Question 7 Looking back at my preliminary task, what do I feel I've learnt in the progression from it?

http://slide.ly/view/08368e92d3571002bb67807992bfe566?utm_content=gallery

This Slidely show shows the comparison between my school magazine I done as part of my preliminary task and my music magazine. I think that its clear to see how much I've improved from the start of this academic year with regards to creating a magazine. 
Since September I have learnt a lot. One example of this is the use of grids and guides. This allows my magazine to look structured and consistent. I think that structure isn't visible in the school magazine however the structure is obvious in my music magazine.
I also think my camera skills have been improved.The photos i took for the preliminary task was very limited. there was no variation in my use of camera angles, lighting and shot types. However for my music magazine I really knew what I was looking for with my photos, as a result i could really direct my model to ensure the photos came out looking super. This was enabled through the use of a photo planning sheet.o
Every lesson I felt like I learnt something new or gained greater understanding with how to use Adobe Fireworks which I think is great  as it means that I've progressed a lot.

Question 6 What have I learnt about technologies in process of constructing my product?

http://www.slideshare.net/thomascruickshank/media-q6-34216274

Question 5 How did you attract/ address your target audience?

Front cover Thinglink Contents page thinglink

DPS Thinglink

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

As my magazine is based around chart music therefore this magazine will appeal to people who like mainstream music and artists. Artists such as Beyonce and Disclosure as these acts currently featured highly the top 40 music charts, Therefore i think my magazine is will appeal to a mass market. Many of my audience will be students at Uni or sixth form. That will mean they will not have a full time job but some of them may be employed part time resulting in them having a small amount of disposable income. As my magazine is aimed at 16-20 year olds they will be very comfortable with technology. My audience will still be living at home with parents or maybe in student accommodation.

Spending time with  family and friends, going out, and getting good grades will be very important to my target audience. Clothing will also be a very important factor as they will always want to look good and stay on trend for as cheap as possible therefore they'll shop at common mainstream retail stores such as Topshop/Topman, H&M and Zara.

My primary audience is 16-20 year olds which means that they will be in group E according to the Jicnar scale as  they are students. Many of my target audience will still living at home so they have the opportunity to be financed  by their parents. This will allow my music magazine to have a secondary audience in the form of siblings, flat mates, and family members.

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

Question 3 Media by tomcruickshank

http://www.scribd.com/doc/216285940/Question-3-Media

Question 2 How does your media product represent social groups?

http://prezi.com/sbmhbrs-3sxo/evaluation-question-2-how-does-your-media-product-represent/#

Question 1 In what ways do your media products use, develop or challenge the forms and conventions of real media products?

http://padlet.com/wall/tomcruickshankmedia

Created with Padlet

Padlet

http://padlet.com/wall/56wwrl5prg

Final Products

Double Page Spread

Page Furniture

Drop Cap is a large letter normally at the start of the article or a paragraph indicating where the reader should start reading

Pull quote is a quotation from the interview. the pull quotes usually stick out, this is done by placing the quote in a different font, colour or size.

Caption header/ caption is a brief description that explains the picture.

Reader Interaction it gives the reader information on how get involved some how e.g twitter page

Crosshead gives informational about about the featured celeb

Head sell/ strap

Byline

Folio & Slug

Information Bar

Conventions of DPS

• A large image is normally used. The image(s) is about the artist featured on the page.
• A pull quote from the interview or sometimes its lyrics to the artists song. the purpose of a pull quote is to attract the attention of the reader
• Large, bold, different title. this is to attract the readers attention this is normally done by making the title in a unique font so it stands out.
• Text in columns and the first letter of the article is different, this is called a drop cap and is a piece of page furniture
• Other smaller images of the featured artist is also used on the the 2 pages
• Banners or Pugs advertising or informing the reader on something
• House style that is similar to the front cover and contents page however different colours may be used but the same fonts should be used to ensure a consistant feel is given to the magazine.

Examples of DPS

DPS Layout

final contents page

Development of Contents page

Final Contents page layout

Layout of contents page

Here are the potential layouts for my contents page. I created layouts for single contents pages and also double page contents pages. When doing my research i realised that most mass marketed magazines produced double page contents pages such as Q magazine. As my magazine is going to be mass marketed I think it would be best to do a double page contents. And advantage of producing a double page contents page is that it can be more spaced out and structured however it could make my magazine look as if it has a lack of content.

Planning For Contents Page

Contents pages are kept simple in order to make it easy for the reader to find a specific article. Also it helps the reader to find articles much more quickly. Magazines use page numbers the page numbers are also used on the contents page.

A magazine contents page is normally set out into columns. normally the maximum is 4 columns.

The layout of the content page is very structured. this is because guidelines and grids have been used.

On the contents page their is usually 1 main image that relates to the feature article. The aim of the image is to grab the readers attention.

The page heading usually contains the word 'contents' this is inform the reader what page they're on.

