Evaluation qustions

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

My Rock magazine follows several codes and conventions of media products. One symbolic convention my pictures follow throughout my magazine is the type of outfit they are wearing. All pictures contain models wearing linkable clothing to those of the reader; my audience being gothic Rock fans. For example my main model Prestigious Wreck, continues to wear long droopy clothing as well as a slack beanie showing the ‘not bothered’ attitude which is stereotypically linked with Rock fans. 

Another way in which my magazine follows and uses the classic forms and conventions of media products is with the continuous use of pugs. In all 4 featured pages in my magazine is a very distinctive square with an ‘H’ inside, which is clearly linked with the title of my magazine ‘Heavy’ which only features on the front cover. Using pugs throughout a magazine give the magazine a brand that consumers would recognise if it was to be on another product that was linked to the magazine e.g a freebie attached to the product. 

2.How does your media product represent particular social groups? 

Several aspects throughout my magazine show a solid link towards my target market, and therefore a particular social group. My continuous font throughout the magazine is either a jet black or a silvery grey. These are very dull colours but fortunately blend well with the more upbeat pictures that bring the magazines to life. The dullness reflects the attitudes and opinions of my chosen target market. 

Another way in which my media product represents a particular social group is through the font of my titles. ‘Prestigious Wreck’s title in particular is very graffiti like, therefore making it recognisable for both my target audience and older generations, that my magazine is linked with a much younger vibe. As well as Prestigious Wreck, my main magazine title ‘HEAVY’ is bold and very dominant on the front page. The word HEAVY itself is very significant to rock (heavy metal), but as well as that I feel the font is very gothic with its slick silvery lines and its dark outlined shadow. 

3.Who would be the audience for your media product? 

The audience who I have strived to entertain throughout my magazine is teenage Rock fans.  

4.How did you attract/address your audience? 

Throughout all my pages in my magazine I have included linkable content that what primary research would suggest a typical Rock fan would enjoy. This includes content about actual Rock stars that are known throughout the Rock community, general knowledge a fan would want to know e.g. tour dates, and pictures that would be stereotypically linked to Rock and Roll. 

5.What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?  

Well to start off with, the Seriff application Page Plus was a whole new concept to me. After working out the basics I instantly recognised how much more advanced it was for making such things as a music magazine than a simple Word page. 

There was an endless list of different effects you could include into just one title including shadows, outlines, 3D and reflections. I found myself using at least four effects per title in some cases. Another handy tool I found myself using on particular my first and second draft was the picture cutting tool. With this you could literally eliminate a background of a model in a mere matter of seconds, leaving the picture of just the person. I had a lot of fun and experiments with this tool as I often found id accidently cropped off an ear or in some scenarios half a face. However, after I got the hang of it, I found it quite useful.

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

• The importance of a similiar colour/layout scheme throughout the whole product
• Remain linked with target market throughout product- pictures, colours, diaglogue 
• Sometimes less is best