1. OCR Media Studies – AS Level
Unit G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media
Preliminary Task, Log Book and Evaluation
Name: Jonathan Mak
Candidate Number: 6948
Center Name: St. Paul’s Catholic College
Center Number: 64770
3. Preliminary Task Progression – Evidence
Front Cover
For the screenshot on the left,
I had added a light purple
gradient to suit the current St
Paul’s colour scheme, this
gradient also helps directs the
audience’s attention to the
center of the page
I had also implemented, using
the horizontal text tool, the
masthead of the magazine,
‘Student’s Summary’ using the
font: Lucida Caligraphy, I
chose this font due to its
classy yet simple vibe that it
gives off
I also included the St Paul’s
logo located in between the
mast head to show branding
For this screenshot, I have
added a strapline and a puff
promotion as seen in the red
shape
The strapline, is made
similarly to the masthead, to
make it stand out from the
page, I’ve added a stroke to
the tagline and masthead to
give it a black border around
the edges of the letters
I made the shape of the puff
promotion by implementing a
dark red, circle and giving it a
faded white stroke, then
again, I did the same thing,
only, I resized the second
shape to make it smaller to fit
into the first, to make it look
like its cut off
4. Preliminary Task Progression – Evidence
Front Cover
I’ve added to shapes to this
page, cutting it off to make it
seem like an arrow pointing to
the left and separating the
shapes to make it seem more
appealing to the audience,
then adding a thin black stroke
to the shapes to make it stand
out from the page
Then, using the text tool, I
typed in the sub headings to
place inside the shapes, in the
font: Bauhaus 93
Using the rectangle shape
tool, I added a shape to the
bottom of the page and cut it
at the top to add to the
aesthetics of the page to
attract the audience’s
attention
Then using the text tool and
the Bauhaus 93 Font, I
added the main headline and
implemented media logos to
the bottom of the page to let
the audience know that they
are able to interact with the
creators of this magazine
5. Preliminary Task Progression – Evidence
Front Cover
Doing the same thing as I did
when I created the text boxes
for the cover lines, I made a
3rd cover line
In addition I added the final
touches: bar code, QR code,
web address, issue date and
number and the cost of the
magazine
7. Preliminary Task Progression – Evidence
Contents Page
Firstly, I created a light purple
background to suit the colour
scheme of the magazine
Adding the same style that was
located on the box at the
bottom of the front cover, I
have implemented the
masthead with the St Paul’s
logo in between ‘Student’s’ and
‘Summary’
Using one of the pictures I
have took of the school, I had
made it transparent to make
whatever is in front to stand
out from the page
To the right hand side of the
page, I have added the title of
the page, ‘Contents’, to help
inform the audience as to
what page they are on
8. Preliminary Task Progression – Evidence
Contents Page
I then, started to add page
numbers and its contents, with
a boxed design behind the
numbers to make it
aesthetically pleasing
Next, I added supporting
pictures that relate to the cover
lines to help the audience’s
visualisation, these pictures
also have a black stroke
around it
I added a shape in dark red
at the bottom left of the page
to add to the aesthetics of the
page, within that shape I
implemented an editorial
headshot to give the
audience an idea of who is
the founder of the magazine
Next to it, I added the
editorial to welcome the
audience to the magazine, all
done using the text tool, this
includes the page number,
web address and the name of
the magazine
10. Main Task Progression – Evidence
Front Cover
I added a white to gray
gradient for the front cover to
help the audience focus the
center of the page
Next I added 2 shapes
overlapping to challenge the
traditional convention of having
a masthead with no
background, adding these
shapes would make the
masthead stand out to the
audience to see
I added two shapes using the
circle tool, for the puff
promotion and tagline, in the
colours, red and black, this
was done to suit the colour
scheme of the magazine, for
the text, I used a light gray
and white coloured text is at
contrasts from the shape that
it was in front of, this is to
make the front cover more
aesthetically pleasing
11. Main Task Progression – Evidence
Front Cover
I have ‘repeated’ (Neale) the
following conventions, the:
barcode, QR code, price, web
address, issue number and
date it was published
On the right hand side, I have
added using the text tool, the
cover lines to show to the
audience what is featured in
this issue of the magazine
After manipulating the image
to remove the background
the image was taken on, I
have implemented it into the
centre of the page as this is
where consumers generally
direct their attention to, the
model on this page
represents the musician
Angus Young, this can be
connoted from the suit the
model is wearing and the
guitar that he is holding, in
front of this guitar, is the
main headline which the
main image supports as this
is the main story, the main
headline is of a much larger
font size to represent that it
is the main headline
12. Main Task Progression – Evidence
Front Cover
I implemented supporting
images for the cover lines
to add to the page’s
aesthetics
In addition to this, I have
added media logos to let
the audience know that
they are able to engage
with the makers of the
magazine
Like the shapes behind
the masthead, I have
done the same style, but
with the colours inverted,
located at the bottom of
the page, the text in this
shape are part of lyrics of
the songs from musicians
mentioned in the cover
lines
14. Main Task Progression – Evidence
Contents Page
Like the masthead
background, I have done the
same thing for the title of the
contents page, with the title
and issue date text within it,
using the ‘poplar std’ font style
The background page colour is
similar to the front page to
‘repeat’ (Neale) the colour
scheme throughout the
magazine
Replicating the masthead, I
implemented it into the top
left corner of the page, to
maintain the branding of
the magazine itself
Next, I added the contents
that are within the
magazine on the contents
page to inform the
audience as to where
certain stories are located,
all of the text is made using
the text tool with the ‘poplar
std’ font style
15. Main Task Progression – Evidence
Contents Page
I have implemented three
supporting images which
represent the stories told on
page number six, ten and 22,
which is the main story
