Foundation Print Coursework for AS Media

1. AS Media Studies Print Foundation Coursework Emma Readman

2. Brief For my AS level Media Studies foundation portfolio, I intend to produce a rock magazine. This will include 5 pages: the front cover, contents page, a double page spread and a poster. I have decided to use the genre of rock as I am particularly interested in it and it covers a wide variety of areas as there are many sub genres I can include. My interest in the genre will make the task more interesting and enjoyable for me to work on. I have decided to create a print project as I find that it will be less time consuming to produce and, due to the fact that I am working independently, it requires only one person to operate the programmes. Additionally, I have decided to work independently because I work well on my own and I can make important decisions about what is included in the magazine. I am going to display my PowerPoint on a internet blog so that it is easily accessed. As the internet is increasing in popularity, it is useful to do this because it helps to promote my final piece from a different form of media. In order to create my final piece, I will use the software Adobe Photoshop CS3 for constructing the magazine and manipulating images. Also, I will use publisher to design the layouts for my piece. Additionally, I will use Microsoft Excel to create pie charts when analysing my customer research and Windows Movie Maker to record my evaluations. I have chosen to use these programmes because I have basic knowledge about them and this will help me to produce a good quality magazine. I am going to target my magazine for an audience of 16-19 girls because I fit into this category so I will be able to appeal to the audience. Also, in my opinion, this age group is more likely to buy and read rock music magazines. Before producing my final piece, I am going to develop a preliminary task of a college magazine, including a front cover and a mock up of the contents page. This will allow me to play around with the software so that I can find a suitable layout for my final piece. I will use a Panasonic DMC-TZ7 camera and schedule a time in which I can take photos of people around the college, finding the appropriate lexis which would be suited to the magazine. I will then use Windows Movie Maker to produce an evaluation of my preliminary task. This will enable me to look and the successes and failures of the front cover and contents page. Before creating my final piece, I need to research existing products; I am going to look at the front covers, contents pages and double page spreads of four popular rock magazines. I will take note of the logo, image and use of lexis so that I can apply them to my own magazine. This will be useful because it will enable me to see how a professional magazine is constructed. I will then proceed to analyse the backgrounds of each company. Although this is a print project, the companies have cross media ownership of other types of media, therefore these will have to be researched. Also, I will need to carry out a questionnaire to find out what my target audience would expect to find within a music magazine. This will allow me to include certain connotations when producing my final piece. I shall carry out a survey in my college for people of the same age as me. Additionally, I will launch an internet survey so that I can reach out to a wider range of audiences. This will be constructed on Facebook and I will ask the audience to contain more elaborate detail in their answers. In the same way, I will record vox pops of a variety of people in my college to get additional information about my target audience’s opinions. In order to produce my final piece, I will need to collect some images which have the appropriate camera angles, lighting, background, mise en scene and lexis for a typical rock magazine. I will need to find the appropriate models in for this and schedule a number of photo shoots to ensure I collect enough images. Finally, after producing my final piece, I will include an evaluation in order to sum up the limitations and strengths of my final piece. This will enable me to see what I have done wrong and how I can improve it if I was to re-do this task.

3. Preliminary Task To begin my coursework, I am going to create a preliminary task of a front cover and mock up of a contents page. I used an image manipulation programme and DTP to achieve this as, when I create my final piece, I will need to be aware of how to use this particular software. For this task, I have to target my magazine for students at a particular college. I need to include a mid shot of a student for the main feature photograph, use the appropriate text and have a eye-catching masthead. The contents page only has to be basic to give me an idea about the layout for future reference.

4. Preliminary Photography For my preliminary task, I needed to collect a range of photographs which would be suitable for a college magazine. I used my own camera (Panasonic DMC-TZ7). As this is a college magazine, I decided to take the photographs within my own college so that the audience would be able to relate to this and I can use the people available as models. I scheduled this photo shoot to be taken place during my media lesson on 13 th January. In total, I took 65 photographs. This was narrowed down to 6 that I would use within the front cover and contents page. Here are some examples of the photos that I took: It was hard to get a wide variety of images because many people were reluctant to having their images taken (particularly female subjects). Also, I could only take images of the people who were available during this time, this limited my options. Additionally, I only had one session in which I could take these images, this meant that I could not take as much time as I intended to perfect the shots.

5. Preliminary Photo Analysis Of the 65 photos I took for my preliminary task, I found 6 suitable images to use in the front cover and contents page: This photo shows an extreme longshot of a subject at the lockers. This is a good photo because it is clear to see what the photo includes and includes a student from this college which would appeal to the target audience to see someone of the same age as them. I am going to use this image as a secondary lead on my front cover as it will help to add interest by adding a visual aid to a storyline. I took this photo as I felt it could illustrate a story about new lockers being provided to English Martyrs College – this would appeal to the students in this particular area. However, when I include this image in my magazine, I am going to edit out the school bell as I feel it looks undesirable and draws attention away from the main focus. Next, this photo shows a midshot of a subject holding a St John’s Ambulance certificate. I like this photo because it is clear and you can easily define what the person is holding. This will appeal to the young target audience because it includes someone who actually attends the college and is the same age as them. In the same way, the subject is smiling which represents that the storyline is happy – this will encourage the audience to buy and read this magazine. I am going to use this photo on the front cover of my preliminary task as the main feature photograph. This is due to the fact that the image is a midshot which meets the requirements of my brief. However, I do not like the background of this magazine as it is too busy and draws attention away from the main focus. This will be edited out when I produce my front cover.

6. Preliminary Photo Analysis Additionally, I particularly like this photograph because it is a high angled shot to add more variety to the images that I will include in the magazine. This represents that the audience are superior because they are looking down on the subject’s life. Also, it helps the audience to see that the person is reading a book. In the same way, the image is clear and the audience can easily recognise what it represents. I am going to use this image in my contents page as it would help to illustrate the “Reading/writing” section. However, I do not like the chair and shelf that is present in the background. I will edit this out later. Also, I may apply an effect to this image to add more interest and appeal to the audience who are into the latest technology. I like this photo because it shows a close up of the subject’s face. This is useful because it attracts the audience’s attention. As this subject is from English Martyrs College (I intend to target my audience for these students), it enables the audience to recognise this person and therefore relate to the magazine. Also, the lens is completely in focus and the subject is smiling which creates a positive lexis for the audience. Also, I like the way that the background is plain which will not draw attention away from the main focus. This will save me time cropping out the person from a busy background. I am going to use this image in my contents page to help illustrate the “social” section. However, I am going to darken the image so that it blends in with the grey background that I intend to use.

7. Preliminary Photo Analysis Next, I wanted to get a two shot male image to add to my magazine. I used these subjects as I feel they represented an average college student. I particularly liked these images because it displays a longshot of two students who attend English Martyrs College. This is useful because my target audience will be able to relate to this image as they will know of the subjects. In the same way, the image shows the people to be smiling and happy. This creates a positive impression that the article is good news. I took a few photos so that I could have a larger selection. I like the first images because the subjects are smiling, however, I do not feel that it is suitable because there is someone else in the background – this would draw attention away from the main focus. I do not like the second image because it is too blurry, the camera is zoomed in too far so that one of the subject’s head has been cut out of the photo. Also, they are not smiling as much (their expressions look more shocked than happy). However, I prefer the last image that I had took because the subjects are smiling and happy, the camera is in focus and there is nothing in the background. I am going to include this image as a lure on the front cover of my preliminary task. This will help to illustrate an article in which I will interview the subjects about a particular event. However, the background appears unattractive and draws attention away from the subjects. I will edit out the subjects when I use this image.

8. Preliminary Photo Analysis Finally, I have decided to take an image of people playing sports for my college magazine because it helps to see the people in action in order to give the audience an idea of what happens in English Martyrs School and College. I feel that the location of these images are suitable because it displays real life events. I took a few of these images so that I could choose my favourite to go in the magazine. I like the first image because there are lots of people present and it is clear to see that the subjects are playing football. However, I feel that they are too far away and the image is too dark. I like the second image because the photo is bright and in focus. However, the image has been taken on an angle and there are not very many people present. It does not help to illustrate college life. I like the final image the best because there are lots of people in the shot and the mise en scene shows a football net present so that the audience are aware that the sport being played is football. Also, the image is not too dull and it shows people in action. I intend on including this on my front cover as part of the “sports” section. However, I am going to manipulate the clouds so that they are a different colour. This will add more interest by making the image look more appealing.

