Coursework evaluation

Question 1

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

My music magazine, challenges real magazines by showing innovative and exciting new ides and shows a style that has yet to be captured by current published magazines. For example my magazine is a rave / partying magazine and shows hugely bright colours, and includes neon and contrastings lettering and backgrounds. I chose this because i wanted a magzine which i think will sell to the ravers and party go'ers that are yet to have a magazine solely created and on sale just for them.

Question 2

How does your media product represent certain social groups?

My magazine is aimed at 16 - 24 year olds, both male and female, i have done this so that i can include a wider audience therefore attracting more and more readers. The typical reader of my magazine will be a party goer, loves loud bassy music, likes dancing, neon and bright lights and is an all round fan of the rave scene. My magazine represents this rave social group as posistive, there is no negativity towards them anywhere through the magazine and this will make the readers feel more connected and friendly with the magazine.

Question 3

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

I pesonally think that all media institutions would be happy to distribute my magazine, this is because is appeals to a huge range of people of all backgrounds and genders. My magazine has the ability to intice the readers in with the bright colours fantastic photos and amzing articles. Distributing my magazine would be hugely sucessfull to any media instituion bringing in thousands of readers monthly.

But the main instituion that i think would distribute my magazine would be Bauer this is because it owns more than 75 diffrent rands and has a massive audience. They currently do not have a magazine like mine which is designed specifically at dub and drum and bass music. Also it would fit in with their range of already hugely sucessful music magazines like Q and Kerrang.

Question 4

What would be the audience for your media product?

The audience for my music magazine would be 16 - 24 year olds with a real passion for the loud and bright rave scene, who just want to hear good reviews and what are the best bands out at the moment but also the up and coming new artists. The audience would be regular music magazine buyers that have a real intrest in knowing what is happening now. My audience will be of both sex, this is because rave / party's are unisex and both genders love to go to them. This will vastly increase my amount of readers and buyers of the magazine.

Question 5

How did you attract / address your audience?

Question 6

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

Through this products construction, i have learnt how to use serif and phtoshop at a good level, i know how to manage and manipulate all images and shapes, i have become able to create stunning backgrounds and eye catching images using a camera. One of the main things i have really been able to do well is convert the documnets and images into diffrent formats to suite the placement of where they need to be, e.g on this blog. Through the making of my magazine i have gotten a better understanding of technology and how to use it properly and with the correct effect i am seeking. By doing this coursework it has really helped me to develop my skills and form new ones using computers and cameras, which will hopefully serve me well later on in life.

Question 7

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

In the progression from my preliminary drafts untill now, i have learnt that to create a good standard of work alot of effort and time needs to go into it. I have learnt that technology can really be difficult to use if not showed how to use it, but when used properly it can create amazing creations.

Specifically to my magazines progression from preliminary to final draft i have really focused on getting that eye - catching first image and design of the magazine. I now know that the secret to a sucessful magazine is to entice and grab the reader. Another item in my magazine that i am really proud of are the colours both in the first draft and final, i have realised that they need to be bold, bright and brash. This will then ensure my genre stays the same and keeps the reader commited that my magazine is the rave / party one to get.

Final draft of music magazine

This is my article on my double page spread, but is unable to be read in the picture.

