Media evaluation coursework

Name- Philip Michael Whitehead
Candidate Number- 3079
Centre Number- 33435 Aquinas College
AS Media Studies
OCR G321: Foundation Portfolio

Who would be the audience for my media
product?
I aimed my
magazine at…
Mainly male readers
from 16-30 but female
readers also if they’re
interested.
Who like to shop at… Educated
Who enjoy football, gigs and
festivals and socialising.
Influenced by…
Who listen to…
Who spend money
on…
Who live in towns or
cities…
In any social class…

product?
I feel my magazine would be very similar to magazines such as NME, Q and
Kerrang! and the audience which buys them magazines, however my
magazine will be more sub-genre specific than NME, Q and Kerrang! as they
include a range of music genres in their magazine. I felt therefore due to the
variety of music genres many magazines use, there is a gap in the market for a
indie genre specific magazine targeted mainly for males. This provides my
magazine with a unique selling point.

product?
Based on audience research, I have found that there is a gap in
the market for a indie genre specific magazine which differs from
the other magazines from this genre like NME, Q magazine and
Kerrang! This is because these magazine focus on a range of
genres, whereas my magazine will be extremely genre specific
due to my audiences interests. I have aimed my magazine at
mainly males aged from 16-30 as people of this category have the
most interest in my magazine sub-genre.

product?
Magazines from the indie sub-genre are very
popular, such as NME, Q magazine and Kerrang!
NME magazine has been published since 1952, it
is the best-selling music newspaper and has been
through many stages in genres over the years and
through different editors. Q magazine was first
published in 1986 and has a monthly issue.
Kerrang! was first published in 1981 and became
the best selling British music newspaper in the
early 2000’s. The reason people enjoy reading
these magazines is because they’re reader about
their interests. It means the reader relates to the
magazine and enjoys reading the content. My
magazine will therefore be successful as my
magazine is based on audience research.

product?
The primary audience would be mainly males between the ages of 16-30, this is due to
the bands within my sub-genre being mainly all male bands. Also males 16-30 enjoy
reading the features included in my magazine as they are interested in up and coming
indie music as well as the more recognisable figures within the genre. Although some
females would be interested in my magazine I would say they were mainly the
secondary audience of my magazine. I have picked this specific age range as a large
percentage of people of that age listen to type of music included in my magazine. I have
included the features in my magazine to fit the interests of my primary reader such as
gigs and reviews of bands they love.
The secondary audience would be people who would not
necessarily buy my magazine, but would read it when partners,
friends or family members had purchased it. I would aim my
magazine at 16-30 year olds however this may not be the only
age range who would read it. I would aim my magazine at a
demographic who are interested in the popular indie music such
as those who play at festivals. I would say my secondary audience
would mainly be women and people not between the age range of
my primary audience. However, these people can still read and enjoy my magazine.

product?
The demographic for my product would be anyone who is
aspiring or desires to become successful in a band, who maybe
play a musical instrument and are influenced by the most
popular bands of my magazine sub-genre such as; Arctic
Monkeys and The Strokes.
My readers will have icons they look up to and aspire to be such
as the front men of the bands or the person in that band who
may play the instrument which they play. I researched into
stars within my genre and found people such as Alex Turner,
Julian Casablancas and Albert Hammond Jr, these will be the
types of people in my magazine. I did not include any stars who
do not relate to my sub-genre of the magazine or do not appeal
to my target audience such as Beyonce and Katy Perry.
There also will be the indie style conveyed across my magazine
in the dress sense’s of various people in my magazine, this will
be examples of ideology with leather and denim jackets, skinny
jeans, long hair and pointy shoes.

product?
The most similar product to my music magazine has to be either
NME or Q magazine. Both these magazine are of the same genre
as my magazine and use similar features to those included in my
magazine. However Q magazine is published monthly and
includes some editions where they are a range of genres. Also
NME does this and is not genre specific as they
often have a range of genres within an edition
of the magazine.

product?
The ideal reader of my media product
is someone who aspires or is certainly
interested in stars relating to the sub-
genre of my magazine. People such as
Alex Turner, Miles Kane, Julian
Casablancas, Dave Grohl and Karl
Barat. These are people who are or
have been very successful in producing
indie rock music. The ideal reader will
enjoy to keep up to date with all the
latest news and music within my sub-
genre of my magazine. They may also
like the same leisure activities as the
stars and wear similar style clothing.
My ideal readers interests are shown
in my mood board.

