Q7) Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
The jump from the preliminary task to the major task required a lot more skill. The preliminary task required only a simple medium close up of a person with the appropriate text set around it. The major task, however, required a lot more thinking and planning as the photos and presentation had to show a lot more technical skills.
As mentioned previously the preliminary task only required a medium close up on its cover, which was fairly basic photographically. When taking the picture that appears on the cover of ‘Bede’s Pages’ I simply asked the subject to stand looking outward through a window, this allowed the natural sunlight to compliment her complexion and features subtly as well as making her stand out nicely against the background which remains shrouded in the false lighting of the corridor. In contrast t this, the photo on the cover of Bass magazine required a lot more effort as well as digital and photographic skill. For this image I place the subjects of the band ‘Metropolis’ on to a blank canvas, and then projected the silent black and white film onto their faces using a projector. The contrast between the black and white film and the colour of the surroundings looked good however I did not feel as though it fitted in with the theme of the magazine. When asking the models to pose I asked them to try not to look into the camera and to relax their faces. The emotion portrayed as each person looks in a different direction sees them looking outward toward something in the distance, as though something is coming toward them, because they are such a new and upcoming band, I like to imagine they are staring toward the fame and stardom that awaits them. When it came to manipulating this image, I decided to turn it black and white to fit in with the film Metropolis, after first doing it I felt there was no tonal contrast so I adjusted the brightness/contrast to bring out the dark greys and blacks which I feel emphasise the mood of this image.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Evaluation Question 6
Q6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Before starting this coursework I had no experience in creating magazines, in doing this coursework I was introduced to a new software which specialises in this kind of print based media- Adobe InDesign. It took me a couple of weeks before I fully grasped the concept and basic tools of this application. This included things such as setting borders and inserting a background image within those boundaries. As well as this, the font tools within this application gave me far more formatting options when it came to adding text. This included adjusting the height as well as the width of lettering, spacing and changing the colour to set a border around the font itself. As I got further into the tasks, complexities arose, this included inserting layers correctly, so that each addition to the page were visible, as well as this when it came to producing the double page spread it took a lot of time for me to actually work out how to set up the pages accordingly. As well as using this software I also developed on some previous skills in using Paint Shop Pro to manipulate some of my digital images. The photo on the front of ‘Bass’ magazine required a lot of precise manipulation to ensure that it suited the magazine properly. This included changing the image black and white by using the ‘Greyscale’ tool and then using the ‘Brightness/Contrast’ tool to really bring out the dark and grey tones against the whites in the image.
Before starting this coursework I had no experience in creating magazines, in doing this coursework I was introduced to a new software which specialises in this kind of print based media- Adobe InDesign. It took me a couple of weeks before I fully grasped the concept and basic tools of this application. This included things such as setting borders and inserting a background image within those boundaries. As well as this, the font tools within this application gave me far more formatting options when it came to adding text. This included adjusting the height as well as the width of lettering, spacing and changing the colour to set a border around the font itself. As I got further into the tasks, complexities arose, this included inserting layers correctly, so that each addition to the page were visible, as well as this when it came to producing the double page spread it took a lot of time for me to actually work out how to set up the pages accordingly. As well as using this software I also developed on some previous skills in using Paint Shop Pro to manipulate some of my digital images. The photo on the front of ‘Bass’ magazine required a lot of precise manipulation to ensure that it suited the magazine properly. This included changing the image black and white by using the ‘Greyscale’ tool and then using the ‘Brightness/Contrast’ tool to really bring out the dark and grey tones against the whites in the image.
Evaluation Question 5
Q5) How did you attract/address your audience?