All of these images I have
added a dark red coloured
stroke to it, making it stand out
from the page, attracting the
audience’s attention
On the image that represents
page ten, I had added a black
and white adjustment layer to
give it the grayscale look
Finally, I have added red
rectangle at the bottom of the
page which links which
merges with the red stroke
on the image presenting
page 22, in addition, adding
a promotion with the text
being in the ‘poplar std’ font
style, along with the page
number
17. Main Task Progression – Evidence
Double page spread
Adding a white rectangle shape tool, I have added to the page, what looks like a red
border on the page, this was done to add to the aesthetics and suit the colour scheme
of the magazine
After cropping out a proportion of the images empty background, I have placed it on
the left hand side to cover the entirety of the left page, allowing the audience to focus
on the image alone and not being surrounded by text
I have added an image of other ‘band members’ with a black stroke, on the bottom left
of the page to add to the page’s aesthetics
Using the shape tool, I have angled two rectangular shape to make it seem like it is
overlapping each other like a ribbon, in addition, to making the colours of the of these
shapes with one of a light red and one with a darker red, this was done to suit the
colour scheme which runs throughout the magazine, then using the text tool, I added
the main headline of the page
On the top left of the page, I have also added the band’s name, ACDC, using the
bands known font ‘squealer’, this was done to inform the audience of who the band is
18. Main Task Progression – Evidence
Double page spread
I then proceeded to adding the entire story that I have made with the help of the video
recorded interview that I have conducted with the actor, posing as Angus Young
Next I added two shapes to the bottom of the page, one to be contained with extra
information and one for the page number, date, etc, in addition, a black line was
added to the first box to add to the pages aesthetic, so that the information in the box
will not be looked over
After I’ve typing in the interview, I have used Photoshop's spell checker plug in to
check if I had any spelling errors, in addition, on the bottom of the page, I have added
extra information, in where I’ve promoted the band, ACDC, with the use of a quote by
‘Angus Young’ and also implementing a screen grab of the band’s website
20. Established Magazine for my Research
Masthead – To show
the audience what
magazine company it’s
by
Central image – Used to
attract the audience
according to Katz’
‘gratifications’ with a
medium shot of the
band
“Free CD and Posters”
which according to
Katz, it allows the
audience to ‘use’ the
products for self-
entertainment and
‘gratification’
Puff promotion which
according to Katz, lets
the audience know that
they have a chance at
winning “£600 of
clothes” and winning
tickets that the
audience can ‘use’
Main head line – To
address to the
audience what this
specific issue of the
magazine will be
focusing on or what
story is the most
popular
Barcode – For easy
product identification
when the item is being
purchased
Web address – To let
the audience know
where they will be able
to find extra
information
Sub-headlines – used
to notify the audience
of what other text or
information there will
be covered in the
current issue
Price of the magazine – shown to
show the cost to the audience
21. Music Magazine – Genre research
A running colour scheme through the more well known Rock Music Magazines, have the similar
colours: red, black and white, ‘repeating’ (Steve Neal), magazines such as: Kerrang, Rock Sound,
Mojo and NME
In addition to this, ‘star appeal’ is seen on the front cover of these Rock magazines, also seen in all
types of magazines in order to attract their current and new fan base, furthermore, magazines have
‘repeated’ (Neale) other conventions like: a barcode, masthead, head and cover lines, images of
‘stars’ and puff promotions
Research on ‘Kerrang!’
Total recorded circulation in June 2013
Kerrang!, music magazine is published weekly by the Bauer Media Group, based in London, UK
For this magazine to interact with their audience they have created social media pages and pages
for them, their website, being www.kerrang.com, they also have a Kerrang Facebook page with a
total of over 843,000 followers and a Twitter page of over 638,000 followers on Twitter
The Founder and Editor being Alan Lewis and James McMahon
Kerrang! Also releases articles on the Kerrang: awards, radio, TV and Tour
22. Music Magazine – Genre research
Continued
Target Audience – Katz, Maslow, Hartley and/or socio-economic needs
The target audience for Kerrang magazine would be teenagers at the age of 16-21, male and female(Harley),
this can be denoted from the companies website at www.kerrang.com and the way that they construct their
text: “This is getting reeeally good…”, this text is short yet simple and providing much information away, in
addition, the home page implements an image of the ‘stars’ (Dyer) of the band with a caption underneath it,
which allows the audience for gratification (Katz), this captivates the audience’s attention and making them
want to research further into the article
What is the USP of this magazine? YOU MUST refer to specific conventions/stories from your
research
From the research I have made, the USP that makes Kerrang so popular is how much the company is able to
make their text in the same style as how many stereotypical teenagers speak in todays society, it being full of
slang, short sentences and text talk, such as ‘OH. MY. GOD’, this allows the audience to relate to the
magazine, forming a metaphorically, ‘personal relationship’ with the magazine, in addition to this, the company,
Kerrang also have other platforms apart from magazine, such as TV and radio, allowing them to reach a wider
range of audience
23. Publisher research
The publisher of Kerrang Magazine is by the Bauer Media Group founded on 1875, their Headquarters is
located in Hamburg, Germany, this company specialises in multi-media platforms which includes: print,
digital, radio and TV
Their recorded revenue in 2013 is approximately 2.4 billion euros and 11,000 number of employees as of
2013
Bauer is contracted with over 1000 products, most well known brands are: Empire (film magazine), Magic
(radio), Kiss (radio), Mojo (music magazine) and 4Music (TV)
Bauer Magazines, led by Rob Munro-Hall, is made up of 53 brands and selling over 217 millions copies a
year, selling brands like: Empire; Heat; Kerrang; MCN; Q and SeaAngler