Contents pages normally stretch over 1 or 2 pages. This is because its allowing the reader to find the article they want easily.

The contents page usually contains the magazines issue number and date 

contents page normally follows the house style which is a combination of colors  fonts and graphics.

contents pages are normally white so the readers full attention is on the text.

The page numbers are not usually listed chronologically on the website this is because the pages are divided into sections e.g features

Editors letter is a letter in the contents  the editor talks about what is included in the magazine but this isn't included in all contents pages

subscriptions. this is to inform readers on how to sign up to get other issues as and when they're released

Final Front cover 2

Final Front Cover 1

Double Page Spread

It's hard to believe that it was only four years ago that Frankie released her debut solo album. Today, she moves like a professional star, blowing her pop peers out of the water with her sophistication and enthusiasm on stage. With her latest album R2R and her first grammy, it seems like Frankie is pushing every aspect of her career. Blackout caught up with Frankie to review her newly found stardom.

Congratulations on your grammy! How does it feel to get your first grammy?
Frankie:Thank you! Its… strange I really didn't expect it! Yesterday I watched myself collect the award I've never seen something so horrendous! I cringed through the whole of my acceptance speech. In my opinion I don't deserve my grammy because I'm just an ordinary brummy girl.

What do we need to know about your new album R2R?
Frankie: Its called R2R obviously which basically stands for Rags to Riches , This album is about my upbringing in life and the struggle to get where I am today. But it's not all about the struggles its also features some of my career highlights. Being brought up in Birmingham isn't one of the easiest things purely because no one knows anyone. R2R will take on journey and will connect with all listener on a personal level. I released the album in December and its still number one I'm so proud of that. I worked with incredible people on this album and its great that they are all getting credit where its due.

How does it feel to be a star?

It's completely different to how I expect it to be. Ever since I was a little girl I always dreamt of being on stage. The crowd roaring, I'm dolled up  and i’m doing the thing the one thing I love. But I didn't dream about the preparation to being on stage. I didn't realise how much stress it takes to do a live a performance and I've got to stay physically fit so I'm down at the gym pretty much everyday.

You started working towards your career at age 16, If you could go back in time and give your younger self some advice, what would it be?

Frankie: I would tell myself a lot of things. One of the main things I would tell myself is to listen to my heart and not others. I am now at the stage in my life where I am not so concerned with other people's opinions about my life decisions, it's my life I can do what I want as humans we learn from our mistakes.

Why did you start working towards achieving you dream so early in life?

Because I was brought up in Birmingham I found that I didn't have much opportunity to showcase my talent. So at the age of 16 after my GCSE’s I moved to London with some of my extended family as a stepping stone. That was one of my best decisions in life as I seriously don't think I would be where I am today if I didn't move to London.

I hear that you are going on tour soon, is it true?

Frankie:Yeah, Im so excited! This is going to be my first ever tour I don't know what to expect. There is millions of questions running through my head but I have a great team working with me so I should be fine. Ive done hundreds of gigs but I haven't done them night after night. Im so nervous right now but as soon as I get on stage my nerves should just vanish. My first show is in under a weeks time and I'm kicking off my tour where it all started in Birmingham. It should be great to go back I hope I get a great welcome.

Why are you auditioning for an all female band to come on tour with you?
Frankie: I'm used to all males. I grew up in a house with so many men! I have 5 brothers and no sisters so I just want to know what it now feels like to live and spend the majority of my time with women. I love being around my girl friends and getting the latest gossip, I love being around talented, supportive and inspirational people. However I feel that women offer more support and they're always ready to listen whereas with boys it seem like a chore for them. Being away from home for such a long time is going to be hard but I think have girls to take my mind off home will also help. Forget performing to a crowd I would rather sit on the tour coach in my pyjamas with a cup of hot chocolate and catch up with the crew.

The gossip sites are always saying something about you. Do you stalk them? Do you ever feel like posting an anonymous comment?
Frankie: I try to avoid looking at those kind of sites. But living in 2014 makes that hard as technology is everywhere. However I do not go out of my way purposely to look at them. I’m only human, I do have feelings if I wasn't to take their comments with a pinch of salt I think I would be somewhere else than here and under a rock crying.

Where do you see yourself in one years time?
Music. My love for music is unreal and if I'm not still involved with music in someway on another in a years time I will be so upset. I feel that music completes me as stupid as that sounds. Music is the only thing I know, and it's the only thing I do well. I would like to have released my second album by 2015 you heard it here first. It takes a lot to make album and who knows i may have already 

Double Page Spread

Photo Editing 2

Before

Final

I used the website Picmonkey.com to edit this photo. This is because the website has lots of options that gives professional finish to the photo. The first thing i done to this photo was cropped the image using the crop tool. After cropping i then clicked to add a 'Bokeh Shapes' edit and selected the circle option. I the removed the the edit over the face so it was clear and the effect was only on the background.

Magazine Drafts

This is my first draft of my magazine. It features an established star 'REE'. The pros of this magazine is