Evaluation

Question 2:

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Below is the presentation that answers this question about the representation offered in my magazine.

Evaluation question2 from shannon_barker

Evaluation

Question 1:

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

Comparing my magazine front cover against an existing cover (I did this by highlighting common conventions between them):

Comparing my magazine contents page against an existing contents page (I did this by highlighting common conventions between them):

Comparing my magazine double page spread against an existing DPS (I did this by highlighting common conventions between them):

By analysing each part of a magazine that I will be recreating, it can help to get used to the forms and conventions that these magazines use to make it look authentic and real. I presented this in a visual format to clearly see the differences and similarities. These conventions are shared among many of the same genre of magazines, each genre will look or be presented slightly differently. By comparing this to what I have made it can show how similar or different they are- I think my media product completely uses and supports the traditional forms and conventions of a indie,alternative,folk magazine by my use of colours, images, layout and wording. I wanted to understand how to correctly and accurately target my audience, this was possible from the extensive research I undertook.

Progress of Magazine 3

Progress of Magazine- Double Page Spread

For my double page spread I decided to once again follow the same colour scheme from the front cover and the contents page (grey, blue,red, green). I used the same font styles, colours, and I also used the theme of the banner going across the top of the page from the contents page to make it look consistent. By keeping everything looking the same it will help to make it look professional, authentic and similar to the conventions of my chosen music genres (indie, alternative, folk) magazines. 

Before starting my double page spread I conducted some research into these pages in different issues of NME magazine to highlight the common conventions to use in my own work. I found two that I took some ideas from to help create my own, I liked the idea of just one image filling up the page on the left hand side allowing it to showcase the artist in a different way then in previous images, I used a drop capital, my article went down in three columns and I liked the idea of using a quotes from the interview in pull out form, fitting the text around. By completing the research it allowed me to map out ideas on my flatplans as to how and where things will be placed. I used a drop capital at the beginning of the interview as it follows typical magazine conventions. At the beginning of the interview I have written a small introduction of the artist so that the reader has some background before delving into the interview, to separate the questions from the responses I made sure that the questions were in bold font and a darker shade of grey. Gradually over time as my ideas for the front cover changed so did the double page spread, I decided that it needed some more colour so it would stand out and look more appealing, so just like the front page I added some colour to the drop capital and the heading (a shade of green). Along with the image this brightens up the page. Overall I am very happy with how my double page spread turned out, I would've liked to have spent more time on it but I think it still fits in with the other magazine pages and also looks similar to those I researched. I think this looks authentic and I could imagine this being sold in a magazine stand in a shop.

Progress of Magazine 2

Progress of Magazine- Content Page

I decided to carry on the colour scheme from the front cover onto the contents page, to make it look consistent and from the same magazine. So I kept with the colours of different shades of grey, I also added a strip of blue across the top of the page to hold the magazine title and the page name, this will bring some colour to the page. I got the idea for the strip/banner on the top of the page from Q magazine, so i knew it would follow my genre conventions. I would continue to place this banner across the top of all pages so that the readers are constantly reminded of the magazine name and the page number will also be featured here. I placed an image on the top right hand corner to show a visual of one of the articles featured in the magazine, this image was taken in a live music setting so it shows diversity between that and my cover image. 

From the research I completed on the music magazines contents pages I found some inspiration on how I want to set out mine. I have split the articles into sections relating to a certain topic, like features (this is the interviews, articles), competitions and live (this is the reviews of music/ events, live events coming up). By doing this it helps the reader to decipher through to find what they want to read. I think that by laying out the test in neat columns like this makes it appear modern and easy to read. The text has been split up by using two different types of image of the main cover girl model who has been featured in the double page spread interview. 

This is my finished contents page. I added another image to fit in with the plans I originally created and this way it follows the conventions I discovered in my research into NME magazine contents page. I added some more colour to the contents page after it was suggested that I did the same to the front cover, this has made it appear more interesting. This contents page design has come from my research looking at Q magazine's contents page.

Progress of Magazine 1

Process of Music Magazine- Front Cover:

 This is my front cover when I first started to work on it. I tried to follow my flat plan to make it look how I wanted it too, but for this I moved around the masthead to the bottom of the cover. At first I did not realise that this was not in the conventions of a music magazine, so I later moved it to the top. The colours I used for the image and the text is very dull, nothing really stands out, so over time I changed the  masthead colour to red to attract the eye. The image has made the cover model appear on the right hand side of the page which allows there to be room to place the coverlines. The main coverline is placed across the bottom left hand corner, by placing it here it doesn't detract from the face of the person looking directly at the reader. To follow conventions I have used a barcode on the front cover to make it look like an already produced magazine. I thought of 

the theme colours for the magazine to be grey, white and black as it went with the image I chose to use on the front cover. However, gradually over time when asking numerous people to look at the magazine they all said the same critique, to add more colour. At first I just decided to add colour to the title/masthead and to the bullet points at the bottom, but it still needed some more colour to make it more interesting.

Here is the finished design of my music magazine front cover. It has changed quite a bit since I first started to work on it, my ideas have changed and expanded. I think that it looks a lot better now as the colour has made it more appealing to the eye, it would stand out more on a shelf in a shop ready for someone to buy. I think if I were to point out a weakness somewhere it would have to be in the font style and colours as only in some places it can be a bit harder to read than in others. Overall I am very pleased with the result as I think it looks quite professional, something that I would actually buy myself.