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

Evaluation

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

To begin my answer to this question, I have made a slideshow on Microsoft Office PowerPoint, to demonstrate the development of my product throughout the process, and uploaded it using my account on SlideShare. The slideshow can be found here: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

The progress I have made from my preliminary product, the College Magazine, to my final piece, the Music Magazine, is huge. I have improved my abilities when using certain software and learnt new skills to apply to my media coursework as a whole. I will break the long process of my media product down in to four sections: research, planning, production and evaluation.

Research

For my preliminary product, absolutely no research was carried out. I did not know anything about the conventions of similar media products. Mise-en-scene was something I had little knowledge regarding. I also had no clues as to what a media institution was and what publishers existed. To sum up, I made my preliminary product based solely on my own ideas and it was far from an informed production. For my final piece, the research was meticulous. I researched the covers, contents and double page spreads of other media products from magazines such as 'NME', 'Q!' and 'Rolling Stone', gaining extremely valuable knowledge about the conventions of similar products. I learnt what props, models and locations I should use for the mise-en-scene of my final piece. I looked in to media institutions such as Bauer Media and IPC Media, picking up quantitative and qualitative information on the industry, other music magazines and their publishers. I found out a lot of statistics from the NRS (National Readership Survey) and also the college media packs, more quantitative data. I then used a filmed interview and SurveyMonkey to collect and collate quantitative information on what people would want from my magazine. I posted all my research on blogger, allowing me to find whatever I want as want when needed during the process of making the magazine.As you can see, my research was of such a level that already I was starting miles ahead of my preliminary product in terms of product knowledge.

Planning

For my preliminary magazine there was again very little planning. My planning effectively occurred as I started working on the final piece. This meant the production of the product took a lot longer than it really should have done. When it came to my final piece, I had done a lot more planning. I drafted up flat plans of my front cover, contents and double page spread. These flat plans gave me the layout and format for all of my final pieces, showing the positioning of headings, mastheads, coverlines, images and text. This meant producing my final pieces was a lot simpler and caused a lot less stress. I drew up a detailed photography plan which detailed how many photos I was going to take, where they would be taken, who they would be taken of and what props, if any, would be used. This is a stark contrast to my preliminary piece where I experimented with different models and my ideas in terms of location were lacking thought. I wrote a pitch outlining the key features of my magazine, including pricing, audience, name, genre and other things and presented it to my class, who then gave me both positive feedback and constructive criticism, giving me vice for product development. I also wrote out the script for my double page spread interview in advance.

Production

When starting the production of my preliminary product, I had extremely limited skills on Adobe Photoshop and my product was poorly produced all things considered. When coming around to my final piece, I had much better skills in Photoshop thanks to the practise my preliminary product gave me and was able to perform in a more accomplished manner, performing more advanced operations such as pixel editing, using the magnetic cutout, using the spray can tool and this time carefully altering the levels and colour balance rather than in my preliminary product where the colours were rather unrealistic and became pixelated. The big changes from preliminary to final were most noticeable in my contents pages. For my preliminary product, my contents page was effectively a poor flat plan, produced in Microsoft Publisher, due to my limited Photoshop skills. For my final piece, my contents page was produced on Photoshop and using ideas such as rule of three and maintaining the house style of my magazine, I was able to bring together a much more advanced contents page. In the images used on my cover, contents and double page spread, there was evidence of my newly found knowledge of mise-en-scene. Another improvement in my production, thanks to my research, was the demonstration of media conventions across all three pieces. I styled the mise-en-scene of my models' on other magazines' models from similar genres. You can also see that the coverlines and masthead are positioned in a similar way to that 'Rolling Stone' magazine, a magazine from which a front cover I studied had a rapper on the front, thus giving me a model to base my cover on. I used ideas taken from the contents and double page spreads of 'NME', 'Q!' and 'Rolling Stone' to influence my own, but still managed to create an original style using a unique house style of blue and gold text. I decided on my colour scheme by matching contrasting colours on Photoshop, a much more advanced method than when I just plucked colours I felt would work for my preliminary piece. In regards of fonts, I got all of my fonts for both my final and preliminary pieces from dafont.com, perhaps one of the few things I didn't advance in from my preliminary piece to my final. Intriguingly, I inadvertently used the same fonts for my masthead in both pieces. This did not occur to me until after I had finished my final piece and compared the two for this question. I do, however, think the fonts used in my final piece are better matched than they were in my preliminary piece. As well as producing my product, I have produced many articles on my blog, documenting my progress and when I finished producing each article, I used the spellcheck tool to check my spelling.

