Question 7: Looking back at your preliminary task what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Question 7: Showing Progress Through Comparrison Of Both Magazine Covers I Created

Comparing the two media products I have produced I think it is obvious that I have improved greatly from my student magazine to my final front cover for my music magazine. After research into real magazine covers I planned to produce a conventional and realistic looking magazine cover where as my student magazine is very basic as shown in the two contrasting magazine covers above. Taking in mind layout, and over all graphology, I think I have created a music magazine that looks much more professional, with better quality photography, a wider range of font styles, a more stylish and target audience related colour scheme and thought out cover lines, resulting in a more legitimate looking magazine. The fonts and colours are very simplistic in the college magazine. Where as with music magazine cover I have carefully chosen a colour scheme which I have continued throughout, it is clear that I have edited the whole magazine with detail and much thought into every aspect.There is also more detail on my music magazine such as, relevant cover lines which are specific to my music genre, that appeal to my audience, bar code and price. Overall I am happy with my final music magazine outcome as you can see the project has benefited my understanding of the magazine industry as well as developing my use of technical skills. 

Question 6: What Have You Learnt About Technologies From The Process Of Constructing This Product?

Question 4 & 5: Who Would Be The Audience For Your Media Product And How Does Your Magazine Appeal To Your Audience?

Question 3: What Kind Of Media Institution Might Distribute Your Product And Why?

Created with Padlet

Question 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Also I chose to create an artist who pushed the boundaries and challenged stereotypes, gender and sexuality. My artist Millie, females today in the music industry and constantly looked at as sexual objects/symbols. I wanted to change that so created a female artist that was a 'tom boy' and gay. This I believe makes my music magazine more original and unique. We are thought to believe female artists today should dress feminine and look 'pretty' as an audience when we think of popular female artists we think of musicians such as Beyonce. I wanted to mix these ideologies and challenge conventional images of women on the front of music magazines.

Question 1: In what ways does your product use, develop or challenege forms and conventions of a real media products?

FINAL CONTENTS PAGE

Drafts of my contents page

When creating my contents page I looked at typical contents pages made my well known music magazine companies such as NME and Q. The more I went on the more stereotypes I added to create a realistic and professional looking contents page. At first as you can see in the first image I only chose to use one image but later decided it would look better with another photo I had taken recently whilst at a concert. The more I drafted my contents page the more I began to understand the conventions and stuck with the typical neat and simple layout. I also later discovered having an image of my front cover also on the contents page in link with subscribing to the magazine itself was a good idea as well as a puff/plug to catch the readers eye. I had a clear idea at the beginning of producing my contents page of the colours, layout and font types I wanted so when drafting I didn't need to play about with these too much.

FINAL DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

draft of the double page spread almost complete

This is my last draft for my final double page spread. I just need a few more editing to make it how I want it. I have further investigated into existing double page spreads today. I have further adjusted the commons so they are the same size/length. I have also decided to put the pull quote in a box with a grey back ground to enhance the quote and so it stands out more on the page. Looking into real double page spreads I have decided to get rid of the caption above the picture as it is more conventional to a news paper rather than music magazine. I also realised the way in which I have worded the title. I have decided to now change it to 'IMM meets Millie Low' so it has more importance on the artist rather than the magazine.

Drafts for my double page spread

At first when drafting my double page spread I struggled with the layout and over all look. The more I went on the more I improved in creating a authentic looking double page spread. I used columns to keep my article tidy and professional as well as a masthead, drop capital and pull quote. The last draft is not my last edition, I made some last minute touches by adding a logo, page number, caption to photo and adjusting the actual article itself and what is said. 

FINAL FRONT COVER

draft of my front cover almost complete

This is my last draft before finally producing the final front cover for my music magazine IMM. I am happy with the layout of my text and believe my image is strong and is very in connection to my genre, indie acoustic. I also think the colours in my magazine are appealing as they are neutral and would appeal to my target audience teens-young adults without completely dismissing the older target audiences. I think I need to have a play about although with the font, perhaps trying to find a more traditional, professional looking quote. I have also further decided to change the size of the image so my artist Millie is bigger on the cover. Reseaching further into real music magazines I have also realise I have missed the price of my magazine and should add another tag line filling up the left side of the page, with it conventional. I am currently playing about with the editing of my image also as I've decided to make the image slightly more contrasting.

Drafts for my front cover

I took the idea for my front cover from a special edition of NME of John Lennon. This helped me come up with ideas and begin to draft my front cover. At first I was unsure what colour scheme to have, but eventually decided on a black and white image with yellow, white, grey and black font which continued throughout my 3 pieces. I had to constantly play about with font types, layout, cover lines and the details in order for my magazine cover to look realistic. As chosen to base my magazine on Indie genre I didn't want my font to be too 'out there' as this would not fit my target audience or genre. During the end of drafting I added small details such as bar code, date, plug/puff and editing of cover lines.

My photography

Darcy thorn's photostream on Flickr.

Why I have chosen the artist I have

Photography shooting schedule

Photography ideas

Here are some photos I have taken from different sources such as Google, social networking sites and magazines that I really like and have inspired me for my photo shoot and given me some great ideas for when I'm taking the photos for example angles and positioning of instruments but also after ideas for how to edit my images. I like the low angle shots of people especially when an instrument is a focus point. I also like the effect these different images have. I like the black and white photos as I think they give a modern and stylish look, but I also like the 'vintage'/old style editing effects some of these photos have.