Media Magazine Evaluation

Evaluation
Leeza Ah-wan
Candidate Number: 6593

My magazine ‘NV’ ‘repeats’ (Steve Neale) codes and conventions
from the well known UK magazine ‘Q’ across all four pages. NV
‘repeats’ codes and conventions from ‘Q’ such as the simple yet
appealing colour scheme of red, white and blue. I thought it would
be important to utilise this colour scheme because ‘Q’ have clearly
utilised it extremely well in order to achieve success. Furthermore,
the feedback from my questionnaire results showed that red and
blue in particular appealed to potential buyers as captivating
colours. I wanted to produce a magazine that was as aesthetically
pleasing as possible as I didn’t want to lose buyers purely for
producing a magazine that wasn't appealing to the eye.
Furthermore, I have ’repeated’ (Neale) the appearance of cover
lines. Similarly to the issue of ‘Q’ magazine which my magazine
was based on, ‘NV’ also features 3 main cover lines, which once
again ‘replicate’ (Neale) the red and blue colour scheme. I made
each short summary below each cover line black as well, for
consistency with ‘Q’. Moreover, each cover line clearly stands
alone through the use of a single silver star shape for separation
just like on the issue of ‘Q’. Furthermore, I ‘replicated’ (Neale)
conventions from ‘Q’ such as the banner at the bottom of the
page denoting that the magazine features 25 pages of reviews. I
created this shape as well as the star shape using the shape tool
on Photoshop. One of the most obvious conventions that I
‘replicated’ (Neale) would be the black banner and blue box on
the left hand side of the page. I decided to ‘replicate’ this because
in the same way cover lines help capture a mass audience, the
extra stories mentioned in this section may draw in unexpected
buyers.
In what ways does your Media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
Banner
Red colour scheme
Blue colour scheme
Stars
Black banner
Red colour scheme
Blue colour scheme
Stars
Blue box
Blue box

As well as cover lines my media product also features generic conventions such as the use of a masthead, strapline,
main image, bar code, price, date, issue number and a main headline. All these conventions are utilised heavily by
existing institutions as they are components which are ultimately crucial in order to distribute a product that will be
worthy to be sold.
However, there are also ‘differences’ (Neale) between ‘NV’ and the existing institution ‘Q’. I thought it would be vital
in utilising convergence through the use of social networking links in order to attract my target audience of a
teenage demographic, in particular ‘15-25’ year olds (Hartley) as it’s clear that social networking plays a vital role in
the lives of teenagers and it’s predominantly used as a form of communication. Technological convergence means
the internet is being used more excessively, so having a online presence will mean a strong relationship with buyers
can be maintained. Therefore, through the use of social networking I’m hopeful that as an editor I will be able to
build a ‘personal relationship’ (Katz) with consumers. Thus, hopefully resulting in a loyal fan base who purchase ‘NV’
frequently.
Synergy refers to two companies coming together. Forming synergies with institutions such as Facebook, Twitter and
Instagram should increase the popularity of ‘NV’. Especially because many magazines already on the market do not
use Synergy to their advantage. People rarely communicate through email anymore, but instead they use the
second generation of web based communities (Web 2.0). Even though many social networking apps are a fad and
people move onto the next new communicative app for example Snapchat, social networking in one way or another,
is heavily used in the present day. The world is becoming a “Global Village” (Marshall McLuhan) and in such a
competitive market, it’s a risky decision to not use forms of social networks as a selling point.
Convergence

Another ‘difference’ (Neale) would be the use of a puff. I strongly believed that utilising a puff would be a great
way to push any undecided buyers that purchasing ‘NV’ would be a beneficial thing to do. Even if the main
headline may not interest them, or any of the cover lines, the use of a puff denotes that as a company ‘NV’ still
care about satisfying the needs of all consumers.
Many magazines
don’t feature a
puff and this
could be loosing
them potential
buyers.
Incorporation of
a puff in ‘NV’