Evaluation

Overall, I think I had a varied experience completing my coursework and made huge leaps from my preliminary piece to my final piece. I think I managed to convey the conventions of similar media products very well in my final piece, which is a big difference from my preliminary piece in which I followed no conventions at all. I think my improvements in Adobe Photoshop made a huge difference to the quality of my final piece in contrast with my preliminary and were arguably the biggest change between the two pieces. I definitely think my final piece has a lot more substance than my preliminary and when you pick beneath the initial image and words you can see the research and planning really come to light. In terms of improvements on my final piece, I think I could varied the fonts a lot more as throughout my final piece I only used 3 different fonts, although one of the fonts, taken from dafont.com caused many problems as it did not have any numbers available, so I had to use a similar font and then, using pixel editing, make the numbers look like they were from the same font. I also think I could have included more images, showing a bit more variety but my lack of extreme long-term planning combined with a busy gallery schedule meant I couldn't get hold of the College Photo Gallery and the props I wanted to really improve my shots. I also had poor time management, spending too long on certain tasks and pushing deadlines close. In future this is definitely something to work on. Due to this poor time management and filling my USB Memory Stick's memory, I couldn't save evidence of pixel editing amongst other things to my USB to add to my blog at home and have not been able to in college. This is another key element I should aim to improve upon as evidence is key in evaluation. In conclusion, I am pleased with the progress from my preliminary piece to my final piece and my skills regards various software, such as Adobe PhotoShop, and hardware, Digital SLR Camera, have improved dramatically, as has my knowledge of the media. If I were to attempt the task again, I would feel much more confident, knowing that my skills and knowledge were now of a much higher standard. I am very proud of my final pieces and to finish, have placed them below (due to formatting issues I could not place my preliminary pieces and my final pieces side by side in contrast).

Final Piece - Front Cover

Final Piece - Contents

Final Piece - Double Page Spread

Question 6 - What have you learnt about technologies through the process of constructing this product?

Evaluation

What have you learnt about technologies through the process of constructing this product?

To answer this question, I have made a slideshow on Microsoft Office PowerPoint and uploaded it using my account on SlideShare. The slideshow can be found here: What have you learnt about technologies through the process of constructing this product?

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

Evaluation

Who would be the audience for your media product?

Media products would not function without an audience and therefore audience is key. The media is constantly shaped and manipulated to satisfy their audience. To decide on who I should aim my media product at, I created a survey on SurveyMonkey and also filmed an interview with a prospective member of the projected audience demographic for my magazine, using a Canon Digital SLR 600D Camera.

My survey, which can be found at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/H5ZWDS6, featured 10 questions about magazines and their potential audiences. The results I collected from my survey can be found earlier on in my blog and these results helped me decide on varying things from the genre and price of my magazine to the age of my audience to what I should use to attract my audience.

Here is what I observed from the answers I received for my question about the ages of people taking my survey:

"The survey results show that 13 people in the age bracket of 0-16 took the survey, 5 in the 17-24 bracket and 3 in the 50+ bracket. This suggests that the age group to aim my magazine at is likely to fall somewhere between the 0-16 and 17-24 categories"

Using this information, I have decided to aim my magazine at 15-24 year olds. This may seem an odd decision as I have a large majority of people in the 0-16 years old category but in hindsight I know that most of the people who have taken the survey, my friends, are 15/16/17 years old. If I were to repeat the survey I would probably change the boundaries of the answers to the question and potentially circulate my survey to a broader audience in order to gain a more balanced reply.

