Evaluation Question 1 To 6

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

It is generally accepted that all media texts are constructed, and that it is put together by creative and technical teams who follow standard procedures for selecting, compiling and editing material. My music magazine challenges the generic elements and conventions of an existing real life magazine. My music magazine front cover follows the generic conventions of a magazine similar to Kerrang! For example, my magazine features a masthead relating to Rock’n’roll, as it has connotations which can refer to populist rock songs. It can also be a term used to describe the rhythm of the song. The house style of my magazine will enhance the verisimilitude of my media product as it will look professional for the genre catagory.

Other elements we expect to find on a niche magazine such my own are gender specified colours. For example while producing my own front cover, contents page and double page spread. I took into consideration what colour scheme to use. I created a magazine which has a stereotypical colour scheme, as it stereotypically appeals to males, because dull dark colours are often associated with masculinity. My magazine also features pugs, which include issue number, website, price and date issued etc. My front cover features a cover image similar to Kerrang! I have tried to base my magazine to a similar style to Kerrang!, but the main difference between the front cover of Kerrang! That I semiotically analysed is that it only featured a single person performing live, whereas my front cover features a band doing a photo shoot.

The inspiration for my media product came from the Kerrang! Magazine. Similarities between the two magazines include sell lines aligned right, banners at both top and bottom of the pages, and a barcode with pugs in the bottom right. And a call out box featuring ‘brand new 1st edition’.

Other generic elements within my media product are drop capitals for my article on my double page spread, and a gutter around the edge of my contents page and double page spread. My media product uses these generic elements because in order for my product to look real; it has to follow certain characteristics we expect to find on a magazine. This therefore will enhance the verisimilitude of my product. My product follows the forms and conventions of a music magazine, for example archetype means literally the original model. Archetypes exist throughout the history of the narrative form. From folk tales and legends thousands of year’s old to modern stories we come across heroes and villains, earth mother and prodigal son, princess and Shining Knight etc. The reference is to a character so well established in traditional stories that the type appears to transcend history or a specific culture. An archetype is used in my magazine as the band represents the original stereotype of a band associated with a rock music magazine.

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

My media product has a niche target audience; I believe this is reflected in the house style, photographs used, and colours. My magazine relates to a rock genre, this is easily recognisable by the masthead title name and the effects upon the masthead. For example we associate chrome and metal in musical terms as rock music, so this was why I put the effect on the masthead, because it individually typifies the audience of my music magazine. My media product also represents my target audience in a very stereotypical manner, for example I have used a band on the front wearing dark masculine colours, with long hair, and electric guitars, and this represents stereotypes because not everyone associated with rock music looks or appears to be this way. But for magazines sake it works well to stick with stereotypes. In the name of Dyer 1985 Representation can be in the sense of speaking for and on behalf of somebody or a group. I believe my media product agrees with this claim. As part of an imaginary entity, the audience I have targeted are often associated with heavy metal, dark dull clothing, like live gigs, tours, plays the instruments etc.

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

I believe my media product will be distributed by a media conglomerate such as Bauer, and not an independent company. This is because I have featured the main splash article on the front cover image band, and put the limelight upon them. I think it will be released by a conglomerate because my product features global star bands such as Thin Lizzy, The Who, AC/DC etc, so because of this, it will appeal to a wide audience of rock music, as it has no specific sub genre category. I think the main reason why it is not an independent distributor is that the artists featured on my magazine are not local and unknown, they are all globularly known and so for that reason it would be released by a media conglomerate.

Above is a cropped image of the top banner of my magazine, it features three artists that have all at some point featured in Kerrang! At some point. Kerrang! Is a music magazine of a very similar genre and target audience to my own media product, and is distributed and owned by the media conglomerate Bauer. I have chosen the bands to put into my magazine very carefully, and because the three have been in Kerrang!, It gives more evidence to support my argument that my media product should be distributed by a media conglomerate such as Bauer.

