2. 1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
• For my magazine I used conventions to ensure that my magazine looked as professional as possible. I used
conventions in my work such as; a mid shot image of my model, a date, issue number, a price, a barcode. Also
on my magazine cover I have used a masthead and a colour scheme – where I used gender neutral greys,
black, white and reds, also on my cover is blue and purple. On the cover of my magazine I used a left hand
third, plug and puff. I used each of these as I felt that they made my magazine look more professional and also
made the magazine look more exciting. For my work I have not challenged forms and conventions of real media
products, but I have developed them. I have developed them by including multiple bits and also by slightly
moving them around to make the layout look similar but unique to other magazines.
This is the left
hand third
on my
magazine
cover. I
have
included 5
pieces of
information.
Also I have
used
different
colours.
This is the
masthead. I
have used a
font not
commonly
used for
magazines.
This is an example of a
plug using a pun to
entice the reader. Not
something all
magazines would do.
This is an example
of a puff, in a
shape with block
colour, to break
up the image and
background.
3. How does you media product represent particular social groups?
• I think that even though the colours on my magazine could be well lied by men and women that
the colour scheme suggests that the magazine is aimed more at women rather than men. The
magazine is quite dark but seems to be much more feminine, especially with the use of the pink
colours on the contents page. Also women may be more interested in the magazine due to the
fact that the article is about a woman and the images in the magazine are of her too. This
magazine would be aimed at a demographic audience of C1, C2 and E people. The
psychographic for this magazine would be ‘working class’ people, also ‘strugglers’ would be the
people that would want to buy this magazine as they would be the complete opposite to
mainstream people – however ‘mainstream’ people may like this magazine too as they find that
the artists that are mentioned in the magazine are bands and artists that they personally like.
Teenagers would be more interested in this magazine, the content would interest their age range
more as the music mentioned in the magazine is newer and up-and-coming music that younger
people listen to.
4. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
• Bauer Media Group could be the media institution that would distribute my magazine, as it is similar
to other magazines that Bauer has created, magazines such as; Take a Break or Spirit and Destiny. I
think that Bauer may also like my magazine because it is similar to Q magazine – which is a huge
music magazine, however it has it is more suited to younger people, whereas Q are more likely to
try and cater for as many people as possible. Magazines are distributed by Bauer online and in the
shops, the bigger seller is online – which Bauer would like about my magazine as they would be
able to put my magazine online and get the readership as a younger audience would be more
likely to go online and find the magazine.
5. Who would be the audience for your media product?
• My target audience for the final product of my magazine would be female teenagers. Teenagers
interested in Indie Rock music. This target audience would fit my magazine as the whole magazine
is based around indie music and indie bands/artists. Although my magazine would be targeted
more specifically at teenage females the magazine could also be something that males are
interested in as the music would be something that they could be a fan of too. However the
magazines colour scheme suggests that the magazine is more for girls. I used another magazine to
compare my work to as I went along. I looked at Q magazine as the magazine is aimed at both
men and women but, in different issues the magazine is aimed at either specifically men or women
– for example:
Both of these covers
are aimed at men,
this is shown through
the sexualised
images of women
used on each cover.
However this
shows a gender
neutral cover –
this is because
the images on
the cover are
not sexualised.
6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this
product?
• I used Photoshop CS3 & CS6 to create my front cover and contents page for my magazine. And I
also used InDesign CS6 to create my double page spread and masthead. To create my double
page spread I had to use text boxes.
• To create my cover and contents I used various tools – I used these tools the majority of the time to
edit my images I wanted to use. I used tools such as the quick selection tool, the lasso tool and I
also edited my images using camera raw. This is shown above.
• Final product: Tools used:
I used the lasso tool when editing my images, mainly for
getting ride of the background.
I used the quick selection tool for editing my images, it gave a
nice finish around the image and didn’t leave jagged lines.
I used the spot healing tool to make sure that my models skin
looked flawless – like professional magazines do.
I used the burn tool on the background on my front cover and
contents page, so that they weren’t just block colours.
7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the
progression from it to the full product?
To start with I have learnt how to fully produce a magazine using Photoshop and also InDesign.
These two top images show my preliminary task, from looking back
on them now I can now see that my work has progressed a lot. One
way to prove the improvement in my work is that in my first task I
used publisher to create my magazine cover and contents page,
also instead of Photoshop I used paint. For this task my images were
cropped and cut but not actually edited.
I improved my work and I can see that from my final product – one
way that I have improved is by using codes and conventions that
are used to create professional magazines, for example I have
learnt to use a date, price and barcode. I have also learnt to use a
properly developed masthead, a left hand third, cover lines, plugs,
puff etc. I have improved my work completely which I show in the
two bottom images to the left – which shows my final magazine
cover and my final magazine contents page.
