Actual Magazine Analysis (Double Page Spread) - Task 23

Actual Magazine Analysis (Double Page Spread) - Task 23

After finally completing both the front cover and contents page analysis, I finally got to come around to create the analysis for the double page spread within Mixmag. Like the contents, I found this easy to analyse, due to the similarities it held with the contents page, as it had the same flow throughout the magazine. Although the contents and double page spread shared similarities, I learned and found different things from the double page spread in which I can apply to my double page spread in my music magazine when I come around to it. Also within the magazine I had, it had 3 pages which had double pages spread linking into the same article, so I also tried to include them in as much as I could throughout the analysis of the double page spread.

And finally once again, here are the questions to the analysis given to me provided by our media teachers. And once again, you can click on the timings and it will take you straight to the video, or you can simply follow the timings and watch the video here:

#1 How many images does the spread use; what does this mean for your own planning? (0:42) 
#2 How would you describe the layout? Would you say it was organised? Sleak? Uniform? Chaotic? Ordered? Boring? Interesting? Colourful? (2:13)
#3 What does the headline/image say about the article? Does it fit in with the rest of the magazine? (4:16)
#4 Does it have subscription information? (6:10)
#5 Does it have a competition? How does this attract or appeal to its target audience? (7:36)
#6 What kinds of images are on the page? How have they been manipulated if they have been? (9:23)

Actual Magazine Analysis (Contents) - Task 22

Actual Magazine Analysis (Contents) - Task 22

After completing the task about analysing the front cover of Mixmag, I went about to analyse the contents of the magazine. Analysing the contents was a much easier task as opposed to the front, because as you can see, the contents page doesn't really have a lot of features within it. But I did pick up on a lot of things which will help towards the development of my own magazine when the times comes around to creating it. Once again, I made a video log going around me explain the questions which were put out from my teachers within my media class. I'll be making blog posts about decent contents and seeing what is good about them and how they can be implemented when creating my own magazine.

Here are the questions with the timings once again so you can go to the questions answer explanation or you can click on the video to watch it all:

#1 How many images does the cover use; what does this mean for your own planning?

(0:55)

#2 How would you describe the layout? Would you say it was organised? Sleak? Uniform? Chaotic? Ordered? Boring? Interesting? Colourful? (2:19)

#3 What does the style suggest about the rest of the magazine? Look at the range of articles and contents (4:30)

#4 Does the cover artist feature on the contents page at all? (7:36) 

#5 Does it have an editors note? If it does what does this say about the ideology of the magazine?? (9:30)

#6 Does it have subscription information? (11:10)

#7 Does it have a competition? How does this attract or appeal to its target audience? (12:26)

#8 What kinds of images are on the contents page? How have they been manipulated if they have been? (14:10)

Actual Magazine Analysis (Front Cover) - Task 21

Actual Magazine Analysis (Front Cover) - Task 21

One of the tasks set out for us to do was to buy an actual music magazine which would link into the genre we are going to work with when we create our own magazine, and analysis the features within the magazine we bought more specifically the front cover, then the contents then finally a double page spread within the magazine. This is a post relating around the analysis of the front cover of the magazine 'Mixmag'. The reason I chose this magazine is because it links into the kind of magazine I want to work around which is EDM, but more specifically Drum & Bass, which Mixmag does cover.

I created a Vlog (Video Log) going over the questions given to us from my teacher to answer, and I wanted to try and break it down as much as I could.
Here are the timings for when I answer the questions, you can click the timings and it will take you straight to my explanation of the answer done:

#1 What is the House Style? (1.23)
#2 What is the concept Behind the cover? How has the text and image been integrated? (2:52)
#3 How does the cover attract it's audience? (5.09)
#4 How does the Mise En Scene suit the genre? (7.56)
#5 What proportion of the page does the masthead take up? (10:40)
#6 What is the formula to the cover? E.g. How much text is used? What font style is used?
(12.30)
#7 What 'work' (Photoshop) has been done to the cover? Is there a lot of image manipulation? (16:30)

Top 5 D&B Albums of 2013 - Individual Post 4

Top 5 D&B Albums of 2013 - Individual Post 4

Like my top 5 D&B songs of 2013, I had decided to create my top 5 albums / LP's of 2013. In relation to my music magazine, I wanted to present my favourite album releases of last year. As stated, last year was a strong year for the D&B scene, and it looks like it's going to be stronger in 2014, but it looks like 2013 is going to be hard to beat, but only time will tell. It was hard for me to draw up this list, especially to 5, as there where many great albums from last year! Many great labels such as Playaz, Med School, Vision, Spearhead and Signature Records have all been featured in this list because of the albums released on them. Seriously, such a strong year for 2013 for the scene! Here is my prezi powerpoint. 

