The student reflects on what they have learned from their preliminary task to their full media product. They note that for the preliminary task they did not do as much research or planning compared to the full product. For the full product, they evaluated conventions of different media examples, conducted focus groups for feedback, and learned new skills like image editing. Overall, the student realized more detail is needed in the production process than they initially thought for the preliminary task.

1. Question
In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media
products?

3. For all my media products, I researched many R&B magazines and
looked at conventions of the product. This then helped me with the
production of my own products.
For my double page spread, I believe I did not challenge any of the
forms and conventions of the majority of R&B music magazines, I
followed the ideology’s of R&B double page spreads. The layout of my
double page spread does challenge some conventions as my main
image takes up the whole left side of the double page and the text is
on the right page whereas the majority of double page spreads have
the main image in the centre. However it is conventional as the image
is posed and a mid shot which may give the readers a feeling that the
article is a strong insight to the personality of the artist and you see
their true colours. At the top corner of the page I added small images
of the artist which breaks the conventions of many R&B magazines,
this then allows the audience to see different sides of the artist.

4. The language used in the article is informal and standard English,
this then makes the reader at ease when reading the article. I did
this to make the product look reliable to the readers and like a real
professional magazine.
I did my double page spread in this way because its what my
audience expects from my magazine. My audience will be used to
the artist looking glamorous and posing, therefore by challenging
conventions I believe my double page would not have looked very
R&B and would therefore not suit the ideology's of R&B music and
artists.
My colour scheme is the same as my other media products making
the magazine more professional. In my double page the colour
scheme connects the text to the image, this does not break any
conventions as most magazines will have a colour scheme. I did
this to draw attention to the artist and I want the audience to
visualise her when they are reading the article and I did this by
relating the colours.

6. By sticking to the codes and conventions it made the magazine reliable
and professional. I think my contents page does not follow the
conventions of most other R&B magazines when it comes to the image
for example ‘VIBE’ use the image of the artist as the whole background
therefore I went against the conventions by using a small image of the
main artist in the centre of the page which many R&B magazines do not
have, I then used other images of other artists so that I can suit the
audiences needs and wants which are to know the latest fashion and
gossip of the popular R&B artists, and by having different images of
artists shown on the page I can then know that I suit many different
peoples wants for the artists they may like the most.
But the rest of the contents page is conventional because of my use of
numbers, variety of colours, main image with other secondary images.
The captions within the contents page relates to the conventions of the
target audience of R&B magazines, for example ‘exclusive pictures of RiRi
on tour’ ‘worst and best dressed at EMA’s’ shows many different sides
of R&B music, and will therefore have many pages that my target
audience will enjoy. This is how I attracted my audience by thinking of
what needs my audience will want.

7. The colour scheme is very conventional by using a baby blue for
important words within a caption and the colour of the numbers. By
using a uni-sex bright colour will relate to my target audience, it also
gives a more sophisticated look to appeal to young people and
adults.
The language used is informal to seem friendly for the readers and
also clear and engaging for the readers to then read further into the
magazine. I think the language of my contents page suits the
language throughout my three products to make it more professional
and relate together.
I have used 7 images on my contents page, the main image of my
artist is larger than any other image instantly standing out to the
audience. I used these images to link to the captions and stories
because image may attract more readers and to find out more about
the story. I didn’t over crowd the page with images giving it a more
structured layout.

9. I have followed the codes and conventions for the layout of my R&B
magazine front cover as I feel it is more reliable to the reader overall
and the audience can relate to it more. This leads to the target
audience of my magazine having a clear understanding of the contents
of my magazine by using informal text of headlines that are more eye
catching and attention drawing for what is within the magazine. This
then helps the audience understand the style and genre within.
I think my layout is very similar to magazines such as ‘VIBE’ which is a
very popular R&B magazine with a very similar layout throughout each
magazine. My front cover is similar as it has the masthead at the top
centre of the page, and a large image of the main artist covering the
whole page with headings around the sides of the artist. I feel by using
this layout, the genre is very clear to the readers and the image of the
artist is instantly the centre of attention.

