Evaluation So Far, Need of completion

Evaluation:

In evaluation to my preliminary task I will look at the 5 following questions I have been asked:

1) What shots have you used? Why have you used them? What meaning do they create?
I have used a number of shots, the first being the establishing shot, to help show the audience the world, and create a verisimilitude within the digesis.
The following shot is a medium shot, this helps us introduce the character and begin to use Representation (Stuart Hall).
From the point of introduction of the character, up to any action taking place, medium close ups are used; once the ball is dropped within the scene different shot types are used to help create the sense that the ball has been dropped and is moving.
An eye line match of the ball being dropped, then followed by an extreme close up of the reaction to the ball being dropped helps create this.
Throughout the clip occasional close ups are used to help outline importance to what the close up is of, and finally a series of two shots are used to show the finalised deal of giving the ball back.

2) What is good about your video, and why do you think it is good?
I think our video is good because it uses a variety of shot types and that the transitions are very smooth and follow on well from one another despite the change in camera location.
I think this is good because it makes the clip appear much more professional and keeps the audience interested; instead of keeping the camera in one spot for a shot.

3) What is bad about your video, and why do you think it is bad?
The faults with the video are

Objective Review

I completed the objectives today of finishing the editing, and the film will be uploaded onto the blog shortly

Objectives Feedback

I did not reach todays objectives because of a fault with windows movie maker on the computer, therefore editing could not take place.
Instead i have done the first few questions of my evaluation, and tomorow i will start my editing.

Objectives 25/06/09)

Complete the editing of the video we filmed last week.

Objectives (23/6/09)

To Upload my filming onto the computer and begin editing the work.

Storyboard

Lessons Objectives 16/06.09

I completed the lesson objectives.

"Return of the Ball" Screenplay

1
EXT. FIELD DAY
Damien is holding his ball, when he suddenly drops it,
Damien: *Gasp*
to his surprise the ball rolls away from his presence to strike Johnson on the foot.
Johnson: *Mumble* Huh?
Johnson picks up the ball up and holds it by his side, to see Damien running towards him yelling and screaming in terror.
Damien: AGRGARGRGRGAGARGARG Grab My ball!! Help! Please!
Johnson Turns to see Damien who looks nervous and hands him the ball
Damien: Thank you! I am forever in your debt!
Damien smiles in relief at the return of his ball.
Johnson: Anytime, I love balls.

Lesson Objectives 16/06/09

Complete the screenplay

Objectives for 15/05/09

I have completed the storyboard, and are yet to complete the screenplay, which will be done shortly.

Introduction to unit G324: Advanced Portfolio - Lesson Objectives

1) Complete a screenplay for my introduction to Unit G324: Advanced portfolio video task.
2)Complete a storyboard for my introduction to unit G324: Advanced portfolio video task.

Introduction to unit G324 Advanced Portfolio - Asssessment Objectives

The purpose of this unit is firstly to assess your ability to plan and construct media products using appropriate technical and creative skills (AO3); secondly to assess your ability to apply knowledge and understanding in evaluating your own work, showing how meanings and responses are created (AO2); and finally to assess your ability to undertake, apply and present appropriate research (AO4).

The unit requires you to engage with contemporary media technologies, giving you the opportunity to develop your own skills in these technologies. It also enables you to develop the skills of presentation that are required for further study at higher levels and in the workplace.

Emma Says..

It won't let me comment on anything so I'm doing it this way. I really like your final contents page! It fits the genre of your magazine really well. You've included all the typical conventions of a contents page, like subscriptions and an editors note. It also follows the house style of your front cover and looks really nice. Well done!

Importance of audience feedback

Audience feedback was helpful in the development of my product, as it allowed me to see what an audeince would think of my work, and also and helped shape the way i would make my final product.
I also asked for verbal feedback from peers, which was helpful, and i think my end product was more proffesional than my prelim task.

Evaluation

My Evaluation has got images on it, but have not been able to be uploaded onto the blog yet, i will upload the text, until i can find out how to get the images on here.

