Evaluation 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Here is a Slide Share presentation to show question 7. I have tried to show the main elements of what I have learnt from the preliminary task, and what skills I used within my main task.

Question 7 from hayleycrone

Evaluation 6: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

EQUIPMENT

Whilst taking my original photography for my media product I used a variety of different cameras:

I used the Canon EOS 550D to take the most of the photography for my media product. The images placed on my product which were taken using this camera were the cover photo, double page spread and on the contents page the images stating ‘fest photos’ and also the cover story called ‘new talent’. Using this camera for these shots I learnt how to focus the camera better whilst taking the live shots at the local festival as it was hard to get a good shot when they were moving around stage a lot. Also by playing around with the camera settings I learnt how to change brightness, contrast and change the effects within the camera.

Camera tripod I used this briefly when taking the photographs for my front cover and double page spread as some of the photo compositions were at awkward angles so this piece of equipment was helpful in getting the shot I wanted.

 

Another camera that I used was the camera from my iPhone 4. This camera was used within one of the gig shots (the one with the ginger wildheart story). I had to use the camera on my phone as in many gig venues you are not allowed to take in any cameras over 8mp. As I had never used this camera phone at a gig before I had to learn and figure out the right way of getting the clearest shot. I learnt that the best shot is taken without the flash on, whilst trying to keep steady hands when the crowd is pushing.

Finally the last camera I used is from the Blackberry touch 9100. This camera was used for the ‘music icon’ content story. This camera was the hardest to use as the camera quality isn’t very good, I had the same problems that I had with the iPhone about trying to get a clear shot and not being allowed in a better camera. I also had to learn how to get a good clear shot as I had never used that phone at a gig before.

COMPUTER PROGRAMMES

I used InDesign for creating my media product; this included me learning how to use the different variety of tools. A new tool that I learnt to use in the production of my magazine was the wrap text tool. I used this to wrap the article text around the initial that I placed at the beginning of the article. Another new tool that I learnt to use was the eyedropper tool, I knew previously how to use it but I learnt that you could pick out the colours from an image. I used the tool for this reason; it is where I got the house style colours for my magazine by picking them up from my photos.

I used Photoshop briefly to add brightness to my original photography; I learnt that I can select certain areas of an image using the magic wand tool to highlight the certain areas that needed to be brightened. I used this new skill for my cover photo to make the brightness of the wall appear whiter.

iMovie was used to edit my video clips together. I learnt how to add a voiceover recording over my video, and also how to zoom into different sections of an image to show it clearly what I was talking about in my voice over. Also I learnt how to cut and crop clips, and add different transitions into the videos to make them run smoother.

Prezi allowed me to create interesting PowerPoint’s which zoom into different elements that I want. I learnt how to use this site to create better presentations, learning how to add images, text and create the link path for the presentation.

YouTube was used when I uploaded my video recordings of audience giving me feedback on for final media product.

Slide Share was also a new programme that I used for my media research and evaluations. I learnt that you are able to create presentations simply using PowerPoint and then all you do is upload them to the site account that you create for yourself.

Blogger let me upload all of my work onto one site. I learnt how to create new posts and follow existing blogs, as I had never used blogger or created a blog before this was all new to me.

Flickr was used briefly to show my annotated versions of my draft designs, I learnt how to upload images to the Flickr site that I created.

 I used the social networking site Facebook to post my final media product to see if I would get feedback from an online audience, which includes friends and people I know

I also used Twitter to post my final media product, as I was trying to get audience feedback. because on Twitter the audience seeing the post are different to Facebook. Posting it to Twitter was better as the people who follow me on Twitter listen to the same music as me which is Indie Rock.

Evaluation 5: How did you attract/ address your audience?

Here is a voice over video I have created using iMovie and uploading it to YouTube. The video is of me talking about the elements of the magazine which engages the audience and zooming into them aspects. I think this is a good way of showing the ways in which my media product attracts my target audience.

Evaluation 4: Who would be the audience for your media product?

