AS Media Studies

Evaluation

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of

real media products?The ways that my media product – my music magazine front cover –

uses conventions by including as shown below the bold title over lapping the main image (Circled in green below). Furthermore, my magazine front cover shows the main articles running down one side of the magazine and are placed on the magazine front cover with different font sizes to emphasis different importance

of articles. The image however, is unconventional as the emotions portrayed by my model is very relaxed while the existing front cover of NME the model (Dave Grohl) is portraying a strong, intense glare which can illustrate numerous emotions (Circled in blue).

The ways that my media product – my music magazine contents page – uses conventions by including the article fonts as they vary in colour (Circled in green below). However there are a lot more unconventional devices including image and how it is illustrated; background and colour and font type. The images of the models in my music magazine contents page are small but bold making them all eye catching on the contents page whilst the existing contents pages image is overlapped my text, headlines and a logo, it is used as a background and is meant to be placed in the background this is further emphasised as the image is in black and white to make the text, headline and logo to stand out more.

The font type is different as the existing product’s font is bold and bright but also different contrasting colours whilst my music contents page is bright but is the same colours to keep it neat and professional. Furthermore, my magazine has sub headlines which break up my articles, whereas, the existing product just has them listed. (Circled in blue).

The ways that my media product – my music magazine double page spread – uses conventions by including images that merge with the text, images and headline. The images of both magazine double page spreads both merge with the text so it is in the middle of the article; the headlines are also similar as the are bold and in capitals to command attention of the audience (Circled in green). However, there are a number of unconventional devices including the way in which the text is set out, the number of images on the page and the size of the images. The text is different as it is set out in a different way my product is spaced in two columns whilst the existing product is spaced in boxes. The number of images and size are different as my double page spread has a image commanding the page whilst the existing product has used one smaller to allow more textual knowledge on the page (Circled in blue).

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The social groups represented in my media product are females, approximately aged between 15-19, who enjoy music which is not what a ‘stereotypical’ female would like. The magazine would be more for the females who are obviously into the genre’s my magazine revolves around, ‘indie rock’. As my front cover shows a young female on it this suggests that the magazine would be aimed more to females and with the black and white theme with a slight contrast of colour, this gives the impression of a more vintage feel which are more commonly seen in women’s magazines.

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

When concerning the ways in which I can distribute my music magazine, SELECT I can consider a number of ways to distribute my magazine including:

Digital publishing, give the magazine away for free, online distribution (social networks) and distribution through shops.

After surveying the different ways I could distribute my magazine I found out the following information:

Methods of Distribution

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Digital Publishing Free Online Local Shops

Methods

Peo

ple

This shows that the most recommended way of distributing my music magazine is through local shops which will also mean that I could gain a profit instead of giving away my magazine for free.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The target audience for my media product would be females aged between 15-19. To find this information out I carried out a small survey which informed me of my target audience’s age group. The results to my survey is shown below:

Age of Target Market

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

10 and Under 11 to 14 15 to 19 20 to 24 25+

This shows that my target market is 15-19 year olds as they are the most people who would choose to read my magazine out of my one hundred survey. This however, is only a target audience which could also suggest my audience could be other age groups as well.

How did you attract/address your audience?

I will get the attention of my audience through marketing and advertisement; this will involve placing advertisements onto websites which are similar to my type of genre and social group. Furthermore I could advertise in newspapers and other magazine; although I would have to consider the prices of this, these advertising methods would be considerably cheaper than advertising on the television.

The image will immediately attract my audience as the model is staring straight at the camera which is commanding the attention of the audience.

The product has been written very simple and straight forward which will appeal to my audience as it will be easier to read than a complex magazine.

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

I have learnt about the following technologies from constructing my media product:

I used ‘Blogger’ as a form of tracking my work as I posted it onto my blog as shown below.

Continued…I used ‘Fireworks’

as a way to produce my magazine pages; this involved cropping and neatening the model out of my image to make the magazine more professional and neater.

Continued….I used ‘Digital Camera’ to

take the images of my model; using this technology I experimented with angles, framing, light, mise-en-scene and colouring to ensure I had the best images I could take.

I used slideshare for a more efficient way and clearer way of putting my powerpoint’s on to Blogger.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the

full product?What I have learnt?

Technologies:I used ‘Blogger’ as a way of tracking my work as I posted it onto my blog. I

used ‘Fireworks’ as a way to construct my magazine pages; this involved cropping and tidying the model out of my image to make the magazine more professional and neater. I used ‘Digital Camera’ to take the images of my model; using this technology I experimented with angles, framing, light, mise-en-scene and colouring to certify I had the best images I could take. I used slideshare for a more capable way and clearer way of putting my powerpoint’s on to Blogger.

How to make an authentic magazine?I made sure to create my magazine to the most authentic way by not copying a

magazine to the exact position of the pug. Instead as a necessity I made sure that I did not create a magazine which was in illegal terms for a copyright. Thus changing my magazine’s conventions from a normal magazines I have made sure my magazine is authentic.

Conventions of typical magazines?When reviewing Indie Rock style magazines there are a number of

conventions that are present. For example: the model imaged on the front cover suggests with clothing and poses that this is a Indie Rock magazine. The articles link to bands and artists who are also linked to Indie Rock.

How to target and attract audience?The colours are simple but also suggest the genre Indie Rock through

black and white with a little splash of yellow which is eye catching. Furthermore, the image is eye catching as it is commanding and up close to show the intensity in the gaze of the model.

How to communicateThe text/articles are clear and easy to read/make sense and the

headlines are relevant to the genre i.e. ‘Indie Festival’.

Continued…Since beginning my preliminary task I have learnt a number of different

things. I have learnt what themes can relate to which colours and what genre would look better placed in certain magazines. I know what articles to mention or what style of articles to talk about and what images and emotions to portray in the type of magazine. I have also used a number of different sites and technology to help improve my product of a music magazine from my preliminary of a school magazine. Furthermore, I have learnt how to produce a effective and professional front page, contents page and double page spread which will appeal to my target audience and focus on the genre in question.