Q: How does your product use or challenge conventions and ... · Analyzing the existing decade, the...

Momal Zaidi - LACAS A level Main Market

Momalz Media NoteBOOK

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Q: How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social issues or group? I have used the basic conventions of a music magazine on my media product and developed some of them in various places. I have chosen Country Music as my magazine genre. Country music is a genre of American popular music that originated in the rural regions of the Southern United States in the 1920s.It takes its roots from the southeastern genre of American folk music and Western music. I would focus on western root. For research I first googled different music magazines, so I could see the conventions and know how to produce of my very own. I also looked at the same genre magazines in order to see what was good about in these magazine’s conventions. I don't think that I have challenged any conventions because it wasn't necessary. But I am sure mine is very different from typical “Country Music Magazines”. While using this genre, it is difficult to follow style and give artistic makeover according to the existing music era and fashion. One of the reasons is that there are no new innovation or new hit in Country music magazines. The changes that have taken place in country music in recent years is still in process to bring it back on roll or the list of hit and popular music forms in United states. The release of Taylor Swift's self-titled debut album in 2006 established her as a country music star and gave a new boost to Country music. She is continuously working on it as a profession. She received a Best New Artist nomination at the 2008 Grammy Awards for this. Analyzing the existing decade, the liking of the audience depends on representation, advertisement and fashion. Because all they want to find is just entertainment. On my cover I have used several conventions that a typical music magazine would have. Firstly, I created a masthead - "Country Music" across the top of the cover in light yellow color with rope’s rectangular border, following Role model Magazine. My masthead for the magazine connotes that it is specifically about country music so there cannot be misinterpretations. I have used “Hobo Std” font to write masthead in size 79. I used a medium shot as the main image in the left side of the cover. The aim of this photo is that it will be the main attraction, drawing people to buy the magazine. In the photo, my artist is looking at the camera, so it looks like she is looking directly at buyers .It helps to make communication between media product and audience. As my role model Magazine has a skyline, I also included one in ‘Gabriola’ but in different size from articles’ names. I have added the month of edition of the magazine ,which is June 2012, located on top right side of magazine with skyline and price which is fairly expensive, My Magazine Cover



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this why it is small font too. Just below the masthead is “Lead story Headline”, I had enlarged it from others so the buyer eyes must see it. I have used “Gabriola” font to write about all article’s title over my cover page and so of lead story. I have included main and interesting articles on the right hand side of the cover, in two colors to make it more exciting so the readers reads both lines per article, but still readable. The cover lines are intended to be exciting, but brief. I have used white color to write the name of article and yellow color for caption. As per my role model magazine, I also bordered four VIP articles. The font size of article name is 24 and caption is 18.

In order to encourage someone to buy something is to let something free or having some

advantage in buying the magazine. My role model didn’t have that I have included it to

challenge conventions. On the left hand side of the photo I have included plug in which

offers a free ticket to concert. I have chosen this because my questionnaire leads me to

observe that most people like concert. I also have included a barcode with price in the

bottom right hand corner of my magazine and I scroll it to tilt vertically. I have un-followed

my role model magazine as I didn’t include logo. A barcode is a standard convention that I

had to include. The barcode is there so that the product can be scanned when sold in a

shop.

An elementary convention, which can so easily be overlooked, is color scheme. I have changed the color theme of the magazine from the role model to make it attractive as for country music. My main color scheme, not just on the cover, is brown. But as you see throughout is focused on brown, blue, pink and indigo. I used yellow, pink and indigo to follow my magazine’s questionnaire, or what I like to call is “Public view”. These colors dominated by background which is shaded brown color. To tell the audiences which can’t read English or not bother to, I gave to my model to be dressed in the make-up and props of Country Music Artist. I mean straw hat, Jeans, Check T-shirt and the Guitar. Cover photo is the most important part of magazine because it attracts the audience, the most. Seeing my magazine cover, I think everyone could analyze that my music magazine is representing particular social group. My content page I have used some common conventions like pictures and pen tools’ lines through Photoshop CS6. I have divided content page in two columns. I gave my content page a heading of “Contents” as every magazine has. At right side I have included the issue number and just below the content heading is a slogan , “Discover Great Music”. Using Pen Tool and Brush tool I made an underline below the slogan. In first Column, I have included an weather shot of sunrise to be related to morning walk with labeled page number. Using “Hobo Std” Font , I wrote the title of my magazine first page and then I gave a brief about it in “A little Sunshine” Font. I have used some conversational language for topics of articles.