Evaluation

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

For My Magazine I have chosen to make a niche magazine, called acid. Through examining and researching into magazine that are predominately mainstream, I have challenged generic features of them by creating my product.
The first area of my magazine I researched into, to help me with producing my own work was the masthead. Firstly I looked at several magazine covers, these which would influence my project
These where:
(4 Photo's)
From here I researched into the titles of magazines and their meaning, for example The title of the magazine “Q” is significant, as the letter “Q” has the same sound as the piece of musical terminology “Cue”, which in the sense music could mean cueing up a record, getting the record ready to play.
This title may also be relevant to the genre of music featured, which is generally Indie and older bands, a mixture of new upcoming bands which will be successful, and looking at those who are now successful but where once in a similar position to those up comers, due to this vast array of times regarding music lots of artists will probably be featured in the magazine, and therefore in relation to the Masthead, lots of these artists are Cued up.
Therefore from here I chose “Acid” to be my title, due to its connotations and meanings, these being Acid has a drug connotation to the narcotic substance LSD, a psychedelic drug which is heavily associated with the time period (1960's where these genre's emerged and still influence today) , and due to the genre's of music which feature strange irregular sounds and timings, this association would seem appropriate, and the drug connotation give a very underground feel hopefully establishing the magazine as niche.
Acid (in its literal form) also Distorts metals (Metal a genre of music too which can be combined with genre's featured i.e. acid metal), which also reflects how the new effects of the time period (such as distortion, and other distorting affects) where featured for the first time in this genre of music which still influences today.
After selecting my title and making it on Photoshop, the next stage was to look into cover images, and I challenged this by using my favourite elements found in the four magazine covers above, and applying rules which make a suitable magazine front cover image.
These rules where to be focused and unblurred, to not have too much background, to look comfortable and natural, to have to missing body parts and not to have a busy background.
Taking the picture of Matt Bellamy from Kerrang, I liked the pose and the fact his instrument was on the picture, but in contrast, I wanted to challenge this by using the style of photo for the image of Jarvis Cocker on “The Word”.
(2 Photo's)
I now took this image, which I have mediated to be appropriate.
(1 photo)
For the text I viewed several fonts on the website dafont.cpom
I looked at the fonts on the site, but due to difficulty importing the fonts and the website not featuring sufficient fonts which have a retro 60's/70's look I decided to use the font which is already on Quark.
The font I chose was BellBottom.Laser
excluding this one font I chose to list page numbers on the pictures featured on the contents page, all the other fonts used for the text where in Arial a sans Serif font.
This was for the contents page/double page spread, and by looking at fonts used in magazine contents such as “Metal Hammer”, and how they where appropriate to the genre, I thought that I would do the same, but for a rock/ psychedelic magazine
Here is an image of the contents page from “Metal Hammer”
(2 Photo's)
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
The Images Used, Bands Chosen To feature, and article content Relies heavily on stereotypes and the way stereotypes are represented for them to recognised.
I have used a few stereotypes to help target the niche audience, as stereotypes are even more so important in niche magazines.
I have used two stereotypes for the audience, one being a middle aged progressive rock fan, who probably was in a youth subculture such as being a “Hippie” when he (or she, more likely he though) was younger, or another more modern association to the genre’s of music and the associations of it, being that of the “Stoner” a younger audience who would be associated with cannabis use, even if in some cases isn’t to do with it.
The features of this stereotype would be laid back, who would listen to the genres of music featured in the magazine and find interest in the hedonistic lifestyle of rock stars of this time period.
This links with mediation as the images I have used have been mediated to fit this preferred reading, for example the image used on my front cover is of someone who fits the age group of the first stereotype mentioned, and because of his status in the image (e.g. presenting the 50 best solo’s ever) the character also acts as either a archetype or a ideal self for the reader. The image has been mediated only to fit into being a good front cover image, e.g. background, clarity, lighting etc.
Other images featured in the contents page etc, also fall into the second stereotype.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
When looking at what type of company would distribute my magazine, I think due to the size of audience the magazine targets, the company would be an independent producer (unlike conglomerates such as IPC or Bauer, but this would not limit the circulation of the magazine.
When again looking at stereotypes of the readers, Internet access is associated with them, so I think that the magazine would be both promoted and distributed from the internet, this would allow a much larger circulation and ease of access (as the magazine is a niche, it may be hard to obtain in most newsagents).
The initial promotion would not be online though, as if a small independent media company are producing the magazine then it would be very difficult for them to afford large online advertising as it can be very expensive, I think using as many means of promotion would be the best way to set up advertising the magazine, and whilst doing so, heavily endorsing the magazine’s website would be very advantageous.