Q2- How does your media product
represent particular social groups
The mode of address of my product communicates so my ideal
reader can relate to what is being said. The use of profanity in
my language is an example of this as this is language my
primary audience can relate to but not really language of
which my secondary audience can relate to. This is the idea of
intersexuality in my media product.
The cover star on the front cover of my magazine represents
the ideal reader. My star is in the centre right of the mise-en-
scene with a direct ‘gaze’ at the audience. The stars looks and
clothes link directly to the ideology of the indie sub-genre. His
look connote a careless lifestyle and a cool ‘rock ‘n roll’
lifestyle. As my ideal reader can relate to the language and
looks od the star, they therefore will aspire to be like him.

To appeal to the correct target audience, my
star would have to represent an idealised
version of the reader. In order for my magazine
to appeal to as many consumers as
possible, my cover star must appear relatable
to my ideal reader by looking indie and
careless. These are conventions my target
audience will expect to see on the front cover
of a music magazine of my sub-genre.
On the following slides I will show how Alex
Turner (a star from my sub-genre) filters his
appearance and performance depending on the
audience.

An indirect ‘gaze’, no
eye contact with the
audience.
A natural, fixed facial
expression, not
conveying any emotion
Rings, showing a
stylish as well as
showing his
engagement.
A black and white
image, conveying an
old fashioned style
man.
Very neat, slicked
back, stylish hair,
showing pride and
care in his image.
smart, formal shoes
are classy and
sophisticated, so to is
the suit, but stylish.
relaxed body
language, leaning
forward shows
confidence, posing
for the camera.
trying to appeal to the
young male audience
as a role model in style
as well as music.

A direct 'gaze' at the
audience
An unnatural facial
expression whilst he
exhales cigarette
smoke
Messy but stylish hair
Posing with a cigarette
shows a lack of
care, stylish look with
the rings on show
Leather jacket shows
rock and roll casual
style and skinny jeans
also
Black and white image
shows the old
fashioned nature of the
man
Relaxed body language
shows he doesn’t really
care, low shoulders
Belt buckle of the eagle
shows aggression

COSTUME : Both outfits the star
is wearing convey different
feelings and represent different
images. The suit connotes
smart, classy and
sophisticated, whereas the
leather jacket and jeans
connotes scruffy and uncaring
feelings about the star. Both of
these images would appeal to
different audiences and were
taken to convey different
messages of the star.
The suit is an outfit Alex would
wear on stage as more recently
Arctic Monkeys have dressed
more smart on stage at live
events such as at Glastonbury
2013. represents the more
recent look the band is going for.
The leather jacket is also an
outfit Alex would wear on
stage. This was more in the
past of the band but this is
an outfit he would wear on
a more day to day basis

In the two photographs of the star in my music magazine, I tried to make sure it was
aspirational and attractive to all my readers. I did this by making sure the star was
the between the same age as my ideal reader and was the same gender, this would
appeal more to my target audience as they would be able to relate more to the star.
The mise en scene of the star creates a careless attitude and a rebellious lifestyle
with both a direct and indirect 'gaze' in the images and no facial expression or
emotions. The clothes connote the indie style which the audience would expect to
see. I also used a range of camera angles to mix up the images I used of the star.

These are images of the social groups represented across my music
magazine, these are the types of people who would read and relate to my
magazine.

Q3: What kind of media institution
might distribute your product?
Minor
Weekly
£1.90
I researched magazines such as NME, Q and Kerrang! magazines in order to get ideas of different media
conventions and how I should use and develop them for my music magazine minor. These 3 magazines are
similar genres to mine so I could develop the conventions and ideas from these magazines in order to make
minor a better and more appealing magazine to my target audience.
The taglines for Kerrang! Magazine is 'the worlds biggest selling weekly rock magazine' This helps attract
the audience to the magazine and helps sell the brand as it uses statistics so the audience are more likely to
believe the facts over opinion in Q magazines tagline for example 'The worlds biggest music magazine'. I
therefore adapted the tagline for my music magazine from looking at music magazines similar to my sub-
genre so it appeals greater to my ideal reader and target audience.
The publisher of my music magazine will be IPC media, IPC media is the producer of over 85 iconic media
products including NME magazine which is a magazine very similar to mine. This is why IPC media would
be the most suitable producer for my magazine, because of the size of the producer and the experience they
have in music magazines from a range of genres. With help from IPC
media the brand identity of my media product would increase.

