Thursday 17 April 2014

To The Examiner

Dear Examiner,

I have really enjoyed the entire process of designing, and constructing my magazine. I feel as though I have gained a wide range of new skills and a large amount of experience. When searching through my blog, each post is clearly labelled and in order to make navigating a lot easier I hope you enjoy my magazine as much as I did when creating it!

Many Thanks,
Cameron Vear.

Monday 14 April 2014

Evaluation Question 5 - FINAL



I engaged my audience with a variety of methods, In order to have done this successfully; I had to preliminary research into what captivates my chosen audience type. For an innovative in inspiring magazine, I had to consider elements such as; the images, the colour schemes, particular models used and the accumulation of the pages that combine to create a unique magazine.

For my magazine, I chose a very simplistic house colour theme, with just black and white. However with such a basic colour scheme this allowed me to attract the attention to my models face which is covered in multi-coloured chalk. I believe that the colorful feature of her face and wildness of her hair connotes her breaking away from the conventions of society (Black and white) and the multicolours colour shows her own individual style. On my cover and contents, the colour feature is more flamboyant which will attract my target market, in comparison to the image used for my double page spread, but the house theme is present throughout.

The choice of images and how they are framed also add to the overall neatness and presentation of the magazine. My images have no borders because the page already has a large border, so I was careful to not over complicate the delicate page and to still have an aspect of simplicity present. This allowed the finish product to look neat and professional. When taking the photos, I used the studio and three lights, which allowed me to be able to control the amount of light in each image. It also allowed me to experiment with ideas to see which ones looked better. I used a Nikon D300 to take the images, and dressed my model in clothes chosen by myself to ensure that they fitted the genre of my magazine, as well as enrapture the audience’s attention. I purposely chose indie clothes for my model to wear as this would attract followers of indie culture, who make up a large percentage of my audience.

After producing research into my chosen target market, I found that being aesthetically different was a crucial factor that is presented widely among indie magazines. I made this element one of the most important as it was key to captivating my audience to maximum potential, showing and range of skills and abilities.

During the production of my final project, I took nearly 600 photos, with a range of poses and styles which I experimented with a the shoot progressed. I found this part quite challenging and finding the perfect combination of pose, lighting, angle and shutter speed was something that consumed a large amount of time, but was crucial. I then had to choose the pictures which portrayed my intent. once narrowed down, I chose two for my contents and front cover that had my model engaging with the audience. The shots I used were mid shots and had the perfect amount of light to make them look professional. I believe that the image I chose would connote a very strong feeling of independence and individuality, and this would leave an consumer intrigued, causing them to pick it up to read. Each photo was quite casual to suggest that she is a relaxed person, but still projecting the feel of unconventionalism. 

My double page spread appeals to my audience through the indie style of the layout and images that I produced. This is also developed through my artists appeal to my audience. She appeals to the male gaze of my audience and also her indie influences help to attract followers of indie fashion and culture. Her sense of style attracts my audience as she stands out from conventional models. The other artists on my contents fit into the indie rock genre and this will automatically make them likable for my audience.

Sunday 13 April 2014

Evaluation Question 4 - FINAL


Who would be the audience for your media product?

My audience for this media product would be males aged 16-25 because I believe my artistic photography involved with in my magazine will attract their attention. With regards to the music genre of indie, it is largely a male fan base, due to girls being more involved in fan girling pop artists such as One Direction. 

The artists that my target audience listen to are such like: Kings of Leon, Foals, Macklemore, The 1975 and Jake Bugg. They also are typically stereotyped to going to gigs most weekends with friends to listen to their particular favorite artists. Music is used s stress relief from doing A Levels because they take up a lot of time, decreasing levels of social life. 

My target audience shop at stores such as Top man and River Island, which are features I include in my magazine to attract ,my target audience. This would be beneficial; for publicity for theory companies, as well as creating business for the magazine company. 



There is a large access to this magazine for my target market as they will be accessible in areas where teenagers live. Such as newsagents. 

