Evaluation Question 6

From the process of constructing this product I have learnt several things about technology that helped in order for me to complete this product. One most important technology I used is Photoshop which is essential in making my product. I feel I have learnt a lot using this technology because I was able to manipulate images to my own best interest and there are several features in order to create effects that I suited my magazine. Whilst using this Photoshop, I did encounter some few problems for instance whilst typing on this programme the writing goes behind the image. Another problem is that it was difficult for me to use the rectangle tool to create boxes around the image. Also the layout of my magazine was not in order, I was able to use to a particular tool in order to place the writing in a well ordered positions. With this technology I learnt how to manipulate a particular layout using stroke. With this tool, it helped in making a particular text stand out especially with the cover lines. Although these are problems I faced whilst using this part of technology. I found that using Photoshop useful and necessary in order to create my product. 

 

There are several tools I used in order to construct this product. For instance with the colour tool, I was able to pick colours that suited my magazine. I learnt that Photoshop was useful in creating JPEG files which was needed to upload my images on blogger, in order to upload this images, blogger only accepts JPEG file, I was able to use Photoshop to convert my work to JPEG. Also using blogger was another problem because it was difficult to move pictures onto blogger straightway but I did manage to do since it convert to JPEG. In order to upload my graphs on blogger, I used another programme; the paint tool, with this tool, I was able to convert my graph into JPEG file then uploading it straight to blogger. This was useful to me because it saves time and was also quicker. With this part of technology it made my work look order and professional since I am able to edit post in order for my work to be well arranged.

 

The first technology I used to construct my product is the camera-cannon EOS OO4D to take the images I needed for my product. With this camera, it gave good quality of images which made my model on my font cover stand out more. Even though I used this camera for my preliminary task, I did not know how to use the camera properly- I did not get the quality of image I wanted for my preliminary task. With this part of technology I have learnt how to use this camera in order to get the better quality image. Another thing with this part of technology is that in order to take pictures I had to be aware of the timing; since I wanted a good quality images for my product, I didn’t have to increase the brightness or flash but I did learn how to use some parts of the camera for example zoom, I did this to get the caption of my model. Whilst using this camera, I had different problems since I have never used a Canon EOS 4OOD camera before,  it was difficult for me to get handle some part of the camera, my picture often comes out blurry and rough, it did not give a sharp image I needed.

Evaluation Question 7

My preliminary task was to produce a college magazine along with a double page spread. During this task, I found using photoshop very difficult, the skills I have now have helped me progress into making my main product. One important thing  I learnt during this task is to improve the quality and layout of my magazine. Although my magazine did not look like a real magazine because I was not clear on the convention of what a real magazine looks like, which made my magazine look poor and looks more like a leaflet to me. Therefore with this prelimanary task, I have learnt that convention is main part of a magazine. My use of photoshop has improved looking at the main music magazine I produced. With this photoshop it made my handwork look more professional and I was able to make different choices of what my magazine would look like. Although I was not able to manipulate my preliminary task to my own  best intrest.

Another thing I have learnt that is important in a magazine is the image. Before making this product I had to take different images using a Canon E05 400D camera, with this camera it give a good quality of images. Although using this camera was diffciult for me at the time  I was told that in order to take pictures outisde I do not need the flash but for my college magazine I needed to take this images outisde in order to get a better quality.

With this task, I also feel like I have learnt something different, the reason for this is because at first I found it difficult to put the image on photoshop and also since the preliminary task was to create a contents aond a front page, I found it hard to choose the canvas. I have learnt how to chose the canvas that suits a front page, contents page and a double page spread. Also in order for my magazine to be in a smooth line I was able to use the grid tool either vertically or horizontal in ordet to make my magazine look professional.

The main thing that stand out for me in my magzine is that whilst I was making my preliminary task I did not go in depth of who my teengers were going to be. I did not carry out audience research because it was a premilianary task which was difficult for me whilst doing my audience research for my music magzine.  I have learnt that for a magazine the main thing is who the targets audience are and social group; people that would find my magazine attractive and would want to buy it when they see it in the shop. Using my audience research, it gave me different idea of  what my audience would like to see in a magazine.

