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

There are many skills and methods I have learnt from first creating my school magazine cover to completing my music magazine pages. These all include layout including images and text, use of imagery with the sizing of images and placement, various fonts which differ from small thin text to large bold text and how to address my target audience. This has been achieved by using new and effective technologies to research and annotate successful magazines as well as to complete my final music magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread.

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

The main programs I have used throughout are InDesign and Photoshop. I have found these fairly easy to use and to pick up quickly and effectively. These programs have allowed me to alter my own images and text to a high standard to make my magazine look realistic and it's best. I used effect tools such as 'blur', 'magnetic lasso', 'sharpen' and 'crop' to do this.

I used these programs on a Mac computer and Macbook which I also found easy to use. This product allowed me to use the programs which would make my magazine look realistic.

I also used a high quality digital camera to make my images which I used in my magazine in various areas. I also found this easy to use and manoeuvre without the images becoming blurred due to camera shake.

I also used various other technologies such as websites which include Blogger and Flickr.

How did you attract/address your audience?

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The target audience for my magazine will be teenagers aged 14-18 and the majority being male (80%). These would be interested in hip hop music and the artists themselves, knowing their backgrounds and personal lives. The teenage audience would dress trendy and fit the stereotypical teenage appearance; jeans, trainers, jumpers and shirts. Their favourite television programmes would be most music channels such as MTV and possibly other popular programmes such as Hollyoaks which relates to teenagers.

They would purchase this magazine because it will feature the latest hip hop music along with the latest artists, news, gossip and several interviews with the successful and upcoming artists.This magazine will provide information which the audience will talk and chat about with their friends who want to be the first to know all the latest news and song releases.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

With my magazine being based on music, one media institution which could distribute my magazine is Bauer Media Group. This is because the company distributes several successful music magazines such as Kerrang and Q. This institution may be looking to reach alternative age groups as the majority of music magazines focus on adults. My magazine is aimed at teenagers and could be exactly what the company is looking for. Bauer Media Group could also market my magazine involving several well known social networking sites which also focus on younger audiences. These could include Twitter or Facebook. This will benefit the institution as this is one very popular area of the market which is easy to target and spread the word advertising the magazine. Bauer is known to market their products further using such areas as radio and television. They do this using 'Bauer Radio' and 'Box Television'. This is also a successful way of targeting the teenage audience.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The image on the left is from my own music magazine whereas the other is from a very successful music magazine VIBE. My image is taken of a model whereas the other is of a well known artist. There are several similarities along with other differences between these images. They are both similar artists and I tried to show the same effect with my magazine. A strong similarity which gives off the best effect is the facial emotions which both show a relaxed but smug effect, with the artist staring into the camera directly at the audience. The body effect is also similar with both showing the same emotions however the positioning of the arms are different with my image showing the artists hands in his jumper pockets, whereas the real magazine image shows the artist with his arms crossed. The clothing is different due to the fact of the age difference between the artists and their look. The VIBE magazine image has the figure wearing a black vest top which highlights his tattoos to portray his attitude and appearance. My artist however is wearing a hooded jumper to relate to his age group and their stereotypical appearance.