I have created a brief video recording of feedback from someone that fits into my target audience, asking him what he like about the magazine. As you can hear he mentions some of the bands within the magazine that he recognises as he listens to this genre, their the types of elements that attract my audience to the magazine. also within the video is a short recording from the 'Two Door Cinema Club' gig that I went to recently. within the clip you see clear key iconography from the way the people within the Indie Rock genre act. The people from this gig would be the type of audience for my media product as they're interested and listen to the genre of the magazine that I produced.



From that gig I asked some people in the queue before hand their name, favourite bands/ musicians, magazines they read and their hobbies, so I could use these people as examples of the targeted audience. I wrote them down on my phone notes, as if I had done lots of recordings it would have killed my phone battery so I wouldn't of been able to use it in the gig.

Name: Amy Fowler
Favourite Band/ Musician: Two Door Cinema Club
Magazines you read?: Sometimes NME
Hobbies: Gigs, Listening to music

Name: Dan Smith
Favourite Band/ Musician: Mumford & Sons
Magazines you read?: None
Hobbies: Guitar, Going out with mates

Name: Micheal Copper
Favourite Band/ Musician: Fun
Magazines you read?: Q, Golfing mags
Hobbies: Playing Golf

Name: Lauren White
Favourite Band/ Musician: The Vaccines
Magazines you read?: NME
Hobbies: TV

Name: Scott Jackson
Favourite Band/ Musician: The Libertines
Magazines you read?: Sometimes NME or Q
Hobbies: Football

Name: Jenny Read
Favourite Band/ Musician: Tribes
Magazines you read?: None
Hobbies: Going to gigs with mates

Evaluation 3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Here is the link to my Prezi presentation on the evaluation question 3. It shows how I looked into the two main Media consumers which are IPC Media and Bauer Media one which is mainly UK based and the other which is worldwide. This presentation shows my choice of decision for which institution I would go for if i was publishing my magazine in real life.

Evaluation 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The images above are an example of how my magazine represents a particular social group. My original photographs show the social group that my media products represents because of the models/ musicians used within the images. The social group that my media product represents is Indie Rock, the target audience who follow the indie rock music scene and the representation that goes with that same genre, such as the clothing, festivals and gigs. In the case of my images the ways they show the social group is from the location, composition, props, instruments and key iconography shown within them. For example the variety of location shows many different gig venues, which is a main part of the Indie Rock scene. Many of the bands and musicians within the genre tend to go on tours around the country. The people who follow that Indie scene will usually attend some of the gigs and are widely interested in them, as some tickets can be quite cheap, they’re in a variety of locations and mainly there a lot of fun and you can meet new people into the same music as you are. The instruments used in the photos show my social group as basically all musicians within my chosen genre uses live instruments such as guitars, bass guitars and drum kits which I have tried to show within these photos. I have tried to show a range of age groups within the magazine, from the photos I used models from my own age group and also from an older age group. The Indie Rock genre has a wide age range across the musicians and listeners this is why I have also tried to show variety in age within the models. The colour scheme I have used represents the genre as red, orange, black and white are unusual colours to use in a magazine. I didn’t use a bright red, but a warm darker toned burgundy colour which represents the genre better. For example if I had used pink or bright blue it wouldn’t represent my genre at all. The colours would be too bright for my genre, as Indie Rock is quite a subtle genre which is the opposite of the pop genre.  The contents of the magazine includes popular well known bands within the Indie Rock genre, these elements of furniture clearly show who the magazine is for and who it is aimed and targeted at.  

Evaluation 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Here is my answer for question one I have shown this using a Slide Share presentation. I have shown the use, development and challanges of conventions from existing media products which are similar to the media production that I created.