Here is another direct quote from my results analysis regarding my survey: 

"The results here were also quite spread. 'Dance' received the most votes closely followed by 'rock'. 'Hip Hop' and 'RnB' are two genres that could be merged in a magazine and therefore should also be considered as a highly sought-after option for my magazine"

With the aid of this information, I decided to make the genre of my magazine Hip Hop/RnB, merging two similar genres which received high votes in my survey whilst also attacking an area of the market which I know from my market research is far from competitive. The gap in the market would make my magazine more attractive to both readers and potential media institutions.

I then filmed an interview filmed with a Canon Digital SLR 600D Camera and transferred the interview to a computer using a SD Card. The interview consisted of me asking someone who I feel would fit the demographic for the audience of my magazine questions about what he'd like to see in and on a magazine and what he'd be willing to spend on said magazine. 

Below I have produced a Reader Profile, made on Adobe Photoshop, representing the things that I would expect my audience to also be interested in, giving a visual representation of my potential audience.

Question 3 - What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Evaluation

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



http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/

A media institution is a company that funds/produces, distributes, publishes, distributes and regulates media products. Institutions are the structures in which a pool of media movements/concepts/products reside. Said products are regulated and distributed by the media institution. IPC, Bauer Media and Future are all examples of media institutions.

The media institution I would choose or prefer to distribute my magazine would be Bauer Media. When carrying out market research into media institutions, I looked at Bauer Media and IPC Media. The two institutions are relatively similar in size and stature and distribute similar products. I would however, choose Bauer over IPC purely on the fact they are slightly more diverse, as my research showed me that "the demographic for Bauer Media is very broad and they reach an audience of all ages and classes and tastes". This broad demographic is favourable to my product as the target audience of my magazine in terms of class and social status is relatively broad, especially considering the mature/lower class contrast of my product.

Bauer Media contribute to the media through many different channels including magazines, television and radio. The genre of magazines they produce are varied and they don't follow a particular trend. Magazines produced by Bauer include Match!, Digital Photo and Classic Bike, as you can see, a broad range. The music magazines produced by Bauer are 'Q' and 'Kerrang!'. This shows us the that the demographic for Bauer Media is very broad and they reach an audience of all ages and classes and tastes.

Similarly to Bauer Media, IPC Media supply mostly websites and magazines. The magazines mostly cover lifestyle, culture and home. The music magazine they do produce is 'NME', a magazine that is difficult to categorize in terms of genre. I would judge IPC Media to have a slightly more mature demographic, yet still relatively open and flexible. 

All this considered, I would choose Bauer Media to produce my magazine for a few reasons. Both Bauer and IPC (the institutions I examined in my research) have gaps in their respective portfolios for a hip hop genre music magazine and therefore both would have a lot to gain from my magazine and my magazine would gain a lot of support from the company. Arguably the key reason behind choosing Bauer is that they have a slightly less mature demographic to IPC and due to the fact my magazine is aimed at young adults, it would make sense to choose them.

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

Evaluation

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

To answer this question, I have made a slideshow on Microsoft Office PowerPoint and uploaded it using my account on SlideShare. The slideshow can be found here: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

