2. In what ways does your media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions
of real media products?
My media product uses many of the codes and conventions of real media
products. I know this because of the music magazine research that I did. For
example my music magazine contained a masthead of the front cover which was
the biggest line of writing on the page just like the research I did on the
magazine: “Uncut”.
Another convention that my media product follows is the use of a PUG/SPLASH.
These are exclusives and it is mentioned on my front cover, contents page and
makes up the double page spread. These were all marked with bright eye-
catching banners from my research however I didn’t continue this theme.
Instead I decided to type it in bright red and blocked capitals on the front
cover. On the contents page it has its own section and is also in red and blocked
capitals. Lastly, on the double page spread the whole two pages is about the
exclusive interview. It is in question answer format and is written in columns as
I found it to be a common layout for other media products.
3. UNCUT - RESEARCHED MAGAZINE FRONT
COVER:
Masthead
(Biggest piece of text)
Sell Lines
Main Image
Connotation
Regulars (Hot
This Week)
Issue Date/Month
PUG/Splash
4. MY MEDIA PRODUCT FRONT COVER:
Masthead
Sell Lines
Main Image
Connotation
Regulars (Hot
This Week)
Issue Date/Month
Special Issue
PUG/Splash
5. How does your media product represent
particular social groups?
My music magazine represents the teenager social group.
This was aimed ages 13-19. This was decided with a
questionnaire that I carried out as the results I got back from
this came under the genre of “pop” which is stereotyped as
teenage music.
6.
7. Here is my research of stereotypes to
their stereotypical genre of music:
From this research I
decided to have my target
audience set as
teenagers. This is because
it is best suited for my
music genre of pop.
8. Stereotypes.
Since pop is the stereotypical genre for teenagers, I decided
to use trending and popular artists like: Ed Sheeran, Sam
Smith and Hoodie Allen to draw attention from my intended
social group. I also used bright colours and simple layouts to
make my media product appear even more appealing. Lastly
my new feature female artist wore simple clothing like any
other artist and posed as someone like Meghan Trainor or
Taylor Swift.
9. What kind of media institute might
distribute your media product and why?
After lots of research and thought I found an institute called “Development Hell
Ltd”. I chose this as my distributor because even though they are quite a new
institution, both of the heads were ex-Emap executives which meant that they
would have had lots of quality previous experience. The thing that caught my eye
the most was the fact that they had previously worked with Mixmag who deal
with music and entertainment and had released apps previously. I found this to
be perfect because of my target audience being 13-19 year olds and it being a
very technology advanced generation, it would make the sales of my magazine
hit the roof.
10. Who would be the audience for your
media product?
The audience for my music magazine is aimed at teenagers
(13-19). I chose not to make my media product gender
specific so that it could reach out to a wider range of
audience. I also decided this upon the results of a
questionnaire that I carried out. The questionnaire analysis
displayed the following results:
11. This question
determines the age
of the person being
questioned.
This question helped
to decide the target
audience based
upon stereotypes.
This question
determines the
price I should set for
my media product.
This question
determines how
often my media
product will be
published.
This question
determines what
artist my media
product should
feature.
This question shows
that they were
students and
therefore should use
the hypodermic
needle theory.
12. How did you attract/address your
audience?
To attract my target audience’s attention I used well known
and popular artists. I also used direct address on my front
cover with the main image because the new artist seems to
be looking at you which draws the readers attention without
realising.
13. How my images attracted my audience.
Here are two out of six images of my model posing
in ordinary clothing. I did this as my target audience
are at the age of many decisions that piece
together identity and personality. Therefore I
used a typical role model for my audience to
aspire to be.
14. Colour Scheme:
Throughout the 3 pages, I kept the same colour scheme. These colours
were:
‘GREEN’ ‘RED’ ‘WHITE’ ‘BLACK’
I decided to do this because they are non-gender specific and therefore
suitable for both genders. I also made the decision on these four
colours/shades because my media product had a Christmas theme and
the colours I used are typical Christmas colours.
15. !!!I used lots of
exclamation marks to
make my media
product look more
exciting, fun, and
specific to my target
audience. Here is an
example of this from
my front cover:
16. Slang and Puns.
Slang words were a method
that I used to attract my
target audience of teenagers
like on my double-page-
spread where I used the word
“laydee” instead of lady.
This was done as direct
address which makes the
audience feel included.
Puns were used as another
method also to attract my
target audience to make my
media product seem less
serious. An example of this is
on my front cover where it
reads: “Ed Sheeran’s
‘X’cellent new album!”
17. Hypodermic Needle Theory!
I used the hypodermic needle theory for my music magazine
so that the audience could just take in the information
without having to use too much brain power which would
increase enjoyment whilst reading.
18. What have you learnt about technologies
from the process of constructing this
product?
From the construction of my media product I have
developed my skills in some technology. These are:
-Photoshop
-Blogger
19. Photoshop:
I learnt the hard way that I needed to expand my knowledge because I
was removing the background of the images on word which made
them look choppy and unprofessional. (Example on next slide)
I learnt what the different tools were. I also learnt how and when to
use them.
I learnt how to remove the background of the images.
I learnt how to remove blemishes and other imperfections to make
the model look the idea of ‘perfect’ or ‘flawless’.
21. Blogger:
I learnt about blogger during lessons because all of our coursework
had to be posted on here.
I learnt that images can only be posted on blogger when they are a
.jpg file.
The last thing that I learnt on blogger was how to post a fully
functional powerpoint from slideshare.
22. Looking back at your preliminary task, what
do you feel you have learnt in the progression
from it to the full product?
From my preliminary task I feel like my skills in media are a lot more
advanced. I know this because my first magazine which was the
college one was not very eye-catching or suited to the target
audience. However now that I am more experienced with the
magazine codes and conventions my media product has grown to look
more professional. I did this by using Photoshop and InDesign instead
of word and publisher.
23. Continued… (Skills in software).
My skill in media publishing software has advanced from the start of
this whole task. This is because throughout the process of this I was
using work for editing. However I managed to advance my skill and I
am no able to use Photoshop and add effects to images on ‘PicMonkey’
etc.