Dear Diary

This week I worked on perfecing my coursework pages. I added a website link and a barcode to the front cover to conform to conventions of a magazine. I also added page numbers for the same effect. Tonight I have got my 2nd photoshoot planned, however, my model has forgotten his clothes, so I will try and work with what I've got, but if it doesnt go well I can make my third photoshoot for next week.

Dear Diary

This week i've been working on my first evaluation (of two). This section of the evaluation is focusd solely on audience feedback. I find this important because It allows me to improve in places that my peers feel are not up to standard. It's also important that the magazine is being assessed by people that would generally read my magazine, which gives a true representation of what can be expected. Aswell as being a part of my coursework, this piece will improve my actual coursework, which will further improve my grade

Dear Diary

Today I compiled all of the pieces of feedback I recieved yesterday and noted them down to my draft feedback sheet. I editted the original piece and added the comments just above the comments I had made on each section. I copied them all word for word, and then used my own words to comment on them in the original paragraphs that I completed yesterday. My photoshoot has now been confirmed for next wednesday, so next week I plan on making the final touches to the layout of each of my pages, and then I will be able to add the images the week after.

Dear Diary..

This week we focused on getting feedback on our first photoshop drafts of our magazine. We went around the room analysing 4 or 5 peoples work, using the 'Comment' tool on photoshop. This allowed us to not only gain feedback on our own work, but also help people improve their own work, as well as perhaps giving a few ideas for additions we can make to our own work. We were also informed that we plan to get all of the coursework done by half term, which I believe I am on track for. I booked my second photoshoot for next wednesday, so by the week after I should be on track for completing the magazine itself.

Dear Diary

This was the first week back after the return to school. Unfortnuately we missed the first double lesson of the week due to it being a training day. This lesson I mostly worked on making my blog look better. I deleted some un-needed gadgets and improved the look of it. I also fixed a few typo's that I spotted in the texts I had already completed. In addition, I added a label or two that was lacking, in order to allow for easier movement around the blog.

Dear Diary

This week has been very busy. After being on task to finish all my work by the deadline, I unfortunately became ill and was forced to miss 3 media lessons. Due to this, I fell behind with my coursework.I stayed after school to complete my sell line ideas and masthead designs, however I am still required to complete a draft of my front cover, double page spread and my contents page on Photoshop. Fortunately, My teacher has allowed me a 3 day deadline extension if it is required, however, I have just downloaded a Photoshop trial on my computer, and I should be able to get my 3 drafts done tonight, ready for marking tomorrow.

Dear Diary

Today I had a double media lesson. I mainly focused on fixing up my blog. I removed the questionaire, as this was no longer required, as I have completed my research on them. I also upadted my background, as I thought my old one was a bit too plain and made my blog look boring. I also moved the labels to the top of my page. This not only allows for easy access of each of the documents, but it also allows my teacher to be able to see what I've done, for ease of marking.  By next week I will have my article draft and sell lines all complete, and I will be able to begin work on my real magazine.

Dear Diary

By today, I have completed all off my required pieces of coursework, other than my article draft. Over the weekend I completed my 3 page designs, and they can be viewed below. By tommorows deadline I also had to complete my Misé en scene document, which involves giving reasons for the choice of setting and clothing for my model. I have completed this to a point, however I will need to retrieve my photos from my school account, so I can add them to the page, however I will upload this in-complete version, as I will need to add to my final version after I complete my final photo shoot anyway.

Dear Diary

This weekend I have been working on my article drafts. Currently, I have completed my front cover design, and contents page design, however I plan to wait until each of the 3 drafts are complete before I upload them. I also have to complete my Mise en scene document. I plan and am required to have these documents all uploaded by Tuesday  and then from that point onwards I should be able to begin work on my real magazine. I have already taken my first photo shoot, which can be seen below, and I still plan to do one more photoshoot in front of a green screen in order to get a good front cover image

Dear Diary..

Today I compiled a contact sheet dervied from the photoshoot I took. I used Adobe Bridge to create the sheet, as my teacher suggested, and I then converted it too a Jpeg, and uploaded it to my blog (see below). My contact sheet involves every photo I have taken so far in my task of getting images for my magazine. In this case, I haven't quite finished my photos, and it is likely that I will take a few more photos in front of a green screen in order to gain an acceptable front cover image, with the ability to change the colour of the background. By next week we have been tasked with completing every product prior to to the magazine creation, which in my case involves the creation of 3 drafts for my magazine, as well as a Misé en scene sheet, which will help to give reasons for my first photoshoot.

