Post production Feedback

Front Cover
Strengths
The audience like how it is presented and how it consists of the conventions of a real magazine, including a bar code, website and " interesting" story lines and the front cover received positive feedback as the masthead was said to have been creative and a nice color was chosen for it too as well as the main cover-line standing out.
Weaknesses
One weakness was the " one and only" underneath the masthead being too small making it hard to read and the fonts used for the front cover being different from one another not keeping consistency. Some people also felt that the image of the subject used for the front cover was too stretched out therefore making the magazine look unprofessional. 


Contents Page
Strengths
" For the contents page I like how the colors match the original color scheme of purple". The color scheme was also kept the same for the other two pages keeping consistency and presenting the magazine as neat and professional. They also liked the way the story lines were "nicely" presented and clear to read.
Weaknesses
" The contents page image was too stretched out making the magazine look amateur"  and some said how there was no negative feedback to give. 


Double Spread Page
Strengths
" A strength of the double spread page is that the image is very clear and captivates the reader"  and  " I like how the layout and the image of the main subject takes up a whole page".
Weaknesses
" I don't like how the two small pictures don't sit right " and " a weakness of the double spread page is that the shade purple used on the image makes it difficult to to read". 

 Q7. Looking back at the preliminary task what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to a full product?

 

Question 7: After doing the preliminary task, skills that had not been picked up before were learnt and this was effective for the creation of my main task which was to create a music magazine. In comparing the preliminary task to the main task, I can see that one of the skills learnt was how to present the conventions of a magazine with good quality. For the preliminary task conventions of a magazine were not presented efficiently.

Using Photoshop for the preliminary task first before using it for the main task helped to progress my skills and this resulted to improving my music magazine as I was more familiar with it unlike with the preliminary task where I wasn’t able to use Photoshop to the best of my ability.

A front cover and a contents page was what the preliminary task consisted of and my music magazine had a front cover, a contents page and a double spread page which enabled me to gain more skills whilst using Photoshop as a double spread page wasn’t included in my preliminary task and I learnt how to develop part of the magazine using a A3 canvas.

As the main task had a specific target audience I learnt how to keep focus on the specific targeted group and represent them through the magazine in ways that would appeal to them and keep them engaged. This wasn’t done as effectively for my preliminary task as the audience was broader. Other than Photoshop that was used for both tasks that I became more skilled in after the preliminary task another piece of technology I became more familiar with was the Canon E05 400D which was used to take good images that couldn’t be taken in my preliminary task as during this task I wasn’t able to use the camera properly.

 Q6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Question 6:   From the process of creating my media product; music magazine, I learnt many technological techniques that helped me to construct my product. To start off my magazine, I had to take pictures of my subject to use on the front cover, contents page and double spread page. I used a Canon E0S 400D Digital to take all the images that would later be used. I also used the Canon for the preliminary task; college magazine. During the preliminary task I struggled to understand how the camera was used as it was my first time using it but when I used it for the main task I learnt things I hadn’t known before to get the desired images needed.

One of the things learnt was how to auto focus, which is to get the red dots on the eyes of the subject to get the shots taken in focus. This was something I didn’t know had to be done when doing my preliminary task and helped effectively when taking the images for the main task.

The location of where the images were taken was in front of a beige colored wall next to a house.  I didn’t change location to keep it consistent and to follow what other real magazines do, which is taking images in the same location.

By using the flash on the camera it helped to create good- quality images as it added brightness even though where the shoot was being taken was quite dark as a result of it being night time.

One of the difficulties I had was that I did not have much experience in taking pictures for a college piece of work so I struggled quite a bit to get a shot of a professional looking image.

Adobe Photoshop CS3 was technology I had also never used before and learnt a lot from it but my Photoshop skills were inadequate to creating my magazine as it was my first time using the program. Photoshop was constructive in helping to create the images taken to get the effect wanted. I adjusted the brightness and contrast to make the images clearer to see.

I learnt how to change images that were not able to upload unto my blog via Blogger through Photoshop. This was done by saving the image as a JPEG file. I also learnt how to make the font used for the texts on the pages of the magazine stand out more by using the layer style options and for most of the fonts, used several of the blending options such as drop shadow, contour, inner shadow, stroke and so on…

 Q5. How did you attract/address your audience?