My contents page for ‘NV’ also ‘repeats’ (Steve Neale) codes
and conventions from the well known UK magazine ‘Q’. The
general layout of the page is similar in terms of the positioning
of the masthead and date placed in a box at the top of the
page. As well as the layout of the stories and relevant page
numbers placed in circles. Similarly, just as ‘Q’ have a review
section that features on their contents page, ‘NV’ has this also.
I incorporated this on my own contents page because I thought
it would be something that would greatly appeal to music
lovers. Consumers buy music magazines because they want to
be ‘informed’ (Katz) and reviews will allow this need to be
successfully met. Furthermore, I also incorporated additional
stories at the bottom of the page and used the same red, white
and black colour scheme that is famously utilised by ‘Q’.
However, ‘differences’ (Neale) would include the use of a
editorial. Personally, I believe incorporating a editorial is one of
the best ways for a magazine to achieve success. The editorial
will appeal to those who want to be ‘informed and educated’
(Katz). Through reading the editorial, they will know exactly
what they can expect to find in the magazine and what the
main stories are.
Editorial
‘NV’ ‘Q’

In relation to my double page spread, ‘NV’ ‘repeats’ (Neale) conventions from ‘Q’ magazine such as the use of
sophisticated language and a anecdotal introduction before the main interview. Furthermore, both magazines utilise
a pull quote. A pull quote is important in giving readers an insight of what they can expect from the interview. In
contrast, unlike ‘Q’ my double page spread differentiates between the interviewer and the interviewee. I believed it
would be important for ‘NV’ to conform to certain generic conventions however, I also wanted ‘NV’ to provide
originality and be authentic, so ‘differences’ (Neale) are also important.
Pull Quote
Anecdotal
Introduction

The denotation of representation is the way my magazine is portrayed to others. I think
‘NV’ is represented as a contemporary music magazine which heavily features well
known, successful artists who produce music for a variety of different genres. I believe
my media product will appeal to a teenage and young adult demographic and will
successfully satisfy the needs of both ‘male’ and ‘female’ (Hartley) consumers.
Particularly through the use of colours that will attract both genders. In relation to
socioeconomic needs my magazine would appeal to those in the E and C1 category, my
magazine would appeal to those still in education due to ‘stars’ (Richard Dyer)
featuring that are extremely popular in the charts at this moment in time, one of the
reasons being support from their teenage or young adult fans. It would also appeal to
those in the C1 category as it’s priced at £3 which is quite expensive and so buyers
would have to be stable economically. However, it’s slightly cheaper than competitors
such as ‘Q’.
When producing my magazine, I took social groups into account. The connotations of
the masthead ‘New Vibes’ is fresh, new, original material that will hopefully inflict
happiness in consumers. The younger generation in particular love something new and
fresh and so my product should appeal to them. It’s unlikely that an older audience,
say people in their mid 40’s would be intrigued by this masthead because the use of
such colloquial terms, through the use of slang, is normally associated with a youthful
audience. However, the language throughout my magazine is sophisticated and formal.
I have purposely crafted the language used in this way to maintain a level of
professionalism and make it clear that my target audience is not un-educated
individuals but actually very sophisticated adolescents.
I ‘repeated’ (Neale) the style of language used throughout ‘Q’ magazine as I thought it
would be suitable for my target audience. It’s evident that it has worked successfully
for ‘Q’ as an institution, and despite having a larger target audience, ‘Q’ also appeals to
adolescents just like ‘NV’.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
‘NV’
Socio Economic
Needs

After researching Bauer Media group as part of my pre-production research, I would envisage that a institution such
as Bauer Media group would distribute ‘NV’.
The following statement is taken from the official Bauer website: “ Our business is built on influential media brands
with millions of personal relationships with engaged readers and listeners. Our strategy is to connect audiences
with excellent content through our broad multi-touch point brand platforms, wherever and whenever and however
they want.”
What kind of media institution (Publisher) might distribute your media product and
why?
I confidently believe that ‘NV’ will successfully build up a ‘personal
relationship’ (Katz) with readers through the use of an editorial on the
contents page. This shows consumers that as an editor I care about
their needs and want them to have a valuable experience.
Furthermore, I’ve utilised synergy and convergence heavily across all
four pages. Buyers can get more information about the company and
access exclusive content through the official NV website, as well as
social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Therefore, contents from ‘NV’ is available across a variety of
platforms, which will appeal to Bauer’s intentions of utilizing multi-
touch point brand platforms. This will allow consumers to have a
pleasurable experience as there’s a variety of ways to access
information and they can do it in whatever way and whatever time is
convenient for them.
Many magazines do not
feature an editorial

