James McClements | OCR 2016

1. OCR Media Studies – AS Level
Unit G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media
Preliminary Task, Log Book and Evaluation
Name: James McClements
Candidate Number: 6949
Center Name: St. Paul’s Catholic College
Center Number: 64770
Set Brief - Print
Music Magazine – Production
Preliminary Task Progression, Log Book and
Evaluation

2. Logbook and evaluation

3. Preliminary Front Cover
Step-by-step

4. This was the first step I took in creating my
preliminary front cover. I used a mid-shot for
my main image, and created my masthead with
chosen typeface which I’ll stick with
throughout the design process.
The second step I took was the addition of a
strapline and pricing/issue number. I also laid
out a border for where my main headline
would be placed. It was placed synonymously
with other magazines in the genre: the centre
of the page, and slightly below the head for in
this case is a mid-shot image.

5. The third stage of my design includes the main
headline, with QR code linking to a ‘social
media institution’’ related to my magazine. As
well as the addition of backgrounds for the
coverlines to match the style of the main
headline.
The last stage sees the completion of my
magazine, with all coverlines in place, a twitter
handle and magazine website at the bottom,
and all codes and conventions consolidated for.

6. Preliminary Contents
page
Step-by-step

7. The first stage of my contents page design
features the backdrop of the page, in this case
a skate ramp located near to the school, that
‘repeats’ the style and genre of the photo-
shoot for the front cover, a graffitied urban
background. As well as this, my masthead is
placed at the top of the page, synonymous
with the genre.
The second stage of the contents page is the
features placed in where the page numbers will
join and act as a directory for the magazine.
These features include the cover lines from the
front cover.

8. The fourth stage includes the addition of a
large centre-top image that links to my main
feature – the double page spread. As well as
another picture that acts as a ‘space filler’.
The third stage includes these page numbers,
as well as associating images to the features on
their left.

9. The fifth stage includes the contents page title,
and backdrop placeholders for my other
contents page conventions. The page number
and masthead address are placed at the
bottom of the page, which is a common-place
feature with magazine contents pages.
The last stage includes the addition of the
remaining conventions, including the editorial,
subscription box, and feature encouraging
social media interaction.

10. Section 1) – Log Book

11. MAGAZINE OF INSPIRATION

12. Case Study: DIY
• DIY is a free independent music magazine. It specialises
in alternative or indie music, and takes form as an online
publication, and the free monthly magazine in paper
form. It is only available in UK record shops, and some
music venues.
• The target readership therefore is, the music fan/creative
who is of varying age, mostly in-between 16-29 due to
the youthful nature of the music, and those who belong
to the indie subculture.
• However, readership statistics and demographics were
unfortunately not readily available.

14. Masthead
Main headline
Main image
Issue date and number,
website conventions etc.

15. Lack of coverlines
This is ‘repeated’ in new nme style
Free magazine synonyminity
So I considered my magazine to be free

16. EXEMPLAR MAGAZINES

17. • Publisher: Time Inc. UK
• Reach: 289,000 Adults / 0.6% of the adult population
• Primarily socioeconomic class ABC1 read the magazine
• The dominating gender of readership in Men
• And the dominating age group of readership is 15-34.
• NME is a weekly magazine, and has primarily national readership, with
only a small number of exports for international readers.
• Source: mediauk.com
• From the 18th September, NME will be available outside
busy public spaces and train stations for free.
• Timeincuk.com : NME is the “longest published and most
respected music weekly in the world”
NME publisher research

18. I will be analysing the ‘new’ NME model, as I have chosen to replicate this type of
neo-music magazine and ‘repeat’ (Neale) codes and conventions from it. The
model also ‘repeats’ the conventions from DIY, which is my magazine of
inspiration.

19. Masthead
Main Image
Main Headline
This cover relies on ‘star appeal’ and audience familiarity of the main headline.
With the absence of coverlines on the front cover, the main headline is the USP.
Issue date

20. Q publisher research
• Publisher: Bauer Media UK
• Circulation: 64,596
• Primarily socioeconomic class ABC1 read the magazine(70%)
• The dominating gender of readership in Men
• And the dominating age group of readership is 15-24.
• Q’s gender ratio is 31.7% females to 68.3% male.
• Source: bauermediaadvertising.com
2012 statistics

21. Masthead
Main Headline
Main Image
Cover Stories
USP/Exclusive
Content
‘Q’ represents a more conservative front cover with additional coverlines, many
exclusives and USPs. This is because it is not a free magazine, and it relies on
many USPs to “sell”.

22. These are exemplar magazine front covers from ‘Q’ and ‘NME’ magazines.
They both offer several codes and conventions synonymous to the Indie/Alternate
music magazine genre.

23. What can be identified by these two media institutions, is the importance of the
colour red. Red, being synonymous to the genre.

