Evaluation Question 2

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Evaluation Question 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? 

Product Evaluation

Below, I have created two storyboard using the software 'Pages' on a Mac computer. The first displays a real media documentary; "Dispatches". I have captured screen shots of the various codes and conventions used throughout the documentary. In the second storyboard I have done the same for my own product, revealing that I have used and developed typical codes and conventions of a real media product.

The first storyboard is of documentary series, 'Dispatches' Although my documentary does challenge the codes and conventions of documentaries such as, 'Dispatches' and 'Panorama', it does adhere to specific codes and conventions shown within the storyboards.

Audience Feedback Questionnaire

I posted my questionnaire on social networking site, "Twitter" in order to gain audience feedback for each of my products from a wide audience. 

 

 The link below will take you to the results of my questionnaire. The results show that 20 people completed the questionnaire ranging from 15-61+ years of age, which has enabled me to gain feedback from a range of perspectives. This type of feedback is effective especially as the target audience for my documentary is both teenagers and parents.

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewanalytics?formkey=dEt1OUVEZmh2NWhmQl9kLTBoVFllMXc6MQ

The results show that: 

Documentary Excerpt

• All of the 25 respondents would watch the full-length documentary, demonstrating that the excerpt fulfils the purpose of creating enigma during the first 5 minutes.
• The vast majority of respondents believe that the documentary would be the most suitable on Channel 4, which is the distribution company I have orginally chosen.
• Most respondents answered that they could see the documentary being shown at 9pm, some suggested 8:30pm and 10pm. However, all of the answers reinforce that the documentary is not aimed at young children, as it is being aired after the watershed.
• It is evident that all of the respondents believe that the documentary excerpt presents a balanced argument, which was the aim, challenging the conventions of typical documentaries of that topic. 
• The main product succeeds in resembling a real media text, reinforcing the audience feedback that all three products appear "professional".
• The different types of music and interviews with the professionals are the most popular aspects featured in my documentary, which are two fundamental codes used in generic documentaries.

Newspaper Advertisement

• This ancillary text succeeds in enticing the audience into wanting to know more and watching the documentary. This is a successful result as the purpose of the newspaper advertisement was to encourage a wide viewership.
• Most respondents agreed that the dominant image was their favourite aspect of the advertisement, which encouraged them to want to watch the documentary.
• 'The Metro', 'The Guardian' and 'The Independent' were the most popular choices of newspaper, as the audience are more likely to read these types of broadsheets and tabloids.
• All respondents agreed that this ancillary text does remind them of a real media product, conforming to the "professional" ideology.

Double Page Spread for TV Guide

• According to the 25 respondents, the ancillary text does succeed in enticing the audience into watching the documentary, which is the primary aim for this type of media text.
• The most popular aspects of the double page spread were the star rating and the image, which are two features aimed to inform and encourage readers about the documentary. If the double page spread did not include the featured article with "5 star", then it may not create a wide viewership.
• All of the respondents say that the article informs the audience about the documentary. Arguably, this answers any questions and leaves a sense of enigma encouraging the audience into watching the documentary.
• The product succeeds in appearing as a real media text.

In conclusion

• From the 25 respondents, it is argued that the ancillary texts fulfil their purpose in promoting and encouraging the documentary. If these types of media texts did not exist, the general public would not be informed of many TV shows, films and documentaries.
• The feedback suggests that the respondents have recognised who the documentary is aimed at, primarily teenagers and parents through both developing and challenging typical codes and conventions.
• Finally, it has been confirmed with 25 respondents agreeing that the product fulfils the purpose of informing and educating the general public. It is also said that the product presents a two-sided, balanced debate, which in the proposal that I created in the research stages, was the aim of the documentary.

Audience Feedback Questions

Audience Representation of Social Groups

Production of Ancillary Text

For the second ancillary text, I have chosen to complete a double page spread of a TV magazine, accompanied by my documentary as the featured article. My product conforms to the specific codes and conventions of a TV guide, with the purpose of informing the audience. The featured article, which in this case is my documentary, needs to be appealing to the demographic audience of both teenagers and parents. Underneath demonstrates the process I undertook in order to create one of the auxiliary texts:

1

Firstly, using my research of TV guides, I have tried to create an easily accessible layout for the reader, by using colour, an image and different sized fonts. The featured articles which I have researched include a dominant image, providing an insight into the programme/documentary being advertised, as shown above. The scheduling details, for example, date and day of the week, are essential and often in a larger font, therefore certain aspects of my product conforms to the typical conventions.

2

This shows the production stages of creating the ancillary text. I have started to write the featured article regarding my documentary, in order to provide an insight into the final product.

3

As I finished the scheduling details and descriptions of each television shows, using specific colour schemes associated with certain channels, I realised that the "pick of the day" icon will not be able to remain in the original place. I have also made the page numbers smaller in order to fit with the rest of the page.

4

As I referred to my prior research, I discovered that the articles publicising certain TV shows are often in boxes, therefore I created a border using the "rectangle shape" tool. In addition, I implemented some professional-looking features including, a '5 star' rating, the magazine's website and the dates of the magazine. These aspects all contribute in making the final product appear more aesthetically pleasing. Originally, this was my final version, however after showing my target audience, they advised me on some changes to improve the product.

5

Using the advice from my target audience, I increased the spacing between the article to maximise the use of the space. As a consequence, this appears more professional and appealing to the reader. In order to add a more sophisticated image, I have included a sponsor, "Honda", commonly featured in most channel 4 documentaries.