Evaluation Question 5

There are several ways I attracted my audience. With the audience research, it gave me a starting point on what my target audience will be interested in. One of the ways in which I feel I attracted my target audience is to make sure I did not go off point that my magazine is a hip hop music genre, as this is what my target audience wanted. To support this view, I used my contents page as the main target in order to show my audience that this is what they wanted. For instance, I managed to use different images that will be appealing to my target audience as it is a hip hop magazine. Also the cover lines used on my contents page may also attract my target audience because of what is covered on my magazine; the reason been is that, I feel my audience needs to know how successful others had been in the music industry through hard work. Additionally, I feel I attracted my audience in the images used on the front page of my content page; I sued young models in order to represents my target audience. 

 

Although my audince research did not show the age or group that would read my magazine. I sent out emails for my audience research, I chose the people who did my audience research because they were about the same age of people that would read my magazine. However, the way I addressed my target audience is throught my front cover which is the most imporatnt part of my product.since it is main source of whther they would buy my magazine. With this front cover I had to maksure that my target audience is able to relate themselves to the image, the image is of a guy model which may attract female as well, the model is comfortable and looks confident, so therefore with this my audience can trust my magzine since it is not putting them on pressure to show off there body unlike most magazine. The way my audience challenges the typical way of a hip hop dress code but I made my audience my audeice dress casual in order to appeal to my aduience althought this may only attract the minorities.

Another way I attracted my target audience was through the font and colour scheme used on my front cover. I was able to download different fonts on Defont.com; this gave a wide range of fonts that would suit my masthead. In order to get the font that would be appealing to my audience, I used this website called the Stencil to give my magazine a tempting and recognisable look. With the font used would appeal to my audience as it is eye catching, bold and explicit. This would also give my target audience the idea that there is a message behind it. However, with the colour scheme of my magazine, I chose to use white black and red in order to for it to attract my target audience and this are the colours often use to associate with hip ho music. The reason why I chose to use this colour is because they are addictive, sharp and immediate. Therefore my magazine can not be ignored by my target audience. Although in my magazine I used formal language which challenges a real magazine, the reason for this is because I want my magazine to relate to people that would understand the words used. In contrast I feel I attracted my audience through informal language used on my front page ‘coolest chics’ since my magazine is mainly targeted at urban male audience. Therefore it is understandable to use an informal language.

 

With this magazine, I used a sans serif font in order to make my magazine look modern and enticing which would highly attract my audience. I feel that using this sans serif font would not only my make my magazine look contemporary but it fits well with the music genre and also sans serif font is often used in a real magazine which would be appealing to my audience. Moreover, with content page and double page spread,, the layout would be appealing to my audience because it stands out clearly, it arranged properly in order for them to get enough information they need. Also the page number gives my audience what page they need to read and not to get confused.

 

To conclude this view on the ways I feel I have attracted my audience is through the colours used, layout, language, Fonts and images used. With all these, I feel my audience would be willing to read to my magazine as it consists all that has been mentioned.

Evaluation Question 4

Before creating my magazine product, I thought of who would read my magazine and why they would want to read my magazine. Since my music magazine is targeted at young aged 15-27 male audience; they would be more interested in buying my magazine. Although there are several genres of music, with my magazine will attract majority of young people especially the male audience because hip hop music is what many of this young people are looking to take up as a career.

With my product, it clearly shows who this magazine represents because of artistes featured on my double page spread of my magazine which more likely to appeal to younger audiences. The reason why my magazine will attract younger audiences is because it focuses on issues that are concerned with young people. On the other hand, my magazine may also be targeted at young adults because some are still willing on taking up there career in the industry which is clearly shown in my contents page magazine.