Thursday 10 April 2014

Evaluation Question 1 - FINAL

1. In what 

ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? (i.e. of music magazines)

To ensure that my magazine reached it’s maximum potential, I went through a research stage which involved looking at a variety of different magazine styles, as well as past work by other students. By doing this I found that magazines that follow a similar structures and conventions are the most successful. This is due to the detailed understanding of which target market the magazine is aimed at. With such a detailed understanding, they can chose a cover model that perfectly suits their target market and know how they need to be represented. For my magazine I wanted to break the barrier of what is classed as traditional magazine layouts and styles to make it as unique as possible. However, On both my contents and double page spread, I used LOUD AND QUIET as a brief guideline. This would ensure that it would capture my chosen target audience. I emulated the bold masthead and the white border throughout all three aspects of my on magazine as. 

LOUD AND QUIET use the rule of thirds very effectively to present the magazine in a way it would stand out to on a shelf, and this is a technique that I wanted to adapt to my own design. I wanted The three main aspects of my cover to stand out-Masthead, image and content, each aspect crucial to my design. This is a very common convention used widely in the industry, along side the spiral effect which is generally used on images to ensure the main focal point of the photograph. However, I did not require the use of the spiral effect as the artistic elements of my cover image did enough to draw attention for not only those of my target audience, but other audiences as well, particularly if on a shelf with a variety of other magazines. In regards to colour, I also adapted the black and white house theme leaving just the central image to take focal point. By reducing the content of text on the page I was able to reduce the 'busyness' of the cover to increase the overall aesthetic. 

When it came to designing my magazine I kept in mind the main conventions to ensure that elements fitted within my genre, however ensuring the individuality was still noticeable through out the design and layout.

For my masthead, I challenged the conventions with regards to colour by using white, which is not known for being bold or to stand out. I used a 'revolution' font due to it's bold style, and I developed the boldness through the use of overlapping the fonts. I used an overlap effect for my masthead, to be different, which is initially what the term 'indie' represents. I believe along with the font, this enables it to stand out and capture my target audiences attention. I placed the masthead slightly lower than the top of the page, to ensure that my border was used to great effect, and framed the photo, to show off it's artistic features especially the eyes, as these attract the male gaze. I also decided to not have anything over lapping the masthead, only the border because this also develops the covers individuality if on a shelf in a shop with a wide variety of other magazines.

The graphological features of my magazine are purposely there to ensure that it is diverse, and looks particularly different in comparison to every other magazine on the market, regardless of my magazine not being the only indie one. I found inspiration sources from magazines such as LOUD AND QUIET and Clash, due to their exquisite and artistic ways of presenting images and text with the use of negative space. I, however decided to break the conventions of these magazines and didn't use the negative space effect to the extent to which I wished to, because i felt that the images I produced with the chalk effect were artistic enough to attract my target audience, as well as others. 

My favorite page with regards to the graphological features which I have presented is my cover, as I feel the 'revolution' font works when leaked into the border. I also like the sizing of my image, as it really presents the male gaze features which will attract my target audience, regardless of whether they follow indie music or not. This is also a house style which I have developed throughout the piece of work, as it links all pages together to show there is a connection. 

When using conventional features with regards to photography, I decided to think outside the box and use chalk to give off a unique effect which allows focus to be drawn to that solely, rather than relying on the masthead to grab attention. I believe that this was a way of developing my photography skills to which would make my images seem more professional when looked at by my target market. I followed the conventions of a 'perfect' photograph because my model looked into the camera in all of the photos that I used in my magazine. This is to capture the audiences attention. 

My magazine has challenged conventions to and extent, to ensure that it is diverse and individual. However I believe that I stuck by the most important ones, to ensure my magazine remained graphologically like a magazine. 





Wednesday 9 April 2014

DRAFT - Question 7

Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing 

task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression 

from it to full product?