9. Front Cover: Stages of Production To create my preliminary task, I used the programme Adobe Photoshop CS3. I began by opening the photo of Aliya because I wanted to use this for my main feature photograph. Wanted to crop the person out of the image because the background was too busy. I used the quick selection tool to do this.

10. Front Cover: Stages of Production Next, I changed the background of the magazine by using the gradient tool. I originally used the colour red but then I decided this was too bright and detracted attention away from the features, so I changed it to a grey colour. Then I used the spot healing brush tool in order to correct any blemishes that appeared on the subject. This provided a more clear and sharp image which looks more professional.

11. Front Cover: Stages of Production Next, I wanted to add the mast head for my front cover. I decided to call the magazine “Martyrs Mag” so I created a text box at the top of the page for this title. The positioning is suitable because it is typically placed at the top of the page on existing magazines. However, the title was too small and did not stand out from the rest of the page. I changed the font so it was extremely large and would attract the reader’s attention. Also, I changed the colour to white because it fits into the colour scheme. I changed the font type to Viner Hand ITC because I feel it looks bold and would stand out, also it fits into the connotations of a student’s scribbled handwriting.

12. Front Cover: Stages of Production Then I included the picture of lockers for my secondary lead. I felt the alarm bell looked undesirable so used the spot healing brush tool to remove it. This focuses attention more on the actual person and the lockers. Next, I added this image to my magazine. I positioned it at the bottom right because it does not draw attention away from the main feature. Additionally, I added the headline “Aliya assists with Aid” in large white Viner Hand ITC font to fit into the housestyle of the cover. I positioned it across the centre of the page to compliment the main feature photograph.

13. Front Cover: Stages of Production Next, I added the strapline “Gold medal awarded to healing student” just below the headline to give an introduction to the article. I used the same Viner Hand ITC font but changed the colour to red to make it stand out slightly. However, the size is much smaller than the headline so attention isn’t drawn away from this feature. Also, I added a title to the secondary lead “£1000 goes towards new lockers” I used Viner Hand ITC for the text, in red writing to fit into the housestyle. Also, I placed the “New Lockers” in bold black impact font to stand out from the rest of the text. This draws attention to this feature and makes the audience want to find out more.

14. Front Cover: Stages of Production Then, I added the English Martyrs Sixth Form logo to my magazine. I changed the background so that it fit into the housestyle of the page. I then placed the logo in front of the masthead to replace the “A”. This adds more interest to my front cover. Next, I decided to insert this image into my front page. The background was busy so I used the quick selection tool in order to remove the background.

15. Front Cover: Stages of Production Next, I added text underneath the plus section in the same typeface as the rest of the page. These were short and sharp in order to jump out to the reader. When I added the image to my front cover, I did not think it was suitable, so I didn’t use it. Instead, I removed the background from a two shot of some boys and situated it at the bottom left of the page. Then, I added a quotation using the same typeface of Viner Hand ITC to maintain a constant typeface. Also, I added a red box with black impact writing “Exclusive interview with Ben and Calum” to act as a lure. Next, I added a plus section to give the reader details about what is included in this particular issue. I used red capital impact font for this subheading to make it stand out and look important. I put this on an angle to make it appear more “fun”.

16. Front Cover: Stages of Production Additionally, I added a jagged box with the text “the best magazine for college students”. This would stand out to the reader and encourage them to buy this magazine. I ensured the box was red in order to stand out from the rest of the page, as well as keeping the same housestyle. Also, I added text under this jagged box, stating “details about the next college party revealed”. This would act as a lure to the reader because they would want to open the magazine to find out more. This feature is also in the Viner Hand ITC font to maintain a constant housestyle.

17. Final Preliminary Front Cover (CHANGE THIS) This is the final cover for the front cover of my preliminary task. I changed the order of the features around so that the secondary lead was at the top right of the page in order to stand out to the reader.

