As Media Evaluation 1.25

E V A L U A T I O N MUSIC MAGAZINE:

E V A L U A T I O N In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? The main image on the front cover is another one of the codes & conventions and usually is presented to show the power of an artist in the industry at the moment. Just like any other grime/hip hop magazine I used a main model to dominate the front cover with . The mast head and strap line are used to attract the audience. I learnt that the positioning, font and name of the mast head can affect the interest factor majorly. The strap line again adds meaning to the magazine and allows the reader to judge the contents of the magazine just by reading the strap line. The mast head is usually located on the top middle in the biggest font. I applied this rule to my magazine, as well as using ‘genre appropriate’ fonts - simple yet slick.

E V A L U A T I O N The headline/lead story is usually the largest text next to the mast head on the front cover, this is because the main story is generally the most interesting and can attract audiences through the curiosity factor. Typically I applied the code and convention to my headline/lead story to attract the audiences from the first look. Usually the headline/lead story reflects the main image on the front cover. Secondary leads are common in any type of magazines including grime/hip hop magazines, Mainly acting as rebounds if the original lead does not manage to attract the audiences full attention. The secondary lead allowed me to believe that even if the lead story did not succeed in attracting the audience, there would still be a major attraction factor because of the second lead. Exclusives are usually placed on a magazine to show that the story is only broadcasted within the magazine, hence the name exclusive. The exclusive story allowed my magazine to sound unique, and broadcasted my magazine as a well known brand with famous artists.

E V A L U A T I O N Freebie is any sort of free object or item available to the public through the magazine. The freebie boosts the magazines popularity and is a great way to hook the audience and keep them interested. When cleverly used, a freebie can make the difference between the magazine being bought and just looked past on the shelf. I used the convention by adding a free download of a new grime tune that was already popular. The feature is another convention which is placed to add a bigger interest factor to the magazine . Features are normally minor articles, for instance interviews or interesting situations in the genre community. The feature in my magazine reports the on going feud between grime stars Lowkey and Chipmunk, also separates the myths from the facts. I made the feature interesting by adding a quote from the lyrical genius Lowkey about Chipmunk. Pugs are general information sources for the readers. Things such as; the date of the release, issue number, and any tributes – are considered to be the characteristics of pug. These characteristics are used to keep the readers up to date and tells the readers what to expect. I made the pugs on my magazine clear and readable however did not follow the rule of placing the pugs on the top right or left, this was because I felt it looked to obvious and normal and wanted to develop the convention to suit my vision.

E V A L U A T I O N Cover lines are short phrases on the cover of a magazine describing the major articles inside. Also called teasers, they are placed in big text with the brightest colour of the palette to enhance their importance on the page. I applied this rule and used the cover lines to promote my biggest stories; using the biggest text and the brighter colour of the palette, which was red. Barcodes are placed in the corners of any magazine, they are there to give an individual code to the magazine. I added the barcode in the far corner of the cover to make my front cover look more real and professional just like other magazines. Although placed in corner to create a feel of originality; the barcodes are not in a vertical shape but horizontal, which some critics may argue is not a normal convention of the barcode. A website that is placed on the cover is usually to enlarge the target audience as now more people are using the internet as a medium to connect and stay informed. This means more people can view the magazine, hence enlarging the audience greatly. I have created a website and placed on the bottom of the page as part of the bottom strip/pug.

E V A L U A T I O N The house style is by far the most crucial code and convention of any magazine. The reason being, the house style is a base on which the magazine builds upon and if the base is inaccurate then the whole magazine is ruined. The house style is a pattern to connect the magazine and allows the reader to make the link between the magazine issues later released. Part of the house style is the colour palette, which is used to subliminally attract the audience, so genre appropriate colours will be of interest to the target audience of that genre. The font and colour are also part of the house style, and are normally used to link the magazine not only to the tribe but also helps the audience relate to the magazine. This is because once familiar with the magazine the targeted audience will begin to link the colours and style of writing to the magazine when seeing them through some other medium. This ultimately creates a pattern, which I noticed when researching into different types of magazines. I used this convention in my magazine very well as I used the colours and fonts to create a unique pattern which will allow my targeted audience to identify my magazine and link the different issues together.

