Evaluation of my music magazine as a whole.

Overall, I am impressed with the work I have done towards my music magazine. My favourite part of my magazine is the front cover. I really like the red background I used and pleased with the image I took of 'Vixie'. I think I made it look like a real magazine by the use of the price and the barcode.

I like my contents page and I think 'Inside...' stands out nicely against the pinky backround. However, if I had more time I would of liked to change it a bit and add more photos and play around with the fonts to make it look a bit more busier.

The Editors letter I added as an extra to my magazine. I think it looks stylish with the font I used. I also like the stars I put around 'Editors Letter'. I wanted to keep that page fairly simple.

I am pleased with my double page spread as it looks quite 'busy'. I think I proportioned the image and the amount of writing well on the page. Although, if there was more space on the double page spread I would of liked to add a few more images. Also, if I had to do it again I would maybe make the font size a little larger.

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

I have learnt alot in the progression from my preliminary task to my real construction of my music magazine. For my preliminary task I took basic shots on the SLR camera and my own digital camera. Whereas, for my real magazine I learnt how to take all my images using the SLR camera and how to make them look more professional by using various settings. I also learnt more tools I could use on photoshop in the process of editing my images. For my preliminary task I constructed almost all of it using the program photoshop. When it came to the construction of my real magazine I learnt how to work with the program indesign. The preliminary task helped us feel comfortable using the basics on the camera and the program photoshop and adobe bridge. It helped us with the ideas of our real magazine too.

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

I have learnt alot about technologies from the process of constructing my product. For my audience research, I used a video camera to record my own video. I learnt how to change the different settings on the camera and the basics of how to work it. I then edited my video on the program 'imovie'. I warched tutorials to help me learn how to edit my work. I managed to add text to my video at the same time my participants were talking and to cut out the parts I did not want in my video.

For both my preliminary task and my real construction of my magazine, I used an SLR camera. I learnt how to change the setting on the camera, and what settings were best in different lights. Using the SLR camera allowed my images to look more professional.

I also learnt how to work on photoshop. Hannah Roche came in and gave us some lessons on how to work with the basics on photoshop. I learnt alot, and was able to edit my pictures succesfully using a variety of tools. I also learnt how to work with Adobe Bridge and how to transfer my photos on to the program before uploading them to photoshop.

For my main magazine, I worked on indesign. I taught myself how to use this program and by reading the manual. I managed to lay out my magazine succesfully and use various fonts and change the sizes etc.

I also learnt how to download various fonts and barcodes etc from the website www.dafont.com. This allowed my magazine to look more interesting.

During the year I also made this blog on eblogger.com. I managed to set different tabs for my work and to convert various things from the internet such as images and videos. For my audience research, I also made my own youtube account in order for me to convert my video on to the web. For all of my media work, I have used a Mac computer and learnt how to use all the various programs on that and learnt to work with a different keyboard.

How did you attract/address your audience?

I used a variety of methods in order to attract and address my audience. First of, on my front cover I chose a colour scheme of red, black and gold to attract my audience and make it look 'stylish'. I carried this scheme on by using a black and gold headband on 'vixie' and her wearing red lipstick which compares nicely to the red background used. I also chose 'vixie' to be standing with her arm up, which attracts audience into the magazine, and makes them want to read more. I chose quite a bold font for my front cover as well, and made the font large so that the titile 'statik' would stand out in black against the red. In my contents page I chose more of a pinky colour for the background and used another picture of 'vixie' this helps to address my audience of a female gender. In my double page spread I chose to do an interview with Ben from 'the outfitters' to address an audience which is interested in music. I chose a wacky font to make his name stand out at the top of the pages which would attract the readers. Also, the way I positioned Ben I thought may attract a female audience and his factfile would again help to attract that group of audience. I as well carried out audience research in order to address my audience. This helped me to gain an insight into what teenagers like to see on a magazine and how often they buy it. Students from my class, commented on my work. 'Justine' commented on my front cover saying that 'it gains the attention of my audience and I used a good, clear image'. 'Vicki' then commented on my front cover as well, she said that she' liked the image taken on the red background and the font and colours used are effective, which makes it easy to see what is most important with the main title and the explanation'. On my double page spread, 'Justine' said that 'the band name could of been clearer'. Although, she said that my 'magazine looks well presented to the public audience'. 'Joel' said that he 'liked the font used and it was eye-catching. He also said the main body of text also fits well into the page and around the main picture which also helps to maintain intrest for the reader. It seems to me as if this is a teen magazine, possibly for a more female audience because of the pink/purple colour scheme, well done :)'. 'Vixie' also commented on my double page spread. She said that 'the text is not too overwhelming' and 'the colours on the page show how it is aimed at women. The layout with the image and questions are effective'. I think that overall, I did address/attract my audience quite well.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The perfect audience for my media product would be someone like Sarah. Sarah is eighteen years old and lives in Norwich. She is studying to do her A-levels at City College, where she is studying Music, Photography, and Art. She lives with her Mum, Dad and younger sister. In her free time she loves to go out shopping with her friends and loves the highstreet shops such as RiverIsland, H&M and Topshop. Sarah also loves going out to the cinema with her friends and to local gigs at night. Sarah plays the guitar and has an interest in music. Her favourtite band is Paramore. Despite, her interest in music, Sarah also has a passion for fashion. She loves wearing the latest trends and into what all the celebrities wear. My magazine would be ideal for Sarah and would fit many other girls just like her!

