media question 7

What I have learnt in What I have learnt in the progression from the progression from

school to music school to music magazine.magazine.

Introduction Introduction

Before starting my music magazine I first had Before starting my music magazine I first had to make a school magazine.to make a school magazine.

The purpose of this was to give me more The purpose of this was to give me more awareness of time scales and how long each awareness of time scales and how long each page may take to construct.page may take to construct.

First I had to carry out some research so that i First I had to carry out some research so that i knew what to include in my own magazine. knew what to include in my own magazine.

ResearchResearchDuring my research i learnt lots of conventions During my research i learnt lots of conventions used regularly in school magazines, these were:used regularly in school magazines, these were:

Images of pupils.Images of pupils.

Current events i.e. Sports news, extra curricular Current events i.e. Sports news, extra curricular activities and upcoming concerts.activities and upcoming concerts.

Images from around the school.Images from around the school.

An image of the logo. An image of the logo.

A house style to match their uniform colours or A house style to match their uniform colours or logo. logo.

PlanningPlanning

We also had to plan out our front cover and We also had to plan out our front cover and contents page.contents page.

This was to give me an idea of how I wanted to This was to give me an idea of how I wanted to layout my magazine before construction. layout my magazine before construction.

PhotoshopPhotoshop

After we had completed the Research and After we had completed the Research and planning, we had a few tutorials on photoshop.planning, we had a few tutorials on photoshop.

This was to start us off on the basic tools to This was to start us off on the basic tools to help us construct our school magazine. help us construct our school magazine.

This is my final School magazineThis is my final School magazine

Continued....Continued....

After completing the school magazine we had a After completing the school magazine we had a chance to develop what skills we had learnt.chance to develop what skills we had learnt.

This was done by having master classes set up This was done by having master classes set up in school.in school.

These involved: Camera, makeup, costume These involved: Camera, makeup, costume and additional photoshop practice. and additional photoshop practice.

Masterclasses Masterclasses

This classes were especially useful in helping This classes were especially useful in helping us learn or develop in skills we already knew. us learn or develop in skills we already knew.

All of these classes paid off and it shows, All of these classes paid off and it shows, compared to the school magazine to music compared to the school magazine to music magazine. magazine.

For example, my photos were framed and lit For example, my photos were framed and lit better. Also i learnt how to use the quick better. Also i learnt how to use the quick selection tool which gave a cleaner cut around selection tool which gave a cleaner cut around my model. my model.

ResearchResearch

As I did for my school mag, I had to research into As I did for my school mag, I had to research into existing music magazines, however this time in a lot existing music magazines, however this time in a lot more depth. more depth.

I had to look at the meanings the cover artists convey by I had to look at the meanings the cover artists convey by using direct mode of address. using direct mode of address.

I also how there are lots of different genres of magazines I also how there are lots of different genres of magazines and how I could tell what genre it is by their house style, and how I could tell what genre it is by their house style, content, artists, competitions etc. content, artists, competitions etc.

For instance, Rock magazines are dark and intimidating, For instance, Rock magazines are dark and intimidating, where as pop magazines use bright, vibrant colour where as pop magazines use bright, vibrant colour choices and have flirty images included within. choices and have flirty images included within.

PlanningPlanning

To plan for my magazine I had to do lots of To plan for my magazine I had to do lots of audience research to see what genre was most audience research to see what genre was most popular amongst individuals. popular amongst individuals.

Once this was done i could then decide which Once this was done i could then decide which genre i wanted to do and what to look for in real genre i wanted to do and what to look for in real media texts. media texts.

Unlike my school magazine, A big part of my Unlike my school magazine, A big part of my planning was to give myself a strict timescale on planning was to give myself a strict timescale on how long each page was going to take in order to how long each page was going to take in order to meet my deadline. meet my deadline.

This is my Music MagazineThis is my Music Magazine

Research & PlanningResearch & PlanningI have developed my R&P skills by going in depth with I have developed my R&P skills by going in depth with what i am researching and using my time effectively to what i am researching and using my time effectively to make sure i meet deadlines. where as before i would just make sure i meet deadlines. where as before i would just research ‘School magazines’ and see what comes up.research ‘School magazines’ and see what comes up.

Therefore, Instead of researching all magazines, I looked Therefore, Instead of researching all magazines, I looked for my specific genre and picked out conventions, such for my specific genre and picked out conventions, such as the masthead and why it has been shown in this way. as the masthead and why it has been shown in this way. For example Q magazines masthead is the letter Q in a For example Q magazines masthead is the letter Q in a large red box that dominates the top left corner. I saw large red box that dominates the top left corner. I saw this as being brand identity, as it is a large image and this as being brand identity, as it is a large image and audiences can spot it from a mile off. This influenced me audiences can spot it from a mile off. This influenced me to use this convention in my product so that my to use this convention in my product so that my magazine gets noticed by my audience. magazine gets noticed by my audience.

Research & PlanningResearch & PlanningFor planning my school magazine i drew a few sketches For planning my school magazine i drew a few sketches and took my pictures with my phone so i could do this at and took my pictures with my phone so i could do this at any time.any time.

