Evaluation of Media Project
For my main task in my media coursework I choose to take the print pathway as this is what I done for my preliminary task so I continued in this way. This was because I felt that my skills and creativity would be best used doing this option instead of the video pathway. To be able to complete the work that was needed for my chosen pathway it required me to create front page, contents page, and a double page spread from a music magazine only using original images that I myself had taken. To be able to this I would also have to advance through stages of development to finally have fully completed magazine pages to a good enough quality and be publishable, as well as recording all my progress on my blog on my production log and the various other posts at www.wordpress.com/miimii91.
The magazine that I constructed had to be a music magazine as this was the specification but I chose to make the genre of music that the magazine would focus on be urban music, such as Grime, RnB, House, and Bashment. This then meant that my target audience would then coincidently be of young people who listen to urban music who fall into the age group of 15-20 they will be diverse in ethnicity, mainly be living in the london area and would typically be students who have more of a disposable income. I realised that the young people aged at 15-20 are the main consumers of this genre and therefore noted hat these were my target audience. The realisation of who my target audience would be happened in my research and planning stage. The choice of who I wanted to make my magazine of this genre was because this type of music is relatively new and would be a challenge as there would not be many examples to use for direction but as I listen to this type of music and would essentially be my target audience I would use my own personal opinion to help create my media work.
Before beginning the construction of the pages I had to develop through pre-production stages. This included setting myself SMART targets to ensure that I would meet all my deadlines, and to make sure that I was not rushing any of the stages but paced with enough time to give each full attention making the work to be of a good standard. From setting and following the smart targets it taught me time management and helped me to organise all the needed stages to complete a publishable magazine.
After completing my SMART targets I then followed them rigorously. Also I then had to combine all my ideas that I had for what I thought an Ideal Urban Music magazine would look like. This I then had to combine my ideas into a presentation for my media class, as well as post up on my blog for evidence. This helped me to consolidate any ideas that I had of what I wanted my final piece to look like or resemble. In addition having to complete the presentation caused me to think of what I believe the ideal Urban Music magazines would look like. It also caused me to want to begin the production of my magazine as the thoughts where fresh in my mind.
Although before being able to start construction I had to research what is out there on the shop shelves and selling so that my magazine can be of a similar appearance so that it would be relevant to my target audience and to the music genre, as well as represent the artists in an appropriate fashion. My research and planning revealed a lot more to me of how the urban music artists are being represented in today’s media in a very edgy way. For example ‘Gracious K’ who poses in a striking way, which symbolises his dance. I also recognised the conventions that music magazines follow, such as having an artist as the main background image on the front page, as well as having articles centring on established artists. In addition to still following the universal conventions of any magazine like having a masthead, features, and Tags to entice the reader to read the magazine. the research and planning stage also brought to my attention that the clothing that they wear are current with the latest fashion trends, so this lead me to come to the realisation that I would have to ensure that the models that I was using would be dressed appropriately.
The research and planning stage of my development of the three music magazine pages caused me to realise certain features that where specific to each page of a magazine. Within the research and planning stage I ensured that I used pages that where from well established music magazines so that they could also be used as templates as this would be the ideal magazine to replicate to achieve the goal of creating a music magazine of a sufficient standard to be published, represent urban music artists, and be applicable to my target audience.I noticed that the Front page of music magazines commonly had a the model for the main background image would be over the masthead but would not cause confusion about the name, this can be seen in on ‘BUST,’ EBONY,’ and ‘Flavour’ magazine on my research and planning on my blog. As well as the face that they used striking colours that catch the eye and would cause them to stand out from others on the shop shelves. In addition another feature of music magazines that I noticed to music magazine front pages was that they didn’t appear cluttered, but quite simple although they managed to catch the readers attention, and essentially give enough information about what the inside of the magazine would contain. The contents pages that I analysed had the universal rule of listing what would be on each page of the magazine in numerical order and was accompanied by images related to the features within the magazine and on the contents page. The only negative thing that I noticed from the pages was that they where rather cluttered which could lead to confusion, this was one convention that I would not want to replicate on the contents page that I would soon be creating. From the analysis of double page spreads I noticed that they have the main conventions of having one main image that would be, closely linked to the article or whatever the text subject would be and that they where very formal in layout yet still managed to express creativity. All of the double page spreads followed the same conventions yet where completely different in appearance, this lead me to realise that my creation would have to follow al of the conventions of double page spread but still be different in appearance and be unique. All of these conventions that I noticed to be universal to music magazine, I recognised needed to be replicated on the pages I was soon to construct for them to be a valid music magazine.
After doing this I was then ready to begin the construction of the magazine by creating the draft pages with images from Google of Urban Music artists so that it would lead the way for my final pages. Then I made my final pages however I encountered many issues with the original images that I had taken to use on my pages. Most of the problems I had was with the relevance of the images and the quality of them which made it difficult to manipulate them which is one thing that I would need to pay more attention to, as this would become a persistent problem if I were to repeat a similar task. Also I had difficulties with what images where actually allowed to be used as I had used a graphic in my draft with the belief that I would be able to use it in my final double page spread, however it came to my knowledge quite late that it wasn’t and had to make the drastic change of using a brush from the internet that was permitted. On the other hand having this issue enhanced my Photoshop, and problem solving skills as I didn’t know how to use brushes till this issue and manages to think of a solution without being too distressed.
