Evaluation: Question 7

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

In my preliminary task I had to produce a front cover and contents page of a school magazine. It is obvious that I have learnt a lot on how to produce a successful music magazine. The front cover of the school magazine consists of one small main image and a even smaller coverline story image. The masthead and coverlines are simple fonts. The setting is a wall that has had no editing done to it. I have used a colour scheme of white, black and red which contrast well.

The contents page is very simple. The same font is used throughout, no editing was done and only one small image is there to relate to a story. The only prop that was used was a book and pen, which is seen in the contents page.

However, in my main task I had to produce a front over, contents page and double page spread of a music magazine. The front cover consists of a large image with a base guitar as a prop, this relates to the main story, smaller images are relating to other coverlines. The fonts used and the colour scheme of purple, white and black are used throughout the magazine, giving it its own unique house style. Captions are used to describe the picture that it relates to. I have learnt how to use editing. I have merged the main image and the image under the masthead together, to ensure that they do not overlap. I used the photoshop programme to delete some of the unwanted background of shadowing of the main image so it looks a lot neater.  I also added a banner at the bottom of the page in bold white and red colours which will attract my readers. I have used bold lettering in my masthead and the use of an acronym in the bod purple contrasts well with the rest of the page.

The contents page is set up in halves. The left half consists of the magazines smaller stories which are in black and a description in white, and a copy of the front cover. The right half consists of the bigger stories, the editor's letter and the subscription offer. As my magazine is released monthly, the month and year is found at the top of the right half in bold white lettering so it can be easily seen by readers.

I did not include a double page spread in my preliminary task because it was not required but the double page spread for my music magazine consists of a large image on the verso and the article text on the recto. I have used a kicker to start off my article.

Evaluation: Question 6

What have you learnt about technology from the process of constructing this product?

While producing this product I have learnt how to use different technologies compared to when I started the course. I have been able to use photoshop and fireworks to editing images better and better to then put on my front cover, contents page and double page spread.

Photoshop has allowed me to merge images together as can be seen on my front cover with the main image and the smaller image in the top left corner of the page. This allows the magazine to look much more professional  and neater than just placing the images together so they overlap or just next to each other.

I was able to use fireworks to delete any unwanted background or shadow in images. I used fireworks to delete the shadow of the bass guitar and the shadow of the hair of the person in the main image on the front cover. This also makes the image look more professional and neater than just leaving the shadow there.

Learning to use these new technologies has helped me to produce my final music magazine.

Evaluation: Question 4 and 5

Question 4+5 on Prezi

This video evaluates the target audience for my magazine. The two people in the video are 16 years old, they are good to analyse my video because my target audience is people from 13-21 years old.

Evaluation: Question 3

What kind of media institutions might distribute your media product and why?

I think that my product would be published by a company that produces different genres of magazines. IPC media produces many different types of magazines, from NME to Country Life. If my magazine was to be produced by IPC media I would make sure that my magazine stands out above the rest because IPC media is A Time Warner Company which had a very high reputation for what it produces. I would make sure that my magazine is of a very high quality because IPC media produces the music magazine NME, which also is a multi-genre magazine. If my magazine was of low quality, IPC would consider not producing my magazine. I need to make sure that it is of the same quality or higher than NME so the IPC media produce two multi-genre music magazine with a good variation of styles.

IPC media uses advertising to magnetise its existence. It publishes normal magazines and comic magazines. It is a subsidiary which belongs to the parent company of Time Inc, which then Time Inc belongs to the parents company of Time Warner. IPC media was founded in 1958 and its target audience is all genders and ages, as seen by the types of magazines they produce.

Evaluation: Question 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My magazine is a multi-genre music magazine that represents different social groups, for example, rock, indie and pop. It is a magazine for readers looking for a up-to-date knowledge in the music industry, and a fun and interesting insight to music. My magazine does not just focus on straight forward music, it looks at the life of music stars. This could draw older people in my target audience to my magazine to find out about information outside the straight forward music industry. My magazine is aimed at young teenagers to young adults, ages 13 to 18, I can see this from the results of my music magazine questionnaire. I think I have given different social groups a good chance of a new magazine by use of conventions from different magazines into my magazine. The main image on my front cover is of a 17 year old boy, and the two smaller images are of two 16 year olds. These people are perfect for my magazine because the fit in with my target audience. The different styles of clothing correspond with the styles of music of the people in the image. 

Ben is the main person featured in my magazine and the style of his clothing is rocky, the clothes are typical of the rock genre.

Oli is one of the young people in my magazine, representing pop music. His light blue t shirt signifies the pop genre.

Evaluation: Question 1

Question 1 on Prezi

 

This is the video that evaluates the colours and layout of my magazine. 

 

This video evaluates the fonts that I have used for my magazine across the three pages.

 

In this video, my images are evaluated throughout my three pages of my magazine.

Focus Group Evaluation Video

This is the video for the focus group of my music magazine.