I will not just use the print version of my magazine to distribute my product, I will be
using other media institutions in order to promote my product in as many ways
possible to create a larger brand identity and a more popular product. My magazine
will rival other magazines of its sub-genre such as NME and Q magazine by using its
unique selling points. These will make my product different and more attractive to
the ideal reader of all my magazines rival products. I intend to steal the audiences of
these magazines. My music magazine will be published weekly unlike Q magazine but
similar to NME magazine, however i intend to make the quality of the magazine as
high as a monthly issued magazine. This may make my product less niche, but more
popular with weekly publishing and emphasis on quality. The price of my magazine
will stand at a highly reasonable £1.90, cheaper than both NME and Q magazine, in
order to attract a wider range of classes.

Has the brand identity
of the product so the
audience will recognise
it straight away.
Includes the main
news headlines, which
are included in more
detail also in the print
version of the
magazine to create
relations across the
media platforms.
These stories will
attract the audiences
attention.
Moving tabs so the
audience can find what
they are specifically
looking for.
The 'news' section on the
online version will be updated
as soon as a new story comes
in, 24 hours a day. Showing the
audience the latest
gigs, features, reviews etc.
The ‘gallery’ section is a
video/ picture section of all
the latest news and songs
bands have published, this
will use social networking
sites such as YouTube and
will create synergy across
the media platforms.
The print version of the
magazine will be shown also
shown so the audience can look
at some of the features which
they can relate to in order to
persuade them to buy the issue
of the magazine.
A subscription link is also available where various
offers from the magazine will be available to
those subscribed, this creates audience
participation.

I will also create various merchandise for my media product in order to publish the
brand identity further than just the print version of the magazine.
Minor Minor
M
i
n
o
r
Minor
Minor
Minor

M
I will create a
downloadable
application for minor so
the latest news can be
with you at all times.

Billboards

Q4: In what ways does your media product
use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
Front Cover

My media product uses various codes and conventions similar to which other
music magazine of my genre/sub-genre use. An example of this is the masthead I
use on the front cover of my music magazine, my masthead is itemed in the top
left of the front cover and is in a large, bold font in order to make it stand out to
the reader. It also uses a different styled font in order to create a brand identity for
my music magazine in order for the audience to recognise the product. This is
very similar to other media products of my genre. For example in both NME and Q
magazine they use this idea of creating a brand identity for their media product by
using a masthead located in the top left of the front cover, this is therefore what
the audience expects to see. However in Kerrang! The masthead is across the top
of the page, therefore my magazine is challenging the idea of Kerrang!
On the front cover of my music magazine I also have a header and a footer,
located at the top and bottom of the page. This is in order to give an
introduction to some of the features or bands included in the issue which my
ideal reader and target audience will be able to relate to. This front cover
convention is used in Kerrang! magazine also, giving the reader information
of what is in this issue. My music magazine challenges Q magazine, this is
because Q magazine has neither a header or a footer on the front cover of its
issue. I have therefore developed on Q magazines front cover. Also I have
developed on this issue of NME magazine, this is because the issue of NME
includes a footer but it does not include a header.

My front cover also includes a tagline located below the masthead of my music
magazine. This is in order to persuade the audience to buy the magazine and also
create a brand identity for the magazine. This convention is used in Q magazine but
however is not used in these issues of NME and Kerrang! Therefore my magazine
challenges both NME and Kerrang! and develops the front covers of these
magazines because my front cover consists of more codes and conventions.
My front cover also consists of a Pug, pugs usually are special offers or features in an
auto-shape. These attract the audiences and persuade them to buy the magazine in
order to get these offers. NME, Q and Kerrang! magazines all have pugs on their
front cover, this is therefore a convention which is used by all 4 media products.
Another convention which all 4 media products have is a main cover image. All the
images used across the media products are also medium long shots in the
centre/right of the mise-en-scene. This shows that these types of images are
appropriate to the sub-genre of the music magazine so are used throughout. The
‘gaze’ of the image is also direct on all of the products.

