Thursday, 29 April 2010
Thursday, 22 April 2010
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My media product looks and performs like a real professional basic HTML website, the website I made is nothing amazing but functions well and is easy to use and navigate.
Beginning with the layout of my website, you can already see that it uses real and conventional forms that a lot of other websites use:
· The navigation bar being placed horizontally. This is one of two conventions that the majority of real websites use - placing their navigation bar horizontally or vertically. I chose to place my navigation bar horizontally as it fits in with the theme of the website a lot more than it would vertically. For the bar coincides with the buildings in the background and works very well for there is potential for the buildings to be hyperlinks and this will make the website more of an attractive product.
· A donate option is a very conventional website product to use, for compared to all the websites viewed near enough all of them have a donate option this will enhance the likeliness of a person viewing the website and maybe donating to the charity.
The ways we have challenged the conventions of other websites is:
· The background we have used for our website is completely our idea, we drew pictures of rough clouds and buildings along them and then repeated the drawings every time, with each time the drawings enhanced in quality, we then scanned it and placed it on Photoshop and developed it to a better and sharper quality. This makes our website background original and challenges the current conventions used by most websites, for we had thought of this idea and developed it to a standard needed to use.
· The pictures we have used are also challenging the conventions of the typical website, for our pictures used are taken ourselves and have been developed and are strictly related to our charities cause, this makes our pictures original and have not been taken or copied from someone else or another a similar website.
The comparison website to our charity Community In Need is the charity Comic Relief, our website is very similar to the comic relief website in a number of reasons.· For example our background used in the website is very similar to the page on comic relief, for the idea of clouds in the background made us think of adding buildings to it to make it more relevant to our charity for it is based on the community and its trades in the area.
· Our picture layout used in our website is also very similar to the comic relief page for we use one main picture for the page and a couple of pictures at the bottom to highlight the next few pages of information this is a clear comparison to theirs and ours.
· We also have very similar page names also like many other charity websites, this just means that we follow the same conventions as them and use similar ways of putting across our information.
· The audience we are trying to aim this at is anyone who feel s that there area needs improving or they would like to get involved in helping to improve the community. This means that our charity is versatile and is able to attracted many different groups of people.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
The audience we are trying to aim at is people who feel that their area needs in some sort of way, for instance crime or just something little such as litter or graffiti, we are willing to provide help and the right people to make dramatic changes to these areas in need.
The layout and positioning on the page
The website Community in need, is a very simple and easy to operate type for we based our website on the foundations of the Comic Relief website we felt that the website they had was simple and very informative to the viewer.
The background of the website is a main feature of the site, we chose to have something that may relate to the audience and how they feel about their area, so the background having big buildings in the clouds may be the feelings of many people in certain areas, and also the background was a comparison to the comic relief one.
Photographs in the center of the page for we feel that this is the vocal point of that particular page, and represents, and describes each page without information needed.
We usually also have three photographs located at the bottom of the page, so that it can attract the viewer to the next few pages.
We have information for each particular page on the side of the photograph, so that we can describe and tell the viewer what each page is about.
The website contains a hyperlink bar going horizontally across the page so that it is clear to the viewer and easy to choose, this is also a classic
convention in mostly all charity websites, another convention which we have followed is the donation sign in the top right of our page this is also easy to access and a good point of focus on the page.
Finally the logo of the charity is located just next to the title of the page which is top left of the page, this is easy to view and works well in the page.
The page also contains some hyperlinks on the side, this is links to sites that have similar layouts and positioning.
Colour
The colours of the page are very calm, and easy to view this makes it a website that is not hard to use and is enjoyable to view.
Our background is a light blue at the top and a white at the bottom to symbolize the sky and ground.
The colour of the buildings used is black, red, and grey, these colours are vibrate and easy to notice, just like real life ones.
Finally the writing used is the colour white but can vary such the side panels where they are a grey colour.
The language used in this website has to appear sincere and appealing to the audience, so that they begin to think about the problems there area may have at that present time, and this may lead them to supporting us and donating to our cause, this why the language used is key to the success of the charity.
The Graphics and photographs of website
The website does not contain many graphics to it for it was kept simple so that all the audience can understand it well enough and are not confused by the graphics shown to them, for they may not be too confident on the webpage.
The photos used in the website are generally all related to the cause of the charity and that is the community, most of the photos are all linked to litter, graffiti, and more, there are also photos of the positives of what our charity can do if given donations and this is shown in the photo above.
These photos will appeal to the audience for they are all real and this provides a real life truth of what our area is really like.
The content and style of video
The video that our website have used is a video of a person who has daily dealings with what areas are really like and how they can be improved.
They video tells us of their opinions of certain areas and how they can improve them, this will relate to the audience for this is a true opinion given by a person who will be respected by all the social divides in the areas.
The style of the video is a brief 1 minute interview asking particular questions about areas they are in and close by and what problems they may come across and what might be improved.
To conclude our media product represents the audience and social groups who care about their community and are worried that it needs drastic improvement, for our website appeals to the concerns that they may face in the community and how might we improve them if given the chance.
