Coursework comments

Hi Sir,
I have tried to include something in every section, I still need to fill out the audience sections and paste a link to my updated website as well as some screenshots throughout production. I am still editing my second cover and contents pages. My statement of intent needs to be finalised as I am still playing with the audio-visual element idea and must refer to the brief in order to make sure I fulfil it.


My magazine covers and contents pages are all currently in drafts.

proof read
web link and extra page link
take word count off statement of intent

Focus group information

Gathered a group of fun-loving 16-25 year old with an interest in magazines.

they suggested:

• That both my covers contain direct mode of address, with sell lines that are relevant to the cover image. 
• On my first cover with 'Dan' I needed to draw focus toward his eyes so I edited the colour to bring out the blue in his eyes further, the focus group liked this as they felt it helped capture their attention to the cover more so than before. 
• There needs to be a clear link to my website, with a reference to the 'web address somewhere.
• That the second cover should be in the studio to show a range of different locations.
• Both covers should reference things within the contents pages, creating some call to action to encourage someone from the demographic to want to buy it.

Website - Product

This is the link to the homepage of my website. The video element is at the top of the homepage and should automatically start playing once one the page.

https://orlamcgill11.wixsite.com/mysite-edge-magazine

This is the link to the second page.

https://orlamcgill11.wixsite.com/mysite-edge-magazine/kyle-sanders

To get to this from the homepage you can click on the 'Behind the Scenes' button on the home bar at the top of the page or on the buttons placed throughout the homepage, labelled 'Behind the scenes' and 'More Pics'. These will all take you directly to the second page. There are also video elements on this page. At the bottom of this page, after the gallery, you can click on view more, which includes an preview of an interview, and encourages the audience to buy the magazine.

Website - Planning

This is how my website will roughly be laid out. I have clear sub headings, I could make a colour scheme more apparent on the website. Each sub section is separated further into categories relating to the sub heading, and includes a small description beneath the title of the article.

homepage evolution

featured stories - experimenting

Linked Page screenshots

Website - Research

• all website designs seem plain and simple, 
• they are easy to navigate
• contain a wide variety of articles for readers or audience members to look at, ranging from, music, TV, film and just general celebrity gossip.
• there is usually only one main colour used throughout with headings and subtitles etc. 
• there is a list of sub sections and the front page includes snippets from these sections.
• each heading/ article snippet will usually include a photo, the title of the article is underneath this and more than often there will be a short sentence summary of the article beneath in a smaller font size and lighter colour, e.g. if the title was black then the summary would be a faded grayish colour. 

Audience Website

The focus group has suggested I make my website more appealing than a typical entertainment magazine.

When I asked how I could improve my homepage my focus group of 10 sixteen to twenty-five year olds suggested:

• I include more entertaining stories on the home page.
• The homepage is the first thing people see and should make you want to read on further or buy/subscribe to the magazine.
• They informed me that my layout and design included a lot of blank spaces which could be filled with more for the reader to look at, such as stories and links to my second page.
• Some of  the information on the homepage should be referencing the second page, and guide the reader through to that page.
• I should refer to my magazine and things mentioned on my front page and contents, to create cohesion throughout the products.

My focus group liked the shapes I used when including photos but thought that I needed all the images in the same shape, their favourite was the circle as it is simple and fun, suitable for a fun-loving audience. They also suggested that I try to integrate some other colours as it is clear that purple is already part of the house style.

Music Video - Product

How well does your production demonstrate your understanding of: Representation, Media Language, Genre, Audience?
To be really, definitely honest, no, due to the difficulties we have had with the editing app our video does not demonstrate accurately our understanding of : Representation, Media Language, Genre, Audience.

How well does your production reflect an understanding of existing media?
I don't think it reflects existing media very well. It would be tricky to do this, as the song they chose for us to do, I don't feel is representative of the current zeitgeist, particularly because it has been around for a while, it was released over 20 years ago, in 1992, and comes under the genre rock. considering this was the genre I didn't feel a narrative style music video would fit as it is not a typical convention of a rock song/band music video.

How well does your production address the brief?
I believe we addressed the brief by using a range of conventions: direct mode of address, a variety of different shots from extreme close ups to long and wide shots, including a tracking shot of chip walking down the corridor. We used close ups the most since that was the most common shot type to all music videos. Through editing and lighting we included colour effects and time lapsed sections.
Unfortunately we didn't have a wide range from our demographic represented within the video as it was tricky to all be available outside of class time.

How well does your website and production demonstrate your understanding of convergence between forms?
I don't know we didn't do a website.