A main cover line and a strapline is also used across all 4 media products. The main
cover line consists of the band/artists name and the strapline introduces why they
are the cover star of the magazine in the issue. This persuades the audience to buy
the product, if they can relate to the band/artist and is very typical of the sub-
genre, as it used often in this sub-genre of music magazines.
The front cover of all 4 media products also has a pull quote from the main cover
star of the issue. This pull quote attracts the audience’s attention and gives an
incite to what the feature on the cover star may be about. This therefore persuades
the audience to buy the magazine. This is a convention very typical of this
genre/sub-genre of magazine and is used in NME, Q and Kerrang! as well my media
product.
The front cover also has main cover features located on the left hand side of the page
on all 4 media products. These features show the audience what else the magazine
consists of inside, this is something of which the target audience’s of the media
product can relate to, in order to persuade them to buy the issue. This convention is
very typical of this genre/sub-genre of magazine, and is very unusual without this
convention. This is used in my front and across NME, Q and Kerrang!
Another convention the front cover of my magazine also has a price and issue
number and a barcode. This informs the reader and are conventions which every
music magazine of the sub-genre should have and is very typical. Therefore all 4
media products have this convention on the front cover of their magazine

Also a convention my front cover consists of is contact information
(website) promoting different media platforms across my product. This is a
feature used in all of my examples of media products I have used as well as
mine.
To finalise, the last convention my music magazine front cover has is a house
style/ colour scheme. In my media product this is the use of black, white, red
and yellow. This house style is very similar to the style which Q magazine
uses and the style which Kerrang! uses in the issues. However it is very
different to the style of NME in this issue, with the use of blue, red and white
as a symbol of the American flag in the issue. My product therefore
challenges NME in this issue as it goes against its typical house style.

Contents Page

My media products contents page consists of various codes and conventions
similar to which other music magazines of my genre/sub-genre use. An
example of this is the masthead/heading at the top of the page. The font of this
is kept the same as on the front cover of the magazine in order to create that
consistent house style and brand identity across the magazine. It is also shows
the reader what page this is with ‘contents’ in my contents page and Q and
Kerrang’s also. NME says ‘this week’ which conveys the same message.
All 4 media products’ content page have a blocked layout in order to make the
page look professional and easy to follow. This layout is used across the images
and the features on the page. This is very typical of a contents page to make
the page easy to read so the reader can find easily what they are looking for in
the magazine. This is used in my contents and the examples of media products
of the same genre.
My contents page also consists of an editors letter on the page, this is a
message direct from the editor of the magazine to the reader, thanking them
for buying the issue and explaining to them what this weeks issue consists of.
This is typical of the genre however is not used in every magazine. It is used in
Kerrang! but not in NME or Q magazine. This therefore shows my contents
page developing and challenging NME and Q as they did not believe an editors
message is important. I believed that it is an important message in order to get
consistent buyers of the magazine as it shows the magazine appreciating its
readers.

My contents page also has more than one image, it has a selection of images
showing the selection of features my magazine has to offer. This is an idea used
in Kerrang! and Q magazine also in order to show the reader visually what else
this issue has to offer, this is very typical of this genre. However, this is not used
in NME magazine and its contents. They use one main features image instead of
various. My idea challenges this as I believed it makes the page look more
professional and also gives the reader more to relate to.
Along with the NME and Kerrang! Contents pages my magazine contents page has a
subscription offer. This is very typical of this genre of music magazines as it attracts the
reader as it gives them a promotion which persuades them to buy the issue and see
any other offers in the magazine. Q however did not choose to include a subscription
deal but this may be due to the fact there magazine is a monthly publication unlike
NME, Kerrang! And Minor magazine.
In the contents page of my publication there is also a footer at the bottom of the
page, this contains more information of features in this issue of the magazine and is
not really typically used on a contents page. It is similar to the ‘band index’ NME use in
their contents pages which is where I got the inspiration for this. This is not used
however in Q and Kerrang! Contents pages, I believe this convention is useful as it
informs the reader and helps promote the magazine to different and wider audiences.
All 4 media products have the convention of page numbers on their contents page.
This convention is basic for a contents page and helps the reader look for specific
features which they can relate to.

