AS MEDIA STUDIES

1. AS MEDIA STUDIES Unit:G321 FOUNDATION PORTFOLIO

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

3. MY MEDIA PRODUCT • Through my analysis of punk/rock music magazines such Kerrang and Q and other research such as target audience questionnaires, I have created my own music magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread page. Through by research and analysis I have found and followed several conventions that are commonly used in music magazines, such as... *Masthead *corner grabber *price *barcode *slogan *caption *features *columns *by-lines *images *house-style *fonts *strapline *advertising lures *competitions and quizzes • I feel by following these conventions I have produced a more professional and realistic music magazine that my target audience you would expect to see on the shelves of your local news agents.

4. CONVENTIONS OF MUSIC MAGAZINES • Masthead- main title which identifies page • Main cover line- summarises main feature story • Main image- usually relates to main feature • Puff – free gift/attracts reader/encourages to buy • Strapline- adds to style of magazine/ draws attention • Features/ cover line- smaller storeys featured in magazine • Corner grabber- attracts readers attention/ encourages to buy • Issue number/barcode price- expected convention needed for sale • Pull quote- snippet of quoted speech/ sample of article • By line- journalists name • Drop cap- large letter that attracts attention to an article • Slogan- promotes magazine and makes it more memorable

5. MUSIC MAGAZINE COMPARISON Through my analysis of music magazines such as Kerrang and Q I have learnt the common design features and conventions that helped me to create my own final product in my main task. The conventions used in these actual music magazines such as mastheads and cover lines matches many of the conventions I have used in my own music magazine. I have compared my own front cover, contents page and double page spread to real music magazine products to see how they are a like and not so a like.

6. FRONT COVER Bar code Strapline Price and issue Slogan Masthead Main image Pull quote Feature Cover lines Main cover line Small images Bar code Corner grabber/ lure Small image Corner grabber Puff Price and issue Strapline

7. CONTENTS PAGE Editors blurb Rock star quote Mini front cover Mini front cover Page number Masthead Main heading Main feature image Feature caption Small caption Small feature image Small heading Page number

8. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD PAGE Masthead Artist info bar Pull quote By line/ Introduction Main image Two column Smaller images

9. Brushed out punk hair Black guitar scarf Black/pink punk skull T-shirt Tough Punk body language • Through my research of the conventions of rock/punk music magazines such as KERRANG! I have created my own music magazine media product. Through this research I have discovered major factors and elements of music magazines which are truly essential for its success. • Such factors as good quality main images are extremely important, particularly for the front cover. As this is ultimately what catches the reader’s attention and makes them want to buy the product. So it is essential that the image is large, eye-catching and attractive to the target audience. • This is why I took special consideration when clothing my model, as I wanted her to have a punk/rock style to attract the target audience of the punk/rock magazine. The target audience will easily recognise the magazine as punk/rock due to the punk/rock outfit of the model. The dominant colour scheme of black and pink suits the genre of music, especially scene the magazine is aimed mainly at older teenage rock/punk girls. Black punk bracelet Skinny jeans Pink converses

10. What’s different? • Though my music magazine media product does have a lot in common with the average conventional music magazine, it also challenges its forms and conventions as well. • Such as, the barcode, issue and date are usually found in the bottom right hand third corner though I felt for my music magazine that it would be better placed at the top right hand third of the page. • Also, usually the backgrounds of music magazines are blank though I felt that the space would be better filled, like with the grey wall design, which I feel ties in nicely with the punk/rock theme. • The main masthead and cover line are conventionally straight and spread across the page, though I feel that it would be more interesting and eye catching to slant them and also squash the masthead in the left hand third corner rather than spread out across the, so that the magazine can be easily recognised when placed on a shelf. • Also I have chosen not to include an editors blurb in my contents page as I personally feel they are uninteresting, pointless and a waste of space. • I feel I should also mention how in my double page spread, how I have split the main image, rather than having one large image on one side, I feel it makes the page more eye-catching and interesting.

11. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

12. REPRESENTATIONS • During this process my target audience have been extremely useful in helping me develop my ideas for my media product, especially through the results of my questionnaires which helped me establish both what kind of music magazine I would make and even who my target audience was. Once I had analysed my information, I took my results and tried to accommodate the needs of my target audience to the best of my ability • Through the results of my questionnaires, I found that rock/punk music was the most popular genre. • I also found that my target age group was older teenage girls aged around 16-20, though realistically boys may also be interested in the magazine. • The bands which I have listed in my magazine are all of the punk/rock persuasion. The colour schemes associated with this genre of band is generally black with hints of other colours particularly red, blue and pink, these are the colours which I have tried to stick to in my house style. my magazine.

13. NRS SOCIAL GRADING • Another important factor to consider is the NRS social grading standards which identifies the category/ grade which my magazine and other music magazines falls into. I feel that my music magazine falls into the category of... C1 C2 ANDD • These social grade boundaries identify the lower middle/ working class status of people in society. These reflections can range from anything from a low paid factory worker to students to even the owner of a factory • Though I feel that the target audience of m magazine would be a younger audience consisting of students or people in average intermediate jobs. • I feel that if I aimed this brand at such groups as the elderly or foreign groups, the magazine would not sell as well. For those specific groups their are more specific niche markets.

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

15. MEDIA INSTITUTIONS • In the music industry there are many media institutions which dominate the music industry. Such an example includes IPC Media (International Publishing Company) which is currently one of the top magazine selling companies in the UK. IPC Media produces over 60 iconic media brands, with print alone reaching almost two thirds of UK women and 42% of UK men – almost 26 million UK adults – while our websites collectively reach over 20 million users every month. IPC's diverse print and digital portfolio offers something for everyone, with a focus on three core audiences: men, mass market women and upmarket women. Their vast array of media also includes The Daily Mirror but most importantly the highest selling punk/rock music magazines in the country NME. • On the other hand such magazines as Kerrang! And Q Magazine are controlled by the just as vast BAUER MEDIA- Bauer Media is a division of the Bauer Media Group, Europe’s largest privately owned publishing Group. The Group is a worldwide media empire offering over 300 magazines in 15 countries, as well as online, TV and radio stations. Bauer Media is a multi-platform UK-based media Group consisting of many companies collected around two main divisions – Magazines and Radio - widely recognised and rewarded as being industry innovators. Bauer produces several popular music channels including…: QTV, 4Music, Kiss TV, Kerrang! TV, The Box, Magic TV, Smash Hits TV. Over all because the products of BAUER MEDIA are aimed more at my target audience and connect more with my media product as a whole, I believe it is the best company to distribute my media product.

16. Who would be the audience for your media product?

17. MY AUDIENCE • Through out my research, development, planning and constructing of my media product, I have always kept my target audience in mind and I was also very focused on maintaining my punk/rock style theme. As I have mentioned my music magazine is directly mainly but not limited to girls between the age 16- 20 year olds of the punk/ rock persuasion. • I feel that the informal tone, look and language of my media product will appeal to my target audience of youths as a simple yet trendy lay out and out look makes the whole magazine look more inviting. • Also I feel that with inclusion of quite basic words or phrases, my target audience will feel more comfortable reading it. Though I do feel that the use of text talk, though popular with this generation should be abandoned at all costs due to its restricted nature. • Also I feel that with the inclusion of modern technologies such as references to websites on the internet, will help the target audience familiarise themselves and feel more included. • The colour scheme of black, red, blue and grey which I have used throughout my media product is easily recognisable with the punk/rock genre and so will be popular with my target audience. • I feel I have addressed by audiences needs by including such factors as gig and album reviews in my media product.

18. How did you attract/address your audience?

19. PUNK/ROCK ARTIST “M2K” Here is my model in a trendy punk black and white T shirt with a black and white vest. Note the brushed out punk hair and how she fits in with the punk/rock music theme. • Melody Kindly “M2K” • Singer

20. When I was analysing my questionnaire results, it was clear my target audience expected certain aspects to be included in my music magazine. • When I asked which kind of band or artist would they prefer, they voted... • single artist: 11 votes • girl band: 3 votes • boy band: 2 votes • Unsigned artist: 4 votes • These and other such answers provided me with what kind of artist should be modelling for my music magazine. Other important factors such a the colour scheme was decided by the vote of my target audience, their favourite colours were black, red and blue and so this the choice of my colour scheme. • Also through further research and talking to my target audience I discovered that lures and puffs where extremely important to when it came to which music magazine they would choose. And so I promoted iPod give a ways and free posters as they were the top choices of my target audience. • Also through my research I found that my target audience desired certain clothes and costumes to be worn by my model and so I selected carefully clothes that would suit the punk/rock music theme.

