Wednesday 25 January 2017

Evaluation question 1



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To conclude, I feel that using a masculine colour scheme was a good idea as it helped suit the star images gender. Although this also











Friday 6 January 2017

Evaluation Question 6

Throughout the production of my magazine I used a range of technologies:
  • powtoon 
  • emaze
  • blogger/blog spot 
  • prezi 
  • thinglink 
  • gmail 
  • adobe elements 11 
  • flicker 
  • Microsoft power point 
  • Microsoft word 
  • camera
  • tripod
  • memory card
  • memory card reader 
  • slide share 
  • slidley 
I used Powtoon, Emaze, Prezi, Thinglink, Slideshare and Slidley to present the research I had collected for my target research. 

If I were creating this magazine for a proper media institution. I would use blogger as a means to keep my target audience informed throughout the development process of my magazine. 

I used Gmail to log on to all of the websites. Gmail was deffinatley one of the most important parts of the production of the magazine.

Adobe Elements 11 was the software I used to design and develop my magazine front cover, contents page and DPS.

Flicker was used to present my photos I had taken at my photo shoot at the open evening. It helped me find the best photos for my magazine pages as people left comments and chose their favorite ones.

Microsoft PP and Word was used as another way to show the research i had collected for my TA and existing products. Microsoft word was also used when I was creating my DPS article so that I could find the best spelling mistakes. 

The camera and tripod was used to take photos for my pages. 

The Memory card and memory card reader was as a way to save the photos and import them into the computer.

At the beginning of the AS media course I learnt how to use blogger.  I set up my AS media blog on Blogger. Quickly learning how to upload posts and edit my blog as I went along. When posting on my blog i felt it would be easier for someone to read if i had images of what I was talking about. So I used cut aways and screen grabs and edited my post. I also learnt how to import photos and take screenshots to show how I did things. As well as this, I learnt how to hyperlink pages and embed files from tasks I had carried out on other media. e.g; powtoon, slide share etc. I am now capable of uploading my media work onto this blog so that I am able to track my progress through the media world. The fact I am able to record my work in a way organised way (showing progress and what I have learnt) is great! I am very happy with the way my blog has turned out. 

In order to present my research and planning I used a variety of technologies. One of these being Powtoon. Powtoon was a fun and enjoyable form of media which I used to display my analysis. Separating different parts like my front cover and contents age onto a different slide/page. I liked how I had the choice between a variety of fun layouts and that I had a choice of how long each slide was displayed throughout the powtoon.


Prezi was another great technology. It allowed me to section my analysis off into different parts. I liked how each section could be a bubble, making it clear to read. I also liked how the presentation would zoom in on the text which links to the main bubble.


Another Technology I enjoyed using was Slideshare. Slideshare enabled me to make a presentation, somewhat power point and embed it onto my blog easily. Slideshare is an easy way to present analysis as you have the power to change everything; the design, fonts, text, colours etc.


Moving on, I then began to use flicker as a process of selection and rejection for my main photo shoot. Flicker was a social, online website where I uploaded The photos I had taken so that people all around the world could see and give their opinion on which ones were the best. For this technology I needed to use a camera (name of camera) , tripod and studio lighting. This equipment allowed me to take photos of my model and upload them onto Flicker in order to find out which photos were best for a Front cover, Contents and DPS. The comments I received about my uploads were fantastic. I was really happy with the comments people left. Helping me find out what type of shots and photos my TA liked best.


The next step was to design and edit the photos I had taken on Adobe Elements 11. This was so that they looked good and suited my pages. I had previously worked with adobe elements 11 when designing my front cover for my collage magazine. This software has a lot of things involving photo editing design. It provides tools such as; brushes, eraser and more. Elements 11 is very easy to use once you get the hang of it all. 

To start off with I used a spot healing tool or the blemish tool. This allows you to edit off the marks or bad parts of the model. You are able to even out tones of lighting on the models body. This was very important as my model is a teenager and will most likely have achney or spots. This tool helped me clean him up and get rid of some of his spots.

Secondly, I then used the 'magic wand tool' this let me pick out certain colours. For example, the background and erasing it easily. I used this to erase the white background for my final front cover.

After this, I used the colour picker tool. This lets you select colours from the image and use it for different part of the page (fonts, text boxes, columns) This tool came in handy when developing synergy in my Front cover, DPS and Contents. I picked out the colour of his red tie and black blazer to create synergy.


The Technologies were very helpful in the development of my magazine. Each research and planning post was posted on blogger. Upon reflection, I feel like overall the most important technologies used were Blogger/blog spot and adobe elements 11. Without these I would not have been able to show any evidence for my research or design the pages. I feel that these technologies were difficult to understand at first but sticking to it helped me understand it more. I also feel that the technologies I used were used very well throughout the production of my Classique music magazine.

