Final main task double page spread.

Final main task contents page.

Final main task front cover

Final preliminary contents page

Final preliminary front cover.

Casting

For my production, I worked with a couple of friends who were willing to dress up as an R&B artist, so I could take different types of pictures of them. My friends had a good knowledge of the genre, therefore that made the overall task much easier. The genre was nice emphasised through the pictures.

Billboard Website

The Billboard website is another way they attract readers. On the website, it gives out extra news such as the latest goings on's in the life of the music stars, the latest charts, the latest photo's. Furthermore it allows readers to view videos online allowing them to get the latest interviews before anybody else. The website allows readers to search for their favorite artists or bands and research them. Keeping up to date with the latest chart news is another key convention of the website. It's colourful, broad and very informative, therefore it is a very good website to go on.

http://www.billboard.com/#/

Publication Plan

Publication Plan;
Title; Boombox
Positioning statement; 'The number one magazine for all the latest top tunes!'
Frequency of publication; Monthly
Price; £3.50
Distribution; Newsagents, Supermarkets. The supermarkets include the big name one's such as; Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Asda.
Rationale; The approach of my magazine will mostly be based around what I believe people of my target audience will want to read. Within the magazine, I feel that it would be good to include reviews from the month, without containing over the top words that teenagers won't be able to understand. Another aim is to make the magazine informal so the audience can relate to it. Whilst sticking to these aims we also want to make everything simple for our potential customers, as we don't want to confuse them with technical terms.
Style; The style of my magazine will be relatively informal. The magazine will offer readers reviews of the latest charts and singles being released. The magazine will also give the audience an insight to the lives of the different artists within the genre that the magazine will be representing. The information added will be exciting and will keep the reader interested throughout, which hopefully will ensure they continue to buy the magazine.
Regular Content:
Editors Letter.
Reviews of the current singles and albums in the chart.
Gig reviews.
Album of the month
Interviews with different artists.
Song of the month.
Artist of the month.
Video of the month.
Featured Content:
Main interview with P-Dizzle.
Top 100 Singles within the month.
Review of the year.
New video releases.
New song releases.
What's hot this month.
Rationale
Headlines; Word Art
Body Text: Calibri

Colour Scheme- To fit in with the genre the colours will be dark, to give the urban feel. Colours such as;
Black
Grey
Dark blue

Evaluation Question 5

Front Cover; I attracted my target audience through the different use of colours. The different colours I looked to use were the dark colours such as black and grey. These gave out the urban look, ensuring it linked in nicely with the genre of the magazine. The use of the large heading also attracted the audience, due to the fact it slots in nicely with the dark and mysterious background of the magazine front cover. Furthermore, I think the picture, would attract the audience because of the Mise en scene, and the low camera angle. The mise en scene, is evident adding emphasis to the genre, whilst the low camera angle is proving the dominance of the artist. Finally I think the subheadings will attract them, as it allows them to see what will be in the issue. The fact they are shown in bright colours is an eye-catching technique.

Contents page; The splitting of the information is a way in which I aimed to attract the audience. The audience would be able to see the key stories that will be featured in the magazine through the use of the page numbers and text on the contents page. The unusual shaping of the 'Contents' sign would also attract the audience, plus with the bright colours, as they are eye-catching, meaning that the audience will be able to pick this magazine out when browsing through the shops.

Double page Spread; The main article was the main thing that I used to attract the audience. It enabled them to find out all the latest news, plus they recieved an exclusive interview from the main artist for that month. This is an extra that all magazine editors tend to add in to, in order to strive to get more customers buying their magazine. Furthermore, the urban scene is once again created through the background, by the use of the dark colours, once again helping to catch the audiences eye. I have used two small pictures which have helped me relate to the stories in the article and with the key quotes that I pulled out from the article. They key quotes help to break the information down and allow the reader time to process their thoughts. The sensible font finally is another way that the magazine helps to attract it's audience, as it is easy to read, therefore it's just no nonsense and no hassle for audience and it fits in nicely with the whole background.

Question 7

How I have bettered since the preliminary task;

Software;

When I first started my project, I had never used a blog before, so it was a first for me. As time went on, I got used to it and have produced a effective media blog.