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

Evaluation

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

Figure 1

My magazine both uses many conventions of other media products in the same genre. As you can see in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the mise-en-scene of the images used are very similar. Figure 1 and Figure 2 are both very simple images with plain white backgrounds. Both models have no props, which is representative of hip hop culture, guitars and other more traditional instruments are rarely associated with the genre. Figure 1 features an image that I took in an attempt to represent British hip hop and rap, a street style/fashion with simplistic needs. The coat and backpack demonstrate the outdoors, 'out and about' culture of Britain and London, where British rap is most prevalent. In both Figure 1 and Figure 2, the cover models use their hands as an expansion of personality, while both are making eye contact with the reader. Figure 1 does, however, challenge Figure 2, as in Figure 2 Rick Ross is wearing sunglasses and expensive jewellery, whilst most noticeably he is wearing no top. This contrasts with Figure 1 where sunglasses are not present and not only is the model wearing a top, he is wearing a coat, fully zipped up. Figure 1 was taken in a studio, and I then used Adobe Photoshop to re-size, reposition and alter the levels, saturation and brightness/contrast of the image. Figure 2 was likely to also have been taken in a studio.

Figure 2

The mastheads in both Figure 1 and Figure 2 are positioned at the top of the magazine, which is the case across the market. Both mastheads cover side to side of the cover, imposing themselves on the reader. This was a conscious decision by me to have a larger, noticeable masthead. Both mastheads also contrast in colour to the rest of the cover, another similarity between the two images. In Figure 3 we see another real-life magazine demonstrating common concepts of the media. In Figure 3 the masthead's bold, block, dominant superimposition over the image mirrors that of Figure 1. In Figure 1 mirrors Figure 3 by having a quotation underneath the masthead, again conforming with real-life media.

Figure 3

As in Figures 2 and 3, the date and price in Figure 1 are placed in a small print about the masthead. A difference between Figure 1 and Figures 2 and 3 is that the price and date are in the same font and colour in Figure 1 as opposed to contrasting colours used in Figures 2 and 3.

In Figure 1, the main coverline is placed over the image, as in Figures 2 and 3, although unlike 2 and 3, the coverline on 1 stretches the width of the page. Figures 1 and 2 both use a banner to present added information, whilst Figure 3 uses a list, showing the figure one both uses and challenges concepts of real media products. Figure 3 combines both a list and a coverline in a very minimalistic cover. Figure 1 is conforms with this as it is also a very simplistic, clean cover. Figure 1 also follows a similar template to Figure 2 with coverlines slightly overlapping the image of the cover model, at alternate sides of the page.

Overall we can see that Figure 1 follows many conventions set by other magazines from similar genres but also we can see a contrast in the budgets demonstrated in operation and the obvious difference that Figure 1, my magazine, is not featuring established artists with a lot of money to show off, which is something often associated with hip hop.

Final Piece - Magazine Cover

Photography Planning

Shot 1

Location: College Art Gallery

This shot will be my cover photo. The image will be a medium close up of a male model, my friend Charlie who plays the character of KiD ViGOROUS in my magazine, facing the camera head on with an aggressive expression. The model will have their hands held in front of their face, in a praying motion. The image will follow the rule of thirds and the focus point will be the models eyes. The model could potentially be wearing a microphone around their neck.

Shot 2

Location: Power Generator in Car Park

This shot will be for the full page image in my double page spread. The image will be a long shot, full body low-angle shot. The model, Charlie, will be stood, hands in pockets making eye contact with the camera. Charlie will be wearing a coat, rucksack, jeans and trainers, an urban image being created. The power generator is surrounded by metal railings and warning signs making it a perfect urban scene, personifying the dangerous lifestyle of a rapper.

Shot 3

Location: Walkway/Wall

This shot will be for my contents page. The model will once again be Charlie. The image will be a medium close up Charlie looking in to the distance, wearing a street style outfit once again. The wall and path behind him provide a street image, with graffiti on the walls and litter on the floor, representing an earthy look at Britain and British rap.

Shot 4

Location: Graffiti-covered Wall

This shot will be used on my contents page. The shot will be a medium long shot of the model Ed, stood in front of a graffiti-covered wall, once again representing Britain, looking away from the camera with his arms folded, giving an effortless, casual look. He will be wearing a hoodie zipped up and a rucksack again, demonstrating the street culture of British hip hop.

