2. In what ways does your media product
use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
My magazine ‘Mainstream’ follows the typical conventions of an Indie genre
magazine. It includes various reviews on recent performances, exclusive
interviews with new ‘up and coming’ stars and has a view free posters included.
It contains a range of rather dark colours which are complimented well with the
brighter more vibrant yellow and purple that I use to add some contrast. The
font styles I used to support this colour scheme were stereotypically ‘retro’ and
original. They stood out well however they were easy to read and entertaining
to look at.
The composition of my images also help to add to the indie genre, as they’re
dressed in smart but casual shirts and polo’s which make them look carefree,
also the various poses help to bring across the indie feel. For example the
picture in the top right has the image of the artist striking a pose and dressed in
a bright blue polo, which adds to the Indie genre of the ‘Mainstream’ magazine.
3. How does your media product
represent particular social groups?
Its centered around the Indie genre
however it also has some typical rock
aspects to the magazine. So the
magazine is aimed at any social group
really.
However the images have been staged to
depict the featured artists as casually
dressed in checkered shirts and polo’s.
This make them easier to relate to, as
you’re able to replicate their outfits.
The font used was more of a retro
younger style to try and appeal to a
young audience, but not to alienate any
social groups.
4. After looking into various magazines and who produce
them, and comparing them with my magazine. I’d think
either the Bauer Media Group or Time Inc. as they
already distribute very successful music magazines of
Indie genre, NME (Time Inc.) and Q Magazine (Bauer)
I think it would be well suited to one of these
institutions, because I feel that I’ve managed to
incorporate some of the features from Q and NME into
my magazine, as I used both of these magazines for my
research so they have influenced my interpretation of
music magazines heavily.
Also the images in both of these are a mixture of well
composed images, posed or live. I have tried to include
these in my magazine to help the overall appeal of the
magazine.
What kind of media institution might
distribute your media product and why?
5. Images
These are the various images used. They
help to entice the audience as they include
the young lads, performing and posing with
various instruments.
The composition of each photo was well
planned so they stayed true to the genre and
they would fit the style of the magazine
suitably.
6. Who would be the audience for
your media product?
My magazine ‘Mainstream’ is aimed at a variety of different
target audiences. As I have tried to make it appeal to both
genders, specifically of around 15 to 19 year olds. Mainly because
from my surveys, they are more likely to go out and buy a
magazine and read it than someone of a much older age.
I have tried to entice the younger, teenage readers by including
younger ‘artists’ who are easy to relate to. Also using the younger
males, the boys will want to be them, and try to emulate them,
whereas the girls will obsess over them and their music.
Also by using more informal language it helps to target a younger
audience as teenagers aren’t going to want to sit and read lengthy
blocks of text with long unnecessary words.
7. How did you attract/address
Well from my audience research, I was able to get a basic idea of
what sort of things to include, layout to use, and colours and
fonts to include.
I tried to use the colours that my research indicated were the
best to appeal to a mass teenage audience, so I used the darker
backgrounds, of red and black, but contrasted them well with
the lighter blue, yellow and purple. These were the colours that
were rated highly by my audience research.
The layout I considered was attempting to draw the audience in
your audience?
with the bright colours, and flashing coverlines. This was
achieved by placing the brighter coverlines in the hot spots and
including a bright clear banner underneath the main image.
I tried to base my fonts on a more modern feel, so the masthead
was almost sprayed onto the page, which would have appealed
to the stereotypical teenager as it’s a sign of rebellion. Also the
coverline fonts were more modern and younger, had a real retro
feel to them, these would have helped to stand out more to the
readers eyes as its different and original.
8. What have you learnt about technologies
from the process of constructing this
product?
Throughout the production of ‘Mainstream’ I have used a
variety of technology to aid me, like digital cameras,
video camera, paint and Microsoft publisher.
I was able to develop my skills by using new technologies
like Microsoft publisher, I was able to get a better
understanding of how best to film and capture images by
using the digital and video cameras. Also I was able to use
my knowledge of paint to help me increase the quality of
the images and suit them to the genre.
9. Digital Camera & Video Camera
I used the digital camera to take the photo’s for my
magazine, I was able to experiment with them, by
taking various shots at different angles and zoom.
I used a video camera to film my focus group for my
evaluation. They were able to give me constructive
feedback with out me having to write down key points
or for them to be limited by a questionnaire. I was able
to film them for around 8 minutes and they were able
to provide various criticisms and improvements that I
was able to take down in video format for future
reference.
10. Paint & Publisher
My editing software was paint, purely because photoshop
was too confusing for me. This limited me in some ways,
however I feel did the best I could with the software I had
available. The photo’s therefore had to be perfect and in
need of only slight adjustments.
Finally, my key piece of technology were Microsoft
publisher as without this my magazine would not have
been able to be put together easily, and it would not have
come out as being quite effective as it has. I had no
previous experience with publisher before however after
practicing with the preliminary task, I feel that my skills
had improved vastly and this benefitted me in the main
production.
11. Technology
Publisher was the main tool I used, as this
was where I created the magazine. I was
able to put the text, images, layout and
everything together to create the final
piece.
I used paint to editing the
original images. Adding
effects was done in publisher
but various photo edits were
administered in paint.
12. What do you feel you have learnt in the
progression from your preliminary
product to the full product?
I feel that I have improved massively since my preliminary task,
as it was my first experience with publisher and I wasn’t very
good. However my main task I’ve been able to use the skills
picked up for the preliminary task to aid me in the production of
my magazine.
I feel that the overall appearance of the magazine looks a lot
more professional, as before it was too ordered and plain whereas
now its scattered, interesting and a lot more appealing to a
younger audience.
Also I looked into the colour scheme a lot more, as my
preliminary task the colours were quite plain and simple, I only
really used blue, just changed the tone, so it looked too plain and
simple. Whereas in my final task I tried to use darker colours but
then have the bright vibrant colours over the top to make them
stand out more to the audience.
