How did you attract/address your audience?

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

As a previous GCSE media student I had already developed a range of skills through the different technology forms that I used during this process, however, through this process I learnt about new technologies such as blogger and a range of presenting my information.

Pixlr

During this process I refined my skills. I used Pixlr to edit my music magazine. Through previous use, I had found that it provided professional editing techniques that I could use to improve my magazine. For example, I used the ‘heal’ setting to remove any imperfections on my music magazine. This was an important stage to creating my magazine because professional magazines are typically airbrushed and ‘flawless’.  As well as ‘heal’ I used the enhancing settings available on Pixlr to brighten my image and increase the contrast to make the image more striking. This made my magazine more advanced as, through research, I found that a convention of magazines was a striking, eye catching images. Because I was familiar with Pixlr I did not learn new skills but instead refined my own to create a more professional magazine. I think that my use of these features was successful as it made my magazine cleaner and therefore more appealing to my ‘aspirers’ target audience.

Figure 1 - First attempt at editing out knees 

To create my double page spread I used a combination of Pixlr and Pages. I used one image as my double page spread which I edited through Pixlr. This image originally showed the models knees, I had done this because ripped jeans are a current fashion trend, however when finalising my image, I thought that the knees were distracting and so I had to remove them. Firstly, I attempted to heal the knees out but due to the amount of exposed skin the retouch looked extremely unprofessional (see figure 1).  Therefore, I had to reconsider my approach to amending this issue. For the final image I downloaded a black square which I super imposed onto my image, this covered the knees, I then healed around the square to create the elusion that the jeans were seamless. (see figure 2).

Figure 2 - Final image 

I feel that this was a successful way of overcoming the issue, however, I feel that Pixlr still limited my editing. For example, the Pixlr app in which I was using did not have an airbrush option that would have benefitted me throughout constructing my magazine and creating a more professional piece.

Blogger 

Before starting this process, I had not come across Blogger. I learnt how to publish and organise my blog (by creating headings) in order to make it easier to read. This process taught me that there are a range of ways in which to publish your product. I found that I enjoyed the process of being able to easily present my magazine and comment on it in one format.

Figure 3 - Evidence of organising blogger into sections. 

I was able to successful grasp the concept of blogger and overcame issues that the program presented. For example, on of my evaluation videos would not upload due to the capacity of the video. To overcome this, I created a YouTube account to which I added the video and inserted the link so that the video could be viewed.

Movie Maker 

Furthermore, when composing my evaluation video I used ‘movie maker’, a program that I had not used before. I had to use an effect to deepen my voice. When creating the video I was the voice for both the voice over and Jessica’s thoughts, therefore to distinguish between the separate sections, I used an effect to deepen my voice and make it sound like a different person.

In conclusion I feel that I was successful in using all the technologies that were present during the production of my music magazine. Because I was already familiar with editing programs I didn’t learn new editing techniques that I could apply to my magazine production, however, I was able to develop my skills and overcome the issues that I faced.

How does your magazine represent a particular social group?

See link to Prezi below

http://prezi.com/duedfb2z7n9d/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Who would be the audience of you media product?

Unfortunately the video would not load. Below is the link. 

https://youtu.be/bnmb4_qjBG8

Due to the chart genre of my magazine my audience would be ABC1 aspirers. Aspirers like attractive products and like to follow the trends. They do not like to stand out and so my magazine will appeal to them as it allows them to keep up to date with the latest music.

My audience would be mainly female due to the gossip approach of my magazine - this approach will equally attract aspirers as they 'aspire' to be like the people they read about - however I attempted to make my magazine gender neutral as to not alienate a range of audiences.

Additionally, my audience will be young adults, primarily between the ages of 16 and 20. Typically, this age group is more interested in current music (NRS results show that 164,000 ABC1 between the ages of 15 and 34 purchased Q magazine; a magazine that features similar music to my own) and social ideas that will be featured in my magazine. As well as this, they are more likely to have a disposable income, due to their ABC1 status, that allows them to purchase my magazine.

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

For my preliminary (prelim) task I had to produce the front page of a new school magazine, featuring a photograph of a student in a mid shot with appropriate text and masthead. As well as this I had produce a contents page to go with the front cover.  

