Question 1 - In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media products? Front cover – UsedI like that the bar code was backed onto a white
box, I think it looks neat and shows the relation between the bar code and the
text that is also within the box. This is used in other issues of vibe too. The layout of the page, in terms of cover lines
is very effective; they’re all lined up down the side of the cover, this allows
the audience to see as much of the frame/image as possible. The front cover of this magazine is set in a
location. This seemed to be very rare when compared to other magazines; I
thought this was a great feature to adopt. The main image being in a location
sets the theme and mood of the main story and for the readers; the main idea of
my magazine was to focus on UK artists I felt that the location I chose
represents London well. The poses of the model/models on the cover of
Vibe magazine are very important because it is the first thing the reader
notices. Facial expressions and body language projects the atmosphere of the
magazine. I kept this in mind when during my photo shoot and when choosing my
main image. I chose this image one because I felt it represented the genre of
music my artist produces and the theme of the magazine. Front cover – DevelopedAlthough I liked the positioning of the cover
lines I decided the change the style and design. I developed them into this
because I felt that the colour scheme I used worked well with the main image,
and that the backing box made them stand out individually. The main cover line on the cover of vibe
Magazine is in the same font, just with different colours and sizes. I chose to
develop this idea by using different colours and fonts so that it can standout
as the cover line. The plus symbol was small and the design was
different from what I had seen in other brands of magazines, I chose to develop
this by making mine bigger, but without put the circle behind it because I felt
that it stood out better with out it, when I tried it on my front cover I felt
that it made it look over crowded. Front cover – Challenged
In vibe magazine the
cover lines included stories about the featured artist, I chose not to do this
because I thought that the names of the artist alone will entice readers into
buying the magazine and find out more about them by reading about them in the
included articles Unlike Vibe magazine, I did not include a sky
line because I didn't think it was essential to over advertise the products in
my magazine I also felt that readers should read through the magazine in order
to find out what treats and things we have available inside, rather than
showing every feature off. Contents Page – Used
I love the idea of having
a unique logo, which represents Vibe as a brand on every page. This is so
readers will recognise the brand, it also acts as a reminder. This consistent
feature brings order to each page and a professional edge. I decided to adopt
this feature in my magazine; I liked that Vibe didn’t just use the same Font,
as on the front cover it was a total different style. I chose to use a font
called Identify because I felt that it represents the name of the brand really
well and illustrated the individual as each letter looks like a fingerprint. Contents Page – DevelopedVibe has 5 sections to their magazine, I thought
this would be too many and the content wouldn’t be as creative/ effective if I
had too many. I also thought about the price of my magazine and if I had more
pages it would cost more to produce so the overall price would increase for my
customers. The image on the contents page was set in the
same location, with the same models that were used on the front cover just in
different costumes. I decided to develop this idea by changing the model I used
because I felt that although my main cover lines was about Lauren Cato, there
were other artists in the edition of the magazine who are also underground
artists who would need and opportunity to shine too. I decided to use a
different model to represent a different artist. Contents Page - Challenged
Vibe magazine
decided to put their editor’s letter on the first page of the ‘Enter’
department, I decided to challenge this convention by making my contents page a
double page and putting my editor’s note on it. Along with some pictures of
artists who feature in the magazine. I wanted to put mine on the contents page
because I felt that it was a great way to introduce the magazine and it was a
feature that I thought should be in a visible place. DPS – UsedI liked the idea of having a bold quote on the
DPS because I felt that it would allow the readers to have an insight into the
topics included in the article. I chose this quote because it doesn't really
give much away and it will encourage the reader to want to read on to find out
what it's to do with and how it ties into the life of the artist. DPS – DevelopedIn vibe magazine the layout of the page was
simple and sophisticated with a picture on one page and all the text, which are
in columns on the opposing page. I developed this by having four columns spread
across the bottom of the two pages and my images on the top of the page.
