The document reflects on the progression made from the author's preliminary task to their final media product of a music magazine. They felt the final magazine looked much more authentic and professional compared to the initial cover and contents page due to applying more magazine conventions and experience with design software. Key improvements included better planned photoshoots, more advanced photo editing in Photoshop, establishing a clear target audience, and implementing a consistent house style. Overall, the author gained significantly more knowledge and confidence in print media skills through thoroughly analyzing real magazines and putting effort into their own music magazine project.

2. Preliminary progression
• Looking back on the front cover and contents page I created for my
preliminary task, when compared to my final media product, I feel I have
made a massive improvement and this significant progression is reflected
in my music magazine looking like a much more authentic, professional
product. In my music magazine I have use more conventions to make it
look more realistic. I was also more experienced in using different types of
software for my music magazine compared to my school one. I completed a
number of detailed analysis of real music magazines which again improved
my knowledge and made my own product look better.
• I learned to use new programmes such as InDesign, whilst developing my
skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher and PowerPoint as well as in
software like Photoshop and Prezi.

3. Comparing Front covers
Preliminary Task Main Task

4. Comparing Contents pages
Preliminary Task Main Task

5. Preliminary task progression
• For my preliminary task I took my photos in school with girls from my class. It proved
difficult trying to capture a photo with good lighting and I had a very basic photoshoot
plan. For my real product I prepared my photoshoot plan and organised it weeks in
advanced. I got my models over and took the pictures against a white background. I feel
that the vast improvement in shots is evident which was a crucial step as my target
audience listed the first thing they notice about a magazine as the pictures on it. I also
felt I progressed hugely in my understanding of what type of photos and shot-types are
used in magazines as well as the fact that shooting against a clear background can ensure
a much more polished, professional final look.
• The improvement in photos was helped enormously by my improvement in Photoshop;
looking back on my Preliminary Task, in terms of the front cover, I now feel it looks very
basic and not like a real media product. The cover lines I included do not stand out
against the background and in some cases are difficult to read, with an unnecessary
amount of blurb. TI was able to edit my images to much better effect in the main task
also, having not really altered their settings when conducting the Preliminary Task –
enhancing my photos was a key step as it made the music magazine look much more
edgy and authentic.

6. Preliminary task progression
• I also feel I have learned a huge deal about appealing to target audience in the progression from
Preliminary to Main Task; with my school magazine, I focused on no particular genre or topic,
instead aiming it broadly at all sixth-form students in the school, however, in my main task I
conducted extensive audience research using questionnaires and class feedback in order to
establish a clear, concise idea of the genre of my magazine, how to reflect this and indeed how to
attract my youthful, pop target audience.
• For my school magazine, I didn’t even have a house style which again seems very unprofessional
as in every media product you see, the continuity from page to page is something readers would
expect. In my music magazine I included a house style as best as possible. The colours I used were
black, purple, red and white which all contrasted against each other making it stand out. I used
the same fonts and colours across the three pieces to fit the house style.
• In conclusion my knowledge of print media, specifically music magazines, has increased greatly
due to the time and effort that I have put into creating my cover page, contents page and double
page spread for my music magazine, a process I thoroughly enjoyed. This experience has allowed
me to gain confidence in my analysing and editing and has thereby hugely increased my
capabilities as a media studies student.