Role model magazine



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This isn't necessarily a convention for all magazines, but as my genre is country music, I thought that this would be more required while analyzing questionnaire. In Second Column, I have included a lead story image as large image than others, like all other contents pages. I have used Mid shot for the lead story’s image and in this image I have given duplicating layer effect and they are 3 same images. The first layer from left side of lead story is black and white pencil sketch effect image and which have hard light effect too. I have given my image a black and white pencil sketch effect by “Picasa”. Second layer from left side of

lead story has boost effect and third is the normal photo I have taken from my S3 Samsung. I have given a common background or border to all images and so main article image has it too. I included a page number on images too, which is a typical convention found on every page of a magazine, except the cover. The images on right side of the bottom are related to Page 12 and these are also three in number for a article. Top image is wide shot and the image in between is “mid shot” from higher level. I took the image from higher level so that I could show minority of little stars in profession. The Third image is also wide shot. On the left bottom side of second column is a weather shot including a view from old city town. Building at the sides show the fact that is old city. On my double page spread I wrote an interview actually. The interview is of the artist that was on my magazine cover photo. The exclusive interview was the main feature of this issue; therefore I had to have photos on the double spread. I used the several convention of having a clear title to the article on top left side to create the article stand out and to make people enthusiastic. I separated my double page spread into two sections; first section is about interview and second is about liking several things by artist. On the left side page I had the tile of the article and just below is the key quotation in purple color. All questions mentioned on double page spread are Pink and so easily differentiated by the key quotation and answers in Indigo. Questions have “Cooper STD” Font and Answers in “Estrangelo Edessa” Font. At the bottom of left side of page is a little pink strip on which I have mention ed page number and article name. On Right hand side is a Mid Shot picture of my country

My Content Page

My refined final double fold



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music model. It makes similarity to content page as it has duplicate layer effect and it has similar image as cover has. These similarities bind all the three pages together as for mentioning the lead story. I have added an image near to be taken from side posture as in background of my model’s image. The background images have a soft light effect. I used “Smudge tool” to make my double fold look smooth and as if the images were taken on that background. Moving towards section 2, Audience could see that interview has same pattern as section 1 has. I have separated the section to in two columns as first one is for interview and second for “Artist’s likes”. I have added the Photoshop line, I made in content page to separate both columns. The Artist’s Likes Corner’s heading has same font as key quotation has. I have used “A little sunshine” font for the captions and strapline for the images connected with arrow to oval shape image in between. This oval image is observed by audience as the likes are of which artist. I created the arrow by using pen tool and brush tool. Some of likings have personal images of artist’s own life. Oval shape image is also double layered and I have made border by brush tool using different clip arts and colors. I placed the Park image in background and artist image in front. I used smudge tool to smudge both images. Concluding my answer, I would like to say that I have used all tools and effects I know of any software I know well. Seeing my magazine task, I think everyone could analyze that my music magazine is representing particular social group. Firstly, most of the photos included on the magazine are of country music interrelated. I would admittedly say that my magazine is for both gender due to the photos and the color choices such as Blue, pink, light yellow and purple in common. Although, unlike most country magazine my magazine has photos of girl on the cover, but it is still clear that the magazine is indicated at music. My magazine is very promotion based. I haven't included any photos of boys but it didn't mean I want girls to lose focus on the main feature and I wanted my magazine to be different to magazines that are already out there. But it didn’t mean that I am gender possessive. I say my magazine is aimed at audience because it is represented by the use of neutral colors, which didn’t neglect any gender. Girls will buy the magazine despite there being no many photos on the cover and dominant most girls’ favourite features. I mean fashion, style, make up and look including country music representation. It has been observed in studying media that the buyers are the opposite genders then the magazine has represented to. Like Judith Butler says in his gender theories that media products changes the identities of gender and so effect our way of thing. Boys buy the magazines with female’s photos and girls buying magazines while attracted to see boys’ photo shoot. I have used exciting cover lines, offer and a couple of photos of female star to attract girls to the magazine. I feel that my magazine offers something different to typical country music magazines for audience above 16. This is because it is kind of serious for below 16. My magazine is for audience above 16 that are actually interested in and like listening to current country music and want something nice to read. I shouldn't use the term 'dazzling',



