Reflective Task

Reflective Task:

During recent weeks, I have planned, created, and edited a video featuring myself and two other students miming to Bon Jovi- Living On A Prayer.

Regarding planning tasks, I found that the most effective way to create the video would be produce a short storyboard focusing on different camera shots. I believe that implementing other planning tasks such as multiple practice runs and exploration of different camera angles would have benefitted our overall production greatly. I imagine during my A2 year, I will be practising many other methods of planning in order to create a more efficient video.

Regarding Digital Technology, I used editing programmes to cut video length and add the appropriate music. Youtube was my biggest vice, as it allowed me to post my final video publicly to be assessed by viewers. It is a great method of marketing. I have learnt how to use editing programs on a basic level, and have created my own Youtube account so I can use it in the future to post videos I create. Using the cameras was beneficial to me, as I learnt how to change settings to suit my photographic style, and video myself and my fellow students during the task. During A2, I hope to gain more experience using the cameras, editing programs and viral marketing programs, as I was absent for many beneficial lessons where I could learn to use these at a more advanced level. Advancing my knowledge in this area will allow me to be more creative when producing a video, and allow me to use different settings and styles to create a more personal shot.

During the entirety of the production task, I feel as though I have gained less than sufficient knowledge of media-technology, and feel that this must be improved.  Whilst filming, our group encountered few technical faults. The flaws in our filming were mainly about the positioning of the camera, the speed at which we moved from subject to subject, and the accuracy involved in keeping the camera still. To avoid this problem, we used the camera’s stand to ensure stability, and took many practice shots to ensure we used the zoom tool in time with the music.

The editing stage in our video-production was the most difficult element of the overall task, as I was absent for a large period of time. This year I hope to learn how to edit efficiently when applying a musical track to video.

QUESTION 7- EVALUATION

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




During the preliminary project, I found that managing my time well would enable me to be completely up-to-date with my blog posts, and ensure that I was able to meet the deadline. Time Management is extremely important, as effort and time need to be equally put into the creation of the magazine and blog updates. During the production of my final magazine, I have discovered that creating a time management plan would be within my best interest, in order to finish all work on time.


After using the DSLR camera previously for the preliminary project, I have found utilising the camera much easier, as I have had alot of practice with using it. The knowledge I had gained from using the camera previously enabled me to choose a function of my choice to use for my photoshoot. I chose the 'portrait' function, in order to focus on the models as opposed to the background.


Post production, I found that the preliminary project helped me use the more technical programs such as Photoshop and Indesign, as before I found the utilisation of these programs very difficult. Manipulating images was easy, and the whole process of image editing was shorter than the process I endured through the prelim-project.


Researching my target audience was the most essential knowledge I gained from the preliminary project, as I found that in order to create a magazine appropriate for certain individuals- I had to gain audience feedback in order to proceed with designing my magazine, as I needed to find what they would prefer to see in my magazine. I incorporated their ideas and preferences into my work, and added similar conventions used in 'real' magazines such as VIBE and XXL like:

running mastheads, blocky/bold font, colour schemes.

  

The biggest thing I have learnt from undertaking this project is that in order to create a popular rap/hip hop magazine, I must manage my time as effectively as possible, as it is important to fit in all the essential information. Looking back at the targets I created for myself after my preliminary project, it is safe to say that I feel I have achieved the majority of them. I feel I have improved massively from my prelim-project, as my creativity in design has significantly improved.

This is my front cover. It resembles magazines I researched prior to producing my own.

here is VIBE magazine- a magazine I researched prior to production.

As you can see, the layout and some of the conventions (e.g- running masthead, block lettering, red/black/white font colour scheme) that are reflected in my own magazine.

QUESTION 6- EVALUATION

                            

Question 6

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QUESTIONS 4 & 5- EVALUATION

Who would be the audience for your media product?

My target audience are:

- Rap/Hip Hop lovers, who have a keen interest in this musical genre.
- Individuals aged between 15-24.
- Individuals rated C1, C2 and D on the Jicnars Scale.
- Individuals who are interested in Rap/Hip Hop related news.
- Individuals who are interested in partaking in competitions regarding the genre.

Psychographically, I am aiming my finished magazine at Hedonists and Radicals who are passionate about Rap/Hip Hop music. I would imagine that my target audience would already purchase CD's and MP3 files of Rap/Hip Hop, as well as merchandise such as clothing, small memorabilia and posters, as well as concert tickets to see their preferred artists/bands.

Here, I asked some individuals what they purchase, regarding my magazine's musical genre.

Ola- "I tend to buy posters of rappers that I like, such as Lil Wayne and 50 Cent. I buy concert tickets too. I read VIBE magazine occasionally."




Ksenia- "I buy mp3 files from iTunes, but really prefer to buy CD's."




Seb- "I enjoy listening to heavy rap music, and enjoy reading Hip Hop/Rap magazines such as XXL and The Source, as they feature many of my favourite rappers every week."





How did you attract/address your audience?


Here, I created a video of a member of my target audience's response to this question. Member, Hele, explained what she thought about the techniques I used within the production of my magazine, what she gives credit to, and areas where I could improve on.