Questions 5:  

The audience research that was done as part of the planning/ research of my magazine was beneficial as it helped to the creation of my music magazine by allowing me to understand what would attract my targeted audience.   One of the ways I engaged with the targeted audience is through the front cover and this is significant to the magazine as it is the first thing a potential buyer would see before reading it. The model chosen for the front cover also helps to engage with the audience as she is good looking and is of the same age range which allows the audience to feel as if they can relate to the magazine as well as relate to her.The style/ look of the model also helps to attract the audience as her look is stereotypical to females that are involved in the R&B/Hip-hop/Pop music scene and represents this.  

 I also included other well known artists as part of the cover lines as it would be a magnet for the audience and lure them in to reading on and feel more engaged especially if they are fans of  one or more of the artists shown. 

Sans serif was used for most of the fonts used in the magazine and this was done to keep the magazine consistent and professional and to give the magazine a modernized and stylish look and this relates to the genre of music the magazine is based on and helps with the attraction of the audience.   I downloaded all the fonts off the website, ‘Dafont.com’ and the font I used for the masthead was called ‘Dutch & Harley’ which creates a distinguished look, the boldness also emphasizes the word and relates to one of the genres of the magazine ‘Rap’. 

        The colour scheme of the magazine consisted of the colours black, pink, purple and a hint of grey and I made sure the colours were bold and strident so it is eye catching and catches the audience’s attention. I tried to make the colours used appeal to both genders but believe the colors are a lot more feminine and this is supported by the model, her clothing and posture.

I used formal language so it can be read by all genders and ages and can be easily understood as the magazine is targeted at a diverse audience.

The contents page is neat and organised and makes the magazine easily accessible for the reader to read through it and read what they desire to.

                                                                       

 Q4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

Question 4: Harmony is targeted at young males and females aged 16 -25 worldwide, as the genre(s) of music the magazine is based on dominates all over the world mainly with a younger audience. The type of audience I particularly wanted to target my magazine at are people who take pleasure in reading music magazines to find out the latest releases and  gossip within the celebrity world of singers/rappers.
R&B/Hip-hop is often associated with young BLACK people of both genders but Harmony is targeted at all ethnicities/ race. This has been done so the magazine can be diverse and relate to everyone who is interested in these genres.
My target audience is those that listen to R&B/Hip-hop and listen to artists from Wiz Khalifa, Rick Ross, Chris Brown, Beyonce, Rihanna, Tinie Tempah and so on...

My targeted audience are those that enjoy themselves by attending parties, going out clubbing and take pleasure in reading magazines especially music based magazines. My target audience have an eclectic style, meaning they combine things from different places to create their own unique fashion look.

Harmony is also targeted at those that are interested in fashion and the latest trends as listeners of R&B/ Hip-hop are usually known to be fashionable in their own particular way as well as the artists of the genres. Most of them would be in education which presents them as being ambitious and career minded and could see artists similar as role models to them. Jay Z, American rapper could be seen as a role model to those that are my target audience, as he is one of the most successful Hip Hop artists and entrepreneurs as well as being successful financially in America.

 Q3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Question 3: I believe 4mm Games would be the right publishers to publish and distribute my music magazine as they are not known to publish magazines although they are founded by entrepreneurs and visionaries of games, media, music and advertising. This will enable 4mm Games to reach out to a new and wider market as the main focus of my magazine is music and fashion whereas 4mm Games is mainly focused on video games. This will make the company diverse and not only just reach to males but also females.

4mm Games will also benefit well through publishing and distributing my magazine as they reaching out to a mass audience and as this is probably the first ever music magazine they would be getting involved with,  this will help them get better recognition and gain more popularity.  

Most likely my magazine will be distributed in music stores around the UK including HMV as the magazine is targeted at an worldwide audience and seeing as HMV is a well known music store, where people who are passionate about music can go to purchase singles, albums and so on as well as a store you can also purchase video games so it will be easily accessible for my audience and the companies audience.

