A2 Media Studies Advanced Portfolio Production Diary

A2 Media Studies Advanced PortfolioProduction Diary

Petra Divac

Progress Update Plan for next month/weekWeek 1

• During the first week we were introduces to the AS media studies syllabus to see possible course work production options we could do. As a class we discussed working on a magazine print which included the preliminary task and a main task design of a front cover, content page, and double spread article for a magazine we chose. I found this most intriguing because I am already familiar with magazine designs because I did a class of digital art and a design course work. What I learned last year could be mastered and used in this years media class.

• Create power point presentation with course work introduction

• Preliminary task start with school magazine Primary research

• Secondary research into existing school magazine front covers and content pages

Week 2

• I have finished my primary research in the structure of a questionnaire , in which I asked students various questions that would assist me in the making of my school magazine. The information I gathered I then converted into charts that I summarized, and this is what I will include in my designs. In order to get to know the school magazine design I accomplished relevant research in which I analyzed and composed existing magazine front covers and content pages.

• Complete primary and secondary research • Front cover and content page rough draft design

Week 3

• This week I finished my primary and secondary research and I have compiled information which I will implement in the production and design of my magazine. Using the researched information I began with the rough draft of a school magazine front cover and content page – both done by hand. This helped me envision the way my magazine could look, which lead me to further development and an end result.

• Continue with front cover and content page development

• Creating front cover and content page final mock up

• Organize and plan photo shoot• Props and equipment

Week 4

• For the duration of this week my focus was on creating a content page and front cover rough draft incorporating the information from my primary and secondary research. Following this, I noticed the positive and negative features that I had to improve in order to be able to develop a successful front cover and content page. When I was happy with the overall outcome of both pages I coordinated a photo session that happened in the course of two to three days. The front cover image was most difficult because it had to suit my cover best. Preceding the photo shoot I organized props, make up, and a location. I faced problems such as the weather wasn’t good enough and some of the equipment wasn’t working. On the other hand, for the content page images I took a series of pictures, I also used the school photo library which would be used if my magazine was really published.

• Select final images for front cover and cover page • Start with a final design using photo shop and in design

software


• I have began with my final preliminary production this week, as well as designing my front cover and content page rough drafts. I have encountered a problem with the fonts on my front cover and adjusting the image sizes on the content page as I’m not experienced in using Photoshop.

• Finish Content Page• Finalize front cover and content page layout and

make a final draft• Summarize and Evaluate my preliminary task

production

Week 6

• As this is the last week of us working on our preliminary task due to the deadline I have completed my content page, and front cover and have summed up my production. This week was quite difficult as I encountered problems with my research as I couldn’t find a specific fashion magazine I wanted to use as an example, I couldn’t figure out how to use some tools in Photoshop. While designing my content page I encountered the problem of putting my pictures in and keeping them aligned with the text.

• Looking at existing media production blogs• To Plan & Prepare my bog design• Gather necessary graphical elements needed for

my blog• Upload my preliminary task presentation• Research how to set up my own blog

Week 7

• I have gone with using “wordpress” as it is quite simple to use and setup and it is quite visually attractive and easy to navigate. I decided to use a background of a girls hair which I edited myself as it is a photo I took. I had trouble getting the background to fit. I have gone through other blogs and have noticed their backgrounds as they are quite plain or very over the top. I have decided to use a picture of my own.

• Brainstorm potenetial main task magazine ideas• Research existing magazine front covers, content

pages, double page spread articles• Critical analysis of front covers, content pages,

double page spreads• Research into publishing companies

Week 8

• I have decided that my final magazine task will be on a fashion magazine as it is something I am personally interested in and would like to do in the future. I would incorporate things that I haven’t seen in fashion magazines before. After researching existing fashion magazines I have chosen to analyze them in order to compare the conventions and styles used. I want to learn more about fashion and magazines and what really happens behind the production of a magazine.

• Continue with the production and publishing company research, magazine demographics and target audience research


• This week I completed my front cover, content page and double page spread article comparisons. I have completed my publishing companies research and I have come to the realization of how they communicate with their target audience. I completed my primary research into the fashion industry so that I would know what to incorporate into my fashion magazine. Using secondary research my primary task was to research who my main consumer will be. To create and process my survey for my magazine research I utilized “Survey Monkey” . With the help of this site I have been able to successfully make a consumer profile which I will use when making my own magazine.

• Final week of research and finishing presentations• Upload onto blog• Start pre-production and planning

Week 10

• This week I have completed my research on fashion magazines and the fashion industry as I’ve looked into publishing companies and learned about what types of magazines they publish. I have also learned about production houses consumer demographics, this week I fully pointed my attention to my research and I completed my research summary.