10. I also followed a colour scheme for my front cover which is red, blue and
white which follows the conventions of R&B music by using bright and
attractive colours. by following a colour scheme throughout all three
products, makes them look very professional.
I used informal language throughout my magazine. The language used
gives a relaxed vibe to the readers and makes reading the magazine more
pleasing.
Researching other magazines, I followed the conventions by using
headlines such as exclusive interviews and pictures of very popular
artists, I followed this convention so that each heading would suit many
people within the audience and there would be a part of the magazine
that everyone would enjoy. Therefore I thought my target demographic
would appeal to this and take interest in my magazine.
I also followed the conventions for my main image as I have the artist
looking at the camera which is direct address which can then make the
image more engaging to the audience.

12. Question
How does your media product represent particular social
groups?

13. Throughout my media products, there is nothing that shows any social groups
in a negative way. I feel my magazine is aimed at social groups that enjoy R&B
music and also aimed at younger generations and social groups which many
R&B magazines also do. But I do think the clothing used on my artist can relate
to certain social groups, she wears very glamorous clothes that are in the latest
fashion with high heels that many people may look up to as a role model of
fashion as well as music. And I used a vibrant blue and red throughout my
photo shoot with what the artist is wearing therefore I think the social group
attracted to my product will be young females into the same style of fashion
and R&B music.
When researching my target audience, this helped me create each media
product as I thought about what my target audience would expect to see.
I have used certain language and images to aim at young students that relate to
the language used. I did this so that the readers can instantly relate to the
language used throughout the magazine and will be able to enjoy it and read it
at ease.

15. Question
What kind of media institution might distribute your
media product and why?

16. BAUER MEDIA
I would used Bauer media to distribute my magazine because they are the
biggest publishing house in Europe and they do a variety of magazines
particularly a variety of music magazines.
Bauer distribute magazines such as ‘Kerrang!’ which is a rock genre magazine.
And ‘Q’ who are suited to old people, when looking through the magazines
they distribute, it does not include a magazine like mine, an R&B magazine for
young people therefore I would choose this company as they need a magazine
like mine leading them to having a variety of magazines with different genres.
Ways to promote my magazine:
App
Website
Free magazines at festivals
Facebook
Some magazines
that BAUER media
group distribute.

17. Furthermore, Bauer media group include brands on national Television
stations such as 4music and this would link to my R&B genre of my
magazine as 4music play a lot of R&B music to a large audience.
I also chose Bauer media group because when looking at other
distributions for example IPC media, I think that my type of magazine
would not fit in with all the other magazines and genres that they
distribute.
I would distribute my magazine in shops and supermarkets such as Tesco,
Sainsbury's, WHSmiths and HMV as I believe these shops are very high
street and popular with a wide range of people. Therefore my audience
would have easy access to my magazine giving it a wider appeal.

19. Question
Who would be the audience for your media product?

20. The audience for my media product would be a large variety of people. The
age of my audience will be between the ages of 16 and 26. This audience will
be both male and female as I made my magazine products relate to both
genders, the men may be the audience of my magazine because of the image
of a pretty R&B artist on the front cover, and I also made sure the sell lines
would suit the needs of both genders of my audience.
And females may read this magazine as they look up to the artist, or like her
fashion and will want to know the latest gossip of the artist. I used sell lines
about Dizzee Rascal and Rihanna so that the readers can see there is a wide
range of artists featured in the magazine.

21. My audience will be social climbers who care about their appearance,
they are interested in the society around them and what are the
latest trends. The lifestyle choices my audience may follow would be
aspires who work hard to become what they aspire to be. They would
also be mainstreamers and have an ordinary life, enjoy going out and
are interested in the latest gossip and trends in the media industry.
I think my audience is a broad audience as my genre has many
different aspects and it is not simply just one genre as every artist and
song is different in so many ways when it comes to R&B.
My secondary audience will be mixed genders over the age of 25 who
still enjoy to listen to R&B on the radio when in the car or still follow
the artist they have loved from when they were younger.

22. Audience demographics Demographics
Age: 16-24
Gender: unisex male and female
social class: B-E
Lifestyle: Mainly followers of the crowd, up to date
with the latest and mainstream music genre.
This music genre has been around for a long period of
time, it is recognisable instantly but can also not be
clear to distinguish from other genres as R&B can be
mixed with other genres. It involves a lot of rapping,
emotional lyrics about love, life and other things, this
can then relate to the lifestyles of the audience.
Rebels are people that go against the rules and usually
have no respect for others, whilst doing anything they
want to do. R&B and the lyrics within would also be
rather rebellious with swearing and rapping usually
involving sex and how you treat others which
rebellious people can sometimes relate with and
follow.

