Wednesday, 14 May 2014

Evaluation Question 1 (Front Cover)

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




The generic conventions of a front cover are Masthead, Cover Lines, Barcode, Selling Line, Main Image, Exclusive Extra, Date and Serif Font.



This is my masthead, What inspired my Masthead was Q Magazine's. I liked the red background and I quite liked the singular letter but I didn't feel that just the Q stood out to me that it was a music magazine automatically. That's why I called my magazine 'Listen' When I think of the word Listen I think of music. I done a red background just like Q does but because the name was Listen, it wasn't just going to be a singular, I also used a gradient fill which not many magazines use. I used a gradient fill because It's really eye catching and stands straight out, I have challenged the conventions by using a gradient fill, but I decided to keep it because I got really positive audience feedback off it. It really stands out from the red background, it bounces off it and I think my masthead looks really good.

These are my cover line stories, so the stories that will feature in my Contents Page. I have used artists that relate to my Target Audience. My music genre target audience is quite a large range. Because I was looking at Q and I was looking at their music genre audience I felt that Q had quite a wide range of genres for their magazine. My magazine mainly focuses on Pop and Chart music but I have also used a bit of rap music as well within my magazine. So i used artists like Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Drake, these are artists that I myself like and that a lot of people in my target audience liked as well. I also wrote about the V fest Lineup, Uk top 40, Free iTunes voucher, upcoming tours, free posters and winning a day with Lauren (main story) I decided
                                                                                    use V fest because that is an upcoming tour which      
                                                                                    all different kinds of musical genres everywhere.
                                                                                    Upcoming tours which has local tour dates. Free
                                                                                    posters also because I found that a lot of magazines it also makes people feel like they are getting value for their money.








This is my Barcode, Issue Date and price. I have positioned this in the top right hand corner. Even though I've looked at Q's magazine mainly for my style model I haven't used a style model for this I went through a lot of music magazines and noticed most magazines tend to have their barcodes on the bottom so I have challenged the conventions by having it at the top. Also a lot of magazines have the issue number and price inside their barcode but I have challenged the conventions by doing this and I've had positive feedback about it.





This is the selling line of my magazine. The selling line is quite an important convention of the magazine. As mine says 'UK'S BEST MUSIC MAGAZINE.' It draws consumers in because it sounds like It has been voted the best magazine in the UK. Which I have made reference to in my contents page by saying vote us the best music magazine for the third year running. Q's selling line is Discover great music.


Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Exam Question 1 (Contents Page)


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

The generic conventions are: Masthead, Contents themselves, Main Image, Smaller image, Edition&Issue Number and Page numbers on Images.

Masthead for the Contents Page

This is my Masthead for my Contents Page. I have used the same Gradient fill again with the red background but with the 'Contents' This time.



These are my contents. I have used the same cover lines from my Front Cover and added them to the contents. I have looked at Q's and Top of the pops contents page. I especially liked the way Q's was formatted and set out. I have recreated a similar set out. I decided not to do the header 'This Week' on mine as most music magazines do, I have challenged the conventions by doing this as nearly all music magazines have this. Even without the 'This Week' I think it still works really effectively. I also added in tour dates in the contents page this is for the audience to be able to see what artists they like and their upcoming tours also by adding these it makes it more clear what my target audience is for my magazine, as I have used young/new/popular artists it makes it more obvious that the target audience is for younger people and the genre is more broad than a specific target audience. I decided I would make my target audience more broad as you tend to find that people don't like just one specific genre they tend to like a few. I'm mainly looking at Pop and Rap as everyone I got my audience feedback off liked both Pop and Rap music.


     This is my main image for my contents page. I selected this one because it has a direct mode of address and draws the audience in. I have also put the page number on the image. The image is effective because it stands out on the page and has a really good quality to the image. By having the page number on the image it makes it more easy access for the consumers to access the page and also when they read about Page 16 they can see who it's about properly without having to turn straight to the page.



