The student created a music magazine for their AS coursework using Photoshop to learn basic skills. They were later instructed to use InDesign, which they found difficult to learn at first but eventually got the hang of. For their A2 coursework, the student created a digipak and magazine advert using skills from Photoshop like editing images and from InDesign for layout. They also created a music video using Premiere, which was challenging to learn but they improved over time. Overall, the skills learned from AS coursework in Photoshop and InDesign helped with creating professional projects for A2 coursework.

1. Post Production
AS coursework
In terms of my AS coursework I had to create a music magazine. However, before this I had to carry
out a preliminary task of creating a school news magazine. I created this in Photoshop. In doing this I
was able to learn the basic skills needed for when I went on to use Photoshop to create the first
draft of my music magazine, however, I was then informed that I should use InDesign instead as this
was the most up to date software used by professionals who make magazines. At first I found it very
hard to get to grips with InDesign as I was so used to using Photoshop. I found it hard to place text
and images into InDesign and also found it difficult to find the particular colour that I wanted to use
in my magazine as ‘swatches’ was proving difficult to use. However, over a few weeks of using it
continuously to meet a deadline I got the hang of it and was able to use it with ease. InDesign also
proved helpful when displaying one of my evaluation questions, it allowed me to make a double
page spread answering the given question with examples of pictures that where easily placed. I also
in the end felt that InDesign was much better than Photoshop as it allowed me to be more creative
in my ways. Photoshop was still a big part of the post-production of my coursework. The first reason
being as I used it to remove the white background from the pictures so that I could place the image
on any colour background I wanted to. Again I did struggle with this however, tutorials that I found
on YouTube taught me how to remove the back ground efficiently and therefore in time I was able
to do so. I also used Photoshop to edit the images of my model. A common tool I used was the ‘spot
healing tool’. This got rid of any blemishes with just a click of the mouse. I found this easy but really
helpful to use as it allowed me to give my model smooth and flawless skin, giving a professional look
to the photo for my magazine. As well as this Photoshop also allowed me to put emphasis on my
models eyes via the brushes tool. I used the ‘eyelash brush’ which meant I could apply fake
eyelashes to my model digitally as her eyes where quite small on the photo without them. In doing
this I gained a new skill and also made the image on my front cover more striking and eye catching to
get the reader’s attention.
A2 coursework
In terms of my A2 coursework, I was able to use skills I had gained through carrying out my AS
coursework and apply them to my ancillary task of making a digipak and a magazine advert. I used
Photoshop to edit my images. This included applying a saturation to the images I chose to use on
both my digipak and magazine advert. The saturation I used gave the images a bright glow and gave
the black background a nice faded purple colour, which turned me in the direction of having purple
as one of the colours of my house style. I was also able to use the skill of applying the ‘spot healing
tool’ again, which took me no time at all due to the fact I knew how to use it due to my AS
coursework. To actually create my digipak and magazine advert I used InDesign again, which proved
easy as I already knew how to use it. In terms of my digipak I was able to have all six sides on one
project which mean I could simply scroll up and down and compare one side to another. InDesign

2. also allowed me to add effects to the images once they were placed; for example I used a drop
shadow in one of the images and increased the transparency in others so that the text would show
up. In terms of the font of my text, I use a website called ‘Dafont.com’ which allowed me to choose
an original font that I liked rather than a font regularly used from the drop down box. I ended up
going with a font called ‘Birth of a hero’ as it portrayed the drum and bass genre well. To use this
font in InDesign I had to import it to a programme called ‘NexusFont’. This programme basically
imports all the fonts you have on your computer into the drop down menu of the software you are
using. This was really helpful as it meant my font was original and not one that someone has seen
before. My magazine advert was also made in Indesign, I was able to apply a similar transparency to
the image and also use the font too. In terms of my actual music video, I had to use Premiere to
create it. I had never use Premiere before so was really struggling with the basics, such as importing
footage and exporting footage, applying different effects and also cutting the footage to where I
wanted it to be. As time progressed, so did I and was able to get the hang of the programme.
Premiere allowed me to use a range of different visual transitions and effects and also gave the
option to use audio effects and transitions which I didn’t use. Visual transitions where key to my
music video as I had a range of different locations i.e. the studio, the bedroom and the night club
that intertwined and so needed them to change through the each other smoothly. A popular
transition I used was called ‘cross dissolve’. I used the when the music was reaching a crescendo as it
allowed the shots of my protagonist taking shots of alcohol, spinning around (due to being
intoxicated) and looking at her hands to overlap or dissolve into each other smoothly and match the
pace off the music. I also used a transition called ‘dip to white’ which dissolved into to white from
one shot to another. I regularly applied this transition at the end of the ‘club/concert’ footage which
led onto the footage from the darkened studio with the lights. I felt that this was successful as the
white matched the brightness of the light and meant the transition from one clip to another was
visually pleasing.
Over the past two years, I have learnt new skills in InDesign, Photoshop and Premiere which have all
intertwined at one point in creating both my AS and A2 coursework. Having basic skills in InDesign
and Photoshop has helped me in my A2 coursework as it has meant I could be efficient in creating
professional looking projects.