The main purpose of this magazine is not only to inform but entertain audience members. This made the presentation, structure and character of the magazine very important so it easily appealed to the audience. The front of the magazine is almost the most important as it is one of the first things that the reader will see before opening it, and is often the deciding factor when coming to purchase a magazine. On the cover of Bass magazine I made al of the titles big and bold, making sure that the font was easy to read and that the colours complimented each other in such a way that it has made the titles stand out. The tone of the magazine is informal, however each writer would write knowledgeably with experience in the music industry. The language I have chosen to use is formal, but not as though the younger audience would be scared away by the vocabulary. I have used a number of linguistic devices that are exaggeration and alliteration making headlines catchier and easier to read. ‘Introducing: Metropolis- New, Young and ARE number 1’ this shows exaggeration through the way that the word ‘ARE’ is written in capitals, emphasising the band’s success in the early stages of their carrier. I have also used some alliteration in the title ‘Rachel Stone spills about her success’ this makes the sentence flow easier and also puts a slight emphasis on her achievement. The choice of language in this sentence enforces a more informal tone as the slang term ‘spills’ is used. Also at the bottom of the cover I have put the magazine’s website down ‘www.feelthebass.com’ so that if the reader does not have the chance to go out and buy the magazine they will be able to check out all of the latest news online.
The main purpose of this magazine is not only to inform but entertain audience members. This made the presentation, structure and character of the magazine very important so it easily appealed to the audience. The front of the magazine is almost the most important as it is one of the first things that the reader will see before opening it, and is often the deciding factor when coming to purchase a magazine. On the cover of Bass magazine I made al of the titles big and bold, making sure that the font was easy to read and that the colours complimented each other in such a way that it has made the titles stand out. The tone of the magazine is informal, however each writer would write knowledgeably with experience in the music industry. The language I have chosen to use is formal, but not as though the younger audience would be scared away by the vocabulary. I have used a number of linguistic devices that are exaggeration and alliteration making headlines catchier and easier to read. ‘Introducing: Metropolis- New, Young and ARE number 1’ this shows exaggeration through the way that the word ‘ARE’ is written in capitals, emphasising the band’s success in the early stages of their carrier. I have also used some alliteration in the title ‘Rachel Stone spills about her success’ this makes the sentence flow easier and also puts a slight emphasis on her achievement. The choice of language in this sentence enforces a more informal tone as the slang term ‘spills’ is used. Also at the bottom of the cover I have put the magazine’s website down ‘www.feelthebass.com’ so that if the reader does not have the chance to go out and buy the magazine they will be able to check out all of the latest news online.
Evaluation Question 4
Q4) Who would be the audience for your media product?
After researching the two magazines ‘Q’ and ‘NME’ it seems that there may be a gap in the market between the audiences that both of these magazines aim at. My target audience for the magazine is for 16 to 25 year olds, mostly students, who may be looking to reinvent themselves as the enter society from education. With reference to the uses and gratifications audience model, this shows that an audience member will be able to construct a new identity by comparing their own role in society with those in the media. This will also help a person become more interactive with other people, through discussion on recent topics in the news/ music industry. The audience will also be entertained and informed by the text; opening the audience up to people who may not be looking for a completely formal magazine. Because I am aiming Bass at a particular audience, it is important that the magazine is not too expensive as these people may not yet have a highly paid job or steady income, or even finished their education.
After researching the two magazines ‘Q’ and ‘NME’ it seems that there may be a gap in the market between the audiences that both of these magazines aim at. My target audience for the magazine is for 16 to 25 year olds, mostly students, who may be looking to reinvent themselves as the enter society from education. With reference to the uses and gratifications audience model, this shows that an audience member will be able to construct a new identity by comparing their own role in society with those in the media. This will also help a person become more interactive with other people, through discussion on recent topics in the news/ music industry. The audience will also be entertained and informed by the text; opening the audience up to people who may not be looking for a completely formal magazine. Because I am aiming Bass at a particular audience, it is important that the magazine is not too expensive as these people may not yet have a highly paid job or steady income, or even finished their education.
Evaluation Question 3
Q3) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
IPC Media with its print brands alone reaches almost 27 million adults in the UK with its online brands collectively reaching 20 million people. This company’s portfolio includes big names such as: NME, Look, Now and Rugby World. Bass magazine would sell to people between the ages of 16 and 25 and would cost £2.10 because the majority of this audience may be students in college or further education. The magazine would be produced monthly and widely available in the UK.