Akin to, I also believe that Bauer Media group would distribute ‘NV’ due to the similarities between my magazine and
‘Q’ magazine. As previously stated I have ‘repeated’(Neale) many codes and conventions which ‘Q’ heavily utilise.
Bauer will only want to distribute a media product that brings success to their name, not failure and with all the
inspiration I got from pre-production research into ‘Q’ magazine I am confident that ‘NV’ can achieve the same
success as ‘Q’. However, of course my media product isn't identical to ‘Q’ and it does show authenticity in some
aspects. I thought this would be important because it’s unlikely Bauer would want to invest in a media product that’s
essentially the same as one they are already distributing. As an institution it seems that Bauer don’t focus on
targeting a particular demographic, but instead they want to connect as many different possible audience members
as possible. I believe that ‘NV’ will allow Bauer to achieve this because despite having a target audience of ‘15-25’
year olds (Hartley), ‘NV’ could really appeal to a variety of people. The artists featured produce music for a variety of
different genres and the artists could actually appeal to people much older than this targeted age range. For example,
a musician such as ‘Seal’ is very popular with the older generation, especially those around their forties. ‘NV’ is
diverse in the ‘stars’ (Dyer) it features and diversity is the key to connect a range of audience members.
What kind of media institution (Publisher) might distribute your media product and
why?

According to Hartley’s seven subjectives ‘NV’ would appeal to both members of the ‘male’ and ‘female’ gender
particularly between the ages of ‘15-25’. They would most likely come from a middle class background. That way,
their status isn’t too high to engage themselves with ‘mainstream’ aspects however, they wouldn't be from a lower
class background either because purchasing the issue would be a stretch for them. I think my magazine would appeal
to ‘15-25’ year olds because a magazine like ‘NV’ will provide a youthful audience with everything they possibly need
from a money well spent magazine. The interview features aspects such as Shakira discussing upcoming tours and her
new album. Furthermore, the contents page makes references to other gigs done by other musicians. A older
audience of 30+ are unlikely to have the time to listen to music heavily, or attend gigs or festivals as they normally
have a lot of responsibilities. Stereotypically, we would assume that by this age a person would be settled down and
having kids and a family, or a time consuming job. In relation to ‘ethnicity’ because ‘NV’ is a magazine belonging to
the music genre, a lot of places with musical connections are mentioned across the four pages, in particular on the
contents page. Individuals living abroad may not know where places like ‘Shepherds Bush’ or ‘Koko’ are. On the other
hand, most English citizens will know these musical arenas. Thus, it’s likely most buyers will be those with a English
background, familiar with these landmarks. However, all the ‘stars’ (Dyer) that feature in ‘NV’ are global ‘stars’
meaning my magazine is diverse and could potentially appeal to a great mixture of ethnicities.
Who would be the audience for your media product and why?
Global ‘stars’ (Dyer)
feature in ‘NV’.

Secondly, According to Katz’ Uses and Gratifications Theory, I believe my media product would appeal to those who
want a form of ‘diversion’. Through reading my magazine, the double page spread in particular, it’s possible for
consumers to immerse themselves in the text and escape reality for a while. For example, they can imagine what it’s
like to experience all the things Shakira’s experienced and the lifestyle she lives. Readers will also be those who want
to be ‘informed and educated’ as no one would want to purchase a magazine and not learn anything new. Consumers
of ‘NV’ will get to leave their reading experience broadening their knowledge about many musicians. Amongst, other
aspects such as newly released tracks, tours or albums. Furthermore, those that have a ‘personal relationship’ with
the ‘stars’ (Dyer) that feature in the issue will want to purchase the magazine to maintain their loyalty. This is one of
the reasons why ‘NV’ features a variety of different artists. It’s likely that people from completely different
backgrounds will have a ‘personal relationship’ with one or more of the artists in the issue, meaning I can capture a
mass audience and ‘NV’ can thrive.
In continuation, it's highly likely that some readers will be able to ‘personally identify’ with certain artists in my
magazine. For example, in the double page spread interview Shakira states “ I’m going to be spending Christmas with
my family at home”. This statement probably replicates the love that most readers have towards their own families. If
readers can ‘personally identify’, it’s likely that they’ll have a pleasurable experience because they feel like they have
someone who understands whatever their feeling or whatever they’re going through.
Lastly, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, my media product would appeal to those who are social climbers.
This is when a consumer is driven by improving their status in society. An example of this would be someone wanting
to achieve greatness and fame because they’ve read about all the success Shakira has had and are enticed by the
prospect of leading a similar life. This links in with my previous point of ‘NV’ attracting a ‘15-25’ year old (Hartley)
demographic as young adolescents have their whole lives ahead of them and are usually the people who are most
aspirational. In addition, conventions such the main image of Shakira providing ‘Star Appeal’ (Richard Dyer) will
appeal to the ‘15-25’ (Hartley) year old demographic. This group commonly consists of young adolescents struggling
with who they are during the emotional transition into adulthood. Therefore, they look up to ‘stars’ (Dyer) in the
media for inspiration.
Who would be the audience for your media product and why?