Dear Diary...

Yesterday I completed my first photoshoot. I used only 1 model, for which I gained his permission through the use of a model release form. For this photoshoot, I took images from certain places in the local area, which most likely will be used for my doublepage spread and contents page images. I plan to have another photoshoot to get an acceptable front cover image infront of a green screen, to allow me to edit the colour of the background. I may also need to take a few more photos from locations around the area, as my total so far is only around 100.

Dear Diary..

This week I continued work on the preparation of my magazines preparation. I completed my wheel of colour connotations. I focused on the colours red and black, as these will be the colours used in my magazine. I found pictures relating to these colours, which will help me relate the colour scheme to the product. In addition to this, I began worik on my masthead designs also. I plan to do around 4 of these. They will focus on the colours of black and white, which is the colourscheme of my magazine. The plan for my final masthead will be red, with a black outline. I may also add a  wire coming from one of the letters, which will help to symbolise the name of my magazine, which is 'Unplugged'. I plan to work on these designs for around 3-4 lessons, as I want them to be eye catching.

Dear Diary

      I have now completed my entire proposal. This includes;

·    Type of magazine (detailed description)

·    Content of magazine

·    Style of magazine

·    Competition to your magazine

·    Target audience (detailed)

·    Business features (price, frequency, subscription, cross media synergy, new media

·    Why you feel it will succeed

On top of this, I have also completed the mood board, featuring images that I believe associate well with music magazines. Each of the different sections of this sub-section of the project were created in different forms of media, helping to create a wider variety of item seen on my blog. The planning I have done so far will allow for a much easier creation of my final magazine, as I now have the majority of the layout and features of my magazine created, I now just simply have to put them together. I completed each of these tasks at home during the half term break, and I am now back on task for the rest of the term, as I had fallen slightly behind during the first half-term. I hope by the end of the coming week to be right up to speed, after my teacher goes through my blog to make sure I am not missing anything. 

Dear Diary

This week I began to work on my Proposal. I decided I would split up the 6 main features that needed to be included into 4 documents, each using a different form of layout. I decided to split up the type of magazine and style of magazine into a section, and would complete this section through the use of 2 images, with a voice-over, recorded by myself. I did this because I am yet to use this method on my blog, and doing it will add to variety. I decided to leave the audience section by its self, because it is fairly important and would require alot of infomation to be completed. I did this in Microsoft word, and then converted it to a Scribt file before uploading. This also adds variety. Next, I grouped competition to the magazine and why I think my magazine will suceed together, as they will tend to feature similar information, because generally, success is hugely attributed to competition. Lastly, I grouped the business features of my magazine and the content of the magazine, as both involve what is included in the magazine. This section will be completed in Powerpoint, as I have only used that program once so far. I will complete these files over the coming weeks, and through half time. I hope to have all these files completed by week commencing 31st October.

Dear Diary...

The past few weeks have been very hectic. I have had a few tasks to complete. I spent 3 lessons tidying up my blog, which included finding a new suitable template, as well as adding surveys to it, which allowed for me to get research, which would help me to decide on what I would be doing for my magazine. I used questions such as 'Do you prefer bright or dark colours' and 'How much would you pay for a weekly magazine'. After this, I began work on my key concepts research. This included looking at the codes and convetions, audience, institution and representation of a music magazine. I was tasked with finishing this for homework. I decided to complete it in prezi, which would add more to the variety of my blog. I also began work on my Proposal, which would include several pages each with a different heading, all to do with how and why the magazine will be sold. This is going to be completed over the coming weeks.

Dear Diary...

These past few weeks in AS Media have been very succesful. I began the course by partaking in a Preliminary Task. This involved creating a magazine designed for secondary school students. We had no limitation on the target audience or the idea of the magazine however, so I decided to aim my magazine at year 9 students, preparing to start their GCSE's. The second task, and the first that would contribute to our coursework, was similar product analysis. I analysed an edition of NME, Q, and Kerrang! as these were the magazines most similar to the magazine I aim to create by the end of the course. We had to analyse a front cover, contents page, and a double page spread for each of the magazines, because these are the 3 pages we will be creating in the final product.