EVALUATION - Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

When performing my preliminary task my knowledge of Photoshop was very limited, I was only aware how to do very basic things. These involved things such as using text and crop tools, which would have made my blog look very simplistic if I had not explored the program more and tried out new ways to make my work more advanced.

Through exploring the program I was able to find new ways to make text and images look more appealing. This was done through the use of things like bevel, drop shadow, glow, shape tools etc. With this knowledge my preliminary transformed from something quite simplistic and boring into something more interesting to the audience. This reflected further on my final task as by then the skills I head learnt in preliminary has further progressed as I discovered new ways to make images look more appealing.

As well as having little knowledge on programs such as Photoshop I also had little knowledge on how to use a camera. To change this I decided to purchase my own camera and get to grips with framing, things like ISO, frames per seconds and focus. This drastically changed the way I looked at images not only through the lens but also on the research I was doing. This skill was broadened when using a school camera to take my shots when doing this I found that I was able to operate the camera with more confidence that I would have before doing the tasks. I also had little knowledge about lighting, but with some guidance I was able to use this with confidence also. This can particularly be seen in the contrasting images on my priliminary and final cover.  I felt I utilized the skills I had developed to the highest standard possible.

From starting with little knowledge when doing the preliminary to having made a full magazine from scratch I feel my confidence and skills using Photoshop and cameras have improved dramatically. I also feel that this has reflected in my final pieces. 

EVALUATION - What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

In my production I learnt a various amount of new information about technology. Photoshop was completely alien to me and I now feel that I have a certain amount of skill on operating Photoshop. I would usually have avoided using the program as creating things seemed daunting however with a certain amount of guidance I was able to expand my skills. With being able to edit images and create my magazine mast head I feel that my skills have grown immensely.

I learnt how to use the varying tools that are available on the program, such as brush tools, burn tool, smudge, clone and dodge tool. I used these to edit photos and create the layout of my final pieces. I made certain parts of texts look more appealing to the audience by creating a new way to represent them. An example of this would be on my double page spread, the header has been edited with the ‘WILD CHILD’ aspect being more prominent that other sections. The style of font also makes this look unique and interesting to the audience, emphasizing the reason to buy it to the audience. The Gothic looking writing and the way it looks almost like blood abides with the idea of a wild child, also attracting the audience to the destructive text and the seemingly innocent image. 

I also edited photos using the brightness and contrast tool as well and the dodge tool to portray the effect I wanted. I was able to correctly adjust the aspects I did not like to create this effect; I removed things such as imperfections on the background and lighting adjustments. These aspects are things I would have little knowledge on when starting my production.

With the use of frames and texts effects I was able to make things appear to be 3D, this is something I would not have been able to do in starting the production. The look of my magazine would have been completely different if I had not developed the understanding of Photoshop I now have. Therefore I feel that my skills have advanced dramatically and I can now produce good and exciting images/products with the skills I have gained. 

EVALUATION - Who would be the audience for your media product?

The essential Idea I had for New Era was to attract a younger audience to new types of music. This is because teenagers/young adults are always interested in new technologies like iPod’s, phones and other things as well as new fashions. So introducing them to new music would hopefully attract their attention also. In a sense creating the new era for music which is always catching up with the old. 

Teens are the main audience I’m aiming for due to them being the younger generation however other age ranges from 25-40  if not older would probably still be interested in the music within the magazine.  Saying this however, the colors  language, and pictures are more for the appeal of the teenage/young adult audience rather than the ages above these. So it all depends on the style of the readers, if new music is their thing then this magazine is for them. There is no real age limit on the magazine it is just for people enjoy listening to the musicians in the magazine. Although the colors and other aspects may influence younger audiences to read the magazine rather than older audiences. 

EVALUATION - How did you attract/address your audience?

When thinking of how to address/attract my readers I thought bag to my target audience and what would appeal to them. With my target audience predominately being the younger generation I thought of things like the way they talk, dress and behave. This is a key aspect in helping the audience create a relationship with not only the magazine but also the artists they are reading about. In my research I held a small focus group and asked questions like “What attracts you to magazines” “what artists do you tend to listen to” “does fashion play a big part in your life?” “Which gender are easier to relate to?” With these questions I was able to generate ideas to attract the target audience.

 I was very focused on the image I wanted to portray to the readers, taking things like fashion and pose into large consideration. Many people said that interesting and unusual images on the front cover attracted them, I took this on board and therefore tried to create an unusual looking image and cover for my audience. I did this by placing a friendly image on the front, seeming innocent and kind; this makes the person on the from seem more approachable. This contrasts a usual magazine such as Q or Kerrang who’s cover images are usually quite stern and seemingly intimidating. This is the same on the other images used however; the artists have a more stern expression on their face. Language also was a big factor of consideration due to the audience having to relate to what is being said, as well as relating to the story on the double page spread. The language used is understandable to the audience and so is the story, showing that the readers may relate to the past life of the artist. I feel the colour scheme also helped me attract the audience with the black and red being appealing to both males and females. 

EVALUATION - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In the production of my media product I focused on taking inspiration from real successful products, abiding with the sense of realism I wanted to create. My inspiration came from the magazine ‘Q’. I found this magazine to fit the style I wanted to portray with a different array of styles shown in each issue. One front cover in particular caught my attention and inspired my ‘mock up’ front cover and the images I took for my final production.

