Double-Page Spread - Post Production

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

I tried to stick to the minimalism of the contents page to continue into the double page, this makes the magazine more coherent, and it all ties together well. Also, I think that with my double page being different from other magazine double pages makes it stand out for all the right reasons, and will seem more intriguing and attractive to my selected target audience. I tired to keep the same pictures from my front page so this would add to the coherency that I wanted. I also had a minimal use of colour in the double page as this would make it seem sophisticated, and apply and adapt to the lifestyle of the target audience for the music magazine.
I looked at other content pages of music magazines, such as ‘Kerrang!’ and ‘Vibe’ which gave me ideas as to how I should lay out my double page, and what I would need to do to make it easily accessible and understandable. I also looked at colour schemes and picture layout to gain a bit of knowledge on how I should work with my own magazine. From the magazines I looked at I learned that there weren’t a lot of pictures, as to divert from making the double page too busy, which could possibly make it difficult to understand. In that aspect, I don’t think that I tried to challenge the norms, however I managed to make my double page stand out by using a minimal amount of colour, and choosing a simplistic layout while still sticking to the ‘normal’ double-page spread layout.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I have really developed my skills with using InDesign and Photoshop, and I have become more fluent with its use during the production of my front page and my contents page. I have learned how to use layers properly in InDesign, and how to manipulate my photographs in Photoshop using the colour settings. Also, I think that I have become more used to adapting my skills that I learned from working on my preliminary task to my Music Magazine contents page. This has allowed me to develop my skills, and make my contents page look more professional, and link it to my audience.
I have also made the production easier for myself by creating a mock-up contents page on Microsoft word, and this made it easier for me to adapt this into InDesign, since I was relatively new to its use.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Compared to my preliminary contents page, I think that my Music magazine’s content page and double page spread is far more interesting and adapted to my readers’ interests. Also, I think that I knew what I was doing, and was more comfortable with using InDesign when working on my double page for my Music magazine. I also think that I was more experimental and outgoing with my music magazine’s double page because I used a wider range of fonts, a basic colour scheme and varied photographs. I think that this makes my double page tie in with my front cover and contents page more coherently, and it also attracts my target audience. With my preliminary contents page, I didn’t create a mock-up for me to get ideas and inspiration from, but for my music magazine’s contents page the sketch up that I created on Microsoft word enabled me to shorten my production time, which proved effective – instead of wasting time when using InDesign and creating a bad quality contents page and double-page spread.

Double-page Spread - Production

In what ways are you designing your media product to use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

1. For my double page spreads, I wanted it to encompass all of the elements that I put forth in my cover page and contents page. I used the same model and same font so my magazine could be coherent and well put together, as well as keeping my colour scheme simple and minimal, in order for it to appeal to my target audience. I also chose a minimalist colour scheme in order for my magazine to be coherent and flexible.

How are you designing your media product to represent particular social groups?

2. For my double page spread, I am trying to make the design and layout interesting in order for it to interest my reader, and grab their attention. Also, I am using pictures from my photo shoot that the readers haven’t seen before, which also adds to the originality and excitement of my double page spread. Ideally, double-page spreads are supposed to be engaging – this includes and interesting story, nice pictures and an intriguing lay-out, which I am also trying to include in my own double page spread.

How are you attracting/addressing your audience?

3. I’m attracting my audience by making my layout look more appealing and simplistic, as this will appeal to my middle-class, female audience. Also, the text is sophisticated. I looked at other double-page spreads of music magazines, such as ‘Kerrang!’ which gave me ideas as to how I should lay out my double-page spread, and what I would need to do to make it easily accessible and understandable. I also looked at colour schemes and picture layout to gain a bit of knowledge on how I should work with my own magazine. From the magazines I looked at I learned that there weren’t a lot of pictures, as to divert from making the double page too busy, which could possibly make it difficult to understand. In that aspect, I don’t think that I tried to challenge the norms, however I managed to make my double page stand out by using a minimal amount of colour, and choosing a simplistic layout while still sticking to the ‘normal’ double page layout.