13/9/11 - This week I have completed preliminary task for media coursework, this task was an introduction to design and making a magazine.I have to design and make a school magazine, I desided to aimed my magazine at sixth formers. The reason for my decision was because I thought it was be useful to have a school magazine for sixth formers, it could included articles such as A level exam tips, Interviews with head boy and head girl, Infomation on universities and part time employment. I have completed a draft design idea which I drew onto paper. After completing my draft design I took photos for my magazine front cover and contents page. I then worked worked on photoshop to put together my magazine. I found it difficult using photoshoot because I had not used it before, to help me with this I watched a video that was on fronter on how to make a simple magazine using photoshoot.
19/9/11- This week I have started some product research on music magazines, this will help me when I come to design and think of ideas for my magazine. This week I have completed research on front covers of music magazines and the contents pages of music magazines. For the front covers I researched colours scheme, images, masthead, main image, sell line, bar code, price and plug. For the contents pages I researched images, text, articles, organisation, colour scheme, new media and categories. This task has helped me understand what I need to include in the front cover and contents page of my magazine. I have found that most magazines only one large image on the front cover and use more in the contents page. One thing that I found in contents pages is categories I think this is a good idea and feel that I should use this in my magazine.
27/9/11- This week I have completed the final piece of product research and this was to research double page spreads. I had to look into areas such as title, footers, columns, subheadings,pull quotes,images,captions,colour scheme,layout and design. This helped me to get an idea of what features need to be included in my double page spread in my music magazine. I found that the design of the double page spread is very important as it's the first thing the readers will notice. I also found that the pull quotes are important as its the first thing readers will read and it will draw them into the article. Also this week I have been working on my blog, I have set up Labels so my posts are orgaisted and easy to find. I have also been working on the design and layout of my blog.
4/10/11- This week I have completed a task on key concepts & magazines. I have looked in to four main areas code/conventions, audience, representations and institution. This has help me have a wider knowledge on magazines. For example it is very important for my to have brand identity in my magazines so the readers can identify the magazine easily. I have also learnt about the uses of magazines, entertainment, information, personal identity and personal relationships. I have found out that new media such as facebook and twitter has become an important element within magazines.
11/10/11- This week I have created a poll on my blog, the poll included music magazine based questions such as what section in a magazine do you read? This will help me learn more about my target audience such as what there wants and needs when creating a music magazine. My poll will be up for 7 days and I will ask friends and family to go on to my blog and answer the poll questions. I will then next week create a document on my target audience explaining what I have found out in my poll and the desions that I have made. I have also this week created a proposal for my magazine. A proposal where I put all my ideas together for my magazine, I also explain the breif. My magazine that I will create is a music magazine based on the pop music it will be aimed at teenage girls 15-17 years old. I inluded infomation based on the magazine that I will create this inlcuded the type of magazine that I will design and create, Contents of magazine - what will be inlcuded in my magazine, Style of magazine - what my magazine will look like and layout. Competition to my magazine - what pop music magazines are already out on the market. Target audience - who will be reading my magazine. And business features- this inlcudeds features such as price of my magazine and how often it will be sold. I created my proposal by using imovie, I had a number of sides with included key points for each section. I also included a voice over, where I spoke about my proposal in detail.
18/10/11- This week I have created a target audience document this included information about my target audience. Such as the type of people who would read my magazine and the interests they would have. For example my magazine is aimed at teenage girls age around 15- 17 years old, they would have an interest in pop music industry and would most probably like fashion. I found some of my information for my target audience from my poll question results, for example 100% of people who took part in my poll said that they would read magazines for entertainment. This means that my target audience will enjoy reading magazines because they find them entertaining. Also this week I have come up with some name ideas for my magazine, these are Star Music, Beauty of Pop, Pop, Pop Hits and Simply Pop. I have also been thinking about the colours that I could use in my magazines and their connotations. I also created a mood board for the planning of my music magazine. This included images of pop music artist and magazines. I have presented my mood board on a video which I created on imovie, I also have a Jessie J pop song playing in the background.