Another reason why I developed this is because I had more than one picture that
I wanted to use to express the personality of the artist and to illustrate the
topics in the interview. I like the idea of having the questions separate, in
terms of colour coding, because it gives the interview a sense of direction as
its easier for the reader to determine what topic is being discussed. DPS – ChallengedI decided to challenge the conventions of the
double page spread by changing the layout of the page and the format of the
journalism of the actual articles. The article in vibe magazine was more of an
account of the interview with descriptions of things in the room, what the
artist was doing at that time of the interview and dialogue in speech marks. I
challenged this convention by using a Question and Answer format. I've
challenged this because I felt that it would be more effective to separate the
questions because it gives the interview a sense of direction and structure. Other Magazines I have
researched – RWDFront covers – UsedI felt that having the date line under the
masthead looked neat and was more noticeable rather than if it was at the
bottom of the page near the bar code. I made mine black to match the masthead
and I felt that black stood out the best against my background. I like the idea of the masthead covering the
whole of the top of the page, I think that it makes it stand out better and
advertises the brand better. The style of the masthead is what the readers will
remember and recognise so it has to stand out against the main image and it
must also be consistent in all issues. Front Cover – DevelopedThe main cover lines on both magazines stands
out well against the background and main image especially because there are no
additional cover lines on the page. Also the main cover line is in a different
font to the masthead, I developed this by incorporating colours and different
fonts in my main cover line in an attempt to make it bold against my main
image. Front Cover – ChallengedThe RWD magazine didn't have any cover lines on
the cover (other than the main cover line); cover lines give readers an idea of
what's inside the magazine before they even open it. I decided to challenge
this convention by adding cover lines however they were just of the artists
name so the reader has a bit of an idea of what's install, without giving too
much away. Both issues of RWD magazine use a colour scheme
on the front cover of black and white, I developed this by having a colour
scheme of cream, burgundy and black on the front cover, this matched the main
image I used so I though it went well. I would not continue this particular
colour scheme in every issue of Persona; the colour scheme on the front cover
would vary depending on the main image. These RWD magazines were free so there wasn't a
bar code on the front cover (it didn't say that it was free at all), I
challenged the idea of having a free magazine because the brand of persona is
new and to be giving free copies away wouldn't produce a profit. There for I
put the price of my magazine at £2.99. I made sure it was notice able by
putting the price line under the date line. I challenged the conventions of this magazine by
having the main image in a location where as the main image in both RWD
magazines were set in a photography studio. I done this because I felt that
because the main focus on the brand was on up and coming urban artists in the
UK, London was a good place to illustrate this. Contents Page – UsedI really liked that RWD magazine had different
categories to separate the content of the magazine. Although I didn't have as
many sections, I still adopted this because I felt that it brings order and
structure to the page and the whole magazine. The colour scheme I used for each
section would be continued through out the articles of the magazine; depending
on what section it falls into. This was also the system used in RWD magazine. The main image used in the first magazine is in
a location, I decided to use this trait because I felt that it sets the theme
of the magazine really well, and allows the reader to have an insight into the
technical aspect of creating the magazine. Contents Page – DevelopedThe images used on both magazines don't really
include any props that indicate that it is a music magazine; the ipad featured
represents media and technology. The models on both contents pages are artists
but if the audience aren't aware of this then there's no additional indicator.
I developed this by including a prop; headphones that I hoped would be noticed. DPS – UsedI liked the house style of the magazine, it
includes a decorative box above the title of each page, this adds to the design
of the page, without making it over crowded, it also sets the colour theme of
the page. I used this by matching the colours from the contents page to that of
the article, depending on what section it is in. I think the format that the interview is
conducted and presented (Q and A) was effective, especially because of the
context of the article, I also liked that the colours of the question also
matched that of the decorative box. I used this format because I felt that it
was the most effective way to present my interview. DPS – DevelopedIn the second issue of RWD magazine they
featured a section, which advertises a series of Nike trainers. I liked that
they were advertising something within the page, which was relevant to the
article, rather than having a separate page to advertise this. I chose to use
this feature of having an advertising section to help to illustrate the propose
of the magazine and to advertise the brand that my artist 'Lauren Cato' was
supporting; she talks about the 'Cato87' brand in the article. I used Bigga
Fish to illustrate the motive of my media product because the propose of this
organization is to also help up and coming artists from all over England to get
heard and pave a way in this competitive music industry. Many of the artists
featured in Persona started off small and have taken to the Bigga Fish stage. Question 2 - How does your media product represent particular social
groups? I felt that my magazine represents the age range
of my target audience because...Featured ArtistsThe ages of the artists featured in Persona are
of a similar age to that of my target audience; and mainly produce music for
people within their generation. I also think that people find it easier to
identify with artists who they can relate to if they have something in common
with them, whether this is the genre of music, gender or age group.These are just a few artists who would feature
in my media product; Paigey cakey, Bobii Lewis, Cashtastic and Floetic LaraImages UsedThe images I used in my magazine were also a
representation of my audience because I felt that the main image on my front
cover was a representation of the propose of the magazine and could represent
my target audience in terms of the scenes and nature of my model and location.