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but people do buy a magazine based on the looks of an artist. However, if I have a 'sexy' person or a 'horrible' person on the cover, the one which will get more sellers will probably be the magazine cover with the pretty person. These are very loose words though people can have different feelings on the way someone looks. However, I didn't feel that it was the most important thing on my magazine as long as she looks appropriate then it is ok. I do not appreciate this type of gossip. The girl on the cover is 19 years old; this means that the people I hope to be interested in buying the magazine will be a similar age to her. I think, this is not really an appropriate for adults. My model is fully clothed, she hasn't dress provocatively. This shows that the stars, although turning into bigger celebrities, are just like us. They are still real, despite the fact that they are changing and becoming popular. They don't need to change who they are on the inside or outside, this shows that some stars don't get overwhelmed by the fame. Q How did your production skills develop throughout this project? I do have an HP Laptop at home, so I have background knowledge on how to use the laptops. I got familiar with the software 'Photoshop CS6', which I had to use many times in the process of making my magazine, for the production. The technological products that I used to take my photos were my S3 Samsung. My S3 I was able to edit the photos before even uploading it to Windows. Therefore, both these ways were beneficial. I learnt more about how to use the camera shots, because I don't own one of the professional cameras, but I learnt how to use it and I also learnt about how to use the SD card properly and upload the photos from the camera onto the laptop. I used SkyDrive as software on the laptop to store all my photos and to edit, I use Picasa when necessary. I also used SkyDrive as the software, where my photos were exported from if they were to be used on my magazine. I have used SkyDrive many times before. I know how to make different albums, which are called events and I know how to order the photos easily. I think that as I knew how to use SkyDrive before this production of my magazine, it made it quicker and easier for me to use. I have also edited many photos before on SkyDrive, so it was not new to me. The main software that I used for my production work was Adobe Photoshop CS6. I created my entire music magazine; the cover, content page and the double page spread on Adobe Photoshop. I had used Photoshop before this production, but not in as much depth as I had to in order to produce the best magazine I could do. At first, we went through some basic steps in class; this was like a tutorial on how to use Photoshop. We learnt how to apply text and shapes in different colors, as well as adding photographs. We also did a preliminary task to help us get an idea of how to use Photoshop. For the main construction work, I acknowledged lots of different type of styles, optimistic colors, radiant effects, outlines, boxes of different color variations and more in Photoshop. I used trial and error to get the best result I could by using lots of different effects. This



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helped me to mix around with altered tools and then I could see what the best option was. I watched some lesson videos from Torrent as well, to help me to get a better understanding of the software because it is quite complex. After a while, I soon got the hang of it and I thought that I could be more adventurous and try new things on Photoshop Software. I could try many things. I think that I preceded the most using Adobe Photoshop experience, compared to all the other different types of software that I also used when making the creation. Finally, as easy as it may sound, I did in fact have some issues with printing. This could be considered the most important thing, because after having made the product, it would be of no use to anyone if it were trapped on the screen. I had to print out the cover and the contents as an A4 sheet of paper and the layout was portrait (vertical print). Whereas, for the double page spread I had to make sure it was an A3 sheet and that the layout was landscape. I had to make sure that only one sheet was printed and that it was sent to the correct printer, as well as scaling the media to fit the page. Otherwise, even if I had chosen the right size sheet, it would not have fitted correctly to the sheet of paper. I have used art print page for the print. It was also better to save the document as a JPEG instead of a document on Photoshop, because it would be a lot heavy file and take a longer time to print. I sometimes had to print the same sheet out a few times because there were quite a few things to check on the printing properties. I think that now I know what to consider when printing and I've learnt about the printing technology too. I was a great experience for me. Q How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as real media text? In Media, we need to make sure that we are tapping into as many of the human senses as possible so that we can really connect with our audience. The more pleasurable the experience is for our audience, is the better of our product? We experience life through our 5 senses. I involve my audience in my magazine through “Free Product Advertisement”, Bright color scheme, telling about latest music they could hear etc. Some people love to read so they have lots of magazines and with interesting pictures. Many focus on advertisements given inside and outside the magazine. But I would like to distribute it in various forms so that my magazine just not covers photograph’s lovers but also readers. So I will use Twitter, Facebook and Linked In as visual connection points to reach my ideal purchasers. So that my magazine market grows and I could continue it as monthly magazine. But commonly most advertisers focus primarily on targeting the visual means of audience connection, which is fine if and you are well established. It is not innovative way; research must be used to see in which direction the new ideas must focus. I had used a different format from typical country music magazine’s theme. Because all country music magazines has a century old format which makes it not interesting and so



