Evaluation-Question 7

Looking back at your preliminary task (the school magazine task) what do you feel you have learned in the progression from it to the full product?

On the front cover; I would say that perhaps the most important thing is the filling of space. My preliminary task may look nice but for a potential reader to pick it up, I have learned that it needs fare more cover lines to entice someone in.

Secondly, I have learned that positioning of elements on the front cover is very important. My preliminary task features cover lines that are far to close to the masthead. I have learned in the process of making my final product that cover lines should be placed so that they create a pleasing parallel aspect to the piece of work. This difference is notable between my preliminary front cover and my actual final product front cover.

I also learned that it is generally advisable to have the main artist either framed within a long shot or framed within a mid shot. The effect I have used on my front cover regarding the image is poor. I changed this on my final draft by using a long shot to frame my artist. 

The large "Rory Galvenez" I believe is an important feature of my front cover. I have learned that it is important to show and to make know the main artist of my magazine- the one which has been placed on the front cover. My initial, preliminary magazine front cover lacks anything of the sort, even lacking any acknowledgement of the tom foolery my main character seems to be taking part in.

From my preliminary work through to my final product I have learned to size things proportionally as on my preliminary front cover the bar code is far to large. It is debatable the largest feature of magazine other than that of the main image. I corrected this when applying my bar code to my main image. I made it much smaller and placed it in the top right hand corner of my magazine. I believe this is much more like a real, professional magazine.

My final draft contents page originally did not look dissimilar to that of my preliminary task. I used the main image and made it large down the right hand side of the page and then I used a smaller image and placed it in the bottom left. However, much like that regarding my front cover, I learnt the need to use space. I learnt how important it is to try and fill as much space as possible. Hence why I used the promotional box at the bottom, to help fill space and create a better looking, more professional magazine.

The next thing I learnt from making my preliminary magazine, to the creation of my final product, is the need to have a detailed contents page. It is evidenced on my preliminary contents page that I had few details about my actual magazine listed. Therefore on my final product, I created many different pages to help create, hopefully, a seemingly professional magazine. I hoped to do this with the combination of more page numbers, to create a longer magazine and better filling of white space. 

 Another thing I learnt, from the creation of my preliminary exercise through to my eventual final product is the need for at least three pictures. Hence the three pictures on my final contents page instead of one large one and a smaller one, like that on my preliminary contents page.

Through the process of creating my coursework, I can see the importance of the three colour palette chosen for the front cover to be continued throughout both the contents page and double page spread. I have found out that this is important due to how it is done on professional magazines.

I have learnt numerous things from the creation of my preliminary magazine, through to my finished final product. I think it is good that I can recount many learning's as this means hopefully better formulated and more coherently structured ideas have passed into my final product, hopefully therefore giving way to a better mark overall.

Evaluation-Question 6

What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

The main programme and technology I  used during the creation of my media product was photoshop. At school I used Windows and photoshop elements 5. This is not the best Photoshop available but I found that I got to grips with the tools available quickly and I now have a good understanding of how to use it. I edited the main image on the front of my magazine and the image of Laura Haye on the contents page. The image on my double page spread was brightened on this photoshop.
At home I do not have either Photoshop 5 or Photoshop Elements 5. Instead I was working on the very old Photoshop Elements 2. However having used this technology I would say that it is just as usable as Photoshop Elements5 and I created most of my Mock ups at home on this primitive version.

During the creation of my media product I also used the Internet. I used this for things such as getting inspiration from other magazines; namely Q and NME as I thought they were most similar to my magazine.
Mostly I used the Internet to get fonts for my magazine. The most obvious is the font used for my magazine Masthead and Cover lines. I used coolfont.com to get my fonts for my magazine. Originally I used DaFont.com as my font providing website. However, I decided that I preferred Coolfont.com.
Another website I sud a lot during my work was Scribd. I became effective at using this because I uploaded a lot of my reaserach through this. I uploaded things such as font preparation and my article.
I lastly used the Internet for using Blogger, so that I could upload posts to help with my Coursework.

Other technology I used was my Digital SLR camera. I used my Olympus E-600 to take pictures of firstly my mock ups; so that I could upload them onto my blog. Secondly, I used my camera to take pictures of all the models used in my magazine. All the pictures used are taken on my camera.
To help steady my camera, as often I was shooting in low light conditions and therefore I was shooting on low shutter speeds, I used my tripod. I used this on every picture in magazine; so as to achieve the best possible results.

I found I used many new technologies through the creation of my coursework project. New technologies I hadn't used before included Photoshop, both Elements 2 and 5, plus Scribd. I would say that my skills on Photoshop are not bad or poor in anyway and that I have effectively learned the tools well and I can use them efficiently.

This is my Olympus E-600 SLR camera

Evaluation-Question 5

How did you attract/adress your audience?