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

Reader Profile Of My Media Product

Male=90%
Female=10%
Average Age=25
Working Full Time=61%
Working Part Time=13%
Still Studying=40%
Possible Circulation Figures=40,000
Possible Readership Figures=150,000

As representation, presenting reality over again to us. Reality is mediated through forms of representation available in the culture. Therefore all media texts are mediated, as Stuart Hall suggests, the audience is made to accept a dominant and preferred reading of a media text. Because of this, my audience is denoted as having a specific demographic readership which consists of the target audience being individually spirited, musically experienced, an audience defined by attitude, passion and committed to music. My target audience will be aged 16-40; this is because rock music is followed by a range of age groups. I have chosen an age group of 16-40 because rock appeals to them, for example, they will enjoy going to gigs, tours and playing instruments.

My target audience will be predominately male; this is because stereotypically males prefer rock music. However a small percentage of my audience will be female, this is due to a rise in female rock fans. I would imagine it is aimed at the working class mainly, as high class people and middle class people would spend their money on more expensive things and wouldn't spend their money on magazines associated with popular culture and the proletarian class. I predict that quite a lot more men would read the magazine than women which is stereotypical and controversial to say the least, however I believe this is a true factor. This then may suggest that more men than women are rock fans. The target is also clearly English people as the magazine is written in English.

My suggestion is that my media product and distributor will interpret its target audience image by using synergy, cross media, and other advertisements associated with my magazine. Such advertisements include drum kits, beer and lager, guitar amps and upgrades, tours and live performances, horror movies such as my bloody valentine etc. Genres tend to offer a means of discussing contemporary society by using a stock set of characters. Generic types are easy to identify in magazines, which have a distinct portrait of characters on a front cover and throughout the magazine. The genre is clearly a rock for my media product, and because of this, it can reflect into the imaginary entity of my target audience which is stereotypically similar to the magazine genre.

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

The mode of address for my target audience was peer to peer and teacher to pupil. This is because my magazine uses text and language at a level which can connect with the audience. My magazine uses quite authoritarian language because it feels the reader what to look at and why. The bottom banner on my front cover uses peep to peer mode of address to communicate with my audience, the free cd inside uses teacher to pupil mode of address to entice the readers to buy the magazine in order to get a free cd.

Stereotypes are composite images that represent people and ideas in society by emphasising certain common features. New stereotypes are created and recognised all the time. Stereotypes depend on a shared cultural knowledge and to this extent some part of the stereotypical image must ‘ring true’ for most people. Compared to generic types, stereotypes are more accessible. As they rely on shared cultural knowledge, readers can readily make sense of them. Such instantly recognisable people and situations allow for the widest access to a story. But this accessibility is both strength and a weakness.

I used a stereotype main cover image to connect and reassure with my audience, this is partly how I addressed my audience. I wanted my target audience to feel part of the culture and society as what is being depicted in my media product. By using the pose depicted on my front cover image, the audience can really understand the genre of the magazine and imagine, ‘that could be me on there’. Stereotypes can be very powerful images that embody strong emotional responses. As stereotypes develop, we often respond to them with a sense of identity or alienation, I feel in my media product, the audience can identify and connect with the band and magazine, and not feel alienated by it. The audience immediately relates to the stereotype. Where in fact they may be reading the stereotype in relation to other signifiers within a well understood genre.

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

Technologies used:

Internet Explorer web 2.0-blog
Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0
Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0
QuarkXPress passport 7.31
QuarkXPress 8.01
Cannon SLR EOS

During the creation of my media product, I have used a variety of software and hardware. To submit my work, I used a website called blogger.com, which can be accessed by using Internet Explorer web 2.0. The purpose of using a blog was too able me to create, develop, and submit all of my coursework, which includes research, preliminary tasks, main media product task etc onto one webpage. This way my work can be marked easily. To create and develop my front cover for both my preliminary and main media product task, I used a combination of Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 and 8.0. To create my contents page double page spread I used QuarkXPress passport 7.31 and QuarkXPress 8.01. The reason I have used two different versions of Photoshop and Quark is that I have both sets of software at home. Using Photoshop, I have learnt a lot on how to develop and create images and work. By using Quark, I had learnt how to create a professional contents page and double page spread. There were certain tools of Photoshop which enabled me to do some photograph manipulation. For example the screenshot below shows certain functions that can be performed upon an image.