In order to attract my intended target audience of young ‘males’ and ‘females’ between the ages of ‘15-25’ (Hartley)
years old, particularly of the middle class, I ‘replicated’ (Neale) typical codes and conventions from ‘Q’ magazine. I
also got inspiration from other successful magazines including ‘Vibe’. I believed that through using these two
magazines in particular for inspiration I would successfully be able to produce a magazine of high standard, that
would appeal to my target audience.
How did you attract/address your audience?
To begin, the inclusion of codes and conventions such as the main headline helped me to
attract and address my target audience. My main headline denotes that Shakira will be
discussing her ‘secret tips for songwriting’. Shakira is a globally, successful, artist adored by
many fans around the world. The majority of her fans are likely to be within my target age
bracket considering she produces music for the dance and pop genre. This genre of music is
predominantly listened to by a young adult audience. Also, the inclusion of other codes and
conventions such as the main image should also help me attract my target audience. The
main central image of the issue not only provides ‘star appeal’ (Richard Dyer) but also, a
‘male gaze’ (Laura Mulvey) as the female starring as Shakira is pictured in a eye appealing
way. She’s presented as a stereotypical female who cares about her appearance and makes
an effort for those around her. She’s pictured wearing bright red lipstick and has a dazzling
smile, which will sure enough attract male consumers. Furthermore, the main image is
important in attracting my audience because members of a pass along audience will stop,
pick up and buy the issue if they have a ‘personal relationship’ (Katz) with Shakira, as they
want to know all they can possibly find out about her in order to be the best fans possible.
Even with a main headline, without a main image (which I personally believe is the USP of
any magazine) I could lose many potential buyers as they may not be bothered to read the
text. However, it’s hard not to take notice when you recognise someone. Even before
producing ‘NV’ due to the research I carried out in preparation, I had a feeling that the main
image would play an important role in attracting my target audience, considering it was the
most popular response on both questionnaires I did in response to the question “What do
you believe is the USP of a magazine front cover?”
Shakira is a
popular
‘star’ (Dyer)
in the media

Moreover, the inclusion of codes and conventions such as the use of cover lines will help me attract my target
audience. This is because I have purposely chosen cover lines that will appeal to consumers within my chosen
demographic. One of the cover lines mentions that the issue contains backstage information and photos from Paolo
Nutini’s KOKO gig. A cover line like this would appeal to my target audience because at this age many people will be
going to concerts and gigs with their friends; making memories. The stories mentioned are relevant to a youthful
audience. The use of cover lines is a simple yet extremely effective way to make sure the set target audience is met
through ‘informing’ (Katz) readers about what the issue will contain.
I also believe I have successfully attracted my target audience through the use of a catchy masthead. ‘NV’ will
instantly attract my set target audience because of the denotation of abbreviation and slang, which these individuals
will utilise a lot and be familiar with. In accordance, the masthead is large and very bold, as the main text is white and
supported by a red background, it will be impossible to miss. I’m hopeful that through abbreviating the institutional
name of ‘New Vibes’ to ‘NV’ across all four pages, this will cause speculation amongst potential customers. A pass
along audience will stop and question the connotations behind the name ‘NV’ and so are likely to visit the official
website online for more information.
Cover Lines

I also incorporated a puff/promotion which I believe will be extremely beneficial in helping to sell the issue. The puff
is denoted as “Win two tickets to see Coldplay in New York”. As previously mentioned, ‘15-25’ year olds (Hartley) tend
to be making many memories, often travelling the world with friends or doing things they’ve always wanted to do
before they settle down and have a family and more responsibilities. Hence, the majority of members of a pass along
audience are likely to be enchanted by the prospect of having the once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to New York
and see one of the most famous bands in the world all for free! Even if people aren’t interested in the main headline
a puff might persuade them in purchasing the magazine.
I used a consistent colour scheme of red, blue, black, white; a mixture of bold and vibrant colours to appeal to a
contemporary, young audience.
I used ‘stars’ (Dyer) that are currently popular in the charts and achieving success, mainly due to support from my
target demographic. However, musicians that would appeal to a slightly older demographic also feature in ‘NV’. I
wanted to used a range of ‘stars’ (Dyer) that all produce music for different genres, as I want ‘NV’ to cater for the
largest possible audience as possible.
Puff/Promotion
‘Q’ famously
utilise a red and
white colour
scheme

