Evaluation Question 2

For question 2 I used Canva to present my work, which, retrospectively I regret. this is because Canva does not allow you to embed or download work, unless it is paid for. This means that I had to take screenshots of my work, which was time consuming and fiddly. I would say that this is the question where I had to be the most honest about the choices I had made, in terms of social groups and diversity. In conclusion, I would definitely say that race is not represented equally enough, and age was not very broad- my magazine is clearly targeted at a specific age group, which, in a way is positive because my target audience is clear. Social class is clear here, some models seemed stereotypically upper class, and others were of a less obvious class. However, this is objective and down to personal opinion. Neither upper/lower class were presented in a positive or a negative way.

Evaluation- Question 1

This question was the most time consuming. I formatted this question on Prezi, because it allowed me to separate each section, and easily move on to the next section. It also allows the viewer to zoom in and out, and is aesthetically pleasing. It's neat and orderly. To answer the question, I had to refer to 'real media products', meaning that I had to give visual examples. I copied and pasted magazine front covers, contents pages and double page spreads from the internet, which enabled me to make comparisons. I was able to visually show where my inspiration had come from, and how a specific convention has an effect on the audience. I was able to separate each part of the magazine and analyse how it has followed forms and conventions of similar magazines. It also showed me whether I had missed anything out, and what other magazines included/left out and vise versa. It allowed me to visually compare colour, text and photography with real media products. Lastly, I was able to look at house style, which is when a magazine uses a similar layout and structure.

Final front cover, contents page and double page spread

Here are the jpeg images of my front cover, contents page and double page spread, all of which were created using Photoshop.

Skylar James- finished article

Skylar James- article

With a smile from ear to ear, and a body that leaves boys queueing, it’s hard to believe that less than two years ago Skylar James was someone you’d walk past without a single bat of the eyelid. Today, in her lavish London penthouse, Miss James opens up to me on her past, present and future. Sitting on the couch next to me, I see an innocent young girl, little more than eighteen who oozes confidence from every angle. Wearing UGG slippers and a Juicy tracksuit, anyone would think she was your average University student, Netflix and chilling in her spare hours. Her laugh is contagious, and her mysterious smile draws me in, anticipating me to ask more about her gripping story. Her makeup is neutral and age appropriate while her hair resembles that of a pineapple, piled on the top of her head. “Sorry about the mess!” she says as she removes the mouldy pizza boxes from the couch next to me. Her apartment is airy, but nothing can tame the unmistakable smell of vodka wafting in from the kitchen. I learn later that this is the smell from the remainders of last night’s bottles (from her house party, obvi).

Skylar’s transformation has wowed the world. At just sixteen, she wowed the world as she climbed the escalator of success. However, I learnt very quickly that she hasn’t always lived on a high. ‘My upbringing influenced my music career massively’, explains Skylar as she stares into the distance. ‘Failing repeatedly throughout my teens, and watching my Mother fail to fufill her role as a Mum gave me a drive, an ambition that led me to success’.

 Brought up in the rural town of Beverly, East Yorkshire, Skylar had, what she describes as a ‘drastically unconventional’ childhood. Her parents were married, but her Father worked abroad, ever since she was a young child. He only visited the family on special occasions, or when he had time off. ‘He was a great dad, but we saw him very rarely. It was hard, but we got used to it’. By ‘we’, Skylar refers to herself and her younger brother Tom, who currently studies at secondary school. The family were hard done by and Skylar’s mother barely scraped by day to day. ‘Some days I’d go without a meal’, she recalls. When Skylar reached the age of twelve, things started changing. Her Mother found out about ludicrous affairs her Father had been having whilst abroad. After a tough divorce, Skylar’s father pretty much detached himself from her and Tom. He visited the James’s once a year at most, and called once a month if he wasn’t too busy with whoever the latest girlfriend was. “It reached the point where seeing the phone flash up with dad’s number felt like a punishment” she says. Devastated by his lack of honesty and integrity, her Mother spiralled into a downwards tunnel of depression. “There was no way of guiding her away from the dark cloud that persistently rained over her”, Skylar tells me gravely. “Her behaviour was abnormal, irregular”. The day before Skylar turned thirteen, her Mother, Charlene became aggressive and violent. “She would pull out my hair and whip Tom until his back was raw”, she tells me through angry tears which gush down her face. Sadly, Charlene’s abuse went unnoticed. When the kids were at school, they didn’t tell a soul, for fears that they’d be abandoned and neglected by her. “She was the only real parent we’d ever known. We didn’t want to lose the Mother we knew, and at one point, had loved”.