2/11/11- This week on monday I did my photoshoot after school in the media room, I think my photoshoot was very successful and I took some good shoots to use in my magazine. My shoots were fun and creative which fits in with my theme of pop music. While doing my photoshoot there was a camera in the back of the class room taking photos every 10 seconds. I then created a timelaps with these photos which I then placed in my blog. This is evidence that I took all of my photos that were taken. For homework I then created a costume post about what clothing was worn in my photoshoot. I created this on imovie, I had pictures and videos of me talking about the costume used in my photoshoot. I also created a shot video on sell lines ideas that I have come up with for my music magazine. During my media lesson my monday I created some name design ideas that I could use for the masthead for my magazine. I came up with five different ideas and explained what I liked about the designs, I placed this information on to a powerpoint and placed it on to my blog. On tuesday during my media lesson I created a contact sheet for my photo taken at my photoshoot. And then placed it on to my blog. The contact sheet displays all of the photos taken on my photoshoot. I also created a short video which was made on cam studio about how I created one of my name designs.
9/11/11- This week I looked thought all of my photoshoot photos and made a decision to what photos I will use for my magazine. This includes photos for the front cover, contents page and double page spread. I chose photos that I think will stand out and that are fun and creative. It is important to have good photos in my magazine as this is a key element of a magazine that catches the readers attention. Once I had made a decision of what photos to use in my magazine I created a prezi which displayed all of the photos and posted it to my blog. I then went on to creating a schedule of things that I have done during the planning process of my magazine and what I still need to complete. This is useful as it gives a clear guideline to what task I have done during the planning process. I created this on a table in word, I felt that this was the best way to present my work as it is clear and easy to read. This week I have also done a draft front cover, contents page and double page spread. I am pleased with the outcome of my draft work and it will help to guide me when coming to make my magazine on photoshop as I can use the same layout. Next week I will create a draft article but before doing this I felt that it was important to plan for my article. So I decided what type of article I was going to do and chose to do a interview with the music artist, I then came up with ten questions which I could use in my interview and posted them on my blog.
14/11/11 - This week I have been working on my draft article for my double page spread, I have chosen to use an interview for my double page spread article. The reasons for this is because the readers will be able to learn a lot about the music artist from the article. It is also primary information about the article which readers would like. I have used all of the interview style questions that I posted on my blog last week. I found it easier to write my article because I had already prepared the questions. I feel that the questions that I have included are very good because I asked the type of questions that fans would want to ask a music artist. I also gave detailed responces back to each question. This is my draft article for my double page spread, when working on my final double page spread I will improve my article and create an finial version of my article and post it on to my blog.
21/11/11 - Today In lesson I have started my first draft for the front cover of my music magazine. Before starting As media I have not used photoshop before so was not confident in using it. Therefore I went on to mulitmedia skills bank in fronter and watched a video on how to use photoshop. I open up photoshop and selected the image that I wanted to use. In order for image to be successful on my magazine I had to take away the background. I did this by using the colour range to take out the background colour. By doing this it took away the background colour. I then highlighted my image however some of the image did not highlight, I used the colour mask tool to highlight the rest of the image. I then open up a new photoshop file and created a plain white background layer. I then imported my image into the middle of the page on a new layer.
28/11/11- Today in lesson I completed my first draft for the front cover of my music magazine. I chose the front that I wanted to use for the masthead and this was Cheri, the then created a large bold masthead which would stand out to the target audience. I then added the sell lines around the image and on sell line of the image saying exclusive interview with Victoria Perry. The sell lines are pink, purple and white, I used arial for the front as this is very simple and clear to read. Each invidual element that I used for my draft front cover I created on a new layer. For homework today I asked a member of my target audience for feedback on my this is very important to understand what my target audience thinks about my front cover as this will be able to help me develop my magazine and make it better. I also evaluated the front cover I presented this on a video explaining what I think is good about the draft front cover and what I could improve on. I also used cam studios to film the step by step progress of making my draft front cover on photoshop.
