Having now completed all the tasks for my preliminary task: Front Cover and Contents Page for a student magazine. I am now going to finish by evaluating my work.
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
The traditional conventions of a student magazine include a masthead which gives a magazine its brand identity. An image on the front cover, in this case using a mid-close up shot. The picture represents the magazine and gives an idea of what can be expected inside the magazine. A few cover lines which summarise some of the most exciting features of the magazine. As the magazine is aimed at students I chose to use a font which is modern, lively and appealing. This contrasts to a formal font you would expect to see on magazines.
I think that the font i chose to use creates a current and up to date magazine which students can relate to. Inspirations for my magazine were two very different magazines, Student ID (a magazine which has a strong focus on student life outside of school) and College Life (my own school magazine directed at adults, parents and students with a strong academic and religious focus). From Student ID I was able to see the importance of social life and enjoying being young. Reviewing College Life I was aware of the importance of academic life and my school's conception of its student's. Both these magazines allowed me to understand what student's want and how others view this. I could then make my magazine individual, fun, interesting and useful for students stepping aside from the traditional approach of student magazine focused on socialising or one which promotes only school life. The use of colour was an important factor as it enabled me to make my front cover and contents page attractive to readers. After working on my own front cover and contents page I think it is important that a magazine keeps some boundaries for example the cover lines and an image without these features a magazine will loose its appeal to readers avoiding vital features. Therefore I thought it was necessary for me to include basic conventions but manipulate them through colour design and presentation in order to portray my own ideas.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
In my student magazine I have decided to represent students and teenagers. This age group would target students from the age of 15-18 years old. I think this magazine will relate to students of this age group as they are beginning to mature, education and a social life become important at this age, this magazine allows me to link two large factors of their lives. As I mentioned in the previous teacher i felt that it was significant that my magazine represents both the social and academic life of students instead of being focused on one. Media products can stereotype students to be immature, reckless, big headed or in converse naive, sheltered and geeky. I aimed to create a balanced representation which shows students can have fun going out and be focused on success in school. On my front cover and contents page I have used images of my friends to represent students. They appear to be friendly and fun to be around, this is the message which i would like my readers to receive. I have used some colloquial language throughout the page e.g.'Which uni is best for you?' this is best suited for modern teenagers as they tend to take a relaxed approach to life. I have also been aware of the proportion of text and pictures as a majority of responses to my questionnaire's said they would prefer to see more images. Therefore I have included several images across the contents pages using text for cover lines and an editorial letter. I think that my magazine was successful by representing the image I want to be portrayed of students, they are represented as fun and hardworking going against stereotypes.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
Institution's most likely to distribute my student magazine would be my own school. It is less likely that other institutions would distribute my magazine as it is influenced by St Edmund's College. However my magazine would be useful to other institutions and organisations with gcse and 6th Form students. As it deals with topics which are a part of their own life. My school already has two student magazines, Avita Pro Fide and College Life. These magazines target old Edmundian's, parent's and friends of the school. Therefore there is a gap for my magazine as it targets solely a specific group of teenagers who do not have a magazine available to them.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
The target audience for my media product would be teenagers 15-18 years old both males and females. My magazine will include interesting information for males and females, although I expect the target audience to be predominantly females as they spend more time reading magazines. The ideal audience would be young people studying gcse's A levels or at college. These students will be to open up my magazine and relate to issues in the article maybe find humour from the topics inside it and have suggestions to help them cope with any pressure they are facing academically or socially. ''Students spotted outside the class room'' My magazine has uses common interests such as 'I'm a celeb' or famous singer 'Rihanna' to relate students to each other and preparation for the world and university.
How did you attract/address your audience?