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only limited audience engaged in it. 8.9% of recorded music retail sales were of country music globally, as per records of 2009. These days no entertainment, no wow factor in magazine and no attractive offers and articles means no market. I would like to distribute my magazine by making podcasts, making pages on almost every famous social networking site, distribute some free copies among critics and make it available at every store. Networking is one of the most cost effective ways to grow a magazine regulation. When we actively engage in live conversations with people, we get to shake hands with contacts and feel the energy that they bring to the world. Sometimes when I am surfing the web, exercising or doing something that doesn't involve intense focus, I like to listen to podcasts. It helps me to stay informed and allows me to hear different points of view on a variety of topics. So connect with audience I would prefer an auditory experience, having a podcast or at least an audio option for your magazine online is a must. I must have hundred print s of my magazine samples to distribute among different stores around my house and in most magazine selling and buying magazines shop. I have stated the price $19.95 on magazine cover. Some may argue that for the students who are in full time education and probably not earning, it is quite expensive and so not ideal. But really it’s the least price my budget could allow. People may think that only the richest or spoilt teenagers will get it. But I did consider this when choosing the cost. I think that as it is a monthly magazine $19.95 it isn't that expensive; if it was a weekly magazine then I would've made each issue cheaper. I think that may be some people will not buy because of the price. However, I still think people of all background will be able to buy it. Richard Dyer find out the “Matters of Images” theory which helps me understand that one image could represent a whole genre of group of artist related to Country music. One image could represent a specific genre. So I used only one model in my task which at some point makes my magazine selling weak. I would like that my magazine should be published by Billboard Music Magazine. Billboard is an American music magazine located in New York and owned by Prometheus Global Media. Billboard Magazine was first published on 1894, and is distinguished as being among the oldest trade magazines in the world before specializing in the music industry in the 1960s. As it is owned by a global institution, it will help my magazine spread to several countries. It will most ultimate experience for me. Q How did you integrate technologies- software, hardware and online- in this project?

Successful technology integration is more than just getting the knowledge about tools into the classroom. I had used Photoshop CS6, Picasa, Corel Draw X5 and Google. I have used basic effects in my magazine project and make simple and catchy. I used Picasa just for cropping and SkyDrive to save photos. I clicked Photoshop and open 8 by 11 inch blank page. I downloaded two wood wallpapers from Google. Then I included a light wood colored background on all over



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the blank page. Then I added a wood background and covered the first with it. Using screen tool I made it see-through a lighter by the Curve tool in right hand side column. Then I added the skyline and edition with price on the heading. Following the existing magazine, I add rope clipart at the border of My magazine masthead. Next I added my model’s photo. To Add an image; we have to use Polygonal Lasso Tool. Then I blur and smudge the edges of it. Then I added Wax Seal at bottom of the right side. I made it dissolve 80% with Dissolve tool given in bars just above the layers column. Janda Happy Day Font to write Free which I downloaded from www.dafont.com. Adding the plug in I start the cover story name just below the masthead. I used Forte font to write the name of cover story. Then I made barcode in a separate tab in Photoshop. Firstly I downloaded a barcode and scroll it vertically added in to the blank page. Then I downloaded some clipart to make a logo under barcode. I added my weather shot of clouds in and decorating it with lightening while using brush tool. Then I added dark blue color wallpaper behind the cloud to make sky look dark. Then I added the clipart cowboy on the horse , tree and grass. Then I cropped the rock photo give logo a natural look. Adding the barcode I added the cover lines and rope border from top and bottom. And my cover page was ready to print. Then I constructed my content page using A4 size. First I download lightest brown color page and dissolve it to 94% which grainy effect on background. Then I added old page downloaded from Google as a background for my contents. Using two different I wrote my contents then I added a small photo from internet for the article on page 11. Erasing the white area in between the photo I added skin color in background. Next photo I created on separate Photoshop file was of page 24. I downloaded coal burning photo and using magic wand tool I selected Camera film picture to past on coal picture. Then I selected polygonal lasso tool to cut the section in between the opened film roll. Then I made continues motion images from three clipart the thunder picture, grass and cowboy with horse picture. For the last and main article image I downloaded the wood bark background and using polygonal lasso tool I edited the image for content page. Then I added the clipart grass behind my model sitting place. Then I wrote the article name on the left side of the top. To show page number on images I used a oval shaped wood piece plated with the number on it. I also put a country music logo just under the contents title.

http://www.dafont.com/



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Then I open new Photoshop A4 size for left side of double fold. I enlarge the wood wallpaper in background. I wrote the title from Forte font. After that I wrote the subtitle under it and then writer name. By using polygonal lasso tool and I place the main image in middle of A4.Then using Blur tool I made my page look clean. I used Curve tool to make the wood look light.After that I open another new Photoshop A4 size for right side of double fold. I again enlarge the wood wallpaper in background. Then Using curve tool to make the wood look light. By using polygonal lasso tool and I place another image in left bottom side of A4.Then using Blur tool I made my page look clean. Then I switched both in one A3 page, this both double fold page were on one screen or page. After that I included the whole interview. Taking my co-student’s view I realize that I didn’t fulfill the requirements of basic publishing pattern and designing uses to much internet pictures and we are only allowed for 3 to 4 images of internet per page. I started refinement seeing this. I analyzed that I should keep all conventions similar to Ideal Magazine for my cover page. But to make a difference I changed the background and removed the logo. I removed the Logo because it was

not representing any symbol it was scenery. I wrote All Articles, Skyline, Month of issue and Price tag is in Gabriola font. I smudge the images more than Pervious Cover even the I smudge the ropes also. I also removed my name as it was not necessary to add. Seeing my previous attempt I could

analyze that I have used almost all functions that I could add in both finals. I have not changed all articles name. My Previous final has 9 different Images processed to make cover and in refined final I included

