Research and Planning: Shot Type Research

Shot Type Research

I have researched the different types of camera shots to help with my British TV Drama analysis but also to help me with the images for my music magazine.

Research and Planning: Audience Feedback

Audience Feedback

From my feedback I now know that my magazine appeals to the correct age range and shows the genre of a college magazine from things such as my masthead and colours. I also know i need to make more improvements of the boxes I add around text to make them neater and also include more stories. However from my feedback i know my magazine is well present and looks professional.

Research and Planning: Preliminary task

 Preliminary task

College Magazine Cover

• I used a thorough colour scheme of Blue, Grey White and Black which is seen in magazines making my magazine look more professional.
• I kept my fonts consistent on both pages. Both fonts are ones which appeal to the age range of my magazine. 
• My masthead is the name of the college and I have used the college website as my slugline to advertise it.
• The image on the front of my magazine in a medium close up of student.
• The semiotics from my magazine create the theme of teenagers and college, through the fonts, colours, and the picture of a college student. I took the image and used the smart blur tool to enhance the picture. I then used to magnetic lasso tool to cut out the picture from its background and move it onto the cover.
• I used the phrase 'NEW STUDENTS SETTLING IN' down the side of the cover which is relevant to the photo and the main story of the magazine that being the first edition from September and just about the norms of the college and the new students views.
• I added a barcode to my cover by downloading a font to photoshop, creating a text box and typing in my bar code. I added a barcode because these are always found on magazines.
• Another thing i added which is a typical layout of a magazine is the date and issue number.
• I added the various stories to my cover which are relevant to the genre of the magazine, also showing an insight into whats in the magazine.

• I changed the layout of my cover from the draft I drew because the stories wouldn't fit along the bottom due to the shape of my picture.
• I like the layout of my cover and think the semiotics display the idea of college. I think for my first time creating the cover on photoshop I did well in making my cover look like a typical magazine. Next time I do this I know to work harder on making everything fit int the layout of the cover and also making sure my picture for the front is cut out on photoshop a lot more neatly.

College Magazine Contents Page



• 
    I made my contents page using the program indesign.
• I added two columns onto my page to make sure the text fit neatly inline with the boxes.
• I continued the colour scheme of Blue, Grey, Black and White from the cover.
• I added the masthead 'CONTENTS' and the others naming the sections of the magazine 'ON THE COVER' and 'MONTHLY'. I used the same font as used on the cover for the titles and also, the page numbers and the information of the page articles.
• I looked at other magazines for ideas for my contents page. I decided to use the layout of the articles that are on the cover grouped together, and then another group being the monthly features of the magazine.
• I added my photos using the place tool and also put numbers on my pictures which are relevant to the magazines stories. 
• To make my contents page look neater and bolder I added boarders around the page and the title boxes. 
• I think my page portrays the layout of a contents page, and all the right features. I like the pictures which are numbered and associated to certain storylines in the magazine. I made it look more professional by continuing with the same colours and fonts on the contents page as on the cover. To improve I could make sure my boarder doesn't interfere with my pictures and text on the page and also that the boarders around the writing are neater and the lines reach up to the ends of the section.

Research and planning: Draft of college magazine

Draft of my design for college magazine.

Research and planning: Research into fonts

Fonts 

• These are the different fonts I looked at on photoshop for ideas on mastheads.
• I chose the fonts depending on their semiotics. Each one displays a different kind of genre through the font and the choice of colours.

Research and planning: Research into semiotics

Research into semiotics

• The study of signs and symbols by means of language and communication.
• The relationship between symbols and language - how people gain ideas from them.
• Comprising semantics, syntactics, and pragmatics.
• Semantics - Relation between signs and the things to which they refer.
• Syntactics -Relations among signs in formal structures.
• Pragmatics - Relations between signs and their effects on people who use them.

• Images used show the genre. There is an image of musicians on each showing this is a music magazine. The people chosen all have a similar image and are all presented in a similar way.
• All the people on the covers portray a rock image including the smaller images of the posters included for example.
• The masthead shows the genre, the font used and the colour choice of black and white. All the fonts used are very informal.
• These choices of symbols give the magazine a rock genre.

Research and Planning: Target Audience for College Magazine

These are the things I need to consider for the target audience of my College Magazine.

Age

• The ages the magazine would apply to would be between 16-19. Therefore there would need to be things age appropriate that will interest them for example, music, fashion, part time jobs etc.

Gender

• My magazine would have to be appropriate for both male and female interests.
• I could include unisex columns but also specific interests for males and females.

