Name : Alexander Stuart MetcalfeCandidate Number : 2704Centre : 33435 Aquinas College

AS Media StudiesOCR G321: Foundation Portfolio

Brief from OCR Syllabus

Question 1 – Who would be the audience for your media product?

I aimed my magazine at…

Mainly boys aged 16-30 but girls may also be interested.

People who listen to…

People who go to gigs & festivals such as…

People who wear…

People who are influenced by…

People who spend money on…

People who watch…

The PRIMARY AUDIENCE for my magazine will be males aged 16-30. They will be people who will enjoy reading about up-and-coming music bands and artists, but also enjoy reading about recognisable music stars. They will be mainly interested in the indie genre of music. I chose this group to be my primary target audience as I think they make up a large percentage of the people who listen to and are interested in indie music. I also chose this age group as they are the most likely to go to gigs and festivals to see music stars perform live, and will read the magazine for enjoyment as well as looking at the tour sections for information.

The SECONDARY AUDIENCE for my magazine may well be women who are also interested in the indie genre, and people from a different age group who may consume the same type of media. I chose this as my secondary target audience as there are some people other than males aged 16-30 who may be interested in the Indie genre, this creates a wider audience and more variety in my readers. The secondary audience may not buy the magazine as the features may not appeal to them, but they may flick through, or they may just read it as it is available to them through other people they know. The secondary audience is a different age group as they may be less likely to go to gigs and festivals, and will just enjoy reading the magazine.

I created a MOOD BOARD to show what my IDEAL READER for my music magazine will be interested in, what media they consume, and what they are influenced by. The mood board shows which music stars from the indie genre my reader will listen to and idolise, and also shows what social media they use, what television they watch and what type of clothes they wear.

The DEMOGRAPHIC for my magazine would be people who are generally interested in the main stars of indie music and the next big thing in terms of up-and-coming bands and artists.

I have been looking at some of the indie stars my reader may idolise, these are people like Alex Turner, Noel and Liam Gallagher and Miles Kane. The audience will want to see these people in the magazine. This will also link in the idea of a sub genre for my magazine in terms of fashion and status in terms of dress sense. When the audience see these stars, they idolise them by wanting to be just like them, so therefore they will attempt to follow their style of clothing.

These audience questionnaire results show that my audience would like to see up-and-coming bands and artists included in my magazine and they would like to see interviews and reviews & previews on these up-and-coming bands and artists. This is similar to the style of NME, who like to promote new bands and artists on the indie scene. The audience for my magazine will be similar to that of NME, the age and genre will be the same, men and women aged 16-30.

Question 2 – How does your media product represent particular social groups?

These are some of the major music stars from the indie genre that my readers may look to emulate in terms of style and appearance, this creates a particular social group of people who aim to dress like these icons. They will try and dress like them as they look up to them and believe that they set some sort of trend for their social group.

Miles Kane : Mainstream Reputation

Wearing a very smart shirt and jacket, making it seem his appearance is very important.

Hair is very neat and smart.

Has a very relaxed posture, hands at ease on the luxurious chair, rings show he is quite wealthy.

Looking directly at audience in a very personal way.

Very smart outfit, dark jacket and jeans, almost the definition of cool.

Miles Kane : Niche Reputation

Casually holding a cigarette, may give him a bad look but doesn’t look bothered by it.

Long, messy hair, this is synonymous with indie stars.

Gaze in eyes shows a rebellious attitude towards audience.

Interesting style and patterns on shirt, perhaps to make him stand out and different from others.

Black and white image, shows darker side to personality.

On my front cover, I aimed to represent a social group by making the cover stars the same gender and around the same age as the ideal reader, the actions of the cover stars represent a confident but serious style, this is shown through the way they stand and the way they are staring at the reader, by using a ‘gaze’. Also, the camera angle of the shot is at eye level, which puts the audience at the same level.

The dress sense of the cover stars represents a particular social group of young males who are inspired by music and like to dress smart, each member of the band is wearing a jacket of some sort with gelled hair. This is the look that the readers may attempt to copy.The use of intertexuality within my features creates a code that the audience of my publication would understand, they know that the band are new to the scene and that they are attempting to become very large and famous worldwide.

