EvaluationAmy Schumm

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

My media product does use, develop and challenge forms

and conventions of real media products. An example of this is the layout, which is very

similar to a real, professional magazine. The layout of my

magazine is very similar to the layouts of magazines like

NME and Q. The layout of my magazine is simple and easy

to read.

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

My layout keep to three main colours, black, red and white, this keeps the magazine design simple and does not make it look fussy of hard to read. I have also chosen to

alternate the colours to make particular parts of the writing

stand out. This is an easier way than using bold. Throughout my

layout I have used square boxes to keep the writing and pictures in

separate boundaries, this helps to keep the magazine looking neater

and more professional. It also makes the writing, which I used

columns for, this makes it easier to read.

Question Two- How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My media product of a magazine does represent a particular social group. The particular social group my magazine reflects is people interested in indie rock and

alternative music. It also reflects the kind of people who are interested in music from before there era, for example The Smiths. The colours used in my magazine

also reflect the kind of colours people reading the magazine like and might wear. My magazine is unfussy and to the point which also represents my particular social group. The social group are also very specific

and different, just as my magazine is. They are the kind of people of people who may not dress like the norm

and have a different outlook on life. People in this social group also have a very specific taste in music

which is exactly what my magazine is about as well as giving the social group knowledge on social groups and

music.

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

Different kinds of media institution may distribute my magazine for example: IPC. IPC Media produces over 60 iconic media brands, with print alone reaching almost two thirds of

UK women and 42% of UK men – almost 26 million UK adults. IPC distribute NME. My

magazine if very similar to NME, therefore I think a company like IPC would be a perfect

distributer for my magazine MW. Bauer Media Group may also be interested in distributing

my magazine as they do so for magazines like Q and Kerrang, which could also be seen as

similar to my magazine. My magazine is similar to mainly NME therefore if IPC were to

distribute my magazine they would already have the correct specific type of audience that would be interested in magazine and want to

purchase it. I think IPC is a perfect distributer for my music magazine.

Question Four- Who would be the audience for your media product?

The audience for my magazine is males and females interested in alternative and indie music around the ages of 16-35. I think this

is a suitable audience and age range as it is often only people over a certain age who relate with indie and alternative music. Although it is often seen that men are more interested in this

style than women I still feel women would relate to my magazine as many alternative artists are female. My target audience are very specific and are normally interested in certain thing, the

most important of these being alternative music. My audience are people who enjoy listening to old and new music and appreciate bands and artists for the type of music they play. Often people

included in my target audience will be playing their own music or be part of a band. My target audience are the kind of people who

have grew up being surrounded by music and take a massive interest in it. MW will appeal to the types of music they are

interested in and give them knowledge and information on bands they like or may like in the future

Question Five- How did you attract/address your audience?

I have used many different techniques to attract and address my audience and to make them read

and be interested in my magazine. These techniques include tag-lines found all over the cover for example: ‘Free The Smiths, Kasabian

and Nirvana posters’ this grabs the readers attention and makes them want to read my

magazine and receive the free goods.

I have also used bold writing, colours and picture throughout my magazine to capture the

readers attention and make them read on or look for a certain page. An example of this is my band index, which makes people need to

look through my magazine MW as it is quickly and easy to find the bands that you’re looking

for.

Question Five- How did you attract/address your audience? continued

I used language throughout my magazine that would attract my target audience and appeal to them. For example “Discuss the hype” this is the kind of language that my target audience of males and females interested in alternative and indie music around the ages of 16-35, will use therefore it will appeal to them. This makes them more likely to start and read my magazine MW.

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

Throughout the construction of my magazine I have learnt

information about technologies. For example I have learnt different skills to do with Adobe Photoshop. I used Photoshop on each of my pictures to improve the

quality and make them stand out more. Constructing this

magazine has taught me how to use Photoshop quickly and

successfully.

Question Six- What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? continued

MW has also helped me to learn technologies surrounding Adobe InDesign, where I made my magazine in. Making my magazine in this software has taught me how to use and taught me my way around the software. I now find both Adobe InDesign and Photoshop easier to use thanks to the construction of my music magazine product.

Question Seven-Looking back at your preliminary task (the College magazine), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Looking back at my college magazine I feel that I have learnt a lot during the progression of my magazine. I have

mainly learnt how to arrange text and taglines. I have learnt that this is important and that tag lines and

headers, and the way they are arranged helps to sell a magazine. My college

magazine did not have all properties of a magazine for example: price, date and barcode whereas my music magazine,

MW contains all of these properties and more. I have also changed the colour schemes from my college magazine to

appeal to my target audience more. This, again, gives MW a professional feel

which makes it more likely to be bought by the public.