Evaluation -- What Have You Learned From Your Audience Feedback?

Transcript:
During the planning and research stage of my project I created and distributed a questionnaire that yielded a large amount of audience feedback I found quite helpful.

One of my main concerns at this stage was that I wanted my regional magazine to be free as I’ve found that regional magazines and newspapers I personally read such as LIVE magazine and Lewisham LIFE are free of charge, however I understood that there may be stigma attached to magazines that are free as opposed to magazines created by larger publications that aren’t as restricted with regards to distribution and content.

I learnt from the responses I received, that the majority of people asked didn’t believe that there was any stigma attached to free magazines. However, a small minority believed there was with regards to the low-quality articles and features inside them and in some instances the low-quality structure of the magazine.

Similarly, I learnt that the two most important features of a front cover that determined whether someone read a magazine, was the main image and the cover lines. This raised a few concerns for me when planning the layout for my front cover, as I wanted an image of hands on the cover, instead of an image of a person like most magazines typically do. But I learnt from the responses, that people were fine with my decision, as long as it was related to the theme or issue of the magazine or the main article.

Upon the completion of my magazine, billboard and radio advert, I carried out a survey on a small-scale to gather some detailed feedback. 

There was consensus across the majority of the responses I got, that the double-spread page(s) of my article came together nicely with regards to the layout and my use of columns and paragraphs that enabled easy reading. Some suggested that the layout and design elements should of remained the same for the third page where my article is continued, but that the use of a pull quote on the third page was effective.

Additionally, I learnt that aspects of my magazine such as, Sena Eze, Natalie Carter, the images of the hands and the fonts used, that I incorporated into my billboard and radio advert, all worked together to create a sense of familiarity between all three texts.

Evaluation -- How Did You Use Media Technologies In The Construction And Research, Planning And Evaluation Stages?

Evaluation -- How Effective Is The Combination Of Your Main Product And Ancillary Texts?

My brief required me to create the first four pages from an original regional magazine together with two of the following three options: a radio advertisement for the magazine, two hyperlinked pages from the magazine’s website or a billboard advertisement for the magazine. I chose to create a radio and billboard advertisement to accompany my regional magazine.

The combination of my billboard and front cover of the regional magazine is effective due to the similar design elements that they both incorporate. The colour schemes have been scaled back to black, white and grey with features of red (the accent colour) making the cover and billboard easier to read and look at and the scaled back colour scheme also lets the main images stand out. The main images of the hands used for both the front cover and billboard combined with the content of my article effectively because the main theme behind my main product and the ancillary texts is Black History Month and the image of the black hands connote/signify black people, Black Power and togetherness.

Secondly, the main product and the radio advertisement combined are very effective as they both feature the blogger Sena Eze. The magazines main article is based on an interview with Sena whilst the radio advertisement contains an audio clip of Sena promoting the magazine and its content including her article. The article is accompanied by images of Sena and her image is also used for the magazine’s contents page. The Black History Month theme is also evident in the radio advertisement where the magazine is promoted as “this month’s Black History Month special”.

Furthermore, the combination of the main product and both of the ancillary texts is effective as I’ve looked at real media products and I’ve used industry standard software and technology such as Final Cut Pro X, Digital SLR cameras and Adobe PhotoShop in order to replicate the quality of real media products. Similarly to real media products and campaigns, I’ve also kept elements of the design and the content the same across all texts so associations can be made between them. This results in all the texts working hand-in-hand to advertise and essentially sell the main product, which should be the purpose of the ancillary texts.

In conclusion, I found the process of creating the main product and the ancillary tasks challenging at first, as the process of making a billboard/radio advertisement and a magazine was new to me. However, research and analysis of real media products helped me create texts that are well informed and to a high standard.

Evaluation -- In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use, Develop Or Challenge Forms And Conventions Of Real Media Products?

To answer this question I created a Prezi presentation (x)

Billboard -- Final Product

Radio Advert -- Final Product

Front Cover, Contents Page & Main Article -- Final Product

Research -- Billboard

I'm at the planning and research stage of creating my billboard advert for my magazine so I've started researching billboards in order to find out what the conventions of an effective billboard are.

The main convention I found and plan on implementing for my own billboard is the 6 Word Rule, this refers to the use of six words or less to catch the attention of members of the public. I also found that layout is absolutely crucial for the construction of an effective billboard. From the examples above, I can see the use of plain and bold backgrounds that keep the focus on the text and the message being conveyed. Plus, I can see that the use of a main image creates a key focal point that acts as an anchor for the item/service etc. that is being advertised and for mine I plan on using an image that reflects my magazine and radio advert and the themes that they incorporate.

Typography -- Main Article

I'm now slowly approaching the time when I'll have to transfer my article from a Microsoft Word document to Adobe Photoshop where I have created the double page spreads for my main article. As you can see below I've already blocked-in my columns that I'm going to put my article in however my main concern now is the typeface of my article.

I've already selected the font for the title of my article but I now have to select the font for the lead and main body of the article (I'd also like to change the font that I've used for the section folio). With regards to the main body, the text is going to be 10pt or 11pt (depending on the typeface) and I know that I'm going to have to consider the x-height of the text to ensure that the article is comfortable to read (I'll be able to judge whether I've got it right the next time I print my pages).

Layout Development No.1 -- Main Image & Cover

Layout Development No.2 -- Main Article

Shoot 1.4 -- Main Article

Shoot 1.3 -- Main Article

Shoot 1.2 -- Main Article

Script -- Radio Ad

This month's South Eastern is out now!

Pick up this month's Black History Month special for exclusive stories, interviews and to be in with a chance of winning tickets for all the events taking place in South East London.

{Octobers issue includes the first ever interview with this year's Apprentice winner Natalie Carter where she lets us know what she plans on doing for our community as well as what Lord Sugar's really like. Plus, South Eastern Magazine's in conversation with me, Sena Eze and I'm letting you know all about what I've got in store for South East London this month.}

Available, for free, throughout South East London.

*I've got my copy, have you?*

Shoot 1.1 -- Main Article

Mood Board No.5 & Shoot 1.0 -- Main Article

On Saturday I carried out the shoot for the images that will be accompanying my main article. I shot the model for my shoot (Benita Nwagwu) in Greenwich. I shot in Greenwich because it's a town in South East London and it's a great location to get "street-style" inspired shots. The mood board below informed my shoot (below the mood board I've inserted some of the shots from Saturday).

Mood Board

Target Audience -- CoP

I've had to slightly re-think the target audience for my magazine once I changed the concept of my main article. The fact that the article is now based on an interview with a blogger makes it more appealing (or somewhat relevant) to a younger audience of people of the ages 18-24. However I ensure to keep the overall concept of my magazine as well as my radio advertisement and billboard accessible to all through the use of texts/colours/sounds etc. that aren't exclusive to one age group, gender etc.

Research -- Radio Ad

I'd like the script for my radio advertisement for my magazine to be similar to the radio ad below for The Local Biz Magazine. I like the ad because it starts out by addressing it's audience (and by doing so I'll be engaging listeners who I'm trying to persuade to purchase my magazine) it then goes on to describing the magazine (It's name, purpose, what it aims to do, USP etc. ). 

The main purpose is to SELL SELL SELL and I plan on implementing the "sell sell sell" element by using a combination of buzz words, a good jingle and clear narrative.