Shot 5

Location: Storage Container in Car Park

This shot will be used on my contents page. The shot will be a medium long shot of the model, Jamal, stood in from of a storage container. The storage container gives a plain background as it is an off-white colour but it also gives an urban feel with the uses of metal, warning stickers and locks. Jamal will be stood hands in pockets, with his large jacket wide open, looking in to the distance. The long jacket and open stance are a trait of his character, producer Jamz, suggesting he has a lot to offer and is open to proposals, as a producer would be.

When I put my images into my product, I will be conscious to use the rule of thirds, positioning images accurately spaced/positioned around my pages. I did take multiple pictures of each of the shots, allowing me to choose the best shot for my product, in terms of lighting, model's appearance and a few other aspects, such as allowing for headroom on my front cover image to place a masthead.

NME Cover Review

The title of 'NME' is in a pink font, a change from the old red, all encompassing title that is normally used, as this edition is a special edition cover. The pink shows a movement towards a more feminine feel, which relates to the cover star, Rihanna. The title is dominant and surprisingly is in front of the image instead of behind, which may just be due to the change in colour affecting its brand and the ability for the standard reader to recognise the title if it were behind the image.

Next to the title is a hook. The hook says "Introducing the new NME" and the underneath "4 of 10 Special Edition Covers". The use of the buzzwords "new" and "Special Edition" help attract the reader and create excitement or more interest in the magazine. The use of the statistic "4 of 10" demonstrates to the reader that there is more that just this edition and could propel the reader towards collecting all 10 editions.

The lead story or cover line of "Rihanna" is also in bright pink, in the same font as the NME title. This is again relating to the femininity of the cover. The other cover line is also in the same bold, pink font and I think this emphasises the uniqueness and speciality of the edition. It shows that this edition is a striking change from the normal cover's look. 

The placement of Rihanna's name on here chest, over a rather restrained top shows a surprising lack of sexuality in the image, something often tied with Rihanna's image. She stills satisfies the male gaze and is in a rather provocative pose but it is fair to say the whole image is very safe for a character like Rihanna. Her top is very masculine in its fit and the shoulders and cut of it give her a much more male-like shape to the top half of her body which challenges the perceptions of not only her but the magazine's special edition which is filled with pink and feminine statements. The bird on her shoulder and the skirt she is wearing are both blue, as is her eye make-up, the colour contrasting, stereotypically, to that of the opposite sex, pink. This again challenges perceptions. The skirt she wears is mostly cut out of the shot which again reduces the sexuality of the shot. Rihanna is however wearing a pink lipstick and nailvarnish that matches the other pink on the page. You could suggest that the cover is one that shows how women can be powerful, dominant and have other stereotypically masculine qualities and yet still be sexy and satisfy the male gaze. The bird creature on her shoulder is also in blue and this suggests it is masculine, as most bird tamers, as such, are men and therefore this further challenges the stereotypes of sex and suggests that Rihanna can tame a bird and have control over it. The bird is however shiny, like it is encrusted with diamonds, giving a feminine touch too.

Underneath the lead cover line is a quote from Rihanna's interview which says "You need people who aren't afraid to tell you when you're f**king up". The text is in a contrasting serif font, which is white on black, standing out to the reader. The use of the word "you" addresses the reader and helps place the reader in Rihanna's shoes and make them want to know more about her situation. The use of the swear word, "f**king", with the middle two letters starred out creates drama and suspicion, and gives a rebellious, almost nonconforming view of her. However most of us do swear and therefore we can relate to her. Going back to the challenging of the sexes, swearing is a slightly more masculine trait and therefore she is again challenging her sex.

The menu strip to the left names many different artists from different genres and this opens up the broadness of the NME audience and shows there is something for everyone.

Preliminary Magazine - College Magazine (Front Cover)

Here is the front cover from my preliminary magazine, a magazine about the college, made on Adobe PhotoShop.