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

I would like a large media institution to distribute my media product in order for it to be a success. I think a good media institution to distribute my media product would be the company IPC media. IPC media produces over 85 iconic media brands, with their print brands alone reaching almost two thirds of UK women and 44% of UK men. IPC media offers something for everyone, thats why I think this media institution would be good in distributing my media product. On the IPC media website you can order your magazine weekly, which would provide more business for me from the selling of my magazine. IPC media is also owned by the company Time Warner, which is a global leader in media and entertainment, which would be great for my media product if it had a global link within its distributor.

How does your media product represent paticular social groups?

I would hope that my media product would represent many social groups. My media product is mainly aimed at girls aged sixteen to around nineteen. However, my media product could also appeal to some boys too. I wanted my media product to represent social groups that are interested in fashion. I helped to create this idea by using 'vixie' on my front cover. I dressed her in a dress with a stylish headband and red lips to create a more wacky look. I was hoping that would appeal to the social groups who are also interested into the likes of the way Lily Allen, Lady Gaga and Rihanna dress. By using the interview with Ben in the double page spread I wanted my magazine to also represent many social groups that have a passion and interest for music. I photographed Ben with a guitar and interviewed him on upcoming gigs etc to help reinforce interest in music. On the front cover of my magazine I also wrote 'Gigs with paramore, you me at six..' which would represent the social groups interested in those kind of Bands!

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

In many ways I think my media product uses develops and challenges forms and conventions of real media products. On the front cover of my magazine, I used a typical 'masthead' with a more of a different font, which could perhaps challenge forms and conventions of real media products. I chose the title of my magazine as 'Statik' I thought that had a music vibe to it, and sounded like it would attract teenagers. It was also different so would go well with my 'indie' theme. I used a black font and wrote it on bold to attract the audience and consumers. My media product used forms of real media products by the use of the bar code on the front cover and the price of the magazine. I photographed a suitable model for my front cover, then edited the image on photoshop to make it look more professional. I also used coverlines on my front cover which is used in real media products. The background I used was simple, yet effective and is similar to backgrounds which real media products used.

I chose Vicki to be the model of 'Vixie' because she was tall and stylish. She also had long hair which would look nice with the hairband and would look good when her arm was up. Vicki is seventeen years old so would fit the age group of the audience I was trying to attract.

For my contents page, I used one column with the page numbers and title on, which is used in real media products. I also used the same fonts I used on my front cover, to keep it original and simple.

Throughout the construction of my music magazine, I edited my images on the program photoshop. This was good as it made my work look more professional and allowed my images to have a different look.

In some ways, my double page spread does challenge the forms and conventions of real media products. I chose not to write my interview in specific columns but fitted it around my image and fact file, to create a more 'indie' effect.

I think that my Editors Letter used forms and conventions of those of real media products. I wrote the letter typical of one which would be seen in a real magazine and used 'handwriting' font to make it look more realistic.

Overall, I think mostly my media product does use and develop forms and conventions of real media products. I kept a colour scheme throughout, and used appropriate images and fonts which are similar to those used in the real media industry.