AS Media Coursework Evaluation By Elliot

I chose this picture for my front cover because it fits with my style of magazine, which is focused on unknown artists. I think the person looks surprised and slightly confused, which is what a less known artist would feel like when having there photo taken. I also chose to take the image with a light background colour so any text I added would stand out. I wanted a strong light source so the face was only half lit and to make sure there was a strong white background. I wanted a close-up shot because that is what is normally on a magazine when it is of only one person. I cropped the image so the person was slightly off to the right because I wanted extra room on one side for writing. I chose this person to photograph because they looked like an indie artist because of all the ear piercings and the dark hair with the strong make-up.

I decided to have a slanted head title, which is a different colour to everything else on the page because it meant it stood out more. Also the slant fits in with my style of magazine because it supposed to be different and rebellious. I chose the font because it was bold and something that wouldnt be forgotten. Also I made the date, price and tag line slanted as well but that was only to make it fit in and flow. I wanted a purple colour to ensure the title stood out and because purple is an indie colour. For the date, price and tag line I chose an all capital font because it is eye catching and easy to read. Finally, I wanted the writing either side of the title to contrast so I chose black and white.

For the main title of the page that addresses the image I made it almost as big as the head title because it is just as important. The first thing a person sees is the image so I wanted to make it easy for the viewer to know what it was about. I also put it on a slant to make sure it was recognised and attracted attention. I put in black and red because they are the two colours that I have mainly stuck to throughout my magazine. I kept it simple because I didnt want to give too much information away so people would want to read the actual article. The font I used is very bold, which adds even more attention to it. The black and red also stood out very well against the background. The font is also quite feminine because it is relating to a girl band.

I wanted the writing on the left to be clear so it was especially easy to read because it addressed the main features of the magazine. I also contrasted each subject with black and red colours so they were easy to distinguish. I chose a bold and easy to read font because it didnt need to be flash or eye catching. I listed the writing down so it didnt overlap the picture and disturb it. I put a capital letter at the beginning of each word to make sure they stood out and because that is the norm for magazine front covers. I also put a border at the bottom so I could add extra writing without having to worry about the background colours. I wanted to keep it simplistic so I had a black border with white writing. If it was bright it would disrupt the front cover and drawn attention away from the picture. I used a hand writing font because it is more friendly and inviting.

Finally for the front cover I added some writing on the right and a red circle of writing at the top. I used a grey colour for the writing on top of the hair to ensure it was visible. I also added some smaller writing under both subjects with just a little information to fill out the space as well as draw viewers in. I also used a red circle to draw extra attention and it meant I could use white writing, which is refreshing and friendly. I slightly slanted the writing the other way to make sure it didnt look to conformist.

I chose the two pictures for my contents page because they matched my style as well as being fitting for the article attached. I cropped the bottom image so it focused on the face and so there was plenty of space to add a box with all the information. I wanted the shot in soft focus to keep the magazine quieter than others on the market. I also imagine my magazine to be more creative and arty, which is why I have included a weekly photography section. i decided to put a white box over the images explaining what they are because the picture is only there to draw the viewer in.

8 I made a black box at the bottom with a white handwriting font so it looked like a blackboard. I wanted to draw lots of attention to this article without making it bright and distracting and a blackboard effect worked very well. The article included is very exclusive so it deserves to be put in a large section of the front cover. I wanted to keep a Stringz logo at the top so the magazine is never confused with another. I made the Contents writing at the top in a handwriting font to make it friendlier and more appealing. To make sure the viewer doesnt confuse this weeks magazine with another I put the date it a big font at the top.

9 I made the main titles Features and Regulars because the regulars are what is in the magazine every week and the features change every week. I wanted to make it clear what section was which so the titles are both in bold fonts on a red background. The red background means they get lots of attention because it is the only bright colour on the page except the page numbers. I made the page numbers the same colour as the titles so the page flowed more and it was clear where the articles are.

10 The last thing on the page is the actual writing of the articles. I made the mini titles of the articles in all capitals so they stood out more than the smaller information underneath. I included a little information underneath to give the reader a little insight into each article so they could read the ones they are interested in. I think that a contents page is to help the reader find their way around the magazine so i kept the fonts very simple and easy to read to ensure there is no confusion. I also made the background white so the black writing was especially easy to read.

I used this image for my double page spread because it fitted with the article and it had a nice grey background. I also liked the image because it was quite simplistic with limited colour except the bright lipstick, which was good because I could use that colour to match the title and page numbers just like the contents page. I slightly cropped the image so there was room around to add text.

I used a bold bright title to address the page so it was clear to see what the page was about. I used the same colour as the lipstick in the picture to make the page flow. I also used the bands trademark font so anyone who followed the band would immediately know what band it was about. I also used a short paragraph on the other page, which gave some detail about what happened when the journalist met up with the band. I used this because it is commonly used in other magazines.

13 I added quotes around the picture to both fill in the space so it didnt look so bare and to draw viewers into reading the whole article. I used quotes that would draw readers in because they reveal something but something that isnt known without reading the whole article. I made some of the quotes on the other page bigger and smaller to spread out all the writing and to emphasise certain quotes. I also didnt finish the quotes so it makes readers want to know how it ends.

14 Finally I made the article an interview because my target audience are not going to want to read big chunks of writing. I also made the writing in white for the questions and black for the answers so it was easier to read and understand. The contrasting colours also separate the writing so it doesnt look so big and annoying to read.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? I have kept my magazine similar to others in the industry to ensure it looks acceptable. I have used similar fonts to others magazines such as Q and NME, because they fit in with my target audience. I have stuck to two main colours throughout so it looks consistent and familiar on each page. There is a border at the bottom of my front cover, which is very similar to lots of other magazines except that I have used a handwriting font to create a more friendly style. I have simply listed my writing sometimes in different font sizes, which is again commonly used by other magazines. Overall, I have kept my style quite simplistic and similar to other magazines.

How does your media product represent particular social groups? I think my magazine definitely appeals and represents a mid-teen to early 20s social group. I looked at other magazines similar to mine and they all had the same social group, so I decided to keep mine the same as theirs. I have a young person on the front cover, which shows people what kind of audience the magazine is aimed at without even reading it. I have chosen simple colours so its not too overwhelming and easy to read. I have kept the writing on my double page spread separated so it doesnt feel like reading a big wall of text. Overall, my media product is simplistic and trendy, which are both key factors of my target readers.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? I would want a music magazine distribution company to distribute my magazine because they would know who and where to distribute to, in order to get big sales. I think I would like MusicMags because they are a well known company that distributes internationally. MusicMags have fourteen leading music magazines at their disposal as well as more than 1400 music dealers. With MusicMags you can order as many titles as you want and pay for shipping and the magazines all at once.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? My skills in Photoshop and InDesign have improved since the first preliminary task. I have also improved in my photography for example I now know about lighting and composition. Within Photoshop I have learnt about changing Image Size so its appropriate for the work. I have also learnt how to change exposure and highlights to make the image look most appealing. Finally, I found out how to add text and how to lay it out properly so it looks realistic as a magazine.