Media Coursework

Friday, 22 March 2013

Draft - Evaluation Activity 7

Evaluation Activity 7 – Draft

The progression from my preliminary task was I think is huge. I have learnt how to use Photoshop properly and be able to manipulate pictures and text to how I want to and get the best out of what I’m doing. I’ve learnt lots of magazine conventions such as the F model and what needs to be in each part of the magazine. When I first started my preliminary it was just a fun project that only I had to like and be proud of. Throughout my coursework I’ve been learning about many aspects of creating a magazine and I’ve learnt just how difficult it really is to not only be proud of it myself but only have other people to like it. My Photoshop skills during the preliminary was limited so I tried to keep it a simple as possible, after I became more confident into my skills I built up the difficulty and played around with the conventions of magazine covers though in the end I stayed with a F model instead of breaking it up and trying something new because the model suited what I was doing and it worked.

More should be added

Draft - Evaluation Activity 6

Evaluation Activity 6 – Draft

Computer and Laptop

This was the medium which I used to create the magazine using software such as Photoshop and word. It also gives access to the internet where I was able to use websites in order to research the target audience. It also gives access to social media sites where I can contact my teachers and peers to evaluate or ask for help.

Camera

The camera I used was Nikon D3000 which is a fairly professional camera. It was interesting to use as there are many setting that can be set. You can changes the lenses on this camera so if I need to use a macro lenses for something specific I could have swapped it in in order to create a better photo.

Lighting

We had professional lighting and a white screen in order to create good and even photos. I found lighting difficult in order to get rid of shadows you have to shift the lights ever so slightly. It was good to use though as it gave the photos I had taken a nice background so I could if I wanted to cut them out and place them without a background.

Memory card/Stick/Drop Box

Using a memory card or stick is good as it means I have a backup if I lose anything that I have written or taken. Drop box is even better as it is an external file saving software which is a file saving software online. This means I can access my work from anywhere which is really useful if I need to move from different computers quickly and don’t want to shove a memory stick in.

Mobile Phone

I used my phone in order to access twitter and help research songs and genres on the go when I couldn't get to the computer.

Twitter

The social media site is a great help for media students as a whole, it makes getting help from teachers and peer evaluation easy and quick as it can be accessed anywhere with the use of smartphones.

Photoshop

Photoshop was difficult to use at first but once I knew where everything was that I needed I was able to create the magazine. It’s important to use because if I ever went into media I would be expected to know how to use it as it is a professional piece of software.

Google

I used Google to find pictures of bands and pictures for my pitch I also used it to get pictures of proper magazines in order to compare them to my own.

UK Tribes

I used this to research stereotypical groups of teens within the UK, although I didn’t apply what I found in my magazine in depth as I think the website is slightly outdated.

Scribd.

A medium I used to put my written work on in order to then embed it within my block, this enables me to work on work making mind maps or the like and then put it online.

Word

Used to write up my essays and articles, also useful for making mind maps and annotate covers in order to compare it to my own work.

Animoto

We used this to present our pitch, I loaded it up with photos that inspired me to do the genre I did and go in the direction I wanted to. It was a cool website that puts music under the pictures and has animation with it to make it look professional and interesting.

Draft - Evaluation Activity 5

Evaluation Activity 5 - Draft

My audience is targeted from 16 to 25 year olds, mainly of a student background so I presented my magazine in a way which appeals to them. Something that would stand out from the other magazines on the shelf but also represents the genre it belongs to. The magazine isn’t aimed a specific gender so though this issue may come across as very female orientated, the colours I’ve used are to help represent the genre as well as make it eye-catching they aren’t gender-specific. The covers lines I’ve tried to have a mix of genders and types of bands from the really well-known to the not so known. I chose a range of artists because the audience would want to know what’s going on not only with UK bands but also bands from all over the world, they would want to know tour dates and that’s why I added a gig guide into my magazine this gives them opportunity to check out who is coming to the UK and when. The fact that I have offered free downloads will entice readers to buy the magazine as the audience I am targeting are tech orientated they will always be carrying their smart phone or other connective devices so they will be able to download the songs at anytime from anywhere. I think the language I have used throughout the magazine is the right mesh of formal and technical language with informal and playful sentences. The pictures aren’t the main part of my magazine but they are important as they show off what the bands look like and such, I think they will appeal as they aren’t particularly artistic they are just simple shots that are still effective for what they need to be. The features I offer within my magazine will also be a thing that causes the audience to buy the magazine as it is the main focus of the magazine. Getting to know a new band and also well-established bands is always important to fans of said bands; they like to know where the inspiration comes from and what their favourite hobbies it’s important to the fans to feel as if they are part of a group of people who share this as an interest.