18. Contents Page: Stages of Production To start of with, I decided to use this person in the contents page of my college magazine. However, the background was too busy so I used the quick selection tool to crop her out of the image. Next, I added the person to the top left of the image. I then used the gradient tool to create a grey background for my contents page. However, I felt the text might not stand out as much on this background. So I added a red box in which I would place the text containing page numbers and information.

19. Contents Page: Stages of Production However, I felt that the red box was too harsh and bright and would detract attention from the text. Instead I changed the colour to grey to make it look more relaxed. In the same way, I didn’t think that the previous image was suited to the magazine so I changed it for the image of the girl reading a book. Again, I used the quick selection tool to crop her out of the background and added a double negative effect to make her appear more interesting. Next, I added the contents title in Viner Hand ITC to represent a student’s scribbled handwriting. Additionally, I changed the colour to black so that it stands out from the rest of the page. Also using the quick selection tool, I cropped out the background from the image of an extreme close up of a student. I then placed this on the bottom right of the page to ensure the images were equally dispersed. Additionally, I added the image of the football scene to the page. As this did not need cropping, I decided it was too “boring” compared with the other images. So I decided the make the clouds look brighter by using the brush tool. This added more interest to the image. I then placed this in the centre right so that all three images were equally spaced around the page.

20. Contents Page: Stages of Production However, I decided that the positioning of the images was not quite right. I decided to swap the sports image to the left of the page. Then, I added an image of the English Martyrs Sixth Form logo in order to inform the audience that this is the official magazine for this college. I equally spaced the images around the page. I then dimmed the colour of the image on the bottom right so that it fit into the dark housestyle of the page.

21. Contents Page: Stages of Production However, I felt that the image looked too bright and the white box did not fit into the grey housestyle of the page. I removed the white background by using the lasso tool and dimmed the colour so that it fit into the dull housestyle. Despite adjusting the image to make it fit into the page, I decided that it was not suited so I removed it. I rescaled and moved the remaining images so that appeared to jump out from the grey box which they were originally placed in. this creates the illusion that they are coming out of the page.

22. Contents Page: Stages of Production Next, I added text boxes containing the page number and summery of what the page includes. I used bold red Impact font to make it stand out from the rest of the page. I then added the headings “Sports”, “Reading/Writing” and “Social” in black font to make it stand out. I ensured that each page was placed under the correct category. This is useful for the audience because it organises the contents page to make it easier for them to find the appropriate article. I then ensured the page numbers were in bold to stand out slightly to the audience.

23. Final Preliminary Contents Page

24. Evaluation of Preliminary Task

25. Evaluation of Preliminary Task (written) There are various aspects which have contributed to the success of the front cover of my College magazine. This includes a constant housestyle which is used throughout the front cover. This consists of a faded grey background with white, black and red writing. The font uses the same typeface of Viner Hand ITC which has the connotations of a typical student’s scribbled handwriting, this agrees with the values of the young target audience. Also, I have included bold Impact writing in order to make some features stand out from the rest of the page. I have also ensured the masthead is located at the top of the page in large writing in order to stand out from the rest of the text. The positioning is important because when it is stacked up on a shelf in a shop, it will be able to be seen clearly so the reader can quickly identify the magazine. Additionally, I have included the English Martyrs Sixth Form logo in the masthead to replace the “A”. I have edited the logo so that the background fits into the grey housestyle. This helps it to blend into the front cover instead of standing out. Other successes of the front cover include the pugs which are positioned as the top and bottom of the page. At the top of the magazine is the issue number and date when the magazine is valid, adding extra information for the reader. This uses black font which is the same typeface as the rest of the front cover in order to give the magazine a constant theme. At the bottom of the magazine, there is the pug with the barcode in order to give it an identity when purchasing it in a shop. In addition, the use of the main feature photograph is one of the successes of my magazine as it is clear and helps compliment the main article. The use of the midshot image helps to clearly recognise the person the article concerns (Aliya Hasan). Also, the focusing works well because the reader can clearly see that the certificate she is holding is for St Johns’ ambulance, but they cannot make out the smaller print which will make them want to open the magazine in order to find out more. The image helps represent a typical student at English Martyrs – this will appeal to the young target audience in this College. Furthermore, the main cover line, titled “Aliya Assists with Aid” will attract the audience’s attention because the font is large so that it stands out from the rest of the page. The language of the headline has the use of alliteration which allows it flow, making it easier to read. Then, I have included an introductory strapline which helps to explain to the reader what the article consists of. I have ensured that the text is a much smaller than the headline so that attention is not drawn away from this device. However, it is in red font in order to stand out slightly to the reader. Another good point of my magazine is the use of a puff on the front cover. This stands out from the rest of the cover as it is placed inside a jagged red box. This is reminiscent of the shapes which are used to advertise offers within a supermarket. The audience will quickly be able to relate to this as it says it is “the best magazine for college students”, thus encouraging them to buy it. Additionally, the use of the longshot image in the secondary lead (located at the top right of the page) is successful because it helps to illustrate the article. This feature is positioned at the top to attract more attention and it has the bold typeface “lockers” in order to stand out further.

