OVERALL EVALUATION

Robyn Lanphier AS Media

1) IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?

In my media product I have made use of many conventions within the three pieces. These include:

Front Cover Contents Page DPS

Larger (main) image Columns Main Image

Masthead Images Varied Fonts

Cover lines Captions Page Numbers

Plug Colour Scheme Columns

Date Editors Letter Website

Price Text Boxes

Barcode

Features

Promotions

Colour Scheme

Left-side Third

LARGER MAIN IMAGE I chose to use this picture as my main

image on the front cover because of the effective background and I thought I could work around this picture efficiently. Additional reasons included that it would stereotypically appeal to my target audience.

MASTHEAD My masthead was one of the

trickiest parts when creating my product, due to varied reasons (e.g. deciding on a name which sounded modern and appealing.) After choosing the name Audience.; I began to make my magazine front cover.

However, I came to a point where I struggled when trying to find other colours to use. I would’ve been stuck with only limited colours, such as burgundy, grey or black.

Because of the struggle and because it was so early on in the course, I decided to carry out some audience research in order to see if it was worth changing the masthead altogether. The audience agreed and I found that the name and the colour of the masthead wasn’t intriguing enough for a magazine; whereas they did like the style of the masthead.

I agreed, and so after trying to find a name for a long while, came to the conclusion of GLOBE. This name represents the multi-culture within music and how music varies all around the world. I also settled on a main colour of blue because it is a wide colour and there are many, many different blues that I could use. Also, blue can mix with a lot of other colours which made it easier.

I also found it very difficult to make use of the convention which many magazines do: putting the masthead behind the main character on the front. Doing this was difficult as my photo was taken with the background already behind him. After working with many ways to try and make this work; I had to cut out around his head and create a new picture with that and then edit it on the top in the same size, so it looked as though the masthead was behind him, but still readable.

COVER LINES

I use many different cover lines on my magazine cover which gave my magazine an edge and made the magazine look busy which could appeal to the audience because there was many interesting features in my magazine.

This is the main coverline I used which was an attachment to my cover story. I used different fonts and colours and also added effects such as drop-shadows and embossments to attract the audience and make it stand out much more.

PLUG Originally the

plug I used featured was:

I then changed it to this because I thought the artist suited my audience better and after looking at other magazines, thought the use of the “*” and the note from it was effective and looked more professional.

DATE/PRICE/BARCODE

After making my own barcode, I researched different magazine barcodes and discovered that many had different prices on within different places, so I worked out the price equivalents and so used that. I also decided to take the chance to promote my magazine and advertise the website.

DatePrice

Barcode

EDITORS LETTER

My editors letter was something I found particularly hard to write, because I wasn’t really sure how to connect with my target audience without repeating myself from the contents page.

Here are two examples of where I used both images and captions. I tried to use a pun on words within the “Welcome to Marina’s Electra Heart” because in the background of the picture, there are signs in lights that say “electra heart”. I also used a heart icon instead of an ‘A’ to add an edge to the statement.

IMAGES/CAPTIONS

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

I also created a barcode on my contents page, where if scanned by smartphones that can read barcodes, the phone should be sent to the webpage of my blog (www.robynlanphier.wordpress.com) .

The use of the twitter and facebook logos are used for promotion purposes and so I made use of them so that they would look professional.

MAIN IMAGE The main image I used is quite a

personal picture which could relate to preteen girls. It is like this because he is in a comfortable stance and is staring into the camera which could create the idea that he is looking into his fan’s eyes which fits perfectly into the audience.

PAGE NUMBERS

I had to make sure that the page numbers on my DPS looked real and were the same pages matched up to the one on my contents page. Also, I used other features such as wrote the website and the name of the cover story on the bar where the page numbers were.

FRONT COVER

My magazine cover was originally inspired by Billboard magazine but when I changed my masthead from AUDIENCE to GLOBE and then the colour scheme of my magazine from just burgundy and black to different blues, it was further influenced by this particular edition of Vibe magazine. I liked the colours and the use of conventions on the piece. I made use of conventions such as the colour scheme, the cover likes and the barcode in similar ways to this magazine because it seemed effective and made the magazine appear to look professional.

CONTENTS PAGE

When trying to find inspiration for a magazine contents page, I came across an NME magazine contents page. I particularly liked the top banner saying “THIS WEEK” and I also liked the layout; which is what inspired me to have my own contents page in a similar layout. I didn’t like the colour scheme as it is different to as how I imagined my own to be, although I liked the way the page titles and page numbers were divided into separate sections.