The last reason the website reflects the audience and social groups is that they are all true products used in the website and nothing is left untouched all is address.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
From the results which we have gathered from the surveys, we can now determine which particular audience our media product appeals to.
The survey which we have produced contained many questions all varied but all related to one subject or cause which our charity aims at.
We produced numerous amounts of surveys, and we put these forward to the public to complete for we knew that the surveys would be unbiased and would be guaranteed to have reliable and truthful answers, this allows us to distinguish our target audience and their opinions.
Also looking at a similar charity website like Comic Relief, I can see that our charity has the same kind of target audience, the audience both charities aim at is anyone because both charities aims can apply to anyone for example (Poverty and Poor area of living) these are just a few of both charities aims.
Our target audience is anyone who cares enough about their community and wants to make a difference in and around their area, no classes come into place in the websites audience for the charity is aimed at anyone in the public, for this cause can affect anyone.
The website reflects the needs of the audience for, it is easy to navigate and to gain information on and about the charity and it aims, and so this means young to adult people can use this website and cannot have many problems using it.
Also the websites donation aspect of it will reflect the audience, for the main aim of the charity is to make enough money to make a difference in local areas.
The website has a friendly feel to it and feels very welcoming when you engage on the webpage, for the topic which our charity is aimed at is a serious one and we feel that if our website is welcoming and not depressing we feel this will make more of an impact on the public’s opinion and they will be more willing to donate, for website applies to all of the public.
How did you attract/address your audience?
Before we began to start creating our charity website, we done some charity website research to give us some ideas and some tips on how to layout and to address the audience, we research websites such as Comic Relief and Children in Need.
We analyze their language used in their websites and we took conventions which they had used to adapt them, and now they are more relevant to the charity Community in Need.
My target audience is anyone who is interested in the community this means anyone, so this means that not everyone’s English skills are going to be the best, everyone is different and this means that the literacy level has to be to a standard that everyone can understand, this avoids losing people at the first barrier for the plain reason they cannot understand the language put forward to them.
The information will be put forward in a sincere and calm way for the subject we are discussing can maybe a sensitive one for some people, and we do not want to lose people by the way we write information.
Colour
The website uses a variety of colours it uses the colour black for most of the formal writing such as the writing located next to the picture in the centre of the page, this writing is mostly about the page which it is on, for instance (Who We Are, How Money Helps).
The website uses another set of colours, this is the writing located at the top of each page such as the hyperlink bar and title this writing is White, for it blends in well with the light blue background and is clear to the viewer.
Finally the side hyperlinks are the colour Grey for it is clear and requires a darker colour on the page for the background appeared black at the side.
The reason a variety of colours was chosen is because we would like the website to appear bright and not dull, and this makes the viewer enjoy the site more if it appears more welcoming.
Language (Words)
The words which our website used were easy to read but put the point across without too many big words being used, this enable people in the audience who had poor English skills to be able to read and to learn about the charity and its schemes.
We also thought about shorten the information on the page, for we felt that too much information may come across boring and people may not be willing to read it, for the reason they just cannot be bothered to.
Positioning on the page
The positioning on most of the pages is all near enough the same, for we wanting all the pages to be of equal standard.
The positioning on most pages is that there is a main picture in the middle of the page, and some writing place next to it to explain more about it.
The donate option is place in the top right hand corner of the page and this is used on all the pages except the enter page.
The title and all the hyperlinks going horizontal across the page, and the hyperlinks going along the side of similar websites occurs on each page.
The logo stays in the top left of the page for it is the first thing you see when you go on the website.
This attracts the audience for they are now made familiar to the webpage, and are now more likely to go on the website again.
Font sizes
The sizes used on the pages are mostly all the same, for instance the information used in the center of the page is size 12 this is the average size to use for it is clear and precise to read.
The writing at the top of the page, such as the title is size 28 this much bigger but is clear and the viewer knows exactly what the page is.
Rollovers
The rollovers used in the website, are shown in a very clear and readable font and colour, the rollovers are located at the top of the page or down the side and at the bottom of the page. They contrast well with the background colour and look very presentable when viewed upon. The rollovers are used as a link to a particular page, or website, they are presented very clearly with the name of the page or site used as the rollover, when used the rollover will then change to a darker colour and this will let the viewer know that they have clicked on the rollover and viewed that page or site previously. The response I wish for the rollovers to have are that they are easy to use and clear to read, and take the viewer to the correct page they wish to go to.
The response I except from the audience to be is that they are able to navigate themselves around the website well and do not encounter any problems, these problems would be with language or any form the list above.
We expect the audience to be able to read the information well and do not encounter any, literacy problems for we have catered for all standards of English in our audience.
The audience may feel that our website was fresh and had a very good feel to it, for the background used in our website shows our originality to the cause, also the shorter parts of information may lead to a more positive response for it does not appear as an essay, it just contains all the relevant information about the website and its cause.
We want the response to be positive to the website, this will then increase the chances of people wanting to donate to our charity.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
So this makes our website a very attractive product to distribute for this type of issue can apply to anyone, and institutions will want this to be distributed well so that more people become aware of the site.