Starting with the front cover, I feel that the first way my magazine attracts potential readers would be through the font use on the masthead. I believe this might attract readers as it is a fairly different font and therefore my appeal to their slightly different side. It is not rigid or solid as other maagzines, especially NME.

A second way I feel that my magazine attracts potential readers is through the list of artists on the front cover. I feel this would work effectively because they are a list of artists and bands that people who are listeners of Indie Rock or Alternative music would know. Therefore they may be interested in reading about them.

The colour of the masthead would also be useful as it is bright and eye-catching. The intense colour goes well with the red colour used for the cover lines. This I feel would draw readers in and engage them to read the magazine; at least engagaing them enough to read inside. 

My magazine doesn't just attract readers however, it also addresses them. On the front cover I have created a "Your Voice" cover line to show that this is a magazine that listeners to its readers. As this can be vital to a magazines success.

If a potential reader was to turn to the contents page, they would again see the same engaging font which not only might appeal to them but will also show a sense of structure to the magazine. In the same way the colour scheme has been continued on to the second page; creating a visually inticing page.

Moving down the page; they will see a contents heading labelled "Booking Now" this could make the potential reader want to see if any of the bands that they are fans of are touring; this feature could be the first way they hear of an impending tour. I know that this, coupled with the list of bands and artists on the front would make me want to look inside.

Within the contetns page I have inncluded an advertisement for my magazine; which would maybe sway potential readers into reading the magazine as they realise that they can get an offer and therefore save money. This is widely used in nearly all magazines.

At the bottom of the contents page I have included a website for the magazine which may make a potential reader wish to look online at the magazine; where there would be further advertisement for my maagzine.

My double page spread includes the same colour and font as the previous two pages and therefore adds to the idea of rigidity.

The most striking and useful attraction to readers; which again also acts as addressing them is the use of the large quote on the right hand side and also the enlarged writing mid paragraph on the right hand side. I think that these are most effective as the "all I thought there was in the world was the beach and cold beers" may attract readers who share the same relaxed character as my artist. Mentioning the beach may attract readers from coastal areas.

The final large quote, "my real dream is to play a Glastonbury" might be useful in attracting festival fans; it will be eyecatching for those who ahve previously been to Glastonbury and those who are interested in going because the article may contain more information.

Evaluation-Question 4

Who would be the audience for my media product?


         

The people who would be the target audience of magazine, if it were to go on sale, would be most likely those who shopped in shops such as Topman, Jack Jones, Next, River Island and at a push Republic. The clothes they would most likely buy however would not be clothes that are majorly "indie" but instead more casual clothes.

Their music taste would inevitably be similar to that of the music featured in my magazine, hence why they read it. therefore they would be into artists and bands like Jack Johnson, The Maccabees, Jack Penate, frightened Rabbit, Noah and the Whale, Bombay Bicycle Club and Arcade Fire, plus more relaxing and slightly alternative bands.

Their favourite T.V would most likely include funny sitcoms such as Scrubs, Friends, Bing Bang Theory and how I met your mother. They would like these shows for their relaxed nature.
This would also apply to their taste in films, they might like comedies.

They might buy my magazine due to its relaxed writing nature and the artists that it features. They might also be intrigued by the artistic photographs.

Evaluation-Question 3

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

Script for voice over which will be presented in my final draft.

Publishing is the process of making information through various forms of literature; such as Magazines or books widely available to the general public. Publishing however also refers not just to the releasing of information. but also for example with magazines, to the graphic design behind the magazine.

Distribution happens in a more low key way. Distribution refers to the selling and passing on of magazines. This could happen in a number of ways such as through the mail, or in shops. Therefore I could have my magazine sent via the post to subscribers. Those who are not subscribed can be sold my magazine in shops.
However not all distribution has to be done via the post of in shops. As NME demonstrated in February 2009 when they partnered with online newsagent John Menzies to allow themselves to distribute to online fans.
I could follow this idea to allow my magazine to be more widely available and to allow it to be distributed more thoroughly.

Starting a magazine business is expensive and to start my own business it is recommended that enough financing for one year is obtained to allow a strong start. Many large magazine business's are set up enough to have several shareholders and to take loans from large banks. However as my business would be starting small; I would try and take a loan from a local bank.

Evaluation-Question 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My artist was primarily based on the artist Jason Mraz and I tried to include aspects of his genre of music in my article to portray the way my chracter would act. I tried to loosely base my artist on Jason mraz as I feel that Mraz plays the type of music that my artist would.

In this sense I also used Jason mraz to influence my artists clothes and material wear. I had my character where a casual t-shirt, as Jason mraz would. I incorporated the use of the hat as I think that it can create a softer more casual aspect to an artists personality. I don't think that either Jason Mraz of my particular Artist looks menacing.

