Genre Research

 Now that I have an idea of the conventions of a magazine and all that is required for my brief, it's time to begin research on the different genres. The different genres I found were:

• Arts and Entertainment
• Business
• Editorial
• Education
• Family and Parenting
• Food and Drink
• Gaming
• Health and Fitness
• Hobbies
• Home and Garden
• Lifestyle
• Music
• Pets
• Photography
• Political
• Religion and Spirituality
• Science
• Society
• Sports
• Style and Fashion
• Teen
• Technology
• Travel
• Vehicles

Between these genres, Hailey and I were most interested in a Fashion or Teen magazine. We thought we would do the best on those magazines because not only are they interesting, but they would also be fun to make, especially considering when we get our original photos. However, we didn't really know how to choose between the two, since the two are similar. So I did some research on the difference between the two and based on that we compared.

Fashion Magazine

• Cover Page
• Celebrity/Model as the main image
• The head of the model is usually ahead or covering the masthead
• Fashion secrets/beauty tips to attract young women
• Striking Visuals
• Content Page
• The font of the name of the magazine is usually the same font as the cover page
• Many appealing images
• Page numbers indicating where articles can be found
• Includes a collage of pictures of models in the magazine articles as well as a collage of their accessories. 
• 2-page spread
• Not very text based
• Sometimes the picture of the model covers both pages
• Caption is not direct; rather it is poetic, leaving the reader in curiosity

Teen Magazine

• Cover Page
• Celebrity that's popular with 12-17 year old teenage girls
• The main colors are bright and girly colors such as pink, peach, orange, blues
• The coverlines are always topics that teen girls would be interested in such as boys, learning about their body, fashion advice, gossip, etc.
• Content Page
• same as the fashion magazine
• 2 Page Spread
• same as the fashion magazine

After comparing the two genres, we noticed that the teen magazine was very similar to a fashion magazine. In the end, we decided it would be best to do the Fashion Magazine because we liked the layout. It was more simple, elegant, and less bright and messy. We liked a more classy vibe, and so our final choice was the Fashion Magazine.

My next course of action will be to continue in-depth research on how to properly organize a fashion magazine. I will also look into how to take proper professional photographs, as well as start experimenting with InDesign to get associated with the materials I will use to make the magazine.

Thanks so much for tuning in, catch you later!

Resources:

https://issuu.com/categories

https://scriptclickcreate.weebly.com/magazines.html

https://nehasaleemmedia.weebly.com/blog/the-key-characteristics-of-a-fashion-magazine

https://alltimedesign.com/fashion-magazines/

https://prezi.com/k74oazvrf3uf/codes-and-conventions-of-teen-girl-magazines/

https://www.encyclopedia.com/children/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/teen-magazines 

Conventions of a Magazine

This week is the week where I finally begin to work on my actual project. The first thing I need to do is research the conventions of a magazine. I somewhat have an idea of what the magazine should look like, but I need further clarification. Based on that, I will then choose the genre of the magazine... 

This choice, I think, is one of the most important choices I will make in the creation of this project, second to only the choice between the Magazine brief or the Film opening. My entire process of creation will be reliant on the genre that I choose. I suppose if I'm not satisfied with my genre of choice, I could always change it, but that would quite a bit of extra work that I don't think I will have time for. Therefore, I believe I will have to make my choice wisely. 

I will, of course, consult Hailey first and together we will choose our genre. But for now I need to begin researching the conventions of a magazine. Based on multiple resources, I have found that the magazine brief should include:

• The Cover Page
• Masthead
• Title of magazine
• Printed in large font, spans across the width of the cover
• Cover Image
• Close up/mid shot
• Image is connected to feature article
• Feature Article
• Longer article which is more in-depth than other coverage
• "Exclusive," usually appeals to broader audience
• Larger lettering is used on cover for prominence, contrasting colors to cover image
• Coverlines
• Catchy phrases to tell you about articles
• Bold/italics used for emphasis
• Teases reader to buy magazine
• Color could be used for emphasis/cohesion
• Puffs, Plugs, and Boxouts 
• Puffs/Plugs: Graphics that are not squares used to draw the readers attention
• Boxout: Box used to place text that provides readers with contrast 
• Strips and Banners
• Strips: include information on minor articles and features
• Banners: larger version of strips
• Dateline: Month, issue number of magazine
• Direct Address: the audience is directly addressed "you"
• Barcode: usually in the bottom corner

• Table of Content page
• Double-page feature spread
• Feature article needs to be original and relate to the genre of the magazine
• At least 7-8 original images taken by me
• All writing must be original (obviously)

Thanks so much for tuning in, catch you later!

Resources:

Provided by teacher

https://creativemediabtec.wordpress.com/2021/01/20/codes-conventions-article-page-layouts/ 

https://media-studies.com/magazine-cover-analysis/

https://media-studies.com/magazine-spread/

https://media-studies.com/indicative-content/#indicative-content-magazines

CCR Planning

 While I began pondering on how I was going to do my project, I realized that there was one huge component that I hadn't even given any thought to: the Creative Critical Reflection. I think this is the aspect of the Portfolio that I am most anxious about. I don't mind the reflection part: the four reflection questions should be simple enough. It's the different forms of expressing the answer to those questions that is stressing me out. The CCR is like a whole separate project in itself. 

But instead of stressing over this, I decided I should make a plan for the reflection. This way, if any of the different formats require me to have content from throughout the process (like the Directors Commentary) then I am ready to start working on them. 

There are 4 questions:

1. How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?
2. How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?
3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project?
4. How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware and online — in this project?