Thursday 5 January 2017

Evaluation Question 7 – looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

              College Front cover image              

- Preliminary Task -     


Conventions


Convention wise I used a large masthead and a photo of a 50p coin to show the price of the magazine. I feel my front cover succeeded with the boldness of the masthead making it very bold, eye-catching and engaging. The conventions used in my collage front cover could be improved by making it more clear how much the magazine cost, having information about who distributed and produces the magazine, social media links and having a date on it.

Image + photography


To take the photo for my preliminary task I went to a well light area of the school and got my model to stand next to a pale wall. I felt this would make her stand out more when it came to having text and information on it. Photo was a medium close up. I feel the lighting placement went well as it created a shine to her hair. Creating a focal point of the front cover. However, the collage front cover still could be improved much more. I feel that I could have organised a photoshoot and asked her to come in wearing colours which matched a more vibrant colour scheme. 

Font styles, sizes


The font for my collage magazine was Calibri. A very normal, commonly used font for books. I felt is was very clear and easy to read when It came to a final copy. The way I had put a box, highlighting the articles inside the magazine was very good. Although, I also think that if I used a different font the text would have stood out more as well as being larger and less boring. 

Colour scheme


I used a simple colour scheme, making it easier and clearer to understand what the front cover was about. Upon reflection I feel that my collage front cover text colour and the contrasting blonde hair was very good. This is because it meant I was able to create a focal point.
To improve my collage front covers colour scheme I would make the colours less bland and boring, using reds, pinks, purples, whites and maybe dark blues. These harmonious colours would light up the page. 

Page furniture eg pugs, puffs, lines, shapes, boxes, graphics


In my collage front cover there wasn’t much page furniture. Only boxes, and shapes. This was due to my lack of knowledge about adobe elements when I first began this course. The page furniture that I felt went the best was the light blue box that was used as a background to the text. This helped make the font eye-catching and engaging. Overall I did not feel that there was enough page furniture. If I were to improve this I would add puffs, pugs and more/better graphics. 

Language and register


For language and register I tried to use buzz words which would persuade my TA to buy the magazine. In my collage front cover I used like “gossip” “collage news” ect. I feel this was a good aspect about the language of my magazine as it addresses my TA well. It could be improved by using more language and register in different fonts. Making sure it caches the eye of the reader. 


Final Music Magazine Front Cover 




Conventions


I designed my magazine to suit conventions as I used a large masthead, showed a clear price, added a bar code, and included social media links and information. I feel all of the conventions I used in my final magazine went very well. The masthead was large and stood out among the busy texts and fonts. The price was clearly shown in white in front of a black background this made it easier to read and see. The bar code and date was a good convention to use as they are used in every other classical magazine. I used social media links and information – this was a good convention to use as It informed the reader about what the magazine was about and also provided them with a way to get in contact with us and potentially buy more magazines.
I feel that the only thing I could improve about my final front cover is the masthead colour. It was dark so did not standout as much as the white texts towards the bottom of the page.

Images and photography on the:


Front cover –

I arranged a photoshoot with my model and asked him to wear a black blazer, red tie, and a white shirt with the top buttons undone. I was able to get hold of a violin as a prop for him to hold. I took a range of photos from close ups to long shots.
I feel that my photography for the front cover was very good for all the pages in my final magazine. As I used studio lighting I could adjust the light opacity to a brightness which was able to brighten his red tie and create a slight shine to his face.
I could have used the prop a little bit more. E.g. lifting it up slightly in order to create more of a classical atmosphere to the image.

Contents page –

I used the photos I had taken in my photoshoot for my contents page as well. Although I also had to find other models and props. After my main photoshoot I went down to the grand piano and used another person’s hands to imitate someone playing the piano I also took photos of a violin and a music piece. I also arranged another small photoshoot with 3 other models, using studio lighting to create a variety of colours and contrasts of skin. The contents page has very good imagery due to not only containing images of models but close ups of props too. As I progressed through my research I found out that teenagers prefer pictures and a small amount of text. Using these photos helped me address my TA.

DPS -

For my double page spread I used an image I had taken in my very first, main photoshoot as I took a range of photos ranging from close ups, to landscape longshots. In my Dps I feel the image I had taken works very well with the overall design and colour scheme of it. My main models skin looks clear. andthe lighting is perfect for the colour scheme and design of the page.


Font styles, sizes - 



For my front cover I used a variation of different fonts. This made it seem more busy and fun. Breaking conventions as well as addressing my target audience as they prefer busy pages over boring simple ones. I feel using different fonts was a good choice. I also feel that using white and black text was a very goo design feature as it helped the text standout. For main stories and articles on the front cover I used a shadow effect. Adding the appearance of a shadow hidden behind the text. Upon reflection I think that the fonts and sizes of text I used in my final design were perfect. The text is eye-catching, fun, bright and engaging. I personally feel that using the same font for the masthead throughout the magazine was a great idea as it linked the pages together not only through colour but through font aswell. 


