1. Name: Adam Temple-Heald
Candidate number :
Centre: 33435 Aquinas College
AS Media Studies
OCR G321: Foundation Portfolio
Brief from OCR syllabus
2. Question 1 – Who would be your audience for your
media product?
It will be quite similar to Mixmag magazine so it will attract readers of that, but will be
aimed at a slightly younger audience. The primary audience for my magazine would be
mainly teens/young adults aged 15-25, this is because the biggest audience for electronic
music is people who lie in this age group. Although there will be some people who listen
to this music above or possibly below this age group, I will target my magazine towards
the majority age group so it will therefore appeal to a wider audience.
My content isn’t particularly gender specific like things such as fashion or cars, so this
means the articles will be aimed towards both male and female audiences as both will
read it.
My secondary audience will be people that might not buy the magazine, but read it with
friends. And my other secondary audience will be people above the age group that I
aimed it at, as there will be people above those ages who will want to read something like
my magazine so I have to keep them in mind but still mainly target it at my primary
audience.
3. Question 1
I made an audience mood board to
visually show what my perfect audience
would be. Although, looking back on this,
I would have added some things such as
other artists, and pictures of events. But I
would have removed some things such as
the Marvel and DC logos because as I
developed my magazine, I didn’t want
them in it anymore.
Ideal Reader
My ideal reader would have to have
certain interests to enjoy reading my
magazine. They would have to like
electronic music obviously, as the
magazine is primarily based around this
and everything to do with it from gigs,
and artists to tutorials. To get the most
out of my magazine they’d have to use
social networking sites such as twitter,
Instagram and Facebook.
4. Question 2 – How does your media product represent
particular social groups?
My magazine doesn’t really represent any specific kind of social group, but more like a
selection of them.
My magazine includes links to twitter and the internet as the
people reading my magazine will most likely have these and
will be interested in finding out more.
My magazine shows that my readers have the time and
money to put into going to the latest gigs and venues as
that’s quite a large part of my magazine.
5. Question 2
The kind of person who reads my magazine always wants to
be the first person out of their friends to find something out.
This is shown by there being exclusive content in this
magazine meaning no other magazine has it.
The people who read it want to always know what the best
things out there are. This is represented through us
providing content on what we think are the best current and
upcoming artists, the best music out there at the moment
and what the best events are. The readers always want to
know what’s happening.
6. Question 3 – What kind of media institution might
distribute your media product and why?
The media institution that will distribute my media product would be Development
Hell Ltd. This company already publishes Mixmag, which is probably the biggest selling
and most widespread electronic and dance music magazine out there at the moment.
I think that Supercharged will compliment Mixmag very well as they are both
electronic and dance music related, and would promote each other.
7. Question 3
Publishing my magazine with Development
Hell Ltd will make my magazine a sister publication to Mixmag, the
biggest, most popular dance magazine in the UK. Mixmag is very
successful, so it will help get my magazine into circulation, and will
be distributed via print (physical magazine).
I wouldn’t risk publishing it with a rival company to Mixmag, as it
will be extremely tough going up against something that’s already
majorly popular. But if a rich and influential company backed and
published my magazine I could have a chance. But I’d rather stick
with the safer choice.
A new issue of Supercharged will be released every month, priced
at £2.99 which is similar to Mixmag. But mine will be released
halfway through the month as oppose to at the end/start of the
month. This means my magazine will not clash with Mixmag
meaning more people will buy it.
8. Question 4 – In what ways does your media product
use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
My music magazine was one based around dance/electronic music. During
the process of making my magazine I used other dance magazines such as
Mixmag as my inspiration. These helped shape my media product immensely
as they too were electronic music themed magazines and so this helped me
with the different conventions such as layouts, colours, fonts etc.
9. Question 4
Front Cover
The front cover was the first part of my magazine that I created. Before I started creating it, I took
a look at what Mixmag’s front covers looked like, and decided to follow the same sort of layout.
Mixmag’s covers had the star right in the centre of
the cover, bigger than everything else showing that
they’re the most important thing in the magazine
with all of the information around them.
The masthead of Mixmag
is very big, filling up the
majority of the cover,
making it easy to notice
and identify. They also
change the colour of the
masthead depending on
the background of the
cover so it contrasts and
stands out even more.
Mixmag doesn’t use
secondary images on
their front covers, only
the large main image.
This makes it look neater
and less cluttered.
The headline linking to the main
image is placed over the main
image somewhere, making it
stand out and easier to read.
The colour schemes on
each individual magazine
is different but they stick
with the same colour
scheme throughout that
specific issue.
Both magazines had a
banner/catchy slogan
near the masthead to
make you want to buy
the product.
Some of the front covers use
‘the gaze’ where the main
cover star is looking into the
camera, this creates a kind of
interaction between the star
and the audience.