Double Page Spread

My media products double page spread consists of similar and different codes and
conventions which other media products of my genre/sub-genre use in their
publications. An example of this is the main image on the left hand side of the
page, this is technique used by all NME, Q and Kerrang! Magazines in the examples
shown. This is a feature which the audiences’ eye is attracted to and it represents the
style and genre of the feature. The ‘gaze’ of my star in also indirect which promotes
different feelings and emotions which is also different across NME, Q and Kerrang! As
there stars all have direct ‘gaze’s’ at the reader.
All 4 media products also have a headline on their double page spreads, my double
page spread uses the idea of NME, with it being situated on the left hand side of the
page, however both Q and Kerrnag! magazine have their headline on the right hand
side of the page. Although Kerrang! magazine does have a much similar pull quote on
the top right of the page as on my double page spread, I used both ideas from NME
and Kerrang! magazines to develop my double page spread. My page uses both these
conventions to appeal to my target audience, making my page as attractive as
possible.
Another convention my magazine uses is a stand first, this is used both my NME and Q
magazine, this short introductory paragraph gives the reader an insight on what the
article is about and based upon. I chose to use this convention so my reader can be
persuaded to read the article.

A convention which is used by all 4 media products is a dropped cap, this is the enlargement
of the first letter of the article. This is a popular convention of music magazine and is used by
all NME, Kerrang!, and Q magazine.
A vital convention used again by all 4 media products is the columns the text is in, this makes
the piece not only easy to read for the reader, it also makes the page look professional and
attractive to the readers eyes. All text on all double page spreads are columned.
Page numbers is another obvious convention which my double page spread and the 3 other
examples have. This links in with the contents page and allows the reader to look for specific
articles which they are interested in. These are located on the bottom right and bottom left
of the double page spread.
On my double page I also have various secondary images, which one is fitted with a caption.
This makes the article look more appealing to the audience and also describes where the
picture was taken. It also shows various events where the band on the article have played.
This is a feature also used by NME and Q magazines, along with a caption.
Finally, my double page spread has credits to the writer and photographer who were
involved in the making of my double page spread. This may help the audience if they are
looking for a specific writer or photographer. This convention is also used in NME magazine.

Q5: How did you attract/address your
audience?
Masthead
Tagline
Pug
Pull quote
Features
Header
Footer
Main cover
image
Main cover
line
Price, issue
number and
barcode
Website
House style
Strapline
The ‘gaze’
Anchorage

audience?
Gender
My music magazine is primarily aimed at
males, however this does not mean females can not
read and enjoy my magazine if they are interested in
the genre of music. The cover star of my magazine is
male however he is casually dressed which will be
more suitable and relatable to my target audience and
ideal reader.
Age
The target audience and ideal reader for my music
magazine are between the ages of 16-35. I made sure
the cover star of my magazine is between these ages
in order more my target audience to be able to relate
more to the star and the magazine.
Genre
The indie sub-genre of my magazine is certainly
portrayed through the front cover of my music
magazine and in the cover star, it is shown on the stars
clothes with the denim jacket and also with the name
of the bands shown. The indie genre is also portrayed
throughout the magazine.

audience?
The word ‘win’ attracts the reader as it shows
the offer is free, this means the audience has
nothing to loose when entering the chance to
win the competition. I also made sure the
competition is one which my audience will be
able to relate to and interested in winning by
making the prize specific to the sub-genre of
my music magazine with the use of the band
‘The Strokes’.
The word ‘love’ in my tagline grabs the attention of
the reader as it shows the magazine meeting the
audiences expectations in providing them with bands
and features they will ‘love’. The use of this word
along with ‘listen’ creates the technique of alliteration
to extend the meaning and attract the audience even
further.
The masthead also stands out to the audience as it is in a
large bold font. Also the use of other colours (red and white)
behind the ‘M’ of ‘Minor’ creates the magazines own brand
identity so the magazine is recognisable to the audience.
The masthead is also not all in capital letters which breaks
magazine conventions as usually the masthead is all in
capitals which is not typical of magazines.
The pull quote from my magazine is very
controversial, this is because it uses a
word of profanity. This is very specific to
my ideal reader as men between the ages
of 16-35, usually do not mind profanity
and use it themselves which means they
can relate stronger to the magazine and
specifically the cover star. This may shock
some audiences which may attract there
attention to the magazine. The use of the
gradient also attracts the readers eye.

