Main Task Evaluation: Question 7

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

There have been many things that I have learnt from when I created my preliminary task to my final product. The first thing that I have learnt is the importance of my Planning and Preparation, in the preliminary task I had briefly gone through the planning stages and didn't spend too much time researching certain criteria to make my product successful enough. For my main task I spent much more time on this stage as I knew that by researching my target audience and understanding the key concepts of my target audience magazine then I would be able to replicate some of the concepts in my magazine to make it more successful.

Using different fonts was a new thing for me as I have never learnt how to use external fonts in photoshop.

The preparation stages allowed me to create a suitable time frame to follow to make sure I was on track to finish at the appropriate deadlines. I was also able to follow detailed designs/sketches to make sure I was not just creating a non-realistic magazine for the target audience.

The progression of different photographic skills that I needed to make my magazine successful improved from preliminary stages to the final product. I had to understand how to use natural lighting as I didn't want to use artificial lighting in my product.

The biggest thing that I have learnt through preliminary stages to the final task would be the use of software techniques that helped me create different effects. For example I learnt how to add lighting effects to make my work more interesting. Also I learnt how to add lighting flares which made the images stand out more.

If I was to make this product again, I would make sure that I analysed alot more magazines as I felt that my research into magazines was not as detailed as I wanted it to be. I would also have made sure that I had asked my target audience more questions thorughout my project to make sure that my magazine did not go off track and it kept up with the traditional features of the magazine.

Main Task Evaluation: Question 6

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Throughout this project I have used many different technologies. The first of which was the use of CMYK colouring, this enabled me to create a consistent house style throughout my project. The CMYK stands for Cyan, Magnolia, Yellow and Black. By using this I managed to make my Just Brass title stay consistent on both my front cover and also in my contents page.

For my project I learnt how to use the software Adobe Photoshop. I learnt how to edit my photographs to suite my project, I created lens flares to make the images stand out and look more interesting. I also used the ‘Magic Lasso’ tool to cut round models bodies so I could create a white background behind them.

In Quark Express I imported my edited images and by using the white background on some of the images I managed to create a text run-around with the text which made the double page spread more interesting.

By doing this project I have learnt how to use a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera to take all of my photographs. I made sure that I had put my camera into the correct mode to capture the best photograph. I have also learnt how to develop my understanding of using professional software such as Quark Express and Adobe Photoshop. This software is allowing amateurs to create near to professional standard media devices without having to be trained.

Another piece of technology that I have used is Blogger, this piece of technology has enabled me to create an up to date log of what I have done throughout my project this helped me create a intrapersonal dialogue. Telephone technology is another device that I have used when I have had to arrange to meet models to take photos of them for my project.

I used social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo to ask target audience members for their initial views on my magazine. This helped me create various reports throughout my project so I could keep track of what people were saying about my project.

Main Task Evaluation: Question 5

How did you attract/address your audience?

I attracted my audience through a Direct Mode of Address. I did this by using fonts and colours that brass band magazine readers would be used to mostly.

I asked many readers of this magazine and they comented on what they felt about my magazine compared to their favorite band magazines. Here are the responses that I had recieved.

"The mainsell on the front cover was very strong to attract your audience. Also the choice of font style was really good as it didnt represent a different target audience than the one you have chose."

"The content in the double page spread was really good as it made the reader feel appart of the band and not been thrown about the place with change of topic very suddenly."

"The choice of images were very good, although a few photos were a bit too dark and made the view of the magazine alot darker to read."

Main Task Evaluation: Question 4

The main target audience for my magazines are Achievers, this is because they believe that they can achieve all their goals. Based upon the Jicnars scale my audience members are categorized under B as they are Intermediate managerial, administrative and professional. The average age for my audience member is between the age of 27-40, this is because the language used is aimed at this age. The gender of my magazine is more male dominant, but I have included some features for females so my audience spread is not narrowed.

This is a photo taken from the internet that represents my typical target audience member.

Main Task Evaluation: Question 3

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

There are many ways for artists to produce their ‘creations’, they can either go mainstream or independent, but with anything there are many differences. Mainstream artists would be able to have a wider range of an audience profile because the record label would target a new market audience for their signed artist through their production department. A mainstream institution, for example Q would be able to distribute artists through their magazines, radio and also television. On the other hand independent institutions would be able to target a niche audience but would be able to get their artists a good audience profile buy including them within their productions, for example ‘Vice’ would include artists in films, books and also public events. The artists would be globalised as some independent institutions are known world wide ranging from Australia to Mexico. As there is a vast range of multi-media platforms, the music industry is being produced in many ways to help both the artists, labels and also institutions.

For my product I would use a Multi-platform consumption as the magazines for my genre tend to sell their product in more than one place. By placing a website on the front cover this makes the magazine use a Multi-platform distributor.

Main Task Evaluation: Question 2

Main Task Evaluation: Question 2

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Main Task Evaluation: Question 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The size of my Masthead that I have used is typical in the genre that I have addressed in my product. Most classical brass band magazines use a large font to attract their audience. The font is also stereotypical for my target genre.

The size of my Masthead that I have used is typical in the genre that I have addressed in my product. Most classical brass band magazines use a large font to attract their audience. The font is also stereotypical for my target genre.

