Evaluation
In what
ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
My media product has used the forms
and conventions of real media products. My media product uses the same layout
for example the header is at the top of the page and dominates the front cover
through the use of colour. My media product uses existing conventions of the
existing media products. This coincides with existing media products as the
main image is usually the most important part of the front cover and is a key
selling point of the whole magazine. My front cover also displays a mid-shot
this is similar to real media products as most magazines predominantly us the
mid-shot on their front cover. My media product has developed the forms and
conventions of a real media product, for example my mast head is similar to
existing magazines but I have developed the font and colours to make it more appealing
to my target audience because making the colours more eye catching and
contrasting against each other. This makes it more appealing because these are
the sorts of colours associated with this type of music. My media product has
challenged the forms and conventions of real media products for example my
front cover features the main cover line above the main image which is very
rare among existing products. It also has a double lined mast head which very
few existing products have
My contents page has used the forms and conventions of a real
media product for example it has a balanced mixture of text and images. It also
continues the house style of the front cover to the contents page i.e. the
contents page uses the same colour scheme as the front cover and the same font;
this makes the magazine easily recognizable to my target audience. There is
also a list of what is in the rest of the magazine. The contents page develops
the forms and conventions by mixing the different colours of a typical contents
page. I also used a different amount of columns. My contents page challenges
the forms and conventions of a media product for example my contents page uses
less text than most already existing products this makes it more eye catching
to the target audience.
My double page spread has the forms and conventions of
existing media products for example it has an introduction to the article which
most products have it also has an image that relates to the main image on the
front cover. I have used the same font throughout the front cover, contents and
double page spread to continue the house style. It has developed the forms and
conventions through the use of different images. The forms and conventions have
been challenged through the use of background colour. The majority of existing
products use a background in the images they use but my magazine uses dark colours.
How does
your media product represent particular social groups?
My media product represents particular social groups because
my magazine is aimed at students this is reflected in the cheap price as
students don’t want to be paying a lot of money for a weekly magazine. Also the
use of images and text represents the social group because the images are quite
contemporary and modern. There is not a lot of text which makes the magazine
easier to look at for students who don’t have the time to read pages and pages
of writing.
There is also lots of content on the contents page indicating
that the consumer is getting a lot of value for their money, which is what
students who are on a tight budget. The use of colours appeal to the social
group at which I aimed my magazine because they are eye catching and contrast
against each other.
What kind
of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
Bauer media group would distribute my product because it is
an indie/rock genre magazine and Bauer are more focused on this genre of
magazine for example Q and Kerrang are both magazines that are distributed by
Bauer. Also Bauer have vast experience in publishing music magazine of this
genre.
Who would
be the audience for your media product?
My target audience for my media product would be mainly young
people from the age of 16 to around 19 I think it would be aimed at men rather than
women due to the dark colours and people who like that genre of music.
How did you
attract your target audience?
I attracted my target audience by using darker colours as
these colours are generally associated with the type of music. Also the fonts i
used are modern which appeals to a younger audience rather than older. The language
i used was contemporary and informal rather than old-fashioned which again
attracts a younger audience. The use of imagery appeals to people who like the
type of music and the type of content. The layout is easy to read and to look
at.
What have
you learned about the technologies from the process of constructing this
product?
When constructing the school magazine i learnt a basic
understanding of Photoshop for example using layers and using the lasso tool. I
also took long shots to go on the front cover; these photographs had lots of
background. However through constructing the music magazine i have developed a
more advanced understanding of Photoshop. I began to use stylized photos to use
for my front cover, contents and double page spread. I also took the lighting
of the photographs into consideration and the type of photo. I decided a
midshot as this was used on the majority of existing products. I also developed
the use of layers, tools and colour. I began using the glow tool, shadow and
inner glow.
