Evaluation

Evaluation of Media Coursework

by: Adam Kennedy

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

My creation of a media front cover, contents and double page spread has taken inspiration from such current indie and alternative rock magazine as Mojo, NME and Kerrang. I have used a contrast of bright and dark colours and believe to created a magazine which contrast of NME and Mojo

The third imagine you saw was my final product as you can see I have incorporated the dark colours and 'fish eye' effect for the image from Mojo and the bright bold colours for the puffs and banners from NME.

For my contents page I mainly took inspiration from the contents from Drummer magazine. I liked this particlular contents page because of its simplistic colour scheme and layout, I also liked the concept of adding a dotted effect to the page which I used on the left hand side of my page. Finally my particular favorite part of the page was the 'Regulars' section with the addition sign above it, so I also incorporated that into my contents page.

For my double page spread I didn't find the concept of it too difficult. I knew there needed to be some sort of article (I chose to do this in the form of a interview) and a large picture of the featured artist. I also used the double page spread to promote the bands new album 'When It Rains It Pours' and feature a competition. I got inspiration from double page spreads about My Chemical Romance in Kerrang and the Sex Pistols in Mojo.

The third image you saw is my final double page spread creation. I used inspiration of using the fonts realted to the band which I took from the Sex Pistols arcticle, I also genrally found that in double page spreads there was some decoration on the pages with this in mind I created the target circles on the top left and centre of the page. The image on the page I manipulated from inspiration from the MCR double page spread, it has a red tint to the images to match the font. I used this idea to give my image a blue tint to match the competition section at the bottom right of the pages.

2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?

I decided to produce my music magazine using the genre of indie/ alternative rock, this was because it's the genre of music I generally listen to. Following are some examples of this social groups in the form of videos and pictures.

The previous videos where Stop Crying Your Heart Out by Oasis and Teddy Picker by Arctic Monkeys. They show examples of Alternative Rock and the more Indie Rock types of music.

When I looked into the styles of the genres of music I found that the majority of artists in this genre had the following: Skinny/ Slim Fit Jeans, Checked Shirts, Cardigans and Jumpers, Plimsole Pumps, Trench Boots or Pointy Shoes, Long Hair. I took this into account when selecting my actors for my photographs (this is shown in the following mood board). However I mainly aimed my double page spread at the alternative rock audience as I believed that this created a better double page spread aesthetically and the Indie Rock almost made the page seem primitive and 'poppy'. Although I did use the bold bright colours on my front cover so it would appeal to a wider audience.

I also tried to achieve a cult following in the name of my magazine 'Rooftop', I drew inspiration for this from The Beatles iconic rooftop performance on the Apple building London 1969. So it would appeal to fans of The Beatles and has a rock feel to the magazine.

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

I believe that such media institutons as Bauer Media Group would distribute my media product. This is because they already distribute such music magazines as Kerrang and Q, I believe they would distribute my magazine as they are used to marketing such products and would be able to give expert opinions and ideas on to get most sales from my magazine.

Another company that may distribute my magazine is world wide magazine distribution ltd (WWMD). This is becasue they are a huge global distribution company that specialise in all sorts or magazines, due to their size they could risk taking on a new magazine such as mine becuase if it flopped then it wouldn't be too much of a loss to them. However though if my magazine became a success then it would be another successful magazine to their name.

Finally I could keep my magazine local and to unsigned bands in the area of Liverpool, this means I could distribute it through Liverpool Link or Liverpool.com. They may like the idea of promoting local bands and giving them a chance over mainstream bands. However there could still be a special written on a bag in some editions.

4) Who would be the audience for your media product?

I believe the audience for my magazine is anyone who has interest in the Indie/ Alternative rock music and current events which is happening within the movement. I also believe that people would buy the magazine to find out about the features and gig listings that appear in the current issue.

5) How did you attract/address your audience?

In order to attract my desired audience I used a number of different approaches, from the colouring of the magazine to the language used within it.