Top 5 D&B Songs of 2013 - Individual Post 3

My Top 5 D&B Songs of 2013 - Individual Post 3

To relate to what my music magazine is going to be about, I have decided to do a blog post basing around my top 5 drum & bass tracks in last year. There where so many great releases and to narrow it down to five was just an impossible task. Many great releases came from labels such as Hospital Records, Shogun Audio, Critical Music, Metalheadz, Dispatch, Symmetry and more. It was a very strong year for Drum & bass, especially with the likes of Wilkinson with Afterglow (released on RAM) getting in the charts, showing the strong development of Drum & bass at this moment! 

But for my top 5, I went with the tracks that when I heard straight away, I knew they where going to be strong, but also providing the addicting feel when listening to music. The tracks I have chosen where released on labels such as Division, Critical Music (My favourite label), Vision, Playaz and Spearhead Recordings. I have decided to create a Prezi powerpoint and annotate over the tracks I have chosen and to why I had chosen them. In the Prezi, there will be a video link provided to the audio of the track. I'm really looking forward for this in 2014 for Drum & Bass, showing what the genre is all about and I really can't wait to get around to doing my drum & bass magazine!

Contents Page (Analysis) - Task 20

Contents Page (Analysis) - Task 20

Here is the narrative of me going over the analysis and breakdown of the school contents mock up I did. Like the front cover, I go over the tools and features I use. It's much shorter in terms of the steps used as I didn't implement a lot of features, but enough to I think inform the viewer and reader. Once again, I think this is a great way to get my ideas and thought processes across.

Once again, i'll be making more videos like this in the future, whether it be photoshop based or vlog based. I think it's good to vary myself within making videos as I can be a lot more creative and make a lot of things with them. I hope you enjoy this analysis, and provide any feedback! 

College Magazine Contents - Task 19

College Magazine Contents - Task 19

Here is my college magazine contents mock up page. Also with the development of our own magazines. From this, I found this much more difficult to lay out as opposed to the front cover. But all in all, with much more practice and development over the creation of magazines in general, i'll hopefully pick it up much easier. In relation to the front cover, it has given me an insight on how to construct a contents page. With this once again, I used Photoshop to create the contents and give the structure of it also, since Photoshop is the number one software  to use for the development and structure of a magazine. 

I will be creating a video like the one I did for the front cover, and be making an analysis video about the creation of the contents page and the features and tools used to get the desired style I wanted with this. I will also go over what I could of improved and what I'll look at next time when I come to create my own music magazine. To view the front cover and the video, please follow these links:
College Magazine Front Cover &
College Magazine FC Video

Magazine Front Cover Analysis W/ Voki - Task 18

Magazine Front Cover Analysis W/ Voki - Task 18

What is Voki?

Voki is an online software which is a website which enables someone to create an automated avatar and allow them to speak on your behalf. Voki aims at people who use blogs, social networks, etc. and provide a more creative edge with presenting. 

As part of our class assignment, we where asked to create an analysis of a music magazine relating to the genre in which we have chosen but with the use of the online software known as 'Voki'. I've not used Voki before, so it was definitely a new experience for me, and also help me throughout my 'journey' in this course and also the development of this blog in Media. It opens us up to an array of different softwares like Voki, which will help us in the long run. Here is my example of using Voki for the first time. With Voki, it makes this post much more interactive so I will be using it more in the future!

College Magazine Analysis (Front Page) - Task 17

College Magazine Analysis (Front Page) - Task 17

Here is a narrative video of me going over the analysis and breakdown of the school front cover mock up I did recently. I go over why I used certain things, why I've used them, and how they can impact the target audience in which this magazine aims to attract. I also go over the magazine overall and what I can improve on within this. I think this is a great way to show my ideas and thought processes by making these videos, to give an inside of why I create certain things, and hopefully people learn something from what I do also.

