Evaluation- 7. Progression from my Preliminary Task

I had to plan carefully as I had learned from my previous efforts that just creating a magazine cover straight away gave poor results. By drafting by hand, and then again on QuarkXPress, it allowed me to experiment with the software more. Also, when I was making my preliminary magazine, I knew very little in QuarkXPress, and as such, used barely any of the software's features.

My use of time was more efficient this time around, as I took my time to do enough audience research and research into existing magazines as well. By researching into my audience in further detail, it allowed me to understand what my demographic look for in a magazine.

This time around, I understood more about taking photos, and how they will finally look printed out on the magazine. This allowed me to take pictures that fit more with the current conventions that I had to follow. I also took more photos than necessary as from experience I knew many would not look the same on the computer. This meant I had a good choice of photos to use.

As I had researched more into existing magazines in my chosen genre, I understood that my photos had to fit into a rebellious tone. I also followed current conventions by using lists on the contents page.

My skills at using image manipulation software has improved, especially in using Photoshop. I am now more able to do advanced effects, such as feathering pictures together, using tools such as the smudge tool, and creating a weathered effect. Also, as I had more experience and time to practise in QuarkXPress, I could use the program more efficiently and effectively. This is shown as I had more carefully thought about the layout, and used the cropping tool to remove white borders on my pictures.

In my preliminary task, I did not really consider my target audience, and this shows as the magazine style is unfocused. This time around, I used audience research to check how they would react to various elements. This was on my moodboard. By checking with my audience how they feel about fonts and different pictures. This allowed me to base my magazine style around whichever fonts and style they preferred.

The biggest thing I have I learned from this project would be how vital image manipulation skills are. I had to improve to suit my chosen style, as previously I was unable to produce any effects that would fit with my genre. I also learnt the importance of audience research and checking with my audience for feedback. This allowed me to know vital improvements and to know how my audience as a whole reacted.

Evaluation- 6. The use of technologies in constructing my product

The initial stage of producing my magazine consisted of a very rough and basic set of hand drawn plans. By doing it in hand, I could quickly put down ideas without wasting time using complicated programs.

Then I used QuarkXPress to replicate this draft on the computer. As this software is at a professional level, it allowed me to see the capabilities and limitations of the program. As we were required to use a desktop publishing tool, I would need to have a practise in the program.

Taking the pictures was eased with the use of a digital SLR camera. By taking a laptop to the shoot, it allowed me to transfer any photos over immediately, so I could see them clearly, as well as make more space on the memory card. This would not have been possible without a digital camera. It was also speeded up as I could instantly move the photos into editing software.

Downloading new fonts from the internet allowed me to use more variety, as well as find a more suitable font.

I used Photoshop for basic picture manipulation, such as feathering the two main pictures on the front cover, as well as smudging the border of the large picture on the double page spread.

I also used Photoshop to make backgrounds. Although I was unable to make these originally, by using various tutorials on the internet, I learned. Also, I would be unable to replicate this effect on lower tier editing programs, so Photoshop has been a real asset.

Blogging each individual objective I did helped me both keep track of where I currently was, and also allowed me to quickly re-read over it. By posting regularly, it allowed me to keep tabs on various links for useful information, such as Photoshop tutorials.

By blogging my project, it allowed me to present my research in a convenient and accessible way. Each post could instantly be linked to using the blog archive. Also, as it is automatically dated, it is ordered in a chronological way.

The internet has been invaluable for research. Google was useful for instantly getting images of magazines for ideas, as well as for putting them into my blog without buying and scanning magazines. Posting various drafts on Facebook also allowed me to get instant feedback with my target audience.

The use of technology has allowed me to use image manipulation programs such as Photoshop to select only parts of a picture to discuss them in further detail. By using a video editing program such as Sony Vegas Pro 8.0 has also allowed me to produce a video showing my final audience research in a different way.

Technology both speeded up the production, as well as create a more professional looking end product. However, technical difficulties at my College such as the College network being down for several days led to delays restarted progress after half term. Although it has its failings, and requires some experience, the use of technology is an obvious necessity in this day of age for media production.

Evaluation- 5. How I attracted my audience?

I can see they liked my magazine, but there are no direct comments relating to how real it looks.
The content is appropriate, such as the topics covered related well for my audience.
The mode of address did not seem a problem for my audience, although it could have been more slang, to appeal to the rebellious side of my audience.

The fonts chosen were shown to have a positive effect on my audience. They were shown to have liked the "alien" font for the band name, as well as the more rebellious and grungy fonts for the rest of the magazine. However, as this also ties in with the upside down text, perhaps I should have chosen an easier to read font, to avoid confusion.