Colour scheme & synergy- 

The colour scheme was very complicated to figure out at the beginning, I couldn't choose between black, white and red, or blue, light blue and grey. I asked people in my year what colours they felt would work best for my magazine genre. Nearly everyone said black, white and red. I have used synergy from the red tie, black shirt and white shirt. I asked my model to dress like this in the photoshoot so I could link the colour scheme with synergy throughout the entirety magazine. I feel that the colour scheme and synergy throughout my magazine went very well. It created brand identity and linked all the pages of my magazine together. However, I also feel that my magazines colours are very male orientated. If I were to improve my magazine I would use more harmonious colours in an attempt to address the female TA more. 




Overall I feel that my final front cover is much better than my preliminary task front cover. Throughout this media course I have picked up and learnt many skills used in adobe elements 11. I can now successfully edit and design magazine pages and use; language and register, page furniture, the correct colour scheme, a wide range fonts to match the design of the page, take photos and edit them to a high standard and use conventions. 



















Thursday 8 December 2016

Draft Of DPS article

Ed’s Fight For Fame

How did an unpopular everyday teenager become a CLASSICAL LEGEND?!
Even Ed find it hard to explain…

I lost my father in my last year of primary school. My dad was everything to me, he would be the one took care of me while my mum went out and drank. My Mother suffered a very deep side of depression and would refuse to eat or speak to anyone but me. So I dropped out of school to assist her through the pain and suffering, causing me to lose touch with society; I ended up isolating myself with grief. I’d sit in my room for hours staring at my ceiling. I guess classical music brought me back to reality and into a better place. As mum improved, I was able to get back into school.


As a teenager, I found it hard to socialise and make friends, so I decided to pick up a violin instead of a pen. From this it kick started my love for classical music. Playing the violin helped me escape reality and come in contact with my inner passion. Instead of going to my lessons, I decided to skip them and learn more and more about the culture and atmosphere, which comes with playing the violin. Now when I look back, it was a really bad idea….

I was 18 and had no education. There was no way I would be able to support my mum through our hard lives. Crazily I decided to try and find a career within the world of classical music.
I went into town every day at noon to play my instrument to the world. This helped drastically with my confidence, I remember my first performance in public. I was a nervous wreck. I stood there frozen in fear, prepared but scared.

Little did I know this would be the start of my carer.

I thought in my head, “this is for you dad”

I started to play.

I quickly gained a large amount of attention; a jolt of confidence sprang through me. At this moment I knew, this was what I was destined for. While playing I looked forward and realised I had gathered a great crowd. There silently stood, transfixed, listening to me play. As I came to the end of my piece clapping began, it felt like I was dreaming. I’d never had anyone clap for me before.
After I ended my performance everyone left. But one man stood there. He came over to me “this was the best violin performance id ever heard performed on the street! You have great potential!” He then gave me a card and said “if you’re interested in performing to a much bigger crowd of around 20,000 plus people. Call that number” pointing at the card, then walked off.

Overwhelmed with excitement I completely forgot I didn’t even have a phone, my mum could never afford one. So I picked up my stuff as fast as I possible could and ran home. Dropping my things at the door, I sprinted into my room to try and find 50p to use the telephone box outside the church in my village. I reached the telephone box and rang he man immediately!

This was it, the start of my life, my carer, my future.

My first concert was in the Royal Albert Hall in London. It was huge! I’d never seen a place so big! I was so nervous I thought I was going to faint… As I sat waiting to go on, I looked out to the audience and heard a faint “Ed! Hey! Ed!” It was my mum sat on the front row shouting my name trying to get my attention. So I obviously gave her a wave. Seeing my mum calmed my nerves a lot. I was finally able to sit without shaking in. my name was called out “Edward Collins” I walked on, into a standing ovation. My heart lifted as applause raised the roof. Suddenly the room fell silent, as people waited for me to play.

As I played I could feel my body flow with the instrument. I’d never felt like this before, it was right weird… people actually knowing who I was, acknowledging I was an actual human being. They looking at me in awe, I couldn’t believe it! I finished my piece, the room remained silent, I looked down to my mum and saw her smiling, proud, happy and strong. For the first time since I was 10. With a sudden burst of applause the lights came back on and everyone stood chanting my name. “Ed, Ed, Ed”. Taking a bow a slight tear fell from my eye onto the stage.
In the next year, I had many performances but the best by far was the Italian tour in Verona. Where coincidentally, I met my girlfriend. I stood proud and thankful for everything that had happened to me. Performing a piece I had created, just felt unbelievable!
After I performed and was about to exit the building, I saw a beautiful woman stood laughing into her phone. As a performer get nervous with a lot of things, but walking up to this girl just felt different… it felt like I was about to perform in the town again. “Hey” That was all I managed to say but it was enough. She is now my fiancĂ©e.

I know, sounds like a story doesn’t it...
Trust me. It isn’t.

The beauty of romance is clearly on the cards do Ed. Maybe we can look forward to a wedding in the near future.