Media Studies A2 level

by fabyan damsyiq azhar

about me

Welcome to my blog, this website is dedicated to sharing my work, progress, thoughts and experiences as a media studies student in this school. My name is Fabyan Damsyiq bin Azhar. I am a student at PTE Sengkurong in Brunei and my tutor group is AE 3. I would describe myself as a person who constantly tries to find self-worth in the form of picking up various hobbies throughout my life. At the moment, it is mainly playing guitar, making posters and editing pictures in Photoshop.

In all honesty, I chose media studies as an excuse to push myself to create things that are media based as I haven't had the chance to in my own free time and also because I have dreams of doing so. It is because I have that fear to create and no motivation to source from. So instead, I look for pressure and deadlines to get myself to make something. Moreover, this is a subject that I have much passion and curiosity. My hopes in taking this subject is that it would help me improve the execution of anything I create. Furthermore, I also want to push myself into becoming more versatile that if I were to make something of a specific theme whether it be a magazine or a film, I would have no issue coming up with something.

This blog will be continuously updated throughout the year, so make sure to check in periodically for the latest updates. I hope that you’ll find something here that resonates with you or at least interesting.

This site is best viewed at 67% zoom.

AS-level work

Last year, I had the opportunity to create two magazines, one of them I completed early February this year 2023 and a film opening as part of the coursework. In the process of making them, I was able to gain a comprehensive understanding of the media I was creating and gave me a whole new perspective on media as a whole.

preliminary 1

The pictures above are the final products of my first magazine project. In this project, I have familiarized myself on the processes it takes towards making a media product such as doing proper research although quite shallow at the time, conducting shoots but candid as well as editing but playing it safe with simplicity. To add to that, I noticed my flaws in executing ideas I have visualized in my head as well as utilizing the photos I have taken because normally when I make posters in my free time, I use photos from the internet which already looks good. However, I had the most fun making the cover page and the contents page. I had the hardest time making the double-page spread because I ran out of good pictures to use. In this project, I had to learn a new Adobe program which was Indesign for making the contents page and the double-page spread.

preliminary 2

https://youtu.be/PBXuj0p9sWY

In this project, we were tasked into making a film opening. This project while being very stressful to make, has the most satisfying outcome and lessons. This is probably responsible for breaking a mental block I had when creating media. I learn to accept the flaws in my creations at least for this film while still remaining critical in my work. I also learned how to plan days better which I can apply in my daily life and I improved my work ethic making this project. This is also a project where everything I had to make was a calculated decision. Compared to when making the magazine, most of my design choices were spontaneous. The only problem I have with the film which I only had thought of the moment I was typing this was during the scene when the protagonist was running around, he should have danced instead of ran because it tells the story better and running while the camera's shutter speed being low is not really original. I also wish the camera shutter speed at the beginning shot was slower as well as the shots being longer because it's meant to be slow burning but I had to shorten it because we were given a runtime limit.

The image above is the final film poster which I made at the last minute because my tutor told me to change the one I had already made which in my opinion is better. The image below is the poster before the change.

component 1

Above is my second magazine project which I chose to do for component 1. This project we were given the most time to do. Earlier I was surprised and looking forward to making it because of how much time as at my disposal. However, my model went travelling for the December holidays as well as being busy with homework from other subjects and doing activities outside of school. To add to that, Indesign stopped working in my laptop so I had to use my friends' laptops when they are not in use. This project I sought out to experiment more on magazine formats, subject matter and aesthetic which I think I had achieved to do so at least partially. I also had managed to level up my editing skills in Photoshop as well as taking better photos and utilizing them. The main thing I hate about the magazine is the masthead on the cover page which I really wish I had done different because it's too tacky. The rest I don't really have a problem with and I actually quite like how the double-page spread turned out.

Throughout all these projects I have got the opportunity to work with my friends made me get to know them and myself better from making them participate in my project and creating something together and I thank them. It has greatly strengthened my communication and leadership skills. I can't say that I'll be looking forward to take on A2 level work but I will make sure that I maintain the quality of work that I put out or even better, improve it.

Here is the link to my old wix if you are curious enough: https://fabyan204.wixsite.com/my-site

influences

In terms of influences in media, I am more of a music person and I don't really consume that much media outside of that. I don't really watch movies or tv anymore since the pandemic hit. All I do in my free-time is playing guitar, video games and listening to music. Visual media that I consume is mainly from Youtube and social media. I would watch documentaries, product reviews, funny videos, video essays and such. I'm still interested in watching movies. It's just that I have other priorities. An adult would say a young person should have a lot of freedom and what kind of priorities do you have? I have children.

I was only kidding. On a serious note, I prioritize my hobbies more than anything also my school work and rest.

Here are some of the music that greatly influenced me:

Tame Impala - Lonerism

This album sent me into a deep rabbit hole of music when I was 11 years old. This album shaped my criteria for music for the years to come.

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

All I have ever wanted in how music should sound was satisfied by this album. It embraced me and made me feel very home while introducing me to unfamiliar feelings as well.

Subsonic Eye - Nature of Things

This album greatly influenced in how I write guitar parts because of how this band combines the two styles of guitar which is normally my go-to. Shoegaze and Midwest Emo.

Bladee - Exeter

Listening to his music makes me the happiest. It's not just his music but his music videos and how his art looks inspires me greatly.

These are a few popular starter albums to obscure genres that have greatly influenced me and shaped my personal taste in everything not just music. In terms of visual art, I mostly took inspiration from video essays on great directors who have a beautiful visual language. [I only ever watched a handful of them, forgive me].

Under CIE MEDIA is where all my A2 work will be put in.