I decided to have a colour scheme that the front page and contents page would have as black, green and white as I felt that these colours are unisex so would be appropriate for the audience that I was trying to target. Also I chose to create a masthead that was different from the basic appearance of others, I received the inspiration for this from ‘The Source’ that I used in my presentation of creative ideas as I thought it was eye catching and unique. For my front page the font that I used was because I realised that it needed to be different and be relevant to a young audience, as well as being a representation of the type or genre of music that the magazine would be focused on. Also the choice of the simple layout for my contents page was largely because of the research I done into music magazine and found them to be too cluttered and confusing, this was one convention that I wanted my magazine to break and be different. The features within the magazine and mentioned on the contents page are relevant to genre of music and to any music magazine, and this is why I felt that they where acceptable to have on this page and the main things that I considered whilst think of what I would want to have on this page. The layout and and appearance of my double page spread was because I wanted to have a division between the text and the main image as this is one convention that also seemed to be universal in my research and needed to have on the double page spread I was creating. Also having the different colours of the font was to show the difference between the two speakers in the interview moreover cause the page to stand out if a reader was to flick through the magazine as a whole and make them wan to read on, as this is essential in any type of text.
The finished product or final pages that I created differed from previous drafts mainly in the images that where used as they where my original ones. This change of images gave a total different look the appearance of the magazine and caused it to look more applicable to the target audience as the models were all of their age, which would cause them to be able to relate to them, and build a relationship with the reader, this is one thing that could cause a consumer to buy and read a magazine. The image also gave the magazine greater meaning as this was the main focus and inline with any meaning behind the text added, as the magazine was based on urban music which would be created by these people that are shown in the images.
My media product manages to follow the major conventions of any music magazine yet still is able to be unique and relevant to the target audience of 15-20 year olds. It also challenges some conventions by using a different type of font for the masthead, as well as not being as cluttered in layout on the contents page. It manages to attract its desired audience by having models of the same age range, wearing the appropriate clothing of fashions trends to this social group of urban people who listen to urban music. I also think this is relevant to its target audience by having models of both sexes, which reinforces the unisex nature of the music and that it is not just appropriate to one dominating sex the colour scheme also helps to achieve this. Having both sexes as models also represents this social group the models would fall into this social group and my magazine had represented them in a positive way not as how they are in other media product out there today where the youth of today can be shown in a negative way as been delinquents and the main responsibility of street crime. However my magazine shows this social group as doing positive things and being focused as shown in the double page spread where my artist used did not speak of being involved in crime but being focused toward a goal of making music, also this was seen in the images as he was shown being happy and in bright colours and not in the grim dark gloomy colours that would have a negative connotation of crime and delinquency.
From creating this media product I learnt about the technologies that are required to make a music magazine. These would include Photoshop, Digital Cameras, Internet (to research), and Powerpoint. By using these technologies I was also able to develop my skills to a higher level on these technologies, which can be used in the future on other task which I might have.
The media institution that my media product would be distributed at would be by record labels such as ‘BigDada Recordings,’ is will be distributed there so that artists could keep up to date with what is happening today in the music scene. This would be one of the uses of this magazine along with being something that young people would enjoy reading and being the subject of conversations between friends. Another place where I could see my product being sold or distributed would be in local newsagents, and cloths stores that sold the local fashion trends of young people as seen on the models in the images shown on the pages as it would be the places that my target audience would be and most likely to purchase this type of product.
To aid the evaluation process I also gave out a questionnaire on people who would be my target audience, so this would be the most suitable people to ask and the opinions that are needed to properly evaluate whether it targeted the audience effectively. The results that I received from this was all positive and this has reinforced the fact that my media product effectively targeted the appropriate target audience. Also all of the people answered that they would buy this magazine and said that it was eye-catching, so I was able to achieve all the things that I wanted to. Another positive thing mentioned was that the magazine resembled pages taken from a music magazine and not like a poster which as an on going issue that I had with my preliminary task so I feel that my work has improved and have been able to overcome my biggest obstacle. Also the feedback that I received was that the things that would be changes all where on the front page so if I was to redo the construction of the page I would change this. All the results that where gained from the questionnaire are on a post on my blog which is mentioned above.
From doing this media product I have learnt many things about the conventions of music magazines, and felt that I have applied them to the pages that I have created. Over all I am pleased with my finished product and feel that it has targeted the desired audience. In addition the magazine was able to represent the youth in a positive way instead of the negative way that is usually seen in today’s media. I have been able to make a big growth from the preliminary task that I done, and it is of a publishable standard. It manages to follow the conventions of music magazines that are selling on the shop shelves, and still has a different look of youth. In conclusion this media product which I have completed I am content with and pleased with the final outcome.
Evaluation
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