By the time Skylar was attending secondary school, her Mother’s actions had had a devastating effect on her. “I had no drive to work, no incentive to achieve”, she explains. The only role model she’d ever had was uninspiring, depressed and unstable. Skylar’s grades were concerning, and significantly inadequate. “I found myself in a place where I had nothing and no one except Tom. That is until I found my love for music”. Desperate to get away from her personal life, Skylar joined the community choir, and found that she had a passion for singing.  She recalls her experiences at the Church Hall. “When I opened my mouth, it was as if nothing around me was real. I felt alive. The conductor pulled me aside one day and told me I had a gift for singing. He told me to always pursue my dreams, and to play on my strengths”. The conductor mentored Skylar, and two years later she enrolled at the London Academy Of Music. The academy helped Skylar to turn her life around. With a bit of funding and a lot of coaching, she became the ‘most gifted student’ they’d ever had. Agents were queueing for Skylar, desperate for her to let them manage her.

Just a week after leaving the academy, Skylar performed at her first gig. ‘Tom was there to support me, he’s been there for me throughout’ she says, smiling. Six months later, she produced her debut album You, in 2015. “I couldn’t believe it. I started seeing my face on magazine front covers! It felt electric, incredible! It was a dream come true. 40 million twitter followers later, Skylar was touring. “Tour was an absolute high. We were like a family- me, my brother, my manager Paul and the team”. She laughs, remembering the time she turned up almost half an hour late to a concert. When asked about her appearance, she says modestly, “My stylists were like magic wands on feet! They turned my plain face into a work of art!”.

And then I bring up the awkward question that we all want to know the answer to. Any boys? Skylar shrugs. “I’ve been so busy, what with my career beginning that I haven’t really had a chance to be honest. I’d love to settle down but right now isn’t the time. I can’t lie, I have had a good few flings though!”. With the pressure of almost 10 million fans worldwide, Skylar is careful not to reveal too much.

For Skylar, the sky is her limit. “After what I have achieved, I think anything is possible” she says, reflecting on her life. When asked what advice she’d give her fans, she tells me, “whenever I go up onstage, I take a moment to remember my background. My beginning. I never think I’m lucky, because I’m not. What I have achieved was not down to luck or chance, it was down to dedication and hard work. Never limit yourself, and always believe”- Skylar James.

Photoshoot planning

For my photoshoot, I pre planned props, location, timing and setting. This was to make sure that taking the photos wouldn't take that long, because I would have everything else already organised. The location was the most important thing to plan because I had to ask people whether they would mind me using their house before I used it.

Choosing the right photographs

Here are some thumbnails of the photographs I took of one model (Jess) for the cover, contents page and double page spread. I took lots of photos, in order to give myself a big choice, in terms of angle, shot type and mise-en-scene. As well as this, there were other factors that influenced my decision such as lighting, brightness and mode of address.

There were different reasons why some photos didn't fit my criteria. For example:

The colours in these thumbnails did not contrast well. Jess's dress is white, and so is the wall behind her. It would give the magazine a bleak, bland look which is less interesting to the eye. Bright, noticeable colours help to attract the audience, because they are eye catching. Jess is pale, which adds to the white coloured background. Also, by using so much white it may seem like I am trying to symbolise purity, through imagery, which is not the case. Jess is meant to represent a diva-type figure, not an innocent, angelic young girl. The other photos where she is wearing red are brighter and bolder, which give her a look of importance and belonging.

The lighting in these photos is too dark, making it difficult to see Jess, as well not making her the main focus. The white lighting from the window behind makes the colour contrast not right, as well as being unsaturated. The overall effect is untidy and unprofessional which is not what my magazine should achieve. She is also sitting on a sofa, and the shot is more of a long shot than some of the other pictures above, making her less of the central image. The cushions on the sofa mean that there is too much for the audience to focus on, as Jess is not zoomed in on and too much is going on around her. I need my photos to be more minimalistic than these.

Firstly, there is too much going on in this image- there are lamps and objects behind her, which provide a distraction from what should be the main focus. Secondly, the lighting is too bright on her face and body, due to the flash being on. This makes her look unnaturally pale, which is unsightly to the audience. She is also posed at an awkward angle, where to much of her arms are on show.

Chosen photographs:

I will be using this image for the double page spread. The shadow behind creates a silhouette, which helps to make Jess stand out an be noticed. It is a medium shot which is what I wanted for the double page spread because I will need space for the article. This image is minimalistic and bare.

This is the photograph I will be using for the front cover. This is because she is posed at a good angle- she is playfully pulling her hair and smiling, which immediately invites the audience. She is also making direct eye contact which is more intense than a candid image. The lighting is good, she is lit without being too bright.

This image is one which I will use for the contents page. Although there is a light switch and a door, I can use the magic wand tool or the magnetic lasso on Photoshop to cut her out and paste her on to the front cover.

Conclusion of computer generated sketches

Why did I plan out my magazine?

Using Microsoft word, I built plans for my front cover, contents page and double page spread. I did this so that I could visually see how everything would look when on a page together. It also allowed me to see how much room each part would take up, and the ratio of text to pictures. If I hadn't made the plans, I may have had wasted space or had a page which was too busy. I know that when I make my magazine, I will refer back to these sketches so that I know where each bit of text/image should go.