Evaluation of my media product

In What ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

My style model for my magazine was Vibe magazine, in particular this one with T.I. on the front, I thought that this would be a good one to have as a style model because it is original and effective in portraying to the reader who is on the front the magazine and what else there is too read about inside. The font that I used was quite boxy because it means it Is easy to read and would stand out amongst other magazines, the name of the magazine is JOI because it is just one word and is easy to remember, I think this relates too many different magazines as well as Vibe like Q magazine or NME which are all short names which are easy to remember. The main image on the front is black and white on my style model which looked very effective however on all of the other vibe magazine front covers they had colour images on the front. Therefore I decided to make the main image’s face dimmer so it doesn’t stand out on the black and white suit and the white background however have kept the image in colour. The positioning of the image on the front cover is central to show what the main focus of the magazine is, in the contents page the image runs up the left hand side and all the text on the right hand side including the big title. In my dps the codes and conventions were similar to a lot of Vibe double paged spreads in the way that the whole of one page was taken up by an image and the other page was four columns of text withy a smaller image in the center. The colour scheme for the front cover was black red and white which are all simple colours so I decided to use them on my magazine, the rest of the magazine was mainly white background with either cool blues or reds to give the page a relaxed feel. The contents page on my style model had a gradient where the lighter part was over the image to give a spotlight effect over the person so I tried to replicate that on my contents page. In regards to the language used I tried to make it fairly formal with some young adult terminology to keep it young and attract the younger audience. I had a different variety of fonts in my magazine so that it didn’t seem boring and tedious reading through it, I made sure the main title of the magazine (JOI) was the biggest piece of text in my magazine and then the main article advertised on the front and on the DPS was written in a straight forward, big font.

How does your magazine represent different social groups?

Age- The magazine seems to be aimed at approximately 18 to 30 year olds. It shows a young musician trying to make a name for himself in an unfamiliar place. Also shows how fame might have an effect on teens. My target audience is young adults so it has to attract them to my magazine. The picture is of a person who would be a typical target audience of my magazine

Ethnic Minority groups- He’s from LA but moved to Newcastle so is around people from a different county and is from a different cultural background.

Sexuality- It’s aimed at any sexuality; there are no examples of it being aimed at one particular sexual orientation.

Class and Status- shows that he has made a bit of money and is happy about that but doesn’t like to boast or show off about it which is a positive view of upper class people.

Gender- It only focuses’ on a boy however does not give stereotypical representations of boys or the way that they talk about girls. He doesn’t mention women in the whole of the article.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I think that the main marketing tool for my magazine would be networking sites such as facebook or msn messenger because there are so many people who would fit my target audience on these sites, I could put the advert on a side bar or in a little pop up box on the websites. Also youtube would be a good place to advertise my magazine. In terms of distributing my magazine I think the best way would be to do it within Britain, start off in the main cities around Britain making the magazine very cheap or even free for the first few months and then increase the price if they go well. I think the media institution that would distribute my magazine would be Intermedia Partners because I think they would be interested in my magazine as it would appeal to them. Intermedia Partners are the publisher of the magazine Vibe which was my style model for the whole magazine so it would definitely fit the needs of the institution.

Who would be the audience for your magazine?

How did you attract/address your audience?

I catered for my audiences needs by doing audience research, and getting feedback from my rough cuts. Adapted my magazine around the comments I got in the questionnaire and the feedback I received on the magazines rough cut.

I think the image on my contents page is what my audience would be most attracted to because there was a gradient on the page and the brightest bit was situated around the image, which made it stand out. I think this is a good thing because the image was something to do with the main article which will want people to read more about it.
On the front cover I have catered for the audiences by having a basic red and black colour scheme and a black and white image which makes it seem stylish and professional.

The language in my double paged spread is quite sophisticated which appeals to a more educated or maybe an older audience however there are some slang and words associated with the younger generation which means it is aimed at a mixed audience, older than 15 but probably not as old as 40.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Photos: Learned how to get the lighting correct on close up images. Get a white sheet behind and reflect the light on it

How to get the main object of the picture in to focus by adjusting the zoom and lightly pressing the button before taking the picture.

How to adjust the camera depending on the type of shot I’m taking

Editing: Adjusting the brightness and contrast settings of an image to make it look more professional

Using the spot healing brush or the clone stamp to get rid of any unwanted spots etc on my models

Cutting out the image properly and adding it to a different background to make it look like it is supposed to be there rather than just stuck on.