Another key convention of a brass band magazine would be the use of freebies. I decided to use this as it would address the audience in a ‘new light’. I decided to use a reversed out freebie as it would stand out at the bottom of my front cover.

Furthering to a key convention of my magazine I have used a 3 column layout throughout my project. From my research and planning I noticed that most brass band magazines use a 3 column layout, so I decided to follow this concept through to my work.

I have used sans serif fonts throughout my work as I decided to challenge the use of font in the work as I felt that using a serif font was too formal to brass band readers. The change makes the magazine feel less formal than brass band magazines used to be.

The use of a long shot as my main-sell is represented as a popular convention of a brass band magazine. The normal convention of a brass band magazine tends to have 1 or 2 models in the main-sell, I have developed this idea by using 3 models as it made the magazine stand out more.

I have decided to make my magazine multi-platform by including a website and email address. Following my research I noticed that most modern magazines include the use of multi-platform technology. I have decided to develop the use of multi-platform as I felt that by including as much multi-platform technology then the magazine would show that it is capable of using many different platforms. On the front cover of my magazine I decided to put the website address underneath the masthead, this developed the normal conventions of a brass band magazine as they see the website to be near the bottom of the page as it has less of importance than any other information on the page.

The double page spread includes many challenging items to the 'traditional' brass band magazine. The first being that I have decided to use a range of call out's , this challenges the way brass band magazines target their audience, I used the call outs as it made the key quotes more eye catching to read.

Another form that I used to develop brass band magazines included the use of 'runarround' with the text. I decided to use this as it looked more interesting to the readers of the magazine, also it got rid of unwanted backgrounds in the photograph.

The use of freebies challenged dominant ideology in a way that brass band audience members do not see themselves as 'freebie' takers. This was a large gamble but I feel that the way in which I presented was very good. The freebie design connotes cheap, class and fun.

The house-style colours for my magazine are, gold, silver, white and black. I decided to use the gold and silver to portray the use of brass. The black and white text were used to develop the convention used in professional brass band magazines.

Final Product

This is my final front cover design.

Here is my final contents page.

Here is my final double page spread.

Production Log 3.

Today I started adding key features for the magazine. I had to cut the background out of some images as you can see below.

This was the original photograph:

I created the white background as I knew Quark Express prefered to have white backgrounds to allow text to be wrapped arround the image.

I also created some flares on some of the instruments to make the image jump out.

Production Log 2.

This is my 2nd production log and my magazine has taken shape and I have managed to produce the designs for each of my pages. I have also used the same colouring throughout the project.

Production Log 1.

Today I managed to get all my photographs using my own Digital SLR camera. I have started to edit my images to make them look good in my double page spread. I have found many shortcuts around Quark Express which will end up speeding up production time.

Main Task: Time Plan

To keep on track of all my work I have created my personal time plan.

Complete front cover by 22nd January
- I shall try to have all my photos for the front cover by 17th January
Complete contents by 29th January
- I shall be using my free time to complete any extra work, and shall be using free time to take photography of local brass bands.
Complete double page spread by 5th January
- I shall have to use out of college time to gather information/quotes to put into my double page spread.
Overall analysis of production – Final edits by 12th February

Complete evaluation by 5th March

Main Task: Sketches

This is my sketch of what my front cover will look like. This has been created after analysing many of the magazines that are of the same genre as my own.


Here is my contents page sketch. I have decided to use a 3 column approach as most brass band magazines use a 3 column layout.

This is my double page spread initial idea. It also includes a 3 column layout as I wish to portray this throughout my production. The pictures are spread across both pages so the text is not too much so the audience do not get bored from reading this magazine.

Main Task: Mood Board

Here is my mood-board, which has is a collage of all my ideas for my music magazine. I asked my friends to comment on what they thought and also to give constructive criticism for me to make the best magazine for the classical genre.

After posting my mood board on many websites and also sending it out to many Brass Band Magazine readers. They viewed my moodboard and left many comments to make my magazine the best it could possibly be.

Key features that came up were the way that I was beginning to associate the brass band world with an older generation, but now the younger generation of brass band players slowly filling the seats in the brass bands. Another key feature that I missed out was the amount of women that are participating in many brass bands across the country. Also most comments suggested that I should include much bigger trophies, as they are more important in the brass band world than the smaller ones. Another comment that was made was the choice of 'ale' that I chose to advertise. Most brass band players choose to drink Stella Artois when competing at competitions. The final main comment that came up on comment feedback was to do with the choice of band uniform to use in my images that I take. The traditional brass band wears uniforms with golden embroidery and also wear golden cups on their shoulders.

Main Task: Audience Profile.

The typical reader of this magazine genre is in their late 30’s and is either male or female. They dress fairly causal with jeans, usually a shirt and a jumper. They tend to be a middle class worker, with a decent income. They tend to spend their Friday evenings listening to Radio 2 (Listen to the Band), on the weekends they are more than likely to be at a low profile sport game, possibly rugby, or the cricket. Their favourite genre of music would be classical and also big band music.

Summary of existing magazines

In summary of my research into existing magazines I have noticed that they all contain key features, mastheads, main-sells, puffs and strap lines. The contents pages of most Brass genre magazines are designed upon a 3 column view and also the double page spreads are mainly text, with a few (about 5) photos thrown into the page. Also the price of the magazines are fairly cheap, about £5.50.