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this
product?
The denotation of the main software used to construct the media product entitled ‘NV’ was Adobe Photoshop CS4.
With so many amazing softwares available on the market, the reason I chose this software is it had all the tools
needed to make a professional looking and high standard front cover, contents page and double page spread. Adobe
Photoshop has been specially developed as a software to edit graphics, so I knew that as long as I was willing to put
a lot of effort and time into the production process, this software would allow me to produce four successful pages,
fit for purpose and fit to be sold on the market. Furthermore, it was a software that I was familiar with and felt
confident to use considering I used it during GCSE Media. Nevertheless, I knew my work would have to be of much
higher standard and so I knew this would require me learning how to use perhaps new tools I haden’t used
previously.
In order for this product to look fit for purpose and appeal to my target audience, I decided to manipulate my main
image using the quick selection tool. I wanted my photos to look professional and so I didn’t want to even consider
removing the background of my images using ‘cheat’ methods such as the rubber tool. Instead the quick selection
tool allowed me to remove the background of images in a professional looking way. I didn’t have too much trouble
using this tool due to previous experience, however, nevertheless it wasn't an easy task either. Once I had used the
quick selection tool, I then had to use the rubber tool and use quick mask mode to refine the edges of my images. In
particular I used quick mask mode to refine the edge of the photo of ‘Shakira’ on my contents page, as I didn't
believe the image looked smooth enough just through using the quick selection and eraser tool alone.

product?
Secondly, I used the text tool to create my masthead. I wanted to use a simple font for my masthead as the font for
‘Vibe’ is quite simple and it seems successful in targeting its young adult demographic. However, ‘Q’ use quite fancy
fonts for their cover lines, in order to show variation. I decided that I wanted to do something similar. Therefore,
many of the fonts I used on my front cover were downloaded from a font website known as dafont.com. This was a
great website to use, it offered me a extremely large range of fonts for download and even let me type in my text,
so I could see what it would look like before downloading it. The text tool was probably the tool that I utilised the
most throughout this project, in particular I had to use it a lot on my double page spread for my interview. The text
tool was straightforward and easy to use and gave great results.
Thirdly, I also used the shape tool frequently. In particular on my front
cover. First of all I used the rectangle tool to create the black border which
features on all four pages, as well as the red box behind my masthead.
This was extremely straightforward, and took a matter of seconds. I also
used the custom shape tool to create the banner and star at the bottom
of the front cover page. I used the ellipse tool to create the circle for my
puff. Then, I used the paint bucket tool to fill the star with a yellow fill and
the circle in red. Creating the black banner on the left hand side of the
page on my front cover was quite a challenge for me. There was not a
shape already available that matched the shape I wanted so I had to
create it myself. I had to use a variety of different shapes and then link the
layers. This took me quite a while but I persisted and I am extremely
happy with the end product. A variety of shapes
are available on
Photoshop

product?
Lastly, another tool I used was the red eye tool. I had to use this tool to remove the red eye from the main image on
my front cover. This tool made the removal of red eye simple and easy. All I had to do was simply zoom in and with a
simple click on the areas that needed manipulation, the red eye was gone.
In conclusion, by using this software I believe that I have produced four high quality pages that are fit for purpose.
Through tools such as the shape tool I have been able to ‘replicate’ (Neale) certain codes and conventions, and also
produce a magazine with ‘difference’ (Neale). I have greatly enjoyed this production task. It’s allowed me to learn
new skills and become more confident with such an amazing software.
Adobe