To publish a website which you have produced will take a lot of research to find the correct site to help you do this.
· You have to also start by searching whether another site has your site name if they do this may result in you changing your name.
· Also consider the design of your web site and tools you are using to develop your web pages. These should be available on the hosting web server.
· You have to have all the correct designs of each page so that a website designer and publish it.
· Upload the contents of your webpage’s for it is for the web server.
· Your website should now then be able to publish on the web.
To distribute your website this means to publicize it into the public, the following ways you can publicize your websites are:
· Trade shows: this is to have a little board or booth in a public place advertising the website and its charity, this is expensive and is not a very popular option to choose.
· The Newspaper: this can be a very effective way of advertising a website, for most people read the paper and this makes it very likely your website is seen and read.
· The Radio: is a very similar choice to the newspaper for most people listen to the radio and it makes it very likely your website is heard about.
· TV: is a very good and is most likely to be the best choice to use, for nearly everyone watches TV and it is near enough certain your website will be seen or heard.
· Internet banners: This is an advertisement made on a particular and well known site, so that your website is seen and used. Example sites used are Netcraft.com and Google these are very effective sites to use for they are advertise well.
· Finally other fellow charities may feel that advertising each other will form good relationships and will show a good feeling in the public eye.
To conclude the site will be publish in a way that will be full proof and professionally for the right measures and aims will be taken to ensure a good website is produced.
The distribution of the website shows that it will be very easy to publicize our website for there are many options and avenues to use, and everyone has a different way of doing it and one will be right for us, for good distribution does guarantee a small success rate for any site.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I am going to highlight the particular programs I have used and how I have improved and become very able with them, to produce our website.
Apple Mac
I have never before used an Apple Mac until this project begun, I was always used to ordinary computers with the ordinary programs such as Windows, which could never enable me to develop my work as much as I have on the Apple Macs.
The Apple Macs provide so many more professional programs to use and enhance your work such as I web and Photoshop, these two programs in my opinion are the best programs to use to build a website.
The Macs are generally much faster computers to use and this enable to us to gain information much quicker from the Safari internet service, and this was a much better feature to have compared to the ordinary computers where it took a lifetime to research work and information.
Also they appear to have a lot more storage space to save work you had completed, this is also a much better feature to have as it gives you a backup, in case of lost work.
I web
Yet again I was very new to this type of software on the Apple Mac, the program I web is a very professional software to use if you are constructing a website.
To begin with I was very baffled with the program for it did not really provide any real information on how to operate it, and I was stuck for a very long period until my partner showed me how to operate it correctly, after that I had no real problems with it after.
The positive thing I like about I web is that it is very simple when you get the hang of it, it does not have any complicated tools or bars in it and it is listed very well.
Also it specifies to nearly any way you wish your website to look, it is very flexible with its techniques and formats.
The downside to I web, which I hate to say for it is a brilliant program to use for inexperienced people, is that it needs to be more informative about how to operate it and it may need more professional forms available to use, for someone who wants to build a more professional website may be restricted on this program.
Picture and Video Taking
The pictures which me and my partner had taken for our website was taken from my Canon Camera, this enable the pictures and videos to have clear visible quality.
The pictures taken were taken in public areas, and these enable a real life feel to the pictures and they turned out so clear and realistic it was unbelievable.
The video taken was on the same camera and it turned out clear and precise and gave the viewer a real life feel that our charity is trying to reach out to people.
Adobe Photoshop
We briefly used this program in the construction of our website, the pictures that we had taken we had to enhance slightly so that it provided better and more attractive colours and background.
The main reason we used Photoshop was to complete the background that we drew and scanned onto the computer, we drew clouds and buildings to give the feel of a modern community. The Photoshop program allowed us to add better colouring on the background and more of a realistic feel.
I can say that I was very inexperienced on the program before this project, now I have used it and worked with it I am very able to do many different items on there I was not able to do before.
I Movie
Before this project started I had never used or heard of this program before, for It is the first time I have taken a professional video and uploaded it to our website.
The program itself I am still very sketchy with, I do not fully understand how to operate it and I feel it will take a while for me to get used to.
We uploaded a 1 minute video and this was mostly operated by my partner for I had not much understanding of the program although I took the video.
Microsoft Word +Excel
These are the most familiar programs that I use on the computer and Apple Mac, these two are where I got the bulk of my work done.
These programs are where I produced all my analysis of all the products I have produced or used this was mostly done on Microsoft word.
I then used Excel for a small period of time just to formulate my data, which I had gained from the surveys we had produced, Excel allowed us to write the figures up and then format them into pie charts and this gave a more detailed analysis.
These programs were the most naturalist programs I had used, for I had used them a lot before hand and this allowed me to get my work done more efficiently.
To conclude I feel that I am a much more confident person in the media environment and that I have improved in my IT skills dramatically for these programs are a great way to improve and expand your IT knowledge.
The best and easiest programme to use in my opinion just because of its simplicity for constructing a website is I Web, but this is my opinion many other people may disagree.