26. Evaluation of Preliminary Task (written) In the same way, I like the choice of a twoshot image for the Ben and Calum storyline. This enables the audience to recognise the people in this shot and it has been edited so the busy background has been cut out of the image – this is useful because it doesn’t draw attention away from the main focus. Included in this kicker is a quote from either Ben or Calum. This is a lure because it encourages the audience to look inside the magazine in order to find out more. Also, I have placed a red box with “exclusive interview with Ben and Calum in order to stand out to the reader. The use of the work “exclusive” is a tag which engages the reader’s interest by creating the impression that no other magazine has covered this story before. Finally, I feel that the “Plus” section of the magazine stands out to the audience because I have put the heading on an angle in order to make it appear more fun and quirky. This section uses short, sharp titles which are useful because it informs the reader about the various features included in this issue. The positive aspects of my contents page include a constant housestyle of a grey background with a darker grey box where the text is placed. This is quite a “boring” colour which enables the reader to focus on the actual text and images rather than the background. The title is bold and black in order to stand out to the reader. I have used a different font from the rest of the text so that it stands out. I like the way I have split the articles into separate sections of interest – sport, reading/writing and social. This makes it easier for the reader to find certain articles. Also, each heading has a different colour typeface to become more noticed. The actual content information is in red font which fits into the housestyle of the magazine, helping to create an identity for “Martyrs Mag”. Finally, I feel that I have chosen appropriate images for my contents page because they greatly compliment each section of the contents. They are clear and easy to see. I have added effects to each of the images: making the bottom image black and white, the middle image double negative and the top image slightly darker. This helps them to fit into the dark, dull housestyle of the magazine. Throughout the production of my preliminary task, I encountered various issues which delayed my work and made the magazine appear less successful. Firstly, I used the programme Adobe Photoshop CS3 to produce both the front cover and the contents page. As they were relatively new programmes to me, I felt that it was very time consuming to learn all the different tools and techniques which were important in completing the project. Additionally, when I was collecting photographs for the magazine, I felt that females were more reluctant to having their photograph taken. This made it more difficult for me to select suitable images which would be appropriate for my magazine. In the same way, I felt that timing was a real issue which limited the success of my preliminary task. Our deadline for the task to be completed was 2 weeks. This was made more difficult by the fact that I did not have the appropriate programme on my home computer so I was only able to develop my magazine at College.

