OCR Media Studies – AS Level

Unit G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media

Preliminary Task and Log Book

Name: Abbie FowlerCandidate Number: 6402Center Name: St. Paul’s Catholic CollegeCenter Number: 64770

Set Brief - Print

Music Magazine – Production

Preliminary Task Progression, Log Book and Evaluation

Preliminary Task Progression– EvidenceFront Cover -Step-by-step

2) I then added more information about my magazine to add more detail to my page, such as the strapline and convergence links with the magazine and school web pages.

1) I added my background colours and added the ident of my school and the masthead of my magazine to get my magazine started.

3) After I edited my photo using the ‘Quick Selection’ and ‘Mas tools’, I placed it into the right place of where I wanted it on my magazine and where it would be most effective.

4) I then added my cover lines around my image and added my main headline.

The use of the ‘Pen Tool’ (P) ensured the cover lines were integrated around the image effectively.

5) At this stage I started to add the little things ( small conventions ) that make a difference to my page, for example the puff shape, adding stroke effect and many more.

6) This is adding the finishing touches to my front cover to make it look more realistic, I done this by adding more conventions to my page.

7) Finally, I added the finishing touches to my magazine, to help complete it, for example the bar code, social media logos and many more.

Completed front cover

My front cover has stayed consistent throughout the process of making my front cover, this is because everything planned out to be correct and be positioned correctly onto the page, although there was some minor adjustment to a few things to help make the front cover more appealing. For example; making the font of the main headline stand out more in order to see and and enhance the readers.

Main image

Mast head

School logo

Price / date

Barcode

Social network

Cover stories

Main headline

Strap line

Subheading

Puff / competition

Preliminary Task Progression– EvidenceContents PageStep-by-step

1) This is the beginning of my contents page, I had to begin by adding shapes and pictures to help me structure my page and to change it in the future, as well as insert a final Jpeg version of the Front Cover for a promotional offer.

2) I then added my stories in the correct position, so I knew where everything else could fit around the stories and how to make the stories stand out more.

3) I then started to add other conventions like giving my stories two sub lines to divide it easily into the sixth form area and whole school area, as different ages of the school may be interested in different areas that effect their school life.

4) I then started to finish my contents page by adding my editorial, which was carefully positioned around the editor photo using the pen tool (p) this was done to make sure the text was neatly placed around the photo. I then placed in and cropped the signature, as well the social media idents because it makes the page look neater.. By making sure it all fitted nicely into the page, my contents page was then finished.

Completed contents pageThis is my final contents page for my school’s magazine, the final piece looks a lot different to how it was originally created. This is because I added more aspects to make it more appealing and make the page look more ‘busy’ and full of information and colour throughout my contents page. This was done by: adding more stories, adding smaller images of the school logo into space space.

Editorial

Front cover

Social networking links

Puff / competition

Log Book

Established Magazine for my Research

Main image

Cover stories

Strap line

Masthead

Main headline

Date / price

Codes and conventions – The codes and conventions of Q magazine defines its genre of having the newest releases and up to date R & B music. This is done by having good codes and conventions of the front cover of this magazine. This is mainly done by the main image, this is because the image is high definition and shows the new Cheryl Cole which will get more people interested in the magazine.

What is the USP of this magazine?

From the research completed into this media product, I think the unique selling point of this magazine is the images they use. This is because they use high definition professional pictures which make the magazine stand out from the others, which also possess ‘star appeal’ (Richard Dyer), for example using the main image to support this. Also another unique selling point is the Masthead, this is as it stays the same in every issue that is produced. For example; Same position on each magazine, having the same colour scheme which they keep similar in each magazine which is produced.

Target Audience –

The target audience for Q magazine can be denoted as 15-24 year olds – mainly males (Hartley) which uses ‘personal identification’ (Katz) where the reader can relate to the artist/band within this magazine through different areas of the magazine, for example the main image.‘Social climbers’ (Maslow) are more interested in this magazine as they are likely to desire to improve their status within society today (which young adults within this age group appear to want to achieve the most). This is done by them reading the magazine to give them more inspiration, as well as using different techniques like the images, which will make the audience want to look up to that particular person.Finally, I believe that Q magazine fits into the groups ‘B-C1’ of the socio-economic needs. This is done by being able to promote the magazine to a high standard to those whom are within the socio-economic group, for example using relevant text and images to support this.