I go over the magazine in 9 steps, and go over individually each step and explain why i've done certain things and implemented certain features. I try to explain and elaborate as much as I possible can, and I do hope you like it. To view the video, please either watch it on this blog, or follow this link: (Link to the video)... Thank you!
To view the separate blog post focusing on the magazine, follow this (Link to the magazine blog post)

Ideology - Task 16

Ideology - Task 16

What is an Ideology?

Ideology is a set of beliefs carried out by what people believe or view. It is also a way of looking at things, and how people perceive things in their life or view as right. Many people have different ideology's and different concept on the meaning of things, which differentiates between person and person.

How is Ideology used within Media and Magazines?

Ideology within media and magazines, particular music magazines applies because through the production and process making of the magazines. Producers of magazines consider and implement their own ideology within the creation of the magazines, more specifically of the front covers of the magazine they work for. They use an ideology to target a specific target audience, by using the stereotype of the genre, in which it then offloads onto the target audience, to conform but be attracted by this.
Having a structure within creating music magazines is needed to attract the target audience they wish to bring in and buy their magazines, and also produce much more popularity for magazines, in this case.

Here is a video which explains the definition of Ideology, and other things which surround ideology:

Photoshop Basics Tutorial - Individual Post 2

Photoshop Basics Tutorial - Individual Post 2

This is my first individual blog post. This post is toward the Photoshop element of the course, as it is a big part of what we will be doing, especially with designing our own front covers, contents, double page spreads and various other things which link into the course. 

With this post is aiming at the basic tools within photoshop. It is primarily aimed at people who don't know the tools within photoshop and how they work. There are endless amount of functions within the software which can be used to create things, but I have chosen specifically to look at the tools on the toolbar. Hopefully it gives those with a minimal idea of how to use the program a little more knowledge on the functions of the tools themselves.
I'll be creating various of other tutorials and how to's throughout the development of my blog. 

Photoshop: Positive & Negatives - Individual Post Task 1

Photoshop: Positive & Negatives - Individual Post Task 1

As I am using Photoshop and it's capabilities to edit photo's, there is always the question of 'What are the positives and negatives of a program like Photoshop?'. In this blog post, I will be going through the pro's and con's of the program of Adobe Photoshop, and understanding how effective and not effective it is for creating a magazine. Since I am a proficient user within the program, so I am aware of what is good and what is bad about the program, so I will go through these when explaining about the positives and negatives. Here is the picture displaying some of the positives and negatives I have chosen about Photoshop. 

College Magazine Front Cover Assignment - Task 15

College Magazine Front Cover Assignment - Task 15

'Heenan Record' Magazine mock up

As part of our development towards creating a music magazine, our assignment given to us within our media class was to create a college magazine front cover. I decided to focus on creating a magazine front cover for our school: Cardinal Heenan and it's Sixth form. This gave me an insight of how a magazine is developed and created, as I have not created a magazine before, so it was good for the experience toward creating our own magazine when we can.
To create the magazine, I used Photoshop to help structure the magazine and layout. From learning and understanding the terminolgy and features used within magazines, I wanted to try and implement that into the front cover. I am happy how this mock up came out, but I hope to carry on the knowledge I know into the next.

The house style for the magazine was fairly simple in how it layed out, but used fairly bold type to make it stand out a lot more, and also use the school's colours too which being red, white and yellow. I wanted to link all this together so it appeals to both the younger audience being the pupils of the school and to the staff members and also the parents of the pupils who attend the school.
I also included a banner at the top of the front cover to also help promote the features of what will be in the magazine, also using the school's theme colours to link to the house style.
For the masthead, I made sure it was bold enough so it is noticable to the viewer, and also including the school's slogan 'Respect. Believe. Achieve.' The headline also covers a section of the magazine, followed by the anchorage text beneath it to show that this will be the most important aspect of the magazine, but both are standing out against the main image, which covers all of the magazine's front.
Considering christmas is around the corner, I decided to include a pug dedicated to christmas, also showing the festive and fun side to the school. I decided to make the graphic red as it clears stands out from the background, and extremely noticable. I also used a different font to link into the topic the school is promoting.

