Media Feedback Evaluation

Double Page Spread Updated Version

This is my final updated version of my double page spread as i had gathered feedback to make the text more easy to read and to make slight changes to my columns and back image.

Model Form

This post shows my model forms and proves that i have gathered confirmation for my models to be in my shoot and on my magazine. I completed this form as i went through the production and distribution of my magazine proffesionally and wanted to complete all the steps necessary.

Model Form

Magazine Sketch

My draft magazine sketches of my intital pages, displays my basic ideas and thoughts of what i wanted to produce. 

 

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

  When looking back at my preliminary task i can tell a variety of factors i have learnt about when making a magazine, when i compare the two final products i can see obvious mistakes and things i could have improved on my preliminary magazine as i have learnt a lot since. I think my final music magazine works a lot more successfully than the school magazine because of certain editing skills i had evolved on such as the placing of text and positioning, i also feel my magazine comes across more classy and professional as i have specified in a certain audience and could focus on what would appeal to them most such as colours and design where as on my preliminary task i had to make it relate to the 'school nature' which is reasonably hard as the amount of ages within a school. I feel i have also learnt more about attracting an audience and making people want to buy the magazine as i have researched production companys such as IPC and how they maintain such a huge audience, this has helped me add things such as offers, competitions and cross media convergence and how my magazine can be displayed across different platforms such as mobiles, internet and on social networking sites and how when this is featured in the magazine it gives the audience another way to view my magazine.
I have also learnt how to gather much more professional looking images as my skills with the camera's has evolved significantly, as i learnt how to change lighting, exposure and how to edit successfully on Photoshop. This makes a huge difference on  my magazine as the image's are the first thing you notice when buying a magazine.
Overall i think i have improved significantly from the production of my preliminary task to my final magazine as i have improved on Photoshop and learnt how to edit and manipulate images and text to make it look as if my magazine were on the shop shelf at this current time, i have also learnt how to make my magazine relate to a specific audience by using certain images, props, slang and music which helped me produce a magazine to the best of my ability.

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

I have learnt a variety of skills on different platforms of technology when going through the process of making my magazine. I made my magazine on Adobe Photoshop CS3/CS5, allowing me to combine images and special effects that other software couldn't. Photoshop was a big part of the production process when making my magazine as i already had an insight into Photoshop and enjoy the editing of photo's and images, therefore i quickly got a draft magazine complete, including a variety of texts, fonts and gradients making my magazine look well created. However all i need after that was pictures, a variety of my models that i could choose from and manipulate to fit my genre. Therefore i used a Nikon camera of a very good quality as i did not want to use a pixelated image anywhere in my magazine. The camera allowed me to get exceptional images of my models from a variety of angles and compositions at a good quality so i chose an image from the hundreds i had taken. The final image i decided to use i manipulated in Photoshop and edited according to my genre in this case i made the image black and white i also played the levels and exposure of the images to create a eye catching image that could be seen from a distance.
Using Photoshop also benefited me as the text and double page spreads look a lot more effective as i added filters and special effects that make the text and backgrounds look a lot bolder and more eye catching. As effects such as gradients, bevel, glow and 3D have been added making it look a lot less plain and also adds the professional and classy feel to the magazine. By using Photoshop i have also been able to address the correct audience by using a range of editing skills to portray the correct genre such as my poster which has a cracked gritty effect portraying a certain outlook of my urban-y magazine.
When making my magazine i have learnt a variety of skills when using camera's and Photoshop that i did not know and will help me in later life, such as how to get a correct picture with good lighting and sense of aperture. Which has all benefited the production of my magazine to make it look as real as possible.

How did you attract/address your audience?

I attracted and addressed my specific target audience in many ways, however took most time promoting cross media convergence and getting my magazine recognised through different platforms that my target audience would use such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and even an online magazine. This helped attract a wider audience as millions of 16-25 year olds use these social networking sites daily therefore broadening my audience giving them a variety of ways to view my magazine.

When attracting an audience i first researched a magazine similar to mine to see what features make a magazine successful, being a music magazine i noticed that the bands and artists you portray on the front cover is probably one of the most important factors. Therefore my magazine front cover clearly conveys what and who is featured in my magazine, such as 'Foster the people' 'Sub Focus' etc. making this stand out to the audience lets them see what they relate to and what they can read about. I also added many images and close ups of famous artists throughout the magazine to catch the readers attention, the models are dressed in clothes that represent the genre and have similarities to my audience. Including things such as posters in my my magazine also helped sell as the audience love a big poster of there favourite artist on there wall. However this is not the only important thing to make prominent when addressing an audience as small things such as 'Win an IPhone 4S' and 'A free reading ticket' portrayed clearly on the front of magazine can easily attract more attention as when buying the magazine you may feel that you could be the lucky winner.
My magazine includes articles and reviews on the latest and upcoming music stars to attract an audience who wants to read and has a general interest in the artist therefore my articles have funny and comical interviews as well as serious questions and where the artist is going next, as well as every weeks 'big secret' which always attracts and audience as its music gossip at the best.
To make my magazine attractive in design i added
colours that were eye catching but not overwhelming, the colours i chose for my music magazine were red white black and grey, i did not choose these colours at random, as i took specific research into magazine on shop shelf's and noticed many magazine of a similar genre to mine had these colours. Therefore these colours must be easily recognised by the audience as they are prominent on other magazines similar. I also used a range of requirements a normal magazine has to make it attractive such as pull lines, quotes, tag lines, plugs, mastheads, offers, competitions etc. on the front cover to portray the best points of my magazine so that the intended audience would buy it.