know how to sell a magazine to a target audience and with my magazine they would have a product out there to reach another specific target audience increasing their market and profits.

I was probably distribute my magazine in hmv as hmv is the face ok music on the high street, it’s were people go to get music so the perfect location to attrite my target audience as a love of music is something all teenagers can relate to.

Question 4: Who would be the audience for your media product?

As stated in my audience research my magazine is targeting British teenagers aged between 14 and 17. This is because the scene/punk alternative music look is very popular in Britain and as britan is the nation my magazine is being distributed in it needs to appeal to the teenagers of Britain.

I decided on a teenage target audience as the dominate style and focus of music today is around a teenage target audience. And as the main image on the front cover is of a teenage music group and the content of that magazine is based on that same group and issues that teenagers can relate to which is why I thought the magazine would appeal to a younger audience.

Issues raised and discussed in the magazine are the same issues teenagers find themselves in so a younger target audience would attract more people to buy the magazine as teenagers into the style of music can see themselves in those same positions and share the same ambitions as the artists in the magazine.

My magazine will also attract a wider teenage target audience as in terms of ethnicity my magazine shows through the Main Image that even through a common stereotype associated with black music artists is that there rap or pop stars anyone can be a alternative music artist and that alternative music is for everyone

Question 5: How did you attract/address your audience?

Using my audience research as a basis to build my magazine around I attracted my target audience in several ways, firstly the main way I targeted my target audience is through my front cover as a magazine cover can determine whether my audience decide to pick up my magazine over the other music magazines on offer. One of the ways in which I felt I attracted my target audience is using teenagers within the age range of my music magazine as the main image for the front cover as it is a visual medium to the target audience before they’ve even picked up and stated to read the magazine that this magazine is targeted at them and gives the target audience something they can relate to. The main images style and or bands of clothing are another way in which the target audience is attracted to the magazine as they can associate themselves with the artists, the cloths the modals are wearing suggest teen rebellion and is the general look society associates with trouble which is the target audience for alternative music as like with everything else such as teenagers issues with society and fitting in to a community there taste and therefore choice of music is different as well. The props such as the cap on one of the modals and the headphones on the other also help to help the target audience relate to the magazine meaning it is more likely to be successes within the targeted audience.

Another way I attracted my target audience is my keeping the alternative kind of rebellious theme running throughout my entire magazine as the target audience would buy the magazine for an alternative music magazine so this needed to be consonantly apparent through the magazine. I did this through the dark grungy fonts and paint splatters consistent in the magazine. I also included well known and popular bands and artists as cover lines on the front page as even if the target audience is not appealed by the design and other aspects of the front cover the cover lines will help sway them to buy the magazine as they know it will include something about a band they do know and like also including these cover lines of the latest bands and the new music available keeps my magazine current and therefore popular as a reliable source for people interested in alternative music to find out information about that genre of music. The content of the magazine is another way I felt I attracted my target audience as it shows how putting in the effort and aspiring to do what you want to do pays off and will help any of the target audience pursuing a career in the music industry to keep at it because if you try hard enough and have the talent it can happen for them to. 

Throughout my magazine i used different fonts for the different generic sections for a magazine for example the same font was used for the Title on the front page “FONIX” as was used on the contents page again for the title but that same font was then used no were else throughout the magazine. There was a completely individual font for the main cover line on the cover of the magazine “IGNITE” and for all the blocks of text again a different font from the rest of the magazine was used but that same font was used for all the blocks of text, this makes the magazine more appealing and intersecting to look at and these fonts are specific and I feel will help attract the target audience of the magazine.

                                    

Another way I attracted my target audience was through the colour scheme which I selected by comparing and finding the most popular scheme common to both males and females through the audience research. The colour scheme throughout my magazine consists of mainly black and blue as these are colours not really associated as a pair with any genera of music so is different just like alternative music is meant to be. The colours also contrast well so either way round the colour on top will stand out ageist the other meaning anything i put on the magazine will be easy to comprehend and eye catching so will stand out when the target audience is selecting between the different music magazines available. The colour scheme though not all participating target audiences first choice was the colour scheme  chosen the most when comparing the boys and girls information collected so will equally appeal to a men and woman target audience fairly. Another way i attracted my specific target audience is through the use of language throughout the magazine there are no long complicated words for a teenage target audience to have to figure out, the entire magazine is easy to read and flows well when reading.  

Question 6: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Through the process of creating the three final pieces I needed for the final task I learnt allot about technologies like Adobe Photoshop, a program that allows you to manipulate images and text to your own preference, my skills with this program before creating the products for the final task were poor at best but though a mix of using Adobe Photoshop CS5 at college and Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0  I gain proficient skills with the software and was there for able to create the three final products. I found although as a complete version of the Photoshop software CS5 had more to offer in terms of things I could do with the products in terms of effects or brushes the Photoshop Elements 8.0 was easier to use maybe because it didn’t incorporate as much in it.

Within this program I found the Lasso Tool was easy to use and a good way to cut out the modals for the front cover out of the original image and background to put onto the front cover with whatever design I wanted to put behind it.

 Another useful feature within the adobe Photoshop program which I learnt to use thought the course of creating my final products was the ability to layer different sections of the magazine on different layers so it was easy to alter specific sections of the products without damaging the entire design.

Another really useful aspect of Adobe Photoshop was the ability to save work created in Photoshop in different formats for example to be able to upload our three finished final pieces to blogger they needed to be in a JPEG format which Photoshop allows you to do. 

Question 7: Looking back at the preliminary task what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to a full product?

Since doing the preliminary college magazine and contents page I have learnt may more new skills that have helped me to create my 3 final products. One of the main areas that helped me to drastically improve the quality of my final products was learning and studying existing magazines, there designs and layouts and how they follow the conventions that make up professional magazines. Looking back at my preliminary college magazine they are of poor standard and basic design in comparison to my music magazine final pieces shows just how much knowing and understanding the proper conventions of a magazine and how to lay out those conventions on paper can affect the final quality of the magazine.   

One of the main tools I have learnt along the progression from the preliminary college magazines to the final music magazine was experience with and perfection in how to use Photoshop. As when creating my college magazines my abilities with Photoshop were very limited and I struggled to use the program. Were as while learning how to use Photoshop when creating my college magazines i had a greater understanding of the program and how it’s used and had a much easier time creating the three final products and therefore had more time to spend on perfecting the layout and design of them.  

While creating my main task three final products I was able to pick up on and use new features of Photoshop that I was not able to when doing the preliminary college magazine as the main task consisted of three final pieces not just two and that involved more work with new sections of Photoshop that I had not used before.

In contrast to my preliminary college magazine along that progression to the final three pices for the main task I have learnt so much more about the detailed workings of a magazine and how everything in a magazine is done deliberately for a purpose or to attract the target audience and I have had to put allot more thought into the creation of my own magazine and how the style imagery and layout will be seen through the eyes of my target audience and how i needed to edit that design to make the magazine appealing to that target audience.