IPC Media with its print brands alone reaches almost 27 million adults in the UK with its online brands collectively reaching 20 million people. This company’s portfolio includes big names such as: NME, Look, Now and Rugby World. Bass magazine would sell to people between the ages of 16 and 25 and would cost £2.10 because the majority of this audience may be students in college or further education. The magazine would be produced monthly and widely available in the UK.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Evaluation Question 2
Q2) How does your media product represent a particular social group?
Because I have aimed this magazine at the age range of 16 to 25, I thought it would be best to introduce a new band within this age range at 17 or 18, this would be a group of students (so that the audience would perhaps have something to relate to) just starting out. The image on the cover of the band (Metropolis) shows each member stood together, with their faces neutral, looking in different directions as if something is coming toward them. On top of their faces and their bodies I projected the film ‘Metropolis’ over them. They are dressed casually to represent their characters as newly started and perhaps not having achieved their proper celebrity status including the designer labels. The wear the same clothes throughout the photo shoot and each photo featured in the magazine. For the portraits shown on the double page spread, I made sure each subject was staring into the camera as a focus and so that then the audience would be able to see their faces clearly. Apart from the image shown on the cover, the images are all shot in a school classroom, this emphasises their age and status as brand new, in more ways than to just the music industry.
Because I have aimed this magazine at the age range of 16 to 25, I thought it would be best to introduce a new band within this age range at 17 or 18, this would be a group of students (so that the audience would perhaps have something to relate to) just starting out. The image on the cover of the band (Metropolis) shows each member stood together, with their faces neutral, looking in different directions as if something is coming toward them. On top of their faces and their bodies I projected the film ‘Metropolis’ over them. They are dressed casually to represent their characters as newly started and perhaps not having achieved their proper celebrity status including the designer labels. The wear the same clothes throughout the photo shoot and each photo featured in the magazine. For the portraits shown on the double page spread, I made sure each subject was staring into the camera as a focus and so that then the audience would be able to see their faces clearly. Apart from the image shown on the cover, the images are all shot in a school classroom, this emphasises their age and status as brand new, in more ways than to just the music industry.
Evaluation Question 1
Q1) In what ways does your media product, use, develop or challenge forms of conventions of real media products?
To help find the conventions of a typical music magazine I looked at two music magazines: ‘NME’ and ‘Q’, both circulated across the country and popular to a wide audience. NME magazine established in 1952 was the first British paper to include a singles chart and has been widely popular ever since. This magazine is mainly aimed at teenagers, as its cover stars include those of teenage idols, for example, the cover I chose to research before creating my own magazine, Gerard Way was featured, lead singer of the band My Chemical Romance, widely popular with teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17. On the cover of the same edition, the magazine offers free posters, which would obviously not interest the mature audience. In contrast to this I also looked at Q magazine, aimed at older music buyers between the ages of 20 and 40, from the contents page the magazine contains an extensive review section, new releases, film and reviews; things that the younger audience member may not appreciate.
NME magazine cover contains a lot of different colours, which all follow a theme, the font is slightly animated, and text is large and bold filling almost 70% of the magazine cover. The language used is informal as a series of puns are used ‘Gerard goes to Hollywood’. The Q magazine cover differs, as the font is sharp and old, and covers only 50% of the page as the background full body wide-angle shot stands out. The font colour is used so that it stands out on the image but does not necessarily follow a theme, the language is formal and does not give much away, making you want to go on and read about it inside the magazine.
