Thursday, 18 April 2013

Evaluation Questions

  • What have you learnt about the technologies in the process of construction your product?







Technologies has helped me throughout my production, because all of the modern technologies are very cheap and some are free of charge, this helps as I am able to access the internet to research all of the information that I need very easily from my home computer. Websites such as www.cooltext.com and www.iPiccy.com allowed me to create cool mastheads and headings also editing my pictures. Editing my pictures on iPiccy.com was very easy and much less complicated as Photoshop, but does the same process just as effectively. Macromedia Fireworks is the easiest programs I have used for removing the background of an image, just simply using a rubber tool, it saves the picture as a transparent background so whenever you decide to use it, the background still won't be white. This is very helpful for what I'm trying or aiming for as I am able to have multiple pictures overlapping for great effect. The target audiences would like to see a range of pictures therefore all the different effects I can chose from continently engage the target audience.

I have developed new skills in Photoshop. I now understand Photoshop and how to use it effectively for a great advantage over other magazine competition. I managed to create a wind effect for a picture where one of my models are holding a guitar. This effect reflects the rock genre as electric guitars make a lot of sound, so the edgy effect can disorientate the image. It can also indicate to the target audience that the band have a loud and a bit of hard rock about them. I have improved new skills such as publisher. I never before knew how to construct a magazine, but now I have managed to be able to start and develop a magazine from scratch. 

If I was to create another magazine, I think I would be able to create a better magazine due to all my new knowledge that I have on Photoshop and publisher. This experience has helped me a lot as now I am more confident in the technologies which I have used.




Wednesday, 10 April 2013

Evaluation Questions (4)

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

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


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




Evluation Questions (2)


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








I decided to publish my magazine in my own distribution, therefore in this case I would have all of the profit come back to me once the target audience buy my magazine. The only problem of doing this is the cost of the creating of the institution in itself, it would be difficult for my magazine to be noticed due to the publisher being new and started by me. If I was to take my magazine to Bauer or another top distribution company, they would not accept it as it may not be up to top standards or that they think they won't make profit from them, whereas if I was to distribute my magazine myself, I would get all profit and it will cost less to sell it in stores such as WHSmiths.

Wednesday, 13 March 2013

Evaluation Questions (1)

  • How does your media product represent particular social groups?
  • Who would be the audience for your media product?
  • How did you attract/address your target audience?



The setting for the artist on the front of my magazine indicates that they are a studio band as it seems as though they are in some sort of studio surrounding, this means they sound brilliant after editing the songs and putting extra effects to their songs. Could also suggest they are more confident in studios recording than live on the stage. I portrayed my characters in my magazine as confident and very attractive to draw in that target audience so they support the band and also giving me money once I start to sell my magazine. The confidence is also being shown through the positioning and the fact the artist is smiling, means he is confident and enjoys what he has to do and loves creating music, the direct address from the guitarist on the front also implies the confidence of being a big star in the music industry. The body positioning, slanted back, leaning to the side and his hand out, implies he is laid back but cares for his music indicated by the guitar he is holding. There are some parts which relate to stereotypes such as the black costume and the hairstyles of the band members, black represents rock as it is a dark colour, rock is a rough genre to relate to and the black portrays the dark side of the genre, some rock music talks about life experiences which usually is dark and depressing for the stars. Rock stars use black mise-en-scene for concerts. I have chose to represent him in this way as it is stereotypical and my target audience will know exactly what genre I'm aiming for just by the look of him.

My target audience will be teenagers or young adults who enjoy rock songs, I have chosen this genre as I can relate to it and I know the typical conventions of the genre. I found out what my target audience will be as a done research via surveys or questionnaires. I found out that the target audience agree to the same stereotypes mentioned above and that they think rock stars are generally more angry looking in their facial expressions as they are more 'passionate' and 'dark', my magazine front cover challenges this convention. But some say soft rock would require more happy and upbeat rock stars  I attempted to use sharp colour scheme to catch the eye of anyone flicking through magazines in a store such as WHSmiths Also the bold, contrasting colours help catching the eye of the audience, when they read the cover lines, they would be encouraged to read the full story inside.

I attracted my target audience with cool and creative images to use for my magazine which are interesting to look at, there is also a range of these edits all over my magazine which keeps the target audience engaged at all times further encouraging them to read on and buy the magazine.


Although my band members do exactly relate to the band in the picture (Kiss), this still does not mean they are not rock stars. The rock genre is split up into many different areas such as, indie-rock, Nu metal, electronic rock, soft rock etc. and all areas have their own target audience. My area of rock is Nu metal which don't dress up in make-up and black leather, it is more laid back, but still wear black T-shirts and black jeans or chinos. Generally the Nu metal bands where casual clothing, Nu metal is electronic side ofthe rock genre with unique sounds. My survey showed me that most of the rock fans enjoy Nu metal rock, so I have tried to portray Nu metal in my magazine.