Photography Planning – Front Cover

I took a variety of different shots for my front cover main image. I was greatly inspired
by an issue of ‘Q’ magazine that stared Paolo Nutini and a mid shot had been used.
Therefore, when taking my images I focused on taking mid shots. It was hard for me
to decide on my final image considering they were all quite similar however, I
believed the image to the right was the best suited. In some of the photos I believed
that her smile looked too forced and this wouldn't be conventional or appealing for
consumers. Many celebrities are often criticised for being ‘fake’ and I didn’t want
people to simply assume Shakira was like this just because of her smile, if they start to
have negative views about her they wouldn't purchase the magazine. In the image on
the far right on the previous slide I believed Shakira looked too serious. It would be
hard for consumers to form a ‘personal relationship’ (Katz) with the main ‘star’ (Dyer)
if she didn’t look like a friendly person, so I believed this image was not suitable
either. The rest of my images were pretty similar to the final one I chose, even with
regards to her smile. However, I chose this image in the end because I believed it was
the one of best quality. Furthermore, I wanted to use an image that I would be able to
crop confidently so the final product would be of good quality. Personally I believed it
would be easier to crop around her hair in this photo so it was the most appropriate
choice. I applied her makeup and asked her to wear a blue dress for the purpose of
the photo. I asked her to wear blue in particular because I want ‘NV’ to appeal to both
genders and so I didn’t think the use of feminine colours would be appropriate. All the
images on my front cover are of females and so I didn’t want male consumers to think
that ‘NV’ wasn't suitable for them. Also I knew that there was a greater chance of
appealing to male consumers if my main image offered a ‘male gaze’ (Laura Mulvey)
which this image offers through the female being objectified in a eye appealing way
for male purposes. In order to crop my main image, I used the quick selection tool and
to remove the red eye I used the red eye tool. The final product after manipulation is
shown on the right.
Before Editing
After Editing

The images on the right also feature on my front cover. I thought the use of
supporting images was important in addition to the utilisation of the main image
because it’s unlikely that anyone’s going to want to pick up a magazine which is just
bombarded with text. Also, anyone who has a ‘personal relationship’ (Katz) with
Ariana Grande or Lily Allen will instantly be drawn in to purchasing the issue. I tried to
make both of the girls who modeled for me, look as similar to Ariana Grande and Lily
Allen as possible. Ariana Grande is typically known in the media for being a
stereotypical ‘girly-girl’ who cares about her self image. She’s also extremely adored
for her looks by many teenage girls and often dresses in a objectified feminine way.
Therefore, I asked my friend to wear a pink dress, as pink is a stereotypical feminine
colour and high heels. I also asked her to stand in a way that would make her body
image look confident, as this is how Ariana Grande is often presented in the media. I
decided to take a full shot of her so that way her whole outfit could be seen, and her
confident body image could be emphasised. In relation to the photo at the bottom
right of this slide, I asked my other friend to model as Lily Allen for me. I also thought
that a long shot would be most appropriate for this image, especially because of
where the images were going to be positioned. I knew prior to manipulating them
that they would be placed in the blue box on the left hand side of my page and so it
wouldn’t be wise to use any other sort of shot because the images would just be
‘floating’ and this would look extremely unprofessional. In terms of her outfit, I asked
her to wear a black top. Lily Allen is commonly known for not being a ‘girly-girl’ and is
often pictured wearing black. However, I still wanted this image to offer a ‘male gaze’
(Laura Mulvey) so through the use of a pink skirt I was able to find a balance in her
representation. I also cropped these images using the quick selection tool however,
unlike my main image I added an effect to both of them. The supporting text next to
these images had a yellow stroke and so I added a outer stroke to these images also
for consistency and I believed it made the images stand out more.

Before Editing
After Editing
Before Editing
After Editing

Photography Planning – Contents Page
This was the image I used for my editorial. I believed that having an editorial photo
was important so that buyers knew as much about ‘NV’ as a company as possible. I
purposely used an image where I had a natural smile, in order to connote that readers
will be able to get a ‘true’ experience – a pun in the sense, that it will be a truly
unforgettable read. But also, as a company ‘NV’ are honest with the information that
features in the magazine. I believe this is important as many people no longer want to
buy magazines as they don’t know whether they can trust the information they are
reading or not.
The first image to the right is one of the images I
planned to use on my contents page but never did in
the end. The shot was not appropriate considering
the limited space the picture had to fill as I
sectioned up my contents page. The photo of the
group on the far right of this page is one of the final
images that I decided to use on my contents page. I
had to crop this image because it was slightly too
large and I did this using the crop tool on Photoshop.