By looking at these magazines I decided that I wanted my magazine to slot into the gap between the audience ranges that both magazine cover, perhaps overlapping them slightly to create some healthy competition. By looking at these magazines I had plenty of ammunition to create a realistic version of my own magazine. Like most magazines the front cover shows large, bold headings including the name of the magazine ‘Bass’ and articles featuring in the issue of the magazine. It also shows a cover picture, which takes up the whole of the page and the various titles on top. The title of the magazine (‘Bass’) is placed in the top left hand corner as it is one of the first things the reader will see when looking at the cover, this is because of the way we read media in our culture from left to right, it is the first thing any person will read and notice. Throughout the contents and the cover I have decided to use the same font so that a theme is set, this font is ‘Elementary Light SF’ which in some cases I have made bold, and added coloured borders to. This follows the trend of all magazines. When placing the title of the magazine over the image I chose not to overlay part of the image over the title as I wanted the title to be visible, however having part of the image overlaid on the title is something regularly seen on magazines. On the front of Bass magazine, I have presented the group ‘Metropolis’ as quite relaxed and not dressed up formally, this signifies their status normality; teenagers may be able to relate to them, having just finished school. Their clothing is fairly normal, following today’s trends, however Zac (on the right of the cover) is wearing a polo shirt, which may present him as a mod. The film Metropolis is a fantasy of industrial take over, band members’s expression is quite serious and dismayed showing that perhaps what they stand for is against this modern industrial image (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017136/).
In the contents page I have followed the conventions of a real magazine by adding different features, these include, having a copy of the magazine name clearly visible about the page. Also, I have added a section known as ‘On the cover’ which shows the reader where to find articles featured on the cover. In the layout of the contents page, I have set sections to organise different articles. For example: ‘Gig’ and ‘Entertainment’ which can be seen in most other magazines, also in the contents I have put pictures of other things featuring in the magazine.
In looking at interviews form other music magazines, I have chosen a structure and layout, showing a large picture on the left page also featuring close up portraits of each band member. On the other page I have written an interview with the band. In following conventions of other magazines there is a large bold title stretching across the two pages, each picture shown throughout the magazine is labelled by who took the image ‘Portraits shot by...’.
To help find the conventions of a typical music magazine I looked at two music magazines: ‘NME’ and ‘Q’, both circulated across the country and popular to a wide audience. NME magazine established in 1952 was the first British paper to include a singles chart and has been widely popular ever since. This magazine is mainly aimed at teenagers, as its cover stars include those of teenage idols, for example, the cover I chose to research before creating my own magazine, Gerard Way was featured, lead singer of the band My Chemical Romance, widely popular with teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17. On the cover of the same edition, the magazine offers free posters, which would obviously not interest the mature audience. In contrast to this I also looked at Q magazine, aimed at older music buyers between the ages of 20 and 40, from the contents page the magazine contains an extensive review section, new releases, film and reviews; things that the younger audience member may not appreciate.
NME magazine cover contains a lot of different colours, which all follow a theme, the font is slightly animated, and text is large and bold filling almost 70% of the magazine cover. The language used is informal as a series of puns are used ‘Gerard goes to Hollywood’. The Q magazine cover differs, as the font is sharp and old, and covers only 50% of the page as the background full body wide-angle shot stands out. The font colour is used so that it stands out on the image but does not necessarily follow a theme, the language is formal and does not give much away, making you want to go on and read about it inside the magazine.
By looking at these magazines I decided that I wanted my magazine to slot into the gap between the audience ranges that both magazine cover, perhaps overlapping them slightly to create some healthy competition. By looking at these magazines I had plenty of ammunition to create a realistic version of my own magazine. Like most magazines the front cover shows large, bold headings including the name of the magazine ‘Bass’ and articles featuring in the issue of the magazine. It also shows a cover picture, which takes up the whole of the page and the various titles on top. The title of the magazine (‘Bass’) is placed in the top left hand corner as it is one of the first things the reader will see when looking at the cover, this is because of the way we read media in our culture from left to right, it is the first thing any person will read and notice. Throughout the contents and the cover I have decided to use the same font so that a theme is set, this font is ‘Elementary Light SF’ which in some cases I have made bold, and added coloured borders to. This follows the trend of all magazines. When placing the title of the magazine over the image I chose not to overlay part of the image over the title as I wanted the title to be visible, however having part of the image overlaid on the title is something regularly seen on magazines. On the front of Bass magazine, I have presented the group ‘Metropolis’ as quite relaxed and not dressed up formally, this signifies their status normality; teenagers may be able to relate to them, having just finished school. Their clothing is fairly normal, following today’s trends, however Zac (on the right of the cover) is wearing a polo shirt, which may present him as a mod. The film Metropolis is a fantasy of industrial take over, band members’s expression is quite serious and dismayed showing that perhaps what they stand for is against this modern industrial image (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017136/).