audience?
Colour
The use of black and white is due to the fact they are contrasting colours
which stand out against each other, also this is very typical of a music
magazine from my sub-genre such as NME, Q and Kerrang! The use of
these less exciting colours also make the use of yellow and read stand out
even further.
The use of red has the connotations of danger, this brings excitement to
the front cover of my magazine and relates hand in hand with the rock
side genre of the magazine. The red also stands out strongly against the
contrasting black, white and yellow colours also used on the front cover
of my magazine.
The use of yellow brings the happy connotations to the front cover of my
magazine which is the opposite feeling of red. It does not just contrast in
feeling though as both colours stand out strongly against each other.
Yellow also works strongly against black.
Extra Artists
The use of the extra artists listed at the bottom of the page supplies the
audience with more information on what this issue consists of. It means
if the audience does not like the main featured artists on the front cover
they still could be interested in the other bands the magazine has on
offer. This therefore widens the depth of the audience.
Main Feature
The main cover feature stands out amongst the other cover features as it
is in much larger font and also the pull quote is situated in a black box so
the contrasting white stands out more. The name of the band also has a
white coat around the word.

audience?
By giving the reader offers and
discounts, this will appeal to the
audience and draws them into buying the
magazine. Including the offer on the
contents page reminds the audience
where the offer is and reminds them of
the offer as the contents page is the
second page the reader will look at.
Using images emphasises the main features in the
issue of the magazine, they make the features look
attractive and interesting to the reader so they will
want to find out about what the article is about. It
also provides the reader with information about
what the article may be about.
The heading is the same colour and the same
consistent font as the front cover which promotes
a house style across the magazine. This creates a
brand identity for my media product and makes
my magazine flow more to the reader. The
heading is also in a larger/bolder font so the
audience is clear on the page.
The yellow colour against the black box
keeps the house style of my magazine
consistent throughout but also makes the
features stand out against the white
background. This draws the readers
attention to the features and so they will
read through the magazine.

audience?
The use of a secondary image of the
whole band ‘Moors’ shows the
audience the style of the band as a
whole and shows them in action.
This is so if the reader wants to
look like the band members so the
use of the secondary image means
they can copy the stars.
The tab used in the top left
corner of the page comes in
very useful when the reader
is flicking through the page
of the magazine and is
interested in various specific
features. This tab will help
them find what they are
looking for.
The use of two colours in my pull quote
attracts the readers attention to the quote
and the main word of certainty
‘absolutely’. It gives the reader an insight
of what the writing is going to be about.
By using columns it
makes the DPS look
more appealing and a lot
more professional to the
reader. It also guides the
reader through the
writing so it is a flowing
read
The title of the piece
attracts the audience into
reading the article as they
will want to find out more
about what is ‘off the rails’
as the title alone is a bit of a
cliff hanger, making the
reader want to read on and
find out more.

audience?
• A repetitive colour scheme/house style of black, white, red and yellow
• The black and white colours are more dull colours whereas the reds and
yellows are bright and powerful so they contrast strongly against the shades,
so the important features stand out.
• The feelings the colours also create are contrasting in order to create a mix of
emotions throughout my magazine.
• The colours appeal to a range of people and my ideal reader.

audience?
I chose to address the ‘Indie’ genre by using language of profanity such as ‘S***’ and
title such as ‘Off the rails’. I used this language so they can relate to the slang and
other techniques in order to appeal to the audience effectively as possible. I believe
males between 16-35 will find my magazine easy to read as it is aimed at them as
my primary audience. Also the cover star is someone of that genre and age group
which should also appeal to this group of people.
The bands I also included on the front cover consist of males between these ages
mainly, again so the sub-genre of the magazine is reflected by these bands as well as
making it relatable to the audience.
The fonts used within my front cover also are acceptable in relation to the target
audience of my product, they are sharp, classy and easy to read so my audience can
follow it easily. It is also kept consistent across the magazine.
My magazine has similar music to NME and Q magazines,
the also have similar styles, bands, dress and appearance.
to these being similar to my magazine I could use both of
these magazines and compare them in order to improve
my product.

Q6: What have you learnt about
technologies from the process of
constructing this product?
I used various technologies throughout the process of creating my music magazine
publications, such as; Photoshop, Microsoft Publisher, Digital Camara, Altering and
Manipulating Photos.
I mainly used the Adobe Photoshop which is also where I altered and manipulated
the images. This publication helped me make my product look professional and
appealing.

Use of photography
This is a medium long shot of
the character, the impression
the character gives is carless
and free. The ‘gaze’ is also
indirect with also gives of the
careless image.
This is also a medium long
shot which I used on my front
cover, this picture also gives
off a careless impression with
a blank facial
expression, however the
‘gaze’ is direct.
This picture is

Photoshop, Altering and
Manipulating images.
I altered and manipulated this image by
using the ‘magic wand tool’ to crop out
the background of the image to just leave
the star.
After selecting all the
unwanted space in the
image I simply deleted
the space
I could then select the
image and move it onto
the frame I wanted.
I then made my
magazine around the
main cover image.