The colour scheme I chose to follow is a grungy, moody one. That said, my audience research suggests that it could have done with more colour throughout. This shows that while my magazine was aiming for a rebellious or rough look, more colour would have caught the attention of my audience more so.
From my audience research I can see that they both liked my layout, but also found the upside text confusing. This shows that while it could establish its own convention, it does not follow standard conventions. As the genre I chose was rebellious, I followed this through by not using standard conventions, especially on my front cover. The overall layout was praised and easy to read, except for the upside down text, partially due to the font used for it.

The pictures were used as I believed them to be appropriate, mainly due to the fact they feature older teens, the key demographic. While they covered the right people, it was said how one of the models was hidden partially. This shows that the main models, especially on the cover, need to be presented well.

My audience research shows that it was read in a preferred reading, which shows that despite its flaws, it suited the genre for most of the part. The style of using two pictures for my front cover was also highlighted as being a bit more unique.

While I think my magazine could of been better, I think the use of grungy backgrounds, rough looking fonts, and the spacing of the text.

Evaluation- 4. My Audience

My audience for my magazine fit into the teen and male demographic, with the age range of 15-23. From a social point of view, they would be classified as Hedonists. They would be under the radicals or underachiever categories in the psychographic scale. My audience enjoy less mainstream music, but they enjoy mainstream films, usually big American blockbusters. They are also into normal mainstream websites usually used by teenagers, such as social networking sites, like Facebook or Myspace, aswell as sites like Youtube.

The genre is mostly preferred by males, although there is a small female market. The would usually fit into a B or C1 in the Jignar scale.
They can show a rebellious side to certain aspects of less, such as fitting in to "the norm".

My audience feel strongly about their choice of music, while many also play instruments and in bands also. By using a bands like I the ones I choose, which were basically just teenagers starting off, this could help connect to my audience better.

While there music choice is less than mainstream, magazines covering the genre are not some niche product.

Evaluation- 3. Media Institutions and Distributing my Media Product

While my audience is a smaller, slightly niche market, the two largest metal magazines (Kerrang and Metal Hammer) are both published by large media companies. So to compete with similar magazines, going the route of using a large conglomerate such as Future publishing would give enough distribution. However, as Future already publishes Metal Hammer, it would be unlikely to publish a second metal magazine.

I don't believe the audience is niche enough to warrant using a smaller independent distribution company as this would limit the scale on which it could be accessed.

I can justify using a conglomeration as the majority of magazines owned through these have a wide multi-platform position. It comes almost as standard these days that every magazine has some sort of website. Many brands owned by Bauer Media use multi-platform consumption to appeal to as wide as audience as possible. By using outlets such as TV, radio, and the web to open up the brand to a larger audience. As my audience is a teen audience, they will already be exposed to these mediums, especially the web.

It is also worth mentioning that by using a company such as Bauer to distribute would give widespread exposure for the magazine. This would allow the magazine to be sold in newsagents, larger stores such as WHSmith, to even supermarkets. This leads to a much higher audience, but also would increase quality control on the magazine. As the copies printed would increase, so would the pressure for higher sales to make profit increase. However, the magazine may have to compromise to meet certain standards, which my target audience would see as "selling out", or changing for more profit. So it is a double sided sword that would affect for the audience views the way the magazine is produced.

Evaluation- 2. Representation of Social groups

The magazine is male dominated. This is a dominant representation within this genre of music. Even though a female band is shown on the cover also, the main feature is really about the male band. However, this could be an alternative representation, as with only a few exceptions, most female led bands in this genre are rarely in the mainstream. The depiction as females looking rough but having a good time is an alternative representation.

The magazine features bands in their teens. The audience within the photos are also shown to be teenagers. While it holds true that many bands start with teenagers, they are rarely shown as a main feature within metal magazines. It is also worth pointing out that only teenagers are featured in the photos. This leaves other demographics with an absent representation. As this magazine is aimed at teenagers, this could show how teenagers are just as important to the genre, and gives a sense of accomplishment.

The way teenagers are shown almost stereotypically. They are shown in energetic, and frenetic with large movements and hand gestures. The clothes are very typical of fans of this genre. They majority are wearing black t-shirts, or branded t-shirts. They appear casual as they are also wearing jeans. They do not appear to be highly pampered, or "fake", instead just looking like regular teenagers playing music. This is both a dominant representation for teenagers, as well being realistic. The way both the interviewer, and the band being interviewed both write in an informal and casual way. Which shows teenagers as people who are not conformed to strict professional use of language.

The absence of any particular minorities shows both how the genre is white dominated, as well as the realism that some areas of Britain are still mainly white. This could suggest how people of other races lack much influence in the genre of metal. Although this is just a stereotype, it holds some true. My magazine fails to challenge this though, and as such, uses dominant representation.