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

22. Photo shop • Throughout my work on photoshop I used several tools which allowed me to produce my final product such as: • Main image= Magnetic lasso, Move tool, stamp effect tool • IPod image= Magnetic lasso, cut out effect, ink outlining effect • Font1= simple emboss effect, wacky metallic effect, simple outer effect, • Font 2= groovy effect and high effect • Back ground= wall effect, circular vignette • Other = eraser tool, marble effect, paint bucket • Main image = stamp effect, magnetic lasso • Star image = dark stokes effect, cut out effect • Guitar image = note paper effect • Mast head= simple effect • Poster image = difference clouds and cut out effect • CD image= high effect • Small front cover image= high effect • Font 1= simple emboss effect, simple outer effect • Font 2= groovy effect and high effect • Other = eraser tool, marble effect, paint bucket, wall effect, circular vignette

23. Through out the process of creating my music magazine, I have used a great number of technologies which have allowed be to produce better quality work. These technologies include.... • YouTube- As here I learned how to use photoshop and with out these guides it certainly would have been a lot harder to construct my project. • Probably the piece of technology I used was Pbworks, as here I posted my work. It helped me both organise my self and keep up too date. Though it sometimes was quite slow and didn't load data properly. • Also through out this process I also used some simpler applications which helped me with the completion of my work such as: • Publisher- I used publisher to construct flat plans, I found it easy to change aspects if I made a mistake or if I though of new ideas. • Excel- I used excess to construct graphs to help me with my questionnaire analysis. • Prezi- I also used a website called prezi which helped me make more interesting slide shows.

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

25. MY PROGRESSION • Here is a sample of my Preliminary work from the start of the year. Here I was working on a school magazine front cover and contents page. Though I do it was a good first try, I can see that over this period I have developed my skills in the process creating my final piece. • From this work I can see the mistakes I have made compared to my newer work. As I have not used very many conventions commonly used in magazines. I feel that the further research and analysis helped to develop my skills. Also with further practice on such technologies as photo shop, I feel I have developed my skills. • It is obvious to see these are a lot more basic though I did manage to include some conventions like cover lines and a masthead.

26. Through this process of creating my music magazine product, I fell that I have truly developed my skills. • I am now able to use different types of technologies and programs such as Photoshop. I started by reading instruction guides and watching tutorials on how to use it and eventually I started experimenting different with images. • I have found Some of the new technologies particularly helpful such as Pbworks which helped me to organise and display all of my work easily. • Also I am now more able to analyse and review magazines and identify their important conventions. • Also through out the process I have learnt how to use a number different forms of equipment such as using different settings on a digital camera or saving a file to the right mode. • Here is an example of some of my early experimentation on photo shop.

27. As I have mentioned, I found PB works an incredibly useful site for keeping myself organised but I also found it as a good way to communicate to class mates about coursework to get their opinions. I also found such sources as email and chat sites such as face book very useful. • Over all I feel my communication skills have extremely improved improved through this process, as I have become more confident when speaking to my class mates about my media product and discussing problems or concerns I may have. Also such resources as prezi proved as a good means of communicate through showing interesting displays. • Besides my improvement of communication skills, I also feel that my media knowledge has improved as I can now acknowledge and name magazine conventions and factors. Also through my research on a number of different aspects such as media companies, bands, brands and magazines. • In conclusion, I feel I have been enriched greatly by this subject and overall I have learnt so much while constructing my music magazine front cover, contents page and Double page spread page. There is no doubt that it has greatly enhanced both my analysing and computing skills while also bringing me further into the world of media, in which I hope some day to enter.

28. THE FINAL PRODUCT Here I have compiled my final products together to compare. I feel that I have successfully development a running house style and colour scheme that works effectively with the punk/rock genre of the magazine.

29. THANK-YOU FOR LISTENING