 

 Q2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Question 2:

My music magazine is targeted at an audience of both genders; male and female but mainly females, who are interested in the genres of music of R&B, Pop & Hip-hop. The genre and the type of audience my magazine is targeted at is presented through the layout and design of the pages of the magazine. The front page illustrates the genre and target audience as it has a list of artists that are singers/ rappers of music that are R&B, Hip-hop or Pop based and the colour scheme of the magazine also helps to illustrate the type of audience the magazine is mainly targeted at; females. Another way this has been done is through the model on the front cover and her costume which consists of a fur jacket and accessories; earrings, watch and rings. The colour of her hair, makeup and clothing also complements the colour scheme of the magazine  The look she has puts forward the idea of femininity and class and not only just what she is wearing but, her pose which is sassy. The look the model has is the look of the majority of females in the R&B/Hip-hop/ Pop music scene, fashionable but sexy. Beyonce, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Monica etc are all examples of females in the music industry that have this type of look and style. 

 Q1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Question 1:  To set myself off for the start of the project which was to create a music magazine, I analysed other music magazines of the same genre I planned to have my magazine based on. My analysis of these existing music magazines was to see how the magazines attracted its targeted audience through its conventions and forms. My media product, my music magazine, presents conventions and forms of a magazine and the analysis of existing real music magazines was beneficial to making my product look professional.

The masthead used on my product is one convention I used; I made sure my masthead distinguished from other real music magazines so it didn’t look like an imitation or copy. I downloaded and used a font from the website “Dafont.com” under the category sans serif which I decided to download from. The font used for the masthead was chosen as I wanted to keep the magazine modernised and to attract the target audience.

My intention of the selling line used “Click*Flash* First Ever Photo Issue” placed at the top of the masthead was to interest the audience and to encourage them to read on and to also help the promotion of the magazine as that is what magazine selling lines are to do. It also gives the reader an insight on what the magazine is about. Selling lines are often used by magazines and I felt that using one would help follow the conventions of a magazine.

 Another convention used was the cover lines which is a convention recognisable to all magazines, and the cover lines are of artists that are to be presented in the magazine which will help to engage the audience in. I also downloaded font from the same website as my masthead and made sure the font was consistent to all the other cover lines except for the main cover line which was a completely different type of font so it could stand out from the rest and also attract the audience as it is about an R&B artist MJ Browning coming back again “ She’s Back”.  The cover lines are placed vertically on the right and left sides and the main cover line on the left of the main front page image. The cover lines are placed the way they are and spaced out equally as I wanted the front cover to not look condensed but neat.

As I wanted to take advantage of the analysis of real magazines done before starting off my music magazine, I made sure I took into mind that magazines usually have a barcode which I placed at the bottom right of the front cover and also placed a price on top of it.

The image used on the front cover is medium long shot as I wanted the audience to feel as if the artist is communicating with them through her eyes and her NVC, her composition also attracts the audience as it is sophisticated and sexy looking and her costume suits the genre of music and is also part of the audiences attraction as it contrasts well with the colour scheme of the magazine front cover. The lighting of the image is high keyed which keeps the audience focus on her which is the aim of the camera position.

The contents page is another convention followed by the conventions and forms of other real magazines.

Music Magazine ( Double Spread Page)

Music Magazine ( Contents Page)

Music Magazine ( Front Cover)

Planning My Magazine...

Who will model for you?
*  Female/ Martha

When will you take the pictures?
*  Before Christmas holiday and during Christmas holiday

Which props would u need?
* Santa hat, mistletoe, shopping bags, fur jacket...

Mood Board...

Drafts Double Page Spread(1)

Draft Contents Page(1)

Audience Research

Contents Page Analysis

Demographic Profile(2)