I felt that my target audience would make the link between the location of the
image and the model and would therefore be able to identify with her as someone
who is young, talented, from an urban city like London and trying to make her
way in the music industry.My model is represented as a young woman who
isn't using sex or a provocative nature to sell my product. This shows that my
magazine can sell without the need to reveal her body.The main image I used on the contents page was
of a different model from the one on the front cover, the costume she was
wearing is very fashionable right now and I felt that my audience could relate
to the image I created for her and her sense of style. I though that this may
even act as inspiration for someone. Also this model isn’t using a sexual
nature to promote her music or illustrate herself as an artist. I think that
this is very important because my target audience does include people of a
young age, who tend to copy what they see in the media, from role models and
people who they can identify with. The intention of the images in persona is to
give the audience a visual source of new artists not to corrupt their mind with
provocative images.The images I used on my DPS were all taken in a
photography studio I felt that this showed more of a conventional/traditional
edge to the page as they were the only images I took I'm a photography studio.
I also fell that they would work well with the more mature range of my target
audience. The pictures taken of this model are very important because she
features on the front cover as well as the double page. She represents the
target audience well because she is also within their age rage. Language usedThe language used in my magazine isn't too
formal, I think it's somewhere between informal and formal; semi formal. The
language in my editors note is humorous to invite the audience into the
magazine, make them feel comfortable and welcome and also for them to get an
idea of the character who edits and puts all the ideas for Persona together I
feel that this feature is key and very important in the magazine. The text on
the DPS is the most informal, I felt that this was because I conducted the
interview in a casual and relaxed situation so my artist 'Lauren Cato' didn't
feel obliged to speak too formally. I think that the language used is appropriate
for my target audience's social class. I didn't want to restrict my readers by
making the text too formal or informal as my media product isn't aimed at a
specifically social group or age group, this is because the age range of my
target audience is so wide, I felt that semi formal language would appeal the
range the best. My magazine is targeted at people between the ages if 15-35.In the modern society that we live in today, I
don't believe that any particular genre of music is or should be associated
with any one particular ethnic Group or age. This is a really good trait as it
doesn't restrict my target audience at all and allows the reader to have the
freedom to explore any genre they desire. I think this is represented by the
artists featured in the magazine, the props used in my photo shoots, locations
etc. I felt that the props and costumes used in my media product will act as
inspiration for readers, although it is a music magazine the different fashion
styles used by the artists should be useful to readers who are also interested
in new trends. Question 3 - What kind of media institution would distribute your
media product and why? I did do quite a bit of research when it came to
deciding on a publisher because the motive of my media product is so different
to conventional products; so I wanted to choose a company that is successful in
terms of distributing modern media products, this is why I chose IPC media to
publish my magazine. They currently publish NME and Uncut magazine that are also
current magazines. Another reason why I wanted to use IPC media was because
persona is a unique product and something that as a company wouldn’t have ever
published before.
Persona is exclusive because it includes a variety of genres:
Soul, R’n’B and Rap/Grime. The artists featured in my media product are all up
and coming artists from the UK. This makes the magazine like no other produced
because represents new talented artists and introduces them into the industry.
I believe that its important to give them a chance to show people what their
about because even the unpopular artists crave recognition for their efforts
and hard work, Persona will allow them to have their time to shine whilst
providing them with some exposure.I believe that Persona as a media product would
be very successful because there is a gap in the market for an innovative
product. The diversity that persona brings because it is associated with new
artists who may just need that extra support. Question 4 - Who would be the audience for your media product? The content of my magazine will be appropriate
for both males and females. The colour scheme I originally planed to use was
purple, black and white, however I decided to change this so that it was more
accommodating for the male readers. I done this by slightly changing the
colours I used, I incorporating purple and blue into the contents page to
represent specific sections of the magazine. On the front cover I used
burgundy, cream and black.My target audience are between the ages of 15
and 35. My magazine isn’t directed specifically at a particular social class
because I didn’t want to restrict my readers. I tried to make it accessible to
everyone by making the language a cross between formal and semi formal.Because technology has evolved so much I decided
to use this feature to my advantage by having an application available for
smart phones and a website so that my target audience can access Persona
territory quickly and easily. Question 5 - How did you attract your target audience? I attracted my audience by the use of my models;
although the majority of the models in my magazine are female I still think
that males would be interested in the product because they may be drawn to the
models I’ve used. I think that because all of the models used in my magazine
don't promote anything if a sexual nature this will stand out to people and
hopefully attract them to the magazine.I chose Lauren Cato to be my main model and
