1. Josie Bury Media Studies AS: Foundation Portfolio
2. IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR
CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?
QUESTION 1.
3. Conventions and Genres
The music genre I based my music magazine on was Indie/Pop
.
I researched many internet sources such like to current top 40
charts for a clearer idea on ratings and popularity.
Producing background research of the current music chart gave
me a clear selling point and target audience.
4.
FRONT COVER
I supported typical conventions of a music magazine such like
the logo, subheadings, straplines and images. Using these key
conventions is vital when producing the front page of a print
product, the public want to known what there buying and what they
will get from it.
5. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD Title of article Article Imagery
Challenging conventions with editing techniques
6. CONTENTS PAGE Images of main artists Sub-Heading List of
main contents of the magazine
7.
Although I developed these conventions I challenged them with a
different style of composition. Editing was the main impact that
gave the magazine a different edge to all the current common music
magazines. My magazine had an artistic hint to it, which I felt
complimented the Indie/Pop genre in a sophisticated style. Indie
styles and conventions are known as unique and edgy. Pastel sepia
colours, fashion, bands and singer-song-writers are all typical
expectations from the target audience I have aimed at.
FINAL PRINT PRODUCTS
8. HOW DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT REPRESENT PARTICULAR SOCIAL
GROUPS?
QUESTION 2
9.
I have represented Indie mainstream music with artistic
cultural conventions and styles. The artists portray this style as
they feature in the magazine and make it the Indie genre it is. The
celebrities make social links with the public who purchase the
media product. I find that the artists are at similar social
statuses as their fans.
My target audience reaches out to both genders, but the
artistic conventions may appeal more to females. My magazine is
open to all race, culture or nationality. I have targeted my
audience on an age range of 16-30, as this age group is most
intrigued and entertained by this type of media. Working
class-Lower middle class is the social status barrier I aim
at.
10. I have proved my target audience works, as the audience I
tested my print product on found the conventions supported generic
magazines. My test audience was specifically young and of the
working social class which met the requirements of my target
audience.
11. Question 3 What kind of media institution might distribute
your media product and why?
12.
The two main producers and distributors of magazines in the
music institution IPC and Emap.
Most magazines are produced by IPC as it is supports the more
popular media institution.
13. IPC Media
IPC Media (formerly International Publishing Corporation ), a
wholly owned subsidiary of Time Inc., is a consumer magazine and
digital publisher in the United Kingdom, with a large portfolio
selling over 350 million copies each year
IPC Media groups its current titles under five magazine
divisions:
Connect (women's weeklies such as Now Magazine and Look)
Inspire (leisure and specialist)
Ignite! (men's lifestyle and entertainment),
SouthBank (women's lifestyle and home interest)
TX (portfolio of television titles).
Source: Wikipedia
14. Emap
"EMAP" is an acronym, standing for East Midland Allied
Press
It is a British media company, specialising in the production
of business-to-business magazines
It has 20 magazines in its business-to-business portfolio
including: Architects' Journal, Architectural Review, Broadcast,
Construction News, Drapers, Health Service Journal, Local
Government Chronicle, Nursing Times, Retail Week, Recycling &
Waste Management and Screen International.
15. Metro Pop
I focused on fashion based media as this was the challenging
convention I mixed within my music magazine.
metro.pop is a fashion magazine unlike any other. taking our
cue from street fashion, we turn out a national, independent,
bi-monthly assessment of clothing, art, music, cinema and
literature that embodies the gen X and gen Y lifestyle.
16. Which Media Institution would distribute my media product?
I believe IPS Media would be the best distributer for my music
magazine as it is a large institution and would be willing to take
a risk as it varies in its productions.
17. QUESTION 4 Who would be the audience for your media
product?
18. Target Audience
Gender: Males and females
Age: 16-30
Ethnicity: All
Special Interests: Indie/Pop Music, Fashion, Art.
I specifically targeted this audience because it is tried and
tested, a loyal niche audience.
19. Audience Feedback
The main feedback I received from my audience questionnaire was
that my conventions and layout were clear and interesting making
them want to read on. This proves my product has used, developed
and challenged conventions of real media products.
20. QUESTION 5 How did you attract/address your audience?
21. Front Page
The audience expects to see the feature star on the front of
the magazine. My key image is adhering to the rule of thirds, there
is slight use of direct address however her face isnt making direct
contact. I believe this makes it more interesting and abstract
compared to typical conventions. The positioning of the subject
reflects the artists personality portraying her attitude, breaking
the rules.
High key lighting had been used to brighten the image and to make
it stand out. I layered texture on to the image to give it the
artistic effect. The conventions and over all appeal gives the
audience and insight into the style of magazine they are
purchasing.
22. Contents Page
The contents page I produced simply informs the audience of the
main features they will find in the print product. This challenges
typical conventions of a contents page as I have used imagery as
the background instead of montaging images of featured stars.
There is great use of colour however the tones are kept down to
create this natural mellow mood.
23. Double Page Spread
The headline titles what the article is about and informing the
audience. I have used the imagery as background and placed the main
subject upon the rule of thirds which balances the composition.
High key lighting has been used to brighten the feature article but
still accompanying the artist style of the magazine. I used an
interview style article.
24. Question 7 Looking back at your preliminary task, what do
you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full
product?
25. Progression
26. Preliminary task to final product.
My front cover for the college magazine was basic in the
conventions. I just used my own knowledge and processed it. My logo
title isnt bold enough as it should be on a magazine. The overall
text is too similar in size and font, there is no variety in colour
and creativity. More information on what features in the article is
needed. The overall appearance looks bland and uniformed.
27. Improvement
I believe through the process of my coursework I have learnt
new skills in applying typical conventions and adapting them in my
own style. My final product now looks professional like a generic
magazine.
I have improved on my text layout colour size and font, a
variety balances out well through the front cover. I have focused
well on my editing techniques and enhancing my knowledge for the
professional artist style that I wanted to portray through my
product. I have used typical conventions such like the rule of
thirds to balance out text and the main subject.
I have learnt a lot about the conventions of magazines and I
have used these techniques and knowledge through the process of my
coursework.
28. Conclusion
29. Overall personal evaluation
I feel that the one weakness that lets me down would be lack of
variety in imagery on my contents page. Instead of montaging a
couple of images I used one as the background and this challenges
typical conventions, I think this aspect lets the professional look
down.
However I am pleased with the final product that I have
produced. My blog shows my research, knowledge and progression. I
am best pleased with my front cover and double page spread as they
represent the typical conventions. I have brought my own style with
editing techniques, photography knowledge and composition layout by
montaging background, image and text which are inspirations of art
and fashion. I have brought something different to a music magazine
by heavily focusing on layering and expanding with mixed media in
comparison to typical boring magazine layouts.