Final Words

To the examiner:
I hope you have enjoyed looking at my blog, and seeing the progress that I have made from the beginning of the course. Now that I have finished my magazine I am pleased with the outcome and I hope that you can see that I have made lots of improvements since the beginning of the project. Thankyou.

Final Versions:

Here are my final cover, contents page, and double page spread:

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

Evaluation activity 1
Evaluation activity 1

How does your media product represent particular social groups ? Differences

Evaluation Activity 2 on Prezi

How does your media product represent particular social groups ? Similarities

Evaluation Activity 2 on Prezi

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

Click above for voice recording. Beneath is the script for the recording:

I think that I am going to use ‘Future PLC’ as these seem the best option available to me to sell my product. ‘Future PLC’ also publishes well known magazines such as ‘Classic Rock’ and ‘Guitarist,’ which have similar target market to me. Future and other magazine publishers have the responsibility of helping production of magazines so that it can be distributed to the general public. Over the years Future have made a wide variety of magazines that are music based as well as other genres i.e. games based, camera magazines etc. They have distributed magazines with similar genres to mine such as ‘Classic Rock’ and ‘Guitarist’ but I believe they would still distribute mine as I am aiming mine at a teenage audience unlike those other magazines that are aimed at an older age group, hence the name Classic Rock. Future make massive revenue’s consistently every year, for example, 162.9 million in 2008 and 153.1 million, so therefore I think that they would be a good company to invest in my magazine as they would be able to provide good funding and their experience would be helpful to make my magazine more successful.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

Evaluation activity 4

View more presentations from Joe Pearce.

How did you attract/address your audience?

Evaluation activity 5

View more presentations from Joe Pearce.

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

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

This here is the Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop that I used to do most of my project on. I used pretty much every program on this laptop, as well as some work on the school computer.

To transfer my work from my laptop at home to school, I either brought my laptop to school, or I sent my work via e-mail through windows live messenger:

To take images of my artists and other components, I used this Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P100 camera:

I gained skills on Adobe Photoshop Elements, which is what I used to construct my magazine cover, contents and DPS:

I used youtube.com to show inspiration for my magazine:

I created a lot of coursework posts using microsoft Powerpoint:

I then posted all my coursework slides on my blog:

Also, I have used a range of websites to present my work:



Since I started my coursework, I hadn't used a range of the programs and websites that I have just mentioned such as Prezi, slideshare and animoto.

  I also developed a lot of my skills on other programs like Adobe Photoshop, and learnt how to use a lot more features than before. In particular, I learnt to use the magic wand tool, which allowed me to select sections of my image, perfectly to the boundary. This meant that I could delete, colour, or add texture to any clear section of an image. I also learnt to use the layers quite easily. At first, I didn't really understand the use of layers, as I liked to work on 1 whole layer, but after lots of practice, I learnt that I could manipulate specific parts of the image by creating different layers. As well as these, I learnt how a range of the tools worked so that my final product looked a lot more professional. Some of these tools were: Custom shape tool, line tool, red eye removal tool, magnetic lasso tool, and others. By using the large range of features available to me from Photoshop, I managed to create a much more professional looking product than what I would have been able to do before starting the course.

 Since this project, I now feel quite confident in most of the programs that I've used and may use them again when presenting work again.



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

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

Since my preliminary cover and contents, I have purchased Adobe Photoshop elements 7 and have been able to practice with it. I have also become much more aware of professional magazines, their layouts, their styles, and their colour schemes, which is why I have been able to create a much more sofisticated and professional magazine cover and contents than before.

  My new magazine is more professional looking than my previous attempt because for a start, it is more eye-catching. The background has some colour applied to it, and is therefore more interesting to look at. In the previous magazine attempt, some of the cover lines are tilted and at angles. My new attempt does not feature cover lines like this, as all these are straight and horizontal. Conventional magazines do not feature tilted cover lines, so therefore my new attempt follows conventions, whereas the previous attempt broke them. Also, on the contents page, the list of contents on my latest attempt are all grouped together down one side, whereas on my other attempt they are randomly spread out across the page. Conventional magazines have their list of contents down one side or another, or are atleast grouped together, like in my new magazine, whereas this convention is again broken in the first attempt at a magazine. I think the main reason why my new magazine looks more professional, is because it follows most conventions, whereas my old magazine attempt broke most of these conventions.

 My newer skills that I have learnt on Photoshop also helped to create a more sophisticated and professional looking magazine. Since practicing with my Photoshop, I have learnt how to use a range of new techniques that I didn't know of before. I learnt how to use the magic wand tool to select certain parts of the image quickly and effectively. I have learnt how to change the colours of the background, and the whole image whilst keeping other aspects colourful. I learnt how to group objects and layers, and how to apply red eye reduction. As well as all these aspects, I also just became more confident in using the program and have become more skilled when using it.

  I have developed my skills a lot since starting this project and have learnt a lot about what magazines should look like, and how the layout should be set out on the page. Due to these things I have been able to create a new piece of work which I am proud of and have created a professional looking magazine.