However, when it came to the music magazine i had to However, when it came to the music magazine i had to plan my Photo shoot, pick a time slot, source actors for plan my Photo shoot, pick a time slot, source actors for my pages, plan when i would edit the images and which my pages, plan when i would edit the images and which pages to use them on etc. Then i also had to plan a pages to use them on etc. Then i also had to plan a house style, logo, band names, DPS interview. house style, logo, band names, DPS interview.

Therefore, there was a lot of development in my Therefore, there was a lot of development in my planning from my preliminary to my full product as there planning from my preliminary to my full product as there was a lot more needed to be done in order to get my was a lot more needed to be done in order to get my magazine looking the best it can. magazine looking the best it can.

Construction - PhotosConstruction - Photos(unedited) (unedited)

School School MusicMusic

Poor Poor framing framing

Poor Poor camera camera angles angles

Poor Poor lighting lighting

ShadowsShadows

Better Better framing framing

Better Better camera anglescamera angles

Poses were Poses were thought thought throughthrough

Little shadowLittle shadow

Photos continued.... Photos continued....

In my school magazine, although In my school magazine, although they are not horrible photos, they they are not horrible photos, they don’t look professional.don’t look professional.

I used my phone to take the I used my phone to take the photos, this resulted in no photos, this resulted in no planning.planning.

By having no planning i used my By having no planning i used my brother for my main image. The brother for my main image. The picture was taken in my bedroom picture was taken in my bedroom with poor energy saving lights with poor energy saving lights which caused my image to have which caused my image to have a shadow. a shadow.

•In my music magazine, I used a In my music magazine, I used a studio, with a canon DSLR 600D studio, with a canon DSLR 600D camera, studio lights and a proper camera, studio lights and a proper back drop. back drop.

•This involved a few week of This involved a few week of planning to get my actors, plan their planning to get my actors, plan their clothing and draw out their poses. clothing and draw out their poses.

•By having the equipment and By having the equipment and resources available, as well as good resources available, as well as good planning, i was able to develop my planning, i was able to develop my skills in photography and therefore, skills in photography and therefore, make a more professional outcome make a more professional outcome than it would of been before. than it would of been before.

developeddeveloped

Construction -Construction - Page layout & Page layout & FontsFonts

For my school magazine, I have used a simple layout, and For my school magazine, I have used a simple layout, and very little effects. very little effects.

This is because, I was just getting used to the tools and This is because, I was just getting used to the tools and effects that can be used on Photoshop. effects that can be used on Photoshop.

For the fonts, i just decided to use the ‘chalkduster’ font For the fonts, i just decided to use the ‘chalkduster’ font as it suits the overall look for a school. as it suits the overall look for a school.

overall I was not aware of the impact different styles can overall I was not aware of the impact different styles can have on the audience, this is why i haven’t included very have on the audience, this is why i haven’t included very many apart from the beveled masthead. many apart from the beveled masthead.

As I had chance to practice and develop my photoshop As I had chance to practice and develop my photoshop skills before constructing my magazine, I also became skills before constructing my magazine, I also became more aware on the effect the text and layout can have on more aware on the effect the text and layout can have on an audience and change individuals perspectives on what an audience and change individuals perspectives on what genre it could be. genre it could be.

I was able to add lots of drop shadows to make the text I was able to add lots of drop shadows to make the text stand out and also play around with the arrangements of stand out and also play around with the arrangements of the text so they look as if its following the shape of my the text so they look as if its following the shape of my artists face. artists face.

I didn’t have a specific goal of where to place my text apart I didn’t have a specific goal of where to place my text apart from i knew that i wanted my cover line to be bigger and from i knew that i wanted my cover line to be bigger and near the bottom so it wouldn’t get covered. near the bottom so it wouldn’t get covered.

Unlike in my school magazine i decided to source new fonts Unlike in my school magazine i decided to source new fonts that were not available on the mac. To do this i spend some that were not available on the mac. To do this i spend some time going through ‘DaFont.com’ and decided on Alegre time going through ‘DaFont.com’ and decided on Alegre sans for my main font style, as this to me looked like a sans for my main font style, as this to me looked like a magazine font. magazine font.

Construction - ContentConstruction - Content

When I researched into school magazines, there When I researched into school magazines, there were never any contents pages, therefore I came were never any contents pages, therefore I came up with a few topics of my own that would be up with a few topics of my own that would be relative to our school. relative to our school.

I thought of sports results because we take part I thought of sports results because we take part in lots of outside sporting events and it would be in lots of outside sporting events and it would be nice if teams were recognised more. nice if teams were recognised more.

Basically all of the topics are relevant to any Basically all of the topics are relevant to any school magazine apart from the specific teacher school magazine apart from the specific teacher names of course. names of course.

For my music magazine, I used my research For my music magazine, I used my research development to research on particular social groups development to research on particular social groups that would read my magazine and use the information that would read my magazine and use the information found to inform my decisions of what to include. found to inform my decisions of what to include.

I found that my audience likes alternative rock I found that my audience likes alternative rock bands/artists and artists that have been in the charts or bands/artists and artists that have been in the charts or festival headliners. festival headliners.

Therefore, I thought it’d be best to include festival Therefore, I thought it’d be best to include festival based bands, interviews and competitions. As well as based bands, interviews and competitions. As well as including a few more topics that were common in INDIE including a few more topics that were common in INDIE mags, such as a poll and new artists column. mags, such as a poll and new artists column.