EVALUATION

use, develop or challenge the forms

In what ways does your media productand conventions of real media products?Conventions exist as they are identifiable for the audience and allow us to judge quickly

on what genre of music our magazine is. Conventions can reflect our cultural taste. However typical conventions do change over time as genres are never static and change to the modernizing audience which receives music. Throughout the construction of my music magazine, I have used, developed and challenged the forms and conventions of real media products .

Firstly , I have utilized the stereotypical forms and conventions of real media products for example on my front cover there’s a large title whereby part of the letters are hidden , an eye catching image and overlapping headings, which is expected on front covers. Also, I offered a freebie which is a typical convention seen by most music magazine covers. I followed the stereotypical conventions so my own products could mirror the professionalism that real products comprise and attract a large audience like they have done so. I explored attention to detail in different pop magazines who’s ideas inspired me for my own.

When it came to challenging the typical forms and conventions, I did this enjoyably by exploring other professional products like fashion magazines to give me some inspiration and ideas on professional magazines in general. My layout for my contents page is inspired by ‘VOGUE’ magazine contents page. This, challenges the typical conventions of music magazine contents pages as the layout has never been seen before in real music products.

I generally tried to follow my feedback through my questionnaire to incorporate the wants of my audience and based my whole magazine on my audience rather than what’s a typical convention and what’s not. The customer is always right and is the most important factor, and so, their wants and needs is what I truly tried to focus on

represent particular social groups?

How does your media product

I studied the social groups that were around me at the time of constructing my products and I discovered that the genres of music people were most interested in were indie and pop. I discovered this information through the likes of my questionnaire and from talking to people, asking questions like what they listen too on their iPod. In my magazine , I have tried to incorporate typical conventions whilst also trying to create a unique product. I have stuck to a conventional magazine for the fact it will draw in a large audience. I used a range of techniques and chose suitable conventions to construct my magazine in a way that would represent the social group my products were aimed for. My analysis of existing products has helped and inspired my process of creating a conventional product. The social groups represented in my magazine range, because my magazine has an average age from around 16-23, my niche audience include social groups such as school and college students, younger workers and university students. I think my magazine represents these types of people as it is not a childish magazine, it has appropriate colours and layout whereby it looks stylish and young I planned what images I wanted to use and edited them to make them more realistic. My images also have good connotations as I used myself and I fit in to the same category of my target audience. Therefore, my social groups are able to look at my images and relate them to their selves

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

My music magazine would belong in a media institution that mainly focuses on POP music in the media. It would be sold in shops that distribute music, such as record stores like HMV as this is a big company in the market. It would also be sold in local shops such as news agents and co-operative stores. I feel these stores would take on my magazine as I think they would have a good chance of making an income. This is because my magazine displays common conventions of music magazines already on sale, so customers would feel they trusted my magazine for it’s similar to the ones they are use to. I would make sure that my magazine got sold in shops nearer colleges and work places, therefore being able to reach my niche market without them going out of there way to search for it would also make sure it was sold in newsagents in large shopping centres. I would imagine my media product would be part of one of the big publishing houses, as I do not believe a magazine would be able to sell itself, with no funding coming from behind it. I think you would need it to be promoted first, which costs money. I can understand the competitive world of the media, therefore, I would want my media institution to be that of a successful one and an institute that would compliment my magazine

Who would be the audiencefor your media product and why?

The target audience for my music magazine are mostly females aged between 16-23 who are interested in the pop scene. Although, I do believe I could also encourage a male audience through using big female pop artists a male may be interested in and want to read about. I decided to base my magazine around this age range as I wanted to create a magazine that I could create to my best and that I could be apart of. As I am in the sixth form, I gave out questionnaires to my audience for feedback on what they would want in a music magazine which was a massive help for me. My magazine targets school and college students, younger workers and university students.

How did you attract/address your audience?

I did many things in my magazine products as a strategy to attract my target audience. For example, I chose to use vivid images, informal language, bold colours that were appropriate to the genre of pop music and also in my overall layout. All of my Mastheads were in a bold font, with thick alignment around which immediately would attract the readers’ attention. Also, my structure was clear and presented in a fun way. I think that my contents page was clear when navigating my audience throughout the magazine. In addition, I made sure that my images, especially my front cover image stood out so when people first see the magazine, they would be enticed and excited to read it from its appearance. I included artists that I know my target audience would like which means they are more likely to buy and read this magazine. I chose to present my double page spread as an interview which most definitely reach out to my younger audience. I used language that I thought would interest my target audience. Notably on my double page spread there is a lot said there in the style of perhaps how my audience would talk. I constructed it this way specifically to attract my target audience and keep them interested. I deliberately made my use of language informal for this purpose. Also, the way in which I have priced my magazine at a low price would be an attraction for my younger audience.

What have you learnt about thetechnologies from the process ofconstructing this product?Technology played an important part in the construction and research, planning and

evaluation stages of my project, which without would have been impossible.  Using new technology was very much exciting and gave me better knowledge.  Also, making my magazine experience a lot funner.

First of all, Blogger was a very new software programme I was introduced to.  This is were it all happens, in which, I've used like a diary to record all my research, planning and evaluation.  I had never used this site before.  However, I’ve found it very easy to use and I’ve noticed it has a lot to offer in terms of uploading video's, photo's and making my written work look neat and interesting. Also, it makes the quality of my work so much more great instead of printing off work that may not look as good on paper.

I used my digital camera to take photographs of myself. Once I'd downloaded them on to my laptop, I entered the site ‘faceinhole’ in which you can choose any celebrity and place your face on their body. I downloaded my images on to my chosen celebrity’s body as my image now looked very professional. I also used the software ‘Picasa 3’ to manipulate my images and edit them to make them look better and more skilled. I also used this software to input the text onto my image. I think I improved a great deal from the Preliminary task, especially with the use of technology. During the Preliminary task, I really did not know how to manipulate photos on ‘Picasa’ as it was introduced to me and I didn't really understand how to work it. However, after much practice and self-teaching, I began to test out various options and edited nearly all of my images featured in my magazine.

Microsoft PowerPoint and Slideshare were also helpful programme s I used to produce my PowerPoint's and put them on to Slideshare, which, from there I was able to move them on to my blog

Looking back at your preliminary task, whatdo you feel you have learnt in theprogression from it to the full product?

From the Preliminary task, I have learnt how to use professional technologies like Picasa 3 to create professional media products. I have also learnt that the audience is the main propeller when designing/creating a magazine- everything depends on the audience and the genre of the magazine. For the Preliminary task, I did not carry out as much research as I did for the main task. For instance, I analysed magazines such as Q, VIBE and KERRANG to scrutinise their use of conventions for their specified genre- which was pop, hip-hop/R&B and rock. My further research consisted of me evaluating other magazines, taking notice of their use of; fonts, house-style, colour scheme, image sizes… The research was extremely helpful as I was able to refer to other pop magazines for ideas on subject choices, images and colour scheme. I also noticed a clear disparity between my Preliminary magazine and my Music magazine- none of the images utilised in my Preliminary magazine were edited in any way, except for the one used for the front cover which was only cropped whereas all the images in my Music magazine were manipulated i.e. lighting effects. I felt I had made quite a large improvement from the Preliminary task, and I believe the overall product was quite successful when relating to the genre and target audience. I also believe time-management was crucial for success. I have become confident in constructing professional-looking products.