I have begun to plan on which media form I will use to answer each questions. So far, I have decided I will use a presentation with a voiceover for the first question. I believe this format is the best suited for the first question because I will easily be able to display my information on a presentation, and I can also use visually appealing graphics to make the presentation even more interesting. 

I believe I can use a podcast for the 2nd question, because I will be able to explain the content well using my voice, and the information that will be explained won't need backing visuals. 

I want to use something like a Directors Commentary for the third question because I think it would be perfect to display my growth throughout the project. However, I'm not sure how I will be able to accomplish that because I'm doing a magazine and not a film opening. I was thinking about doing a time lapse of me creating the project with commentary explaining how I learned and developed, but I would first have to get advice from my teacher on how that would work. 

For the fourth question, I'm not sure exactly what I want to do. The way our teacher presented the information on the CCR was through a slideshow where she provided some examples of different media formats that we could use. 

I've already thought of ways to use the presentation with voiceover, the podcast, and a variation of the directors commentary. I guess I could do a video essay for the fourth question, but I do want to search for some other unique formats. I will ask my teacher for advice on this when I see her next class.

For now, I will leave it at this. I will give further thought to this plan before doing research on how to prepare for each different format. Obviously I will need to finish my magazine itself before starting to work on this, but now that I have given it some thought, I think I am a little bit less anxious about the CCR. 

On a separate and completely unrelated note, it is my birthday today 🥳! Happy birthday to me, and best of luck to me on this project and on my 16th year of living!

Thanks so much for tuning in, catch you later!

Software Research

 After the very first practice, I recognize that I am seriously lacking in the editing skills required for this project. So, my first order of business is researching how exactly to use Adobe apps. Based off of the examiner reports from the past year, the examiners suggest using apps that have a DTP software such as InDesign. They strictly suggested against using Canva, which was truly heartbreaking. I am a Canva warrior by heart. I make everything on Canva. Part of the reason I chose to do the magazine was because I was experienced with Canva. But that's alright, I guess this is an opportunity for me to learn how to use other apps. 

And so my research began. The first thing I searched up was what a "DTP software" is, because even when I first saw the term in the examiner report, I was confused. It turns out, DTP stands for "Desktop Publishing," so DTP software just means Desktop Publishing Software. This is any computer program that is used by designers and media professionals to make professional-looking printed materials. I suppose these professionals don't really like Canva then. 

The next thing I did was go onto Youtube to search for a basic beginners tutorial on using InDesign. After watching a short 11 minute, I felt a little more confident with my InDesign skills. After that, I watched another short video on Photoshop basics, and I felt a little more knowledgeable than before.

I do expect to learn a lot more in the process of creation, but I'm glad I had a chance to learn some basics beforehand. Next, I think I will experiment a little bit with the skills I learned, maybe by putting together an article of some sorts.

Thanks so much for tuning in, catch you later!

Resources:

https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-desktop-publishing-software-1078923#:~:text=Microsoft%20produces%20Microsoft%20Word%2C%20Excel,form%20of%20personal%20desktop%20publishing. 

https://youtu.be/wF_fu1wcT0Y?si=tPAZ8PEzd7dfwdjk 

https://youtu.be/qwNbjGyhZ48?si=Hf0Y_EMMzajsFcw9 

Portfolio Practice #1

 With the end of the first semester, and the beginning of the new year, it's finally time to begin on one of the biggest parts of this class: the Portfolio. I did end up choosing the Magazine, for the same reasons written in the first post. I will be working on it with my friend Hailey Sanchez. 

To start preparing us for our upcoming projects, we were assigned a practice by our teacher. For the magazine, we were to make our own book covers with a picture taken on campus. We were allowed to add other images and graphics, and my original idea was to do so. 

We were given time during class to go out and film/ take pictures, and we took some good pictures the first day. Unfortunately, we did face some challenges. We lost the SD Card for the pictures taken on the first day, so we had to go out and take pictures the second day. 

I was going to choose a scenic picture from my gallery and insert the picture we took, but when I did so, it looked extremely unrealistic and pasted on. So I decided to just use the original background, but do a generative fill to make it the correct size since it was originally taken as a landscape photo. 

When even this was unsatisfactory, I decided to use another picture entirely. 

The entire process was extremely difficult and frustrating, considering my lack of creativity, my lack of skills with InDesign, and my lack of motivation. I had to watch multiple videos that were not really helpful in particular. After realizing that my original idea wasn't going to work, I had to research how to do generative fill. I used multiple websites and they were of some help. I also had to learn some features in Photoshop in order to edit my original picture. 

I'm still unhappy with the final project and I feel like I could've done much better if I didn't have such as lack of inspiration and if I knew how to use InDesign better. Although I learned a lot just by experimenting around, it was also a huge waste of my time. I switched my idea so many times and in the end just settled on a simple non-fiction nature book cover. 

 

I think overall, although the process was incredibly stressful and I'm not satisfied with the final product, it was a good learning experience. I now know where I lack and what areas I need to improve in, one of those being my skills with Adobe Apps. I now know I need to watch basic tutorials and videos on the usage of InDesign, Photoshop, Lightroom, etc. 

Thanks so much for tuning in, catch you later!

Resources Used: 

https://www.montilladesign.com/post/extend-images-with-generative-expand-in-adobe-indesign#:~:text=Angelo%20Montilla,follow%20along%20in%20this%20tutorial. 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/masking-images-adobe-indesign-comprehensive-guide-ratan-ali-pf6gc