How
does your media product represent particular social groups?
I decided to answer this question in video format but then also wrote out the script underneath the video link.
The product represents people like
me, people who want to kick stereotypes and challenge conventions.
The Target audience for this magazine is 16 to 30 year olds, both genders and mainly a white ethnic demographic.
The age is from 16 and 30 because the youngest age you are really able to go to festivals and gigs is 16, before then it has to be with an adult doesn't fit with the independent image of the genre. The top age is 30 because after this age adults tend to have more commitments and it is harder to prioritise festivals over family and work commitments. This is why the models are young and wearing the hipster sort of clothes.
Both genders are represented because male and females both enjoy this life style and the festival scene.
The ethnicity is white because it is mainly white musicians who are in this music genre. it is not by any means exclusive to this ethnicity and with the web this is increasingly changing. People are listening to different styles of music outside their community. But having the majority of the models as white would appeal to social groups of this genre of music. I think my magazine is similar to the Indie magazine NME so I did some research into their target audience. It's people who are almost obsessive over music and want not only to keep up with trends but being ahead of them, these types of people are sometimes known as hipsters. They are very fashion orientated so I had to make my front cover look fashionable. I chose my calibration of music and art to be trendy, hip and cultural, this would appeal to the audience I have targeted.
The Target audience for this
magazine is 16 to 30 year olds, both genders and mainly a white ethnic
demographic.
The age is from 16 and 30 because
the youngest age you are really able to go to festivals and gigs is 16, before
then it has to be with an adult doesn't fit with the independent image of the
genre. The top age is 30 because after this age adults tend to have more
commitments and it is harder to prioritise festivals over family and work
commitments. This is why the models are young and wearing the hipster sort of
clothes.
Both genders are represented
because male and females both enjoy this life style and the festival scene.
The ethnicity is white because it
is mainly white musicians who are in this music genre. It is not by any means
exclusive to this ethnicity and with the web this is increasingly changing.
People are listening to different styles of music outside their community. But
having the majority of the models as white would appeal to social groups of
this genre of music.
There are other ways that social
groups are represented such as the art link. This would bring in a more mature
social group.
In other ways, for example having
the model stick his middle finger up is representing the social group of hipsters when they say
and feel this is what they want to do to society and the people in charge telling
us what to do.
As well as this the back grounds on
the front cover and contents page have political messages that this
opinionated, outspoken group find important and want to get across.
The magazine doesn’t only have
these big and bold ways of representing the social group of intelligent
hipsters but subtle ways too, for example having the model in the contents page
wear a watch on his hand rather than wrist and an artist wearing a suit, this
represents the doing what we feel comfortable with not what they are expected
to do. The double page spread banner is full of colour and shows people
smiling, this represents the way we want life to be colourful and full of fun.
This has links to the Indian festival of Holi, which is about throwing paint
and dancing. This represents the indie music scene and its social groups
perfectly.
Question three:
What kind of media institution might distribute your media
product and why?
I think the companies who would distribute my product would be independent companies because I feel it may be too different for larger companies who are trying to stick to conventions, so as not to offend anyone or start an argument over any of the strong views my product may represent. Betty would be an example of the type of company who I think would distribute my product because, much like my magazine, they stand up for the so called ‘’under dog’’ and not following the common conventions.
I think the companies who would distribute my product would be independent companies because I feel it may be too different for larger companies who are trying to stick to conventions, so as not to offend anyone or start an argument over any of the strong views my product may represent. Betty would be an example of the type of company who I think would distribute my product because, much like my magazine, they stand up for the so called ‘’under dog’’ and not following the common conventions.
I also think there is a lot of scope for cross convergence. However there are some parts of my product which I think
would make bigger companies want to distribute There are strong links to the art world. The use of the social media such as facebook and twitter. Youtube has grown so much over the last 5 years and there is a real market for items in the magazine to be linked. There also is a big link to festivals and the advertisement there. The magazine could have an app and a online magazine. I feel this will be the future of magazines and magazines that fail to represent this will be left behind. My product, my magazine contains
a lot of iconography much like other big magazines, for example NME. There would be links to funding festivals for branding as well as merchandise.
Question four:
Question four:
Who
would be the audience for your media product?
The Target audience for this magazine is 16 to 30 year olds, both genders and mainly a white ethnic demographic.