E V A L U A T I O N Quotes that are used in music magazines are usually snappy and inspirational - and they are used as a blurb to articles or spreads within the magazine to attract the audiences more effectively. Also quotes promote the article, so that when the story is read on the front cover it will spread through the readers discussing the situations reported. I applied the quotes twice to my magazine once on the front cover to hook the reader and secondly on the contents page to reel them into buying the magazine. Both of my quotes are about the main stories and are very exciting yet mysterious; for instance ‘ meth is the reason why im so successful,’ this quote makes the reader predict the story and become far more excited to read the spread. Furthermore I wrote my quotes appropriately to ensure my artist was represented correctly, although the quote states that meth (which is a drug) is the reason of success, in fact within the spread it is explained further to show that I am not promoting drugs. I did this to add the mysterious vibe onto the article for advertising purposes. I believe I have adapted the convention accurately and have developed it to my magazines benefits.

E V A L U A T I O N The types of images taken can affect the type of audience more likely to pick up the magazine on the shop shelf. For instance if the genre is grime/hip hop then the camera shots more appealing like shadow shots and low angles should be used, rather than plain mid shots. According to my research, recently magazines are beginning to use off mid shots and short long shots. I applied this convention onto my magazine by using a short long shot on my front cover to capture the ‘attitude’ of the artists body in a more grime friendly way. The use of appropriate poses and settings can also help promote the stature of the magazine in the grime/hip hop world. More ‘slick’ poses will undoubtedly attract the audiences but if the setting is not relevant then the magazine can be off-putting – by using slightly coloured backgrounds I made sure the polished look that grime/hip hop upholds is continued within my magazine and by using very ‘hood’ poses that again expose the attitude that the artists has.

E V A L U A T I O N Details such as make up (flawless skin) and great hair can make or break the magazines image. Believing this completely I made sure all of the models looked as realistically plastic as possible, meaning they did not look like barbies but certainly as perfect as possible. I made sure all the make up and hair matched the outfit and the genre The clothes that are used have to make a deep stamp on the readers mind. Mostly the items of clothing that magazines apply onto artists are sponsored by the designers, this scheme is a very successful one as the magazine can be shown to be ‘up to date’ in the fashion industry and the designer can gain more exposure. ‘ You scratch my back, I scratch yours.’ Even more the fashion that is in vogue can help set trends and affect lifestyles of the audience for instance by displaying very good styled shoes that do not cost much can be seen as useful advice for the working class (mainly my aimed target audience). Also the styles are likely to copied so have to be ‘swagerific’ meaning very well styled or prepared. I have applied this convention to my magazine by adapting my style and developing it to make a more polished look throughout the whole magazine, as well as styling all the models fully my self.

E V A L U A T I O N Caption is the text underneath explaining the picture, it can contain any sort of information concerning the image. Captions are not normally seen in grime/hip hop magazines however have been present occasionally, they are normally presented in the corners and state the clothes Menu is the list of articles and stories in the contents of the magazine. It is another way to explain to reader of the content and where to find it. The menu can usually be found anywhere depending on the house style of the issue. This made it easier for me to adapt the convention and for the benefit of the magazine I paced the menu on the bottom third of the page. To add a distinctive edge to my contents page I added another quote from one of the lead stories to interest the reader. that the artist is wearing. However my caption is not disguised but shown clearly and does not tell the reader of the clothes the artists instead informs the reader of the ages and names of the pictured artists. I did this to further publicise the newcomers to the genre and to also allow the image to speak for itself and to let the reader judge the image according to their views and not mine.

E V A L U A T I O N A spread is an article consisting of more than one page. Usually music magazines save spreads for interviews or for attention grabbing lists of advice to the reader. I again think I applied this convention properly as I used an interview, however I developed the convention with the addition of colour to place the spotlight on the whole page rather than have the readers to just flip through. By-line is the reporter’s name who investigated the story. It is usually placed either at the beginning of the article or at the end after the writers comment. I used this convention in the correct manor by applying the by-line after the writers comment, I did this as I felt it made the article more about the artist and not who wrote it. The heading on the double page spread is usually very creative and is by far the largest text on the page, this is to attract and interest the readers. I developed this convention by making my heading not the largest text but the most interesting on the page, because I didn’t want the page to become over powered as well as the readers eyes.