• Upload on blog• Being with pre-production and planning

Week 11

• I have set up my blog and designed it in “Wordpress”, using a photo I took as my background. I had difficulty with uploading the background and making my first post as I was having trouble learning to use “Wordpress”. I have started with my pre-production research by analyzing fashion magazines that have appealed to me.

• Potential magazine name research• Font Research

Week 12

• This week I have made a questionnaire and asked 20 people about a perfect magazine name. In this point in time the name “Chic” has won their attention so I have decided to use it. For my font research I have researched fonts on existing frequent fashion magazines.

• Main Image Research• Double Page Spread Article Research


• This week I researched various existing fashion magazine main images and front covers, I have come up with some ideas as to what to use. I have decided to keep it in relation with my double page spread article. After doing a mind map for my main article topics I have chosen to do an interview as it is most frequent in other existing magazines.

• Pitch Presentation

Week 14

• I have completed my pitch presentation as it will help me with the production and sell of my magazine as it answers various frequent and non-frequent questions of consumers. It will answer for who I am making this magazine, why, etc. I did not have any difficulties creating this presentation as it helped me piece together what my main achievement was.

• First rough drafts for: Front Cover, Content Page, Double Page Spread Article

Week 15

• This week I have finished the rough drafts for my fashion magazine front cover content page, and double page spread article. Even though I have previously finished research on fashion magazines I encountered trouble with creating my own drafts and ideas. These drafts I made just for guidance through out making and designing my magazine – not to be used for final.

• Being with second drafts for front cover, content page, and double page spread article making them more alike to my final design.

Week 16

• This week I have created my final rough draft for my front cover doing it by hand. I have based it on other magazine front covers, content pages and double page spread articles. I have decided placement for my articles and used a medium shot for my main image.

• Do Same For Content Page


• This week I have done the same for my content page as previously for my front cover. I have come up with a more finalized magazine design. This week I encountered problems with my design – I was not satisfied with the idea I came up with. I want to change how plain and simple it looks as it does not stand out or appeal to me.

• Complete rough drafts, do the double page spread article

• Write the double page spread article

Week18

• This week I have concluded my article after I have conducted my interview. I have asked questions many people are interested in as this is an article for “behind the scenes”. I asked questions relevant to her career as a designer, her work, and if she thinks about going world-wide with her work.

• Finish Drafts Presentations• Do Photo-Shoot• Find Props

Week 19

• I have finished my presentation with my drafts, although I couldn’t start my photo-shoot as it was not in the best weather conditions. I used this time to research more photo-shoots done in fashion magazines.

• Do photo-shoot for front cover, content page, and double page spread article

• Begin working on final designs in photoshop

Week 20

• I have set up and completed my photo-shoot as I gathered the crew and models I needed and have taken all the photos needed as well. I have followed the codes and conventions for what type of photos I needed as well as their size. I have chosen two young females for the photos of my content page and I have chosen my interviewee for my main image on my front cover. I have began working on these photos in Photoshop for my final front cover.

• Finish final front cover design


• This week I have working in Photoshop on all of my photos in order to complete my final front cover design. I had difficulty choosing a main image as well as supporting images for my content page. All my articles and images relate to the consumers interest, I have decided that the background of my magazine will be white, blue, yellow, and red as all these colors are visually enticing and all contrast from each other.

• Complete final content page design

Week22

• This week I have worked in Photoshop, again, in order to conclude the work on my final front cover, content page and double page spread designs. I didn’t encounter any issues this week with the article of the photos in Photoshop. I did find it difficult to make all my articles fit in on my front cover.

• Complete final double page spread

Week 23

• I have finished my final double page spread article and the design. It was hard as I had to choose the right images to fit my magazine and make sense to connect with my articles. My main images had to be good enough to connect with my target audience. Editing my masthead was difficult as it is short but had to make up enough space to fit across the top of my front cover.

• Finish production presentation• Begin evaluation

Week 24

• I have completed my production presentation by doing a critical analysis of all my drafts and final designs as well as including a very detailed explanation of my step-by-step process for my front cover. After deconstruction of all my final front cover, content page, and double page spread article I have now to do the evaluations. I have gathered audience feedback on my final fashion magazine design.

• Finish Fashion Magazine evaluation

Progress Update Plan for next month/weekWeek25

• As this is the final week I have completed my evaluation using “prezi” as to make it more interesting and different. By answering the necessary questions needed and required making my presentation visually appealing I have completed my evaluation. I inserted photos and pie charts. This is the final week of my AS Media Coursework and I will upload it all to my blog.

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A2 Media Studies Advanced Portfolio Production Diary

Education

Transcript of A2 Media Studies Advanced Portfolio Production Diary