Who would be the audience for your media product?
The Target audience of my product would be predominately older, male audience. 35-65, but also be able to feature bands which could appeal to a younger audience as sub-genre's have emerged such as Neo-psychadelia which seems to be popular amongst younger people, which could also open the audience to people of all ages.
The audience would statistically look somewhat like this:
Male: 79% Female: 21%
Average Age: 35 (but only due to most readers being in the 45-65 range, and having a cult following of people at much younger ages, e.g. teens and university students)
Working: 75% Studying:25%
• Spend under £100 a year on clothing
• Over £500 On audio equipment per year
• Would not be followers of newer films, and would rarely if ever go to the cinema, they would probably spend about £50 a year on DVD’s which would have a cult following.
• 95% of the readers would have internet access and younger readers would be frequent users, older readers would be more likely to just use the internet for information they want quickly and not do much “surfing”.
• Pretty much no older readers would ever play any console or computer games, well over half of younger readers would be quite frequent players.
• The Type of people who would read “Acid” would agree that…
“Music in the charts is poor, mass produced rubbish” – 85%
“Designer clothing shows you are self obsessed” – 68%
“It would be worth paying over £100 to see a band they really liked” – 72%

How did you attract/address your audience?
The mode of address I have chosen is teacher to pupil, examples of this would be:
(1 Photo)
This is because the magazine is telling you what the 50 best solo’s are, and therefore informing the viewer of what they should listen to.
Another example of where I have used teacher to pupil is on the contents page where is says:
(1 Photo)
Again this is information, and telling you what is and isn’t good.
Again with the teacher to pupil mode of address, this is also enforced with having a section for the fans, allowing them their own set space where they can talk, similar to a teacher asking if there are any questions in a lesson.
(1 Photo)
Also with this fans section mentioned in the contents page there is also a juxtaposed image to show one of the pictures of the fans section, this tells the readers (in this case younger readers) what they are meant to look like.
(1 Photo)
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
When making my product I have also learned many skills which could be used in other areas.
The first technology I used was the blog system, where I learned how to a blog, upload my work/pictures/video’s onto the blog, and also follow other people’s so we could compare work, which helped me in my production.
Photoshop was the second piece of software I used, and was crucial to the production of my product, this allowed me to put my front cover together the first time in the draft, and then follow that up by having the draft saved and being able to make my actual product from the draft.
Photoshop also enabled me to edit photographs, so I could remove backgrounds so the picture was more suitable, e.g. front cover image, and it also allowed any problems with the picture to be removed, e.g. if there was any undesired logo’s on t shirts, lighting reflecting etc. I used a majority of the tools, I found the most useful tool I found when editing was the magic wand tool, which I used to separate my characters from the backgrounds, which allowed me to create not only my own backgrounds, but remove the character in the image to be put on another background, or a transparent background.
I felt that the strengths of using adobe Photoshop where
• It is very accurate and precise in the sense that anything can be zoomed up even if it is a lower resolution picture.
• It has a vast array of features which allow photo’s to be smoothly edited, and multiple filters which can be used to modify an image as much as can possibly be done on any software.
The weaknesses or problems I encountered with Photoshop where:
• Despite having the layer system allows specific things to be edited, I found it quite confusing, and sometimes possible to have two items on the same layer, which made moving one of the items very difficult.
• The magic wand or lasso tool can be remarkably hard to use if the background is similar to the subject, and in some cases can be frustrating if someone has cut around something very carefully and then the tool slips they would have to start again.
The last piece of software I used was Quark Express, this piece of software was used for my double page spread and contents page, and in this I used all of the standard tools to make both of the pieces of work.
The strengths of quark where:
• It is much more simple to use than Photoshop with making the actual product, e.g. making picture and juxtaposing text boxes was a very quick and easy task.
• The optional boarders, margins and measurements where very accurate, and allowed a very precise and accurate layout.
The weaknesses of Quark where:
• The layout was slightly confusing, and a lot of shortcuts did not follow the conventional straight forward scheme used by windows.
• Exporting the files to be a jpeg format was ok once I had learned how to do so, but for new users this would have taken a lot of time to work out how to do.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Since starting on the preliminary task, I feel I have learnt how to properly use the software needed to produce my product, I feel that initially I was unsure with some procedures I carried out, but through making the prelim task, and then a draft magazine afterwards I was able to learn how to properly use all aspects of Adobe Photoshop and Quark.
Not only did I find that my knowledge improved from making a draft, but I also feel that drafting allowed me to experiment and helped me into finding what would look good when it came to making my product, e.g. for my draft the person was not looking at the camera, but the picture was very good, so when I came to make my real product, I copied some elements of the draft, but remembered to ask the person in the photo to look at the camera.
Feedback from others was also very helpful, getting feedback from the draft allowed me to know where to improve when it came to making my own product, although it would have been more helpful if the feedback I got would have been posted onto the blog I used, instead of just asking people to look at my work.