27. Evaluation of Preliminary Task (written) As a result of these problems, there were many factors in the magazine which I felt did not turn out as I hoped. Firstly, due to timing, I forgot to include the pricing in with the pug barcode. This may have detracted the reader from buying the magazine as they wouldn’t have an idea about how much it cost. Next, I think that the use of the sixth form logo in replacement of the “A” in “Martyrs” would have added confusion to the audience as it looks like the masthead reads “Mortyrs”. As this is a new magazine which has not been published before, it may not be a good idea to cover up the logo because it is not very well known. Also, I felt that the front cover of the magazine looks too crowded at the bottom and spacious at the top. This creates the impression that it has been hastily put together and it doesn’t look very attractive. The use of bright coloured boxes and the busy headlines draws attention away from the main feature photograph – this typically should be the feature which stands out from the rest of the page. Additionally, the logo doesn’t stand out from the front cover because it blends in with the light background. Additionally, included in my contents page are numerous things which have not turned out as I anticipated. Firstly is the lack of content within the contents page. Not much information about each article is given and there are gaps within the pages where no details are given. This was due to the lack of time I had to complete this page. Also, the image in the centre of the page is not very clear – it is quite hard to see that the girl is reading a magazine due to the effects I have applied. In the same way, the top photograph is not very clear. I am not happy by the way it is zoomed out too far so the reader will not be able to identify the individuals included in the image.

28. Evaluation Overview In order to ensure that my final piece is more successful, there are a number of factors that I need to consider. I need to make sure that I include a price in the pugs, the logo is clear and doesn’t detract the attention away from the title of the magazine. Also, I need to ensure that each feature on the front cover is spaced out neatly so the audience can read it easier. I need to make sure that the main feature photograph stands out the most and fit the other details around it. To improve my contents page I need to ensure that more information is provided to the audience about each article in the issue. Also, I should guarantee that each image is clear and the appropriate shot is taken to suit the nature of the article. Before producing my final piece I need to be aware of the time that I have to complete it and be aware of all the tools included in Adobe Photoshop CS3. In the same way, I need to gather a wide variety of images which would complement each storyline.

29. Commercial Product Research Now that I have completed my preliminary task, I am going to research and analyse existing music magazines in order to get an idea of what a professional product would look like. I am going to look at the rock genre, its origins and how it is represented in modern day society. In the same way, I will look at the use of rock band images and how they are portrayed to the audience. Also, I am going to analyse in depth four popular music magazines: their front covers, contents pages and double page spreads. I will particularly look at magazines which include rock and indie genres as they interest me the most and I am more likely to use this genre when producing my final piece.

36. NME front cover

39. NME contents page

41. NME double page spread

45. MOJO front cover

48. MOJO contents page

50. MOJO double page spread

51. Mojo double page spread As part of my textual analysis, I am going to analyse the double page spread taken from Mojo music magazine. This particular article was taken from the March 2010 issue. The housestyle is kept relatively constant throughout through the use of black and white, the connotations of an old school rock band. Occasionally, red and yellow is used in order to attract the reader’s attention. The first page of this article is taken up mainly by a black and white longshot image of the band members riding their bikes towards the camera. The editing to create a black and white image helps to stereotype them with the typical rock music of the 70’s and 80’s. Also, the use of old-style bicycles helps to achieve the retro imagery. The mise en scene of the image, however, contradicts this theme as they are wearing modern day clothing of skinny jeans and tee shirts. This creates the impression that they are breaking through the typical rock genre to provide a new, modernised feel to the music. This supports their genre of the band as they play indie rock music – a sub genre development from rock. Additionally, the way in which the lead singer is positioned in the centre of the image and is slightly more in the foreground than the other members creates the impression that he has dominance within the group. Also, the way in which he is looking directly at the audience, while the other members are not, will attract the audience to look at his this member more than the others. Also, the way in which the background shows an average street, having the connotations of a working class background. This symbolises that the band is not superior; rather, they are the same as everyone else. This has a positive impact on the audience as they feel the band are their equals so they can relate to their lifestyle easily. Throughout this article there are series of images of the band in order to maintain the audience’s interest. They are presented in the form of a photograph effect on the page to create the impression that these are happy memories that the band has. Additionally, this makes the double page spread look more appealing and will encourage the audience to read the text as the magazine is targeted at a younger audience who may have a short attention span. Included in these images is a high angled longshot of one of the members playing in a concert. They are bent down at the edge of the stage whilst signing a fan’s tee shirt. Although high angled shots are widely used to add to the connotations of inferiority, however this shot is used to show the power of the member as people want to get his signature. Also, the way in which he has a higher stance to his fans creates a sense of dominance.

54. KERRANG front cover

57. KERRANG contents page

60. KERRANG double page spread

64. ROCK SOUND front cover