Evaluation: Question 1 from hayleycrone

Final Production & Feedback

Here is my final complete media product I made changes to the contents page and a few little changes on the cover and double page spread, again I asked some of my target audience for their feedback. I postesd my final pieces onto two social networking sites (Facebook and Twitter) to see if I would get any comments from audience, I have attacted a YouTube video with a few of the comments I recorded from two people:

Comments from target audience:

"Much better improvement on the content page, much more engaging"

"Better improvement from the other content page"

"Better eye catching contents page"

"Nice use of shapes, highlights the important stories"

"Use of variety of images now, they flow through the page"

"Could have placed the head over the magazine title like they do on some real ones"

"Logo stands out, its simple, looks similar to NME but i like it"

Social Networking Comments:

Video Comments:

Extra: Chosen Photography

Extra: Photography

To show more variety in location I've chosen some of the photographs I had taken previous to the task at different locations. The first set of photography is from a local festival where I took photos of my friends playing a small set on a youth stage. Their instruments an compostition of image show the Indie Rock genre. The second set of photos are of busters playing on the streets of London. Occasionally the person within the photo would look directly into the camera, which made a very good shot as it engages the audience. I will pick the best set of photos and use them on my contents page to fill up the empty space and show more location.

Initial Production & Feedback

These are my initial production for my media product, I have asked peers and my target audience for their feedback on my magazine pieces. Also I asked them what they think I should do to improve my magazine.

Here are some positive and negative comments they made:

"I like the composition of the images on the cover and double page spread"

"Good photos! double page spread one is perfect for this genre, love it!"

"Colours match the genre well"

"Layout of the text is good"

"Content page doesn't work as well as the other pages do"

"Too many cover lines running down the page"

"Cover lines wrap around the image nicely"

Also I asked what could do to improve my media products these are their comments:

"Need loads more images on content page"

"Use less text on the cover"

"More text and content on the contents page"

"Shrink the page numbers and wrap the text better"

"Show more location in the images"

Article Copy

This is the article that I wrote for my double page spread, firstly I asked Steven a few general questions and then some more detailed ones. after I had taken some quick notes I then added in some other little details to make the article longer. Slighly changing some of the words and things that Steven would have said to me, to make it fit in within the conventions of my magazine.

STEVEN HORRY

The Lead singer/ Guitarist of ‘Nuisance’ answer some of AMP fan questions on their story as a band and also Steven as a person. AMP’s interviewer Sam Young catches up with Steven at his new flat to find out what he has to say.

The 29 year old Steven Horry front man of the 5 piece Indie Rock band ‘Nuisance’ alongside his band members which were unable to make the interview. Fellow members Paul Newman – Bassist, Ben Smith – Piano/ Synth, Daniel Homes – Drums and Justin Moon – Lead Guitarist. The band met in late 2008 at an open mic night in one of the bars at Camden town a usual hangout spot for all of the boys. Since then the boys have been writing songs with big influences from bands such as Suede, The Beach Boys, The Smiths and The Rolling Stones. So far the boys have released two successful albums and have played main stage at the famous Reading and Leads festival for two consecutive years. Also with regards to their second album ‘With No Heart’ Nuisance have been on a European tour playing at some of the popular cities within Europe.

AMP: Where was Nuisance’s first gig?

Steven: “We played at the Camden Barfly only a few months after forming the band, Dan had been working there as a Bar man for a bit and he managed to get us a 30 minute slot for one night I think another band cancelled. It didn’t turn out to bad seeing as we hadn’t been together for very long, I mean I thought it was absolutely terrible but somehow after that gig, we managed to get a few more booked at different bars around Camden every weekend, which was pretty amazing”

AMP: What is your most prized possession?

Steven: “I would definitely say my vintage Gibson 1964 guitar it cost me a bloody arm and a leg. Buying that meant I had to stay in every night and starve for nearly 4 months, just so you know I didn’t actually starve. But it was totally worth it, this guitar is my favourite and I’m never going to get rid of it now”.

AMP: What is your favourite TV Show?

Steven: “This is an easy one Doctor Who obviously it’s absolutely amazing! If you asked me anything about it I would know, and if you’re wondering yes I’m a bit of a Doctor Who fan girl. I own quite a few different memorabilia from some of the series. I think the best one has to be recently when I got married, we bought these cake topers which were two bride and groom Daleks to go on top on the cake, they were so awesome they’re both on my shelf now”

AMP: What do you like to do in your spare time?

Steven: “On the side lines to the music I love to draw and create graphics on my computer, I studied Art and design at college because that was my other love besides music. I’ve drawn all of my life and soon I’m going to be working on producing a book full of my work hopefully people will buy it”

AMP: What is the best album you’ve brought?