Tuesday, 22 January 2013

Questionaire: Answers

1) What genre of magazine do you read or interested in reading?

Person 1: I listen to all types of music, but I would most like to read a rock magazine.
Person 2: Rock or Hip Hop
Person 3: Soft Rock
Person 4: Pop

2) What interests you most about your choice?

Person 1: I find Rock interesting to read as it always looks or sounds energetic and interesting to read as rockstars have the craziest lifestyles.
Person 2: I don't know really. I just like the style of music.
Person 3: Soft Rock is the only genre of music I enjoy. I don't like heavy metal rock as they just shout.
Person 4: I like the way Popstars look and they are interesting to read up about. I have read autobiographies of Olly Murs and he is extremely interesting to read about, and from then onwards I just fell in love with the genre.

3) How much would be the maximum you pay for a magazine of your interest?

Person 1: £10. I am really interested in Rock and I love to read. I also have a goal to be a rockstar in the future as rockstars always seems like a fun job. The lifestyle is interesting and performing to people is what I love.
Person 2: £4
Person 3: £5
Person 4: £4

4) What would most interest you in purchessing a magazine out of the following; Exclusive interviews? Free giveaways? Live event reviews? New bands or songs released? Official charts? Life stories of a certain band? Or what s the latest from bands of the specific genre?

Person 1: All of them. I think they all build up to make a magazine interesting to read.
Person 2: Exclusive interviews
Person 3: Free giveaways and exclusive interviews
Person 4: Exclusive interviews

5) What is the most eye-catching part of a magazine for you?

Person 1: Bright colours, interesting pull quotes, generall things like that.
Person 2: The title of the magazine
Person 3: Title of the magazine or the picture
Person 4: The picture of the popstar is most eye-catching as I love popstars.

6) Would you like to be given a free music CD of all the latest songs when you purchess a magazine of your choice?

Person 1: Yes. That would be quite good.
Person 2: Yes
Person 3: Yes
Person 4: Yes

7) Which pictures would you like to see on a front cover of a music magazine?

Person 1: A picture of the band I am most interested in.
Person 2: I suppose a picture of a big star
Person3: Of someone playing live
Person 4: A picture of a boy band or a boy popstar.

Saturday, 19 January 2013

Questionaire

1) What genre of magazine do you read or interested in reading?

2) What interests you most about your choice?

3) How much would be the maximum you pay for a magazine of your interest?

4) What would most interest you in purchessing a magazine out of the following; Exclusive interviews? Free giveaways? Live event reviews? New bands or songs released? Official charts? Life stories of a certain band? Or what s the latest from bands of the specific genre?

5) What is the most eye-catching part of a magazine for you?

6) Would you like to be given a free music CD of all the latest songs when you purchess a magazine of your choice?

7) Which pictures would you like to see on a front cover of a music magazine?

Music Magazine


Monday, 14 January 2013

Genre's

Music Magazine project

For my Media project I am creating a music magazine. I will have to create a front page, contents page and a double page spread for a magazine which I will have to invent the name of. I will be doing some research on magazines to get some ideas on a typical proffessional magazine, and I will try to create a magazine which looks proffessional.

My project:
I will have to first chose a genre of my choice and attempt to fit the target audience for that genre. Then I will have to think of a suitable name for my magazine which links to the genre of my choice. Then I will have to research and plan how I will create my magazine or research all the steroetypes of the genre I have chosen. I will also have to take a few pictures of someone with a suitable shot angle/type or mise-en-scene which relates to my genre of music. Furthermore, I will be typing up my own article to include in my magazine. I will also need to research the props needed for a rock group or the stereotypical clothing. To get further information, I shall be creating a survey or have mini interviews with people to find out what they will like to see in a magazine or what they think will be a good addition to my music magazine.

Plan:

Genre: The genre I have chosen is rock. I have chosen this genre as I believe I have the most knowledge of the rock genre as I have grew up listening to the style of music and I have a rough idea how to create a rock magazine. I know the stereotypes of the rock genre and I am able to portray that in the magazine I am creating. I will need to look at other genres of music magazines so I can contrast or see what is similar. This will help me to be able to get the genre of rock correct when creating a music magazine.

Target Audience: My target is going to be from 14 years old to 40 years old. The reason being is that I believe I can create a magazine suitable for this age range, the target audience will be mostly male gender but also a little of the female gender as I believe woman can also be involved in rock music.

Magazine Name: I have chosen the name 'Shutdown' as it relates to the genre of my magazine. It also has a good catch to it and it will be remembered at first glance. Also the typography of the masthead relates to a electric guitar vibrating with the sound going through peoples, this is indicated in the rough edges of the masthead.