Writers comment are used to allow the thoughts of the author onto the page and are seen at the end before the by-line. Sometimes referred to the editors cut it can be used to add opinion to the article – bad or good. I used the convention very carefully and accurately. Carefully because I did not want to hurt the reputation of my own creation whilst still being truthful. Accurately because I did not want to contradict what I had previously said and wanted to add a very critically fair opinion. E V A L U A T I O N Introductory comments consist of a paragraph to interest the reader into reading the article. A twist on drop capital its meaning is to elaborate and interest the reader acting usually as a shortened blurb. It is placed right at the beginning of the article and is in lively text and colour. I applied this convention by creating a dynamic intro to the article in bright colour and big text.

E V A L U A T I O N Codes and conventions i did not use: Headline tag is basically a group of words such as exclusive, free to catch the reader’s eye, this convention I did not use because I felt it was slightly cheap and would harm the magazines distribution as the genre grime/hip hop is a clean cut genre and consists of artists that are self explanatory. So I felt that my magazine should do the same. Kicker is a story not relative to the magazine but is published to interest the reader. This convention I felt is too risky and maybe I may have applied it to another issue. But thinking from an owner/editors position I thought that a kicker would take away the attention from grime/hip hop. Overall the kicker I felt may convert my target audience to another genre or magazine. Lure is a phrase, slogan or word to seduce the audience to read the magazine. This convention I think I have used but subliminally because the images, language and stories I have used are slight lures for the audience. I think this because although there is not a certain word catching the readers eye, the factors I have described above actively play the roles of lures. Credits are the names listed to acknowledge the readers of the team involved in creating the magazine. This convention I felt was slightly unnecessary when concerning my magazine as I was the only person to be credited. Although I could have added names of fake people, I think that would have sounded infact fake.

E V A L U A T I O N How does your media product represent particular social groups? My music magazine is based around the demographics of my target audience, therefore in the process of making my magazine I strived to include as many codes and conventions as possible that my target audience would relate with. Within my magazine I have represented my audience very clearly mainly through the use of house style, which created a pattern for the audience to follow. Based on my research the colours red,grey,black are mostly associated with hip-hop/grime. The colour red is usually used to represent the lust, passion and sexual relations within the grime world, Whilst also representing the blood shed, power and hard work that the cruel hip-hop world demands for. Even more the colour grey, a close cousin of white is normally used to show purity but in the case of the hip hop tribe represents the ultimate power. For example the crisp white tunics in the roman times showed the pure power one person embodied, in the same way the tribe has adapted the concept. Grey being a mixture shows a combination of power and humbleness. Finally the colour black defines the ongoing pain, the battles with yourself and the darkness that the tribe represents. The tribe hip-hop and the sub genre grime both were created on the basis of continuous hardship and that is why it was important for me to include the dominant colour in my product. I used these colours to my advantage because when combined create an irresistible contrast in a way that challenge the readers thoughts and views. On their own each colour projected the different meanings associated with them, which meant that the readers are left to judge the overall meaning of the issue and are left feeling in the ultimate power over the product. Further more the deep meanings of the colours can subliminally connect with the audience making them feel superior and comfortable with my magazine.

E V A L U A T I O N When researching different magazines I realised that having the suitable language and fonts for your genre can really make or break your product . The use of slang is very frequent in the hip-hop/grime world as it is used as a code language for the generations, as well as allowing newer generations to develop the language and adapt their lives around it, sort of like a sub-culture. The importance of slang in the hip-hop/grime environment is unexplainable therefore is a huge factor that should be used to its full ability in magazines ,mainly to help the readers connect with the magazine. I have used slang throughout my magazine to allow the connection to develop and create a sense of belonging for my target audience. By using the correct mode of address I have increased my chances of reaching out fully to the whole audience base and interpreting the information to the language that most hip hop/grime fans have grown to understand. It defines hip-hop/grime. Furthermore, the style of writing, in other words the font is also crucial when concerning the audiences and how to attract them. If a magazine uses fonts that are likely to fit into the genres style then the magazine is most likely to succeed compared to a magazine that completely ignores that rule and uses unorganised and random fonts. This is because an individuals personal style normally reflects off the tribe/genre they are fans off. In my research I found that hip-hop/grime magazines usually used slick and edgy fonts that would suit a hardworking gangsters life. I applied this rule to my magazine by using the same font throughout which added to the slick vibe that hip-hop/grime owns.