The features in my magazine may represent a particular social group of teenagers and young adults who are known for going to gigs and festivals, my features include reviews and previews of many gigs and festivals.

I also use a promotional advertisement that may appeal to a social group of musicians, who are interested in music through listening to music and also through playing it as a form of enjoyment.

My magazine also represents a certain social group of young musicians attempting to become the next big thing, my magazine covers an up-and-coming band, this will aspire to this type of social group, it may also aspire other young

teenagers to achieve greater things, not just in terms of music.

The masthead links with the main image of the band to create a code that the audience of my publication would understand, in the image they have the world in their hands, but the underlining message is that they are going to be huge worldwide and have the control of their own future.

My product represents particular social groups through the use of SOCIAL MEDIA. The social group my magazine appeals to will use social networking sites such as : Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This will be because they are mainly teenagers and young adults and will use social media platforms on a daily basis to communicate and to gain information. My product will also represent social groups through having its own website and app so my target audience of teenagers and young adults can access my magazine by using the internet or by visiting the app on their mobile device, which is something they keep close and use daily, this creates an easier access to the magazine by using multiple media platforms, it also represents modern technology.

Here is an example of a media product with a media platform in terms of a website - http://www.nme.com/

Question 3 – What kind of media institution might distribute your

media product and why?

My magazine would be a sister publication for NME magazine and would be published and distributed by IPC Media, this would be because the magazines are very similar in terms of target audiences and genre. However, NME is different to my magazine as it is published weekly rather than monthly.

My magazine is going to be published monthly, which allows me to put a months worth of music news and features into one magazine, my magazine will go against the mainstream ‘once a week’ magazine and goes for a more niche ‘once a month’ to gain an emphasis on quality rather than trying to force it into the face of the audience. The price will be £1.40, which I believe is a reasonable price for a magazine, it may have been more or less expensive if my magazine was weekly as it would have an effect on how often the audience will purchase the magazine.

How is my brand easy for the audience to access?

On my contents page, I give the audience more ways to access my magazine other than print, I use the side of social media in terms of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where they can go online and look at news on the magazine and on indie music without having to buy the magazine, the audience can ‘like’ or ‘follow’ to gain the latest information. Also, since my target audience use these social networking sites daily, it will almost become like a habit for them to see the magazine’s page. They will go on the page to look for things to entertain them in terms of the magazine’s information and lifestyle choices.

I will also include an app so the audience can subscribe to the magazine and read it on their handheld device rather than having to actually go out and buy the magazine, the subscription will have a cost, and so will the app, so it’s not being read for free, but it makes the magazine more accessible for the audience, and they can browse it with ease. Downloading the app, subscribing, ‘liking’ the page on Facebook or ‘following’ the page on Twitter and Instagram creates brand loyalty. The audience are able to access the magazine on more than one media platform, this also increases the size of the brand.

Distribution of my Media ProductRe-Wired Facebook Page

Re-Wired Twitter Page

Sponsored Hastags

Re-Wired Instagram Page

RWRe-WiredWebsite

Re-Wired Online Radio

Gigs, Tours & Festival Stages

Subscription

Re-WiredApp

Music channels on TV

These are some of the ways for the audience to find my product.

Print

Re-WiredMerchandise

IPC Media’s NME Website

The Brand identity is shown clearly on the website.

The website offers you the chance to subscribe to read the latest issue of the magazine, by reading the digital edition. It also gives you the choice of logging in to the website, or registering as a member. It also uses a search bar option so the audience can browse the website for whatever they please.

The website has different tabs in which the audience can click on to look at what they like, they also have film & TV, which widens the brand’s reach, as well as most read and most shared so the audience can see what is popular at the moment. Videos are also included which the audience would not be able to access through print, this is why it is important that there are several media platforms, such as a website and an app, the app uses a symbiotic relationship with Spotify, they both promote each other through music.

I researched NME to get a good idea of the different conventions and institutions that would help me in developing and distributing my magazine, I believed this would be a good idea as the magazines are very similar in terms of indie music and target audience.