Using my layers effectively so that my magazine looks professional and easy to read.

How to enlarge images without making them look stretched or out of proportion.

Audacity: Using audacity to make this video, how to edit bits out etc.

School Magazine: Learned how to frame a mid shot properly.

How important the right image is for a magazine, it must look professional, the image must not be blurry and the lighting on the photo must not be too bright or too dim.

Getting the correct font and placing it correctly on the page. I decided to use my particular font because it was easy to read and was also quite stylish

The school magazine showed me how to adapt my magazine depending on the target audience.

I learnt how to manage my time properly from the school magazine; how much time I would need for each section and I made sure I would not spend too much time on one thing (e.g. Font) and then not enough time on another thing.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

I learnt how to edit my photos properly so they look like they are meant to be there. I also learnt that I need to put the right font in the correct places because otherwise it will look unprofessional and tacky. One of the most important things that I learnt from my preliminary task is to use the right colour schemes so that none of the colours clash together and make it hard to read.

Contents Page Style Model

Front cover style model

Front Cover Final Cut

Contents page final cut

Final Cut DPS

Graphs Showing Questionnaire results

Magazine Questionnaire.

Are you male or female?

Male Female
[9] [9]

How old are you?

5-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 50+
[2] [4] [4] [4] [2] [2]

How many magazines do you buy a month?

None 1-2 3-4 5-6 More than 6
[1] [8] [5] [4] [0]

What is the first thing you notice about a magazine front cover?

8 People said the person on the front
4 People said the title of the magazine
2 people said article titles
3 People said the layout of the magazine
1 Person said the colours.
What types of things do you like to read in a magazine?


1 Person said descriptions
1 person said opinions
2 people said factual Pieces
1 person said theological
4 people said features
1 person said diaries
8 people said Interviews



What Genre of music do you like?

R&B Indie Dance Hip Hop Rock Other (please specify)
[6] [3] [1] [5] [1] [2]

Others: Soul, Jazz.


Who is your favourite artist?

Jay-Z (3)
Chris Brown (2)
Roy Ayers
Stevie wonder
Beyonce’
Plantlife
Bob Marly
DJ Shadow
ACDC
Andre 3000
Eminem
Alicia Keys
Kanye west
Drake
James Brown


What makes you buy one magazine over another?


Design of Magazine Layout of Magazine Articles inside Magazine Other
[6] [2] [8] [2]
Others: Colour scheme, price.

Original, unedited pictures used.

ORIGINAL PICTURES

Week 7

I have decided to take new pictures for my front cover because this time i used the schools high quality cameras so they are much better quality pictures, i played around with the colour schemes on the front cover and placed my main image onto it. The contents page is pretty much finished i have put a gradient onto it to make it look like there is a spotlight on the artist. My magazine seems to be coming together now and is starting to look more proffesional. The DPS in my magazine is half text on one side, with an imaged based in the middle of the text, and the other half is all one image. In the article on the DPS i have highlighted the section written by another celebrity so it doesnt mix up the reader. I went for a white, black and baby blue colour scheme because it makes it seem stylish, and it matches the top of the artist on the picture because he is in colour but the background is in black and white.

Week 6

This week I have been editing my pictures so that they look proffesional and getting all the text i need for my front cover and DPS. I decided that my article should be partly an interview with the artist, partly a feature written by the author of the magazine and another part written by another celebrity about the artist. My article is based around the artist called L.A. Flo who has moved from L.A. to Newcastle and is talking about how his life is going at the moment, and what he has got planned in the future.

Week 5

I have taken the pictures for each of my articles. One was a close up just in my house, but two of the pictures for my DPS were taken in town on the quayside. I took them with a lower quality camera so they may need done again later on, I needed to take some so i could get the layout of my magazine correct. I also took the fonts that i needed and towards the end of the week started on my contents page.

Week 4
I have now started to do my front cover of my magazine after finishing my rough drafts. I decided to call my magazine Joi because it is short and will be easy to fit on the page, and because it is a play on the word Joy which is a happy word. My codes and conventions will follow my style model which is vibe magazine, the issue with T.I. on the front in particular. It will have a black and red font colour scheme and a white background. The main image will be a close up of one artist in black and white.

