Evaluation

Some elements of my media product follow the conventions of real fashion magazine however there are some elements of my magazine cover that subvert the conventions of real magazines. An example of how my magazine cover follows the conventions of real products is the use of angle of gaze. On my fashion magazine cover, my model is looking directly at the camera which is a typical feature of real fashion magazines. My fashion magazine also follows the colour-scheme convention; real media products often use black or white along with one or two colours. On the other hand, I use a mid close-up which prevents the reader from seeing the model’s full outfit, this subverts the convention of the use of mid-shots and long-shots which real media products use to show and promote the model’s clothing.

During the planning, research and construction of my media product, I used several media technologies such as Prezzi, After Effects, Google Forms and Photoshop. I used Prezzi to present my Research Rationale in a creative and organised way. For my Focused Audience Research and my Reader Profile, I used Adobe After Effects to create videos which allowed me to present my research and ideas visually to keep my audience engaged. I also used Google Forms for my audience research to present accurate statistics. For the construction of my magazine, I used Adobe Photoshop which allowed me to add coverlines, graphics, a barcode and a masthead.

For my NEA, I want to improve my time management as I think during my practice I wasted time playing around with the different features of Photoshop. I think that I will be able to manage my time wisely during the NEA due to the fact that I am now familiar with Photoshop and I have developed my skills. Although I think I planned my magazine well during the draft, I want to spend more time planning for the NEA as I think a more detailed plan will prevent me from wasting too much time on other elements of Photoshop.

I enjoyed both the planning and the practical sides of creating the magazine however I preferred the practical and the experience of using Photoshop. I think that my organisation was good and allowed me to create my ideal magazine, though, it could have been better. I think that the prelim allowed me to be more creative with my decisions.

Use of Font

For my masthead, I used a san serif text which shows that my magazine isn't extremely serious

however the use of the goldish colour maintains an aura of professionalism. I used this font due to

the plainness and simplicity of it. It isn't too vibrant or flashy which reflects the theme of my

magazine. The 'Issue 45' in the masthead is serif as it is the professional element of the

magazine.

I used the same font for all coverlines therefore there are only two different fonts on my front cover: masthead and coverlines. This font is also san serif which shows that my magazine is relaxed

however the gold graphics show that it takes itself and it's readers seriously.

Exploring Shot Types

In media products, different shots are used to reflect different themes and ideas.

For a fashion magazine, I would consider medium long shots, mid shots, medium closeups and sometimes closeups the best shots to use. This is due to the fact that fashion magazines almost always show the clothing of the model.

For my own magazine, I think that I would use a medium close up where my model is looking directly at the camera. This would emphasise the theme of 'self-reflection' and naturalism that I want for my product.

I think that a portrait shot would be better than a landscape shot for a magazine as it allows the model to be captured without the need for constant cropping.

Model Consent Forms

Priya: Model for my Reader Profile

Manal: Model for my magazine & test shots

Choice of Magazine Brand Name

I chose the name Kyoko for my fashion magazine. Kyoko is a female
Japanese name that means 'mirror' which is often associated with appearance and fashion.

Mirrors have a symbolic attachment to self-awareness and they always reflect the true image which hints at the theme of naturalism throughout my
magazine.
I think that this will interest readers as they will appreciate the subversion of
the common standards of beauty shown in many fashion magazines today.

I also chose this as my brand name due to the fact that I personally 
think that the brand name 'Kyoko' is unique and catchy which will make it stick in the reader's head.

I think that the symbolism and meaning behind my title will intrigue reader's as not
many fashion magazine's have brand names with specific
meanings.

Test Shots & Mise-en-scene

The majority of my shots are mid close-ups where my model is looking directly at 

the camera. This was to reflect the name of my magazine which means 'mirror' 

by acting as though my model is looking in a mirror.

Shots where my model is looking away from the camera were used as I wanted to subvert the conventions of angle of gaze, however, this would present my magazine's theme

as rebellious which is not what I wanted. My theme is simplicity and naturalism hence

why my model isn't wearing any make up and why there is minimal mise-en-scene.

There is very little mise-en-scene in my shots as the theme of my magazine is simplistic

therefore I used a simple white background - this would also be easier to manipulate in

Photoshop. The model's poses are kept to a minimum in most of my test shots due to the

fact that my magazine is naturalistic and promotes casual fashion rather than flamboyant

fashion.