These are my smaller images that are just below my main image. By using smaller images with your main image it give the target audience more of an insight to the artist and what they're like. I looked at one of Q's contents page and how they structured their images. In the certain one i was looking at there was a main image and two smaller images underneath them. The smaller images where for a different article but I decided to have two extra images of Lauren on the Contents Page, because she's a new and upcoming artist.


I have also put in what Edition the magazine is and the Issue number on the contents page as the Q magazine I was using as a style model also had their Issue number in the Contents Page. I have also added that It's the February edition on the contents page also even though that Q doesn't do that.


I have also added the Social platforms to the contents page. By using the Social Platforms into my magazine I am introducing 'New Media.' I have involved social networking sites that include Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Many magazines are now using 'New Media.' by making my magazine available online it allows me to reach out to my target audience on a different level rather than just having it as a magazine and introduces a whole new way of purchasing a magazine rather than just in a shop.

Evaluation Question 1 (Double page Spread)


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


Title text and pull out quotes:

This is my title text and a pull out quote. My main title is her name 'Lauren Ronan.' Because I have used the silver background I have written her name in white and added an inner glow and drop shadow, this makes my title stand out and become very eye appealing to my audience. The article I was looking at for Q had a different sized title text and they had there's a lot smaller and instead they took the first letter out the article and made it bigger. I also pulled out a quote from the article I decided to pick out a quote about the tour as on my front cover that's what I've said the main story is about.


Text itself:


This is my main article. The questions I have used all apply to what I have written in my front cover. I looked at many different magazines for help with my questions such as Q, Top of the Pops and Billboard. I decided to set it out in a more spread out form rather than have it all running down one side as most because my target audience is for young adults I decided to span it out more.



I have also added in page numbers and the editors name. All music magazines have the page numbers and the editors name. I positioned them in the bottom corners of the piece.

These are my images I have used for my double page spread. I have used a divider to split the text up from the pictures. I have used three images next to the divider, they are all direct mode of address but all of them have been taken on different angles. I have also placed an image behind the text. I have changed the opacity on the image so the text is still really clear and the image is still clear and stands out.

Thursday, 8 May 2014

Evaluation Question 3

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

I believe that Bauer media would be the perfect institution to distribute my magazine because it's a pop/rap magazine and they don't really have a magazine that offers that, so by them selling my magazine it would help them corner off more of the music magazine market and even help them grow their empire. I also think that Bauer Media is a well grounded company with a stable background to help my magazine grow. I think by Bauer Media distributing my magazine it would be a great help to my magazine as they are a wealthy and well ran company who has a reliable audience.

Friday, 2 May 2014

Evaluation Question 7

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




This is my Pre limb front cover. My picture follows the rule of thirds rule. I've added text in my front cover and used blending options such as Drop Shadows, Strokes, Bevel and Emboss etc. This doesn't look professional at all and doesn't look like a real magazine but when I started this I hadn't had any previous experience with photoshop so I wasn't really sure what to use.








This is now my front cover. This looks more professional and has better conventions than the first one. I have also used blending options with this Front cover I have used a Gradient Fill, Drop Shadow, Outer Glow, Bevel and Emboss. I also started to explore to use other texts as well that a real magazine would use.























All the exam Questions


Wednesday, 30 April 2014

New Work on Double Page Spread

As it's getting closer to the deadline when our templates need to be completed, I have re done my Double Page Spread as I didn't think it looked professional enough.


This is my latest version of my Double Page Spread. My original double page spread was a bit all over the place and the text was much to big. I have now gone back and completely changed the layout of the text and everything else.


I have made her name stand out more by using a white colour with an Outer Glow and a Drop shadow to make it stand out more. It is also bigger than any other text on the page so it attracts the audience straight away. I have also changed the original interview to a Q&A. I found that this was more effective and that I have more room to do other things. I have also used an image of Lauren in the background of the Q&A but I have changed the opacity of the image to make it blend in with the background and even though it stands out it doesn't take the attention away from the questions. I have also got the page numbers and the editors name as these are key conventions. I have added a band down the side that splits the text and the images up. I still have more images to add to this but for i like the way it looks. I have also taken a quote from the Q&A and written it across the top of the page just underneath Lauren's name.



