AS Media Foundation Coursework Evaluation

1.In what way does your media product use, develop or use

forms and conventions or real media products?

Front Cover – Similarities Masthead - placed at the top of the page as a statement and as a main attraction to the reader. Both mastheads appear to have a bold font with a shape rather then rigged which suggests loud and not rock etc.

Main Image – both images have two artists. I have used two males whereas the other one female and one male. The facial expressions seem to be similar both representing attitude and staring into the camera.

Barcode/ Price – both barcodes are placed at the bottom of the page to not stand out to the reader but to be slightly spotted as it is important to have. The price remains alongside the barcode on both magazines.

Sell lines – Both magazines have sell lines alongside the main image written in smaller font as it isn't of huge importance.

Main sell line – The sell line is made to stand out on the magazine on both. The use of red and white are also used on each to compliment the colours used and keep it consistent.

Front Cover – Differences

Background – I have given my magazine a background of a wall instead of a plain back canvas to give a more casual and edge towards the mood of the magazine.

Main Image – The main image on my magazine has been done in black and white effect, whereas the real product is done in colour and most likely been airbrushed. The stance of the artists are also different, my cover shows them facing their whole body towards the camera, the other having them at a slight turn with faces not directly facing the camera. I have done this to allow the reader see the whole body of the artists to get more detail of the style and allows the reader to have more contact and relation towards the artists in the image.

Barcode – Barcode has been placed on opposite sides of the cover. With price on top of the barcode instead of alongside it. I had no purpose on where to place the barcode, just due to having text on the opposite side, this was the only appropriate place.

Sell lines – my sell lines appear to have less information but written in larger font compared to the other who has it all on one side. This allows the reader to not have to read into much detail, getting straight to the point and making it stand out clearer and easier towards the reader.

Contents page

Similarities – Both magazines contain the essential features to the magazine, masthead, subheadings, images, issue number and list of page numbers to each feature within. This making my magazine include what is needed to account for a real magazine. Both backgrounds also have a faded effect using black and white to create this mood of style and class. Also using the rule of thirds, both magazines have the list of page numbers and features placed on the right hand side of the page. Both images used have also been edited to enhance the artists appearance making them look more stylish.

Differences – the layout and appearance of the magazines show quite a big contrast. The main heading on the real magazine has been countered down onto 3 lines having separate lines for some letters. Mine however is just a simple heading at the top of the page to let it easily stand out, giving a more common structure to a contents page. Images as well are different as I have included two smaller images whist the real magazine has one focus image which takes up near enough the page, this is done due to having to main artists being focused on in my magazine, making it also look more interesting having more images than just the one. My magazine also included a editors letter unlike the other and seems to include more writing. Due to my magazine being the first edition, I have included the editors letter as a way of introducing the style and contents of the magazine.

Double Page Spread

Similarities – Both texts have placed an image alongside a selection of text to support it. The content both cover the same amount, mine being a interview whilst the other being an article. The text included has both also been placed in columns. There is also an introduction above the articles to give a starter to it, this makes the spread look more professional. Both articles focus on one singular artist. There is a use of black, white and grey for the background with a use of colour on the image to make the spread look more presentational and attractive to the reader.

Differences – The image I have used is a different shot to the one used in the real magazine. I haven't included any props to support the image either. I have not included any props due to wanting the image to easily stand out and be the main focus to address who the main artist is. My page appears more separate, having text on one side and an image on the other, not having the image and text going over both pages like the main text in the other magazine. This is done to make the spread look more structured and allow it to be easily read if you reader wishes to read or just look at the images. My magazine appears more of a rougher type, whereas the other being more delicate and stylish. My image has been placed on the right page instead of the left having the text also being the opposite as the other magazine. I have given my text a border and more of a use of colour within the text, whereas the other keeping to black. This allows the text to stand out and appear more inviting to read rather than text being oddly written.

2.How does your media product represent particular social groups?

R&B originated in the 1940’s began as abbreviated ‘Rhythm and blues’ which over the years has changed due to the culture and society also changing. It came from the African American culture, using hard jazzy beats with gradually turned into rock’n’roll and soul music.

In modern society, R&B is stereotypically portrayed to 16-24 year olds of mixed races.

Their interests base on going out, going to gigs and urban fashion. They tend to listen to this music to relate to their lives, giving them a relation between them, the artists and the music they play.

However, I have decided to make a different approach to R&B making it seem more rough and classy, giving a slight edge to R&B. The magazine should suggest more than one type of R&B genre, giving a more open approach to music, yet keeping to the classic stereotypical aspects to R&B – the music. My magazine includes aspects of such to relate to this audience:

-the latest urban trends- list of upcoming new music from favourite artists (Rihanna, Drake)- keeping confidence and attitude- wanting to keep in style, new trends, whilst being unique, different and individual.

List of contents pages all suggest the selected genre, such as Nicki Minaj winning a Grammy and Rihanna and Coldplay performing as a duo.

List of latest popular R&B artists. Use of black ,white and red to suggest the magazine to have edge but still casual.

3.What kind of institution might distribute your media product and

why?IPC Media is a consumer magazine and digital publisher in the United Kingdom with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year.

IPC Media is a leading UK consumer magazine publisher. Almost two in every three UK women and over 45% of UK men read an IPC magazine. That's almost 27 million UK adults.  

IPC sells a mix of music genre to reach out to all readers.

They distribute very well known and highly bought magazine NME, showing how popular this institution is and is well experienced in the media industry.

To conclude, this institution would be a great investment and company to handle my magazine, expanding the genre of music magazines and having the experience to get this magazine selling.