I felt that a vital feature necessary to attract my target audience was by understanding their preferences and using colour and design effectively. ''9/10 people answering my questionnaire said they would not read a magazine if the front cover does not attract their attention'' In order to involve the audience with my magazine I created a questionnaire to allow me to find out what students want in a magazine, using multiple choice questions and questions where they could express their own ideas. I had a successful response and was able to base ideas for my magazine on these reults. I also conducted a poll on my blog to find out which name title was most liked for my magazine. 50% voted Student Room and also being my favourite title I chose to use it.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Producing this magazine allowed me to broaden my computer skills through various programmes. I used Photoshop for the first time and through practice I am now able to edit images to portray specific features which I want to be presented. I also understand the uses of the tools available on Photoshop. I used a digital camera and learnt how to transfer photos from the camera media card onto the computer to be used for the magazine. Although I had previous experience using Windows Publisher I became aware of other tasks which can be performed on Publisher. I became conscious of the effects of saving images as different types of files. I also learnt how to scan images to allow them to be used electronically. All of these skills contributed to the outcome of my front cover and contents page. One of the vital programmes which I learnt how to use and have adapted to is blogger. I was previously unaware of this site and after some guidance I feel confident using the website, posting my blogs and ideas for my magazine. Technological processes are an essential part of producing and presenting magazines.
Overall, I am very happy with my final front cover and contents page. I was able to include all of my own ideas and they were presented as I wanted :)
I think that the font i chose to use creates a current and up to date magazine which students can relate to. Inspirations for my magazine were two very different magazines, Student ID (a magazine which has a strong focus on student life outside of school) and College Life (my own school magazine directed at adults, parents and students with a strong academic and religious focus). From Student ID I was able to see the importance of social life and enjoying being young. Reviewing College Life I was aware of the importance of academic life and my school's conception of its student's. Both these magazines allowed me to understand what student's want and how others view this. I could then make my magazine individual, fun, interesting and useful for students stepping aside from the traditional approach of student magazine focused on socialising or one which promotes only school life. The use of colour was an important factor as it enabled me to make my front cover and contents page attractive to readers. After working on my own front cover and contents page I think it is important that a magazine keeps some boundaries for example the cover lines and an image without these features a magazine will loose its appeal to readers avoiding vital features. Therefore I thought it was necessary for me to include basic conventions but manipulate them through colour design and presentation in order to portray my own ideas.How does your media product represent particular social groups?
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
Institution's most likely to distribute my student magazine would be my own school. It is less likely that other institutions would distribute my magazine as it is influenced by St Edmund's College. However my magazine would be useful to other institutions and organisations with gcse and 6th Form students. As it deals with topics which are a part of their own life. My school already has two student magazines, Avita Pro Fide and College Life. These magazines target old Edmundian's, parent's and friends of the school. Therefore there is a gap for my magazine as it targets solely a specific group of teenagers who do not have a magazine available to them.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
The target audience for my media product would be teenagers 15-18 years old both males and females. My magazine will include interesting information for males and females, although I expect the target audience to be predominantly females as they spend more time reading magazines. The ideal audience would be young people studying gcse's A levels or at college. These students will be to open up my magazine and relate to issues in the article maybe find humour from the topics inside it and have suggestions to help them cope with any pressure they are facing academically or socially. ''Students spotted outside the class room'' My magazine has uses common interests such as 'I'm a celeb' or famous singer 'Rihanna' to relate students to each other and preparation for the world and university.
How did you attract/address your audience?
I felt that a vital feature necessary to attract my target audience was by understanding their preferences and using colour and design effectively. ''9/10 people answering my questionnaire said they would not read a magazine if the front cover does not attract their attention'' In order to involve the audience with my magazine I created a questionnaire to allow me to find out what students want in a magazine, using multiple choice questions and questions where they could express their own ideas. I had a successful response and was able to base ideas for my magazine on these reults. I also conducted a poll on my blog to find out which name title was most liked for my magazine. 50% voted Student Room and also being my favourite title I chose to use it.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Producing this magazine allowed me to broaden my computer skills through various programmes. I used Photoshop for the first time and through practice I am now able to edit images to portray specific features which I want to be presented. I also understand the uses of the tools available on Photoshop. I used a digital camera and learnt how to transfer photos from the camera media card onto the computer to be used for the magazine. Although I had previous experience using Windows Publisher I became aware of other tasks which can be performed on Publisher. I became conscious of the effects of saving images as different types of files. I also learnt how to scan images to allow them to be used electronically. All of these skills contributed to the outcome of my front cover and contents page. One of the vital programmes which I learnt how to use and have adapted to is blogger. I was previously unaware of this site and after some guidance I feel confident using the website, posting my blogs and ideas for my magazine. Technological processes are an essential part of producing and presenting magazines.
Overall, I am very happy with my final front cover and contents page. I was able to include all of my own ideas and they were presented as I wanted :)
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