8 Images. Now my cover photo now dominates the cover’s color scheme and articles are more visible and accurate as usually magazines have. Moving toward I started refining my content page I opened new A4 Size Photoshop Page. I selected a new role model magazine. I had used white color page. Then I added an old page downloaded from Google as a background for my images. Then I wrote the contents heading in “Hobo Std” Font. Following the role model I added the line my “Pen tool” and “Brush tool”. I also made underline mark by opening another tab and using “Pen tool” and “Pencil tool”. Following role model, I divided my content page in two columns. In first

Previous Cover final

Refined Final Cover logo I made

New role model

Magazine content Page



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Column, I have included a weather shot of sunrise to be related to morning walk with labeled page number. Using “Hobo Std” Font, I wrote the title of my magazine’s first page and then I gave a brief about it in “A little Sunshine” Font. I have used some conversational language for topics of articles. This isn't necessarily a convention for all magazines, but as my genre is country music, I thought that this would be more required while analyzing questionnaire. I used “Hobo Std” Font for page numbers and “Gabriola” font for articles. In Second Column, I have included a lead story image as large image than others, like all other contents pages has. I have used Mid shot for the lead story’s image and in this image I have given duplicating layer effect and then I placed 3 same images parallel to each other. The first layer from left side of lead story is black and white pencil sketch effect image and which have hard light effect too. I have given my image a black and white pencil sketch effect by “Picasa”. Second layer from left side of lead story has boost effect and third is the normal photo I have taken from my S3 Samsung. I used “smudge tool” to give look to all 3 images as were on a wallpaper. I have given a common background or border to all images and so main article image has it too. I included a page number on images too, which is a typical convention found on every page of a magazine, except the cover. The images on right side of the bottom are related to Page 12 and these are also three in number for an article. Top image is wide shot and the image in between is mid shot from higher level. I took the image from higher level so that I could show minority of little stars in profession. The Third image is also wide shot. On the left side of bottom of second column is a weather shot including a view from old city town. Building at the sides show the fact that is old city. On my double page spread I wrote an interview actually. The interview is of the artist that was on my magazine cover photo. The exclusive interview was the main feature of this issue; therefore I had to have photos on the double spread. I used the several convention of having a clear title to the article on top left side to create the article stand out and to make people enthusiastic. I separated my double page spread into

Refined final Content Page

My Refined Double fold Page



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two sections; first section is about interview and second is about liking several things by artist. On the left side page I had the tile of the article and just below is the key quotation in purple color. All questions mentioned on double page spread are Pink and so easily differentiated by the key quotation and answers in Indigo. Questions have “Cooper STD” Font and Answers in “Estrangelo Edessa” Font. At the bottom of left side of page is a little pink strip on which I have mentioned page number and article name. On Right hand side is a Mid Shot picture of my country music model. It makes similarity to content page as it has duplicate layer effect and it has similar image as cover has. These similarities bind all the three pages together as for mentioning the lead story. I have added an image near to be taken from side posture as in background of my model’s image. The background images have a soft light effect. I used “Smudge tool” to make my double fold look smooth and as if the images were taken on that background. Moving towards section 2, Audience could see that interview has same pattern as section 1 has. I have separated the section to in two columns as first one is for interview and second for “Artist’s likes”. I have added the Photoshop line, I made in content page to separate both columns. The Artist’s Likes Corner’s heading has same font as key quotation has. I have used “A little sunshine” font for the captions and strapline for the images connected with arrow to oval shape image in between. This oval image is observed by audience as the likes are of which artist. I created the arrow by using pen tool and brush tool. Some of likings have personal images of artist’s own life. Oval shape image is also double layered and I have made border by brush tool using different clip arts and colors. I placed the Park image in background and artist image in front. I used smudge tool to smudge both images. Concluding my answer, I would like to say that I have used all tools and effects I know of any software I know well.

Q: How does your product use or challenge conventions and ... · Analyzing the existing decade, the...

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