Susan Boyle and 50 Cent Photoshop Task - Task 14

Susan Boyle and 50 Cent Photoshop Task - Task 14

A task set out from our media class, we where asked to create something using 50 cent and Susan Boyle, and merge them into one. I did kind of took this a step further by merging the face of Susan Boyle onto 50 Cent. I have used Photoshop before, so I understood in what I could achieve and want within this task set out. I produced a separate picture of 'Susan Cent' and or '50 Boyle' with an album cover also. 

50 Boyle's 'Before I Dream a Dream (Mash up of SB's 'I Dream a Dream' and 50's 'Before I Self Destruct' album covers. 

This took at least 5 - 10 minutes with each piece, as I do know my way around the tools and features used within Photoshop. From doing this, I will now analyse the positives and negatives of the collaboration of these two artists. 

Positives! +

• The positives of this show's the two artists collaborating, in this case both being merged together to create one character. 

• Experimenting with the blending modes and options used within Photoshop to effect of creating an album cover for the collaboration. 

• Understanding of how to manipulate images and creating something entirely different, and in this case, out the ordinary. 

• Also gives me a better understanding within if I uses two images in my magazine to merge it into one. 

Negatives! -

• The negatives would be that you would never see artists like this collaborate, and would give off a negative impact to the viewers and also the artists if they where actually going to collaborate, with it being quite peculiar in it's self, with both musical artists belonging to different genre's.  

• Highly unlikely that they would collaborate. 

• Would also result in a loss of fans, loosing faith within both of the artists, and would possibly put them in decline with future releases, etc. giving them a bad reputation, and putting a bad mark on the genre's they are associated with. 

Photoshop Introduction - Task 13

Photoshop Introduction - Task 13

As part of our development and creation of our music magazine, we must be able to immerse ourselves with the software which is used to create magazines, and how they are structured. One of the most known and well established pieces of software for the creation of magazines is Adobe Photoshop. Adobe Photoshop is an photo/graphics editing software, which is primarily used for the creation of magazines, posters, forms of digital art, graphic design, etc.

Photoshop is used by various amounts of designers and digital based artists for the aesthetic and conventional aspect. Photoshop is really easy to understand and comprehend, and having a good workflow within Photoshop can help with better creations of a magazine and in other forms, better compositions, artworks, etc.

I am a proficient user with Photoshop as I have had experience of using the program before, and have a vast but ever learning knowledge of the software. I will need to use the techniques and the tools within Photoshop to create the structure and basis of my magazine, especially toward creating the front cover, double page spread and contents of my magazine. It is essentially to understand the tools and features to help create the features of the magazine, so we know how to put our thought processes within our own magazine. I will create a blog entry which will include a video narration of my self talking about the basic tools used within the program and why and how they are used.

Here is a video I created last year on YouTube of a creation of a photo montage / manipulation. A lot has changed since though with my own work, but hopefully it gives a sense of perspective of how the tools of Photoshop are used and combined to create pieces of art work. Enjoy!

Music Magazine Comparisons & Differences - Task 12

Music Magazine Comparisons & Differences - Task 12

From analysing the magazines I had done, it has given me a better understanding of the terminology and features used within a magazine, for a magazine company to appeal to their selected demographic and target audience. From the previous tasks also, it has given me an idea of how to use the features properly when I come around to create my own magazine and then implement these features within my magazine to link into to what I want to connect to, and how I want my magazine to be portrayed as. So the task set out in this is two analyse both of the magazines I had previously analysed but looking at the similarities and differences, and see how both of them use the techniques they use to appeal to their selected target audience. 

To look at the previous tasks I had created on my blog which I analyse two different magazines of different genres, please follow the links:

'ATM(OSPHERE) Magazine '& 'Alternative Press Magazine'


Comparisons

• Both have bold mastheads which stand out from the magazine so it makes the magazine easily noticeable to the viewer. Both cover the top parts of the magazine. 

• Both magazines have puff's on their front covers, which help show what contents the magazine will have featured. This is a way to appeal more so to the target audience to the genre's chosen. 