The title as I have previously mentioned was chosen in order to recieve a cult following by taking inspiration from The Beatles. The tagline of my magazine 'The nations rock fix' also uses langauge that will get a immediate response from the audience, a 'fix' is often referred to when recieving drugs when it is strongly desired by its user. With this in mind I changed it to be the whole nations need for rock news and events is resolved by this magazine.

I also used the banners of my magazine to promote the main features of the magazine, heading is the Reading and Leeds festival line up revealed this would appeal to my desired audience because it is a festival that is largely associated with indie/ alternative rock followers.

For the contents page I used similar techniques in terms of language and colour. But in the contents page I had an opertunity to use more pictures and langauge to appeal to my audience. For example the imae of the iconic round sunglasses and ipod with the anchorage text 'New School vs. Old School', this would make people want to read about why this is being discussed and the outcomes of the argument to see if they match their own.

Again I used a puff featuring 'Regulars' with items that may attract the desired audience such as Album Reviews and Gig Listings

In terms of my double page spread attracting the audience again it is language and colour. I have featured a large picture of the band and their logo as a stamp on top of the picture, also I have used it as an oppertunity to promote the bands album. The language I have used in the arcticle is highly informal english and taboo language as a rock band would speak in a interview. The competition at the bottom right is to Abbey Road studios a famous and iconic location where many music fans would want to go to whether they like the band or not.

Finally the lead into the artcile would attract an audience to read it because it mentions that they are a group of talented lads from Liverpool and says that it isn't the first time we have seen this, a discreet reference to The Beatles.

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

During the creation of my media product I have furthened my knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and now understand it at an higher level. To create my products I used simple techniques such as shapes to advanced techniques such as layer masks, outer shadows/ glows and strokes. I also used different manipulation filters and polar effects in order to create imagery for my products in order to improve the professionalism of my coursework.

I also furthened my knowledge about photography, I learnt that it was the positioning of the actors that made the photo, such as the rule of thirds and it had to be executed correctly inorder to capture a image worth using in my products

This is the process of me using photoshop to create a manipulated image of The Beatles. First I imported the image from the 1969 Abbey Road album

I then cut out The Beatles so it was just the image of the band crossing the road.

I then reduced the light of the image by using image>adjustments>brightness/ contrast to make the image black. I then used colour overlay to make the image brown and used stroke to put a gold outline around the image.

I then used a halftone pattern to draw the background image, by doing filter>sketch>halftone pattern

From the background I used polar coordinates, filter>distort>polar coordinates and the elliptical marquee tool to finalise the background. I also inserted The Beatles band logo and used stroke to give it a red background.

Finally I used a leaf brush template to paint on the finishing touches to the picture and making my final product.

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

My premliminary task was to create a front cover for a college magazine, looking back I can see how I have personally improved in terms of creating better quality product.

As you can see in my college magazine I havn't been immaginative in the choice of colours, or choice in puffs, I have simply used a star which is sterotypical of magazine and didn't think of anything else other wise. On the masthead I have used a poor resolution image for the Deyes High Logo giving it a pixelated blurred look which, also there is a huge contrast between the logo and the font for the title and it doesn't suit the purpose of the magazine. All in all the front cover lacked immagination and the quality needed for a front cover.

In contrast I believe that my final product has the correct contrast of colour and professionalism. Everything on the page is eye catching and simple to read, it sells the magazine and looks aesthetically good. It features headlines and some of the featured content in a discreet fashion without covering up the main image and without the page looking too empty. I replaced the idea of having puffs to promote inside articles to using a banner with a simple list along it, the only puff I used was to show the free promotional CD.

Thank you for viewing me evaluation for my Media Coursework please leave any feedback on the relavent post on my Blog

dhsmediaakennedy.blogspot.com

In conclusion I believe the three products I have created together in a magazine would be able to compete and would be accepted in the music magazine market. I have taken ideas and techniques that I have found in products that are out there on the market already and have manipulated, delvoped and taken inspiration from them to create three original products for that market.