FINAL OUTCOME

Evaluation - Question 7

Q: Looking back at your preliminary task (College magazine) What have you learnt in terms of progression from that to the full product?

Since the first task, I have now developed and deepened by understanding in magazine components and features which has allowed me to create three authentic parts of the magazine. Also I have progressed through photoshop and learn to do some quite unique effects. There is a definite huge difference between my preliminary task and final product, this shows how I have progressed positively through the course.

Evaluation - Question 6

Q: In what ways does your media product challenge forms and conventions of real magazine products?

My magazine doesn't hugely challenge forms and conventions of real magazine products. The only thing that does, is that the double page spread doesn't have a huge amount of writing on which is unusual for magazines as it usually has about a page worths of text on a double page spread. Also I have kept the coverlines simple and not surrounded the whole cover with them.

Evaluation - Exercise 5

Q: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

I'd say the language used would be the main thing that would represent different social groups as it is fairly informal and it would represent the youth of today. Also the pictures, and the type of clothing the image models are wearing would represent social groups.

Evaluation - Question 4

Q: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and Why?


I would choose IPC Media to distribute my magazine as they would probably be the most reliable choice having worked with one of the countries most popular music magazines, NME.


Although, as the magazine would probably be based on a lot of local bands, I would sell it in local music shops and venues especially. So such a large scale distributor may not be necessary, it may be more sensible to keep it on a smaller scale.

Evaluation - Question 3

Q: Who would be the audience for your media product?

My target audience would mainly be people between 14-20, with this in mind I tried to aim all of the features of the magazine at them as these would be the main people to keep hooked if possible.

Evaluation - Question 2

Q: How did you attract your audience?

Obviously my front cover is the first thing that grabs the reader's attention so I tried to use attractive images and text to catch the reader's eye. Once there attention has been grabbed, they will read what's on the cover so I used quotes that were particularly interesting to make the reader want to pick up the magazine and read about it. Also, I used pictures which were suitable for the target audience as they were of young people and also used things that would particularly relate to teenagers such as sticking the middle finger up.

Evaluation - Question 1

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

For the majority of this task, I have used a lot of PhotoShop. Before the task I only had little knowledge of the software, knowing only a basic way around it. Since then I have greatly improved and would now say I am confident in using it. I have used various online tutorials to improve my skills which has made a massive difference on the outcomes of my work. You can see an obvious difference between my preliminary task and final task which is due to the better skills I have gained since then. Also I have learnt more about camera work, through taking various amounts of photos, it has helped me to understand about how effective different types of shots are for certain situations.

Double Page Spread - Step by step creation

I began with a normal picture that I wanted to use for my double page spread and blew it up to A3, but slightly cropped some of the edges.

 I was aiming to make a CCTV image effect so after this I added a series of effects to the photo to make it look like it was taken from a poor quality video camera.

Next I added some text to make the picture look more authentic such as the time:

After this, I added the necessary features to make it look a double page spread article - a space for the interview on the left hand side of the image and a main title and sub line.

For the actual article, I started with some larger text, introducing the article like so:

I then added the main interview. To fit with the colour scheme I used a dark red text for the questions and just kept the answers black.

I then added a finishing touch of some text at the bottom of the article reading "CONTINUES ON PAGE 20" just to add to the authenticity of the spread. The final product is at follows:

Double Page Spread Mock Up

For my double page spread I would like to put a CCTV camera effect on the picture I have taken and to fit in with my style model, the majority of the spread will be image with just one column of writing. This is a simple mock up of my plan:

Double Page Spread Style Model

This is my style model for my double page spread. I will change the layout of it but use a similair style.

Contents Page Step-by-Step Process

I began my contents page by placing a blue banner across the top of thepage with a smaller version of the logo on the left hand side like so:

I then added some text onto the banner. A title of just "CONTENTS" and also the issue number, date and website.

After this I created a stamp effect which says "THIS WEEK" and placed it in the top right hand corner to look as if the page had been stamped.

Next I added a series of pictures over the entire right side of the page. These varied in size, the biggest being the main article. I also added page numbers to these pictures.

I then added subheadings to the left hand side of the page which would be to split the list of articles up.

After this, I added all of the articles into the page, keepign the same format for each article apart from the main article, in which I changed the font to the same as the cover font and made it a little bit bigger.

Lastly, I added a quote onto the picture, firstly in red to keep with the colour scheme but it made it difficult to read so I changed it to white and made it  bolder and also added a drop shadow.