• Both of the magazines have a main image which covers the whole magazine front cover. This is a message to the audience that the main people focused on the front cover as the main image will be the main talk and topic of what will be going on in the magazine.

• Both of the magazines have anchorage text to support the main image on the front, but also linking to what the main image will be basing of also, which will appeal to the fans of each genre individually. 

• Both magazines have a headline, which also link to support the main image of the front, but more specifically primarily to the main image. Show's the target audience who the people on the main image are, and that again they are the primary focus point of the magazine.

• Both magazines don't have any slogans placed on the magazine front cover.

Now for the...

Differences

• ATM Magazine provides a cover mount which is a free mix CD, where as AP Magazine does not provide a cover mount on it's front cover. 

• AP Magazine features a banner on it's magazine also promoting the other features within the magazine on top of the magazine, where as ATM Magazine does not feature or show a banner on it's magazine front cover. 

• ATM magazine whilst providing a cover mount, it is also linked with a sell line which is 'Free mix CD Every Issue' where as AP magazine does not have a sell line. 

• AP Magazine also uses buzz words within the magazine front cover, which the buzz words used are 'exclusive'. ATM magazine doesn't have a buzz word used on front of the magazine. 

• The house styles of the magazines are also very different, with the colour scheme of ATM magazine is primarily white, blue, turquoise and black, where as AP magazine uses red, yellow, white, and blue. This also show's that the house style of ATM magazine is much more simplified and balanced, but with urbanised colouring with it linking to the genre of Drum & bass, breakbeat, etc. and AP is more upbeat but 'in your face' with it being a rock / metalcore magazine especially in both magazines using different font styles also to relate to the genre of music they are associated with. 

Music Magazine Analysis #2 - Task 11

Music Magazine Analysis #2 - Task 11

To further my understanding of magazines and what features they used, the task set out as to analyse a music magazine which is a different to the genre of magazine of what i'll be creating. By this, i'll be able to notice the differences and similarities used in the magazines, and see what makes them popular in their own genre, and also what makes them stand out to the target audience they apply to. 

I chose to analyse the magazine 'Alternative Press' or simply 'AP'. Instead of creating a prezi or a powerpoint, I wanted to create my presentation in photoshop. I feel it's a different approach and a different way to get and display my research as creatively and differently as I can. I can be as creative as I want into photoshop, so I wanted to create a presentation which links into the magazine it's self, by using the similar fonts and colour scheme to help keep the flow and style of the magazine, but making that impact on the presentation. To see the text, click on the image for a full scale zoom. 

Cardinal Bulletin Analysis - Task 10

Cardinal Bulletin Analysis - Task 10

The task set out was to analyse Cardinal Heenan's termly newsletter 'The Cardinal bulletin'. From this analysis, I want to see what works within the newsletter for e.g. What qualities it has to attract its selected target audience, and vice versa (what it doesn't do to attract). From this analysis, it will give me a broad knowledge of what to include and not to include in the creation of my music magazine.

The Analysis

From analysing the front of the school's newsletter, the pro's of the front cover is that it is presented in a formal way in which the target audience of the newsletter overall is for the adults, specifically the student's parents, and also teachers and staff if so. The house style of the magazine itself is in a formal presentation, also with the use of the colours as white is a very formalised, with white being very simplistic. Also, the green denotes calmness and is generally a vibrant colour to use, and easy on the eye to the audience. Also the use of the black text/font makes it easy for the target audience to read as it stands out and doesn't clash with the colour scheme. 

The structure and the layout of the magazine is very simple and easy to the eye, which makes it very balanced and easy to understand for the target audience. It jumps straight in to the main article, which covers up most of the newsletter itself, making it go straight to the point and so the reader can be aware of what the article is about. The headline 'THANK YOU' is used in a bold font. This sum's up the article which goes into detail about the fundraising which took place in the school, with the successful donations made to help a fellow staff member and the staff members family. Linking in to the colour and to the headline text of the article, it show's that this is a feel good newsletter with the accomplishments which have been made, and a lot of positivity has come out of what is being explained in the article. This as explained, denotes a feel good attitude in the newsletter, making the audience and reader become at ease, and understand the endeavours and help the school has offered to help a staff member and the staff members family. The image and headline also with the article link in also. 