I chose font to use for my
product which was unique
and easy to read.
I added a tagline to my
magazine in order to draw
the reader in and promote
my product. It also gives
the magazine individuality.
I then surrounded the ‘M’
in my product with a red
glow which represented
the house style of my
magazine as well as
creating its unique brand
identity.
I then surrounded the
further ‘M’ in a white
glow, which represents
the house style of the
magazine even further
and also gives my product
its final brand identity.
To get the out
ring of red
around the
black of the
‘M’ I used the
stroke tool.

In order to create this
button/pug I used various
tools on Photoshop.
I used the text tool and
rotated the text to create a
gradient on the text which
appeals to the audience and
makes the front cover looked
interesting.
I created the button/pug by
using the ellipse tool, I
chose the colour black so I
could use contrasting
colours as the text.
I changed the colour and
size of the text in order to
attract the audiences
attention. I did this by using
the colour tool and the text
tool.

In order to make the header on my
front cover of my music magazine I
had to use various tools from
photoshop.
First I used the rectangle tool in
order to create the shape of the
background of my header.
I then cropped on the Reading and Leeds
festival logo, matching the colour of my
existing rectangle.
I then added each individual band/artist
which played at the festival and are
suitable for the sub- genre of my magazine.
I did this by finding the logo of each band
on the internet.
I then changed the colours of each of the logo to
either black or red in order to match the house
style of my magazine.

I created a black frame which would
contain the pull quote from the star. I
did this by using the rectangle tool.
I then added the text to my piece, I did this
by using the text tool.
I changed the colour of the word
‘absolutely so it stood out more to my
audience. I also put a stroke on the word
so the word draws the readers attention to
the quote.

I edited these three pictures by
placing an effect over the original
images. The three effects add
difference and individuality to the
images and make the page look more
interesting and appealing to the
audience.
I did this by using various tools on Photoshop.
The tools I used are shown in the picture to the
right.

During the process of completing my coursework I have
learnt various methods and techniques which help my media
product look as professional as possible. I have learnt about
various tools and features on Adobe Photoshop which I did
not previously know about which have helped me both
complete my 3 media products and make them look
appealing to my target audience. If it wasn’t for such
techniques my final products would not look as appealing
and professional as they look.

Q7: Looking back at your preliminary task,
what do you feel you have learnt in the
progression from this to the final product?
This is my
preliminary
work.

These are
my final
products

I felt that my standard of work has progressed a great deal throughout this
unit and is shown in these 4 images. By developing my photoshop skills I
could use more tools in order to make my magazine look more professional
and more appealing.
I have also learnt more magazine conventions which is reflected
across my front cover and contents pages, as my minor work consists
of more conventions in a professional magazine.

Technologies used:
Microsoft Publisher
Adobe Photoshop
Digital Camera and Altering and
Manipulating photos

Q7: Looking back at your preliminary
task, what do you feel you have learnt in the
Header at the top of the page
encourages the reader to read
inside the magazine with a chance
to win the prize.
Larger font and highlighted
features ensure that the text
stands out so the reader is
attracted to what is inside
the magazine. The change
in the font colour also
attracts the audiences
attention but keeps the
house style consistent.
The word ‘free’ grabs the audiences attention
and encourages them to buy the magazine in
order to collect the free poster, it shows they
have nothing to loose if the poster is free. The
capital letters attract the audiences attention.
The words ‘win’
attracts the audiences
attention as it means
the audience has
nothing to loose when
entering the
competition, the
prizes also made clear
and a suitable for the
target audience so
they are more likely to
buy the magazine and
get involved.
Uses the same consistent font as the other features
on the front cover but attracts the audience as the
font is larger and emboldened. It also supplies
anchorage to the main cover image. The gradient of
the text is used to make the text stand out more
and look more professional and interesting to look
at.
This shows anchorage with the whole magazine and the
main cover image as they overlap and show the image is
suitable, also the fact the masthead changes colour to go
over the hair of the star so the importance of the star.
The pug is relatable to both male and female
audiences as it is a prize which is not gender
specific. This will encourage a wider range
of audience to read on.
The strapline shows an extra feature in
the magazine, against the darkness of
the cover image makes it stand out.

