1. AS Media Studies Evaluation

2. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? - - - - - - I have made the title of my magazine very bold so it stands out and is instantly recognisable, even if the cover model’s head covers it slightly. I have stuck to the magazine convention of using no more than three colours. - - - - - - I have used a main image that is the first thing the reader notices, similar to many other magazines including ‘Kerrang’ and ‘NME’. I have used a simple, standard layout which isn’t too complicated and confusing, often used for music magazines. - - - I have a list of other articles featured in my magazine to one side, and my main article bigger and more noticeable than all the rest. This is typical for most magazine front covers. - - - I have included a bar code on my magazine cover which is included on all magazine covers. - - - - - -

3. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? - - - - - - I have featured headings for the different articles with a short summary of what it will be about which appears to be common in music magazines such as ‘Q’. I have stayed to the magazine codes and conventions of using three main colours throughout my production. - - - - - - As is common in magazines, I have used buzz words such as ‘official’ to make my magazine appeal to my target audience and sell more than competing magazines. As is common in most magazines, my main image for the cover article is the biggest featured on the contents page. - - - - - - I have included a letter from the editor, which is a feature of most magazines on the contents page. I have included page numbers that stand out and are clear and easy to read.

4. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? - - - - - - I have used a quote to open my article, which is a technique that if often used for double page spread interviews. I have used a simple colour scheme and stayed with a maximum of three colours yet again. I have left the page with my main image free from text as it is a poster that can be taken out of the magazine. This is common in magazines such as ‘Kerrang’ - - - I have included a small introductory paragraph which is a feature of most magazine interviews. - - - - - - I have featured page numbers in the bottom corners of the pages. Double page spread interviews are often set out in columns, so I set out my own interview in 2 columns. I have set out my interview in a clear ‘question and answer’ structure that is clear to see as I have used a subtly different colour for the question. - - -

5. How does your media product represent particular social groups? My magazine attracts an audience of teenagers, girls and boys. It does this with numerous ways, such as: - - - The model I have used has a particular look, she suits the genre of my magazine and will attract the particular social group of more ‘alternative’ people as they will relate to her as she looks or dresses similar to them. - - - - - - The content of my text also represents particular social groups as it contains articles that are interesting and popular among my target audience in particular. - - - - - - The colour scheme of my magazine is suited to the particular social group that is my target audience as it uses black and red which are typically colours used for rock magazines, but with white added to tone it down and make it more alternative/indie.

6. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? - - - I have researched into the company ‘IPC media’. This company is one of the UK’s leading magazine publishers, producing over 60 ‘iconic media brands’ and with print alone reaching almost two thirds of UK women and 42% of UK men – which equals almost 26 million UK adults. - - - - - - IPC media deals with a wide range of magazines from women’s weeklies like now magazine to men's lifestyle and entertainment. They own the - - - IPC media also deals with the popular music magazine ‘NME’. This is positive as IPC have experience in selling many magazines including magazines of the same target audience and genre as mine. - - - IPC also sell magazines in a wide range of retailers. This is also a positive as they will be able to offer me a wider variety of venues for my magazine sale, increasing sales of my magazine.

7. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? - - - I researched further into media institutions to find out about the ‘Bauer Media group’. This is a German company, founded in 1875, which operates in 15 countries worldwide. - - - - - - This publisher provides music magazines such as ‘Q’, ‘MOJO’ and ‘Kerrang’. - - - This publisher would also be a good media institution to distribute my media product as it operates in 15 countries worldwide, leading to a large distribution of my magazine. This would increase profits as this publisher would be a platform for magazine sales and would help my magazine greatly. - - -