Interests

• Interests would need to include things such as, Music, Sport, Technology, interests which can be applied to both gender. Also could be gender specific interests, sections for girls and sections for boys.
• Interests may also be help and advice for around the college.

Education 

• Would have to apply for a range of subjects, AS and Alevels, Btects, Diplomas, so that the magazine applies to all areas of the college.
• Things on revision, organisation, advice to succeed etc.

Class

• The magazine would have to be appropriate to suit to Working class and the middle class. Nothing that wouldn't suit their financial abilities and understanding.

Research and Planning: Medium Close Up

Medium Close Up

• These are examples of medium close ups.
• I have used these to show the type of images I need to use for my preliminary task - My College Magazine

Research and Planning: Analysis of College Magazine

Analysis of College Magazine

• The cover of the magazine has a typical layout of a magazine for example an Image, Stories Masthead etc.
• 'Your exclusive guide to everything thats hip hop & happening' across the top is an attractive slogan giving a short summary of a magazine and encouraging people to read.
• The colours and fonts used are consistent in the layout.
• The colours are appealing to the target audience, Greens, Blacks and Whites.
• The fonts used are also informal and the kind associated with teenage use.
• The also magazine has a barcode and an issue number which show.
• The masthead shows the topic of the magazine being ' College' but also the font use is one thats appropriate to appeal at teenagers.
• The slugline is a college website, showing the technology that appeals to teenagers this being the internet.
• The image used is of a teenager in informal dress which is appropriate for the purpose of the magazine but also the person is carrying text books.
• The Stories used are appropriate to the magazine, also the colours differ to attract people for example the titles are in white or bright green which stand out from the background.

Research and Planning: Indesign tutorial

Indesign Tutorial

• I researched a film review and picture for Shutter Island.
• I opened the indesign programme and created new document.
• First I changed the colour of the background using the rectangle frame tool and selecting a colour.
• I added the title Shutter Island using the text tool box.
• I then added columns to the page by selecting, Layout ; Create guides ; Then added new collums.
• I then chose File ; Place ; to select my text and used to pen tool to add it too the collums. I changed the texts font, colour, and size.
• I then used the same method to add my picture.
• I selected my Title and Used Object ; Effects, to add a drop shadow affect on my title. also using the same method i added Bevel and Emboss to my picture.
• I added a boarder by selecting the boarder increasing the size and changing the design to thick - thick.
• I then used the Gradient Swatch Tool and changed to Gradient of the background.
• I found the programme easy to use and the boarders helped ensure I kept my text and pictures in all the right places and the right format for the page. However it was difficult to ensure you selected the correct thing to change due to the amount of lines separating collumns on the page.

Research and Planning: Introduction to Photoshop (Skin correction tutorial)

BEFORE

AFTER

Skin Correction Tutorial

• I first used to spot healing tool to remove any blemishes and made sure the size of the brush was suited.
• I then duplicated the layer, and added a filter. I added the filter on Blur, then smart blur. I had to change the opacity of the Blur to make the skin look more natural.
• I zoomed into the picture to add smaller detail using the paint brush for example drawing on eyeliner, eyeshadow, eyelashes and lipstick. I also changed the colour of her eyes to a darker blue.
• I changed the colour of her hair to a light brown by using the paint brush tool (changing the size when needed) and changing the opacity to make it look more natural.
• I cut around the picture so i could change the colour of the background using the paint bucket tool.

Research and Planning: Introduction to Photoshop (Creating a document)

Creating a Document On Photoshop

• I opened the Photoshop software: Went to File ; New ; Then created a new A4 document
• I changed the background of the document using the Paint bucket tool.
• I added text - Choosing Layer and Layer styles i changed it to the Drop Shadow affect
• I added an imagine and rotated it.
• I learnt how to change her hair colour by using the paint brush tool and changing the opacity of the brush.

Research and Planning: Introduction to Photoshop (CD Cover)

First time of using Photoshop with Photoshop Tutorial.

• Using the select and move tools I cut out all the instrument pictures to add to the background.
• I changed the colour of the CD using the pain bucket tool.
• I added text with my name, and changed the affect to drop shadow.
• I rotated and moved all the images on the CD cover.
• I changed the colour of the background and the instrument.
• I learnt how to distort the background and create different affects.

Welcome to my Media Blog

Welcome to my Media Blog where i will post updates on my Media AS Coursework with explanations, ideas and the way in which I have learnt to use software such as Photoshop.