AS Media Studies- Coursework Evaluation

Amber Foster

1)In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions or real media product?

My cover, contents page and double page spread is typical of the music magazine genre I have chosen: Pop. The 3 products all have one typical layout feature in common, the image of the featured artist is the main focal point. Not every magazine uses this layout for their front cover but the magazine issue which was my inspiration did (shown below). The fonts of the two front covers are somewhat similar in the sense that they are both bold and contrasting but my font is unconventional as it has details such as swirls running through it, where as no fonts of this genre have this characteristic. Furthermore, the fonts used on the contents pages both the inspiration and actual contents page are yet again bold and contrasting, but the layout the masthead ‘contents’ is extremely different than those used in any music magazine and it is used in sections ‘con- ten-ts’ descending. The fonts used in both the text and titles of the inspirational double page spread and my final double page spread are similar in the way that they are both serif fonts, the other similarities are the layout of the articles. Additionally, the layout for my interview is separated into columns and allocated onto the two pages to provide the link and visual aid that this is a double page spread. The colours used in all of my products tie in with the purple and white colour scheme which has been proven to contrast with all of my images, this technique of contrasting colours of fonts and images is used through out the music magazine industry.Inspiration: Front cover

Inspiration: Contents page Inspiration: Double page spread

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

The images used on my media products are only of a female, this in its self shows that my magazine is primarily based on a female audience. Furthermore, the colours that I have chosen also relate to females as the purples and peaches are stereotyped to be feminine colours, these colours are consistently used through out my media products. Moreover, the age that my images are aimed at are people aged 16+ as they aren't bright primary colours: those which are linked with juvenile audiences. In addition to this the fonts used are also targeted at females as those fonts used on the front cover and double page spread are serif fonts with calligraphy, the swirls and detail accompanying the fonts are more appealing to female audiences than male audiences.

What're you suggesting about these people?The conventions followed in my music magazine suggest that the audience would want to purchase a music magazine which has similar properties of one which are already published but with a certain level of uniqueness about it e.g. the use of fonts and their layout that I have placed on my magazine, or a USP (unique selling point) which makes it stand out from the rest e.g. the free club submission.

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

Digital PublishingDigital publishing would be considered as good option of for the distribution of my media product, this is because the magazines price would not be increased as the cost for paper/ printing and creating a website/ managing it have all been removed. So by having the customer directly download the magazine they would have to pay via online systems which most of the target audience would have access too. The use of digital publishing would also mean that the magazine is available of common products such as the I pad.

FreeOne option for distribution could be make the magazine free for public use, the best place for the magazine to be distributed in this case would be in music shops, instrumental and CD. This could as be an option if the magazine is contained in an offer pack with other (paying) magazines, like most magazines do with newspapers and other commonly brought reading materials.

OnlinePopular social networks such as Facebook or YouTube could provide good advertisement for my magazine, both if it was free or digitally published, as my target market uses these sites. Also other potential customers not in the market would also have the opportunity to ‘purchase’ the magazine.

Shops?This manner of distribution would not work for my magazine as the competition from revel magazines ‘Vibe’ and ‘Q’ would take publicity away from my magazine, also this would increase the costs as the distribution lines are longer: the manufacturer, wholesales and individual shops.

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

Who are you trying to attract?The audience for my media product would be people ages ranging from 16 to early twenties (25 max). Furthermore, the target audience is females, this is shown through my 3 products as the fonts, colours, imagery and general layout all have feminine qualities, but they are not overly feminine in a way that would put males off buying the magazine, so the magazine also classes males of this age as potential customers.

Colours Fonts Images

5)How did you attract/address your audience?

How would you get the attention of your audience?Firstly, the best way to market and advertise my magazine would be to use online adverts, on popular sites that my potential customers/ target market use such as: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Using online advertising is a guaranteed way that my target market will see the magazine, especially on popular sites as those listed above. Online adverts would be relatively cheap but a website would have to be created to accompany it.

What's aspects of your cover attract your audience?My target audience is female, there for the female characteristics will be the ones that attract the audience. These feminine features include the colour of the masthead: the colour of Amy's accessories, the flower bracelet which is feminine and the fact that the cover image is of a female.

How have your products been written/constructed to address your audience?The article has been written about a woman, that’s single feature addresses my target audience, as they can relate more to their own sex than the opposite. Further more my front cover has a ‘Z’ layout, the masthead at the top then the articles follow the ‘Z’ shape to end at the bottom with the featured article; this is the natural pattern that the eyes follow when they look at a magazine cover therefore my most important characteristics are those that are at the top and bottom of the page.

6)What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Blogger: Creating a postMain home page, showing the certain features.

I learnt how to published posts on blogger. Firstly you sign in with your account, once signed in the homepage appears, there are various options for posting; such as ‘edit posts’ when once clicked allows you to edit your previous posts. To create a new blogger post you need to click the ‘New post’ button which is outlined in blue. Then the post page appears, you then type in the things you want to post including a title. Other options include: adding an image by the selecting the image icon (identified with arrow), once this is done and atomically saved as draft, click the ‘Publish Post’ button to successfully add your work to Blogger.

6)What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Fireworks: How to create a new fireworks file

Firstly, I went into start, then clicked on the fireworks file, once selected it opened a new window which shows various options such as opening a file and creating a new one. After clicking ‘ Create New: Fireworks File’, a measurement window appeared which required me to type in the measurements I wanted. After typing in the size I clicked okay and my new file was created.

7)Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

What have I learnt about :

Technology: I have learnt how to use programs such as fireworks, slide share and Blogger. I have learnt how to edit photos on fireworks and create an authentic magazine. Furthermore, I have increase my understanding of Microsoft office (writing the interview), Microsoft PowerPoint and downloading fonts from internet sites.

How to make an authentic magazine?: I have learnt the necessary items that you need to place on a magazine to make it authentic e.g. issue number, barcode, date, price, masthead. I have also learnt the layouts that need to be considered for a double page spread and used inspiration from other magazines.

Conventions of typical magazines?: I have learnt the conventions of my magazine genre: Pop. I widened my knowledge of the layouts, colours used, names of magazines and pictures used. To find out these conventions I researched music magazines and got certain examples for a contents page, front cover and double page spread. Furthermore, I researched the font size used for a double page spread interview and fond out that it was between 12/14, therefore my font size for the article is 14 as this will fill the page, making the audience believe they are getting more for there money, it is also extremely clear and easy to read.

How to target and attract an audience?: To attract my target audience: Females 16 to 25 , I used feminine fonts and colours. Also the main attraction was having a female model as they can relate more to there own gender.

How to communicate?: I have learnt to communicate to the audience through the interview by addressing them, and using words such as ‘we’ to include them. Also by having the model looking directly at the camera to further direct the magazine at them via ‘eye contact’.