7. Looking Back At Your Preliminary Task (The School Magazine Task), What Do You Feel You Have Learnt In The Progression From It To Full Product

In the space of time between creating my preliminary task and my magazine task my knowledge of photoshop and indesign has significantly increased. I used tools such as the pencil tool and box and place to gain the design I was looking for. I learnt how to cut things out considerably quicker using the cut tool. Also, my use of layers have become more effective using it to an exstensive effect to make my magazine look professional. I have also used how to use tools on indesign such as opacity and the spacing and height settings used to modify text. I used this on my mastehead to make the writing look like it was touching. The overall layout of my magazine has also improved, my knowledge is far more greater and instead of randomly placing objects in a page I was able to create a traditional layer which helps make my magazine look attractive. My contents page now looks more creative and looks like a conventional magazine in which you would find in a shop. On a whole, my skills have increased and I am proud of my work.

6. What Have You Learnt About Technologies From The Process of Constructing This Product

I used the college apple macs to design my magazine on software such as indesign and photoshop. Howver I also used my windows 2000 computer to update my blog.

I used this digital camera to take my photos.

I used blogger to create a professional space to upload my work onto.

Previously I hd never used photopshop, however upon embarking upon this course my skills in photoshop have become vast.

I also used Adobe Indesign CS4 to create my designs for my magazine.

I also used my blackberry phone to voice record myself.

Overall, I have learnt a lot about technology during my time creatign this product. Previously I had never used Indesign or photoshop but upon doing this course I have learnt new skills and was able to create a professional looking magazine by myself. I have also learnt other factors of technology such as blogger, prezi how to use a mac computer.

3. What Kind of Media Institution Might Distribute Your Media Product and Why?

Classic Rock 70,188
Kerrang! 52,2722
Metal Hammer 50,269
Mojo 30,159
NME 48,459
Q  131,330
Rock Sound 20,001
Terrorizer 13,786
Uncut 87,069
Word 34,280



Looking at statistics of magazine sales. I have decided I would like my magazine to be distrubuted by IPC media, this company published NME so therefore have a background knowledge in distrubution in light to magazines. NME sales are one of the most highest grossed sales in the magazine publishing industry. As my genre is pop this company would be pervect in distrubuting my magazine as this is what they are predominantly skilled on. As well as covering a wide range of magazines they also distrubute other aspects of media such as music videos. This means the company would be ideal for promoting and selling the magazine I have produced. They would want to sell my magazine as I have a unique edge and seeling point, something they haven't seen before, and something I feel could create a major profit.

5. How Did You Attract/Address Your Audience

Front Cover - The masthead for my magazine will attract my audience as it is simple and bold, this means it is easily distinguisable and easy to recognise. This is an effective masthead and all eye attemtion is drawn to it. My main image will attract the audience because she is related to the chosen genre of music and also her promiscuous pose will appeal to both genders of my audience. The banner at the top of the page will entice my audience as it shows they are getting more for their money, as it's the best magazine it shows it's worth the money. The tag lines will also appeal to my audience as the people interested in my genre of music will want to read more about the associated acts I listed.

Contents Page - The masthead for my contants page is the same as my front cover which gives a sense of continuality, this makes it simpler to understand and will therefore appeal to the audience. The fonts I used are also attractive and will appeal to my target audience. The arrangement and layout of my magazine will also appeal as it is simple but gives a strong statement.

Double Page Spread - The image is bold and makes a stand and is simple which will appeal to my audience, the model is swearing somethign commonly associated with my target audience. So this will probably attract them to my magazine.

4. Who Would Be The Audience For Your Media Product?

I think my targert audience would predominantly be females from the ages of 15 onwards, this is because the taglines are aimed more at females and would probably entice them more, also females are usually more likely to buy a magazine. However, I wanted my magazine to appeal to both genders, so therefore I used low colour tones which would attract both genders and tried to keep a few taglines to appeal to a male audience.