Hele claims that she likes my use of font and colour, the layout of my contents page, front cover and double page spread and my imagery, however, on a critical level, she has explained that my contents page is perhaps lacking a more structured layout- adding that using lines and boxes to my contents page would make for a more clear layout, as she believes that without these structural techniques- the layout is somewhat cluttered.


It is safe to conclude that Hele thought that my magazine was of good standard, and from her feedback, I can claim that my magazine has fit the criteria I created for myself, and has successfully worked to form an informal magazine, appropriate to people aged between 15-24, rated C1/C2/D on the Jicnars Scale, and to people who thouroughly enjoy Rap/Hip Hop.

In order to attract my audience, I used techniques in the imagery- such as having my front-cover model smoke a cigarette, to connote a bad attitude and sheer lack of respect for society- and a compete disregard for his own health. I feel that this is relevant to the genre of my magazine, as it is aimed to be informal.




I felt that I was successful in attracting my target audience. When I showed my magazine to a group of 16-18 year old students (who enjoy Rap/Hip Hop music), the overall response was pleasing and positive. All members recognised the genre within the first few seconds of looking at it, and all were able to spot similarities to other Rap/Hip Hop texts such as VIBE and XXL. Many of them liked the front cover text, use of colours which connote power and dominance (often associated with the musical genre I have chosen), and found that the content I had included was of good standard and interest. They enjoyed the connotations I had incorporated into my magazine- such as the dominant representation of stereotypical mixed-race males, the association of smoking and Hip Hop, and the slouched poses and stances which when used alongside the model's outfits- really created a stereotypical image of a Hip Hop star. Other connotations such as power, and dominance were acknowledged from the use of coloured fonts, and font style (blocky fonts).

QUESTION 3- EVALUATION.

Question 3

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QUESTION 1- EVALUATION.

QUESTION 2- EVALUATION.

Question 2 powerpoint

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Evaluation: Question 1 PREPARATION.

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

USE VIDEO TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.

+ Denotations/connotations. Music/hip hop/rap magazine. Contrast real magazines with my magazine.
+ How is it recognisable as belonging to my genre of rap/hip hop? ...compare techniques used in my magazine
   taken from researched magazines. I.E- VIBE, XXL.
+ Conventions (ingredients of a genre)
+ Try and use as many terms as possible from the glossary.
+ Have I done anything to try and challenge the conventions? EG- have I tried to rebel against certain  
   techniques used in rap/hip hop magazines? IE- not using bold fonts, imagery etc. Have I gone with the
   stereotypical elements used in rap/hip hop magazines?
+ Talk about fonts, bleeds, masthead, column gutters, pull-quotes, running mastheads, puffs etc...

SCRIPT FOR VIDEO:


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

1- how is it possible to recognise your magazine as a real magazine?
Using my own magazine, I have drawn many comparisons to 'real' magazines such as VIBE and XXL by using similar fonts, colours, music-related content and a clean, crisp layout. I believe that using bold, and somewhat simple fonts enable the content and title of magazine to emphasise the minimalism I intended to incorporate into my layout. Simplicity makes the magazine easy to read, thus ensuring that there are no problems with being unable to read certain fonts. The colours are plain, and work well on contrasting colour backgrounds; such as black on white, and red on black. Due to the comparisons I have created between my magazine and the magazines i have researched prior to production, I believe my magazine is eligible to be classed as a 'real' magazine.


2- how is it recognisable as belonging to your sub-genre of magazine? (rap/hip hop)
I aimed to produce a rap and hip hop music magazine appropriate for lovers of this genre.
It is easy to recognise that I have created a magazine to fit my own criteria of designing a rap/hip hop magazine for people aged between 15 and 24, rated either C1, C2 or D on the Jicnars Scale. The outfits that my models are wearing in the images on my front cover, contents page and double page spread reflect fashion associated with rap and hip hop, mainly consisting of baseball caps, baggy jeans and hooded sweaters. The colours are red, black, white and grey which connote power and dominance; two elements associated with rap and hip hop. I used lexis appropriate to the genre, as opposed to formal language as it contrasts with the ideology of informality in hip hop/rap. 


3- have you done anything to challenge these conventions and what was your reason for doing so?
Regarding challenging conventions of a typical 'real' rap magazine, I found that exploring rural locations for my photoshoots would contrast well to the stereotypical urban locations that would be expected within a rap/hip hop magazine, for example- outside high rise buildings, along streets, infront of statues. Regarding the layout of my magazine, I didnt feel it essential to challenge conventions, as I wanted mine to resemble popular-real magazines as much as possible in order to create a dominant layout representation of big selling magazines. However, I believe that choosing a white-font masthead to cover a blue background would oppose typical 'real' magazine techniques, as i understand that it may not always be clear to the reader, although, i feel that the colour of my masthead is sufficient for my magazine, and the white adds the simplicity I intended to incorporate into it.




I aimed to produce a rap and hip hop music magazine, appropriate for lovers of this genre, aged between 15 and 24. In comparison to other rap/hip hop magazines, I have used fonts to replicate fonts used within VIBE magazine, and XXL magazine, as I believed that a bold, sans serif font would be most appropriate to the genre, given it's informality. 

Main Task: Photos.

Here are some of the photographs I took using a DSLR camera. I used some of these in my main task production.

Main Task: Contents Page

Main Task: Double Page Spread

Main Task: Front Cover