 

These are the two covers that inspired my mock up and final piece. The image of Florence Welch on the right was something I felt I wanted to portray as she takes up the full cover of the magazine, the image is also powerful. The idea of using a simpler image abides with me wanting to create a simplistic front cover with interesting stories inside.  The cover on the top has the title spread across the page which I liked as it adds more of an edge to what otherwise could have been quite a boring front cover. Under these two images is my final draft of my mock up piece. As you can see I have used a picture of Florence, this keeping with the idea of a soft and simple facing image. My title is also in keeping with the style of the magazine, with all focus being on the top left corner with a tag line sitting beneath it. 

To the right is my final front cover, i have kept a majority of the components displayed in my original mock up draft. The change of the title to ‘Emily and The Vibe’ from ‘Florence and The Machine’ adds once again to the realism of the piece  by showing that I am talking about a 'real' original band. To abide with the conventions of a real magazine I also needed to add things such as bar codes  prices, the magazine website and other things. The main cover image is looking directly into the camera creating a direct mode of address with the readers. This is in keeping with my research and also suggests a connection between who the audience are reading about and the readers themselves. The sell lines on the cover consist of quotes and the featuring artists names this it itself could sell the magazine to the target audience. Due to them possibly being interested in the artists. I have also used the header at the top which states ‘FIRST EDITION VIBE SPECIAL’ this is enticing to the audience due to it being the first edition making it an exclusive. From my research I found that there is a different variety of font sizes and font style used in magazines such as Q and KERRANG. There are also mixes of quotes displayed on the various covers I looked at. I took this into consideration when producing my work, and used upper case fonts along with a different variety of styles. The colors scheme as mentioned before is black and red this may seem dominantly male however the different styles of font also contribute to pleasing a female audience making my magazine appealing to both genders.

 As you can see here I have taken a lot of inspiration from the Q contents. I liked the layout and overall concepts of the page. The images are clear and link to what is written under each title, for example in my piece the picture captioned ’37.’ links to the regulars section. I thought this was a good idea as it makes the magazine less plain, and also lets the readers know who they will be reading about. The content is in keeping with the colour scheme seen on the front cover, which keeps up with the consistency of the magazine making it more realistic. All images I have shown on both the double page spread and contents have direct eye contact with the camera, this once again creating the connection between the audience and artist.

The image displayed on the left is the  DPS I took my inspiration from; this is contrasting from the other parts of the magazine. This is due to me taking the double page spread from Kerrang magazine rather than Q's. I had this idea due to me liking the layout of both Q’S front page and contents page but liking the concepts of Kerrang’s double page spreads. I find these more eye catching and interesting to look at, I also found that the lay out was more efficient and would be more pleasing for the readers.  Once again the colors are in keeping with the themes of the magazine once again adding once again to the realism.

The uses of different fonts and the bold colors and writing make the article look more interesting. It also makes the audience think that they are reading something that they cannot see anywhere else. With these ideas I have stayed with the conventions of a normal magazine with trying to draw in the audience. I have tried to make my piece as realistic as possible so the target audience get the feeling that they are reading a real magazine. Which is what wanted to achieve in my media production. The layout of the spread also abides with the idea that English readers tend to read from left to right. I also placed my central image entirely on one side of the page, this making it a dominant image of the page. This type of image appeals to my audience due to the fashion choice and stance of the artist, making it look young and ‘in’ with age group I am aiming for. 

EVALUATION - How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My production is generally aimed at a younger audience however with mature imagery it could reach to an older audience also. The images I have used are of teenagers this is because it shows youth to the audience, however, the dress code and stance of the model on the front cover and double page spread represent a different representation of youth. The facial expressions of the model on the front cover show’s a girl smiling which is a contrast to some of the people in my research due to their usual stern or scowling expressions; the idea of her smiling represents a more friendly teenager in contrast to how they are usually represented.

I have used only female models in my magazine; this may seem that this appeals to only female viewers. However it could be argued that the readers may be male and enjoy looking at female images but also that they enjoy the music made. The female representation is usually based on few basic stereotypes. These being; that they are image conscious this being a contrast of teenage boys, the idea of females representing my magazine show’s a sense of sophistication In my magazine. 

The language on my interview shows a mix of slang and mature language, it also represent s conversation. This could be relate-able to the audience reading due to them being just like any normal people, this representing youth as intelligent from the use of mature language and conversation also. The title of the double page spread also shows that the artist used to have a ‘wild’ past like many teenagers do in this generation. This could also represent the idea of change, and how the youths reading may aspire to be like the star they are reading about.

EVALUATION - What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

An institution that may be interested in distributing my magazine is Bauer Media Group, this is because they are the distributors of Q. The reason for them publishing my product is because it is quite like Q but with some differences as explained in question one. The fact that the magazine is similar to Q could be a downfall as they may not want to take on another retro music magazine, due to one already being very successful. 

Another publisher that may want to take on my magazine could be IPC Media, which is the media company who publish NME magazine. This magazine is a lot like my magazine too, with some quite plain covers and the interest of magazine logo being in the top left corner. I feel that this distributer would help my magazine grow and there are quite a few differences between NME and New Era. With NME now having almost 1.1 million readers every week I feel that the success of this magazine could reflect on mine, NME has also been running for 60 years which I would hope for mine to do also if it became successful. 

FINAL PRODUCTS

FRONT COVER

CONTENTS

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

Here is my final product. Enjoy!

MORE MODEL IMAGES!

Hi again!

Here are some final images of the final model I used.

I took a variety of shots trying to portray both gentle and

stern looking images.

Thanks! and Enjoy!