I feel as though my ability to use different technologies and softwares has improved hugely. Because I primarily lacked knowledge of programs such as Photoshop and PagePlusXP during the preliminary task, It was not a detailed as it could have been. Before this coursework, I had never really used Photoshop, except for editing simple photographs. PagePlusXP was a brand new program I was taught how to use by my teacher, especially for this project. Also with the help of teacher and peer guidance, extra research, I improved my final product greatly.

As the course progressed, my knowledge of these programs improved very quickly, and I used them to what I believe was a high standard. With the many tricks and skills that I learned and adapted, I ensured that my final product was to the best of it's creativity and ability. By creating drafts, this allowed me to receive crucial feedback to work on, ensuring the most professional and cleanest finish possible.

With a lack of technology knowledge, and understanding of magazine conventions that make a magazine more successful, My preliminary magazine did not meet it's best potential and ability. However it was very useful in regards to developing my understanding of the technology and the skills required. Throughout the coursework I was constantly learning new tricks and skills, as well as still learning through the research that I carried out to widen my knowledge. In order for my to create a good magazine, I had to look deeper into my audience, fonts and house styles. This allowed me to produce the design that most compliments my chosen audience, by playing around with different styles during my draft. When choosing the correct consumer for my product, I had to be confident, and this is something I believe is important in the production of any media product.

When exploring conventions, I have learned that the most important is the image and overall layout of the magazine. Simplicity is something that is widely used, and this is I chose a simple colour scheme to ensure that the photograph is allowed to stand out. And image is a key way of attracting any particular audience. The house style of a magazine also ensures a magazine has a unique feel, therefore something that I felt was important to add. The development of my layout was critical at this point of progression. This is mainly due to the fact that I found in my research that males aged 16-25 appreciated the aesthetics of a product. I believe this is something I highlighted throughout my magazine with the help of technology.

During the preliminary work, my layout suffered badly as I was unaware of how important the F,Z and E designs were when ensuring that the magazine looked respectable when competing with other brands. I was also unaware of beneficial techniques such as the spiral effect and rule of thirds were, when spacing features perfectly and putting them across in the correct manor. The overall lack of creativity and convention was due to my uneducated approach to these techniques and conventions. Furthermore, it was not beneficial that my audience was not precisely identified, because the design and colour schemes were not researched in enough detail in order to show planning and development.

Overall, I have come to the conclusion that Photoshop is without a doubt the most useful tool in regards to the construction of my magazine, and without it I would have suffered when trying to produce such a high quality product. Even though programs like Paint and Word were came in handy during certain areas of the coursework, I feel they would have not allowed me to have been as detailed and creative in the construction of my product.  My preliminary magazine highlights a large amount of progression, as I have made it evident that there was little knowledge and consideration in account of magazine conventions and styles.

DRAFT - Question 6

What have you learnt about technologies from the process 

of constructing this product?

Throughout the coursework project I have used a wide range of technologies which I had did not have experience with prior to the production of my magazine. I was hesitant at first, but I quickly developed a detailed understanding and skill level which allowed me to created a final piece with aspects I would not have been able to produce before. These skills and knowledge kept me going throughout the course work, and have aided me to created a professional final product.

When taking my photos I used a Nikon D300 camera and the studio at school, this camera allowed me to take more detailed and defined photos for a neat and professional finish. As well as the camera, it was accompanied by three large filter lights, which allowed me to adjust the amount of light in each shot. Prior to my first photo shoot I was inexperienced with such a detailed and complicated camera, however after becoming more comfortable with all its aspects and features, my photo taking skills became more natural. I quickly learned how to photograph my model from a variety of angles and shots, as well as external places besides the studio. This skill has taught me how to determine which kind of shots are best for my model depending of what I want to capture in my photo. In regards to setting up the lighting equipment it was quite simple, however was not easily manoeuvrable, and this made taking outdoors shots very difficult. When taking my outdoor shots, I has to adjust the picture quality and resolution to compliment the natural light that I encountered.