I have now also added two smaller images in the cut off section.

Monday, 24 March 2014

Progression on Front Cover





This is what my front cover looks like now and I think there has been a massive progression in terms of eveyrhting. I've added a background colour as well It's like a silver colour like the text but lighter so the text is still seeable, it takes away all the white background which I thought looked like a major issue within my magazine. I've changed the cover lines at the top. I've also changed the win a day with Lauren at the bottom because the other one really wasn't working, I've used the same text as what I used with the cover lines. I have also now added upcoming tour and free posters inside this has taken up more white space.

Working on my Front Cover

I have set myself a target to have my front cover and one of the questions finished by this week, I have now began to work on my front cover and make changes and take on board some of the audience feedback I received.



These are my cover line stories and before I made these changes the text was actually quite big which could of drawn attention away from the main text. The original text was Arial so I have now changed it to Tw Cen MT, I like this text a lot more and rather than having just the same text all the way through that was a pretty basic text I decided to change it a bit. This was one of the suggestions I got back from audience feedback and I think it looks much better now.

Thursday, 20 March 2014

Updated Contents Page






This is now what my contents page looks like, I'm really happy with how it looks now. I have all the social platforms in there and I've added them into relation with the text. I've now got all my contents running down the right hand side of the magazine with the text smaller so I could fit more text in. I had 2 pictures which will be three when I add in the other picture with one prominent picture. I've also added in February Edition and the Issue on the inside as well. I also have the same masthead from the Front Cover but with the contents on it.

Pictures on Contents Page




I have now added better images of Lauren in I have one main image which is bigger than the one underneath it I will have another picture underneath it but I'm just deciding what picture I want in. I have also added the page number to the larger image, someone also suggested I do this and it relates to the conventions more. The first image shows Lauren up close and the second image shows Lauren with one of her friends at a local festival. Which I'll add to my Double Page Spread.

Moving Text on Contents Page

I have once again now moved all my text again. One of the responses I got from my audience feedback was to look at making the text smaller and to reposition it. I have now and went that which has given me more space to work with and has worked well because I have been able to add in more text that relates to my music magazine such as Tours and Posters.

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Reworking on my Double Page Spread

When I posted my templates onto Facebook I got a lot of feedback. I have now started to work on my Double Page spread and make the improvements. Someone suggested I added a quote and make World Exclusive and Lauren Ronan bigger which I have now went and done.


I have also added blending options to Lauren Ronan as well which was a drop shadow, a stroke and a bevel and emboss. For my text I used dafont instead of just using the texts on Photoshop all the time.

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Audience Feedback

I uploaded picture's of my Front Cover, Contents page and my Double-Page Spread to Facebook to get audience feedback from my audience.

Because I targeted my audience was 15-24, I mainly asked there opinion on my magazine but I then thought it would be useful to ask someone who is not in my target audience their opinion on my music magazine.

I asked a boy who is aged 18 what he thought of my magazine this is his feedback:

Front Cover- He likes the layout of the text, and the image but he thinks that the front cover is to plain and needs some more colour to it and he also suggest the text at the bottom should be changed.

Contents Page- He said he really likes the layout of the contents page and thinks it looks quite professional and how that the masthead is the same from the front cover.

Double page Spread- He said he likes the article and thinks it links in really well with the headline title but that I need to use my space more wisely.



I then asked a girl aged 17:

Front Cover- She said that I should try and space my tag lines out abit more so they fill more room. She then added at the end 'Apart from that it's top notch.'


I then asked another girl aged 17:

She didn't express any comments on my Front Page or on my Contents Page but she did on my double page spread:

She said overall the amount and size of text are good and the colour matches the rest of the overall colour scheme of the rest of the magazine. But she thinks the actual text on 'Lauren Ronan' could be a lot bigger to fill some more space and to show that she's the main focus and also the image itself could be a lot bigger.