From my preliminary task I feel that it is evident that I have picked up skills on the way. I think the way that I edited my pictures through the use of photoshop and also created different presentations through the use of Prezzi. I believe that these skills that I picked up helped me ensure that my project looked effective. Picking up on the skills I used to edit my pictures, you can see a great difference on my front cover and contents pages, which is what I wanted to succeed in when I first planned and organized my project.

Photography; 

I believe that you can see a huge difference in my photography, throughout the project, conveying the different skills I have picked up on the way. At the beginning of the project, I was shaky and my pictures didn’t come out as I wanted them. Also, most of them had no significant meaning. For my preliminary task, I managed to take 2/3 good pictures that established the genre and fit well into the magazine. Other than that, the rest I didn't like and had to scrap.  In difference, I went into creating my music magazine with much more confidence and I feel that the pictures I took for it looked relatively good. I used a mixture of shot types and angles to add a twist to the magazine and make it look more exciting, which was different to the ones from the preliminary task, as they were plain and boring.

Layout; 

Before starting my music magazine, I didn't really have much insight in how they were supposed to be laid out. However, with a bit of research and the use of the preliminary task, my knowledge of the layout grew stronger. Whilst my knowledge of the layout was getting stronger, I was learning the sufficient codes and convetions that a music magazine should have in order to grab their audience and potential readers. The conventions included the color scheme and the different types of headlines. You can see from my two magazines that my knowledge of layout got stronger, especially from my main music magazine.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I think that there is an obvious difference shown between the magazine for the preliminary task and the one for the main task. This difference has come from improvements in my techniques on such websites like Photoshop and also the fact that I now have a greater knowledge of the codes and conventions of a magazine. My photography skills also vastly improved, showing a difference between the two tasks.

Evaluation question 6

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

Evaluation Question 4

Who would be the audience for your media product? on Prezi

Evaluation Question 3

Music magazine Evaluation- Question 3: What kind of media institution might distribute your product and why? 

The media institution that might distribute my product would be InterMedia Partners. InterMedia Partners are the institution that distributed Vibe magazine, which is of a similar genre of my product, which could therefore compete with Vibe.  My product not only gives out a competition with Vibe magazine, but it could also offer InterMedia Partners with a rivalry magazine, which could help them be more successful as a distributor. 

My magazine is most likely to be sold in such big range supermarkets as Tesco and Sainsbury's because they are two highly prospering supermarkets where the audience can buy their magazines from. WHS smiths is another place which would be good to sell my magazine from, as they are a book store, which is very popular for the sales of magazines therefore this would be a good place to try and improve sales. 

Evaluation Question 2

Firstly, One way I think my media product can relate to particular social groups is through the use of my colour scheme. The dark colours of black and grey help give out the urban twinge, which is what the majority of the R&B genre want when buying a magazine. My colours also help to convey that despite being generally related to both males and females, it is mostly a male based magazine. Most of the article produced in my magazine are based at the younger teenage years of my target audience. Due to my magazine being related to a mass audience, I had to think about splitting it into sections and who is most likely to buy every issue, therefore that's why most of the articles are based around them. I haven't really focused on the disabled social group mainly because there is only a small minority of people who are disabled and they are not likely to be attracted to this kind of music. Overall, my media product relates to all races and religions. This is because the R&B genre is a broad genre of music where many people are attracted to, therefore it is targeting everyone.

Evaluation question 1; Double page spread

Analysis of double page spread on Prezi

Evaluation question 1; Contents page

Evaluation Question 1; Contents page on Prezi

Evaluation question 1; Front cover

Magazine evaluation question 1; Front cover on Prezi

Magazine Language

The language of my magazine is a massively important, as it reflects hugely upon my target audience. It is important that I follow the rules and stick to language that my target audience understands and not say words that they don't know. The magazine must stick within the target audience. The use of good language is also important in a magazine, as it will reflect on the magazine's quality. If you get a magazine with fluent English language all throughout, then you are more likely to buy it. Whereas, if you got a magazine that had words spelt wrong and had the wrong terms being mentioned, then less people will want to buy it. That is why editors of magazines take extra special care in looking for spelling mistakes and ensure that everything is up to date, especially the information being presented. The magazine can come in different languages, as it will be sold around the world. This will increase publication and will also make more and more people purchase the magazine, if it is popular.