Photography
The cover stars eyes are central and vertical
in the mise en scene of the magazine front
cover and the ‘gaze’ of the star is direct into
the camera. I used this ‘gaze’ to show the
audience that the star is confident so the
feature page on him will be a better read, so
the audience is encouraged to read the
magazine.
The background behind the image of the star
is bright which creates negative space and
emphasis on the star in his darker clothing.
I used Adobe Photoshop to crop the image of
the star to create the background which will
allow the colours on the picture to be
emphasised as much as possible.

I felt that the photo of
the star not looking into
the camera did not
represent the
personality suitably and
would delude the
audience from the real
nature of the star.
I felt the distant photo not
in the centre of the mise
en scene was not a
suitable image of a cover
star for a magazine front
cover, it made the star
seem small and not
powerful in the magazine
This is why I chose this
image as it is a
large, powerful image
with the star looking
directly at the reader.
Which represents the
confident personality of
the star.

Technologies used:
Microsoft Publisher
Adobe Photoshop
Digital Camera and
Altering and
Manipulating photos

I used columns and blocked the
text around the images I used to
make my magazine look more
professional and appealing to
my audience.
I made the page number of my main
cover feature a lot larger and also
used a pull quote from the feature so
the reader is intrigued as they do not
know what the article is about. The
picture is also a lot larger and in the
centre of the mise en scene to show
the reader that this is the main
feature.
The page number is in a different
colour than the feature in order to
make the information more clearer to
my reader. There is also different types
of features so the content is more
organised so the reader can find what
they are looking for quickly.
I kept the same masthead as on
the front cover of the Aquinas
magazine in order to make the
brand identity of the product
clearer, it also keeps the house
style and colour scheme of the
magazine consistent across the
magazine.
I chose this image of the
main feature star as it is a
low angle shot which
portrays power of the
star, this makes the
reader want to find out
about the star by reading
the article. It fits with the
layout of my contents
page and also creates
negative space.
I wrote an editors letter for my music magazine
so my reader could relate to the writer of the
magazine and also to find out more information
of what is in this issue of the magazine.
I used secondary images on my
contents page also so the picture
attract the readers eyes to features
which interest a wide audience.

The progression I have made is fairly obvious in the standards of my work.
Aquinas
Magazine
Minor
Magazine
Aquinas
Magazine
Minor
Magazine

I chose this font which in my
opinion was the most unique
font, a font which my ideal
reader could relate to and a
stylish font. It is also clear
and easy to read.

Strong, bold font with outer colours on the M of minor creates a brand
identity for my product which match the house style of my magazine.
Features which appeal to the audience of my product as they are
representing the ‘indie’ genre of my magazine. The changes in colour
and size emphasises the features in order to attract the audiences
attention.
The use of a pug will stand out to the audience also the word ‘WIN’ in
a capital letters and in a larger font will attract the audiences
attention. The colour changes also will stand out as the are more
bright to promote the offer strongly.
The banner/header draws the reader in by using bring powerful colours
and showing bands of this genre which my ideal reader can relate to.
The main feature is a larger and glowing font which is what the
audience will see at first glance at the magazine. It reflects the
personality of the star with the use of balck and white and the star is
looking very careless and boring in the photo.
The footer at the bottom of the page ensures the reader has more
information on the magazine form the front cover as it showing other
bands which relate to the sub-genre and ideal reader.
The tagline draws the reader in with the word ‘love’ showing passion.

The large bold heading is kept consistent from the front cover
promoting the brand identity of the product. Also representing the
house style colours.
I wrote an editors letter for my music magazine so my reader could
relate to the writer of the magazine and also to find out more
information of what is in this issue of the magazine.
The page number is in a different colour than the feature in order to
make the information more clearer to my reader. There is also
different types of features so the content is more organised so the
reader can find what they are looking for quickly.
I used columns and blocked the text around the images I used to
make my magazine look more professional and appealing to my
audience.
I used various images across my contents page in order to make
the page look attractive to the audience and also to give the
audience more idea of bands which will appear in the issue of this
magazine.
I also had a footer at the bottom of my page this is to inform the reader
of more bands appearing in the magazine.
Also the opportunity to subscribe to the magazine was available, this
attracts the audience as it is an offer from the magazine which may
persuade them to buying the issue.

Media evaluation coursework

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