Many programs I sourced from the computer enabled me to add detail and precision to my overall product. The main programmes used were PagePlusXP and Photoshop, both of which could be found on the school computers. However these were only accessible from the school computers which made it hard if work was required to be done at home. These pieces of software were most beneficial as they are what allowed me to experiment and created the layout of my magazine, and the overall finished product. Photoshop was used to alter all three aspects of my magazine, whereas PagePlusXP was only used for the construction of my double page spread, allowing me to adjust the column sizes and positioning.


Also many websites found on the internet were crucial for a variety of reasons;

Tumblr: Allowed me to source possible inspiration which I found useful when trying to find ideas that were 'outside the box'.
Facebook: A crucial tool in regards to organising my photo shoots and discussing ideas with my model.
Scribd: Uploading planning tasks that were available on my coursework blog.
Twitter: Allowed me to collect inspiration, and to communicate with my teachers during the course.

Without the tools that these sites have to offer, the production of my magazine would have been a lot more difficult than it had to be.

The windows package on the computers also became very useful during production. Microsoft Word allowed me to carry our my preliminary mind mapping for my article, research and planning. Paint was also useful, as the cropping tool made it easy for me to crop, edit and develop my product to ensure it met the best of it's potential.

For feedback, Twitter and Blogger were used equally. With the easy access and communication to teachers and peers that these sites allow, they enabled me to show evidence of support and opinion which was ongoing through the production of the coursework. These sources of technology made it easy for my to record and pinpoint areas of improvement, which has helped me to improve my potential grade. Evidence and planning was a massively important area of this coursework, and was a foundation of creating a successful magazine that would sell effectively to my chosen audience.

When looking for existent covers that could be used as inspiration, I looked at sites such as Magpile and Cover Junkie. By allowing me to research conventions and techniques used by other magazine designers, this ensured that my magazine would look as professional as possible, and the magazines would be crucial in showing the development throughout the process of production.

Tuesday 8 April 2014

DRAFT - Question 5

I engaged my audience with a variety of methods, In order to have done this successfully; I had to preliminary research into what captivates my chosen audience type. For an innovative in inspiring magazine, I had to consider elements such as; the images, the colour schemes, particular models used and the accumulation of the pages that combine to create a unique magazine.

For my magazine, I chose a very simplistic house colour theme, with just black and white. However with such a basic colour scheme this allowed me to attract the attention to my models face which is covered in multi-coloured chalk. I believe that the colourful feature of her face and wildness of her hair connotes her breaking away from the conventions of society (Black and white) and the multicolours colour shows her own individual style. On my cover and contents, the colour feature is more flamboyant which will attract my target market, in comparison to the image used for my double page spread, but the house theme is present throughout.

The choice of images and how they are framed also add to the overall neatness and presentation of the magazine. My images have no borders because the page already has a large border, so I was careful to not overcomplicate the delicate page and to still have an aspect of simplicity present. This allowed the finish product to look neat and professional. When taking the photos, I used the studio and three lights, which allowed me to be able to control the amount of light in each image. It also allowed me to experiment with ideas to see which ones looked better. I used a Nikon D300 to take the images, and dressed my model in clothes chosen by myself to ensure that they fitted the genre of my magazine, as well as enrapture the audience’s attention. I purposely chose indie clothes for my model to wear as this would attract followers of indie culture, who make up a large percentage of my audience.

After producing research into my chosen target market, I found that being aesthetically different was a crucial factor that is presented widely amongst indie magazines. I made this element one of the most important as it was key to captivating my audience to maximum potential, showing and range of skills and abilities.

During the production of my final project, I took nearly 600 photos, with a range of poses and styles which I experimented with a the shoot progressed. I found this part quite challenging and finding the perfect combination of pose, lighting, angle and shutter speed was something that consumed a large amount of time, but was crucial. I then had to choose the pictures which portrayed my intent. once narrowed down, I chose two for my contents and front cover that had my model engaging with the audience. The shots I used were mid shots and had the perfect amount of light to make them look professional. I believe that the image I chose would connote a very strong feeling of independence and individuality, and this would leave an consumer intrigued, causing them to pick it up to read. Each photo was quite casual to suggest that she is a relaxed person, but still projecting the feel of unconventionalism.