The image at the top left is one of the final images I used on my contents page. Taking this
photo was one of the photos which definitely required the most planning. I wanted the model
used to resemble Taylor Swift as closely as possible so I tried to make her representation of the
country singer as accurate as possible. Taylor is often pictured in magazines with her guitar to
emphasise the music genre she produces for. I also thought it would be a good idea to get the
female used to wear red as this is Taylor’s trademark colour following the release of her album
‘Red’. Fans who have a ‘personal relationship’ (Katz) with Taylor will instantly recognise the
presence of these subtle features and so will be driven to purchase the magazine. I took the
photos in her garden so that way the photo would have a natural background. I chose this
setting because I knew that I would be editing the background out of other images and I
wanted my page to have a variety of images, some with backgrounds and some without as this
is something ‘Q’ commonly do effectively. I took a variety of shots such as the one in the
middle on the far left, however, I believed the first one would be the best one to use as Taylor
looks down to earth and in love with music. Consumers will appreciate this representation
because in a world where many celebrities achieve success and fame and therefore, lose their
sense of ‘normality’ as a result, Taylor’s represented in the complete opposite light to this.
The first image on the bottom left was also used on my final
contents page. I took a variety of different shots for this image,
some of which feature on this slide. My friend starred as Cheryl
Cole, who is greatly adored for her looks. So I did my friends
make up and hair so she could be objectified for the pleasure of
male consumers (Male Gaze - Laura Mulvey). I left the
background in for this image as I cropped it out originally but I
didn’t believe it looked right and with the plain background, it
looked like the images had been obtained from a professional
photo shoot.

I also used the image on the top left of this slide on my
contents page as my friend stared as Paolo Nutini for me. I
took this photo in a forest my friend was familiar with during
half term. I thought it would be the perfect location to use
considering the way Paolo Nutini is normally represented in
the media. Nutini produces music for the folk, pop rock, blues
and soul genre. After doing extra research into his
representation, I found many images where he was
photographed in a natural position wearing normal clothes.
Unlike other celebrities, Nutini doesn't emphasise his success
with the clothes he wears or his body language but often he
just looks like a ’normal’ person. So, I asked my friend to wear
casual clothing and made him stand in a similar position to
the photograph of Nutini on the bottom left. Apart from me
asking him to hold his body in a similar manner, the final shot
used was actually a natural photo in the sense that I didn’t ask
him to turn away but simply asked him to do whatever he
wanted and felt comfortable with. I believed the photo taken
conformed to Nutini’s representation and had a captivating
natural background so I left this in and didn’t crop it out.
Instead all I did was slightly crop the image using the crop tool
and placed it in appropriately. On the majority of photos on
my contents page, I applied a stroke effect so that they would
have a border. I believed this made them stand out more
against the white background used.

Before Cropping After Cropping

I took a variety of images for the main story on my contents page. I decided to get
my friend to wear the same dress and have the same makeup for continuity in the
images across all four pages. As I took so many different shots, it was hard for me
to come to a decision about which one would work best initially. However, after
looking at the layout of my contents page I realised that a long shot of her standing
up would not be appropriate. The space allocated to this story would not be large
enough. I considered using a mid shot however, personally I thought the photos
where she was in this position were really effective. It wasn't your typical pose for
a magazine and so a photo like this would offer ‘difference’ (Neale) to my
magazine. In order to crop this image I used the quick selection tool. However, I
wasn't completely happy with the final product. The edges looked slightly rough
and I wanted my images to be of the best quality possible. No one would take ‘NV’
seriously as a magazine, if I couldn't even provide consumers with decent images.
So I refined the edge of the image, making it smoother. I was extremely happy with
the results! I believe a little change such as this actually made a massive difference
to the quality of my contents page. As well as learning how to improve the quality
of an image I was grateful for having the opportunity to complete this production
task because I also learnt many keyboard shortcuts on Photoshop. I had many
images to manipulate throughout the production task and so utilising short cuts
was a vital way for me to be time effective. I learnt that I could simply press ‘w’ on
the keyboard in order to use the quick selection tool or ‘e’ for the rubber tool.
Occasionally, I used the rubber tool to remove small imperfections after cropping a
photo.

