Double Page Spread

Contents

Front Cover

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

my first preliminary task front cover is the "Deyes High Mag", and my main task front cover is the "FUNK" magazine.
The difference between the two is phenomenal. I created the preliminary front cover using Microsoft Publisher and the main task front cover with Photoshop.
The basic masthead with a blue font doesn't do any justice for how poor quality it is, but I dont think anyone at all would want to buy or be interested by that magazine.
Compared to the main task, the masthead is big, bold and stands out from the background to catch the audiences eye.

The Puff is very plain and simple in the preliminary cover, and it doesn't coincide with the other colours of font or titles. So it looks out of place in the middle of the cover. The main task however is something that does fit perfectly well with the other font and background colours, to make it look more professional. The two puffs are laid out to the sides of the front cover, so it doesn't detract some attention away from main image, but at the same time, does catch the readers attention of what else there is to offer inside the magazine.

To be fair, the image used in the preliminary task is not of poor quality, it's just a little too boring to have as a front cover image. Not enough action going in comparison to the main image used in the main task. There is effects used on the image to try and relate to the intended target audience like it's darkened brightness, so it coincides with the slightly dark font colours, so that the bright red banners and sub-masthead would attract the reader in to buying the magazine issue.

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

In constructing my media product, I learnt how to make my front cover and contents pages in to something much more better than a basic design. Throughout the preliminary task I had used Microsoft Publisher to try and make my front cover and contents page. Until after I had completed the preliminary task, I was given advice to use Photoshop for my front cover, contents and double-paged spread, due to it being more useful in the editing area.
For the first few lessons I played around with the tools and efffects to see how I could make my original pages with a lot more quality. Adding effects like darkening the picture is quite simple, but the final look of a front cover, contents page or a double page spread after everything has come together makes it all the worthwhile of doing the task.

How did you attract/address your audience?

I had attracted my targeted audience due to the imagery, quotes and offers that were shown on the front cover, contents and double page spread.

The front cover image of 'George Spurling' was a basic camera picture, but the effects I had used from photoshop allowed me to turn it in to something the reader could relate to and want to read the magazine. The images of TripHazard shown in the contents and double page spread made the reader feel they were actually at the gig they had done at Deyes High School. The photography effects allowed us to show what the fans would have witnessed if they were at the gig, but also make them feel part of what did happen on the night.

I didnt use any quotes on the front cover because i thought it would detract some attention away from the main image and sub-titles featuring other major bands. But in the contents page and double page spread, I did highlight a small portion of quotes I got from the interview with the band TripHazard, to entice the audience in to reading what I had to report and what the band had also said after their gig.
The offers like "free poster" is an advertisement to attract more people in to buying the magazine issue, so that the institution would make more money.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

Although this is an image of the band The Black Kids, they represent the stereotypical "Indie Kid" image. The bright clothes, the long hair with mad outfits. They seem to feel comfortable with what they are wearing, how they look, and doing what they want in this picture.
Generally the type of social group we are targeting for our music magazine.
There is only a certain genre of music this audience would read, but there are so many bands and artists that fit in to that genre of music, that they would never be bored of who they would be reading about in my music magazine. As that is the music my magazine would be publishing, and the audience I will be trying to attract.

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauer_Media_Group


The media institution that would suit distributing my media product would be the Bauer media group. They are a worldwide organisation operating in 15 other countries even when it's based in Hamburg, Germany. The fact that they operate in 15 different countries alone shows that this media institution is one of the best for selling and producing media products. The music magazines under their leadership; 'Q' 'MOJO' and 'KERRANG' is another major factor in why my magazine would suit being published by the Bauer media group.

The reason why I think Bauer media group would distribute my music magazine is because its similar to both Q and Mojo but with a blend of NME in there. Another major music magazine under a different publishing group. The three magazines that do represent Bauer are being advertised on their website as being a Men's magazine, which is a bit one way, although it does work. I believe my magazine would attract a wider audience like teenagers who describe themselves as "Indie Kids". In today's music world there is more artists and bands that play that sort of genre of music. To which, my magazine would mostly feature on and attract a wider audience to the group were they would make more money.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=876651

This website link is a forum for Q magazine were people have started off a topic about what they think is right and/or wrong with todays music magazines.
This forum starts off with "Does anyone else think that the once great (IMO) Q magazine has been slipping as of late?"
So it shows that the magazine has many music fans varying different tastes, because this person goes on to talk about why Q is advertising the wrong things like the 'Mighty Boosh' even though they have nothing to with the music industry. This person is just trying to get his/her opinion across of what he wants to read in the magazine, so my music magazine product would represent the people who love a variation of music, and not one mainstream genre. Todays "Indie kid" would be the perfect social group my media product would attract.