The brand statement for NME is ‘Continuing to bring you the very best in new music’ this suggests that the magazine are very consistent and that the give the audience everything they want in terms of new indie music in their weekly issues. There are no facts in the statement such as ‘the best selling’ or ‘the number one’ they just give their opinion on what they are trying to give to the audience every week. My brand statement reads ‘Music Revamped’ this is short and simple and works well with the title ‘Re-Wired’ it basically states that we are taking music up a notch with the magazine.

IPC Media (an upmarket group that produces over 85 iconic media brands ) are also the publishers of NME magazine and Uncut magazine which are sister publications. These two magazines being published by IPC media would help Re-Wired magazine as it would increase the general indie music brand identity that all the magazines have.

NME‘Continuing to bring you the very best in new music’Frequency – WeeklyPrice - £2.30Online – www.nme.com

Re-Wired‘Music Revamped’Frequency – MonthlyPrice - £1.40Online – www.rewired.com

Question 4 - In what ways does your Media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of

real media products?

My media product is a music magazine which is of an indie genre. The target audience for my magazine are males aged 16-30. In my magazine there are many forms & conventions that the audience expects to see. In many ways by producing my media product I have used, developed and challenged the forms and conventions of real media products that are similar to mine in terms of being a music magazine and being mainly indie based.

My Media Product

My Front Cover On my front cover I wanted to use many different forms and conventions from real life media products, for example, I have used a colour scheme of red, white and black. This is significant as these are the main colours of the indie genre. I have also used recognisable music stars and bands from the indie genre, the audience expects to see big names in a music magazine. The masthead is placed at the top of the front cover, with the tagline placed just below. I have also included a date, issue number, price and barcode as these are all of the usual aspects of a magazine front cover. I have used a header which allows me to inform the audience of what will be inside the magazine. The main image of my front cover is the biggest image on the page, it is the main feature in the magazine which promotes a new up-and-coming band from the indie genre, this is important as the audience will always want to know what is the next big thing. The cover line shows the name of the band in big bold letters to stand out. I have also used a pull quote from the feature, this allows the audience to know what the feature could be about. I have also used many flash images from gigs, Most indie genre style magazines include images from gigs.

Comparing my Front Cover to Real Media ProductsThe colour scheme is very similar in terms of the red, white and black, this is common in all indie genre magazines. In the real media products, the cover line is big and bold and includes the name of a famous artist or band from the indie genre, this is something I tried to include in my front cover, on each of the real products, the main cover star uses a ‘gaze’ to either look directly at the audience or look away from them, this is again something I included in my front cover, the ‘gaze’ can also show the personality of the band or a certain person, which can give the audience an insight into the feature.

There are a few things I have developed and challenged, the real media products use few pugs, where as I have, there are also very few flash images on the front covers of the real media products, this is something I attempted to change in mine. There are a lot of features included on the front covers, where as in mine I didn’t use as many. I also include a free gift which isn’t included in the other media products, this could be the unique selling point of my magazine.

My Contents Page In my contents page I wanted to use many different forms and conventions from real life media products. For example, I have used a structured and blocked layout, with headings for different features in the magazine. The images are structured and include page numbers, this is important as if the audience like the image or recognise the music star in it, then they know straight away which page to turn to. I have included an editor’s message, this is something which is common in all contents pages, the is a convention of a contents page, it is something the audience expects to see, it invites them into the magazine. I have used page numbers in chronological order, so the audience aren’t confused, and know what is on each page of the magazine, the masthead is at the top of the contents page, with the issue number and date below. I have also included the website for the magazine aswell as the accounts for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, this is important as it encourages audience participation. I have also included a promotional advertisement at the bottom of the page that is related to the genre of the magazine, this uses synergy by promoting another company.

Comparing my Contents Page to Real Media Products

Once again, the colour scheme is very similar, it is important to keep a consistent house style across the magazine. Like the real media products, my contents page is blocked, ordered and structured in a way so that it is not confusing for the reader to find the feature they want. My contents page includes page numbers, which is also included in the real media products, this is a very important aspect of a contents page and something the audience expects to see. It allows them to find the feature they would like to read about easily and quickly. There are a number of differences however, as I have developed and challenged some of the forms and conventions of real media products.