Both covers
include some kind
of promotion,
these entice the
reader to buy the
magazine and
possibly convince
them to buy
future ones
10. Question 4
The colour scheme I used all work well
together as they all contrast each
other making the cover look eyecatching and striking.
The masthead I created took up the
majority of the top of the front cover,
just like in Mixmag.
Mixmag’s masthead is quite plain and
simple, whereas I went for font that
fitted the theme of my magazine in a
way, as it looks dramatic and
explosive, just like the music that it
looks at.
I decided not to use any secondary
images to link with my secondary
stories as I think the cover will have
lost it’s dramatic affect, as it would
have made it look a bit cluttered. This
is very similar to Mixmag as they
never use any secondary images.
I decided to create a banner/slogan
that didn’t increase my magazines ego
like Mixmag’s “The world’s biggest..” I
went for something that went with
the theme of my magazine, and it’s
also a clever play on words.
I put the main star right in the centre
of the front cover as she is the main
story of this magazine.
The headline linking to this story was
placed over them to make it stand out
against everything else, just like in
some Mixmag magazines.
11. Question 4
Contents Page
The word Contents is clearly shown at
the top of the page.
A large image is used to show off the
main story and catch your attention.
The name of the magazine to keep it
fresh in the reader’s mind.
The issue date so you know when it
was published and if it is relevant
anymore.
The features and articles are in a list
layout so they can be seen easily, and
each has brief information about each
one underneath it so you can easily
find what you’re looking for.
Page numbers show the reader where
to find that article.
The first line of every article is in bold,
so it catches the readers attention
more and lets you easily distinguish
between each article.
Secondary stories are displayed with
pictures instead of short captions,
making them more eye-catching.
12. Question 4
I didn’t have any secondary images
because I wanted all of the attention
on the main star.
The name of the magazine to keep it
fresh in the reader’s mind.
The issue date so you know when it
was published and if it is relevant
anymore.
The features and articles are in a list
layout so they can be seen easily, and
each has brief information about each
one underneath it so you can easily
find what you’re looking for.
The word Contents takes up a huge
space at the top of the page, clearly
showing the reader where they are,
and if you’re looking through the
magazine you can quickly find it.
A large image is used to show off the
main story and catch your attention.
The first line/word of every article is in
bold, so it catches the readers
attention more and lets you easily
distinguish between each article.
A large image is used to show off the
main story and catch your attention.
I wrote an editor’s letter, this gives the
magazine a really strong humanly feel
to it.
I created a way for people to get information
and content even when they’ve read the
magazine which is a twitter account. And this
will also help to get my magazine known.
I didn’t reveal what the posters were
so people would have to open the
magazine to see what they were.
13. Question 4
Double Page Spread
I didn’t look at any specific magazines for my DPS, I just looked at a selection of
different ones.
The star’s name is put
A stand first, to slightly
explain who the reader is
going to reading about.
Pull quote to draw the
reader in.
A DPS usually follows the
same colour scheme as
the rest of the magazine.
In an interview DPS the questions are put
into a different coloured box so you can
tell them apart from the answers.
The star of the image is
usually looking straight at
the audience which
entices the reader to read
on.
The images take up a
whole page, which makes
the reader get drawn into
them. And the image is
usually found on the left
page.
somewhere on the page in
bold or in a bigger size,
Set out in columns. this makes them stand out
more as a celebrity.
Every DPS has a drop
capital, which shows the
reader where to start.
14. Question 4
I made the star’s name
huge on my DPS, this
makes the star look very
important, and connotes
that he wants people to
know his name.
I added a drop capital to
show readers where to
start and it makes the text
look different so it’s not
the same throughout.
My main star is looking
straight at the audience,
trying to involve them
more, and to entice them
into reading on.
A stand first, to slightly
explain who the reader is
going to reading about.
I put the questions in
different coloured boxes
so they are easily
distinguishable, and they
break up the text.
I gave my DPS a different
colour scheme to the rest
of the magazine which
goes against usual DPS
conventions. I did this as I
wanted my star to stand
out from the crowd, and
the colour scheme being
different to the rest
connotes this.
The image takes up one
page, just like in a lot of
other double page
spreads.
Pull quote to draw the
reader in. I chose
something funny to make
the reader want more.
I put my article in columns
to make it tidier and
easier to read so you don't
lose where you’re
reading.
15. Question 5 – How did you attract/address your
audience?
I attracted my audience by conveying certain conventions to make them pick my
magazine over the competitors.
My banner/slogan I used is a clever play on words and
shows that electronic music is in the magazine. It drops
the bass at “your door” making the reader relate to it
more.
The masthead I created took up a huge space at the top
of the cover, I also made it look dramatic as to catch
people’s eye. The name of the magazine will also make
readers want to read more because “Supercharged”
connotes that it’s exciting, powerful and fast-paced, just
like electronic music.