I have used the Cannon SLR EOS camera with a 15.1 megapixel image. I used this camera for all of my photos in my magazine, as it gives a clear and detailed picture. I have learnt how to use the SLR because before the media coursework began; I had never used an SLR camera before, only a standard compact digital camera and camcorder. Other technologies I have used include a Nikon Coolpix S520, and Epson and Cannon scanner and a microphone in order to record question 7.

Question 7 Evaluation

Lesson Objectives

• Finish question one on my evaluation
• Start question two in-depth

Final Media Product Magazine

This is my final media product magazine.

Final Preliminary Tasks

My final preliminary tasks.

Production Schedules

My production schedules and tasks in which to do to complete my media product coursework.

Lesson Objectives

• Start my evaluation for my media product
• Look at how to submit work

First Final Double Page Spread

This is my first final double page spread, it is not completely finished but it will be very simular to this.

Final Treatment

Production team:
Wayne Miller

My work will consist of a front cover, contents page and a double page spread. My magazine genre will be a niche rock magazine. My magazine will follow the generic elements of a music magazine, especially Kerrang! Because it is a similar magazine genre to my own magazine.
My target audience will be aged 16-40; this is because rock music is followed by a range of age groups. I have chosen an age group of 16-40 because rock appeals to them, for example, they will enjoy going to gigs, tours and playing instruments.

My target audience will be predominately male; this is because stereotypically males prefer rock music. However a small percentage of my audience will be female, this is due to a rise in ‘female rock fans’.

Front cover = inside of college.
Full Metal Jacket band name
Three people as a group
All male
Two guitarists

Contents page = all inside of college.
Four solo artists
One band

Double page spread = inside of college
Variety of photos of my front cover band

Interview = with the band on my front cover about their views and interpretations, and their personal opinions on greatest bands, addictions, tours, albums etc.

Article = with the band on my front cover about their views on Britain today, and an in-depth look at their new album to be released.

Before starting my own magazine, I researched existing rock magazines, particularly Kerrang! And analysed their generic characteristics. From this I was able to produce my own magazine, based on what I had seen and learnt about Kerrang! I also looked into front cover image research where I chose 3 images for a draft front cover and chose one to put on my magazine. I did further research into styles and layouts when I compared various fonts to see what goes well with a rock magazine.

I also researched a Kerrang! Front cover, contents page and a double page spread. For my own double page spread, I will have to interview the band to gain feedback to be able to write a precise article about the band.

The nearest health and safety officer is located in the sports department; this is the closest office from the Media department which can perform first aid.

Article For Final Double Page Spread

Article for double page spread

Article:

ROCK'N'ROLL can exclusively reveal that Full Metal Jacket's upcoming second studio album will be entitled Sterilize. According to frontman Mike, the follow up to 2006's Cheating Death will be a “concept record” structured around the meltdown of a nation and features bonus tracks and music videos of there latest live performances. “It's all about what's going on in today's society, both politically and economically, as it affects us all in the country,” Mike explained. “In some of our songs there is a hidden moral in the lyrics, whereas in other songs our message is clear and direct. The first track on the album will shock everyone believe me.” While Sterilize looks set to be a grim summary of Britain today, Mike came up with the idea of the album name over a year ago when finishing their first studio album. “It just seemed to make sense at the time, you know, with everyone fearing the current global affairs and recession, I just wanted a name that would open up people's eyes and say stop to the disruption in today's society. But the fact is it is already to late as the damage has been done, as a human race we have ruined the one chance we have on this planet, no-one to blame but ourselves. What future lies ahead of us?” The band have also revealed they have begun work on creating a short film to accompany the release of their new album. “We wanted to make something big and bold, which will receive a lot of publicity as that is what we are trying to achieve.” ROCK'N'ROLL can exclusively announce that Full Metal Jacket will be hitting the road in mid May to start a hectic three months of tours and gigs. The band will be heading up to the Sheffield Arena this month to kick things off. “I'm so excited, on tender hooks” says Mike. “As a group we just cannot wait to kick ass at the arena, hopefully it will awesome, as this what we dream of, playing in front of our fans doing the things we love!” Sterilize will be released early next year through Warp Records, bringing together a local connection and partnership with Full Metal Jacket.

