AS Media Coursework 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?

In response to this final evaluation question, I have constructed a direct YouTube video answer. The link is below:

http://youtu.be/SV_vPhmQuW8

AS Media Coursework Evaluation: Question 6

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

Here is a Prezi presentation of my response to Question 6 of the evaluation task.

http://prezi.com/embed/wyhxashp13bx/?bgcolor=ffffff&lock_to_path=0&autoplay=0&autohide_ctrls=0&features=undefined&disabled_features=undefined

AS Media Coursework Evaluation: Questions 4 & 5

Who would be the audience for your media product (Q4) and how did you attract/address your audience (Q5)?

This is the simultaneous response to questions 4 and 5 centred around audience and their requirements from my media product.

Pictured are some of the identities that I was reaching out for as my target audience whilst designing my media product. The top photo is one of my main feature album - this is because the people who would typically take the time to consume my Press PLAY 'franchise' would be the same sort of people who are featured in the magazine itself, to enhance the opportunity to relate. The conventions used in the product often reflect the interests of my target audience, which would specifically be described as around the 16-25 region (as specified in Q2) and a unisex trend. I have used a variety of different features to appeal and suit my target audience, as I would imagine my typical reader to be a college/university student, either male or female (the features are generic and follow a lot of latest trends and chart changes), one obviously interested in quite a wide array of music, and maybe with links to music in wider society such as someone who performs somewhere in the music industry in their spare time. The latter of those is not part of a fixed criteria but would maybe boost interest. The modern world of music is usually an interest to almost everyone to a certain extent, to the degree where anyone with literally any social background, hobbies or pastimes may take a read, whether their main aspirations in life lie in music, sport, education, politics, fashion, technology or any other major topic of interest. It is difficult to hold down one identity of a typical reader whilst at the same time going beyond age, general interests and gender. Whilst there appears to be nothing remotely specific about the conventions of my media product, other media my target audience may consume could be through most notably modern technology, through the overwhelming significance that it has taken on the lives of people of the younger generations. There could be a decline in media sources such as newspapers and radio, but instead the ever-hatching Web 2.0 of user-generated media, applications and an increasing deep sea of television channels and box office access.
The visual and aesthetic appearance of a typical audience member could be considered to follow or expand on latest trends (top two images); have an element of vintage subculture or postmodern influence, taken on by new meanings and motives of how one looks (third image from top), or have their own spin on proceedings whilst still looking appropriate for the way society is (bottom image). The mode of address I have largely used is in a friendly manner, acting sociable on the part of the magazine writers and editors to give a degree of comfort to a typically young and vibrant audience reader. From the features advertised in the contents to the synergised font and colour schemes and the direct address of the cover stars, there is a level of social quality maintained throughout, as touched on in other evaluation responses. As a whole, there are thousands of ways a member of this magazine audience may construct their entire life, appearance, personality and interests, even the way they consume media, but somewhere they will have a link of relevance to Press PLAY.

AS Media Coursework Evaluation: Question 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oJQPnjyvMM&feature=youtu.be

Here is the link displayed which will open a new window for my interview-style video response to question 3 of the evaluation task: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

AS Media Coursework Evaluation: Question 2

This is my PowerPoint presentation to answer Question 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?


http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/32711823

AS Media Coursework Evaluation: Question 1

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


The example I will use for this question will be the written annotation of two front covers: my own (Press PLAY) and, as you can see here, an edition of the popular and widely recognised NME magazine cover. I think the front page conventions are linked somewhat through the features they simultaneously carry, and the overall layout. Similarities that are evident are firstly the largest text for the masthead, which is an obvious convention in almost all magazine covers, along with the tagline accompanying it tucked underneath on the left-hand side. There are box-out features running along the bottom of the page which completes the cover and keeps readers intrigued from top to bottom, and another notable convention present in both covers is the overlapping of the cover photo by its text. It could be argued that this is done for different reasons with the two - the NME cover will simply be further promoting the highlighted title, whereas Press PLAY will simply be for first notice. The colour schemes are different but still maintain synergy through their use of no more than three or four colours and fonts. The cover line and its strap-line are situated in the same region on the page, as the eyes of the reader will typically be attracted to the middle of the page after seeing the masthead, and reading from left to right. This is further helped by the large and brazen text with which it bellows its appeal. The major development that the Press PLAY cover makes from its counterpart are that there is a brief abandonment on the strict font maintenance to signify both the feature content of mods, US top 40 and a teen music survey (with corresponding fonts relative to its nature) and the notification that the edition is a discounted Easter issue. The latter also moves away from the colour scheme in a stereotypically seasonal-themed yellow. The colour works as an eye-catching notice that the magazine is a cheaper bumper issue which works to advertise as well as appeal with the inside features. The two differ with their forms and conventions simply by some of the positioning, the nature of the cover image and the larger abundance of text on the NME front page. Whilst the text positioning on both covers is dominant on the left-hand side, it appears this is for different reasons. With the Press PLAY cover, the text is black on a white background given to the cover by the background cover image; on the NME cover, the text on the left is simply to clear space for the cover photo displayed entirely down the right-hand side. My cover photo is through the middle of the page, enveloping the text beneath the stars' faces and overlapping the rest of the image content. 

Music Magazine Final Front Cover - 'Press PLAY'

This is my final magazine front cover, improved upon its previously published drafts. I have inserted an image with portrait fitting which does not appear pixelated and is not too dimensional in its lighting. The white background helps to shine out the more outstanding edges of the cover photo, which enhances the boldness factor of the text. In my opinion, the cover image's position over the entire magazine page means that it does not need to be further broadened, whereas areas of the text can do with a slight enticing technique. The main colour shades and swatches of black and green and the most frequent 'Charcoal' font the cover's synergy with the contents and double page spread which demonstrates a linked trademark amongst the magazine as a whole. The use of red at the bottom of the page briefly leaves the synergised font and colour schemes but instead works to maintain an attraction and an interest to the bottom of the page with the bold red block showing box-out minor magazine content, next to which is tucked a barcode to maintain published realism. The other changes in font are for the remaining box-out features, with each font corresponding indirectly most relevant to each of the listed three. Similar to a 'puff' or 'starburst' on the cover is the previously mentioned (on the draft posts) notification of the edition being a lower-priced Easter issue in an festivity-themed yellow colour and 'fluffy', even slightly infantile font.