Feature Article

Contents Page

Cover Page

Looking back at your preliminary task (the college magazine task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Since completing my college magazine (preliminary task) I feel I have come on a long way in the quality of my work. However, I feel my college magazine was strong and I carried the aspects I felt worked onto my main task. I have used the font in places that I used on the cover of my magazine and the colour scheme is slightly similar. I feel these is because both my college and main magazine have similar target audiences. In terms of things I have improved on, I feel I have improved mostly on layout, I feel on my main task I used the space better than my college magazine and varied the look more, by using pictures and more colours. I also feel that my understanding of my target audience shows better, on my music magazine I have included colours, gestures, layout and fonts that would appeal to my audience. Whereas on my college magazine I feel I was slightly uncertain of exactly what my audience wanted. I think a factor that aided me more in 'RAIN' than 'College Life' was the amount of research I undertook. In 'College Life' I only carried out a survey and used what I could from the results, in 'RAIN' I researched industry, I thoroughly researched my audience pretty much inside out and I think it shows through my work that I had a much better understanding in 'RAIN'. In 'College Life' I had only learnt the basics of Photoshop and other programs, so was experimenting with 'College Life' in terms of fonts, colours and the image. In 'RAIN' these skills had much further advanced and it allowed me to make the magazine look more professional and produce work to a standard that I was happy with.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

During making my magazine I feel I have learnt a lot of new computer and analysis skills. Computer wise, I have learnt how to deal with text and images on photoshop and how to make them look their best and to make sure everything fits in the right place. I have now familarised myself with new websites that I would have not considered in the past. Using flickr now I can easily navigate myself round the website and add notes onto my images to show what the image was intended for and I can easily link photos to my blog. Using blogger now I can successfuly blog and use notes to organise my posts. I feel blogger was helpful and easy to use and I could present my work in a way I wanted to and organise it how I liked it.
In terms of analysis I see much more when I look at the cover of my magazine and others and media products alike. When taking photos I had to consider angle, facial expressions, how close I was to the model, how my audience would react to the photo. Would it offend them? Would it make them laugh? Would it attract them? I am particularly pleased with the final images I used in my magazine, I considered the shots they were at, the facial expressions and poses and the background too.
However, there have been some disadvantages to using websites like flickr, because of using it on a college network when you try to add notes it sometimes closes the web page and this was extremely frustrating when I was trying to get work done. This could be fixed by going onto flickr via firefox, however this is an incovienice I shouldn't have to do.
In photoshop I learnt a lot more about how to quickly manipulate my images and have the layout how I wish, using columns on my feature article was a particularly hard aspect of photoshop to pick up, nevertheless it still helped a lot in the overall look of my magazine.
Overall I have picked up lots of new skills throughout making the magazine which I have applied and hopefully shows in my work.

How did you attract/address your audience? Feature Article

By keeping the same image my audience can still relate to the model by his dress code etc. Also he is smiling in this case which softens the article and reflects on the light hearted comical value of the actual content.
By using lots of text I use the fact that I know my audience will be keen on serious music journalism and will want to read rather than be swamped by images.
By using a 'rain loves' feature I keep loyal fans interested because they will know which articles are better and which bands are upcoming. Also this could entice new readers out of curiosity because they'd want to know what interests the magazine to the particular band so much.
By using a well known artists 'favourite band feature I interest new readers. If a new reader is not entirely sure who this band are seeing a familiar artist take interest in this band makes the article much more appealing.
By keeping a style throughout I keep the calming escape effect of the colours.
By using a pull out quote I use the fact of where the readers vision is likely to land. Because I have made this quote interesting and a slight cliff-hanger I entice my audience and play on natural human curiosity.

How did you attract/address your audience? Contents page.

By using the same colours/fonts in the contents page as the cover I keep a style throughout which my audience can recognise. The blues and greys and blacks are quite calming which connotes the magazine as an escape which I believe is exactly what my audience would be looking for in a magazine.
By not keeping the 'norm' list I play on the fact that my audience are in fact individuals and want to be different. If they find this in a magazine also they are more likely to want to read it.
By having a separate box for regulars I use a convention of most magazines, whilst keeping regular readers interested who know the format of the magazine and like it to stay how it is.
By using plenty of pictures I use the fact that my readers will enjoy photography and by using this fact I attract them as they will immediately enjoy that factor.
Using 'a note from the editor' involves my audience in the production of the magazine. This is a personal touch and makes the audience feel like their custom is highly appreciated even by what would be a mainstream magazine.