25. Music Magazine – Genre
research
• YOU MUST insert anything you can find
about this genre – secondary sources
(quotes from articles; statistics; other
magazine front covers)
• Make sure your findings are neatly
presented and contain images where
needed.

26. Established Magazine for my Research
Front Cover and Conventions – If there is anything missing
YOU MUST explain what this is and give a reason WHY it
should be included.

27. Target Audience – Katz, Maslow, Hartley and/or socio-economic
needs
The intended target audiences for NME and Q magazines is mostly
socio-economic class B, and more A for the new revised NME
handed out to commuters. However, the intended target audience
for DIY magazine is more likely to be class E, aimed at students,
especially with the attraction of the publication being ‘free’.
The target audience for Q magazine can be denoted as…
What is the USP of this magazine? YOU MUST refer to specific
conventions/stories from you research
From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is…

28. Publisher research
http://magazines.bauermediaadvertising.com/magazines/detail/Q
http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/brands/q

29. Conventions of a Music
Magazine
• Research your own example of a
magazine from the sub-genre of your own
choice and annotate the codes &
conventions/USP/Target audience.
The logo of the magazine SHOULD be placed on this slide neatly somewhere

30. Target Audience – Katz, Maslow, Hartley and/or socio-economic
needs
The target audience for name of magazine magazine can be denoted
as…
What is the USP of this magazine? YOU MUST refer to specific
conventions/stories from you research
From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is…
The logo of the magazine SHOULD be placed on this slide neatly somewhere

31. Publisher research
The logo of the magazine SHOULD be placed on this slide neatly somewhere
• YOU MUST find out who published your chosen “Magazine of inspiration” from the
sub-genre of your choice.
• Then, visit their website and deconstruct the information you can find about the
target readership in terms of socio-economic needs, circulation etc.

32. Section 2) – Evaluation

33. In what ways does your Media
product use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real media
products?
Example sentence starters:
The magazine, across the 4-pages, ‘repeats’ (Steve Neale) codes and conventions from…
There are examples of some ‘difference’, however, in terms of the forms and conventions
in my own media product for example….

34. How does your media product
represent particular social
groups?
Example sentence starters:
The denotation of representation is…
The magazine, across the 4-pages, helps to represent…
For example, on page….

35. What kind of media institution
(Publisher) might distribute your
media product and why?
Example sentence starters:
From the research that was completed pre-production, I would envisage that … may
publish ‘name of magazine’ because….
The similarities of my magazine to ‘name of magazine’ also ‘sgnifies’ (De Saussure)….

36. Who would be the audience for
your media product and why?
Hartley’s seven subjectivities
According to Hartley’s seven subjectivities,
Katz’ Uses & Gratifications theory
According to Katz’ Uses & Gratifications theory, ,
Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs
According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, ,

37. How did you attract/address your
audience?
In order to attract the intended target audience of.. I decided to….
The inclusion of codes & conventions such as… helped to appeal to the target audience becasuse…

38. What have you learnt about
technologies from the process of
constructing this product?
The denotation of the software used to construct the media product entitled ‘name of magazine’
was…
In order for this product to look fit for purpose and appeal to the target audience, I decided to
create… using the… tool because.
Refer 2-3 examples at least and conclude

39. Photography Planning – Front
Cover

40. Photography Planning -
Contents

41. Photography Planning -
Interview

42. Analysing my Front Cover
Neatly annotate the
Screen Grab of your Final
Front Cover –
4-5 Annotations at least
and apply appropriate
media language.
Arrows should be RED as
well!
Screen grab of Magazine
page positioned in the
Center of the slide
(Remove the BLUE box once
placed in as well)

43. Analysing my Contents Page
Neatly annotate the
Screen Grab of your Final
Contents Page –
4-5 Annotations at least
and apply appropriate
media language.
Arrows should be RED as
well!
Screen grab of Magazine
page positioned in the
Center of the slide
(Remove the BLUE box once
placed in as well)

44. Analysing my Double Page
spread Interview
Neatly annotate the
Screen Grab of your Final
Double Page Spread –
X1 page per. Slide!
4-5 Annotations at least
and apply appropriate
media language.
Arrows should be RED as
well!
Screen grab of Magazine
page positioned in the
Center of the slide
(Remove the BLUE box once
placed in as well)

45. Audience Feedback -
• Complete a relevant survey that asks no fewer than 10 people about their opinions of your
magazine.
• This should contain between 8-10 questions – one of which MUST be about your
Progression from Preliminary Task – Main Task.

46. Looking back at your Preliminary
task, what do you feel you have
learnt in the progression from it to
the full product?
I feel that, having completed the preliminary task and learning about the demands of this
production process, I have learnt…
There is evidence of progression that I feel particularly demonstrates how I met the demands of the
production process, for example…