Contents page mock up

This is the mock up of my contents page done on Paint. I will use a blue banner across the top with a small logo on the left of it, this will contain "CONTENTS" and also information such as the website, issue number and date.
On the list of articles I will use sub-headings to break them up betwen regular content and main features.
The whole right side of the page will be taken up by pictures.

Final Cover Step-by-Step

I began by stretching background from one of my photos onto an A4 canvas on Photoshop and then applied some gaussian blur to it so that the clouds weren't as sharp - I didn't want them to stand out. I also put a thin banner along the top of the cover which would be part of the masthead.

I then added the logo which I placed in the top left hand corner of the cover, a common feature of most magazine covers. I also added the main image which slightly overlapped the logo to show that it was important. This was originally taken with the model leaning against a brick wall to give a slightly grungey atmosphere, but I decided that the wall was not a good enough back ground and so edited the picture down.

I added the sub images and then wrote some coverlines over the cover. I varied the font as this was something I found out in my research of existing front covers.

Lastly I added some small album covers at the bottom to advertise some review written within the magazine and then a finishing touch of the barcode, price, issue number and date.

The finished product looked like this:

Magazine Title

One of the things I found out by uploading my front cover to facebook is that my magazine title already exists as a popular website. So I decided I would change the title and the logo a bit.

After several ideas and considerations, I decided on the name  Alternative Judgement.

Also I decided on the font, Impact Label to use on the logo, Like so:

Second Cover Attempt

This was my second cover attempt which I then uploaded to facebook to get some audience feedback. I received varied feedback and some tips on how to improve so I decided to change the cover a little as it was still lacking something.

Facebook feedback ^^

Second mock-up

This was just a case of rearranging what I already had and adding some minor changes which would add to the overall end product of the magazine.

Front Cover - FIRST ATTEMPT

This is my first attempt at creating my magazine cover. I decided this wasn't good enough and so with some help made a new layout for the cover and proceeded to try again. I think this one did not have a good amount of coverlines, and the ones it did have were very poor. The fonts needed to have more variation and there was a lot of what seemed to be dead space. Also the mast head is not all that strong.

Front Cover Mock Up

This is my first basic mock up for my front cover. The masthead will be in the top left corner, and I will include a puff as a free gift sign. I will use one main image of a full body shot with main coverlines overlapping this. I will then use a series of smaller images to fill out the page with more coverlines. And add finishing touches such as the barcode and price etc.

Front Cover Photoshoot

Here are just a select few of the pictures I have taken in my photoshoot some of which I will be using for my front cover and some I will use in my contents page.

Mid shot for contents page

Long shot, potential front cover image

Close up, used for front cover sub image or contents page image

Mid shot used for front cover sub image or contents page

Long shot, potential front cover main image

Two shot, use for contents page image

Mid shot with focus on hand, use for sub image on front cover

Long shot used for contents page

The problem that I came across when taking photos was that my main image model was that using a direct mode of address in any of the pictures which meant I had to take more but eventually we got there.

Production Plan

Front Cover main image: Lucy Burton
Front Cover sub images: Matt sticking his fingers up, Naz smoking, album covers
Coverlines: Lucy Burton - On the road, on the sofa, the real lucy. Matt Rayner "why don't you just piss off!?", Naz "I can't actually play anything, I just pretend", Interviews with the most powerful people in music right now, review of the latest albums
Name: BPM
Positioning Statement: Beats Per Minute
Frequency of publication: Monthly
Price: £2.50
Distribution: My magazine will be sold mainly at music shops and music venues but also in particular newsagents
Style: My magazine will have a very easy going and informal style. The articles will be directed straight at the reader with a cheeky, sarcastic and humorous approach which is what teenagers can relate to. The articles will be easy to read and won't seem like homework to read a page packed with writing.

Regular Content:

1. Editor's Letter
2. Reviews of the top gigs in the past month
3. top ten upcoming gigs of the next month
4. local/unsigned band
5. top 5 latest albums and reviews
6. readers letters
7. photographers page
8. interview with a fan
9. competition

Feature Content

1. Talk to Matt Rayner
2. KJs tour habits
3. Shaub Bruce young music career
4. MAIN ARTICLE: Lucy Burton
5. festival awards
6. since warning interview
7. matt and lucy story

Publication Plan

Name: BPM
Positioning Statement: Beats Per Minute
Frequency of publication: Monthly
Price: £2.50
Distribution: My magazine will be sold mainly at music shops and music venues but also in particular newsagents
Style: My magazine will have a very easy going and informal style. The articles will be directed straight at the ready with a cheeky, sarcastic and humorous approach which is what teenagers can relate to. The articles will be easy to read and won't seem like homework to read a page packed with writing.