 ( Image Above) Christiana

I intend to develop my music magazine to target this type of reader (Christiana) by including a fashion page where she can be updated with the season’s latest fashion trends which can help her improve her own fashion style, and also get tips on how to do so. I will also include within my music magazine, the latest gist (gossip) on celebs that she may be interested in e.g. Chris Brown, Trey Songz, Keri Hilson, Rihanna etc. I will also include information on the most recent releases of singles/ albums of worldwide artists of the genre of R&B/ Hip-Hop.  The front cover of my music magazine will give the reader a glimpse on what the magazine will include through the cover lines, a photograph that will be of an artist of the genre the magazine will be based on e.g. Beyonce (American recording artist, fashion designer and actress), this will attract the reader as Beyonce is a well known artist, known worldwide for her music that is R&B genre based and this is part of what the magazine is about. Beyonce being used as the main image of the front cover will draw the reader‘s (Christiana) attention as a female on the cover of a magazine would be what she wants to see.  The way she will be dressed will also get the attention of her as being dressed inappropriately will allow the magazine to be seen negatively and alien Christiana from the magazine and this is not what should be happening, by dressing Beyonce in the way Christiana would dress or like to see others dressed will gain her interest.  The colour scheme used will also catch the attention of the reader as it will relate to the magazine target audience ( Christiana) and its genre, the colour scheme used will be daring and strident connoting the genre Hip-hop  and will help the sales of the magazine as it will stand out amongst other magazines.

Demographic Profile

THE VIBE READER: Christiana is 21 years old, her life is devoted to music; she lives and breathes music, it is a big part of her life. At the age of five years old, her parents got her auditioning at Tech Music Academy where she found her infatuation for music. Christiana wakes up with music and sleeps with music; she is surrounded by music 24/7, if not singing along to it, she is listening to it. She takes pleasure in reading Vibe magazine as she loves finding out the latest bangers (music) out and the up-to-the-minute gossip within the celebrity world of singers and rappers. Her motto for life is “Live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up”. She believes in making the most out of life, being cool, having fun and doing whatever, as you only live once!  After work at the Apple Store, she is out in town with her friends, out clubbing and having a good time till the “wee wee” hours. She is a big fan of Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna; she finds her style and music second to none. Christiana is feisty, very outspoken, has a lot of confidence and likes to make her own mind up in situations. She is into fashion, makeup, music (R&B, Hip-Hop, African etc) and clubbing/ partying.

Textual Analysis 3.

Magazine No.3

Denotation:

The magazine consists of a colored photograph of a woman looking directly into the camera. It is a medium long shot photo showing her knees and upwards. The background is black outlined flowers placed onto a white background. In front of the photograph are several cover lines coloured, pink, purple, black and white. The woman shown in the photograph name is placed on her right side in bold, pink writing. “Christiana Milian”.

Masthead:

Rap Up magazine’s masthead is distinguishing as it is different from other music magazine mastheads. Pink with no outline and no drop shadow. The “U” in the word “Up” has an upright arrow. The font used is san serif font modernising the magazine. The boldness of the word “Rap- Up” stresses it and gives it emphasis. It also relates to the genre “Rap” which is bold and strident.

Character:

The coloured photograph is of American recording artist, actress, dancer and model Christian Milian.

Composition:

Christiana is posed a seductive and saucy way. Her body language, pose and clothing are sexy and hot.

Costume: Her clothing is a pair of jeaned shorts with silver studs placed on the left sided pocket, a grey vest top with a piece of lace placed at the top and a purple leathered jacket with rolled up sleeves. She is accessorized with a pair of black shaded sunglasses, a pink leathered gloved, hopped gold earrings and a bangle.

NVC: Her NVC is also seductive as she stands tilted to her right side as she places her hand onto her bare skinned leg and has her finger onto her lips as she looks directly into the camera.

Lighting: The lighting is high keyed as it focuses on her face and body bringing notice to her.

Setting: There is little setting other than a white with black outlined flowers.

Cover lines

The main cover line is the cover line that is related to Christian Milian “‘Shh! Christiana Milian ‘My secret is...’ “This links to the message shown through her NVC in the photograph. The way she is positioned with her finger on her lips connotes secrecy and this also means the onomatopoeia “Shh” that is part of the main cover line. The other cover lines include artists such as Plies, Brandy, Robin Thicke, T.I., John Legend, Soulja Boy, Shontelle etc. The cover line show us that the magazines concentration is of the genre R&B and Hip-hop and it not all about music but also fashion “ It’s a buyer’s market: 18 essentials to keep your swagger on lock!” The font of the cover lines is of san serif which connotes the magazine being up to date, up to date, with its gossip, fashion and music.

Target Audience

The target audience would be male and female mainly females due to the feminine colours used for the colour scheme of the magazine and the gossip the magazine contains. Females are usually the gender to be associated with gossip. The age range is from the age of 18 and above.