Magazine Conventions Cover Assignment

    For the learning of the magazine convention process, we wrote down different conventions like the headlines, banners, barcodes, etc. and were provided a diagram to glue into our notebooks and go along with some of the definitions. 

    The genre I chose was to do a Hair-Care magazine; and my magazine cover conveys this genre through numerous conventions; such as the font used for the masthead and the way every cover line is hair related. 

    Some of the magazine conventions I used include the plug, "Voted #1 in haircare" and the multiple conveniently interrelated storylines. One of the biggest was the "main image" I used, which was a picture of my friend Tatiana ruffling her shiny burgendy hair with her eyes closed as she poses. 

    I remember taking the picture after my friend Bree's 18th birthday on my friend Nemo's camera and being mesmerized by how good she had looked. That's also why I made the cover story "Super-model Tatiana stuns with flawless chestnut locks using Kera-tint" as her hair is one of my favorite of her features.

 

 I feel that the use of this cover image - being so crucial as the base of my magazine - helped convey this genre by building the idea that it has something to do with hair, hinted by her emphasis by caressing and running her hands through her hair. I used play on words to create the name of the masthead, and in the picture you can see me making the banner, which further emphasizes the subject of hair by mentioning "asking experts" ; building credibility and growing interest and urge to interact. 

To find barcodes, I looked up magazine barcode and found the most convenient one. I placed it at the bottom with the price $2.22 and at the top added the publish date.

 

    I'm actually really proud of the way it came out and I did end up liking it, but there are a few undeniable implications regarding things I would change if I were to do this again.

    Firstly, the image I chose has relatively dull color palette, especially for a genre that typically has bold colors. I wish I would've at least added a filter of some sort but I wasn't aware of how to or if it'd be allowed. 

    The "tips to reducing breakage" should've been placed a bit further down on Tati's arm in order to achieve a more eligable read and less messy look in general. I believe that's where I had originally placed it and when I had moved it for something I forgot to put it back.

    The "Voted #1 in haircare" is also a bit awkwardly placed, but I didn't know where to place it in a position where it didn't look out of place.

    I also realized as I was writing this that the publishing date doesn't specify a week, although my magazine is labeled "weekly" which I probably should've taken into account.

    I had struggled a bit initially with using the program, but watching the videos we had when initially becoming familiar with Adobe had prior knowledge as to how similar software had operated, allowing me to use some of what I had previously learned combining assumption and common sense. I was able to finish the entire magazine in a single class period, which I'd consider a strength regarding the time management of some of my classmates. 

    Conclusively, some of the takeaways of this project include the newfound familiarity with the program, allowing me to use this as an introduction to other Adobe applications; and if I were to choose to do the magazine as an addition to my end of year portfolio this knowledge would be especially helpful to apply.

Video Editing Practice Blog Reflection

 Video Editing Practice Blog Submission

Within the last few days, our media studies class has been working through developing familiarity with Adobe Premiere Pro and how to use it.

The learning process consisted of learning to access the application through the cloud, watching a series of videos demonstrating various exercises and techniques within the app, and actually practicing what it is that the man demonstrated in the video. 

A challenge I faced was learning the keys and shortcuts to actually delete things, so to get rid of them I would layer them or lower their volume instead. Finding where it is that you were editing is also dreadful, because you either need to grab the blue marker and drag it, which it does very rapidly, or you need to scroll with the scroll wheel, which is unnecessarily time consuming.

    I also had an initial problem with accidentally layering the video/excessive sound from different videos, but once I had gotten it to a way that I was satisfied with, I liked the way it had turned out and as a result I used it conventionally and repeated the process, so I classify it as a partial success. Additionally, when I didn't know how to find the icon to begin where you wanted to clip the video, and the default only included how to finish your clip selection, I had replaced one of the default icons with the icon marking to begin the clip selected instead.

Some parts of this process, as you can likely tell, were essentially self improvised, but ended up working in my improvised way due to lack of elaboration in certain areas within the video that weren't specified or instructed how to do. I also actually wasn't aware that it could be longer than 45 seconds, so I cut and shortened some clips under the impression that it adamantly had to be exactly 45 seconds.

Throughout the process of completing this clip I learned how to import and export media, how to create projects, and how to select multiple files and drag/move them. I will apply this to future projects using Adobe Premiere Pro, and if I choose to do a 2-minute film opening for my final project, becoming familiar with the application would be especially convenient because it is one of the very few applications that are actually acceptable to use for editing on your film opening. 

I was pretty content with my video practice, and there are few things I would change if I had the chance to, with the exception of learning how to better blend my audio so that shifts in them wouldn't be so abrupt. It's a bit choppy at the end because I was trying to make the 45-second timeframe, but I attempt avoid extreme criticism, as it is still the first time. I tried to do a documentary-style clip by shifting between the interviews and clips, and I was ultimately satisfied, as it certainly could have been worse.