Photography Planning – Double Page
Spread

Spread
Before Manipulation After Manipulation

Spread
This was the final image that I used for my double page spread. The photos that were originally
meant to be used on my double page spread were the ones where ‘Shakira’ is wearing blue
however, after cropping a long shot photo that I believed would be most appropriate multiple
times, I still wasn't happy with the end result. In the beginning I doubted whether it was just
me cropping the image badly. However, after asking for advice from my peers and taking into
account my own personal opinion I realised that it was the image itself that just didn’t fit in. I
wanted my magazine to utilise a consistent colour scheme so I made the background of all four
pages white. Unfortunately, this meant that after cropping my original image, the page looked
extremely bare and incomplete. I decided that I would have to retake my images. To resolve
the issue of my page looking bare I took the photo with an appropriate background. When
planning what sort of background I wanted for the image, I realised that it would be good to
emphasise the traits of the main ‘star’ (Dyer) so that those with a ‘personal relationship’ (Katz)
with her would be as satisfied as possible. However, my original ‘star’ (Dyer) was Katy Perry
and I didn’t really know how to emphasise her traits effectively. After much contemplating and
thinking, this was then when I decided to change my main ‘star’ (Dyer) to Shakira. My friend is
Colombian and I knew that she had a Colombian flag so with all the props available to create a
believable persona my decision was made and I changed all the text across the four pages, that
said Katy Perry to Shakira. I believe this photo is appropriate as its of high quality and uses
vibrant colours. These bright colours will be effective in capturing a mass audience as it
connotes the positivity surrounding the article, which is true in the sense that the interview
has an overall positive vibe as quite uplifting topics are discussed. Not many people will want
to read an interview which is dispiriting. Also I believed that the ‘star’ (Dyer) emphasising her
culture would be effective considering it would allow the article to appeal to those of a
Colombian ‘ethnicity’ (Hartley).

Annotating My Front Cover
Cover Lines
Bar Code
Puff/
Promotion
Issue Number &
Price
Date
Web Address
(Convergence)
Masthead
Social Networking
(Convergence)Main Headline
Main
Image
Strapline
Supporting Images

Annotating My Contents Page
‘Repetition’ (Neale)
of Masthead
Date
Puff/Promotion
‘Repetition’ of
Masthead
Page Number
Main Image
Supporting
Images
Editorial
Editorial Photo
Signature
Contact Details
Captions
Web Address
Anchored Numbers

Annotating My Double Page Spread
‘Repetition’
(Neale) of
Masthead
Reference
to the main
‘star’ (Dyer)
Page Number
Pull Quote
Main Image
Credits
Web Address
(Convergence)
Social Networking links
(Convergence)
Hashtag used
to increase
awareness
Drop Capital
Use of Pen Tool
Differentiation
between text
for questions
and answers
Quote

I feel that, having completed the preliminary task and learning about the demands of this production process, I was
better prepared for the main task production. It had been a whilst since I had used Photoshop since using it at GCSE,
so it was great for me to have some practice using it again. I was able to familiarise myself with all the tools again so
that I felt confident going into the production of my main task and it allowed me to take into account the vitality of
time management.
There is evidence of progression that I feel particularly demonstrates how I met the demands of the production
process, for example I believe the quality of my images used across my four music pages were of much higher quality
compared to those used in my college magazine. I also believed that they were cropped at a more professional level.
Through using the quick selection tool on a number of occasions, I believe that the quality of my cropping vastly
improved and so I believe the preliminary task was a valuable experience as without practicing using the quick
selection tool properly and going straight into creating my four pages, I think their overall professionalism and
success would have been jeopardised.
In continuation, I believe that the preliminary task was important in helping me see actually how important the
choice of font is when creating a magazine. I used very simple fonts across my two school magazine pages and
personally I believed they worked effectively. Without actually seeing how effective a simple font scheme could
actually be I would have most likely gone into the main task, using quite complex and fancy fonts across my four
pages. Though, ‘NV’ does feature a range of fonts, I believe the use of simple fonts on the majority of the pages is
one of the reasons why my four pages work so well; it’s appealing to the eye because it’s not challenging to read.
Looking back at your Preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the
progression from it to the full product?

Furthermore, through doing the preliminary task I was able to refresh my memory on keyboard shortcuts that would
allow me to manage my time effectively. During the designing process of my front cover college magazine, I
remembered shortcuts I had learnt at GCSE such as pressing ‘cmd’ ‘h’ on the keyboard in order to make grid lines
disappear and reappear. Also, pressing ‘cmd’ ‘r’ as a shortcut to get the ruler tool to disappear and reappear. Through
the preliminary task, I realised how important grid lines and the ruler tool actually were. The blue grid lines was key in
making sure that all conventions on my pages were positioned appropriately. For example, that all my text was
straight and in line when it needed to be so my pages looked professional. The ruler tool was very important in
making sure the overall quality of my pages were high, especially when designing my double page spread. The ruler
tool allowed me to make sure that the two sides of my pages were split equally so that the magazine was fit to be
sold.
I believe that the overall quality of my music magazine pages are of much higher standard compared to the pages
produced as part of the preliminary task. Through much planning and preparation, including the preliminary task
and research into my magazine of inspiration ‘Q’, I am confident and hopeful that I have produced a successful
product.

School Magazine Front Cover Music Magazine Front Cover

School Magazine Contents Music Magazine Contents

Media Magazine Evaluation

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