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

Although my own product is somewhat different to this double page spread, the layout of my own double page spread was inspired by this. I particularly liked the division between the pages: one being a full picture and the other being the story or interview itself. I liked how there was only two columns and I also liked the simple colour scheme, which then influenced me to make use of this within my own magazine’s final product.

2. HOW DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT REPRESENT PARTICULAR SOCIAL GROUPS? Personally I would assume my magazine

would represent females from pre-teen to late teen, of any class.

I have presented this by my use of image. He is fully clothed standing in an innocent position, wearing typical teenage boy clothing. The colours are more feminine as opposed to not, as I have use light blues and some pink. The majority of artists I have made use of are particularly targeted for younger girls and my article asks and answers questions a girl interested in my model would want to read about (e.g. if he is single, when he will be touring. I have also mentioned that he has been branded “The British Justin Bieber” – who is a typical teen icon for teenage girls).

Additionally, my product can relate to the audience because the price is reasonable at £2.10 – not too expensive.

The fact I have included the use of social networking links and also a website – this can relate to the audience because pre-teen females would be in contact with modern-day technology and so could make use of these.

The audience could relate to the artists I have featured; the competition(s); and the poster.

These are all effective because a teenage girl would relate to these and would stereotypically appeal to these features.

3. WHAT KIND OF MEDIA INSTITUTION MIGHT DISTRIBUTE YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT AND WHY?

The media institution which would typically distribute my product would probably be not only on newsstand, but also online. The use of a webzine for my magazine would be effective because the majority of teenagers have access to the internet and so they will be allowed to access the magazine digitally and also, for free.

My target audience could buy the magazine from a newsstand because it will allow them to have the free posters which my magazine features.

The magazine is released weekly and so with the price at £2.10, wouldn’t necessarily be difficult to afford the magazine if you wanted to purchase each issue of the magazine weekly.

4. WHO WOULD BE THE AUDIENCE FOR YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT?

Who was your target audience and how did you reach that decision?

My target audience was originally those of any age in working class who listened to chart music. After changing my magazine it then was teenage girls who were interested in chart music. I changed my magazine because I changed the name of the magazine and also I changed the main pictures. Because the main pictures were changed, I found that the magazine would more than likely relate easier to my new audience as opposed to the older one. I reached this decision after having multiple pictures which could relate to this and I thought because I can relate to it myself I would have many more ideas.

AUDIENCE PROFILE

Stereotypically, this would be the sort of character I would imagine to buy my magazine:

- Pre-teen

- Female

- Interested in stereotypical teenage boy music

5. HOW DID YOU ATTRACT/ADDRESS YOUR AUDIENCE?

To attract my target audience, I specifically made use of colours which could typically relate to those who are interested in the product. Alternatively, the main image I used is one that would typically attract a sort of ‘preppy’ female teenager. Additionally the promotions, plugs and the article I used also relates to my target audience.

FRONT COVER

I used a blue and pink colour scheme which would stereotypically relate to the target audience.

I used a plug which would relate to the audience:

I also used promoting features such as theuse of the words “EXCLUSIVE”.

CONTENTS PAGE

Again, I used the same colour scheme so that the pieces linked together.

I used twitter and facebook logos and also wrote the name of websites so that people within the target audience who have access to technology could take advantage of these.

I also made the magazine more personal by directing it to the audience, such as:

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

I used multiple quotes sort of dotted around and within the columns that I thought the audience would take particular interest to, such as:

6. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT ABOUT TECHNOLOGIES FROM THE PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING THIS PRODUCT?

The software(s) I used were Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator. Using these forms of collaborative software was useful to allow me to put all of my layers and designs together to make one final successful product.

I also manipulated my images to improve the appearance of them. I additionally manipulated my masthead and cover lines throughout the product to make them look more professional.

Online websites I made use of were those such as www.wordpress.com; www.prezi.com; www.youtube.com; www.slideshare.com. Using these websites allowed me to be more creative within my construction, and research and planning.

7. LOOKING BACK AT YOUR PRELIMINARY TASK, WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE LEARNT IN THE PROGRESSION FROM IT TO THE FULL PRODUCT?

I feel as though I have made dramatic improvements and progression from the product I made for the preliminary task to the final product of my coursework task. This is because of the many conventions I have made use of and the effort and detail I have put into this task as opposed to the preliminary. I have also improved my skills when using the software(s) and so this enabled me to explore a wider variety of detailed changes I can and have made to my final products (e.g. drop shadows, colour picking)