feature on the front cover and in the DPS because I think that she is a good
representation of my target audience and I felt that she could be a role model
and inspiration for young females. Lauren is also within the age range of
the audience so I will be easy for them to identify with her. The costumes worn
by all the models were specifically chosen to represent them as an artist, in a
way that my audience would enjoy, as well as being a projection of the actual
music they produce. This is why I had such a variety of pictures throughout the
magazine to give the audience a visual insight into the artists. The layout of the front cover is set up in a way
to allow the audience to see as much of the main image as possible. I
especially wanted them to recognise the setting and scenery of the picture and
make the association between the propose of the magazine (to highlight up and
coming artists from the UK). The cover lines I used were also to entice the
audience because it featured the names of artists they may or may not
recognise. The motive behind not having story cover lines were because the name
of the artist alone should encourage the audience to want to know more
about them.The colour scheme I originally planed to use was
purple, black and white, however I decided to change this so that it was more
accommodating for the male readers, I changed the colours used through out the
magazine to burgundy, cream, black, white, blue and purple. Thank you, I also chose to address my
readers by using language in my magazine that isn't too formal, I think it's
somewhere between informal and formal; so it is semi formal. The language in
the editors note is a bit humorous to invite the audience into the magazine and
for them to get an idea of the character that edits and puts all the ideas of
the magazine together I feel that this feature is very important.In the modern society that we live in today, I
don't believe that any particular genre of music is or should be associated with
any one particular ethnic background age group or gender. My readers are fully
entitled to free will to choose what genre(s) they read in the magazine. Question 6 - What have you learnt about technologies from the
process if constructing this product? I’ve learnt so much about many different
technologies and software’s like, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Prezi etc.
how to use them and the results they can produce. My front cover was done on
Adobe Photoshop, before this project I had never used this software so at first
it was a bit tricky to get the hang of, however once I had mastered the basic
techniques everything else was down to experimenting. I had no major problems
with Photoshop and I found that it helped me to realise that maybe some of the
designs that I had planned prior to the construction wouldn’t have worked as
well as I had hoped but once I got into it everything fell into place well. I
am now confidant with Photoshop and really enjoyed using it to create the cover
of Persona.Using Adobe InDesign was tricky for me at first
too because I had used I had only used it briefly used it before a while ago so
I had forgotten what to do; but once I remembered how to use it, it was easy. I
liked that it allows you to be creative and as organised as you desire. I felt
that using this software for both the contents page and the double page spread
meant that I could apply some of the same basic stricture in terms of spacing,
for example where the page numbers ere, fonts, the size of the text and the positioning
of the masthead.When it came to me using the Photography studio
I found it relatively simple, because I have a similar camera at home that I
use regularly. The only thing I struggled with was getting the lighting balance
right on the opposite side to the flash, but once I figured that out it was all
right. One thing that I was very surprised and pleased with were the quality of
the pictures in the studio. I liked that the backdrop was black and not white
because the creases in it didn’t show up as much. The quality of the pictures
that I took in my locations weren’t as good but were all right to use.Using blogger was also very simple, although I
had no experience of using it, I got the hang of it really quickly and I
thought it was a really effective way of presenting my progress and
developments in this project. Prezi was one of the main technologies that I
used to present my evaluation got the hang of it quickly I thought that it was
also very effective. I liked the outcome and the animations it looked great!
For task 10 I used survey monkey, I enjoyed putting it together because it was
simple and easy to use. Question 7 - looking back
at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression
from it to the full product?
When I constructed the student magazine in the
preliminary task, I had very little knowledge on the software and image
manipulating programs like Adobe Photo shop and InDesign. My experiences of
conventional magazines and their house styles where limited too. My student magazine was very basic however I did
follow a colour scheme. The images I used weren’t very good because I had not
considered the lighting or anything on that technical scale. I feel like on the
preliminary task I didn’t really realise or acknowledge the significance of
planning, I planned the lay put of may front cover and contents page but I
didn’t consider the images I would use or the locations they would be taken in
– that was mostly improvisation.However now that I have produced Persona
Magazine I feel much more confidant that I can produce a media product that
appeals to my target audience and has its own conventions. I have learnt that
location, lighting and the models are very important in media products because
they are a key part to representing the nature and atmosphere of the product.
The location of an image tells a story for the readers and gives them a visual
insight into different themes.I now know that the language used also
represents my audience depending on their social class and age. These things,
must be carefully planned before the construction of the magazine in order for
there to be control and organisation in the project. Despite this, I do feel
that improvisation is important because without experimenting and having the
freedom to change things the best results cannot be achieved.