Contents page colour scheme.

On my contents page, there is no real colour being used. The fading and colour being expressed by the pictures, helped take control over the contents page. The little dashes on the title help to draw the audience into the magazine further, which is vital in the creation of the magazine.  The page numbers are much bigger than the rest of the writing, which again helps to make the page stand out in the magazine. The two pictures help to bring colour to the page, however, the aim is to make everything stand out, which is why I left the background blank. The contents page was also made on desktop publishing, which is a good piece of software to use when creating a magazine.

Colour scheme for my magazine.

For my magazine, I have used a mixture of colours to convey different feelings and give out a sense of meeting the target audience. The large headline, gives out a sense of danger, with the contrasting colours of red and black, which often signifies danger. Furthermore, I use more of the colour red, which contrasts into the magazine front cover. The bright colours used also signify a younger and much wider target audience, linking into the audience that I am looking to target. However, the bright colours are also there to attract potential customers, when they are browsing through the shelves. Most of the writing that I use is black, giving the magazine a much more serious look.  Overall, the mixture of dark and bright colours adds effect to the magazine front cover, as it gives out a mixture of views. As mentioned, the darkness, gives out a more serious outlook for the magazine, whereas in comparison, the bright colours give a nice fresh outlook, linking into the younger target audience.

Things to do.

1) Publication Plan
2) More analysis on photo's
3) Comment on colour schemes
4) Upload everything on my blog.
5) Finish Evaluation questions.

Planning Production.

Planning Production; 

Front Cover Image- Medium Shot of the artist, edited into a polaroid frame. 

Front cover smaller image- Another shot of the artist, in a medium close up. Edited shot. 

Coverlines; Top 100 Singles review, Review of the year, Interview with P-Dizzle. 

Regular Content:  

Editors Letter. 

Reviews of the current singles and albums in the chart. 

Gig reviews. 

Album of the month 

Interviews with different artists.  

Song of the month. 

Artist of the month. 

Video of the month. 

Featured Content: 

Main interview with P-Dizzle. 

Top 100 Singles within the month. 

Review of the year. 

New video releases. 

New song releases. 

What's hot this month. 

Contents page images; Main medium shot image of the main artist.  

Main Article; Features the rise of P-Dizzle with an exclusive interview.  

Double Page Spread

This is my double page spread for my music magazine. To create it, I used Microsoft Publisher, which is a good application to use when it comes to designing magazines. Overall, I feel that it does follow the main conventions of a double page spread. These being that it labels who the artist is and gives the readers an inside edge about them. The interview is 'exclusive' which gives them an incentive to read on. In this case, I have tried to make it look different to ensure that it stands out to the teenage target audience. . The writing is a nice calm, small font, introducing a tone of seriousness. Finally, from the double page spread, the picture has been edited in black and white, giving off both a serious and old fashioned tone. The medium, long shot is used to gather in the surroundings and also take into account the artists props, such as the watch and chain. This type of shot also builds up a sense of location. It is shown in a low angle, which emphasises the power of the artist, conveying that the interview is going to be about him. In an order, I firstly looked at which picture would look aesthetically pleasing to the target audience. I left the background plain, with the black writing, as it blends in nicely, ensuring that the writing sticks out to attract potential readers. To stick to the conventions of the magazine, I ensured that the writing for the interview was the same font, making it easier for the audience to read.

Sketches of my Photos with analysis

The four pictures here are the four pictures that will be inserted into my magazine. Before I could put my magazine together, I had to draw a plan of my pictures. This is an ideal thing to do when making a magazine, personally as it enables you to look back at your sketches and see what you are going to do, when taking the pictures. Looking back on these sketches, my first one is the artist looking away from the camera. For me, I think it would look good in a medium shot, with a low angle being used, the low angle conveying the dominance and importance of the artist. The medium shot would allow the audience to see him, so his facial reactions but also the props he is using or wearing, such as the chain and the snapback. This is one thing I had to think about when creating my magazine, as it was important that I included Mise En Scene in the pictures. Not only is Mise En Scene about the props, but it is also about spacial relationships. When completing the task of taking my pictures, I focused on the spacial relationships. For example, when taking the picture, I didn't want to see much of the wall, as it would look unprofessional. Therefore, I located my artist into a different position to ensure the picture would look successful.  On my third picture design, I looked to alternate things. I still conveyed the artist through a medium shot, however I used an eye level angle to show him looking directly into the camera. This would create contrasting moods, as it would suddenly create a more serious outlook upon the magazine.                    