The reason why it would represent this certain group is because they would listen to different genres of music, like it, and feel obliged to buy a magazine for example Q or NME which my magazine is based on, because these type of music magazines promote similar artists and bands that this social group like. The forums help the music fans get their opinion across of who they want to see in the next issue of the magazine, and it also helps the music magazine because they know what the fans want to see, so they would strive to succeed in getting what the fans want, because then they would sell more copies of the magazine.

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

The Conventions shown in the Q magazine front cover are quite similar to the front cover I have produced. The Font and background colours; the masthead shown at the top of page layout; the other major bands being advertised for music fans to see who else the magazine are featuring; the main image of the artist standing alone.

Although the Q magazine is focusing on Muse due to the sub-masthead, the image itself only shows the lead singer Matthew Bellamy. Whereas my front cover image is mainly based on George Spurling, even though he is a solo artist trying to get noticed in the music world.

The Colours used are pretty similar with the way its trying to attract the music fans. The black and white font contrasting each other whilst the red colour stands out to grab attention to the reader. My Front cover came together almost naturally, without even using any front covers as a guideline, but in comparison to Q magazine, it does look similar in many ways.

NME contents page analysis

Kings of Leon double page spread

Black and white features in the pictures.

quote boldly stating what is said in the text.

3 photos. main attraction.

In the Beginning - suggests what its going to be about. strapline.

text is mainly about how they started out as a band. biography.

Doves double page spread

Two birds.... pun - due to them being called 'the doves'

picture - rule of third.

mug shots of the band members - close ups. suggests the band are gritty northern

text is mixed with discography, biography and recent interviews

Q Contents Page analysis

NME Front cover analysis

Q magazine front cover

Contents Page - Preliminary

This is the simple form of my Contents mock page. I have decided to put the page in a certain way so that the layout could be presented as best as could be. Inputting just the right amount of information for the reader, so that they are intrigued to find out more of the topic, and also to see what page number it is, making it easier for them to go straight to that page.
The layout for the Contents page mock up shows where the Masthead is saying "Contents".
I will play around with the font size and colour so it still connects to the front cover on how that is presented to the audience. The Puff and the image is to Grab the attention of the reader so that it will show the main interests inside of the magazine and to also give you a sample image of the story in the magazine.

The other magazines I have seen have influenced my decision of how to approach a contents page, with either deciding to keep it simple and open with basic information or to have it bold and pack the page out with information, images, puff's, titles and advertisements.
I had decided to have a variety of those choices, by trying to keep the information about the inside of the magazine to a limit to keep the audience intrigued, but also to have some puff's and images, just to give the reader a taster of what to expect inside.
The images will be a basic image relating to the school. It could be anything ranging from a classroom full of equipment, or a student doing some practical work in a lesson. Even a sneak peak image of any successes the school or student have achieved recently.
The advertisement is for the parents and students so that they can see what the school will be offering, for example: School clothes or equipment on offer for a limited time only or social clubs being promoted within the school. All things that could help the students and parents that are part of the school.

Final Front cover - Preliminary

This is the finished preliminary front cover for print brief project. the reasons why i have chosen the picture, the Deyes High logo, the title and the puff is to attract the audience in to purchasing the magazine. The fact that it all relates to the school shows what the magazine is going to be all about.

The Masthead 'Deyes High Mag' is shown at the top of the cover, on its own standing out from the rest of the layout cover. The reasons why i have chosen a dark and light shaded blue is for the school colours, so it does have some sort of representation to the school. Also to attract the audience, so that they could clearly understand what type of magazine it is and the specific information it will contain.

The puff is quite simple and vague with a short but bold statement about exam success. It doesn't really give much information about what its going to be, but its enough to know that you will be reading about some sort of 'exam success'. The colours used are also part of the School's colour scheme, as the red and white are presented in the school badge and logo.

The Deyes High logo is shown at the bottom of the front cover to give the ideology that the school is brillaint in its presentations and school work. This Coincides with the image I have used as the background. A student hard at work inside the library.

Front Cover Template - Preliminary

At this moment in time, this is what I have produced for my Preliminary task front cover.
I plan on adding another image into this front cover, so that there is a representation of the school. I also haven't decided whether to have a background colour to make the page more attractive to the audience.
Any Comments or ideas about this Front cover would be appreciated, so that i could try and add those ideas in to what i have already created.

Welcome to my blog

This is my blog for Media studies. I will uploading images, files, polls and questionnaires relating to my work. Feedback for these topics would be appreciated very much!! (do it now)

So I will be doing my Preliminary task, and then eventually working on the task set.
For the main task, I will be creating a music magazine, and a college magazine so that everyone can read what they would like to hear about.

Cheers
Tom Mckee