My contents page has a masthead which reads ‘inside’ this is different as usually it will read ‘contents’. Also, I have included an editor’s message which is not used in any of the real media products contents pages. The real media products often only use one main image in their contents page, whereas I have challenged that by using 4 or 5 different images, this is so I can give more of a variety to the magazine, and it gives the reader more of a choice on what feature to read.

My Double Page Spread

In my double page spread I wanted to use many different forms and conventions from real life media products. For example, I have placed the main image on one page with the text on the other, this is so the audience can look at who the feature is about, and then if they recognise them or enjoy their opinions then they will read the feature, I have also used a secondary image in the bottom right. I have cleverly used the cover line and the main image, with the cover line being ‘the world in their hands’ and with the main image including an actual globe. This is used to entertain the reader. I have used a stand first below the cover line, which gives the audience an insight into what the feature will include. I also use 2 pull quotes, when the audience see this then they will realise that both of these quotes are in the interview. I have used a pug in the top left to attract the readers’ attention to some important information about the band.

Comparing my Double Page Spread to Real Media ProductsThe colour scheme is continued onto the DPS, as so to keep a constant house style. Each DPS has a main cover line, which is usually made to link into the feature, also in my double page spread and the real double page spreads, the feature is stretched out across both pages. The main image is the biggest aspect of the DPS, with the text being much smaller.There are some forms and conventions that I have developed and challenged however, for example, my DPS includes a main image and a secondary image, this is not used in the real media products. All of them use a stand first but my product includes pull quotes, this is something that is not used in the real media products. Also, I have used a pug in my DPS to give information on the band, this is not used in the real media products.

In nearly all of the double page spreads, the main image tells a lot about what they feature will be about, this is a connotation of a DPS, if they main stars are looking very serious, like they are in most of the examples, the feature may be a very serious one, if they are relaxed or joking about, the feature will be more relaxed.

Question 5 – How did you attract/address your audience?

Masthead

Repetitive Feature

Cover Stars + Main Image

Flash Images

Tagline

Pull Quote

Header

Features

Main Cover Line

Pug

Anchored Text

Direct mode of Address ‘The Gaze’

Gender, Age and Genre

Gender: My magazine is mainly aimed primarily at males but could also target females who like the same music. The cover stars are all male and are all teenagers around the same age. This is because my audience will most likely be the same gender as them.

Age: My target audience will be males aged around 16-30, the cover stars are within this age range of young adults so the reader can relate and be like them.

Genre: The genre of my magazine will be indie, this is portrayed through the stars of the indie genre in the magazine and through the clothes and appearance of the cover stars, they are all wearing jackets and have gelled hair.

The sample CD gives the audience an incentive to buy the magazine, also the audience will understand that KOL stands for Kings Of Leon.

Fan sections attract my audience as it gives them a say in the magazine and their opinion on indie music, they wouldn’t buy the magazine if it was just all the opinion of one person, they want a wide range of opinions that they can debate on, the fan sections also give the opportunity to share images and reviews of gigs the audience have been to, so they can maybe advise people or inform them of whether to go to see certain bands or not.

This also gives the audience an incentive to buy the magazine, so they can enter the competition to win tickets a major UK festival, Leeds festival, in 2014 to see their favourite indie music stars perform live. This addresses my audience as it affects them directly through the use of audience participation.

The features at the bottom of the front cover attract the audience because of the size of the stars included in the magazine, they will instantly know who Miles Kane, Johnny Marr and the Courteeners are, this gives them another incentive to buy the magazine.

Colour, Artists and FeaturesColour: The main colour scheme is red, white and black, these colours are simple but effective in terms of standing out and attracting the reader, these colours of often used in other indie magazines such as NME and Q.