Evaluation

My evaluation is now complete.

Double Page Spread Final

What i need to do today (deadline)

Finish My Evaluation
Take a photo for my double page spread and put it behind the work i have done for it.

Here is Me Editing a picture on photoshop

Double Page Spread Pictures

I recently took a few photographs, for either my contents page or double page spread.
One of the images taken in the shoot was used in my contents page, but i am now looking over at the group of three people i chose to photograph that could be used for my double page spread.I Am Not using this photo as the background is too busy, the photo is featured in the contents page, and the quality of the photo would not be of a high enough quality as it was taken on my older phone with a timer i set up.

I am not using this photo due to hair being in one of the peoples eyes.

What I now Need to do

I now need to wait for feedback on my work to determine if i should further edit my front page and contents page.
From here i am now left with the task of finishing my double page spread which i have only a photo to take and import in, and doing the rest of my evaluation which i have partially done.

Contents Page

This is my contents page, i am putting it onto the blog for some feedback and i may change this again in the next few days, if i dont change it this will be my final front cover.

Front Cover

This is my front cover, i am putting it onto the blog for some feedback and i may change this again in the next few days, if i dont change it this will be my final front cover.

Final Front Cover Image

This is my front cover image, which i have finally done, after being photoshopped to be appropriate

Possible Front Cover Image Pictures

Homework Over Weekend

To Take pictures for my work.

Lesson Objective 24/04/09

To Import the interview into the double page spread

Pictures Needed for my magazine:

Front Cover:
Single Person for the main front cover image
Three people for the image in the bottom left

Double Page Spread:
One Large Image Of Either Group or solo person, depending on which appears best for the format i have decided for the double page spread.

Contents page
Picture of Myself as the editor.
2-3 smaller pictures for contents images.

Front Cover Sticker Change

I have realised that on my front cover, i am using a sticker which says free cd, due to not having room on the front cover to display the cd that would be included i am changing this to free poster.

Lesson Objective 23.04.09

To change my front covers sticker, and to arrange a picture shoot, and be in a photo shoot

Double Page Spread Text/ Interview Attempt.