It is typically known that Hip hop music is mainly associated with black people, with my magazine it did represent that through the images used in my product. However, with my pledge magazine, target all races. The reason for this is because many young male and female tend to listen to Eminem- a white male artists who has ones been rejected from several rappers because of his race and now he is one of the most famous rapper in the world. With this I featured Eminem in my double page spread in order for my magazine to sell and so that my audience will relate to it. Therefore, this magazine is targeted at different ethnic group of the age that has been mentioned and most importantly does who have passion in Hip hop music.

Evaluation Question 3

Before hand I thought of the company to distribute my magazine, the options I had is to pick either between Bauer and Vibe, since. The reason for this is because with Vibe media it tends to focus on magazine that attracts young urban whereas Bauer tends to distribute Rock/Indies kind of music.

The kind of media institution that might distribute and publish my magazine is Vibe Media. There several reasons why they would be willing to publish and distribute my music magazine. Firstly, with Vibe media, they are known in publishing books covering hip hop culture and have other platforms featuring brand. Since Vibe media has been on for a long period of time, it had made history in featuring different artists like 50cent, Eminem and Marie J bilge; with Vibe magazine they tend to make sure it attracts to young urban audiences. The fact that I chose vibe media to distribute and purchase my magazine is because it has a similar genre of music, it has the same audience although my magazine attracts both female and male. In comparisons to Vibe it tends to focus on either male or female, through this they put the main image of a male and not include female and if it is a female magazine, it tends to put up the image of female which attracts just the female audience. Therefore, in order for this company to distribute my media product, I chose the target audience which often read Vibe magazine, I created a similar layout and most importantly Vibe media have a mass audience.

Another reason why my magazine would be distributed by vibe media is because it would make a large profit for this company. Although, it is typically known that vibe only minority of people not majority; which my magazine does involve the majority of people. They would make enough profit in publishing and directing my magazine. Also since they are publishing and distributing my magazine, it is not new to them has my magazine is similar to something they are interested in. On the hand, my magazine may also be rejected by vibe because of the similarities and they might see it as a competition between my product and vibe magazine. Moreover, if this company purchase my magazine, they will get more than enough popularity since the Masthead is different to that of Vibe. Since many magazines do not target a wider audience, my magazine would definitely target at wider audience. Therefore, this would increase profits and would gain more popularity for Vibe media.

Even though I chose Vibe media to distribute my magazine, which would benefit my product. However if they sponsor my magazine, they would benefit out of it appeals to different ethnic group who are interested in Hip hop and want to know more about the hip hop lifestyle. Therefore not only would my magazine bring popularity it would gain influence into people wanting to buying and making a great profit for Vibe media.

Furthermore, my magazine could also be distributed in retail shop like that of WHSMITH. The reason been this is because WHSMITH is a well known retail store which would sell out my magazine as it is well known. Similarly, another music store that might distribute my magazine is the HMV; the reason for this is because it will be accessible to my audience.

Evaluation Question 2

This pledge magazine represents a particular social group. My magazine is targeted at young teenagers; male audience who has interests in listening to Hip Hop and RnB. Sine my media product is targeted at teenagers from a working class background, has it represents urban social group. Also, this particular social groups are more to have a interest in my magazine because they believe fame is the only the way out and also the artists mentioned in my product may also attract them because most of them grew from a working class background.

The ways in which I represented a particular social group is through the image placed on the front cover.  I took different images so that I can have a pick in a particular image that will suit my particular social group. The way, in which the image represents a particular social group, I was able to get my model to wear a top with a jeans rather than showing off his body, although if I had made my model show his body would attract more female audience and may also put the male on pressure of having a nice body. With this image, my model wore a red polo; I did this so that it could blend in with the colour scheme used for the cover-lines. Also he is looking directly at the camera which shows that he was comfortable and relaxed. The way my model is posed is not common amongst the male audience; they tend to want to show off there body in order to get some attention. However, I refused to let my model take off his top, because I wanted my magazine to be taking more seriously, in order for audience not to feel pressured and so that my social group can understand the true behind this magazine.

Moreover, the language used in my double page spread, is informal. The reason for this is so that they are able to relate this and in order for them to feel connected.