The age is from 16 and 30 because the youngest age you are really able to go to festivals and gigs is 16, before then it has to be with an adult doesn't fit with the independent image of the genre. The top age is 30 because after this age adults tend to have more commitments and it is harder to prioritise festivals over family and work commitments. This is why the models are young and wearing the hipster sort of clothes.
Both genders are represented because male and females both enjoy this life style and the festival scene.
The ethnicity is white because it is mainly white musicians who are in this music genre. it is not by any means exclusive to this ethnicity and with the web this is increasingly changing. People are listening to different styles of music outside their community. But having the majority of the models as white would appeal to social groups of this genre of music. I think my magazine is similar to the Indie magazine NME so I did some research into their target audience. It's people who are almost obsessive over music and want not only to keep up with trends but being ahead of them, these types of people are sometimes known as hipsters. They are very fashion orientated so I had to make my front cover look fashionable. I chose my calibration of music and art to be trendy, hip and cultural, this would appeal to the audience I have targeted.
Question five:
How did you attract/address your audience?
Question six:
What
have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this
product?
This project has taught me about
taking better photos and how small techniques can make dramatic differences to
the final photo. For example the way in which you hold the camera can make the
photos look more professional and give you the affect you want in your
magazine.
I have also learnt a lot about Photoshop, a software I’d never used before I started creating my magazine. I’ve learnt to remove and add backgrounds to pictures, clone and load more techniques to help create a professional look to my product.
Blogger is something else I haven’t used before making the magazine. I have learnt how to create a blog, update it, add images and links to other sites, as well as slide share. I have learnt how to use a Prezi to present my work. I also have learnt to take film and edit it to present my opinion.
During the construction process I have learnt that good planning is so important to make sure the magazine has a professional feel. I have learnt that using social media to feedback is a big part of understanding what is wanted by the target audience not just what I think is good.
Using a colour palette is important as well as scale and type of font, both help attract the audience and help with the branding.
Question seven:
I think I have learnt a lot since starting my primary task. For example I think my font cover for my Indie magazine shows dramatic improvements not only with my Photo shop skills but my understanding of the conventions of a magazine front cover.
I also realise that word or publisher aren't the correct
software to use to create a contents page which is what I did for my
preliminary task because using Photo shop helps create a much better, more
professional looking final product.
Throughout the process from creating my preliminary task to my final front cover I have learnt a lot due to research and trial and error. I am now confident in using Photo shop correctly and understand the conventions of a magazine much better. I understand the importance of a colour palette, addressing the target audience and planning photo-shoots. I feel this shows in my work and the improvements in my final front cover and contents page compared to my first attempt while creating the preliminary task.
I have also learnt a lot about Photoshop, a software I’d never used before I started creating my magazine. I’ve learnt to remove and add backgrounds to pictures, clone and load more techniques to help create a professional look to my product.
Blogger is something else I haven’t used before making the magazine. I have learnt how to create a blog, update it, add images and links to other sites, as well as slide share. I have learnt how to use a Prezi to present my work. I also have learnt to take film and edit it to present my opinion.
During the construction process I have learnt that good planning is so important to make sure the magazine has a professional feel. I have learnt that using social media to feedback is a big part of understanding what is wanted by the target audience not just what I think is good.
Using a colour palette is important as well as scale and type of font, both help attract the audience and help with the branding.
Question seven:
Looking
back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the
progression from it to the full product?
I think I have learnt a lot since starting my primary task. For example I think my font cover for my Indie magazine shows dramatic improvements not only with my Photo shop skills but my understanding of the conventions of a magazine front cover.
Here is my preliminary task front cover and final front cover:
I think that my final front cover (on the right) looks much
more professional and planned out, along with a much better understanding of
how to take more professional looking pictures and ability to use Photo shop.
My contents page also shows an improvement due to my
research. I realised I needed much higher page numbers to make it the size of a
normal magazine and many more photos all laid out in a different way.
Throughout the process from creating my preliminary task to my final front cover I have learnt a lot due to research and trial and error. I am now confident in using Photo shop correctly and understand the conventions of a magazine much better. I understand the importance of a colour palette, addressing the target audience and planning photo-shoots. I feel this shows in my work and the improvements in my final front cover and contents page compared to my first attempt while creating the preliminary task.
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