Interview Article For Final Double Page Spread

Article for double page spread

Interview:

On tour, you seem to have a very serious reputation; convince us that your shows will be fun.

JOEY: “Its not for me to say, you've gotta come and find out for yourself. Having that kind of reputation can get really annoying sometimes. Over the years Mike has been singing about real issues, with 100% truth in his lyrics. I just think people don't really listen to what's being said. Perhaps the reason why we seem to have a pretty serious reputation.”

Your band membership has changed frequently over the years, what's your view on the current line-up?

MIKE: “Yeah the line-up has changed a lot, but saying that its being the same for the last two years now. Its being great not to teach anyone the songs, and everyone has really got used to each other now. Behind the scenes there had been a few riffs I admit, but those days are well over. We are just concentrating on our new album at the moment.”

Next month you are performing at the Sheffield Arena, what do you expect the atmosphere will be like?

MIKE: “I think the atmosphere will be f***ing awesome. Going back to the place we grew up will be a special couple of nights for sure, I'm just hoping we can put on a show for our fans out there. With all the thousands packed into the arena, I'm praying that the atmosphere will be electric, there's nothing worse for a band going on stage and finding the fans are all waiting for the interval ice cream and tea break (laughs).”

Will you guys be performing at any festivals?

MIKE: “We have a very busy schedule this year, playing at all sorts of events up and down the country. We are performing at Glastonbury on the 28th June this year, followed by the V festival on 20th August. Before Glastonbury however there is of course our gig at the Sheffield Arena on May 13th. So a lot of big events in such a short space of time, plus we have to fit in the recording of our new album as well. A pretty stressful time for us yes.”

There has been a lot of criticism about your addiction to heroin, how have you coped with the limelight and how have you overcome your addiction?

MIKE: “Looking back, I regret that I even got involved in drugs, it started to ruin my life you know. I can't blame people and the media for scrutinising my addiction, I suppose I deserved it for letting my fans down. I was in the bottom of a rut and turned to help with the NHS. They helped me gradually come clean over the last few months. And I owe everything to them because I couldn't put up with the criticism I was getting. But looking forward, with the stable band line-up and my worries behind me I am confident of a bright future for Full Metal Jacket.”

What was the first ever gig you went to as a teen?

JOEY: “Well being the bassist of Full Metal Jacket, I hadn't been interested much in going to see live performances and tours, gigs etc. Em but a few years ago back in 2005 I went to go and see David Gilmour perform his magic along with Pink Floyd at the Live 8. I must say it was bloody brilliant, I loved the fact he donated all his profits to charity, he's such a role model for the music industry.”

After the current tour is over, when will you be back in the recording studio?

MIKE: “As soon as the tour is over at Sheffield we are heading back to the studio to continue on our next album-Sterilize. The album will feature bonus tracks of us live at the Sheffield Arena. The album also features a new style of bass line, so it should be interesting to find out what people think of it”

Being a lead singer, in an ideal world, who would you like to be your bass guitarist and drummer?

MIKE: “Well we've just heard Joey's Idol is David Gilmour. I'd have to say in an ideal world I would absolutely love to perform with Brian May of Queen, his natural talent and feel for the guitar really shone through at Wembley in '86. I adore John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, as he was so creative in what he did. I mean I can recall when he played with four drum sticks. Like oh my god who else ever thought of that, he was a thorough entertainer.”

There has been a constant dispute over the greatest band of all time, which is your favourite band of all time?

JOEY: “As far as rock his concerned, my top five rock bands of all time are Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, U2 and The Who. But this is just my personal opinion. I think out of the five The Who are the greatest band of all time, they typified England as a country and grasped it with both hands. They had a great band and produced great music for the nation.”

When you were growing up in your late teens, what was the sort of music you listened to?

MIKE: “I loved to listen to a wide variety of music, but particularly rock and heavy metal. I suppose growing up in the early late 80’s to early 90’s, I listened to AC/DC, Def Leppard who rock!, Metallica and Phil Collins with Genesis. These were just some of my favourite rock bands and idols. I was brought up on the proper stuff, and real music which seems to be dying out these days which is very unfortunate for the current generation.”