Artists: The artists in my magazine are very recognisable, bands such as Arctic Monkeys and the Courteeners, as well as Miles Kane and Johnny Marr, the audience will buy the magazine just to read about them as they idolise them so much as they are big stars in the indie genre. I also use up-and-coming artists which the audience may be attracted to, they will always want to know who is the next big thing.

Features: I have included a range of features such as reviews, previews and interviews. These will attract the audience to read these features about the music stars the adore and idolise, they want to get the latest information on them and the features in my magazine allow them to do so. It is also important to have a variety of features, as the audience won’t just want to see interviews in the whole magazine.

The masthead immediately attracts the reader as it is in big bold white text and states what will be inside the magazine in this issue.

The ellipses is used cleverly as it attracts the reader by letting them know that everything they see on the page will be inside the magazine.

The editor’s message addresses the reader directly as it welcomes them into the magazine in a friendly, relaxed way, it also thanks them for buying the issue.

The images on the contents page attract the eyes of the audience as if they recognise the star in the photo they will immediately turn to their feature in the magazine as they are aware of the page number which is placed within the picture.

The contents is split into 3 different sections, which makes it easier for the reader to find the feature they want and directly addresses the audience by directly telling them what is in the magazine and on which page.

The pug contains important information on the band the feature is covering, as it is a red circle, it will attract the eyes of the reader to it as it stands out on the page.

The word ‘exclusive’ attracts the reader as it suggests that this feature will not be seen anywhere else, only my magazine has access to a band a lot of other magazines would like to interview, this is a unique selling point of my magazine.

The stand first addresses the audience as it gives them an insight into the feature, it is the first aspect of the feature they will read.

Added information on the band attracts the audience to become more involved with them by buying their new album.

The word ‘hit’ suggests the songs are very popular, and if the reader enjoys these songs, they will buy the album.

The pull quote addresses the audience as it lets them know that these quotes will be in the interview, they also give an idea of what they will be talking about in the feature.

The colour scheme is consistent throughout, with red, white and black prominent on each page, the colours are very bright and eye catching to the reader and the red and white work well together in terms of standing out. The red, white and black have connotations of danger, below is a example of the colour scheme of Q magazine.

I have used the same colour scheme as Q magazine with the red, white and black, these are the main colours of the indie genre of magazine.

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

This photo is a medium close up from the waste upwards with all four members looking straight at the camera with a direct mode of address. I have learnt that is important to use the camera skills well to connect with the audience.

Use of Photography

This photo is a close up of the four members with them all being on the same level, ‘the gaze’ is being used here, with three looking directly at the camera and one looking away, this is an important technique to show the character of the members. The photo is again taken in front of a green screen.

This photo is a medium close up of one person who has a good stance and posture, they are looking right into the camera and also give a very relaxed feel. The photo was taken behind a white screen, the lighting is very good in this image.

This photo shows all four members on different levels, with one crouched down and one jumping on another member. This shows the personality of the group in the sense that they like to joke around, photography can give a key impression such as this. The image was taken in front of a green screen.

Use of Photoshop in constructing my full product

For my main image on my front cover, I changed the brightness and contrast as well as the vibrance and the colour balance, these tools allowed me to create an image that stands out a lot more on the page and is more striking to the eyes of the reader. I learnt that these tools are important in creating a professional image.

Use of Photoshop in constructing my full product

I wanted to make my main cover line on my front cover stand out more as it was not very readable against the background, I used black and grey shapes that are dark and bold, I learnt these tools are very useful and helped me to create an effectiveness on the page.

Use of Photoshop in constructing my full product

I used the magic wand tool to remove the green background on the image quickly, and then the crop tool to make it look like the band members weren’t just floating in mid-air, I also enlarged the image using the selection tool. I learnt that these tools make creating a perfect image for my front cover much easier.

Use of Photoshop in constructing my full productI used placement cleverly to move the layers so the head of one of the band members is in front of the masthead, it is a convention of magazines that usually the masthead is covered slightly.

I moved and rotated the guitar so it would fit in the strap line by using the selection tool.

