Planning the Article
First page: Top left image (airplane): by pixelstalk.net Top right image (mountains): by Conde Nast Traveler Bottom image (in airport): by ABC News Second page: Top right image (out of airplane window): by onedayinacity.com Task 2: Article Idea DevelopmentMy article will match my photographs because it will contains images of a person with a suitcase, an airplane flying, the sky out of an airplane window, and a person with mountains at their travel destination. These photos all corelate to the main focus and ideas of the magazine. They can help the readers to visualize it a bit more and attract their attention.
Critical Reflection: Question 4 I integrated technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project by switching to multiple platforms depending on which section or part of my project I was currently working on and then bringing it back together. I used hardware mainly in the beginning to explore different resources at my reach such as what I could use to be in the image in my magazine cover. These tools were incorporated in assisting me in figuring out what I wanted my main task to be about and gather ideas from around me. Software and online technologies have allowed me to explore programs, formats, and more useful information and tips. In order to integrate all these technologies, I had to understand them thoroughly. Then, I balanced out the limitations and accessibilities to me and combined them in places where I thought another one was lacking. What I mean by this is, if a hardware source contained great material for a portion of my project, I would then see if the software or online sources could fill in that missing piece and vice versa. Successfully, it worked out perfectly and I am able to experiment by combining what all these technologies have to offer by taking my information on one and transferring it to the other and creating quality work.
Task 1: Enquiry - Language AnalysisArticle discussed: 10-Tips-1ybxzu1.pdf (wpmucdn.com)
The tone is created by the word choice the journalist used. The tones that are radiating from this article are helpful, honest, and admiring. Firstly, the way the author emits a helpful tone should be a result of the given type of article it is, 10 tips. I believe the words and wording used in the subtitles of each tip directs the audience into knowing valuable information regarding what is being told for musicians and those striving to be in that industry or just curious. For instance, “Think long, long-term” and “Know when to move on” both speak volumes if comprehended the intended way. These, especially, both seem personal to the reader which could be helpful. Additionally, the honest words used, such as “The number one thing I’ve learned…” and the repetitive usage of the word “I” shows personal, sincere honesty. Not to mention, the cuss words the journalist used show a sense of personality relating to candidness. Furthermore, the admirable tone can be represented through how he lets us into his life. An example of this is when it’s claimed that music saved their life. A quote reads, “At times when a shooting was going on, I missed it by 15 minutes because I’d decided to practise this Jimi Hendrix solo.” Amazingly, quite literally, the practice of music did indeed save this man’s life. If he were at the wrong place at the wrong time, doing something other than practicing music, he may not have been alive to write this article. Also, big producers, specifically DJ Khalid, wanted to work with his music. I find the journalists’ dedication to music very admirable due to his words. The journalist uses his words to create an impact by expressing his past moments that left an impact on himself. By bringing these details up to the audience, it can create a connection and have the audience feel moved or admire his work and how he got to where he is. Understanding a person’s background is very important. The communication of ideas is established through the way the words are conveyed. He gives a lot of context which helps to understand his current situations that are addressed. The simple, straightforward wording makes it easier to comprehend and makes us feel like we are on a personal level, making it unchallenging for him to communicate his ideas. After reviewing my limitations and article choices, I have decided to change my topic from fashion to travel. As of now, my new title of my magazine cover will be "10 tips for traveling". I know more about this topic rather than the topic of fashion and such. I feel that I can provide more valuable information for about traveling instead.
Critical Reflection Question 3:
My production skills developed through this project because I became more aware of all the different types of skills that I can use through the process of creating my magazine cover. I learned about the details more in depth, such as the colors, fonts, sizes, wording, titles, and more. This information assisted me in gaining knowledge to create a more unique and creative type of cover. Every component has a purpose which brings everything together. Now, I know why certain pieces of magazine covers are the way they are and what they are portraying to their audiences because of how they are constructed and placed. Critical Reflection: Question 2
My product engages with audiences depending on the age groups they are in or fashion interests they desire. For example, if a young child is on the magazine cover wearing childish clothing, the preferred audience and the audience that might be engaged with the product should be on the younger side. On the other hand, if the model on my magazine cover is an older adult, firstly, the clothing they wear would not be the same as the child. The audiences that might engage with this model and their fashion would be more mature or older audiences for obvious reasons. It would not be as realistic to have a child engaged with an older either woman’s or men’s fashion magazine. These different options the magazine has is how its intended audiences are interacted with. My product would be distributed as a real media text by containing the proper necessities to be a real media text. For instance, with the different components and elements this magazine cover contains and shows to its audiences, it comes up with a complete cover which can be used to create a full magazine. I would distribute it as physical copies in stores for people to look at and buy. Especially since magazines are among the most popular media texts in contemporary society, this is a great way for the cover to continue into the path of real textual media and become a full magazine. Critical Reflection: Question 1
My product uses conventions in the way that it is up to date with the society around it and modernized to fit the specific time period or era that it is created in. This allows the readers and viewers to see how something usually looks and is standardized in today’s world. This allows for the audience to be familiar with the specific type of information or style it contains. Yet, my product may challenge conventions by not fitting in with previous acts of creativity or design of other times. For example, if my product is of clothing of 2021, it will not showcase clothing from 2000, which as we know is not the exact same. Also, if it contains clothing in the United States, clothing from indigenous groups or other countries will not be observed in it. My product represents social groups by relating to the type of sociality they portray. What I mean here is that is that different social groups contain their own individuality which gives specific character to each member. So, if my magazine contains models wearing clothing, they may be worn by a model from a different generation than what some may be in, but also including a social group within. For instance, a child could be the model and they could be in a school. This could show much about that child depending on how the image is perceived. My product could represent social issues because if this child model is out on the streets in not the best clothing of 2021 instead of in a school, this may give the observers an idea that this child is not as fortunate and may be homeless or not in a good financial situation. This could lead to the understanding social issues because one might connect this child’s issues to their parents and so on. Media is all around us, whether it is film, text, music, social media, news, or any kind. It is imperative for media viewers, listeners, or readers to understand the intended goal of what they are engaging themselves within this industry. Then, they should evaluate how they actually feel after interpreting it. Media ownership and funding in contemporary media practice can cause certain issues. These issues can not only distract peoples’ mindsets from reality, but also divert them into perceiving the overall media industry as something that it is not. These issues can begin from a drastic change of opinions in favor of the media practice or even an uncultured audience. Soon enough, they can extend to a wrongly perceived idea, which may not be beneficial for the practice, whether that is satisfactory or not.
Owners of media leave their audiences blinded every day. Yes, the owners, or companies, reserve the right to create and produce whatever type of products they wish. However, the results of what has been constructed, in many cases, has remained a standard or typical type of presentation. What is meant by this is that in plenty of situations regarding media practices, diversity and cultural differences are becoming less expressed and magnified, especially compared to the more popular ideology and stereotypes of the human race. To put forward an example, most media advertisements about cleaning or doing daily household tasks contain women as the actors. With this information and more, it is implied that women are to be the ones who should clean around the house and take care, while men do the more strenuous and backbreaking work. Another example is that black people are racially profiled as more suspicious and crime-conducting than white people all the time on the news. Being wrongly or inaccurately informed is a major issue when it comes to media today. News especially, is a main source of representation which cannot always be trusted. The companies may twist words of what was being stated or even switch around video clips, placing them in an incorrect order. For instance, they may do this with clips from an interview, all to misguide the viewers into a path of false information. Funding is a reason as to why some may commit this act of distortion. As many people continue to watch whatever outcome has been created and notice the unexpectedness of it, more viewers are gained. The producers may only care about the funds and not even worry about their wrongdoing and what the people believe. To illustrate, incidences like this can be seen in videos about Donald Trump and Joe Biden running in the Presidential 2020 Election. With misinterpreting and misunderstanding, although seeming similar to being wrongly informed, they are quite different. Misinterpretation, in this case, is when the audience of a particular, contemporary media practice reads something in a way in which it was not meant to be interpreted. If widely taken in in a negative or offensive way, word may spread that the, per say campaign’s, intentions were harsh and socially unacceptable. Acquiring all the undesirable reviews, failure is in the future of the media representation. A demonstration of this issue is from a billboard stating, “Are you Beach Body Ready?” around a visual of a thin and fit model. People, of course, took offense from the advertisement which did exactly what should have been predicted; failed the campaign’s intended goal. Overall, the issues raised by media ownership and funding in contemporary media practice occur on almost all platforms. Whether the issues discussed are lack of cultural and diverse knowledge, falsely given information, or misinterpretation, people everywhere may see media as something that it is not. The sad thing in today’s society, though, is that these audiences do not even know of all the lies being put right in their face. Not to mention, many media practices seem to blind their observers to only see what they want them to see and not any opposing data. |