Regular Content:

1. Editor's Letter
2. Reviews of the top gigs in the past month
3. top ten upcoming gigs of the next month
4. local/unsigned band
5. top 5 latest albums and reviews
6. readers letters
7. photographers page
8. interview with a fan

Music Magazine Analysis

Music magazine analysis

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More Magazine Features

Anchorage
This term refers to how images are referred to. Images are anchored by captions which directly explain what the pictures depict, or by cover lines, articles or headlines. It helps give the image a meaning as it helps the reader understand the significance.

Secondary Images
These are used on the front cover to promote other stories in the magazine and are usually anchored by a coverline. Usually used when reader's need to be enticed by the picture rather than the coverline.

Coverlines
Located at various points on the front cover and tell the readers about what articles etc. are inside. Usually has about 6-12 cover lines to try to entice more readers. Usually use presentational devices to be most effective.

Mode of Address
This refers to the way that the magazine communicates with its readers. Some will use a direct mode of address which communicates with individuals e.g. a model looking or pointing directly at the camera or talking in 2nd person - you.

Puff
This is used to draw attention to or promote an element of the magazine. This could be a star shape or other graphic to make it stand out usually with a contrasting colour for example Black with white writing or Red on a white background to make it more eye catching.

Barcode, price and edition
Common, straight forward features but need to be place strategically. The barcode shouldn't interfere with any of the principal features and the price should be placed close to the bar code.

Font
These will usually be adapted to infer meaning to what the text says or to the style of the magazine.

Magazine Research

We began the next part of this unit by looking at different music magazines, analysing key features and what was common in all magazines. There are various parts of the magazine which I will show using an analysis of the cover of NME.

• The masthead is usually at the top, especially with NME it is the same in every issue, always at the top, contains the logo/title of the magazine which isusually quite bright and bold, this shows that it is an important part of the cover. Some mastheads also contain a tagline although not in this case.
• The main image is usually a mid-shot of an artist or band this sometimes overlaps the masthead or vice versa. It will take up the majority of the cover showing this is the most predominant part and will probably the main story in the magazine.
• The main cover line is usually the name of the band or artist which is featured on the cover along with a tag line which will briefly outline the story that is in the magazine about them, for example this one is "Kate Nash and Jack Penate - Here comes the indie pop takeover"
• There are also various other cover lines smaller but still obvious which will state the other stories featured in the magazine.
• It is also common to see small pictures on the cover which will be to do with the other stories.
• The barcode is usually situated in the bottom right or bottom left corner, this will also have the price, issue number and website as well.

Evaluation of College Magazine - Preliminary Task

   In what ways does your media product use, develop and challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My magazine uses typical magazine conventions such as the masthead (along the top), main coverlines and sub coverlines across the page, sub images and the date and issue number in the bottom right. These are all common features of well established magazines


How does the media product represent particular social groups?
I think the only social group my magazine would represent would be students as it is not specifically aimed at a certain type of person, it is just a fun and quirky magazine to read at school.


What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
The magazine would only be distributed at college as it is based around life in college so it would only most likely students who study here. Although if it were to be pushed any further it could hit local newsagents and maybe muster up some form of interest.


Who would be the audience for your media product? How did you address/attract your audience?
The audience of my magazine would be students as the information inside would interest them. I would attract my audience by using bold eye catching images and featuring stories that would pull them in.


What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I have learnt that effects on photoshop are much more important than I first thought and they must be highly considered when constructing a magazine. I have also learnt about various other features of photoshop which will help me with my main task.

Final Front Cover and Contents Page

Step-by-Step Contents Page Process

I began my contents page with the title of the magazine, strategically placed in the same place as the cover, along with 'This month' next to it to show that this was what was in this month's issue of the magazine. I also used another picture of the person used for the main cover image. 

Next I added a quote to the picture and a page number, this gives people an insight into the article and will make them want to go to that page and read it, especially if it is quirky, catchy or funny.

Thirdly, I added a box at the bottom of the page talking about subscription. I noticed that was often a common feature on contents pages or some other sort of advert.

Next I continue to add different sections of topics and articles in the magazine as follows..

Lastly I added a smaller picture to the bottom right of the page. This varies it a bit so it is not all just text.