I had originally planned to set my preliminary front cover in a science lab and have a student use the equipment, unfortunately, all of the science labs were unavailable; therefore, I chose to take my picture outside. I decided to feature a student doing school work as this was relevant to the purpose of my magazine. By taking the picture outside I made my magazine appear positively and therefore make the issue more appealing.  (see figure 1)

Editing

Figure 1 - Original Prelim image 

Figure 2 - Edited Prelim image 

Due to the natural light and setting I chose to edit the image by enhancing the colour and removing any imperfections from the surroundings. (see figure 2). I also did this in my final task. For my music magazine I used artificial light (a skill that I had learnt throughout the process) therefore, the picture appeared more professional than my prelim task. Additionally, my final magazine image had imperfections that I removed in order to make the magazine more aesthetically pleasing (see figures 3 and 4). Similarly, I enhanced the colour of my final magazine, this was not to make the magazine appear in a more positive way but was to exaggerate the use of the colour red throughout my magazine. I feel that the editing for my music magazine is more natural than my preliminary task and therefore more successful.

Figure 3 - Original image 

Figure 4 - Edited image 

                                                                                         

Image

My music magazine image is more successful than my prelim image for different reasons. Firstly, my preliminary image was landscape; this was unsuccessful as all magazines are portrait. However, my final magazine image was portrait therefore making it more conventional and more successful. By having a portrait image, I was able to position the cover lines more effectively in order to make the magazine look and feel professional.

Furthermore, my prelim image did not engage with the audience as the model was looking down, although this was to show her doing her work, it is ineffective in evoking emotional connections with the audience. Consequently, my music magazine image is more effective as the model uses eye contact to engage with the audience and connote the personal aspect of the issue. Throughout the process I learnt about the importance of images and their positioning, therefore I knew that eye contact would be more effective in enticing my audience’s attention.

Photography

For my prelim task I used an iPod 5, this provided a reasonable picture quality, however, for my final product I used a Nikon 1 J2 camera. This improved my final image as it had a better pixel quality than the iPod 5 and provided me with more flexible options. For example, the Nikon had a 30 mm zoom, which allowed me to prevent my shadow being in the shot while still getting a close up shot. As well as this, the Nikon had a range of built in editing options such as Selective Colour and Backlighting which helped to enhance my image. Furthermore, the use of a tripod allowed me to get a stable image using the Nikon which could not have been achieved through the iPod. The iPod was good as it was easy to access and was quick in transferring the images, however, the Nikon provided a better quality and a wider range of photography techniques.

Conventions

Figure 5 - Final Preliminary Cover 

When constructing the prelim task I was unware of some magazine conventions, this resulted in a cover that had very little conventions featured. For example, ‘study break’ has no barcode, although this is not a feature exclusive to magazines, a barcode is essential in order to sell the magazine. Without a barcode ‘study break’ would not be able to be sold. As well as this, my preliminary task does not have a sell line. A sell line is a convention of a magazine that informs the audience of the purpose of the magazine; without a sell line ‘study break’ would be unsuccessful as it would not inform the audience of its function and therefore would be less likely to attract its target audience.

My music magazine contrast this as it includes these conventions. Between finalising my prelim task and composing my final piece, I researched into the conventions of a music magazine and found that a barcode in the left third of the magazine and a sell line within the masthead were both typical and important conventions of a music magazine. As a result, to make my magazine look professional, I chose to include these two conventions in my final magazine.

By including these conventions, my final piece was an improvement on my preliminary task as it accurately imitated successful music magazines and more effectively informed my target audience of the function of the magazine.

Contents page

Figure 6 - Final Prelim contents page

From researching into magazine contents pages my final product has developed dramatically from my preliminary task. My prelim contents page was unsuccessful and did not follow the appropriate conventions (see figure 5). By positioning the title ‘contents’ at the bottom of the page my prelim does not clearly indicate the function of the page; this would make it difficult for busy people to understand the purpose of the page and therefore deter them from reading the magazine.

Furthermore, there is very little colour used on the contents page to attract the reader’s attention to specific information. This consequently makes the contents page seem boring and unappealing.

Figure 7 - Final Music magazine
contents page

Finally, the prelim contents page does not include other images, which is a convention of magazines. This also makes the page boring and unappealing resulting in the magazine being unsuccessful.

I learnt from these mistakes when making my final piece and so included colour and images in my contents page (see figure 6). By including colour I was able to draw attention to different information, I enhanced this effect by also using different sizes in order to make the page more interesting.

As well as this, my final contents page included smaller images to further inform the audience of other artist and therefore appeal to a wider range of people and tastes. By applying this convention to my final piece I created a more successful contents page than that of my preliminary task and therefore improved in the progression from my prelim task to my final         piece.

Conclusion

Due to further research and planning following my prelim task I learnt about the features needed to make a successful magazine. Because of this I was able to produce a better piece that included successful aspects and conventions, therefore producing a more professional and appealing final piece.