Flat Plan

Final Product: Kyoko Magazine

Statement of Intent

I intend to produce a front cover and contents page for a fashion magazine and include Media Language and Media Representations which will reflect my target audience’s viewpoints. For this fashion magazine, I intend to use the micro-elements of Media Language which appeal to my target audience, 14 to 18 year olds. For example, I am going to use simple colours on my front cover and context page rather than an overwhelming amount due to the fact that my target audience would prefer a more natural look over one that is too vibrant. The front cover would also have minimal text and would not be cluttered with cover lines and random images. I also intend to use a neutral camera angle – eye level – so that the model is looking straight at my audience rather than looking up or down at them to convey my theme of neutrality; I may also use a medium shot or medium-long shot so that the clothing on my model is visible as it is a fashion magazine.

I intend to use mise-en-scene to reflect my target audience through my model – clothing and pose – use of colour, camera work and editing. My fashion magazine will feature a model that is within the age range of my target audience so that my audience is able to relate to them. I plan to use the results of the audience research I conducted in order to construct my magazine to appeal to my audience – this includes the clothing on the model which will represent the preferred fashion style of my audience. The model on my magazine will have simple clothing but will look sophisticated to reflect my audience’s preferences.

Model Shot Ideas

Six examples of the different shots and angles I want to use for the front cover and

contents page of my magazine.

Audience Research: Focused

Genre Moodboard

 

Reader Profile

Market Research: Magazine Deconstruction

This is a deconstructed fashion magazine front cover; I've annotated and analysed its features. I deconstructed this particular magazine due to the fact that it is fairly plain, uses neutral colours and seems naturalistic which fits the criteria of what my readers would purchase as shown through the results of the survey.

Research Rationale

Audience Research & Analysis

For my general audience research, I made a survey on Google Forms. I forwarded it to 17 contacts who fit the age range of my fashion magazines target audience, 14-18. The results of the survey will allow me to construct my magazine with the opinions of my target audience in mind.

For the first question, I asked my target audience which title they would prefer and from the answers, it is clear that 'Kyoko' is the most favourable with 'Icon' and 'Rogue' in second. As the masthead is usually the first thing that catches your eye, this question allows me to understand what my target audience finds most appealing.

In the survey, I asked my target audience to choose one out of five different typography's. The two that received the most attention were Font 1 and Font 4 both of which are serif fonts. This tells me that my audience are mature and prefer a classic and simple look.

The survey also features a question in which the participant can choose one out of four different styles of fashion: Casual, Cute, Classy and Colourful. I asked this question in order to know the type of fashion my target audience lean towards. This would then serve as inspiration for the clothing I would have my model wear. The results show that my audience opt for a more casual and relaxed look rather than the glamorous appearance of most models on fashion magazines. This tells me that my audience prefer subtlety over extravagance.

Another multiple choice question that I embedded into my survey was 'Which cover do you prefer?' Here, I got the participants to choose one of four fashion magazine covers - Teen Vogue, Fashion, Vogue and Bazaar - based on colour scheme, text layout and the placement of the model. Every single one of my participants chose the Bazaar front cover. When thinking about the reasons why, I considered the fact that the Bazaar cover is the most simple. The three other covers are cluttered with coverlines on either side of the pages whereas the Bazaar cover has only four coverlines. The positioning of the model on each cover also differs; Teen Vogue's model appears to be looking down at the audience which may put buyers off, the pose of the Vogue model is quite extravagant and the Fashion model is looking at the camera with mysterious eyes. On the other hand, the Bazaar model is looking straight at the camera with a neutral expression.

From the results of the survey, I can infer that my audience would prefer simplicity and naturalism. With these results, I now know how to cater my magazine to fit the preferences of my target audience.

Here is the link to my survey:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeGKbovQdD_UUYLWW--NRvyogukvC0EHD-jCItxwb8yJe3DVQ/viewform

Fashion Photography

Masthead Moodboard

Here is a collection of mastheads that I liked

Magazine Deconstructions

Prelim Task: Introduction

Hi everyone, my name is Nivea Makinde, I’m fourteen-years-old and I’m currently studying Media Studies GCSE. For this subject, I’ve been tasked with planning and creating the front cover and contents page for a fashion magazine targeted at fourteen to eighteen-year-old's. 

Before planning comes research, which includes reading and analysing different types of fashion magazines and also finding out the interests of my target audience through surveys and focus groups. I’m excited about the creation of this brief as I think it’ll be a fun and interesting experience and I want to be able to look back on it proudly.

During this brief, I’m hoping to learn how to use Adobe Photoshop and develop an understanding of how magazines are constructed. As this is a time-sensitive project, I want to use this brief to encourage productivity and time-management as there will be no time for procrastination. 

When first hearing about the brief, I initially thought about creating a ‘Street Fashion’ magazine and then made a mental checklist for the research I’d need to conduct which included:

•         Fashion Magazine Conventions
•         Teen Fashion
•         Magazine Content Page Conventions

I’m starting to consider the colour scheme I want to use, and I will take inspiration from other fashion magazines in order to decide on a layout for both the contents page and front cover.