I created a little “Plus” section at the bottom
so people who pick up my magazine can easily
see what else is in there and that’s it’s not
only electronic music, but film related things
too and will therefore make other people pick
up the magazine too.
I made a pug advertising the chance to win an
expensive prize. I made the pug circular to make it
stand out from everything else on the cover which
were quite square and rectangular in shape. This
will make the reader want to buy the magazine so
they are in with a chance of winning it.
I added “+much more” at the end so people would see
that there’s a lot of content in my magazine and they’d
have to read on to see it. I also put the price on the cover
so you can easily see how cheap it is, which may convince
people into buying it.
The cover star is looking
straight forward, straight at
the audience, this will engage
the audience, and
automatically involves them
with the magazine more.
16. Question 5
I get the audience
involved in the magazine
so it lets them really see
what they want to read.
This also makes them feel
like part of a community,
one in which they all enjoy
a similar thing; electronic
music.
For people who want to
know things before their
mates.
Aimed at people who
enjoy watching their
favourite artists, and who
like to get involved in
lively events.
I didn’t try and make my
cover star into someone
my readers want to be, I
wanted to make her
striking and eye-catching,
with her glowing eyes it
makes her seem slightly
unhuman like a robot
which links to the genre of
music, and will make
people want to know
more.
The genre of music my
magazine is based around
is electronic and the
people who usually listen
to that genre are quite
laidback so I went for a
friendly mode of address,
to make the magazine
have a cool and calm feel
about it, to treat the
readers as equals.
My contents page follows the
same style and colours. I used
the colours red, white and black
as they all stand out from each
other which makes the pages
even more striking.
17. Question 6 – What have you learnt about technologies
from the process of constructing this product?
The following slides show how I got this text and effects.
18. Question 6
I then right-clicked on the text layer and chose blending
options.
First I typed out the text I wanted at size 220 and put it in the
font Myriad Pro. Then I set the background to black and the text
to white so the effects would show up much better (see later).
This is what it looks
like when complete.
Then you right click on the text layer and select ‘Duplicate
Layer’ this will create an identical text layer that you will be able
to edit independently.
The I set it to these settings, which create a glow around the text.
19. Question 6
This is what it looks like.
Go into the blending options for the duplicate text layer, but
instead of red set it to blue and the size is a bit bigger.
Also make sure to tick the ‘Drop Shadow’ option, this is what
gives it the 3D-ish effect.
Then play around with the
positioning of the lens flare so
it is under your text
somewhere.
And then
it’s done!
Then create a
new layer,
make it the
second one
from the
bottom, fill it
black and set it
to ‘Screen’.
20. Question 7 – Looking back at your preliminary task,
what do you feel you have learnt in the progression to
the full product?
Technologies Used:
•
•
•
•
DSLR
Computer
Adobe Photoshop
Publisher
21. Question 7
In my college magazine masthead I went for a smooth,
cartoonish look as it is aimed primarily at younger readers, aged
from 16-18. I used the same sort of colour scheme as the
Aquinas logo so readers can relate to it.
Whereas for my music magazine I created an edgy looking
masthead, which looks quite explosive just like the music it’s
representing. I think that this looks much more professional
than my college magazine, so could be sold much better in a
shop.
On my college magazine I put the banner at the bottom of
the page, and copied the cartoon style of the rest of the front
cover. I also made the word ‘BEST’ stand out by putting it in
capital letters.
The music magazines banner is underneath the masthead,
which I feel looks better and the readers are more likely to
see it here, and what it says really links to the content of the
magazine and is actually inventive instead of just upping the
magazines status.
22. Question 7
On my college magazine I highlighted key words in the
secondary stories to make the reader notice them more, this
made it so people could easily see what the story would be
about at a glance. I also included a picture to go with my
story which gave the story a visual representation of the
story, although I felt this made the front cover look a bit
cluttered.
On my music magazine front cover I titled the secondary
stories, this made it even easier for readers/viewers to see
what stories they were. And I put boxes around the title of
the stories so they stood out more, and I made them slightly
transparent so you could see the image behind if need be.
I put the main cover line over the main image on my college
magazine, this showed the link between the two, although,
this made it a bit harder than normal to see it as it blended in
with the background a bit too much.
On my music magazine I put the main cover line under the
picture of the star, this made sure it was still easily visible but
still linked with the main image. I also changed the font of it
from the rest of the front cover so it stood out.
24. Question 7
In both of my magazines I set out my features section in a
ordered list. This is because it makes it easy to find what
pages things are on, and it fits well on the page. A lot of
magazines don’t order their content in page order, whereas
mine does making it easier to navigate.
In my college magazine I included
images for my secondary stories,
whereas in my music magazine I
didn’t. This is because I wanted to
stick with the simplistic theme
following on from the front cover.
Adding secondary images would
have also taken the room away for
me to add the extra information I
put under each article on the
features list.