8. Who would be the audience for your media product? - - - The audience for my magazine would be teenagers. I have made this age group the target audience by using similar aged models and including relevant, interesting information that they would want to know about. - - - My magazine audience is people who like the artists I have featured on my magazine such as the killers, arctic monkeys and kings of Leon. Although this is a specific type of person, my magazine is not for a niece market as many people do like this certain music type. - - - - - - - - - My magazine would have the target audience of boys and girls, shown by me using both male and female models on my cover/contents page. http://www.slideshare.net/guestedb2af/evaluation1-4035529?from=ss_embed I have also attracted both a male and female target audience by using a non biased colour scheme (red, black and white) that attracts both boys and girls. - - - - - -

9. How did you attract/address your audience? I have used particular codes and conventions of magazines to attract my audience. - - - - - - The main image on my cover of my model is a mid-shot, featuring a model of a similar age to my target audience. This attracts my audience as they can relate to the model more as she is about the same age, and they are also likely to be more interested and inspired by people of a similar age to themselves. I used a mid-shot image and a direct mode of address to make the model seem as if she is looking directly at the audience. This attracts them as they want to know who she is and read more about her. This influences them to buy my magazine. - - - I used an unbiased colour scheme that attracts both male and female buyers as it uses colours that are neither typically for girls or boys in particular. - - - I have given my magazine a reasonable inexpensive price of £2.99 as my target audience wouldn’t have a lot of extra money to spend on things that are not necessities such as magazines. - - - I have added bands that my target audience listen to already, which will attract them because my magazine features all of the music they already like, and new bands that are of a similar style of music that they would want to know about. - - - - - -

10. How did you attract/address your audience? - - - I have used a simple, functional and easily accessible layout for my contents page, which attracts my target audience as it is not overly complex and it is easy to know where to find what you are looking for in a glance. - - - I have used cover models that are of different genders, some male and some female, to attract a wider target audience of both genders. - - - I have used content, such as in my interview in both questions and responses, that is going to attract my target audience because it is interesting and the type of thing my audience typically want to read about. - - - - - - - - - I have also used a direct mode of address in all of the images on my contents page and double page spread to attract the audience as the models look more interesting and would influence people to want to read about them to find out more. - - -

11. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? - - - Throughout this product I have learnt a lot to do with Photoshop. As it was the first time I have used Photoshop, I have had to learn how to use very simple tools such as the ‘brush’ tool and more complex tools such as the ‘clone stamp tool’ and ‘spot healing brush tool’. - - - I have used more complex editing such as using the ‘blur - surface blur’ tool and spot healing tool to edit out any flaws on my models and to correct anything else wrong the image (eg. Hairs out of place). Here is a before and after view of an image that I have edited: - - - - - - I also learnt how to use different tools to edit the text such as the ‘stroke’ tool to give my text a bolder appearance and to make it stand out more. Here is some text that I used the ‘stroke’ effect on: - - - - - -

12. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? - - - During the process of making my final magazine, I have learnt many things that have helped me make my final cover the best it can be. Looking at both pieces I can see clearly how much I have progressed. - - - I believe I have learnt how to use Photoshop much more for my final product. This is shown in a clear better ability for using the surface blur/spot healing tool, and also ‘cutting out’ the image from the background more efficiently. Preliminary work (left) and Final cover (right) - - - - - - I also believe I have learnt how to take better quality photographs for my magazine. Using the correct lighting, pose, costume and model ensures a better looking front cover that is more suited to my audience. Furthermore, I have learnt how to do more complex things on Photoshop like advanced image manipulation using the clone stamp tool etc. - - - - - -

13. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? - - - I have learnt more about the typical codes and conventions of magazines and learnt that in order to have a successful, professional looking magazine I need to follow those conventions. - - - I have learnt more about where things on my front cover should be situated, like the articles on my cover should be justified rather than in the middle of the page. Preliminary work (left) and Final cover (right) - - - - - - I have also learnt to have as little ‘blank space’ as possible, which has improved on my preliminary a lot. I have learnt to fill up any blank cover space with features such as added articles that will be in the content of my magazine and shapes that give the effect of a sticker on my magazine. - - - I feel that I have learnt a lot through making my media product and I believe I have improved a lot from my preliminary work to my finished piece. - - -