In the contents page I have followed the conventions of a real magazine by adding different features, these include, having a copy of the magazine name clearly visible about the page. Also, I have added a section known as ‘On the cover’ which shows the reader where to find articles featured on the cover. In the layout of the contents page, I have set sections to organise different articles. For example: ‘Gig’ and ‘Entertainment’ which can be seen in most other magazines, also in the contents I have put pictures of other things featuring in the magazine.
In looking at interviews form other music magazines, I have chosen a structure and layout, showing a large picture on the left page also featuring close up portraits of each band member. On the other page I have written an interview with the band. In following conventions of other magazines there is a large bold title stretching across the two pages, each picture shown throughout the magazine is labelled by who took the image ‘Portraits shot by...’.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Tasks
After thoroughly analysing the magazine pages I had chosen to look at, I was able to get a better sense of what my magazines needed to involve, I used this information aswell as the rough sketches I had drawn to get a good start on my minor task. I started by taking the image for the front page of the minor task which required a medium close up of a person (in this case a student). This covers the whole of the background, and I then overlaid texts and titles accordingly. When I was overlaying these pieces I had to be sure that the text font and colours had to be consistent and had to compliment each other nicely, as this magazine had to give off a friendly attitude as it is available to students at a variety of ages. I didn't need to edit this image at all because the lighting bounces off of the subjects skin evenly and shadows only flatter her. I particularly like her expression as it is not overbearing or over the top.For the contents page I had a variety of different ideas, I wanted to show an image that represented the school, through people being there, or simply the building, or even a logo. Eventually I took a selection of images from around my own school and put them together in a collage to cover the background of the contents. For the foreground of the contents, I created a series of pages which I thought would be suitable for a school magazine. These included: course guides, thoughts for the week, student art and pages about the sport teams.
For the major task, I chose the name Bass for the magazine, the magazine would feature a new band who have just recieved a number one in the charts. I chose to name the band Metropolis after deciding to experiment with projections. This involved using the film Metropolis and then projecting it on to the band members faces, during this time I also took other group pictures for the interview page and perhaps the contents and individual shots. I edited the image for the front page slightly to add more contrast and turning it bl
ack and white. On top of this image, I made sure the magazine title was big and bold so that it stands out against the background, aswell as any other title on the page.
ack and white. On top of this image, I made sure the magazine title was big and bold so that it stands out against the background, aswell as any other title on the page.To make the contents page more interesting I added an image I had taken previously to the background and blurred it to make it look out of focus. I then decided to add another image of Metropolis on top of it which I also turned black and white and adjusted its transparency to make the reader look again as they try to work out what it is. I then made the writing on top of it stand out by ensuring that it was bold and the correct colour.
The double page spread had to include an interview and images of the band. Seeing as I had chosen the band to be a recently famous one, I decided to base the interview on how they became famous and how being famous now has affected them, the interview acts as an introduction to the band. The left had page involves a group image, along with short profiles of each member of the band, showing their full name and date of birth etc. Along with this profile is a close up image of their face, one of which was cropped from another image and the others just close up shots.
