Evaluation: Question 7

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



At the beginning of this year I began the project of creating the front cover and contents page of a student magazine. This was the first time I has used a mac and the InDesign program before and I was looking to experimenting with both of these formats. Since then I have progressed to being able to confidently use these programs and have completed the front cover, contents page and double page spread of a music magazine which I have designed and created.  There has been a significant improvement in my work from the music magazine compared to the preliminary task.

Firstly, I feel that my skills in taking my own photographs have improved: at first I struggled with the composition and considering the text around the image and having the subject look into the camera to interact with the audience. Here is an example of photos I had taken for the student magazine task.

I can clearly see how my work has improved when comparing this to the photos which I took for the music magazine below. The subjects are looking at the camera and they are projecting a positive image. Because these images are taken in studio conditions I had to be able to understand the different types of studio lights and why they are used, I had worked in the studio previously to this completing work for my Photography AS level work and I feel this has definitely helped me improve my photo skills.

From the preliminary task, to the full product I have progressed to having a better understanding of the magazine industry by researching publishers such as Bauer Media and Conde Nast. Since the student magazine I had begun to research music magazine by generally observing them in shops and paying particular attention to Q magazine which was a helpful guide for creating V magazine. My research skills have become more detailed as for the student magazine I had not referred to any kind of magazine before creating the pages, I feel that if I had done this then the final outcome for 'IMPACT' magazine would have been more appealing and professional however for a first attempt I feel it is a good effort.

An example of Q magazine

My front cover of V magazine

Technology has influenced my work in ways such as the production: for the student magazine task I struggled with using InDesign as I had not used it before and it took some time to get used to this. I feel due to this factor not all the choices I made were beneficial to the student magazine front cover, if I was not happy about a certain factor such as the colour scheme I would not change it as it would take too long. However after asking for help when I reached the music magazine project I was able to correct things I was not happy with. This is how I had progressed from going back and editing certain points I wanted to improve for the front cover and double page spread.

The first draft of my front cover

My final draft of the front cover

My first draft of my double page spread

My final draft of my double page spread

Other technologies I have experimented with are photoshop, for the student magazine I had not used this program however it was neccecary to use it for the music magazine to improve the quality of my photos. At the point my attitude had changed and I was much more willing to attempt to use Photoshop and I feel because of this positive attitude I was successful in using this program for the tasks I wanted to complete.

The program Indesign was the fundamental tool for creating my music magazine and without the work I completed for the student magazine I would not have been able to produce the work for my music magazine which I spent a lot of time and effort on. I am glad I was able to experiment and practise my Indesign skills while completing the student magazine as it has helped me improve the skills I initially developed and use them to create the pages for my music magazine with these skills I progressed them further; helping me create new things such as the pug for my front cover.

In conclusion, due to the preliminary task my work has made a notable progression to a higher standard and the creation of my music magazine - V- has conveyed a realistic and professional music magazine. There have been many different parts of my work which I have progressed on resulting in creating a strong product for the final task: such as my research skills, and general development of creative work on the programs InDesign.

Evaluation: Question 6

Final media evaluation q6

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Evaluation: Question 5

How did you attract/address your audience?

I have incorporated various design elements to appeal to my audience such as those which are highlighted in the annotated images.

Below is an outline of the main aspects in my front cover to attract/address the audience.




























Here are the main features of the contents page which have been incorporated to appeal to an audience.

Finally for the double page spread the highlighted points are intended to attract and address my target audience.

I also took this opportunity to gather feedback from members of the target audience. I asked three people who would typically read this magazine whether it appealed to them, and would they buy it. The feedback is as follows:

1: 'I like the simplicity, it appears to be aimed at modern people who know a lot about music. It has appealed to me it looks like it would be an interesting read and I would buy this.


2: 'I was attracted by the 'live music special' as I go to gigs and concerts often. I'd buy the magazine just to read that particular article. I also like the image in the double page spread, I do photography at A level and I feel that it is a successful image.'


3: 'I like the layout - it looks very professional, like a real magazine. I would buy this product as it looks a lot of fun and it appears to know all about music.'

Mode of Address
The way my product speaks to it's audience is by grabbing their attention by features such as pugs; the pug I have used on the front cover says '10 Exclusive Interviews', this is to ensure that the audience find this appealing and will want to buy the magazine to read the interviews inside.
I have also used a line of text which is in a bright red colour standing out from the rest of the text, it reads 'LIVE MUSIC SPECIAL' it is in the left third at the bottom: due to this aspect standing out it is implied that this issue of the magazine is different from the rest and will be more interesting.

Evaluation: Question 4

Who would be the audience for your media product?

