The student felt they improved in several key areas from their preliminary task to the final product. They learned to use a better camera, research their target audience more thoroughly, and improve editing skills like removing blemishes subtly. Planning elements like ISO levels, background, and clothing created a higher production value. Increased research allowed catering to the target audience's needs and using genre conventions. The masthead, fonts, layout, and double page spread were all improved through research into magazine codes and better skills with Photoshop. Overall, more research and learning new techniques led to a far superior final product.
4. PROGRESSION
From my preliminary task, I think that I have improved in many areas, for example, how to use a camera
properly in order to improve the quality of my pictures. In my preliminary task I used my IPhone 6 however for
my final task I used the Canon 600D camera; this camera improved the quality of my work but so much. As I
went on to watch tutorials in order to edit the pictures (for example getting rid of blemishes and spots) it shows
in my preliminary task that these areas are weak as they are more obviously edited using the software. However
in my final task the pictures are in a lot better quality and the edits that I have made to the skin are a lot more
subtle. The ISO of the images was also something that I didnโt take into consideration when completing my
preliminary task as the brightness of the image used on my preliminary is a lot brighter and more unappealing
to the eye.
To overcome the majority of my issues, more planning and consideration went into the images, for example
considering the different levels of ISO, the mise-en-scene, the background and clothing etc. this clearly gave
me an improvement on my preliminary task as the final outcome had a much higher production value and
looked a lot better due to attention to detail.
5. RESEARCH
DURING THE COMPLETION OF MY FINAL PRODUCTION I PUT
A LOT MORE EFFORT INTO INTENSIVE RESEARCH COMPARED
TO THAT PUT IN FOR MY PRELIMINARY TASK. THIS ALLOWED
ME TO CATER FOR THE NEEDS OF MY TARGET AUDIENCE
AND ALSO USE THE CONVENTIONAL CODES AND
CONVENTIONS OF MY GENRE OF MAGAZINE. IN DOING SO I
HAVE MANAGED TO ASSOCIATE THE FEATURES OF MY
MAGAZINE INTO RELEVANT THEORIES (GRATIFICATIONS
THEORY โ DIRECT MODE OF ADDRESS, CONVEYING A SENSE
OF EQUALITY BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN.) THIS OVERALL,
ALLOWED ME TO CREATE A PRODUCT WHICH KEPT THE
TARGET AUDIENCE IN MIND; THIS WOULD HAVE HAD A
MORE INFLUENTIAL OUTCOME. OVERALL, RESEARCH HAD A
GREAT BEARING ON THE KNOWLEDGE SURROUNDING THE
WANTS AND NEEDS OF MY AUDIENCE, AND SO, MADE THE
PRODUCTION MORE TARGETING AND SPECIFIC TO MY
TARGET AUDIENCE. FOR EXAMPLE, MY MASTHEAD HAS
CHANGED DRASTICALLY FROM MY PRELIMINARY TASK TO
MY FINAL PRODUCTION AS SHOWN ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
6. MASTHEAD
From my preliminary task, I feel I dramatically changed and
improved my masthead. This was first due to the positioning,
although it was centred correctly, the editing skills used to place
the image in front of the text wasnโt brilliant and is clearly shown
in its final appearance. Not only that understanding how to put
effects and patterns on top of text is what gave my final
productions masthead an edge against others. It became the focal
point even though it was a simple task and didnโt particularly
reflect my target audience. However the level of detail used in my
final production (not only using Photoshop to edit the picture in
front of my text, and positioning it correctly) really helped in order
to give it a more professional feel. Furthermore, the added effect
on my masthead made it more intriguing as well as recognisable
against other brands of magazines; this would therefore give a
sense of brand awareness. This was achievable through my
research into mastheads of similar magazines as shown on the
right.
7. FONTS
In progression from my preliminary task, I also believe that I have
been able to understand and incorporate the use of styles of fonts
more suitably. This was achieved by researching my target audience
more so than my preliminary task, this helped me to have a better
understanding of their wants and needs. This had an effect on the
style of my font choices; for the majority of the text a โฆโฆโฆโฆโฆ.. Was
more appropriate for my audience. This can be seen on my contents
as well as my double page spread. Continuing from this, the size of
the text I feel was something that didnโt need to be edited to much
as on the front page of my preliminary task was appropriate for the
target audience that I had chosen. I used different fonts and different
styles of text on my front page because I felt that the
unconventionality of this technique fitted in well with my target
audience. Also another reason for the differentiation in size and type
of font on my front page was due to emphasis of different headings
in order to highlight what was more important and more interesting.
A final point includes the font type of my masthead on my front
page. The way that โSUPREMEโ stood out compared to the other
fonts used was important in order to relate to the audience and make
the title not only appeal to the target audience but also to make it
stand out against other magazines competing for the attention of my
target audience.
8. LAYOUT
From my preliminary task I feel I improved significantly in designing the layout for my production, especially on the contents page.
Firstly, the fact that the words are all over the place, I have used odd colourings in terms of coordinating with the rest of my page.
In my final product my contents page looks a lot more organised and slots each piece of news into neat columns and rows which
gave it an overall more professional look. This part of the text was also more relevant to the codes and conventions of my
magazine as it is set into two columns. Another reason why I think I have improved is due to the fact that I have used a wider
range of photographs; using a single image on my contents page didnโt really reflect the edge and originality of my target
audience which is why when I did further research into the codes and conventions of my magazine I realised that this needed to
change. I was also able to achieve a great quality of work was due to my research into layering on Photoshop.
10. PROGRESSION
TEXT
From my research, I kept the codes &
conventions of a typical R&B magazine,
using the effect of pull quotes, sell lines
and choosing the appropriate type of text
in each position. In particular the main
title, its boldness and emphasis reflected
the genre of magazine as well as my
target audience. Furthermore, the
language used would act as
sensualisation to the audience as it was
hyped up, exaggerated and distorted in
order to stimulate interest for my main
feature image and article. This was an
improvement on my preliminary task as
this is something I didnโt consider into
how I could reflect my target audience
and aim in more so at the particular type
of person who would be reading my
magazine.
LAYOUT
After research, my new knowledge
allowed me to produce a fairly
simple, yet effective and easy to
read double page spread, which
would cater for the needs of my
audience. This included having the
bulk of text on one side of the
page and the focal point of the
image on the other, which is a
code and convention of similar
magazines to mine. This was also
done in order to make the double
page spread look less cramped
leaver higher production values in
place.
IMAGE
After learning how to
appropriately use the camera, I
took a long shot in focus of my
model, and went onto edit the
image to make it eye catching as
well as intriguing for the audience,
using Photoshop. Whilst doing so,
I was more focused on the mise-
en-scene compared to my
preliminary task, which gave a
much better quality image, suited
to my magazine, in turn, adding to
the atmosphere of the page, and
so, leaving much higher
production values.
11. TO CONCLUDEโฆ
My final production progressed greatly compared to my
preliminary task due to mainly the research level of
needs and wants of my target audience but also learning
the techniques in how to achieve them. This ranged from
the lighting quality of the image and, my research even
had a large impact on the final layout of my production.
My images were a kep aspect in which improved
through the use of tutorials in order to make my
production look far better than my preliminary, learning
the different features along the way, mostly including
the manipulation of pictures and effects on Photoshop.
Research was also key into finalising my choices in my
production due to the more in-depth knowledge of
codes & conventions of similar magazines to mine. This
created a more realistic outcome for my target audience
which would satisfy them. Without such aspects, my final
production wouldโve been far less professional and not
to as higher standard.
