- The document is a media evaluation of a magazine called E.R.U.K that covers alternative rock music. - The magazine uses bright colors and textures to stand out compared to other magazines that use similar red, black, and white designs. - It represents social groups like punks and rockers through its anti-establishment style and lyrics featured from bands.

1. AS media evaluation By Stefan Kitchener

2. This is my magazine: For the masthead I used a font which looked rough but contemporary, I used techniques in in-design which gave the text the “noisy” look. it is called E.R.U.K, this stands for electronic rock uk, to someone who enjoys alternative rock music this name will instantly appeal to them. My tag line consists of the lyrics to a famous song by pendulum, a band who are very much leaders in the genre of music my magazine covers. Here I used colourful text to reflect the “colourful” language in this famous lyric. Here I used the glow tool in in-design, this gives the bands a “godly” status. For my subheading I have tried to match the font to the font that the band pendulum uses in their name, I have also overlaid the text over the bands emblem for maximum impact and recognisability.

3. In what ways does your product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media? These are the front covers from regular music magazines: Note how every magazine uses a similar red, black and white theme. None of these would stand out on a shelf of music magazines because they all look the same.

4. E.R.U.K – electronic/alternative rock Q magazine – rock/pop magazine In some ways my magazine is similar to Q, if you striped both front covers back to their flat plan, the layout would be very similar. For example, the subheading and the main bulk of text is in the same place, the picture is also similarly positioned using the rule of thirds. This is where the similarities stop. Whilst Q magazine has a bright, happy high key shot of Madonna as the main image, E.R.U.K has a dark, mysterious and menacing photo of the lead singer of pendulum. This “darkness” would differentiate my magazine from others therefore grabbing attention of someone browsing amongst music magazines. As I mentioned earlier, most magazines most music magazines tend to stick to the colours red, white and black. Not in my case. I decided to use bright, retro, electro colours which still look a bit menacing. Through a combination of different techniques I have tried to differentiate my magazine from its competitors with a unique look.

5. how does your media product represent particular social groups? Music kids chav Social groups Regular kids emo Fashionable kids punk Skater

6. My magazine could appeal to a wide range of social groups, bellow are photographs of people at alternative rock gigs:

7. as you can see from the last slide, a wide variety of people enjoy this genre of music. To find a specific social groups who feel represented by this genre of music we have to look at the lyrics in songs from this genre. Pendulum - the other side: Come on down to the other side, Come with us through the gates of hell, Where we'll drag you from where you are to where you belong. Linkin park – faint: I am a little bit of loneliness, a little bit of disregard, Handful of complaints but I can't help the fact That everyone can see these scars. Limp bizkit – break stuff: Its all about the he says she says bullshit, I think you better quit,Lettin' shit slip, Or you'll be leavin with a fat lip, Its all about the he says she says bullshit, I think you better quit talkin that shit (Punk, so come and get it) The prodigy – firestarter: I'm the trouble starter, punking instigator. I'm the fear addicted, danger illustrated. I'm a firestarter, twisted firestarter ,you're the firestarter, twisted firestarter,I'm the bitch you hated, filth infatuated.Yeah, I'm the pain you tasted, fell intoxicated.I'm a firestarter, twisted firestarter. After reading these lyrics you can start to feel what social groups may feel represented by this genre of music. Over ally these lyrics suggest radical and mischievous behaviour, this behaviour would suit rockers and punks best. My magazine represents a wide variety of social groups but more so with rockers and punks. It represents their social groups by going against the grain of mainstream society. The stereotypical rocker or punk is known to be ‘anti-establishment’, my magazine goes against what is expected of a regular magazine, feel this is another reason why rockers and punks may notice and enjoy my product.

8. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? After some research and looking back on class notes a came to the decision that Bauer media were the best suited to my product and were the best distributers.

9. Who would be the target audience and how did I attract them ? This is my target audience, people who enjoy going to gigs and listening to good music.

10. Specifically my target audience would probably consist of both males and females aged roughly 15-30. they would probably enjoy going to festivals and gigs, music would be a very big part of these peoples lives. Also, not forgetting they may have ‘rocker’ or ‘punk’ roots, as I found that this genre of music represents those social groups very well. My target would download music, music videos, buy magazines, listen to the radio and buy band merchandise. After all of these products there is no reason why my magazine couldn't fit into the lives of my target audience as all of thee above do. I chose this audience because their lifestyle would mean that they constantly want to be in know about the music they like, a magazine like mine would for fill these peoples music needs.

11. Soft focus background of a gig Downloadable set list so fans can re-live the night Explicit lyrics to appeal to target audience and specific social groups Fan photographs to make the reader feel part of the action I attracted my target audience by using a variety of techniques. Firstly I used vivid, bright colours on a contrasting background. These colour would often be found in strobe lights at gigs and festivals. It is also very eye-catching compared to other magazines. The other technique way I attracted my target audience was by using photos that they would find appeal ling and stimulating. The photos were taken at a pendulum gig in beonrmouth. The photos were taken from the crowd so they really capture the excitement that my target audience crave whenever they go to a concert. The front cover of my magazine is designed to shock, the explicit lyrics, outrageous masthead and overall boldness really address my target audience specifically. Another feature i included was the ability to be able to download a set list from one of pendulums live performances, I think this would directly attract and address readers and also make them feel special. Highly contrasting colours

12. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? To create my magazine I used a wide variety of different technologies. Without a mac/pc I simply wouldn't have been able to create a magazine anywhere near the standard that my fished product is at. Technology i used: Apple mac Digital camera Adobe in design Adobe photoshop Microsoft word Internet explorer

13. I also used the crop tool to honour the rule of thirds. Photoshop: For my front cover i used photo shop to provide a base for the text, i used the darken tool on the 2 left thirds of the photo before after

14. Without in-design my magazine would not have been to the standard that is a now, in-design is professional software that is still easy to use, that is why its so ideal for people like myself. In design has many tools that can transform a regular page into something very interesting, this is my contents page, on this page I used a variety of tools and effects in in-design: For this text i used inner shadow, drop shadow and the outer glow tool, this gives the text massive presence. To make this text stand out i used the swatches tool, this enables you to change the colour of the inside of the font and the outline, I made the colours contrast for maximum impact. Over ally this project has greatly increased my knowledge about working with technology to create a media product, especially with the software in-design and Photoshop.

15. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? Looking at my 2 magazines side buy side, my later work has a much more professional look about it. old new

16. Looking at the mastheads and taglines its clear to see my increased level of knowledge has helped me form a better outcome, my old title is a standard font that comes with in-design, my new font comes from the website “dafont”. Also I have used swatches, inner shadow and other tools to create the rustic effect on my masthead, i also feel that the tagline is more appropriate to the content of the magazine.

17. My first magazine had a very poor subheading, it lacked impact and excitement, no real skill was used when making this page. The subheading on my new magazine includes words overlays a band’s emblem, this required knowledge in how to use in-design. It also includes and issue number, price and barcode which my old front cover didn't. All these things make my new magazine especially interesting to my target audience.

18. Another way in which I have progressed though this project is noticing what looks right, what I mean by this is creating a product which doesn't look tacky. The image on the left is very cheezy and has no real social impact. The new magazine cover carries a social agenda with its self, it represents people. Overally my time spent using in-design, Photoshop and other software has led me to build experience and ultimately create a better media product than I did 6 months ago.