His Debut album "without help" sent shivers down the backs of all who heard it and put other artists into a state for disbelief. His lyrical and musical abilities are what the music business is always searching for. His name is DJ D Kiwanuka. Influences from his African descent pours through his music creations, and makes them unique and exciting; he has only one passion, to create new sounds and beats for the entire world to hear. We here at Xclusive Magazine have been given an insight into his complicated and twisted mind.
DJ D is from a small North African village, called Quaino, this is where his musical talent was first noticed, ( in his singing and rapping abilities). Then he moved to a large town in the South east of England called Stevenage. This is where he first became known as DJ D Kiwanuka in the underground dub step and drum and bass scene, frequently making appearances at illegal raves .DJ D specialises in rap, dance, dub step and drum and bass music. After his amazing influence on the town of Stevenage’s young music scene, he was scouted by a large record label named Starz. He signed a contract and almost instantly released his first album "without help" which reached number 1 in seven different countries. After his first number 1 he went back to where it all started in Quaino, and tried to get back into touch with his African upbringings, before his world tour.
Through the facade of baggy jeans, a white tee shirt obviously too big for him, a huge gold chain and Nike trainers. You could see the working musical genius that everyone knows so well. He strolls in slightly late, and without an apology asks if we can start because he is opening a gig in New York’s famous Madison Square Garden, later that day. He sits down and answers the questions, without hesitation. During our interview we could see that he was extremely confident and evidently knew of his own talent and abilities, what some may call ‘cocky’.
He told us about his inspirations and how they have helped him through tough times. He said his main inspiration was his mother, who helped him through the loss of his brother some years ago. " The loss of my brother hit me really hard, it showed me how precious life is and what we take for granted, I just want to show how much I loved him and my mother with this album".
After him opening up to us and revealing his true feelings, we decided to change the mood and talk about something upbeat and fun. His upcoming world tour, he says "It will be an amazing series of events, and will help spread my name and my music; I hope everyone will enjoy it". His tour he says, will hopefully expand his musical abilities, and help him to connect further with the public and his fans.
To a casual observer it may seem that DJ D is a bit of a joke and does not appreciate what he has and has achieved, but this is far from the truth as one can be, DJ D has the up most thanks for everyone that has supported and helped him through his upbringing, which was very distressing with the loss of his brother and the struggle to maintain his musical reputation.
DJ D go into some trouble with the law when he was 19 and this really threw him off his musical tracks. He was caught with a class A drug on him and given a fine of £600 and 100 hours of community service, we asked him to comment on that event and he told us , " it was a very low point in my life, I got involved with the wrong crowd and I regret it everyday of my life, I regret the pain I put my mother through, and the pain I caused my own body, I only wish I could go back". But this may been the best thing that ever happened to him, it really gave him a huge opportunity to get noticed and he took it and never looked back, getting signed by Starz was another "highlight" of his life.
"Who are your musical inspirations?" we asked him. He replied " Well to be honest with you there is only one, Eminem, although I do not specialise only in rap, when I grew up I found a sense of warmth and strength from his music, it has influenced me hugely to not take what I have for granted and has helped me produce my unique sounds." In DJ D’s music you can really tell that the rude and passionate rapping techniques that Eminem uses have influenced his own music and helped it create a certain personal sound and feeling.
During the interview with DJ D Kiwanuka discovered a lot about his views and opinions, but we found most of all about his up bringing and the hardships he had to endure to get to where he is now. He has learnt a lot himself through music along his journey and we believe that he will go further and make his sounds one of the best ever. His up coming tour will create a new sense of strength and personality in his music. We would like to thank DJ D Kiwanuka for letting us interview him and delve into his musical mind, and his unconventional musical background.

First draft of our music magazine

This is the first draft of my front page, my partner and myself have divised this masthead to attract readers to our "rave and parting" style magazine, we have decided to do this as there is no magazine like this around which gives really good on drum and bass, dubstep and rap artists and bands. Unfortunately i am unable to acess my photos yet but will be posted ASAP. At the bottom of my front page there is a plus section to give much more information into what is going on inside the magazine.a large 3 line title on the fron page saying "FREE LIVE CD FROM EMINEM'S NEW ALBUM", this intices the readers into buying the magazine and also keeps the reader buying the magazine week after week, this means that there will be readers every week, and will help with the free gifts that need to be funded for. There is a section in this magazine that ill also promote new bands and up and coming artsists.

 

This is the first draft of my contents page, this page shows what is going to be included into the magazine, on this page you can see i have extended the CD offer, and have replicated it onto  the contents page. There is also another oppotunity to recieve a free gift, by a competition. On this page there is a picture of the editor, and his faviroute 10 songs, this shows that the editor has a connection directly to the readers, this will make the magazine more appealing, and get more sales. This contents page has been influenced by our "Rave/Partying " theme, this is shown by the bright bold colours that attract the eye, but also gives information.

Music magazine research - Double page spread

Music magazine research - Contents page

Music magazine research - Front page

This is the front page research that we evaluated in class, this front page shows a large full page image of the main article, this being "Mark Ronson", the trumpet that the main image is holding is broken this shows that this article is a serious one and also represents change in this producer/artists life.At the top of the page there is a little strip which is there to get the reader to buy the magazine because of the promise of the free gift. 

Pie Charts on Music Magazine Questionaire