As Media Studies Production Diary

AS Media Studies Production Diary

A2 Media Studies Foundation Portfolio Production Diary

Progress update Plan for next month/week

Week 1 In the first week we were introduced into AS media Syllabus components and different and our possible coursework tasks. After discussion we have chosen to design magazines. Our magazine shall contain a front page, a content page and a two sided Article. This coursework option is the most suitable because I would be able to master necessary skills in magazines design and production.

• Coursework summary.• Preliminary task: start with

school magazine primary research.

• Secondary research into existing school magazine front covers and content pages Create PowerPoint presentation with.

Week 2 This week I have done my primary research in the form of a questionnaire. I have converted my results into pie charts whose information I shall use to help my own magazine. Furthermore I have critically analyzed school magazine front covers and content pages.

• Complete primary and secondary research

• Front cover and content page rough draft design

Week 3 i have completed my questionnaires and information analysis. I have completed my rough draft of front cover on Microsoft publisher and have chosen the direction of my magazine.

• Continue front over and content page development creating final mock-up for final draft

• Organize and plan photo shoot

• Props and equipment• Finish front cover and

content page final drafts

Week 4 During this week I have focused on making the front cover and content page rough draft using the information gathered. I have improved from the last draft of my front cover and content page. Once I was satisfied with my improvements I had completed a photo-shoot session I had carried out in 3 days, the front cover picture was the most difficult to take as it was the main focus of the magazine. It took me considerable time to organize the photo shoot and overcome unexpected difficulties. I have also used the school photo library to add to my photo selection.

• Select final images for cover and content page

• Start with final design using Photoshop and InDesign software



Week 5 I have started with my preliminary final production this week, I have started with front cover design using Photoshop with following my rough draft for guidance . The main problem I had encountered was adjusting the image and font sizes. The pace was slower then I expected since his was my first time using Photoshop.

• To complete content page • To finalize front cover layout,

make a final draft• Evaluate and summarize

preliminary task production

Week 6 With this being the final week of the preliminary task due to the deadline I had completed the content page and I have summarized the production. This week was very difficult for me as I had to complete a lot of research for my presentation on which I will upload on my blog next week. While designing my content page I have encountered certain issues such as the design features I wanted to keep the same so I had difficulties with exact measurements.

• Look at existing media blogs• Plan and prepare blog design • Have necessary graphical

elements need on a blog• Upload preliminary task

presentations• Research to set up my own blog

Week 7 I have decide to use Wordpress as it is easy to use and setup and it is visually attractive. I decide to use self portrait of myself as my blog background which I have edited myself in a trendy black and white graffiti style. I had accidentally made two separate blogs without realizing it and had worked on both. I have looked at other existing blogs and have noticed what templates they used and have decide to use my own picture to make it more personal.

• Brain storming potential main task magazine ideas

• Research into existing magazine front covers, content pages, double spread articles, design conventions

• Critical analysis of each front cover, content page and double spread

• Research into publishing companies and institutions

Week 8 After consulting my teacher and classmates I have decided my final magazine portfolio design task will be on gaming magazine because I read them regularly and I am familiar with their designs and contents and because I often play video games so it is on of my passions and it will make it easier for me to really work hard. After I have researched existing gaming magazines I have chosen to analyze them in order to see and compare the conventions and styles used in the gaming magazine industry. I wanted to lean what makes them desirable to the gaming consumers. I will apply everything that I have learned to my own magazine design.

• Continue with my publishing company research, magazine demographics and target audience research



Week 9 This week I have completed my front cover, content page and double spread articles comparisons to learn the differences between gaming magazines. And I have also completed publishing companies research and I have realized that they all publish different text and how they target their audience. I have completed my own primary research on the gaming industry demographics, this was very useful as I can refer to it when I make making my own magazine. Using secondary research my primary task was to find out my who my typical consumer will be. To create and process my survey for my primary research I have used survey monkey. Thanks to this I have made my own consumer profile which I will target when making my own magazine.

• Final week of research and retouching research presentations

• Uploading onto a blog• Starting with pre-production and

planning

Week 10 This week I have fully completed my research on the gaming industry as I have looked into the gaming publishing companies and learned about which types of magazines they are publishing and what are their consumer demographics in order to help me choose mine for my main magazine. this week I have devoted myself fully to research and completed my research summary.

•Uploading on a blog•Starting with pre-production and planning

Week 11 This week I have successfully set up my blog and have designed it in Word press, using an original image as my background. There was a difficulty as I had accidentally made two blogs and designed them both at the same time without realizing it, thus wasting time. I have also begun my pre-production research by critically analyzing gaming magazines that inspire me.