Steven: “It has to be Suede’s first album ‘Dog Man Star’ it’s a classic. Most of my favourite songs are from that album, I’d say that it gave me the inspiration to begin writing music in the first place”.

AMP: Nuisance festival gossip?

Steven: “At the moment I can’t give too much away about it, but I can confirm that we will be one of the main Head liners this coming year at Reading & Leeds. We do have other confirmed festivals for the year but I have to keep them secret or I might get in trouble with a lot of scary people”.

AMP: Finally, What’s the news on the new album?

Steven: “The lads and I have been working together on album 3 for a while now, should be released late September this year. We tried to go for the pure Rock sound again similar to our first album, working on the tight guitar riffs, trying to keep Rock alive with this one”.

WORDS: SAM YOUNG      PHOTOS: KAT DEANE

Edits

I edited my original images for my cover page, here are two of the edits which I did on Photoshop by changing the brightness and contrast in the photo. Originally I started with the one on the left, but once I had placed it into InDesign with some fonts and cover lines the background wasn't bright enough. So then I made another edit, this time making the white wall brightness higher so that it appeared a more crisp white than in the original photo.

Also I wanted to try a Black and White effect on my photo, so I could test out different styles that could go with my layout of the double page spread and article. I really love this Black and White effect, but once I placed in onto the document on InDesign the image faded into the background slightly because of the bright shapes already placed on the page.

Chosen Photography

Photography: Steven Horry

Double page spread shots: For my double page spread I have positioned my model to sit on a chair whist playing his guitar. The setting I chose shows key iconography of the Indie Rock genre. In the background audience can see shelves of records. I chose the guitar in which my model used for the pictures, this was a vintage Gibson 1964 guitar. This certain guitar is typically associated with the Rock and Indie Rock genre. I chose to use this guitar for my photographs because of what genre it shows. Also the fact that it is red was another reason for my decision. As in my beginning draft designs I had used a lot of red within the designs, in things such as title, copy and shapes. So I thought this would be my best choice for an instrument.

Front cover shots: I decided on the compostion and clothing style that my model had. I chose a brown tweed jacket, white shirt and tie, casual skinny jeans and smart brown leather shoes. Typically this is the way which a person interested and linked into the Indie Rock genre dresses. I knew this is the type of style that i wanted to use, this was infuenced by my research into the representation of the Indie Rock Genre. I tried 3 different kind of compositions which were a white background with the model standing and posing. The next was one where the model sits on some steps posing with the guitar. And the last one was the model standing up against a dark wooden background.

Test Shots

I took some test shots at my chosen location and some of the surroundings. This was done to test the lighting within the room to see how the photographs would come out. In the first shot the flash was not on and you can see how the photo is not very clear or sharp, but in the other shots when the flash was on it made the location look better. My chosen location is my cousins flat, which is...... and has been refurbised into flats. Most

Previous Gig Photography

In the past I have been to many gigs and taken photos. Here are a selections of photographs from the different gigs that i have been to. The bands within these photos are: The Kooks, Tribes, The Wombats, Noel Gallagher and The High Flying Birds, Static Jacks, Graham Coxon. All of these bands are within the Indie Genre so I could use them in my magazine contents page to enable to fill up the space and show variety of locations. Sometimes it is very hard to take clear photographs at a gig when you're in a crowd of people because the camera is unable to stay still. If I do use any of these photographs in my magazine i will analyse which ones are the clearest and would work will in my magazine.

Location Choice

These are some location photos which were taken previously to the shoot. It was previously a vicars parish which has been convented into flats, outside there are old 2 listed folly's which had been build in the past. I chose this location because of the dark wooden wall panelling, wooden floor boards, fireplace and vintage furniture. This certain style of setting is perfect for my double page spread shoot because of the key iconography that it shows which represents the Indie Rock genre.

Image Composition Ideas

These are my ideas for the composition and layout of my images which I will take. This research has helped me develop my ideas which I will go on to produce behind and infront of the camera.

Draft Designs 2

Here are my second set of draft designs for my Indie Rock magazine which I am going to create for my task. Click on the image to view the annotated version of it on Flickr.