Research
To make the creation of my tasks easier, and to get some ideas on how to make my magazines more conventional, I looked at two popular music magazines: Q and NME; both well respected music magazines in today's society. I chose these ones in particular, because I intend on aiming my magazines at the same audiences.From looking at these it was easy to grasp what conventions I needed to make my magazines more realistic. I would need big bold eye catching titles, and a font that would make the magazine name instantly recognisable, this font and colour scheme would then need to be followed throughout the magazine cover, including titles, banners, and taglines. The background/front cover image would have to be relevant to one of the titles featured on the cover, and this title would also have to stand out so the connection would be made obvious. The other article titles shown on the page would have to be in different colours, with maybe different backgrounds, or highlighted differently to show how they are independent from each other. Another important factor that I almost overlooked in the c
reation of the magazine covers is the use of a bar code, date and price, this will have to be included also perhaps displaying a website. In terms of looking at displaying different article headings instead of using elongated phrases like 'Also featuring in this week's edition' I could simply use the symbol '+' or '&'. Also to make the cover more interesting I could include the use of different puns and exaggerations to make article headings more interesting (as shown on the NME cover above 'Gerard goes to Hollywood').Also, using these magazines, I looked at their contents page as I had very little idea on how to present one properly. As I looked at the contents pages it became obvious what I needed to do. The images displayed on the page had to be relevant to the cover, and the pages that the magazine contained were broken down into sections such as 'Review', 'On the Cover' and 'News'. I also needed to ensure that the name of the magazine features on the inside of the contents, aswell as a date. I also needed to ma
ke sure that the contents page follewed more or less the same housestyle as the front page. Another aspect that I have to consider is whether I want the contents to be a double page or just a single, as both example pieces display one of each. The layout of Q is more spacious and the image in the middle is large and clear allowing more space for more detail, whereas the contents of NME is a single page, packed with only really the basic details.
Planning
The print brief, requires a short minor task which asks for the front page and contents page to a new school/college magazine, featuring a medium close up image of a student with a suitable title and formats. The main task is a new edition of a music magazine, including a front page, contents and double page spread. I have chosen this brief because it gives me an opportunity to get to know a new piece of software, and experiment. I have also chosen this brief because I like the photographic element in the production of magazines.
My initial idea for the minor task included getting some photographs together, and then drawing out a rough template indicating the house style, and using drafting some ideas to fill the page, i.e. article headings. I wanted the contents page to contain a collage of images in the background with text overlayed.
For the main task
, I new immediately that I wanted there to be an introduction to a new band on the cover of the magazine, this band would then feature on the double page spread including an interview with a
short introduction to each band member. For these pages I sketched them out onto paper, making it easier when it came to building the template for the magazine. I also drew up an housestyle for the front page and the contents:
Title-
Font: Elementary Light SF
Font Size: 170pt.
Colour: Black
Border on text: Turquoise
Position: Top left corner
Cover Image-
Size: Fit to page
Portrait
Body Text-
Font: Elementary Light SF
Font Size: to vary with headlines
Colour: Black
Border on text: Red, Blue, Green etc.
Bar Code: Bottom right
Price (£1.50) and Date (February ’09)
Font: Elementary Light SF
Colour: White
Price size: 24pt.Date Size: 18pt.
My initial idea for the minor task included getting some photographs together, and then drawing out a rough template indicating the house style, and using drafting some ideas to fill the page, i.e. article headings. I wanted the contents page to contain a collage of images in the background with text overlayed.
For the main task
, I new immediately that I wanted there to be an introduction to a new band on the cover of the magazine, this band would then feature on the double page spread including an interview with a
short introduction to each band member. For these pages I sketched them out onto paper, making it easier when it came to building the template for the magazine. I also drew up an housestyle for the front page and the contents:Title-
Font: Elementary Light SF
Font Size: 170pt.
Colour: Black
Border on text: Turquoise
Position: Top left corner
Cover Image-
Size: Fit to page
Portrait
Body Text-
Font: Elementary Light SF
Font Size: to vary with headlines
Colour: Black
Border on text: Red, Blue, Green etc.
Bar Code: Bottom right
Price (£1.50) and Date (February ’09)
Font: Elementary Light SF
Colour: White
Price size: 24pt.Date Size: 18pt.
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