E V A L U A T I O N The clothing represented in a magazine is very important. Whilst doing my research I realised hip-hop/grime magazines have categorical clothing for the tribe. For instance a traditional hip-hop/grime artists wears a hat, jeans, designer trainers, logo printed tops, flashy jackets, and finally lots of jewellery. This was very useful when preparing for my photo shoots as I was well aware of how to make my models look ‘swagerific,’ and could successfully dress my models to portray normal hip-hop/grime artists. It is crucial for a magazine to dress the models appropriately otherwise the message sent out by the magazine will not appeal to the target audiences; a way which most magazines achieve this goal is by relating the clothes to real life fans or artists and as a result break into the sub-culture successfully. Another convention of costumes that hip-hop/grime magazines have to follow is the constant sex appeal in contrast to aspiration: although females are usually portrayed as sex icons very quickly in the hip-hop/grime world the men are also attracting mass amounts of attention. The contrast provides the magazine with a larger target group because now they can at all times target men as well as women. In my magazine I have followed all of these conventions as well as adapting my colour palette to my clothing to give the models a ‘belonging’ look concerning the magazine. However I have not used mass amounts of jewellery as my models are females and the jewellery did not fit the items of clothing. The sex appeal and aspiration contrast is definitely portrayed in my magazine as all the models are females (attracting males) and becoming instant role models for the female audience.

E V A L U A T I O N Tattoos are a craze that hip-hop/grime has managed to adapt and develop over the years, with artists turning themselves into clever portraits. Undoubtedly tattoos are now being used to get messages across, also are being used as permanent accessories . I have used tattoos in my magazine with the lead model having numerous amounts, to show the relevance of the tribe to the magazine when a reader passes by. This type of subliminal attraction is normally achieved by tattoos, as people usually read the tattoos and instantly find the artists or product interesting. My model has ‘shhh!’ tattooed on her index finger which again portrays the strong attitude of a hip-hop/grime artist and dominant presence of the model in the magazine. The poses of the models in my magazine have been adapted from the magazines I researched., which all showed similar poses. The pose of a model can affect how the image turns out, if the pose clashes with the setting then the audiences begin to contradict their thought tracks. Poses embodying mass amount of attitude are mostly associated with hip-hop/grime, therefore I had to carefully adapt this feature without making my models look uncomfortable. Poses such as a finger over your mouth shows confidence, which is a trait most hip-hp/grime artists and fans personify, and can boost the interest factor of a magazine.

E V A L U A T I O N Relative articles when concerning the sub-cultures (lifestyles) of the fans, are very important because they can provide a deep insight for others and create a sense of understanding and belonging for the readers. Quotes are another convention, if used properly, that can add more meaning to a magazine. In my research I noticed that the majority of the magazines contain quotes that are extracted from the lead story, this again plays an important role as the readers can experience the emotion an artist is feeling. I used multiple amounts of quotes to add a deeper meaning to my magazine. However quotes in hip-hop/grime culture have to edgy and snappy to attract attention, therefore my quotes manipulate meanings and make the readers think. The articles created must easily link the magazine to the tribe, this is why the addition of random articles can confuse the readers. Throughout my research I noticed the constant use of feuds as the basis of articles, as well as interviews of well known or up coming artists. This created a mental limit box which in my head I should not cross in order to protect the conventions of hip-hop/grime magazines, also I could now map out a sophisticated article. These types of articles allow the readers to have an insight into the lives of artists and give a chance for the reader to become attached to the genre. I again have adapted this convention by reporting feuds, interviews and interesting ‘top 10’ lists

E V A L U A T I O N Advertising artists is a convention that is very subtle yet effective. By helping an up coming artist through including them in a high end magazine can help the readers also understand how hard it is to succeed in the music world. Even more readers that are also aspiring to become vocally famous, when viewing such spreads can become more determined to reach a hard yet achievable goal. Although I do not wish to enter the music world, I do want to succeed in my career, that is why in my magazine I have clearly pointed out what aspiration and determination can do.

E V A L U A T I O N Overall I believe I have represented my audience demographic with the use of multiple conventions such as colour, font, posing, and clothing. As well as portraying the power of the artist and reader throughout the magazine.