4.Who would the audience be for your media product?

For my media product I have decided to attract my magazine to females and males who enjoy listening to R&B.

Instead of usual R&B magazines, I have

opened my magazine to be enjoyed by the wider range of audience by my use of artists varying slightly and the use of images and colour.

Concerning ethnicity, R&B usually reaches out to the Afro-Caribbean group, whereas I intend my magazine to attract ay ethnicity. I do this by including popular mixed ethnicity artists.

As my magazine reaches out to both genders the colours must be classy but have a slight attitude. My age group I hope to attract stays between 16-24. This age group seems to be the group which tend to buy music magazines and listen to this genre of music.

5.How did you attract/address this audience?Background and

image colour being black and white suggest a classy take on R&B rather than bright and wild.

Information and sell lines referring to popular artists.

Having free items being held within the magazine to attract the readers attention. Top popular artists being

listed at the bottom of the magazine cover to suggest the type of music the magazines covers.

Updates chart on R&B, to keep

audience updated.

An agreeable price for the content of the magazine.

Large, bold masthead which covers whole top of cover, standing out to the audience, grabbing their attention.

Dominant image of two artists, intervening with the text, having the masthead behind and sell lines on top.

Constant colour theme of

black, white and red.

Audience Feedback – Front Cover

Front Cover Excellent V.Good Good O.K Poor

Front cover overall impact

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Choice of images and manipulation

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Choice of sell lines

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Appropriate use of language

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Appropriate integration of image and text

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Appropriateness for target audience

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Professionalism/ how well does it compare with real magazines.

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Audience Feedback – Contents page

Contents Page

Excellent V.Good Good O.K Poor

Contents overall impact

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Choice of images and manipulation

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Choice of contents/pages

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Appropriate use of language

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Appropriate integration of image and text

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Appropriateness for audience

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Professionalism/ how well does it compare with real contents pages

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Audience Feedback – Double Page Spread

Contents Page

Excellent V.Good Good O.K Poor

Contents cover – overall impact

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Choice of images and manipulation

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Choice of headings/layout/design

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Appropriate use of language

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Appropriate integration of image and text

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Appropriateness for audience

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Professionalism/ how well does it compare with real articles

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Audience Feedback• Overall, how would you

rate this magazine?

Excellent

Very Good

Good Satisfactory

Poor

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Strengths Weaknesses

Good images manipulation Bit plain at parts

Soft but piercing colour use Include more text or images to make it stand out more

Strong images

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of

constructing this product?Learning how to use to features of InDesign to create my contents, double spread and to place all my magazine together.

Using digital cameras to get my original images, considering shot, angle and use of persons within the image.

How to use Photoshop to manipulate images and to create my front cover, making the magazine look more professional.

Using internet websites of music magazines to collect information and inspiration for my own magazine, for example NME and VIBE.

Using moodle on the Solihull Sixth form gateway to collect resources.

Using adobe PhotoShop

These images represent the starting and end point of my work using Adobe Photoshop. It allows you too see how I have manipulated the image and turned it into a front cover.

To change the image, I adjusted the levels of the colour and changed it from colour to black and white. This creating the image to have more of an effect, standing out beyond the text I have inserted onto the page.

Just through using and applying text, embossing and giving a drop shadow on the sell lines, creates this image to now appear as a magazine cover.

The masthead at the top of the page singularly creates this photo to develop into a magazine through the of colour and border on the words to make the word ‘ego’ stand out clear and also follow the colour scheme which I use throughout.

Using InDesign

Through using InDesign I was able to create my contents page. I was able to insert my original images plus also giving them a border around this image to make it look like a photograph. By enhancing it further with a drop shadow on the image, it makes it appear more effective, stands out and makes it look more professional. Is used this on both images to keep it consistent and well laid out. This makes my magazine appear more enticing and stands out as a contents page, giving it more content other than just text.

Using InDesign

Through the use of Indesign I have been able to include content and make the magazine look more professional and stylish. Above, it shows how through the use of variation of swatches (colours) I have been able to change the colour of text to make certain words stand out or for separation of separate paragraphs to be easily read. Also by having a stroke on such important words it allows the magazine to look more professional and attract the readers eye. The stroke and colour border of the words also shows the spread to look more stylish and attractive to the target audience.

7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you

feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full

product?

Preliminary Task Final Product

How to manipulate images using Photoshop

How to use effecting on borders and text, such as drop shadow to make it stand out and look effective.

Use of varied camera angles and shots to provide variety.

Using InDesign to create an effective professional magazine.

My overall presentation and colour scheme throughout appears more like a real magazine than the other due to the detail I've put into it.

Through use of Photoshop, I’ve been able to make the masthead have backdrop effects and colour variation to make the magazine look more realistic and professional.

The sell lines have no been given effects and also variation of colour to make the cover look more interesting. I have written more sell lines also to fill the page more.

I have also experimented with a black and white effect other than only adjusting the brightness as I had before.

Placed the price alongside the barcode allowing the reader to know the price before purchase.

Using InDesign, I have been able to select a stroke onto my masthead to make it look more appealing to the target audience and looks more professional than

simple bold effect. The contents pages has been listed in a more professional way having main subheadings to divide certain aspects and includes a more detailed editors introduction which shows how more appropriate and how more in depth the magazines content is.

The images I have included on my music magazine has been given a border around to make it look like a photograph which makes the page look more presentable instead of randomly placed images, this makes the page look more appropriate for a magazine.

I have also included a page number reference and the name of the magazine in the corner of the page.