Week 3
This week I have been sketching rough drafts of each page i will be doing on my magazine. I have tried to keep them as detailed as possible so that i will be able to follow it as i go through the process of making my magazine. I had to sketch them out but keep to the codes and conventions, and layout that my target audience wanted. Also I have analysed other double paged spreads to give me an idea of what i wanted mine to look like.

Week 2:
Now that I have finished my preliminary task of creating the school magazine, I have moved on to the main peice. First of all I have created a questionnaire to find out what my magazine should be like, i asked a range of different people of all different ages. Then based on the questions asked I have chosen the genre of music which my magazine will be based around; this is going to be Soul and R&B. Then I looked through various different magazines and focused mainly on Vibe because it fits my genre and target audience. I have also done other planning including my initial ideas sheet.

DPS analysis 5

Michu and shapes DPS

I like the title of the article, it looks like it has been drawn with a peice of charcoal which gives it a scrappy effect, i think this is fitting to an indie magazine. The boy looks young and his facial expression seems quite angry which might make the reader think the article is more exciting.

DPS analysis 4

Pete Doherty DPS analysis

The whole article is in black and white with the background being white which gives it a bright feel. The title of the article looks like it has been coloured in with a pencil which gives it a rustic and original look. The quote on the picture looks like part of the sentence has been tipexed out with makes it look as if it is messy but still looks professional.

DPS analysis 3

Laura Izabora DPS analysis

The layout of the DPS is symetrical with the two bars of red running down each side. The picture of Laura Izabora gives a happy and relaxed feeling which relates to her style of music. The white keys of the piano and her white tee shirt and her white teeth stand out on the page. Font in the article is formal and straight without rounded edges.

DPS analysis 2

The source DPS analysis

This article is taken from a hip hope magazine and seems quite dated based on the photographs of the artists in it. I think the way the page is split in to one section for the writing and one for the image is effective and the orange text goes well with the white background and the rest of the text which is black. Also the drop down capital letter with the picture of the artist is unique and gives a the rest of the article a good look.

DPS analysis 1

Double paged spread analysis

Not sure what magazine this was taken from but by the colours used it would suggest a rock or maybe dj magazine by the the panda with headphones on in the middle. It seems to be aimed at teens but the article is about an older band. All the writing is around the main images and the bright green background makes it stand out.

Contents page analysis 5

Kerrang contents page analysis

The kerrang contents page relates the the type of person who will be reading it which is teens maybe “rebellious.” the yellow and black colours on the page make them look like hazard signs however the way it is set out is blocky and smart which makes it easy to follow. Each article is clearly sectioned off with the page number next to it and the image on the left is in a neat box.

Contents page analysis 4

Clash contents page analysis

The clash contents page has a big picture of one of the main articles which indicates that it is trying to get the readers attention towards that page. The blue background gives it a masculine feel and the white text on top stands out nicely

Contents page analysis 3

NME contents page analysis

It is quite jumbled up and messy which might relate to the target audience of the magazine which is indie teenagers. The codes and conventions are the same as most NME front cover and contents pages and have small descriptions of the articles inside the magazine and also small images of some of the bands featured within the magazine. The text is simple and easy to read and gives it a more professional feel.

Vibe contents page analysis

This contents page is again predominantly image base with the picture of the woman filling the bottom part of the page with her legs coming up the top left hand side of the page. The colours are plain but look professional and the font makes it look quite sophisticated.

Contents page analysis 1

Q contents page analysis

The contents page sticks to the same codes and conventions to the Q front cover with the logo in the top red corner in a big red box and the writing is in the same white black and red colour scheme. The articles are split into two made sections divided by a red box with the image of one of the bands in the article (courteeners) in a neat box in the right of the page

Front cover analysis 5

Clash magazine

On this front cover the clash logo is on top of the main image which shows the magazine is trying to get its name recognised. I think that normally clash magazine does more low budget indie music however jay z is a much bigger artist so he takes up most of the page. The colour scheme is white and gold which makes it seem sophisticated and professional and the font is big and bold and easy to read.

Front cover analysis 4

Billboard magazine analysis

Like the rolling stone magazine the name of the magazine is predominantly covered by the image of the main article Ciara. The background colour is gold which gives it a glamorous effect and the writing is mainly white but with some bright colours in small spots.