In many other pictures of him, Jason Mraz is wearing converse shoes, in my picture however my artist is wearing boots. I did this as I didn't want him to be overly identical to Jason Mraz; this is not to say that Jason Mraz doesn't wear boots, I just don't see him as the type of character that does. This is why I had my character wear them, so as to try and create an alternative element to his clothes.

This is the same about the jeans. My picture presented at the top of this page is in black and white, however the real colour of the jeans are a darkish shade of red, similar to the red used for the writing on my front cover. This is again an element of my artist that moves away from that of Jason Mraz.

Within my artist, I looked to create elements that fitted my loose, easy-going indie-alternative magazine and I deemed Jason Mraz as the most similar musician to my artist. for this reaon my artist is loosely based on him.

Evaluation-Question 1

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

The letter abbreviation Q is used as this magazine title as it is short and catchy and not fancy or complicated to construct on to a magazines front cover. In this same was I feel that the use of AIM as my magazines name is catchy and thus could be said to be a convention of a magazine, in that it is catchy. Secondly, a masthead should run across the page and as Q is only a single letter, it is big enough to be conventional. My magazine's masthead certainly spans the page and as is custom, portrays the genre and the look of the magazine.

A Mastheads conventional layout, as mentioned above, is one which spans the page, is large and reflects the style and genre of the magazine. Q Is large enough-due to it being a single letter to span the page and it reflects and knowing/expertise of the music world. As in masthead custom it also either sits above or below the main image. They always meet. This is definitely a factor I included in my magazine as my Artist easily touches the masthead which remains below his image. 

Using the black bars placed at the top and the bottom of the front cover plus the image centered in the middle gives symmetry to the page. I have tried to use the same techniques on my magazine, by having my single artist on the front and then cover lines on either side of him. However, unlike this Q magazine I have not used banners along the top of the bottom to add symmetry in that way. One place that both my own magazine and this edition of Q magazine differ from convention is on the shot used for the main image. It is convention for magazines to use mid shots for the main image; especially if it consists of a single artist. I did try with a mid shot but in the end decided that the long shot, framing the whole body worked better with my magazine.

Both this edition of Q and my media product have props used on the front cover, contents page and double page spread. The use of the suit reflects the idea that Q is wise in the ways of music. It suggest high class, most likely the genre of the band Elbow but also the magazine. The use of the stand and the "old school" microphone suggests he is classy and perhaps has a classy singing voice. On my media product I have my main artist holding a guitar and his clothes are definitive of the genre of my magazine. I aimed to have him wear "indie" clothes to give the impression of being laid back and easy; to convey as sense of not just his own character buts also that of the character of the magazine.

The props used in the photos on the double page spread of this edition of Q are used to convey the image of a band. The us of black and white on the central image seems to have been used to create an iconic feel to the picture; perhaps mirroring the idea that they are an iconic band of a certain era? My double page spread used the same prop as was used on the front cover plus the same clothes as well. However I think this is useful in showing the genre of my magazine.

As I have mentioned before the conventional main image shot is a mid shot, and that both my own media product and the Q edition presented above do not follow this. Both of the products use long shots. I used a long shot to convey the genre of my artists, I believe Q have used a long shot as it helps create symmetry and convey character. He is framed well by by the positioning of the Cover Lines and I have tried to create this effect as well, by listing artists down one side and cover lines down the other.

Both my media magazine and Q have placed the name of the artist being reviewed in the top left corner. Q has used three columns on one page to present their article whereas I used columns across the page and put the image in between the first and second columns. I would say that here my media product challenges conventions as most magazines seem to leave one side of a double page spread to images. Font wise, both my magazine and Q use a standard font. The writing style of my magazine portrays the genre of the magazine; which is a convention of Double Page spreads. A relaxed and laid back style.

Q's genre is fairly similar to my own however My magazine incorporates the slightly more alternative bands whereas Q seems to follow fairly mainstream music. Q's cover conveys this not through its masthead but through its cover lines as this is where it announces what music or musicians it has articles on. This is conventional for most mainstream magazines as they have been around long enough for their audiences to know their genre. This is where my magazine challenges convention as the genre of my magazine is portrayed through both cover lines; specifically the list of artists and the Masthead, which has an alternative font.

My contents page presents my genre perhaps the most out of all three of the pages as in incorporates the alternative font on numerous occasions; most notable as headings to each section of the magazine.

My double page spread again, similar to the others, uses the same alternative font.

My artist is portrayed in the same way on both my front cover, contents page and double page spread.  This is similar to Q as the artist from Elbow is portrayed in the same clothes over each.

My colour scheme follows convention in that. like in Q, it is repeated over each of the three pages as both my front cover, contents page and double page spread have the three colours, Red, orange and white. Which has differed from my original plan.

Final Draft-Front Cover

Final Draft-Contents Page

Final Draft-Double Page Spread

Peer Assessments

Tom Simpson Evaluation

Rhys Jenkins evaluation

Liana Ball Evaluation