Text, transform and lasso tools

In media we were taught how to use the text, transform and lasso tools. I was already familiar with these tools because I used them last year and at GCSE so I found this task of creating a magazine cover using a single image simple. As I had some free time after, I added a barcode, a date, the issue number, the website, a price and some headings to make it look like a more conventional magazine cover. This is how it looked before:

Here is how it looked after I had edited it:

Photoshop- clone stamp tool and zoom

In class we learned how to use the clone stamp tool and the zoom tool. I was unfamiliar with the clone stamp tool but I quickly understood how to use it. I had used the zoom tool on many occasions and using these two tools together we edited this image:

This is an old, dusty photo. After using the clone stamp tool and the zoom tool, I was able to remove any unwanted marks and this was the result:

Analysing the codes and conventions of a magazine cover

We had to study this magazine cover in a media lesson. This is the front cover of an issue of Total Film with a superhero theme. Here are some of the codes and conventions I discovered:

• This magazine has a person on the front cover and this makes the reader more likely to buy the magazine, especially because the actor is making eye contact with the camera, catching the reader's attention
• This Spiderman film is new and exciting, therefore people would want to learn more about it so by making Spiderman the main feature of the front cover, this will attract a larger audience
• Spiderman is a familiar, well-known superhero so the audience would recognise him
• The colours used (red, yellow and white) contrast against the black background, making the magazine cover stand out
• The quote "world's best movie reviews" is a hyperbole- it is the 'world's best' but this would make this magazine appear superior to other film magazines, making the reader more likely to choose to buy this magazine
• The front cover has a superhero/comic book theme- it uses photos from comic book films and the text used is the sort of text you would find in a comic book
• The target audience of this magazine is likely to be boys due to the use of masculine colours and male superheroes
• Stars are symbolic of fame and superiority so by putting stars around "world's best movie reviews" it adds to the effect that this magazine is superior
• The magazine's publisher/institution can be found next to the barcode so people are aware who this magazine is published by
• The smaller photos placed across the magazine cover look like a comic book strip or a film reel, giving a comic book/cinematic effect
• There is small print of the actors in some superhero films and the more well-known, significant ones are in yellow so they stand out and catch the reader's attention

Film trailers

We have been looking at film trailers in our media lessons so we can explore some of the conventions used and get inspiration for our trailers. I often find horror trailers really captivating so I have decided to analyse some and these are some trailers I found particularly appealing:

This is the trailer for Paranormal Activity 2. I think this trailer is effective because it does not give away much of the storyline so the viewers would want to know more about it. They show clips of the audience watching it which the viewers can relate to and this would encourage them to watch it and see why this audience were so afraid. This trailer uses clips that make the viewer jump which is one of the typical conventions of a horror film, making the genre of this film clear. The use of a video camera effect to film the trailer reveals to the viewer that this film is created by a video camera to give a home-made video effect. There is no music used in the trailer which is very unconventional for a trailer but it creates tension and suspense which suits the effect the film's genre wants to give.

This is the trailer for Sorority Row. This trailer contrasts with the trailer for Paranormal Activity 2 because it gives the audience an insight into the storyline whilst not giving too much away. The first 40 seconds of the trailer give the impression that this film is a completely different genre to what it really is because it shows a group of girls enjoying their last days of school, then it takes a big twist when one girl dies and more and more horror film conventions are conveyed as the trailer progresses such as using clips that would make the audience jump and using a minimal amount of music to create suspense.

This is the trailer for Halloween, released in 2007. This trailer is similar to Paranormal Activity because it does not give much of the storyline away. This trailer uses a voiceover instead of music which encourages the viewer to want to see the film as he makes it sound more exciting and intense. It uses similar conventions to the other two films such as scenes that make the audience jump and lack of music. It is clear that this film is a horror film because most of the clips used include an intimidating character, harmful props such as a knife and lots of screaming.

Codes & conventions of magazine covers

Codes and conventions are the rules and regulations of how to make a media product. Conventions are what you would expect to find in a media product and where.

Conventions of a magazine can include:

• Types of articles and where you would expect them to be
• How many images
• What types of images
• Double page spreads (these could feature big pictures, a title, a standfirst, columns, both pages on the same topic and pull quotes)
• Enticements (such as competitions or free gifts)
• Magazine cover (would feature a masthead, text such as sub-headings and pull quotes, images, barcode, price and date)
• Advertisements

Codes of a magazine can include anything purely visual such as:

• Pictures
• Colours
• Layout
• Font (serif or sans serif)

Film trailer, poster & film magazine front cover

For my A2 media coursework I have to create a film trailer, a film poster and a front cover for a film magazine.
For the film trailer we will first need to decide on the genre, the synopsis, the title and the target audience of the film. Then I will focus on pre-production like I did for my AS film coursework coming up with plans such as a risk assessment sheet, a call sheet, a storyboard, a location report, a shot list, a shooting schedule, a script, a statement of intent, a proposal and an evaluation.We will film it with cameras such as the Canon XLH1 then edit it using video editing software such as Final Cut Pro. Last year I did not have much experience in using cameras so this year I will focus on that to develop my skills and I am going to learn about more of the features on Final Cut Pro to achieve the best result with my trailer.

For the poster I will use Photoshop CS5 as I am familiar with this and I think it is the most suitable software for this task. I used Photoshop frequently at GCSE so I have experienced using it before and I will be able to use my current knowledge when creating my poster. Last year, my media class did a brief project where we had to do the pre-production for a film idea we came up with in small groups and I was in charge of creating the poster and I used the same program I will be using for my coursework this year so I can use this experience to create a great poster. The poster will have to fit in with the genre, synopsis and target audience of my film trailer. I will have to consider the typography, images, colours and layout so it appeals to the film's target audience. I will take photos for my poster with a camera that produces high quality photos to achieve the best result and edit them on Photoshop CS5 so they are aesthetically pleasing.

My final piece of coursework will be to design a film magazine cover. I designed a magazine cover for my GCSE coursework using Photoshop so I already have experience from this but I have developed my Photoshop skills more since then so I will be able to create a more professional result. At GCSE, I learned how to use tools such as blur, smudge, transform (to resize images or rotate them) and lasso (especially the magnetic lasso tool because I found this the most convenient). I am planning to use these as well as learning how to use new tools from my tutors. For my A2 level magazine cover, I will be more experimental with Photoshop and I will try and make it look more like a real magazine. I will take my own photos for my magazine cover using a camera that produces high quality images and edit them on Photoshop then add other typical magazine conventions such as a masthead and text. Like my film poster, I will have to consider the typography, images, colours and layout so it appeals to the film's target audience. I learned at GCSE that having a person on the front cover makes it more likely for someone to buy a magazine, especially if the person is making eye contact with the camera because it catches the reader's attention, so I will definitely consider this when taking my photos.