To another part of the newsletter, their is an article which has a part for the head teacher. We are introduced by this with the mini headline of 'Heads message'. This states and shows the audience that the head teacher of the school is very active in terms of being apart of the school, and has a positive role towards the school and the new's coming out of it. Not many head teachers have a lot to say when apart of school, although contributing to the school a lot, it show's that the head teacher of Cardinal Heenan tries to be apart of the school as much as possible, which show's a lot of leadership and good management of the school. Also through the personal article of the head teacher, there are mini parts of the article which discuss about different things which happen through out the school, which the head teacher wants to make the audience aware of. This show's that the head teacher is concerned with the school's on going activities and education, which show's a lot of commitment to the management of the school. 

What could of been improved? 

From analysing the newsletter, I feel like that the newsletter itself has a lot of text, and covers a lot of the article itself. I also feel that the newsletter could make more of its space by including different sub sections and mini articles on the front, instead of two main articles as I think this will cover a spectrum of other news in the school's going's on, and get straight to the point of it all. I also feel that the design of the newsletter is bland, and doesn't look appealing, as it looks fairly dated and un-modern. I'd consider to change how the design looks, and so it looks more modern and not dated. 

Music Magazine Analysis - Task 9

Music Magazine Analysis - Task 9

In order for me to create a successful magazine, and applying the techniques which many of the leading magazine companies use and put forth into their own magazines, I created a music magazine analysis which explain some of the features used in a particular magazine I have chosen, which links in to the kind of magazine genre I want to create and work on. This is also to help put the knowledge I know into play, and analyse a magazine, so I understand how to create my magazine in the best way possible. 

If you would like to view the prezi presentation I made, with my voice over narration, please take a look! Please provide feedback if possible. For other magazine terminology please follow this link to the blog entry I made about magazine terminology HERE. 

I hope you enjoy in what I created!

Magazine Terminology - Task 8

Magazine Terminology - Task 8

I will create an analysis of a magazine with the terminology used
pointing out which is used on a magazine front cover

From the course, I'll be made aware of what type of magazine terminology there is in magazines. By this, i then can understand why magazines use the certain types of terminology and features for their own magazines, and then I can use the terminology to my own creation of my magazine in effect to attract the target audience i wish to aim my own magazine at, in which then it will attract buyers of the magazine to increase it's popularity. 

It will also give me inside info in why magazine production companies use the features in their magazines to attract their own specific target audience and how they become successful in their own rights. 

Magazine Terminology Glossary

To become aware of the magazine terminology used, I have made a glossary of words which are used in todays magazines. I can use this as a guide to help me put into my magazine's creation when I do come around to creating the draft's, mock up's and final designs. Here are the words and terms used to: 

Pug - It is renowned as the 'ears' of the magazine. Pugs are normally placed on the top right and or left corners of the magazine. It is primarily the pricing of the magazine, logo or promotion of the magazine. It is here to catch the readers attention. 

Strapline - A strapline of a magazine is the capturing point of the magazine, to catch readers attention but also describe the magazine to the audience in a brief way. 

Masthead - a masthead of a magazine is another term for the name of the magazine. 

House Style - The house style of a magazine to the particular style the magazine has for the genre it is associated with. House styles vary in different ways from magazine to magazine, making them all different in terms of style, also as a way to capture a readers attention to the style of the magazine and setting it apart from other magazine competitors in the industry it is associated with. 

Headline - The headline of a magazine is what starts off a major article of a magazine, being the main story. 

Drop Capitals - The drop capitals are really big and bold letters which start of an article. It captures the readers attention by inviting them into reading the articles importance. 

Lead - The lead of a magazine is the starter paragraph of an article in the magazine. It is usually written in bold lettering, and it's to give an idea what the article it is linked to is about. 

Caption - The caption describes an image in a brief sentence, and is placed below the image. 

Buzz Words - Buzz words are words in which emphasise the magazine. Buzz words include the words 'Wow' 'Exclusive' 'Amazing'. It is to make the magazine also look fashionable, and more attractive to the audience. 