E V A L U A T I O N What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? IPC media is the main consumer magazine publisher with nearly 44% of men and women within the UK reading the magazine. Ipc is part of a large conglomerate owned by Time inc. which is then a part of Warner inc. Ipc media is one of the most powerful media magazine producers due to the different sub divisions of Ipc media- such as Ipc connect and Ipc inspire. As a result the magazine receives high quality global advertisement; Ipc also owns magazines such as NME, Nuts and TV Times. I believe that the best institution to manage my magazine is IPC. I think this because the global reputation of the institution is major; this popularity can help my magazine sell as the worth of my magazine will automatically increase when associated with IPC. Even more the fact that IPC is split into two companies means that my magazine will be dealt with easily as one advertises my magazine; another can handle the publishing and shipping of the magazines. Further more the genre of my magazine is grime, therefore I have chosen IPC because I want the genre to be broadcasted globally and become a phenomenon. As a result of this grime, will then be injected into the mainstream as well as my magazine. Even more Ipc media produces magazines such as NME which in my research was unique, this view reflects of off my magazine, as a result the institution could help with a convergence off the two magazines to create bigger sales and more profits for the institution. What is more the diverse nature of the institution could help launch my magazine in many aspects of the media world. For instance with the help of Ipc inspire, Ipc connect and Time Warner inc. I think Warner inc. can help advertise my magazine and more importantly the artists within more effectively through TV, DVD, commercials and internet ads. As he popularity will increase so will the selling profit for my magazine due to the fact of the exclusive interviews with the new artists.

E V A L U A T I O N VIBE MEDIA GROUPS publishes magazines associated with the invincible genre that is HIP HOP and its subgenres. The magazine publishes articles from R&B, HIP HOP artists and majority of actors. Magazines like Rolling Stone and Jet are produced by VIBE. I believe this institution is also very suitable to manage my magazine, because VIBE MEDIA is known for supporting the hip-hop genre and its sub-genres. This is why I think it would be suitable as the institution could relate to the magazine better. Even more this could be the prefect opportunity to expose grime into a worldwide environment, and allow up coming grime artists to gain the fame that they deserve. What is more VIBE MEDIA have sponsored or advertised many artists and actors, this could mean more fresher and famous faces could be featured in my magazine. This overall could boost the target audience if properly used and create mass amounts of profits for me and the institutions. Magazines such as jet that are produced by VIBE will allow my magazine to reflect off as a more refined shadow, making the readers think that my magazine is also worth picking up. Ultimately VIBE MEDIA will give my magazine the opportunity to grow into a more polished product, as well as bringing popularity from the major countries like the USA to the streets (ENDZ) of England.

E V A L U A T I O N Who would be the audience for your media product? To answer this question I created a survey to exactly pin point who the hip-hop/ grime fans are and why they are interested in the magazines and tribe. The results helped me create an audience demographic . The age range I am aiming towards is 13-18. This is an average age difference, but is very accurate in order to represent the general age range of hip-hop/grime. The reason I have chosen this particular age variation is because although the majority of hip-hop/grime artists are much older, well into their 20’s, this age range reflects onto the artists former self- therefore inspiring their fans to become successful too. Even more I believe the music created by the artists can be more relative to teens than anyone over the age of 18 or 20. This is evident as it is most likely that teenagers are experiencing certain situations portrayed in the music than someone much older (into their 20’s).

E V A L U A T I O N I will be targeting mainly the male market but my magazine will also reflect upon females. My reason for picking one gender heavily compared to the other is that without a doubt hip-hop/grime like many other tribes is male dominated. However again just like other tribes females are also beginning to become successful – even more I believe the representation of women in hip-hop/grime is mostly associated with sex. Therefore if I were to aim it at solely at women I would not gain as much audience compared to the amount of audience I would gain if aimed at men and slightly women. Further more this ratio of men to women targeted will work perfectly for me as my models will be female to attract the male market but also the females – as the men will be attracted to the magazine through sex appeal but the females through wanting to be like the models.