They have managed to capture the madness in this years tour, and after several years working towards producing the album, it appears that producing newer experimental tracks, and having the conflict of a full commitment for performing every night some months, will take its toll.
We’re here with the band “Atomic Unknown” and talking to them about their recent success in their tour and album release this February.
Formed in Nottingham over 20 years ago, and huge fans of guitar virtuoso’s of what was 20 years before they had considered the pact between them, Atomic Unknown set out as a metal band, who would aim to capture what metal encompassed at the time; their “hair rock” like music; based on bands such as whitesnake and Bon Jovi was short lived, and when they began to discuss what music that brought them into playing their instruments, they soon realised after a few small pub gigs, that they would have been more accustomed to the fusion Genre’s of blues to acid rock.
So lets take a look at what they think of their own current success, and how they sometimes didn’t reach the goals they wanted to.
Here’s what three of the members had to say when we caught up with them:

When you first met, what where you’re impressions of each other?
David Galloway: I felt uneasy at first, we all kind of met up and I felt almost like a child at their day of school, I was very unsure about what people wanted to do, it took a while before we knew where we were going.
Mike D: It didn’t concern me too much, I’d felt uninspired for many years, and I wasn’t concerned with what we where going to do, but I guess I’m the drummer.
Jamie Ball: I felt positive, by the sound of it, I was the only person who was, without blowing my own trumpet, I’d like to think I turned the attitude around pretty quick.

From this where did you go, how did you decide what type of band you wanted to be?
Mike D: I sat back and just let things go wherever, if I could hit the beat I’d play it, which kind of pushed us into the popular metal scene at the time. It took me probably 10 gigs before I realised my playing didn’t need to be all about speed.
David: I think that was part of the problem, we just wanted to prove ourselves as who was going to be the alpha male, and we all constantly tried to outdo each other; the solo’s on each instrument kept trying to get harder and harder, it improved our playing, but definitely pushed us further apart at the time.

From here, how did you manage to turn things around from this skill boasting to actually being a band, which some of the current tracks could even be described as Chilled out, and that we’d want to feature here in Acid?
Jamie: We definitely reached a boiling point from a stressful type of music, look at Eddie Van Halen, that guy smokes a hundred a day for a reason, it was too much stress, and from here we knew we needed to almost fight against stress, and become a band which had variety and a better atmosphere.
Mike D: There definitely wasn’t a set day where we changed, I think it was a progressive change, literally, from clear cut 3 minute tracks, into a song where we could relax for a few minutes, and then jam for 6 minutes.

Once you where established as what you wanted, how did you re-promote yourself and finally take the band to where you are today, an unrecognisable image of what you would have been when you started out?
David: I don’t think any band excepts to come out looking as they went in, we certainly didn’t, and I think it helps us represent the music we’re now playing, we’ve progressed like a track we could write for the next album, or one after that, I except us to leave this industry probably completely different as to what we are today.

From this, how did this years tour get arranged, was it a mutual agreement between you?
Jamie: We knew it was that time, we’d been discussing it whilst the album was in production, and we all felt like the tracks where ready to become gig worthy, I was insecure at first that some of the tracks wouldn’t be suitable for gigs, if people had come to our previous gigs, but I’m convinced things went down better than ever
Mike D: (laughs) I never really saw a need for insecurities with music, its what we feel and its what we play, if people didn’t like the album, they wouldn’t have wanted to see it live

From here, where do you want to go, and what messages would you want to give to the fans?
Mike D: I want us just to keep where we are, and let the music take us wherever, and I want the listeners to know that without them, this really wouldn’t be possible.
Jamie: I couldn’t agree more, its listeners that have took us to where we can do this, and I feel that we’ve got the capabilities to take this wherever we want, which is really a great feeling, I’m confident about a future tour similar to the one we just did, but with newer material.
David: I’m looking forward to seeing the band on a dvd cover in a HMV somewhere, that’d be pretty awesome. (Here I will put the magazine logo to show this is the end of the article.)

Double Page Spread.

This is my final piece of draft work, from here i will work on the real thing, and using the drafts i have done to act as a template for this.