Within these four pictures, I again looked at change. For my second picture, I looked at experimenting with the use of a medium long shot. This enabled the audience to see the costume and location that the artist was in. In a magazine, this is important, as at times, the location can be dependent on the genre, and it can convey the genre further.  On the next picture I again experimented, by using a close up shot of the artists face, which evidently using an eye level camera angle. The close up shot allowed the audience to concentrate on the artists facial expression. This could effect their mood of the magazine, and also give them an idea about the type of magazine, whether it is going to be a serious magazine or a rather relaxed one.

In most magazines, they use medium shots for pictures of the artists. This is one of the main conventions of magazines. With the camera angle, I didn't really experiment with it, as I felt the use of the eye level, was in nice with my plan, which was to create a rather serious magazine. However, I feel next time, I could experiment further with the camera angles.

Picture Analysis- Main Task

This is my first picture of my artist, without editing. It is shot in a medium shot, with a low camera angle. The mise en scene and location is evident in this picture. The picture allows the audience to view the costume and props that the artist is currently wearing. The main thing I don't like about this picture is spacial relationship. I feel that the wall in the background is too much in view, which makes it look like an ordinary photo, which is not something you would find in a magazine. The pose and stance of the artist relatively fits the genre, conveying a sense of his arrogance furthermore, the way he is looking away from the camera. To make this look effective, I need the background to be smaller and also improve the shot type, as it doesn't really look like something you would find in a music magazine.

This is the edited version of the picture. For me, it looks much better than it did in the first picture. Firstly, I have enhanced a much more darker tone to the picture, making it look a much more serious image. In turn, this would suit my magazine, as I aim to make it a serious magazine. Secondly, the background was a problem in the first picture. However, through the use of editing, I managed to ensure the spacial relationship between the artist and the background. With the fading of the colour, the more urban feel is given out, which is linking into the genre really nicely, plus links very nicely into the younger generation of target audience. Also with the darkened background, shadows start to merge, which as well as creating a serious look, it creates a rather mysterious image, which links into the storyline, as nobody really knew about this artist before he mysteriously came out and started releasing music.

Photo analysis- Main Task

This is one of my other edited pictures that I used in my magazine. The picture is another medium shot, which again focuses on the artists clothing and props, but also it focuses on his facial expressions. Being represented by a low angle shot conveying his dominance. We also see more arrogance, by the fact he is not looking into the camera. Within the urban/ R&B genre, a lot of the artists show attitude and arrogance. It is just a general stereotypical trait. Again, with the background, I have tried to limit the space between the artist and the wall, making it look as professional as possible. I think everything is compacted together in this photo, which makes it look relatively good. The mix of colours in this picture help create a different look to the other pictures. When editing, I looked at the different temperature's that I could use. Whilst using this, I mixed everything together and created a rather warm and fresh look, which again can have specific meaning to the artist, as he has just been introduced and is fresh to the music business. In this photo, I have edited it further by inserting a frame round the edge of the picture. This creates a sense of the professionalism. Similarly, in some magazines, they tend to layout their pictures in frames, to create an effect.

This is my picture on the front cover of my magazine. Again, this picture is also shown in a medium shot, with a low camera angle. Same with the above photo, it allows people to see the costume,and props being used, which is classed as the Mise En Scene. The artists posture is vital to comment on in this picture. Firstly, in the pictures that I have seen in previous magazines of this genre, the artists seem to have this stance, where they are pulling their hood up or adjusting their cap. This is common in pictures, therefore in my planning and taking of the pictures, I ensured that my artist followed this. In this picture, my editing technique is much more fluent. I transferred the picture into a Polaroid picture frame, giving it an extra edge on the front cover, catching the audience's eyes. The darkness again creeps in over the picture adding a more mysterious attitude. The greyish tint to the picture, with the black and white of the artists clothing works really nicely in making the picture stand out. Overall, in my opinion due to the clever choice of editing and mise en scene, I feel that this was my best picture, which was reflecting in me making it my main front cover photo.