6/12/11- This week I have been working on my draft contents page. First I opened up the photos that I wanted to use in my contents page on to photoshop. I then took away the background colour from the photo by using the colour range tool and the quick mask tool. This allowed me to select the picture of the model without a background. I then opened another page on photoshop and placed the pictures that I needed in to the page. I then created a new layer which is for the title I have chosen to use the front Arial which is a simply front to use. I then create boxes for the catorgies and introduction, I have used four different catorigies in my contents page. These are fashion, interviews, events and features. I feel that it was important to use catorigies as it would be easy for the target audience to find that articles that they want to read. Once I finished my contents I then went on to cam studio and video the step by step process of me putting my contents page together. I also then asked a memeber of my target audience to give me feedback on my work and then I created a short video of an evaluation of my draft contents page.
13/12/11- This week I have been working on my draft double page spread for my music magazine simply pop. I opened up the photos that I wanted to use on photoshoot. I then like with my contents page and front cover photos took away the background colour. I completed this by using the colour range tool and the quick mask tool. I then opened a page to use for the first page of my double page spread and I then edited the page so it was landscape, this therefore gives me enought space to include my article and double page spread article. I created new layers for each indiviual element of my double page spread this therefore makes it easier to edit. I put my first picture on the left hand side of the page and it took up half of the page, I edited the picture so it had a straight line on the edge as this would be where the page would be folded. I then added a big title and used the colour purple which highlights the target audience, I used the front cheri which is fun and exciting. I then wrote my article and make it in to colums so it is the layout of a magazine article. I included page numbers at the bottom of the page in bold writing so it is easy to see. I then went on to completed my second page of my double page spread. I opened the photos and took away the background colour, I then added the photos on to the second page of my double page spread. I added the rest of my article on this page and again layed it out in a colum. I used two different colours for the article text, the questions where in purple and the answers where in black. This is therefore easy for the readers to identify what are the questions and answers. I have also asked a member of my target audience for feedback and created a Cam studio video of the step by step process of me making the double page spread.
9/1/12 - Today was the first media lesson back after the christmas break. Before christmas I was working on my draft verison of my media magazine completed the front cover, contents page and double page spread. Todays lesson was a feedback lesson we went around the class and gave each other feedback for are front cover, contents page and double page spread. I found this lesson really useful as I was able to see what people thought of my magazine and they were able to suggest to me impovements that I could make in order for my magazine to be more successful. Once I got all of my feedback, I completed a adiuence feedback sheet where I wrote down all of the feedback that I was given and the improvements that I will make to my magazine. In tommorows lesson I will start making improvements to my magazine in order to complete my finial design.
10/1/12- Today I desided to work on my contents page. I improved my contents page by add more colours into it, I have done this by having different colours for the page numbers at the titles. Before the pages were layed out in the middle of the page and were spilt up in to four different sections and these were placed in boxes. However this took up alot of space and did not look very effective. I have moved the pages to the right hand side of the page and still keep them in the different sections by took away the boxes and had them going down in a line. I desided to also take away the box for the editors note and I have now included a title for my editors note (this week...) to make it clear to the readers what it is. At the end of the editors not I have also add my signture. I have made the picture that are on my contents page bigger and also added the page number for the article by each picture this therefore makes it easy for the target audience to find the articles.
16/1/12 - Today I worked on improving my contents page in order to complete a finial verison of my contents page. Part of my feedback given to me from my target audience was to add more pictures in my contents page, therefore today I found another picture that I would like to add in my contents page. This was a picture of the main artist victoria perry. I feel that this was a good idea as there is now less blank space in the contents page. Today I went throught the checklist for my contents page and see what I have done and also what I still need to do. I found that I needed to add a picture of my front cover in my contetns page, therefore I did this. I also added in sub-headings under each page so that the readers knew what the articles would be able. I change the layout of my contents page to make it look more effective. I did this by moving the pictures and the text around. I have included key information such as new media for example a website address. I feel that the completed version of my contents page looks very good.