The language I have used in the interview is cheerful and light-hearted as it is an interview of three people it is very interactive between the three interviewees which I think will make the interview enjoyable to read especially fans devoted to the band. The photos in the double page spread are supposed to represent the personality of the individual and then as a cohesive band. The line “A PopRock band from the outskirts of Leicester” gives hope to all music lovers who want to make it big which will appeal to the target audience as most of them will be learning or playing instruments. It makes the band more appealing as it shows that they had to work hard for what they have and where they have got to it earns them respect. The interview is a break from the overly music orientated magazine as although it is about their music it is also about their personal lives I think this will appeal as it introduces the band and also brings a break between everything else in the magazine.

Overall I think I’ve done a lot in order to attract the right people to buy my magazine, making it look like it fits in the genre and is also eye-catching to the consumers. I achieved this with bright colours and appropriate features that will be appealing to the audience but also be a believable magazine. My magazine is also based off my own perceptions and what I would read, it’s similar to what my friends tastes are so I tried to appeal to them as well.

Draft - Evaluation Activity 4

Evaluation Activity 4 – Draft

Charly Washington is a 17 year old who often spends her time watching films and listening to music. She is in her first year of A-levels studying Art, Media, Business and English Literature. Music is a big part of her life and is forever carrying her iPod around with her. She prefers listening to pop-rock and alternative to anything else but sometimes does venture into more popular music.

Charly is often going out to gigs and has even been to reading a couple of time, she enjoys smaller venues because of the interaction with the band is greater. Though when bands are playing in large venues she will always go standing, she says this is because “not only can you be closer to the band, you become part of this massive crowd. With the right fans everyone looks after everyone else.”

She has a range from well-known bands to small fairly unknown bands in her music library. She often finds the bands she likes from reblogs on Tumblr a social networking site or sound cloud where she trawls for hours just going through songs that range from stupid comedy pieces to serious acoustic sets.

In her spare time between revising and listening to music she is often out with her friends going to the cinema, shopping or just chilling playing on the Wii or PS3. She isn’t a huge gamer but does enjoy laughing at others playing Left4Dead on YouTube. Recently she has been looking into university courses and has decided she is most likely going to go down the media route perhaps taking a film and media production course at Lincoln which has been the home to many British YouTube sensations.

She is not an avid magazine reader but she will go out and buy one if she knows a band she likes is being interviewed or if she needs a gig guide, she also buys Empire the film magazine.

Draft - Evaluation Activity 3

Evaluation Activity 3 – Draft

Publishing is the “process of production and dissemination of literature, music, or information” (Wikipedia). The media institution I decided would work best with my magazine was Bauer who carry magazines such as Q, Mojo and Kerrang. My target market is similar to that of Kerrang although they cater to more metal heads than my magazine would. As Kerrang and my magazine are similar I had thought of looking into another media group that does not own a magazine that could cover that part of the market as Kerrang would be a competitor whether owned by the same company or not.

There are several ways I could distribute the magazine. There would be a postage service to those who have subscribed and then a they could be found on magazine stands in supermarkets and book shops. I also thought about having an online version or an e-book version so readers could simply download it and access it anywhere. There would be an online version as teenagers of today are all about technology and are able to access the internet from anywhere, putting issues online enables the readers to access the magazine at all times where ever they are. It also means that if the printing industry collapses (as it may do due to e-book and iPads) they will already have an online presence which will also already have a reputation and following.

The marketing campaign would most likely be minimal, when first released the magazine may get advertised on music channels such as Kerrang’s or ones similar after it has been established it may just advertise when a major band or artist is being interviewed to build up the hype.