Typically she will be found constantly plugged into her ipod whether she's doing her artwork or out and about with friends. Her ipod would feature hit music of the time with a diverse choice of artists including Rhianna, Florence and the machine, Justin Bieber and Lady GaGa. Her free time is spent watching MTV, hanging with her girls, browsing on the internet; therefore she doesn't spend much time with her family. Because most of her money is spent on new singles from itunes and new clothes, she doesn't spend much money on anything else as she has always run out of money.

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

My magazine is aimed at people with a common interest into pop music. Probably from  the ages of 16-20, However the magazine could also appeal to a wide audience as I used other elements such as interviews with artists who have two genres of music for example "Pop and rock" so this might attract other people with preference to other music genres to my magazine. As my main model is female, it could be suggested that my media product represents females, however I wanted my magazine to be aimed at both genders so therefore I stragically orchestrated the poses and layout of my magazine to fit in with both social groups. The mise-en-scene can also represent social groups, as the clothes my model is wearing fit into the category of general teenage fashion thus linking in with the already cultivating social background of teenagers which fits in with my target audience.

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

1: Masthead
For the masthead of my magazine I used white font in bold letters encased in a black shape, I wanted something unique and eye catching so therefore I used these two colours to make the whole magazine on a whole look more eye catching. This challenges conventions which are normally associated with pop magazines as their colours are normally bright and colourful, however I wanted a new theme of magazine so therefore I think these colours are good. No other magazine has had such a bold masthead so already existing conventions for media magazines are different to mine.

2- Title Font and Style
I used medium size writing on my magazine because I wanted it to be 1.) easily read, and 2.) look proffesional, so therefore I selected a range of fonts to use and settled on "American typewriter" this gives a fancy, sophisticated look to my magazine and I have reflected it on both my contents page and my double page spread. Another font which I used is "Enter name here" this was the font I initially used for my masthead, however I think the impact the font has on my magazine would look good echoed throughout my product, so therefore I also used this font again, on my contents page and double page spread.

3- Written Content
The written content of my magazine follows similiar conventions which are associated with previous media products, for example I used similiar conventions for the interview in my double page spread, asking questions such as "Inspirations and tours" these such things can be found in existing produts.

4- Music Genre
The main genre for my magazine is pop music, this can be seen throught my magazien as I have used colours which are commonly associated with pop music and also existing artists and music which fit under that category. I wanted my genre to also coesist with the charts so therefore the genre corresponds with both pop music and chart music. The props I used also illustrate my genre, for example on my contents page my model is holding a tamborine, an instrument which is sometimes linked with pop music. I believe my genre challenges conventions of existing products because hardly any existing magazines initially focus on pop music, so therefore I wanted to create a new edge.

6- Costumes and Props
The costumes and props used in "Edge" are conventional to my genre. This can be seen by their costumes and props in which I have used throughout my product. For example, the outfit my model is wearing in all three elements of my product reflect the fashion or today and also can be similarry viewed in some of todays biggest pop influennces.

7 – People
The people I have used in my magazine follow similar conventions already used by other media products, for example the outfits and pose of the model I used is quite promisquous, this is commonly used to appeal to both genders of the readership, as girls will want to be her and boys will want to be with her. Also as fashion and beauty are major influences of todays culture I wanted a new theme to add glamour to my magazine. This also supports my genre and audience.

8 – Layout
The layout of my magazine is mainly conventional as I used a model staring straight at the camera, which is placed int he middle of my page. The tag lines follow a distinct pattern to other media products by forming down the side and the masthead is placed on the top left hand side. A place many mastehads are normally layed out. My conents page also follows conventions, reflecting my front cover and listing the other interviews in which the magazine holds, this can be seen in other media products. However, I believe my double page spread challenged already placed conventions of media products as it had one image blown up to cover both pieces of paper with a bright background, the model is also swearing something which wouldn't normally occur in double page spread, but I used this technique to appeal to my audience and fit with my genre.