17/1/12- Today I started to work on my first page of my double page spread. I looked back at my feedback to see what people thought I could improve on. One improvement that was I could make the face on the picture smoother. So I opened up photoshop and opened the shape, I then selected colour range and took away the background from the photo again but made sure that the edges were smooth. I then added the picture back into the double page spread. Another improvement that was suggested to me by my target audience was to add a border. I therefore added a purple border at the bottom of the page. I chose this colour because this is the colour of the title and the questions. I then added the masthead of the magazine Simply Pop to the left hand corner of the page, this highlights that the article is from the magazine Simply Pop. I then identified what type of article it is by placing the word exclusive in the top right hand corner. I feel that the improvements made to the first page of my double page spread are very effective.
23/1/12- Today I have been working on the second page of my double page spread. Like the first page I added a purple border along the bottom. I felt like the top of my page looked very pain and therefore I added the masthead in the top left hand corner and the word exclusive in the right hand corner. I have done the same for the first page, having the same layout shows that both pages are apart of the same article. I have made the pictures smaller in order to allow a fold in the page. I have three pull quotes in my article however they did not stand out well in my draft double page spread. Therefore I have made light purple boxes to put my pull quotes in them. This looks very effective as they stand out more.
24/1/12- Today I worked on my second question for my evalution this was an essy question and I had to explain what kind of institution might distribute my media product and why? I chose a company that would want to distribute my product and explained why this would benefit the company and why the company would like my magazine.
30/1/12- Today I was working again on my double page spreads, I thought that to make it stand out more it would be good to add a purple border along the side and top of the magazine. I have also worked on imporving my second page. By this made my article longer and the text smaller. I also changed the layout of my page. I changed on of the images on the left hand side of the page, the reason I changed this is so I have a wide range of different types of images in my magazine. I change the image to a medium close up shot and made the image large so it took up nearly half of the page. I then edited the smaller image I have on my page. I have done this by moving the image to the bottom of the page and add a box around the image. This looks very effective as it makes the image stand out.
31/1/12 - Now that I have finished my double page spreads, today I started working on improving my front cover, I did this by changing the layout of the text. On the right hand side I have names of some articles that will be inlcuded in my music magazine. I improved my front cover by having each name on a different layout so that it is easy to move around. I had changed the colours and sizes to make the text stand out more. I also made the masthead size bigger so that it stands out. On the picture of my artist there was white text saying excuisve interview with victoria perry, however this text does not stand out. So when improving my front cover I changed the colour to purple and added a shadow to make it stand out more. Once I had made these few improvements I looked at the check list for my magazine and made sure that I have included everything that I need.
2/2/12- Today I completed question number five for my evaluation. The questin was how did you attract/address your audience? In this question I spoke about what my magazine contains to ensure that it will sell. How did I make my magazine to attract the buyer. And I also talked about other selling techniques such as the used of new media.
3/2/12 - Today I have been working on the two questions of my evaluation. The frist question was what have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the poduct? Here I spoke about the professinoal equipment that I have used during making my music magazine such as cameras and photoshop. I have also explained the sepecific features of photoshop that I have used and the benefits of technology in the process of making my magazine. The second question was looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? This question is where I explained the progress that I have made from making my preliminary task at the begining of my AS media course to making my finial music magazine.
6/2/12- Today I when back to my double page spread and read thought everything to make sure that it is complete. I found that I have added one question twise so I deleted the second question and then made another question instead. Once I had done this I then re-saved my double page spread and uploaded it to my blog. I then went on to work on my front cover page. I looked at my feedback sheet to see what I needed to improve on. There is lots of blank space on my front cover so in order to improve this and to make the front cover look better by adding more text. I have all the artist that will be included in the magazine alone the right hand side and the name of the artist victoria perry who is on the front cover. I then have text which gives the potential audience information of what will be in my magazine for example. I wrote that there will be a free poster included in my magazine.