Publisher research

http://magazines.bauermediaadvertising.com/magazines/detail/Q

Source:

• The data denotes that 68.3% of males read/buy Q magazine more than females do. This could show that the magazine are putting something more masculine into the magazine. For example; boy singers, more male related competitions, make the front cover look more like the target audience is for boys.

• Also having more of the population who are in between the ages of ‘15-24’ suggests that it would be more ‘up to date’ within society and could use the newest singers/bands. This also tells us that the audience for this magazine is for the younger generation.

Magazine of Inspiration - After researching other music magazines, I have decided to produce a 4-page spread for the dance music magazine genre. This is because I find Dance Club/Land music the most interesting and effective magazine to be produced. Therefore it will be effective to all the audience. I have chosen to use this publication as inspiration for my 4-page spread – this is because I would like to repeat some of the main conventions within this magazine. One of the main conventions I would like to repeat is the image, this is because these are high definition images that stand makes it stand out more than other magazines.

Dance Music – Sub-genre

Mixmag – Genre researchMixmag’s magazine genre is based all on electronic dance and clubbing music. This means the magazine focuses on different events from festivals in England, to festivals in Europe, then even parties in Ibiza. It also has different interpretations of many unique celebrities from this genre of music. For example; certain DJ’s to different bands within this industry.This then attracts a certain age range of people, which are 17 year olds to late 20’s this is because they are more able to go to festivals and different places in the world as they are in the correct age range that are allowed to go to these places. Electronic dance and clubbing music is more appealing towards the older generation as it is seen as more ‘age appropriate’ this then creates a vision around the electronic and dance music and it being an older age range based audience.

Target Audience –

The target audience for mixmag magazine can be denoted as 18 – 25 year olds – both males and females (Hartley) where the readers can rely on being ‘informed’ (Katz) about the latest music in the genre and popular music destinations such as ‘Ibiza’ within some of the content of the magazine.‘Social climbers’ (Maslow) would like to read this magazine as they feel it would improve their social status and make them be involved with everyone else, for example keeping up to date with the latest festivals. The audience of this magazine would be the class C1, C2 and D (Socio economic needs). This is because of the audience it is aimed at, these people are usually still in education

What is the USP of this magazine?

From the research completed into this media product, I think the unique selling point of this magazine is the images they use. This is because they use high definition professional pictures which make the magazine stand out from the other magazines which also have this genre. Also another unique selling point is the Masthead, this is as it stays the same in every issue that is produced. For example; Same position on each magazine. Using colours which relate to clubland music, For example; festival colours (bright colours)

Publisher research of MixmagNick Stevenson Is Mixmag’s longest serving staff member. He did work experience back in 2000, wrote Mixmag Ibiza in 2001 then started full time in 2002 and has been staff writer, clubs editor, news editor, news and online editor and associate editor along the way. As publisher he is the link between Mixmag’s editorial and business projects.

Mixmag magazine has been getting produced for a very long time. The first issue was published on the 1st of February 1983; 30 years ago. These magazines have been printed international; from London to America even brazil for the target audience for young adults who enjoy this type of music (“clubbing and dance music”)Mixmag magazine gets produced monthly, this means it includes all the information that you need/want to know every month!

Mixmag is a magazine that is made to appeal to 16-24 year olds. This audience would be dominated by the male sex, although there would be a small percentage of the female sex interested in this type of magazine. Their occupation would be college/sixth form etc. -a student. People who are studying to further education. Also people who have finished college/or just finished University, or have just started working full time to earn money. Their interests would be in many different genres of music, instruments, and things like attending concerts/festivals/gigs etc. The audience of this magazine would be the class C1, C2 and D. This is because of the audience it is aimed at, these people are usually still in education

Source: www.mixmag.co.uk

Survey Monkey Monkey Results

More older people enjoyed this genre, this could help me in making my magazines more mature and age appropriate.

More of the people were female

People mostly listen to R&B music, this could help by relating my magazine to also R&B music rather than just 1 genre.

People have heard of this genre, so try and make it more popular using the magazine

Make the picture stand out more than anything else, make it look important and ‘loud’

Make sure the image is very high definition and appealing

ConclusionMy primary and secondary research conducted was done by looking at different magazines and establishing the key points from this, also reading information from online sources. This helped me make certain that my production will be of the highest standard possible as it helped me relate to these well known magazines, this then gave me inspiration for what I can include in my magazines. For example; having high definition main images as the readers think that is the most important and should be outstanding on the page.