Camera Work Reflection

     For the first project, we were instructed to create a "surprise" storyboard incorporating the camera movement elements that we had previously learned.     The process of learning this began with us copying down notes as to what each movement/technique was and watching a YouTube video on the effect that each movement was intended to have on the audience. We then watched a clip from Star Wars and were instructed to identify such elements and write them down on the table with a dry-erase marker.

     We had our storyboard verified by the teacher and made a video following the steps we had layed out. An issue we came across was being able to shoot the film without being in anyone else's video and having enough room, but this was easily resolved by going to the teacher and getting the pass for another building. I think my partner did a really good job at maintaining a smooth hand while holding the camera, amplifying the cinematic aspect.

     Throughout this project I was able to learn about the effect each movement is intended to have and it impacts my personal life as well because now when I watch films I can analyze them, identify the techniques and see how they might impact the audience.

     In our film, it was supposed to have an element of "surprise". We started with a pan onto the character (me) followed by tracking behind them until they reached the staircase. Then, when I began to walk down the stairs we used a tilt to amplify the eeriness. They did a close up on my shoes and an over-the-shoulder view that pulled in to the "surprise". 

    I really like the product, but if I had the chance to do anything differently, I would try and utilize more techniques, although I was satisfied with how it turned out.

  

    For the second project, we were instructed to create a narrative story of an inanimate object incorporating different camera shots and refraining from using any words or writings, creating an emphasis on how different angles evoke different feelings and convey different meanings. 

    The learning process included writing down the description of each shot and what it was intended to evoke in addition to cutting out and pasting examples of each shot so that we were able to have a visual correlation. We had a PowerPoint that we had to use to paste screenshots of an appropriate TV show of our choice of different angles and techniques, describing what the creator intended to evoke from each scene/shot. Similarly, we had also watched a short video provided by the Cambridge curriculum (I believe) or the teacher, that we had to watch and pause, screenshotting examples of different techniques and how they correlates to each convention and emotions evoked from the audience. 

    For the project we had made a 15-shot storyboard that was approved by our teacher about 2 pencils that had been 'getting married' and the bride had an affair with the wedding pastor that was a pen (messy, I know.) I helped draw the faces and my partner and I helped come up with different ideas for the storyboard and how the story would progress. She helped with the backgrounds for each scene, cleverly using her tablet and stock images while holding them up while I took the shots. I learned from this project that so much could be said without saying anything at all.

     I enjoyed this activity and I think it was fun to be able to tell so much of a story in such a short way. I was satisfied with the way it turned out, but if there were something I had to change about this, it would definitely be our time management. We should've been better with changing from scene to scene and staying on task; especially considering that my partner and I had both been out the day this was assigned so we had already been behind. That was the challenge that was most significant to me, however regarding successes, I think that the way that the pictures turned out was really high quality and the background blur of some of them added a cinematic amplification, really helping add prominence to the convention of the story.

    I would insert it, but unfortunately my group partner has the pictures currently. If anything changes I will update my blog accordingly.

Blog Introduction

     My name is Sofia, but I prefer to go by Grey. I am Colombian and Cuban, and I am bilingual, speaking English and Spanish. I have partially studied Russian and Haitian Creole as well, but not enough to be fluent. I love reading and writing as well as literature. I'm good at formulating sentimental poems and I'm incredibly passionate about space. It is so vast and intriguing and to think that the universe is constantly expanding and we only know so little is so interesting to me. My favorite planet in our solar system is Neptune, and my dream job is to be a planetary geographer (study the composition of planets). For financial reasons, I am perusing being a lawyer or defender, but my passion for astronomy will never die out.

  

   I would describe myself as artistic and I am a beginner tattoo artist that loves to paint and draw. I also had a small business where I made crystal jewelry when I was younger. I adore musical theatre, and I admire playwriters and song composers. I've made a few songs myself actually, and I vary in genres, such as R&B, indie pop Spanish, alternative, hip-hop and more! When I was younger, I danced and sang in a few plays. I used to figure skate competitively and although I no longer do so, ice skating is one of my favorite pastimes. I love to walk, and I think nature is beautiful, and I try and live my life abiding to the best ways to conserve it! I think animals are fascinating and I love them, as well as the ocean. Marine biology and veterinary care have been career paths I considered as a child due to my passions. I live with my mom and grandma, and my dad unfortunately passed away, but he was an amazing father in the time being.

    During the portfolio process, I hope to gain more technological knowledge, and I am eager to navigate the tools and aspects required. I think portfolios are interesting and although I generally have little experience it is something that I am looking forward to working with and learning more about. 

    Regarding the product I am considering, I am more likely to choose the film opening as it somewhat pertains to my passions for playwriting, film making and generally just creating. I watch movies more than shows so I am excited to create this. I do get camera shy at times, but it's not the first time I've had to make something similar to this.