7/2/12 - Today I completed an evaluation question which explains how I address and attracted my music magazine to its audience. In this question I identified who the target audience are for my music magazine. I then explain how I attracted and address my target audience in my magazine to do this I talked about the use of media features and colours in which relate to my target audience. I also talked about how my research has helped me to create a magazine in which is targeted well at its audience. I done this by talking to my target audience. Today I also saved my contents page and front cover to as a photo and then uploaded it to my blog.
27/2/12- Today I collected feedback from a student in my class. I asked her to look thought each page of my magazine to see if there are any more improvements need to be made. I found this very useful as it allowed someone else who has not looked at my magazine before to see if there is any mistaks that I have made. I then when back and made a few changes to my magazine.
28/2/12- Today I created a post preduction questionaire that members of my target audience will be able to answer. This allows me to gain some useful target audience feedback about my magazine. I have asked questions such as do you feel my music magazine repersents the target audience of teenage girls who enjoy listening to pop music? and do the models repersent the target audience?
5/3/12 - For my media coursework today I was working on my evaluation question 1, the question was in what ways does your media product use, develop or challange forms and conventions of real media products. I have already written an answer to this question and posted it on to my blog and today completed a video to presented this question. In order to do this I used the program called Imovie on a mac computer. But firstly I wrote out a script of what I was going to say in my video, to help me do this I looked back at the written verison of my question and I also looked back at the finial verison of my magazine. Once I had done this I opened up Imovie and then created added the title of the question and started the video. I created the video by using both text and images and also a voice over which is where I explained the answer to the question.
6/3/12- Today I worked on the second question of my evaluation and this was how does your media product represent a particular social group? In this question I had to explain the different ways in which I repersented my target audience of teenage girls who enjoy listening to pop music. The software I used in order to complete this question was prezi, I used a mixed of both text and pictures to present my evaluation. I fristly wrote the question in the middle of the prezi, and then started to write text and add images around the outside of the prezi. I then added a path to my prezi and this is what order the infomation/images will be displayed.
12/3/12- Today I work on the 3rd question of my evaluation as this was what kind of instituation might distrube your media product and why? For this question I had to choose a magazine distribution company and I choose IPC to distribute my music magazine. I reason I chose this company is because they do not currently distribute another pop music magazine. For this question I chose to present it on a video using the software Imovie. For this question I had pictures displayed and then a voice over of me talking about the question.
13/3/12- Today I was working on another question in my evalutation and this was who will be the target audiene for you media product? For this question I created a prezi which displayed information about how will be the target audience for my music magazine. I gave some background information about my target audience for example their age, gender and social habbits. I also explained why they will want to read my magazine.
19/3/12 - Today I was working on a question for my magazine evaluation this question was looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression to its full product? For this question I created a video on imovie. I used pictures, text and voice overs in order to create this video. I spoke about my development from the school magazine that I created to the music magazine that I created. I feel that I have developed well as when I made the school magazine I have little knowledge and understanding of how to use photoshop.
20/3/12 - Today I was working on a question for my magazine evaluation this question was what have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing your product. For this question I completed a powerpoint. I wrote about the different types of technology that I have used and how I have used these to create my magazine. For example imovie, photoshop and cameras.
26/3/12- Today I completed the finial question for my magazine evaluation and this question was how did I attract/address my target audience, I created a powerpoint for this question. I wrote and added pictures how I made my magazine in order to address the target audience. One of these was the use of new media, I included information on my front cover and contents page on how the target audience and follow the magazine on facebook and twitter. It is very important to have techniques that address and attract the target audience as you need t meet the wants and needs of the target audience in order for the magazine to be successful.