Treatment

Treatment
I am creating a magazine which will focus on genre's of music focused around a niche rock audience, this would be that of acid/psychadelic rock, therefore resulting in a prodominately older, male audience. 35-55, but hopefully be able to feature bands which could appeal to a younger audience as sub-genre's have emerged such as Neo-psychadelia which seems to be unknowingly popular ammongst younger people, which could also open the audience to people of all ages, but due to its genre specificness, the magazine still has to be classified as Niche.
This magazine will feature a front conver, a contents page and then a double page spread - 4 pages in total.
The magazine will be called "Acid", most obviously for one of the main featured genre's Acid rock, but the name also has multiple connotations.
Acid has a drug connotation to the narcotic substance LSD, a psychodelic drug which is heavily assosiated with the time period (1960's where these genre's emerged and still influence today) , and due to the genre's of music which feature strange irregular sounds and timings, this assosiation would seem appropriate, and the drug connotation give a very underground feel hopefully establishing the magazine as niche.
Acid (in its literal form) also Distorts metals(Metal a genre of music too which can be combined with genre's featured i.e. acid metal), which also reflects how the new effects of the time period (such as distortion, and other distrorting affects) where featured for the first time in this genre of music which still influences today.
I will take photo's for the magazine, which will be identified when took for where appropriate, as i will need to shoot for A Front cover image, a double page spread image, and multiple images that will create the magazines verisimilitude, e.g. pictures in contents page, on front cover to show what will be featured within the magazine.
I did reaserch into how to lay the magazine out, and did this by observation of other magazines, (i used "Kerrang", "NME" and "Q") and through trial and error in my draft which is posted on the blog. A specific layout is not currently decided for the magazine, but i will probably look into how my draft will look with the photo's i plan on taking.
Before carrying out my task of producing the magaize, i will ensure that health and safety can be taken into account when i start my project, before any photo's are taken i will ensure that lighting is not overpowered or facing someone's retina directly to avoid damage to the persons eyes, and make sure that wires on the floor are in a safe position that is away from where people will be walking so they cannot fall over the wires.
If anyone is hurt in the production, i will consult the first aider Vicky Rowntree in M138, and if a fire is to occur the evacuation assembly point is the Front Football Pitch.

The Tasks i need to carry out to finish my final production are:

• Find suitable characters to feature for the photographs, and also use appropriate outfits and propps; camera filters may also be used.
• Take Photographs to use for my front cover, double page spread, and contents page.
• Produce a layout of the magazine, which will be roughly based upon the draft magazine i have produced.
• Evaluate my work when relevent, to see how it can be improved.

Font Reaserch

I viewed several fonts on the website dafont.cpom
I looked at the fonts on the site, but due to difficulty importing the fonts and the website not featuring sufficient fonts which have a retro 60's/70's look i decided to use the font which is already on Quark.
The font i chose was BellBottom.Laser
Excluding this one font i chose to list page numbers on the pictures featured on the contents page, all the other fonts used for the text where in Arial a sans Serif font.
The Font used for the title of the magazine will be explained in the Treatment.

Acid Front Cover

Sticker For Cover Idea

What I want to do

i need to make a sticker for my magazine draft.

Music Magazine Idea's

Possible Magazine names:
Metal Magazines: Hardware, Ingot, Agency, Mechanism.

Blues, Psychadelic, Prog Rock Magazines: Theremin, Acid,

Ingot - Hard Metal Magazine, Focusing on modern day metal bands in the alternative/nu metal scene, but also featuring bands which inspired these current bands, with infomation on past popular forms of rock, This Would be mainstream.
Target Audience - Metal/Rock/Hard Rock/Nu Metal / Alternative Metal...
Gender - Nearly all male
Age - 17- 30

Acid - This Magazine would be niche, due to covering limited genre's and having a specific target audience, and a specific number of age group. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, Pink floyd etc, would be featured, but also with newer bands which find influence from these bands, which could also follow
Target Audience - Older prog/psychadelic/blues/rock fans and younger fans which follow the music (Niche Audience)
Gender - Prodominately Men
Age - Not age specific

Objective

To define Niche and Mainstream, and Progress with IPC and Bauer.