Evaluation: Question 3

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


When considering a relevant publisher for my music magazine I instantly though Bauer Media as they publish are large amount of magazines and are a successful media business and from my research I know a considerable amount of information on them. However due to the vast amount of music magazine they are already publishing I thought it would be a better idea to re-think this and research other magazine publishing companies. 


I have decided the kind of media institution that might distribute my media product would be Conde` Nast. 

Condé Nast  is a worldwide magazine publishing company. Its main offices are located in New York,Chicago, Miami, Madrid, Milan, Tokyo, London and Paris. Condé Nast is run by S.I. Newhouse Jr, and is a division of Advance Publications, who have owned the company since 1959. Some of their publications include: GQ, Vogue, Glamour, Allure and Gold World. 

The genres of magazines which they publish are: 

• 1 Fashion and lifestyle
• 2 Home
• 3 Bridal
• 4 Golf
• 5 Food
• 6 Travel
• 7 Technology
• 8 Culture
• 
  The company publishes one of the most recognizable magazine portfolios in the industry.
• 
  
• It is clear that Conde` Nast are a successful company who have established a high profile and publish a selected number of magazines which would be classed as successful and stylish. 
• 
  
• I feel it would be appropriate for my magazine to be published by Conde` Nast because they do not publish any magazines with a genre of music, my product would offer them a way to attract a different audience group, therefore earning them more money. There is definitely a gap in their portfolio. I feel that 'V' magazine is suitable to be published by Conde` Nast as it is a stylish and sophisticated magazine which fits in with the other styles of the other magazines. The magazines published by Conde` nast are all targeted at an educated audience, their magazines are not cheap, they are produced on good quality paper and cost a lot more then other magazines such as 'love it!'. The target audience would be expected to be earning more money then the readers of a magazine such as 'love it!' 
• 
  
• 
  

Evaluation: Question 2

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

My music magazine has been designed and created to appeal to a particular target audience, the product needs to represented in a certain way to attract this audience: I have achieved this by knowing and understanding the social group which my product is aimed at and carefully representing specific issues in relation to production.

An important aspect in representation of social groups is whom I have included in images of in my work. Firstly I have used a mixture of girls and boys but mainly focussed on boys, as there are more male music bands and artists.  I have decided to use a female on the front cover as I feel that this would be more appealing for both genders; the girl in my front cover is making eye contact with the audience which is am important aspect as she is portrayed as confident. Her hair is down and natural and she is not wearing strong tones of make-up because I did not want anything drastic. She is wearing a patterned t-shirt, a swallow necklace and a cross ring. I feel her body language is strong, confident and poised in a positive way. The age of the people in my images is young, mainly because it is easier to photograph people I know, as they are mainly the same age as me. I wanted to have a variety of styles in the form of the photos, I have some live music setting shots, which are vital considering the genre of this magazine and some in a studio setting to portray a professional style which is seen in many music magazines especially on the front cover.

My product represents it’s target audience in many ways, firstly the language, which is colloquial and informal keeping a young vibe, which the age-range of my target audience. Secondly it contains name of bands and artists who are successful and famous in the music industry with an alterative style of music, all from various sectors of the music industry such as Adele, to Beady Eye. Thirdly the overall look of my magazine, especially the colour scheme and fonts that I have used that are simplistic yet sophisticated which convey a sense of style and maturity. 

 

The mise-en-scene used communicated about the social group represented in mainly in the double page spread as the image was taken at a live gig: the target audience would frequently attend gigs therefore I feel this represents them, there is a clear connection between the two. In the contents page there are a number of images, all of young people representing a positive image that is something that communicates an encouraging and confident message to the target audience.

This is the image which I have used for the whole double page spread and incorporated text and graphics to complete the double page spread. 

Other magazines of this genre have similar representations such as Q magazine which I have based my research and overall product on. I do not feel that I have done anything different from within magazines of this genre such as Q.

The representations I have presented support dominant ideas about my social group as the language, layout and images are all positive and music related making them successful. The social group I am targeting is young people who appreciate and are interested in music: yet do not take it too seriously. I have attempted to portray a representation of this in my magazine by including an interview which uses colloquial and relaxed questions and answers yet is still based around music.

In conclusion my music magazine represents my intended social group in a variety of ways which all contribute to produce an overall representation of the target audience of my magazine: such as the images - who is in them and how they are portrayed by dress/body language, the mise-en-scene and layout including colours and composition and finally the language I have used to target an audience of young music lovers who are interested in a range of music and not afraid to listen to something new/different. 

Evaulation: Question 1

Evaluation; Question 1

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