Edited Photos with analysis

In this first picture, the artist is shown in a medium shot, with again a huge focus on his use of mise en scene and also location. The costume he is wearing fits in nicely with the oldern colours being represented in the background. This helps the focus get continually drawn into the artist, which is exactly what the magazine aims to do. The artists serious facial expressions, whilst looking away into the far distance help to convey that he is not just in the music business for the fun. His stance and the way he is holding his chain link in nicely with the general R&B stance. The use of the tilted frame helps to give out a different view to the picture, seeing the whole of the frame. The edited background which conveys a mix of contrasting colours helps to give out the urban feeling, which is one of the main things the target audience look for in a magazine of this genre. The faded shadow coming out of the back again creates a mysterious outlook to the picture. The only problem for me in this picture is the space behind the artist. If I could take and edit this picture again, I would have to focus much more on the spacial relationship, behind the artist, as there is to much wall and door showing.

This photo is a good photo to use in a magazine. The only problem with this picture is that it completely goes against the aim to ensure that this magazine is of a serious outlook. The use of the bright colours in the background, give out a different view, as it creates a more fun look to the magazine. However, I think that the photo really fits in well with the background. It is shot in a medium shot, however there is a zoom, that projects into the artists facial reactions, due to the fact he is acting in a different way. The picture links in well with the teenage years of the target audience, due to the relaxed outlook on the picture. It is also shown in an eye level camera angle, which classes the artist's importance as he is looking directly into the camera. In comparison, the space in the background has improved in this picture compared with the one above. There is less space in the background, with the shadow creeping out the back, making it give a contrasting look; The bright colours showing fun, whilst the shadow showing a mystery. The only problem with this edited picture is that it doesn't give out an urban feel, completely going against the rules of the genre. 

Title Analysis

This title is very colourful which creates a very fresh and new atmosphere. Editors use these colourful designs in order to attract potential customers when they walk past the magazine in the shop. It is a very good design as it often attracts new customers. The logo is also in bold, conveying a sense of standing out among the rest. This is another way the magazine company aim to attract further customers. The use of colours in the writing is also a key technique that many magazine editors use. Against the black font, the colours help make the whole word stand out, despite only a few words being coloured in. This is because the viewers eyes will be projected towards the colour in an instance. This is an eye catching technique that many magazine's use when creating a title. Also, all of the letters are joined together, which is another eye-catching technique they use. When looking at the title, with all the writing joined together, it gives out more effect because it is all joint, meaning they can see the whole picture.

The 'Vibe' magazine title again is a very good design. The black background with the red bold writing is a key material to use, as it makes the title of the magazine stand out in detail. The huge writing, furthered by the use of capitals helps adds to the emphasis of the magazine trying to make the title stand out. Overall, it is a good title and a well layed out design. I feel that this title is less effective than the one above, just down to the fact it is less colourful than the one above, and when searching for magazines, customers look for nice colourful titles.

Photo Analysis- Preliminary

I used this picture for my front cover, as it is a key image that represents the genre of a school magazine. The picture also contains the key conventions of a school magazine picture. It gives off a nice, fresh atmosphere, linking into the new magazine that is being introduced in this first issue. The medium shot helps to analyse the mise en scene of both of these individuals. For example, it allows the audience to see the kind of clothing they are wearing and also the different props being used. Also, the medium shot has established the background, allowing readers to see what the school is like, in just one picture. Both of the students in this picture are shown in an low camera angle, which conveys that they are dominant and also represents a sense of belonging to the school. The bright lights in the background give it a nice atmosphere, making everything stand out, and also making it look a bright place to be. In the picture, both of the students are smiling which helps to convey the lack of seriousness about the characters and about the magazine. This suggests that the environment is a relaxed environment. The relaxed atmosphere is evident in the picture, so it would be a good image to place in a school magazine, as it will give the audience a relaxed viewpoint over the magazine. Overall, it gives out a good outlook of the magazine and the warming atmosphere, which is key, as it will make the audience feel welcomed and will make them want to buy it every month.