E V A L U A T I O N The social class I would like my magazine to be aimed at is mainly lower class and middle class but even slightly upper class. Undoubtedly the main social class I am aiming for is lower and middle, but I think the upper class audience will also be significantly interested in my magazine. The fact that the lower class audience will be able to relate to the genre therefore be genuinely attracted towards the magazine - does not mean they will be the only audience. The upper and middle class audience will also be interested towards my magazine as they would aspire to be the artists and imitate them to feel ‘cool’. Upper Class>more disposable income. Middle Class>average disposable income. Working Class>less disposable income.

E V A L U A T I O N In the more specific psychodynamics I think I would aim my magazine towards: Spectators- they read blogs, listen to podcasts, watch videos other users, read online forums + reads reviews and readings. They will be useful to target as they will already fans of hip-hop/grime therefore will genuinely interested in the magazine and are sure to buy it as they are so dedicated to the tribe. Creators- they publish blogs, publish their own web pages, upload videos/music and write articles and stories. I believe they will be useful to the magazine as they are able to write articles and stories therefore submit them to the magazine as true life pieces or as a creative contribution to the magazine. Critics- they post ratings and reviews, comment on blogs, contribute to online forums, and edit articles on websites such as Wikipedia. They will be useful to target as they will have the power to make my magazine more widespread – for instance by going onto different websites/blogs and giving their opinion on the magazine they will increase the magazines popularity automatically.

E V A L U A T I O N Undoubtedly a lot of genres in music are stereotypically judged for instance classical music is judged to be for the white community and hip hop for black – in the same sense grime has been stereotyped for the black male market. However with my magazine I hope to break this stereotypical view. Within my magazine I will be reflecting the diversity that is now slowly showing on the grime scene – by using models of different ethnicity. This will open up my target market further and create a sense of unity between races with my magazine, just like new artists Preeya Kalidas & Skepta & Devlin are trying to show in grime. Without question my magazine will be aimed at British grime followers and not American as there is a big difference in the two types of grime therefore I have to be careful of the style of the magazine.

E V A L U A T I O N How did you attract/address your audience? By using same aged models, I created a connection for the target audience, because of that the readers could imagine the models to be them and relate to the magazine more easily. As my target audience are majority male, the use of female models was ideal. The sex appeal that is created by the opposite sex will attract the male based audience into buying the magazine, on the other hand female readers will also be attracted because they may see the models as inspirational. The female audience may find role models in the models and find it suitable to portray them: as the models will be beautiful, confident, intelligent, and graceful.

E V A L U A T I O N The menu I believe will lure the readers simply because of the exciting stories within my magazine. The contents page exhibits the types of stories and for a magazine to generally succeed it must include majority relative stories. What is more in my magazine the stories are slightly scandalous, but I feel that is a good factor as the audience will be more excited by the spreads and be willing to read them. Also the stories I have documented are about the most popular artists, this will help attract as the readers will follow their instincts and will want to know what is happening in an artists life. If the readers firstly see the magazine on a shelf, the titles of the spreads will be crucial in attracting them to pick up the magazine and read it, this is why all of my spread titles are more exciting. The style of writing will surely attract the readers, because the way I will have described situations in a way that will be relative to the audiences way of communication, therefore the reader will automatically feel a connection developed between the magazine and their sub-culture.

E V A L U A T I O N Quotes can be really powerful in attracting the audiences, this is because they can spark an interest factor really easily just because they come from a famous persons mouth. Knowing this I used 2 really motivating, and attention-grabbing quotes which undoubtedly will cause my readers to buy my magazine. I feel my colour palette will attract my audiences a lot, this is because I have chosen genre appropriate colours. For instance Goths are mostly associated with black, pop is mostly associated with pink, just the same hip-hop/grime are mostly associated with the red. To further attract audiences I have incorporated this colour into black, grey and white to make the magazine stand out. The heavy use of hip-hop/grime artists in my magazine will attract my audiences, as they will most interested in the artists, rather than an artist from the classical tribe. More over my readers are more likely to be familiar with hip-hop/grime artists, so will be interested in their life more, this will act as a lure towards my magazine.