•Potential magazine name research•Font research

Week 12 This week I have conducted a questionnaire and asked 20 people to decide my magazine name from the options I had selected. In this poll the name OutSider had won so I have chosen it. As for my font research I have researched the fonts of the existing popular gaming magazine an based on my analysis I have chosen my own potential fonts.

•Main image Research•Double spread article research



Week 13 Week I have researched on what to do for my main image and have come up with a dozen good and bad ideas, however I have decided to keep it related to my main article. After I have created a mind map for my main article I have chosen to do an interview as it would be the easiest to write and take pictures for.

•Pitch presentation

Week 14 I have finished my pitch presentation that will help sell my magazine as it answers important questions such as what type of magazine am I making and why, who is my target audience and why, what does my magazine have to offer to readers and the draft ides I might base my magazine one. there were no major difficulties creating this presentation, as it helped me realize more clearly what my goal was and what I wanted to achieve by making my magazine.

•The first rough drafts for the:•Front cover•Content page•Double spread article

Week 15 This week I have completed the first rough drafts for my gaming magazine front cover, content page and double spread article. Although I had previously completed research on existing gaming magazines I had trouble visualizing my own therefore it was more difficult than expected and these rough drafts are only to consulted not strictly followed.

•Begin the second drafts for the content page front cover and double spread article, this time making them similar to the final design

Week 16 This week I have created my final rough draft front cover in Microsoft publisher, basing it on other magazines that have an interview as their main article, however I have roughly decided my articles as well as their placement. I have also decide to use a medium shot to show of my model. This week I have completed and deconstructed my final draft front cover.

•Do the same for the content page



Week 17 this week I have done the same as the last but only for the content page. However this week was not very successful as after I have deconstructed my content page draft I have realized I was unsatisfied with the final design and have decide to remodel it in publisher in a very simple and easy to follow ways as the first draft was too unconventional and visually unattractive.

•Complete my rough drafts , the double spread one•Write the article

Week 18 This week I have completed my article after I have met up with the interviewee. I have asked relevant questions abut his life and career and got entertaining and understandable answer in return. I have based my final rough draft of a interview article from another magazine genre as the gaming interview articles are very rare.

•Finish my drafts presentation•Begin my photo shoot•Find props

Week 19 I have completed my presentation on my drafts, however I could not start with my photo shoot this week due to my own mismanagement of props and the bad weather conditions. To make up for this I have used this week to research interview articles and front covers in order to find an inspiration to base mine off.

•Begin and complete photo shoot for the front cover, content page and double spread article•Begin working in Photoshop on final designs

Week 20 This week I have set up and completed my photo shoot as I have gathered my cast and crew I have taken the desired picture using the wanted shot types and utilizing the props. I have chosen to the best f my abilities. I have made all the images relevant and attractive to the consumers, I have chosen a young male as my model so my main demographic can relate. I have begun to work in adobe Photoshop for my final front cover

•Finish my final front cover design



Week 21 This whole week I have worked in Photoshop in order to complete my final front cover. It was difficult to choose from the selection of images and there was an issue later with deciding on the background. However all my articles are attractive and relevant to my consumers and I have decided to base my magazine on a white, black and red color composition as I believe it is very eye-catching and visually pleasing.

•Complete my final content page designs

Week 22 This week I have again worked all week in adobe Photoshop in order to complete and perfect my gaming magazine content page. There wasn’t an issue with the articles or images and the masthead design was the same as for the front cover. However I did have a problem with the layout as it was hard to make all the articles clearly visible and easy to read.

•Complete the final double spread article design

Week 23 I have completed my final double spread article design this week. It was hard to as I had to choose the right image to Photoshop into a negative in order to fit in with my color scheme and design ideas. The image had to be just personal enough so the readers would connect but not to invasive or forced. Arranging the articles and designing the masthead also took considerable amount of time due to arranging it.

•Complete the production presentation•Begin the evaluation presentation

Week 24 I have completed my production presentation by critically analyzing all of my drafts and final works as well as including step by step process of creating the front cover. After deconstructing my final versions of the front cover, content page and double spread article all that's left is to do the evaluation. I have begun by gather data in terms of the audiences feedback on my final version of my gaming magazine.

•Finish gaming magazine evaluation



Week 25 In this final week I have completed my evaluation by answering the necessary questions required and making he presentation as visually appealing as my designing abilities allowed me too through the inclusion of pie charts, pictures and a spider diagram. This is the final eek so all of my AS media coursework will have been uploaded onto my blog.

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As Media Studies Production Diary

Design

Transcript of As Media Studies Production Diary