Photo analysis- Preliminary

I used this picture on my front cover as it again conveys the school genre. The two girls being shown in the picture are studying hard, showing the hard working atmosphere being put in at the school.This shown through the fact they are looking through books, but also through the instinctive looks.  This is key as it conveys a hardworking edge about them which could signify that the magazine is going to be a good one. In a way this picture is used to establish the background, conveying that it is a establishing shot. However, at the same time, it is also a medium shot, which allows the audience to draw focus on the students but also to their actions. The medium shot also allows the audience to see the props that make the picture more detailed. It is rather darker than other pictures that I have analysed, therefore it could label that this is quite a serious picture. The props in this picture however, are the most important factor, as they are showing to the audience that this is a hardworking place. The fact there are a lot of books helps to convey that they are really hardworking and are taking school seriously. Mise En Scene is considered really highly in this picture, a massive factor in the planning of taking photographs. Overall, I think that this is a good photo to use, as it focuses enticingly on the two girls working hard, which would give the audience a good attitude by the magazine and are more likely to purchase it.

Photo Analysis- Preliminary Task

This medium close up helps to convey the location where the magazine's focus will be set on. The picture links in really nicely with the topic of the magazine and also the genre of the magazine. The low angle conveys that this is the dominating story over the magazine. The only problem with this picture is that the spacial relationship is poor. You can see the background in to much detail, which shows that it is not the best picture. Also in the picture, there is not much you can comment on. There are no props, showing the distance of Mise En scene in the picture. The tilted frame, gives the readers a different angle, allowing them to see the buildings behind the sign. With the blue sky in the background, it helps create a nice atmosphere, which could be significant, as it could link to the school being a nice place to be, which is more likely to attract more readers, especially with a warm and welcoming atmosphere.Overall, I think that this picture is good, as it conveys the school genre in detail. It gives a valid location of the school and also the name of the school being represented within the magazine. I think this picture is a good enough picture to add into my contents page, as it links in with the main story of the magazine. It also shows the audience the place that is going to be represented in the magazine.

Further analysis of more pictures- Preliminary

I feel that this picture does not symbolise anything about the set genre, which conveys that it is not the best picture to put in my magazine. This establishing shot, helps to convey the location in much greater detail, however it doesn't have any specific meaning that would effect the audiences viewpoint, which is what my magazine aims to do. All it shows is a couple of buildings and it does not really show anything about the school. However, it is a nice picture, as the snow mixes in nicely with the blue sky giving it a relatively nice atmosphere.Overall, I feel that it is not the best picture that I have taken, therefore I wont be using it in my magazine. This was just an experimental picture.

Photo analysis- Main task

This picture was an experimental picture. I have tilted the camera, trying to make it look effective, however, I don't feel that it worked. The medium shot and eye level camera angle help to work together to convey the clothing and props that the artist is wearing, such as the shirt. The eye-level angle was supposed to make the picture look serious, however the fact the artist is looking away from the picture conveys his attitude. The picture is quite dark, adding shadows, which can give out an urban feel. However, in my overall opinion, I don't think this is the best picture, as it doesn't really look like a picture that you would find in a magazine of the R&B genre.

Again, this picture doesn't do it for me either. I experimented with the use of a long shot and for me it didn't work at all. From this shot, you can see the whole background and basically the whole of the room, which was obviously a mistake. With the long shot, you can focus on the background and all of the props that the artist is using. However, it is not the best, looking at the space behind the artist. The only thing that I could pick out in this picture that looks relatively good is the darkness forging upon the walls. This shows a relationship between the genre and the image, as audiences will begin to see the urban feel emerging.

                                                                                   

This picture is relatively good. I think the audience could focus on my artist's attire, as it closely links in with the younger generation of my target audience. Many younger members of the audience who go to schools and listen to this type of music, seeing their favorite artists perform would want to dress like this. It creates a special relationship between the image and the target audience. The shot type being used in this picture is a medium long shot, giving a main focus on the artist's stance. He seems relatively calm in this photo, conveying he does have a calm side, despite seemingly being a jokey person. However, once again, he is looking away from the camera, showing his arrogance once more. Once again their is a mixture of two contrasting colours on the walls behind the artist. On his left, the wall is a darker colour, which links into his mysterious rise to fame. But also on his right, the brighter colours help to convey that he is a fresh new artist looking to be the best around. Overall, this picture is relatively good, and fits in nicely with the genre.