E V A L U A T I O N Because I have used a Jamaica top in an image, that will encourage the black market part of my target audience to buy the magazine. I did this because I knew from research that hip-hop/grime began because of black individuals so I wanted to subtly regard them in my magazine. The price for my magazine is quite moderate, which assures me that my magazine sales will not be affected by that factor. The audience will get attracted because they can afford it, my middle/working class audience only have a small disposable income so will not be affected financially. The fact that I have mentioned the Mobo’s in my magazine automatically broadcasts to the readers that my magazine is partially grime based. This means that all grime loving fans along with hip hop fans will read my magazine, just to find out news about the grime/hip hop world.

E V A L U A T I O N The image off an artists can attract audiences. The clothes, jewellery, make-up, and hair can make the artist look good and make the reader later on feel good. It is important the dress sense of the models is genre appropriate to maximise the attraction appeal of the magazine. All my models wore sub-culture approved clothing, also the make up and hair was quite feisty so that it would reflect of off the genre. The poses and facial expressions of the models are crucial in attracting audiences, this is because those exact poses and facial expressions have to reflect off real hip-hop/grime artists and fans. The models in my magazine had added attitude to fit that description and used simple yet effective poses and facial expression just like artists in other magazines.

E V A L U A T I O N The fact that I have used sub-culture related language will attract audiences as they will instantly understand my magazine and relate to it. By using slang I have increased my magazines chances of attracting more audiences, purely because they can fully understand the words on the page and can remain in their urbanised world whilst reading my magazine. The mast head is actually the biggest font on my front cover, this will grab the attention of my readers, because that is the first factor they will see first. Also the name of my magazine will inform the readers that my magazine is relative to their favourite genre. The strap line ‘where true grime lies’ illustrates that my magazine is the most update source in the grime world. This will ensure readers that they have the complete access into the lives of grime artists and the industry 24/7 through my magazine. The font has to reflect the vibe of the genre, hip-hop/grime is known to be slick yet rough. I have followed this through by using an edgy yet sophisticated font. This can help attract the audience as normally the fans of genres normally reflect off the genre so are more likely to relate to my magazine due to the font.

E V A L U A T I O N What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? I learnt about the power a software embodies, and how that can affect your end product. Software such as Indesign, and Photoshop enable a creative person to place their image onto a page and turn it into reality. Throughout the process of making the magazine I began to value this power a lot because ultimately it helped me create a more professional and slick magazine. I learnt practice makes perfect is a true fact, when firstly using Indesign I became aggravated very easily as items would get deleted and I would lose control easily. However soon after repeatedly using the software I became more comfortable with it and soon saw the results of practice makes perfect. when taking the photos I obtained an opportunity to see a different form of the creative side of production first hand. I got the opportunity to take hold of the shots and become a photographer for a short time period.

E V A L U A T I O N I learnt layering and locking is a very crucial factor, when used properly can help protect your work from unnecessary damage. By locking all of my layers as well as creating new ones, I made sure that nothing could be replaced, deleted or manipulated by mistake. I learnt the vital role that Photoshop plays in the manipulations of images to create a specific effect. The tools allow for an image to transform completely to fit the authors specific vision. I learnt to every problem there is a solution, especially when certain aspects of my magazine would not fit my original plans, I realised that overall my magazine looked well presented because of the soft wares I had used. For instance when one of the models did not have the right amount of make up on, I solved this problem by adding makeup onto her with the use of Photoshop.

E V A L U A T I O N Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? I have realised that the codes and conventions are crucial in attracting audiences, this is because every convention was initially set up to gain the full attention of the audiences. The more conventions that are displayed within a magazine, the stronger the chances of the magazine becoming popular in every issue. This is why I have included the majority of codes and conventions, and by doing so have created a more structured and strong magazine, just like a professional. What is more, that school magazines continually break them because they have no commercial pressure, because they know of their audiences and can distribute the magazine very easily within the school. The commercial pressure is massive on magazine institutions as not only must they appeal to their set audiences, but also they must market and distribute the product well to gain an acceptable profit.

E V A L U A T I O N I have learnt about how the mood/lighting of an image or page can affect how correctly the magazine portrays a genre. What I mean by this is the lighting has to match the general reputation/vibe of a genre, for instance pop is a bright genre with fake attitudes and lifestyles therefore bright colours such as pink suit the genre. In the same way hip-hop/grime is more of a dark, hard working lifestyle genre therefore is relative to more darker colours such as red and black. I used this to my benefit as I already of the connection so I applied the mood/lighting to match the genre. Images when taken carefully can help the style of the magazine to suit the style of the genre, types of images can affect the genre as both the artist and reader have to be able to relate to them. By using images that do not emphasize the stature and power of an artist in the hp-hop/grime world would be an insult, therefore I had to make sure that I was taking pictures that highlighted the power of an artist rather than making them look small and petty.