Evaluation Activity 7: Differences of covers

Evaluation Activity 7: Differences on Prezi

Evaluation Activity 7: Similarities of Covers

Evaluation Activity 7 - Similarities and Differences on Prezi

Cover changes:

I have received some more feedback from my teachers about how much writing on the page, and have made several changes, but now I'm considering which layout works best, so I've experimented with a range of covers, and I will choose from these which is the best one for my final cover:

New cover:

Now that I have changed some of the images on my magazine, and some of the other smaller features, here is my new cover, contents page and DPS:

New Pictures:

Here I have taken some more pictures for my magazine using the timer. My feedback from my teachers said that the original pictures weren't dressed appropriatly for the genre of my magazine and that it didn't seem rock enough. So I looked at some earlier inspiration pictures and leather jackets seemed to be common, which was an item that I also had. Another thing that my teachers mentioned was that it would be better if on the front cover, the model was looking at the camera, so I have a lot more images where I am looking at the camera instead. From these new photos, I have decided that I will use this image for my cover:

And this image for my DPS:

Contents changes:

From my feedback, I have noticed that my contents doesn't need changing as much as the other two pages. So, because of this I am going to change these smaller things first. One of the points that my teacher commented on was that the picture of the drummer of 'Uprising,' is the same image that is used on my DPS and on my contents. So therefore, I have decided to change the image. Instead of taking new images, I have decided to make an album cover that is situated next to the review section, which talks about the new 'Uprising' album. I have created this album cover on Photoshop, and have based it on Nirvana's debut album. By doing this, I think it makes the magazine seem a bit more realistic and includes my made up artist a bit more:

Inspiration:                                                                          My Version:

Teacher Feedback:

Here's the feedback that I recieved from my teacher about my latest DPS, Contents page, and front Cover:


Here is some feedback:

DPS

Like first pic

Need paragraphs and be careful of the length of them

“We are an uprising” or We are uprising?

Use pull quotes

Needs a standfirst

Sub headings to break up text

Models and mise en scene – consider retaking photos – need to be convincing rock stars with convincing costumes

Contents

Same pics as DPS – what else is in your magazine?

A bit boxy

Page numbers not emphasised – be unique (font?)

Cover

Model needs to be looking up to engage with the audience

Mise en scene again – costume? Model? Rock?

Good manipulation of colour and back and white

The play button/logo is behind the bar code

Seems quite simplistic for a rock cover – what has been your inspiration for this?

Slogan is a question – should it be a statement instead?

Main cover line lacks impact because of chosen font

From this, I have decided I am going to play around more with my work. I am going to take some new photos which are more related to the genre of the magazine. I am going to change the small points that have been noted, and hopefully this will be enough to get me the level 4.

Double Page Spread:

Here is my DPS. I would appreciate any feedback as it may help improve the DPS and my final grade.

Contents Page:

Here's my contents page. Again any feedback will be taken on board if it helps improve the contents.

Front Cover:

Here is my new cover. Feedback will be appreciated so that improvements can be made if needed.

Development of DPS:

Development of Contents:

Development of Cover:

DPS Idea:

Double Page Spread Inspiration:

Cover inspiration:

Contents Inspiration:

Evaluating first draft using mark scheme:

The front cover of the magazine contains quite a few layers, and has a decent image on the front cover, although, the model isn't looking at the camera and in a way seems uninterested, yet also looks like he is concentrating. The colour scheme is consistent throughout, yet the guitar, which is in colour, is different to the rest of the colour scheme. I may play around with the colour of the guitar, to see if changing it will make the cover more exciting or not. Some of the writing on the front cover is slanted and makes it look a bit tacky, so therefore I am going to change this and see the difference. Good use of writing on the page and colour scheme just needs more thought into it. Good use of the slogan.

The contents is a bit simple. The colour scheme is consistent with the cover but the images are of different colours. The arrangement is correct but the writing is too big for the contents, and the page numbers only go up to 9. The images need to be bigger but less of them, and there should be more writing. Page numbers could be included on the images to increase mark. I think I will get rid of the box effects that are there, because I don't think they work to great effect, and I am going to base it a lot more on an actual magazine contents, by lightening the page and adding more personal effects that will link more with the audience.

The DPS is again quite simple and nearly effective but more thought is needed. The colour scheme is again consistent, but again small parts bring it down, such as the red writing on the right hand page. I think that I will lighten the background colour as well because I think that most dps's work better with a lighter coloured background. The image is quite good in the way that the three images murge together, but the background isn't effective so therefore that will have to change. I also think that the 3 members need to be looking at the camera, as I think this will interact better with the audience. There is too much writing, so therefore I think that I will write out a new article that combines the two features of the dps into 1 article, and therefore gives the page a bit more space.

Draft Double Page Spread:

Here is my Double Page Spread. I'm pleased with my efforts with this double page, because the main image featured on the right, was a combination of three images which I managed to crop and combine to make it look like 1 image i.e. the front two people are from two seperate images. To improve it, I think I will reduce the amount of writing that is on the DPS, and maybe try and make the left hand page a bit more exciting, because at the moment it seems to boring in my own opinion.

Contents Page Draft:

Here is my contents page that I produced on Adobe Photoshop. I have stuck to my colour scheme even during my contents and DPS, and am pleased with the outcome. When I finally hand in the actual cover, after recieving feedback from my mentors, I think I will try make the contents more like conventional magazines, because at the moment I don't think looks very much like an actual magazine contents page.

Draft Cover:

Here is my draft cover. This is what I have been working on since I started the project, and will develop the idea after I have recieved feedback from my mentors.

Development Of DPS 1:

Here is the development of my Double Page Spread. I am planning to have my article on the left hand side of the DPS, and then the picture that I have arranged will be on the right hand side, with another small bit of writing in context with the image, to give the reader an idea of what the image is about. I have tested a range of colours with this main image, and think I may go with the image with the blueish tinge, because I think it brings the DPS to life a bit more. I may also include the smaller colour images somewhere on the DPS to involve the audience a bit more.

Development Of Cover:

Here is the start of my cover. I like the idea of using a black and white image and having the guitar in colour. I will need to think of a way to fill up some of the space on the left hand side of the page because at the moment there is too much blank space, and makes the cover look boring. I've been looking at other magazines, and I think that I could fill up the space by using writing about the content of the magazine.

Cover Idea:

Selected shots:

Range of Shots: