Homework;

1a; Describe the ways in which your production work was informed by research into real media texts and how your ability to use such research for production developed over time..

In my coursework, I created a magazine, using conventions and inspiration from research into real media texts. I also created a media pack, constructed a photo shoot and wrote an article for the magazine. I completed a lot of research which helped me to understand the conventions of a magazine, and therefore gave a me an idea of what my projects had to look like, and how they should be constructed. Research into real media texts allowed me to almost replicated big brands of magazine, by learning how to follow conventions and studying a media texts audience by genre, which then gave me a better idea on colour schemes for example.

I already had a brief idea on different magazine genres and the conventions of these genres. For example; in my initial ideas I had three genres, indie pop and dance, and I knew the general colour schemes ( pink for pop etc) and the target audience. However, research into real media texts allowed me to develop my knowledge on conventions.  Paradigms are identifications of key elements which occur in that text and in others of the same genre, audiences recognise these paradigms and bring a set of expectations to a text. Therefore; I knew that I had to find out what the conventions and paradigms where in real media texts, in my genre which was dance, to reach the target audience. By studying 3 existing media texts I learnt a lot about where things should go and most importantly why, for example a stand first.

The skills and knowledge I had on basic genre conventions and semiotics allowed me to create a basic media pack, because of the limited technology skills I had in the beginning, for example on photoshop. However, by researching real media texts, in this case 3 or 4 real media packs from other dance magazines, it made me wonder how that is done. For example, by studying a media pack where a model is behind the text, I then begin to wonder how that is done, research further and then do it myself. This then leads me on to get confident on photoshop, making my media pack a bit better throughout and referring back to real media texts for inspiration and new ideas, as well as a reminder on the genre conventions, for example rounded images was very popular within the dance genre. My photoshoot mini project was completed at a later stage and therefore I had developed skills through research already. I had studied many photos within real media texts, taking into consideration, lighting, costume, makeup, location, pose, angle etc. I remember having a negative attitude toward unprofessional looking photographs, therefore I did a lot of research into how the images in real media texts where taken and editing into the magazines.

In terms of my actual magazine production, I think that the research into real media texts showed how my ability to use them developed because of the language used in the article for example. Also by looking back at the magazines and institutions that I researched it is clear to say that existing text where the foundations to my magazine. towards the end of the construction stage I was able to take and idea, considering conventions and language, form a real media text, adapt it and place it into my own construction.

To conclude, I think that my ability to adapt and learn from real media text research develop quiet quickly throughout my project. Due to the research skills I gained, I was able to then discover new ways to edit and get a general Idea of where things should go, what colours look best on what background and what kind out slang t use with which target audience.