Evaluation Question 1

There are several ways my product uses develop and challenge the convention of real media product. Firstly the convention which was used in my magazine was a copy from a real magazine in order to make my media product stand out and look sophisticated. For instance one of the conventions that is used in my magazine is the Masthead placed at top of the magazine. For my masthead, I wanted it to be different from the rest in order to this, I had to pick the colour and font that suited my magazine best; I did this by downloading a font on dafont.com. The fact that I was able to select the font I want also make my product look appealing to my audience as it is eye catching and bold enough in order for it not to be ignored in the shop. Also the font is a sans serif which suggests that it is modern and it helps carry along the theme of the article. However, with the masthead I added some effect like stroke, drop shadow, inner shadow and gradient overlay. In my magazine, I placed the model in front of the masthead to make my magazine look professional and in order for me to engage with my audience. Although this magazine may attract more male than female as the main image of a male and the use of colour red and white makes it even more stereotypically masculine.



Another part of convention is that of barcode featured which is also important as a convention.  There is a similarity between my product and a real magazine as the barcode is placed at the bottom of the magazine along with the dateline placed at the side of my magazine. Also magazine selling line is also part of a convention usually put up to attract the audience and explain what the magazine is all about which is often used in music magazine. With my magazine, it has a selling line in order to attract my target audience and a way to interact with my audience since it is a hip hop magazine. My selling line is ‘ALL STARS SHINING IN HERE-DO NOT MISS’. 



The main part of magazine is the cover-lines used in order to communicate with target audience, to persuade the readers into buying the magazine and a better idea of who is featured in the magazine. I included the same fonts for my cover lines although the image and the cover line are the main feature of a magazine which acts as a selling point in order for my magazine to look exciting and make my target audience eager so that they can read it. In several magazines, the cover line is set vertically in the left third if the front cover, although some cover lines are mostly on both sides. The main reason I put my cover lines on both side is to get my readers engaged. Another reason is to make sure that the cover lines would not that detract the image. However the background used in my magazine challenge the conventions of a real product because in several magazines the background tends to be either black or white. However I chose my background to be different which my audience will relate to since my target audience are young male. Therefore they might find my product interesting has it gives a sense of feeling on what is been portrayed. This background may also attract my audience to by magazine as something to relate to. 

 

 

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Although, the main convention of a music magazine is that the image use on the front cover are often a medium close up. In contrast the shot of the image is a medium long shot which shows the model from the waist upwards.  Therefore with the image on my magazine cover will attract the audience into buying my magazine.

 



With this contents page along with the double page spread followed and developed the conventions of professional magazines. With the contents page I was able to gather different Hip hop contents; used it has a guideline in order to create this product. In a content page, its well known that the layout has can be in different form just has long as it has the message that wants to be put across to the audience. The numbers placed on this contents page briefly explains what is going to be in different page which is arranged neatly. The layout of a contents page is a popular convention used in most music magazine, with my magazine, the layout is arranged vertically. However, the images placed on my content page shows that it is part of a convention mainly used to represents the kind of people that should be reading my magazine and to get my audience involve. Therefore with the layout, numbers and images, attracts will attract my audience because different pictures that will interests my audience to read this magazine.      



Moreover, my double page spread also uses and develops conventions because of the article, image, layout and colour scheme. Firstly I included the image for my double page spread- placed it on the right column. The reason why I used this image is to get the attention of my audience and in order for them not to lose interests in my magazine. With the colour scheme I wanted it to attract my audience even more, since the model is wearing a red top; I was able to use the same colour for the headline. I also made this double page spread stand out even more because of the layout which I included exclusive interviews. 

              

With my music magazine, contents page and double page spread, has developed and challenge the convention on a real magazine in several ways. This magazine challenges a real magazine because it has a unique style to it because of the image and layout. Although in a real magazine they tend to include several conventions for example model credit which I didn’t include in my magazine. Has it is a Hip Hop magazine, some real magazines tend to use colloquial language in order to attract there audience which I also challenged. Therefore my magazine would attract my audience because I included the main feature of magazine which is the masthead, selling line, barcode, cover-line, main cover-line, dateline, price and main image.