23. Hobbies and interests: loves going out and socialising with friends,
partying, drinking, listening to music and dancing to music when
partying. Love attending music concerts and festivals.
Fashion and styles: R&B genre music fans take care of their
appearance, like to keep up with the latest fashion and trends.
Therefore this audience, will pick up my magazine when the see the
glamorous artist on the front cover in a very fashionable dress. They
will want to be up to date with the latest news and gossip so that they
can talk about it and socialise over it with their group of friends.
Therefore I think my magazine represents this type of social group that
enjoy going out and socialising with friends and by reading about the
newest popular R&B artist and their love life.

24. Question
How did you attract/address your audience?

25. I attracted my audience mostly by my sell lines on my front cover, the
language used and the colour scheme throughout my products.
When thinking about attracting my audience, I instantly thought of the
language used in R&B magazines and then interpreted a similar language
into my own three products. I tried to show an informal, friendly tone in my
magazine however I did not used words that young teenagers use such as
‘LOL’ as I am aiming this at young adults and by using words like that, they
may find the magazine too immature for them therefore I tried to sound
friendly yet mature in my language so my readers can enjoy the magazine
at ease. This made my magazine more easy to follow and makes them feel
comfortable to be able to understand the language well and relate to it.
As my magazine is aimed at both males and females although it may attract
more females, I then tried to show a lot of fashion and glamour in the
contents of my magazine to show the latest trends and they can therefore
relate to it.

26. My colour scheme of a vibrant blue and red, are conventional colours that
will suit any gender and any age, by using blue, red and white throughout my
products made it more appealing and eye catching to my readers to make it
more aesthetically pleasing to view.
I used these colours throughout as I think these colours are very uni-sex and
by using a colour such as pink will instantly give my magazine a stereotype of
a girls magazine which I did not want as I wanted a wide range of readers
both male and female.
The artist I used for my magazine are relevant to my audience as they look
very glamorous in their costume, make-up and hair. Therefore the audience
will be more interested in her story when she looks glamorous and in the
latest fashion trend that my audience will be looking up to. I used minimalistic
make-up on my artist as I felt having a more natural effect will make the
readers believe they are seeing the true side of the artist and reassuring the
readers that you can be pretty without a large amount of make up and being
fake.

28. Question
What have you learnt about technologies from the
process of constructing this product?

29. At the beginning of this process, before producing anything, I had
to create a blog to post all of my work onto, this blog included
many different tabs for each part of the work. I used blogger.com
which was all new to me as I had never blogged before, therefore
I learnt a new technology at the beginning. I have enjoyed using
blogger as it keeps my work organised by having various pages
and it was easy to navigate.
To produce my contents page, double page spread and front
cover I used Microsoft PowerPoint which I think was very easy to
use as I was familiar with the process.
However I did learn that the blog I used was not always reliable
so I therefore made sure I had backed up all of my work just in
case so I did learn that technology can not always work perfectly.

31. Question
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel
you have learnt in the progression from it to the full
product?

32. Preliminary
Task
Front Cover

33. Final
Front Cover

34. Preliminary Task
Contents Page

35. Final
Contents Page

36. When completing the preliminary task, not much research and planning
was done in as much debt as it was for the rest of the production. When
we had to do our final research and planning for double page, contents
page and front cover, we had to look at 3 each and evaluate many features
of them, this then helped me when it came to making my own as I was
familiar of the ideologies and conventions of each product. Therefore over
this period I think I have learnt a lot about research, planning and testing
on your audience to understand what others want in your product.
I also learnt a lot about the production, by using my skills in the making
when designing, editing images and creating successful layouts.
When starting my preliminary task I thought I could just rush into it and
produce a front cover by using an image and some text as I thought I knew
a lot about magazines because I read them a lot but in reality I soon found
that I was wrong and a lot of detail needs to go into the production.

37. I then learnt how testing on my focus groups helped my
production a lot as I gathered a lot more than just my own
opinions on each product. You can then find out what your
audience will want to see when you get a large amount of
feedback to help you .
This is because they let you know what works well and what
doesn’t and you then look at each feature and the
production in a lot more detail than I did in the preliminary
task.
I also went onto picture editing websites to try different
edits for my images that I have chosen for my final products
to then make the image more appealing and eye catching to
the readers which I did not even think about doing for my
preliminary task, I just used the original image when I could
have made it look a lot more effective. And you can see this
clearly when comparing my products from the preliminary
task to the final product.

38. Thank you for watching
By Daisy Corrie