Font - Fonts (also the typography) are typefaces in which are used to created the words of the magazine, usually varying in different styles in which to link to the magazines genre it is associated with. 

Sell Lines - The sell lines is the text in which sells the magazine to the audience, to help them make the decision to by the magazine. 

Puff - The puff of the magazine is a graphic feature which helps promote the features within the magazine. 

Anchorage Text - Anchorage text is text in which supports the meaning of a picture to help understand what it is about, and help construct the meaning of it also. 

Slogan - The slogan is the magazines motto, usually being a memorable quote, etc. 

Barcode - The barcode, normally placed on the bottom right hand corner of a magazine, has a code embedded into it with the price. 

Banner - The banner, is text which covers either the top and or the bottom of a magazine. It is a way to help show some other features which will be in the magazine, and to make it stand out also. 

Preliminary Task - Task 7

Preliminary Task - Task 7

In aid to what I will be creating for my own magazine, I had been set a preliminary task to focus on what makes a magazine good and what certain features makes it stand out. As part of my coursework toward the course, we will be creating a front page cover, a contents page and also a double page spread. To look at what will make a good magazine, I will analyse the cover of 'ATM Worldwide' magazine. 

ATM Magazine featuring High Contrast

ATM Magazine analysis

• Medium shot image of DnB Producer 'High Contrast' (Stating that he is the main feature of magazine along with the use of the big font across the magazine.
• Colour scheme used: Red, white & green (All upbeat colours to emphasis the type of magazine it is which is EDM based)
• Structure of letter placement is well placed, making it easier to understand.
• Simplistic home style. 

From this quick analysis, I must determine how I will structure and place things on my own magazine front cover, and be aware of what images and font styles I use to emphasis what kind of magazine it is, and what music genre it represents and from that what it represents to that selected target audience. I will apply this to both the contents and double page spread also.

I will also develop quick mock ups and development processes to help me determine what will work best for my magazine, and encourage my workflow to be more efficient and productive through the process of the creation toward this magazine design and contents in it. To do this, I will be using the program 'Adobe Photoshop'. I have enough experience to use the tools in the program to create what I need to do, and help me get down my thoughts and mock ups down in which will help me lead to create the final designs. 

Hollyoaks Homework - Task 6

Hollyoaks Homework (Applying the Male Gaze) - Task 6

The male gaze today in our own modern society is used in many ways in terms of different kinds of medias used. It shows how women are represented in certain points, and what attributes they have and how they impact in certain ways. They can be shown in many forms from the simplest things such as advertising in film and shows, magazine articles, etc.  The task given was to analyse how women are portrayed in a show called 'Hollyoaks' a TV soap drama on Channel 4. 

Here is a clip from a past show of Hollyoaks. It is a clip featuring actress Elize du Toit, and another female actor who's name I'm not aware of. But from this, i will analyse how the male gaze is used in this clip.

From the beginning of the clip, the camera angle focuses straight on to Elize du Toit whilst her being on the phone in a close up shot, then immediately jumps to the view of her underwear from a low angle shot, but still close up. From this sums up that she is a sexual icon in this scene and is the centre of attention, and automatically focuses on her external attributes and what she is wearing. Also, the sounds of the start of the clip is Liberty X's song 'Just a little' which is emphasising how she looks with the lyrics saying 'everything about you is so sexy' then cuts off once the other female actress turns it off. 

The use of lighting as well towards Elize shows that she is the main icon during this scene with the lighting being brighter on her, as opposed to the other actress. The use of high key lightning has been used in effect to this. And toward the end of the scene, it switches places but still focusing on Elize, as although we have a focus on toward the other actress, more of the shot is aimed toward Elize when she walks out the door, still emphasising she is the main part of what is going on. The use of deep focus has been used here to display this also, but not in a way in which it's mean't to be used as we as the audience will focus on Eliza, rather than the other actress. 

Feminism - Task 5

Feminism - Task 5

'We can do it' propaganda styled poster

Introduction

Feminism is a belief and movement in which that in political, social and economic terms, women are seen as equals to men, and to establish having the same rights that men have also. Feminist (s) is a person who advocates and supports the movement of feminism and women's rights. 
Many feminists today see and know women as strong, and independent people, with there own life and mindset, which then this encourages to support and change the rights for women in todays society. And from that, the act and movement of feminism has helped change laws and have a much more balanced wavelength between women and men, in terms of equality.