Front cover analysis 3

Guitar world acoustic analysis

Guitar world acoustic magazines colour scheme is designed on the colours on a typical acoustice guitar, the background is in a dull yellow colour and the writing is in either black, white or red. I think the picture of Tenacious D on the front make it seem lively and more exciting than what you would expect from an acoustic guitar magazine. The font is informal with rounded edges to make it more smooth and easy on the eye and it is clear and easy to read. The image of the man impaled by the guitar gives it a gruesome edge and indicates it is for the older audience.

Front cover analysis 2

Vibe magazine analysis
The Vibe magazine is brightly coloured and the main logo is mainly hidden this could show that the magazine is well known and the main image (Kanye West) is the top article and his face on the front of the magazine could be more important than the name of the magazine itself. The colour them is bright pink and bright blue text and some black all on a light grey background which makes everything clear, stand out, and easy to read. I think the top piece of text draws the reader in by saying that there are secrets revealed in the magazine and the word notorious makes it seem important and maybe famous. The way that the text is based around the main images face shows that he is important and his pose makes him look serious and like he is directly looking at the reader.

Front cover analysis 1

Q magazine analysis

What stands out the most on all of the Q magazine front covers is the logo. The big red box and the letter Q in white make it stand out from everything else which helps the brand be well recognised when its being sold. The text across the middle of the page shows what the main article is about and there is various smaller pieces of text indicating what else there is within the magazine. The barcode is on its side on the right of the page which gives it a more unique look. I think the way lilly allen is posing makes her look seductive which might make the reader want to read on and the two panthers next to her could suggest she is dangerous and interesting.

In what ways does your music magazine use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real music magazines:

I tried to base my magazine on the style of the fusion magazine. Although it was a school magazine it still seemed trendy and up to date. The colours were lots of reds and blacks which made the white of the name stand out. In the center of the page there was an outline of a teenager which was underneath all of the text. There were no other images on the front cover which is why i only chose to put up one image on my magazine front cover. I think this is effective because it makes the readers attention focused on one particular thing and makes the front cover seem uncomplicated yet proffesional.
There were a few peices of text on the front page giving the reader a breif idea of what information is inside the magazine and it was written in an informal, young style of writing. I adapted this into my magazine front over however had less peices of text because they were covering too much of the main image, and i could put this in the contents page anyway.
I kept all of the font sizes in my magazine consistent, so had the main title in the largest font, followed by the sub-headers and then the aditional information in a smaller, different font.
In the contents page the font was all kept the same however, like in the fusion contents page, the sub -headers were all in various colours. I made sure the text was easily visible but tried to keep it from being plain and boring. I used a lot more images in the contents page but they gave a different effect to the page. They made it seem more colourful which would attract school students and had a mid shot of a student holding a shoe to illustrate one of the articles in my magazine.

Week 1
The preliminary task for media coursework was to make a school magazine front cover and contents page. We needed to stick to the codes and conventions of magazines and to address the magazine to school students. This will help me because it gives me an idea of what my final magazine will be like and also enabled me to put into practice some of the tools which will be essential for making the final magazine. I think that using bright colours is quite effective because they stand out and once I have all the layers I want on the page I think putting a layer over the top and putting an effect onto it, then lowering the opacity of that layer gives a good effect to the whole of the image. Also I got a good idea of the different fonts I will use on the front cover and in the contents page which give a professional look without being too formal.

school magazine

School Magazine



The front page of the Fusion magazine is brightly coloured all over so it gets the attention of the reader. There is one main image right in the middle of the page with all of the writing on top of it. There is only one image so that it stands out more and shows that it has significance to the main story in the magazine. There is a main colour theme throughout the front cover which makes it attractive.
The language used on the front cover of the magazine is quite informal and the main stories which are inside the magazine are written in big, clear writing in a bright colour to get the readers attention. It is informal because it is a children’s magazine and uses slang words and puns to make it seem a lot more lively. The name of the magazine is normally in the top left corner of the front cover and is always written in a recognisable font.
The images in the contents page are all quite small however there is quite a few of them, none of them really have any relevance to what is inside the magazine, they are mainly there to make the page more attractive. There are different boxes around the page with various facts about the magazine then the main section is set out in the centre of the page.
The text is set out quite formally but the writing itself is informal. It gives the reader a brief description of what is inside the magazine and also shows you where you can find each article.

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