I then asked a boy aged 16:

Front Page- He said he really liked the image and the layout of the other articles inside, He suggested that on my front cover to fill the white space and maybe add in more text like free posters inside.

Contents Page- He said he really likes the layout and how I've added in Facebook and Twitter and he thinks that works really well.

Double Page Spread- He said he likes the way I've changed the background colour from the rest of my others but suggested that I should had more space used up by possibly having more images.

I then asked another girl aged 22:

Front Cover- She said she really likes the masthead and the gradient fill on the 'Listen' text layout and thinks it really stands out. She said she also likes the way the selling line comes off from the masthead. At first she said she couldn't tell what kind of genre the magazine was but then she read the tag lines and instantly recognised that it was a pop magazine with a snip of rap as well. She said she also likes the italics underneath Lauren Ronan.

Contents Page- She said she really liked the way I had added the social platforms and how I had linked in to the text, She said she really liked the layout and how there is an image on Lauren in the red box.

Double Page spread- She said I need to add more images into my double page spread and that I need to make World Exclusive and Lauren Ronan much bigger so you can see it's a main focus.


I then thought it would be good to asked a 38 year old women about the magazine:

Front Cover- She said the layout is really good and she thought the target audience is 15-33 which isn't really my target audience so I might have to change certain things around in my magazine to make it apply to my target audience more. She also thinks I should try a very light gradient fill on my front cover because there's to much white space.

Contents Page- She said the layout is really good and that she really liked my contents page but thinks I should also add in the issue number into my contents page as well.

Double Page Spread- She said she likes the colour scheme, and that the text is very well written. She also suggested that I should take a quote from Lauren out of the article and write it in bigger font at the top somewhere.

I found that this was very useful and even though she doesn't fit my target audience she still had some of the same opinions as other people.

Thursday, 27 February 2014

Contents page





This is now what my contents page is looking like.

I have completely changed everything about my contents page including the layout, the last layout wasnt working

How the front cover is looking now.






This is now how my front cover of my music magazine is looking.

The image now looks better because It's been moved to the side more and Lauren really sticks out the page.

The also inside text with all the cover lines has also been relocated to nearer the top, I think it now looks better up at the top rather than in the bottom corner because when it was in the bottom corner I felt it took attention away from the actual main story.

The main story now stick out more with the Word Exclusive in Red and Lauren going right across the screen with the black and the white outline. Then the speaks out about her first arena tour!! With the red italics really sticks out. It looks more like a music magazine.

I am considering putting in a background colour as well, there is a lot of white spaces at the moment but I have more text I'm going to add.

Changing the Masthead






I have now changed my masthead, in a previous post I had posted about moving the barcode, issue number and price. I have now made the listen text bigger so It's more eye capturing which I now think it is because when I look at the magazine it sticks out to me along with the Lauren Ronan text.

I have now changed my selling line as well in terms of blending options and colour. I think that the drop shadow with the white text works really well and is really effective because the backgrounds white, it sort of bounces off the background.

The selling line has also been relocated, I purposely changed it so it didn't fit in with the masthead, I wanted it coming off it which has challenged the conventions but it works really well.

Wednesday, 26 February 2014

Repositioning the Barcode, Issue number and price




I have now moved the barcode, issue number and price to the top right hand corner as I felt having it in the Masthead drew away attention from the actual masthead itself, It looks better now in the corner.

Changing round text and text sizes.



I didn't think my original text and text positioning worked very well, it was all very over the place and nothing ever really stood out as a main headline so I've now changed the positioning and text size to a more professional and readable look.

Monday, 24 February 2014

Progress on front cover


Improvement to the Masthead





I have now changed my masthead with regard to the barcode, issue number and price. I thought it originally looked quite scruffy and unprofessional but now I think it looks more realistic.

Thursday, 13 February 2014

First Draft-Double page spread




This is my first draft of my double page spread I'll need to fill all the grey space as well.