E V A L U A T I O N The mode of address is very important in many aspects, mostly because there has to be a way in which the magazine can fully relate to the readers. By using the correct mode of address I enabled my magazine to have the power of how my audiences understood what I was telling them. Slang was a crucial part of the success of my magazine overall,. Street slang is a bridge that can connect my magazine to the sub-culture of the audiences and make them believe that my magazine is relative to them and their life. I used slang in every aspect of my magazine, to make it seem to the audience that my magazine is deep in the ‘in crowd’ and knows of the goings on of the hip-hop/grime world. Clothing can make a grave impact on the look of a magazine, purely because the clothing on a a model are a massive attraction factor with readers normally buying magazines to flick through the images. It is also important for a magazine to look stylish and fashionable, as well as being able to set trends within the genre. In my magazine I tried to use very attractive outfits, that would appeal to the majority of my audiences.

E V A L U A T I O N How a model poses can affect whether if the message the magazine is trying to send across becomes encrypted or becomes accentuated. This is because if a model is posing for a classical magazine and is posing in a manor that is for the hip hop genre then the readers of the classical magazine will soon become uninterested. I made sure that my models posed in an appropriate manor that was suitable to the genre. The facial expressions of models are just as crucial as the poses. This is entirely because the two come as a package, and if one is placed in an incorrect way then the reader can become easily confused. The facial expressions complete the overall pose and how the model will look, therefore it is important to match the two together perfectly. The proxemics affect how a magazine will look because the proxemics illustrate the relationships between people, this is why it is important to demonstrate a harmony between models even when that is not the case, because otherwise the audiences will feel slightly cautious when reading the magazine and wont become further interested. I used proxemics cleverly because I exemplified the harmony between the artists on the contents page however kept them separate in all the other shots. This may make the audience believe there is agreement between the three with the element of independence still there. I have learnt how to produce certain things such as back grounds using different sources, the majority of the time I found this out with the aid of the internet, Google contained many sources which helped me improve my vision an how to apply it affectively.

One of the major lessons I have learned is how much the audience feedbacks are important in creating the upmost suitable magazines for them. the questionnaires illustrate the different things audiences want and who wants them, this in the end helps me as I know exactly what to include to create a successful end product. You have to listen to questionnaires because they are your source of wisdom that have been collected from people who know exactly what they want. I believe by listening to others within my age range I can accomplish a proportion that all the audiences will be pleased with, for instance by applying images suitable for the younger audiences whilst including more artists that are of a bigger appeal to older audiences. This way I can create a balance that will benefit all the audiences and attract them. E V A L U A T I O N PERFECT BALANCE

E V A L U A T I O N After thoroughly researching into many music tribes, I found out that although they are all around me they are also very diverse. But the tribe that stood out to me the most was hip-hop with the sub genre grime in second place. I thought the synergy of hip-hop/grime would be perfect to use as it would create a bigger audience. What is more personally for me it would be much easier to create a magazine based on genre that my life revolves around . Also I knew more about hip-hop/grime, I could respond to the tasks and challenges of making a magazine better. Even more how little details such as margins, fonts and positioning of an image on a page can affect the overall look of magazine is astonishing. It is evident that if little details such as fonts are represented incorrectly than the magazine can look slightly shabby and unpolished. This is why it is important to improve every little detail, and that is why I have spent so many hours adjusting minor details in my magazine.

E V A L U A T I O N Another important piece of information I learnt revolves around the many forms of saving files and why to be specific in choosing different formats. I learnt this after making many frustrating mistakes of saving images with random backgrounds attached. When asking for help I learnt that in order to import an image with no back ground I must add .PNG at the end. One of the last major things I learnt was how to create my vision into reality. I learnt that only hard work can result in gain. If factors in the making process do not work out (in many cases they didn’t) then find an alternative, but never give up. This is a very valuable lesson that I have learnt from doing my AS Level Coursework.

As Media Evaluation 1.25

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As Media Evaluation 1.25