I used the type tool to create text for my contents, I was then able to change the colour of the page numbers easily by selecting a text colour. I was able to rearrange the text with the selection tool, and either making the text smaller or larger to fit onto the page. I was also able to change the font of the text to anything I pleased, I wanted to use Bodoni MT as it was quite a dark and bold text, following this I changed the sharpness of the text so it would stand out more, these tools helped me create the perfect text for my contents.

Question 7 – Looking back at your preliminary task (Aquinas Magazine) what do you feel you have learnt in the progression to

the full product?

My Preliminary Task Front Cover My Full Product Front Cover

I feel that over the two front covers my photoshop skills have progressed, as I have learnt more and understand more about the conventions of a magazine front cover, which is reflected on the front cover of my full product. My full product is less detailed but is more focused, especially in terms of colour and sharpness.

I feel that the main image on my front cover has improved from my preliminary task, the lighting is much better, and the image stands out more to the eyes of the reader. I learnt that by using four people instead of just one I could fill out the page much more.I believe my masthead has progressed, I learnt from the preliminary task that it is important the masthead is clear and readable, so on the full product, I made it much bolder, and experimented with sharper fonts to use.

I learnt that the main cover line had to be effective and work with the main image, this is something I attempted to progress from the preliminary task to the full product. I thought that my original was slightly basic and that it needed to be more complex to catch the reader’s attention. I used the word ‘introducing’ to give a mode of address and also use anchorage with the image above. I also included a grey/black background in my full product to stand out more as I thought my original from a distance looked hard to read.

I changed the colours of my strap lines and headers, as I learnt that it was important to make key information in the magazine stand out, I believed the red and white scheme was more effective than the yellow and black. I also made the text much more snappier and quick fire for the reader through using the plus sign and the dashes.

My Preliminary Task Contents Page My Full Product Contents Page

I feel that my over my two contents pages the quality has improved vastly, the colour scheme to the front cover is much better and I have ordered it in a much more suitable way compared to the preliminary task, it looks a lot more like the contents of magazine.

I thought that my contents has progressed in the sense that it is much more structured and ordered with the use of headers, I also changed it so it became all one straight column, I also made the text much bolder, I learnt that it was important to make my contents as good as possible as it is the most important aspect of the page.

I believe the masthead of my contents has improved vastly, I made it more interesting by putting ‘inside’ instead of just ‘contents’. I learnt that this was quite unique and clever as it lets the reader know everything they see on the page will be inside the magazine. The ellipses also leads them on to want to find out what is exactly inside, I have also included social media sites, I learnt that it is important that the reader is connected to the magazine on many different media platforms.

My flash images have become much more focused, I learnt that it was important to have the main feature as the biggest image, this is something that wasn’t clear in my preliminary task. The images are also of a much better quality, and the white page numbers works better with the images than the red.

My editor’s message is a lot shorter and snappier, and the image is a lot closer, I learnt that this creates more of a connection between the editor and the reader, I thought the first was too far away.

When choosing my masthead, I wanted one which would stand out on the page and that really signified the type of impact I was trying to create with my magazine. I drew up some choices and decided on this idea as it was the most darkest and boldest of the 7 options. I also chose this as it links to the logo of Nirvana, a famous band known for their loud and ‘in your face’ style of music, this is the impression I wanted to give with my masthead. I have learnt through drawing up these options that preparation and having creative ideas is important, this is something maybe I didn’t think about with the preliminary task.

I feel that when taking pictures for my preliminary task, I wasn’t really aware of how to take a good image, the lighting must be of an excellent quality, the background must be good, and the posture must also be just right. These are some of the factors which meant that my first images weren't as good as they could have been, they were taken in front of just a wall and were in hindsight, too far away. This is something I wanted to change when it came to making the full product. I ticked the image that I thought would be best to use in my magazine.

I believe my photo taking skills have progressed through to the full product, the lighting is vastly improved, the people in the images are much easier to see. The posture is also much better, there are a lot more gestures and facial expressions. These images were taken against a white screen with a top quality camera, this meant I was more likely to gain some excellent pictures which I could use in my magazine. I have felt I have learnt a lot more about what makes a good picture. I ticked the image that I though was the best in terms of lighting, posture and distance.