The History

The history of feminism dates back to 3 individual 'waves'. The first wave of feminism goes back to the 19th & 20th centuries in which during this time, feminists at this point focused on quashing laws in which would make women equal, in which particularly women suffering during this time. Then onto the second wave of feminism, feminists then acted on cultural differences and inequalities and how the role of women in society where portrayed as. This was between the time of the 1960's to the 80's. And the third wave, which from the 90's to present day carries on in which the second wave wanted to do, and to work on getting the balance of equality for women in society.

Famous Feminists & their beliefs

Their have been many feminists throughout the ages, dating back all the way to the 12th century, leading up to our own modern day society. Without the leading and backing from the past and present feminists, the movement would not be where it is today without the progress made from past feminists, and the many endeavours in which will be made by modern day feminists now.

Marie de France (Past Feminist)
Marie de France, possibly being born in France, but lived in England during the late 12th Century, was a feminist and also being a medieval poet. Not much is known about her during her lifetime, but she was a pioneer toward the romance genre of poetry, plays, etc. 

Marie de France

But during her time, one of her most notable pieces of work which links in toward feminism and the movement of it was the poem 'Lanval'. It is a feminist romance set in medieval England. To show feminism and also the inequality of women during the period of time she was in, she uses the relationship between the protagonists 'Lanval' and the' Faerie Queen' as a way to bring in the topics of both love and gender to show how women can be equal to men, in terms of sexual, emotional, physical and mental ways. 




Ellen Page (Modern day Feminist) 

Ellen Page

Ellen Page is a Canadian actress born in February 21st, 1987, who is one of many 'third wave' feminists in todays society. Apart from being an actress being in many films and also being quite a decorated actress in terms of awards and being in many well acclaimed films, she stands up towards her beliefs around feminism and the movement.

She as an individual to help feminism, and promote the movement, she wants to change the way people think about feminism and why so many people disregard the word 'feminism' and think the word relates to something else other than what it actual means and revolves around. Here is a quote from Ellen linking toward feminism:

'It's how you're treated, it's how you're looked at, how you're expected to look in a photoshoot, it's how you're expected to shut up and not have an opinion, it's how you - if you're a girl and don't fit the very specific vision of what a girl should be, which is always from a man's perspective, then you're at a little bit at a loss. There are moments when you are encouraged to dress a certain way. But I can't. It just erodes my soul. That's no criticism to girls who can wear a tiny dress and kill it - that's awesome. People always attribute being a feminist to hating girls being sexual and that's not it at all. I'm just not into it.''


Laura Mulvey 'The Male Gaze' Theory
Laura Mulvey is a British film feminist theorist. The term 'Male Gaze' is a term and theory she first thought up in 1975. She believes that in how we view certain things in film, we see it in a heterosexual male perspective. In linking it into feminism, it can be seen in 3 different perspectives, being: How men look at women, how women look at themselves and how women look at other women. 

Laura Mulvey

From this, the theory also suggests that it only focuses on women's curve and events that happen to them during a scene and a whole film in particular are portrayed only at a male angle. Also, she states and argues that sexism can also be presented during this also. People are made to look at women in advertising that sexualises a women's body even when it is unrelated to the product featured or shown.

Here is a video from Scouting for girls 'She's so lovely' which shows the theory in play.



Representation of Women in Music Magazines

From overlooking the lesson, I will use what I have learned to analyse the front cover of a magazine, with this being the cover of NME with the picture of Beth Ditto as the cover photo. 

Analysis
From analysing the magazine, the representation of women, particularly Beth Ditto in this case being the main part of the magazine in this issue shows how she does not care for her own appearance and that women should not care about how they look like to others, in this case men. She looks like she is empowered by how she is, and nothing will change her. NME has not tried to win male buyers of the magazine for this, with the cover photo shown, as a many people would buy a magazine for its cover. Feminists would support this as it shows how Beth is not given in to any representations of women, and is strictly being her self as a women, and being empowered by who she is.