Evaluation :)

Evaluation

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

A typical front cover would include the basics like masthead, banner, cover lines and a main image. In my opinion a student magazine contain the basics of a magazine. Contents pages are fairly similar but usually just have headlines, masthead, editorial and some images. I think for both my front cover and front cover I incorporated all those things, and made them big and bold to make them stand out. With the effects on the computer it was quite easy to make it look more individual and different. For my front cover I think the most effective part of it in my opinion would be the main image. I think this because I made it part of the background and nothing was cover up, so everything was visible.

  

• How does your media product represent particular social groups?

I think my magazine represents college students, mainly because all the images are of college students in college. I think this is good because it would create a familiar surrounding for anyone reading the magazine and it shows who the audience would be. I don’t feel I have had to use language any differently, because it was only a short piece of work, the language is quite simple and easy to read, there is nothing difficult about it, however I quite occasionally use the word “young” which shows it’s for young people and might possibly appeal to them. The masthead (study days) to me implies who the magazine is for, students are always studying, so in that way it shows that it could be quite helpful to students.

• What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I think newsagents and supermarkets that were near college’s, that would have a wide range of students to sell to, would probably distribute a student magazine. Because owning a business you want to be saw that your produce will sell and I think selling a magazine you want to be sure their will be a lot of people to buy it. Another place that would be good to distribute it would be the college itself, just because that would be where there would be an obvious amount of students to buy it. Although a lot of colleges have student magazines I feel perhaps in comparison already looking at student magazines, mine might be a more modern approach to it, with some different ideas.

• Who would be the audience for your media product?

I would say the age of my audience would probably be 16-19 year olds mainly because I feel college students are usually of that age. I would say that it would be for both genders, I didn’t plan for it to be written for one sex only when there is a wide range of people at my college.

• How did you attract/address your audience?

To attract my audience I used a lot of bright bold colours and abstract shapes and angles. I know that when things look plain and boring no one really wants to look at it, let alone read it. I found using the program “Gimp” was helpful in making the magazine look so eye-catching, especially transforming my main image.

• What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

When I started designing my front cover and contents page, I used publisher mainly because I knew it was helpful and had the set up of a magazine. Again I used it to actually create my magazine because it had good backgrounds and it was quite easy and simple to use. But I had to edit it using the program Gimp, which at the same time took a while to get used to and figure it out, but it made my front cover look really different and interesting. I think this was because there was such a wide range of ways to edit and it was good to experiment with, to get the right effect you wanted.

Final Contents Page

Final Front Cover

Second Draft Contents Page

This is a more simple design for the contents page, which i don't think i would end up using as my contents page. Mainly because it dosnt stand out and it shows a lot of similarities to other magazines, which isnt what I want at all. At the same time I do think it is a good idea for giving out a lot of information, but personally I don't believe it would appeal to teenagers.

First Draft Contents Page

This was my first draft for my contents page, I usually find contents pages are quite simplistic, which is something i didnt want for my contents page. So I am deffinatly thinking about using some angular shapes and bold colours to draw your attention in and to find out whats in the issue.

Front Cover Draft 1

This was my first and only draft for my cover, It was a lot easier to design a cover that was unique and different from all the other student magazines, because i had quite a wide range of ideas in my head. Using micosoft publisher I was able to create different shapes and lettering to make the front cover stand out more.

For this contents layout the theme on heat and summer dosnt seem to be as consistant as it does on the front cover, however the yellow streak down the middle of the page. Which also helps separate the three columns, although it dosnt say contents page, we know that it is a contents page as the headin says Inside I.D so we know its telling us whats inside the magazine.

                        

Textual Analysis: Front Cover.

There is no banner featured on this magazine qhich is quite unusual as it is almost on every magazine you would buy. It's another clever technique used to give you more reasons to purchase the magazine.     
     The masthead, Student I.D, enphises the title, it's the boldest and biggest writing on the page which you will always find with any magazine or newspaper. Also they have made the masthead look quite dry and link the colours with the sun and summer, this idea of it being hot which i think is quite clever. It's hard to say but I would say that the price isnt in the masthead, but it's very near to it, and it's a good way to draw your eye to the price and show the reader you really have a bargain. But It's quite clever as they have put in quite near so your attention is immediatly drawn to it.
     The entire front cover has this idea of heat and the summer, I like how the Coverlines are worked into the rays coming from the sun. The coverlines are very short and simple, but very to the point, it's done well and I know this because it makes you want to read it.
     The colour scheme is very related to this idea of summer and the yellow's and oranges really stand out and make you notice the magazine, these are all clashing colours but they do work very together.
    

Audience Questionnaire: Please Fill In.

How old are you?

• 16.
• 17.
• 18.
• Older than the above? If so write down your age.

Are you male or female?

• Male.
• Female.

What would you like to see in a student magazine?

• College information.
• Sports.
• Entertainment e.g films and music.
• Carrer advice and information
• University information.
• Puzzles and quizzes.
• Other.

Would you be interested in purchasing this magazine?

• Yes
• No.
• Maybe.

How often would you buy this magazine?

• Weekly.
• Monthly.
• Never.

How much would you be willing to pay for this magazine?

• £0.50
• £1.00
• £1.50

Comparison Of Student Magazines.

Student I.D Xmas Edition

• Contents page, showing us whats in the issue, persuading us to read it.
• Raises awareness on charities, shows students getting envolved and encouraging other student to also.
• Advertisement is frequently shown, advertising local buisnesses which might be of interest to college students.
• Puzzles, keeping the reader interested, ensure that the reader will buy the magazine again to find answers to puzzles etc.

ETC.

• Factual information, some interesting facts that does make boring, uninteresting things quite humerous.
• Music facts and information, reviewing popular music groups and writing information about a particular artist, it helps to make the magazine seem more modern and up to date with students.
• Questionaires giving students an opotunity to speak out and put down there opinion, make awarness to the college about what they would like.
• Young Filmakers- Ideas and oportunities for students who have a specific interest in filmaking, It's very helpfull to students who would like  to persue a career in that area.
• Hidden Univerity Gem's- Information on universtites and oportunities, which is very helpfull for students who are unsure on what university they would like to go to. It has a big impact on students to help them find what is right for them as many college students want to attend university.

Student I.D Under New Managment

• Cheap idea's for halloween: This magazine is taking into conseration students don't have much money, It's a good way to help students have a fun holiday and be able to afford it to.
• Comic Strips, I find these make the student magazine more enjoyable, there are quite humerous and make the magazine alot more enjoyable to read.
• Meet the new teacher's: I think this is a really good idea, as students don't know much about their teachers and it's quite nice to know a bit about the new teachers coming in before they teach you. It gives you a good idea of what t expect from them.
• Student Interview: This is good for opinion's of the college, if you are a new student and want to get an idea of what previous and current students think about it, It's alot better reading a personal opinion than the college itself giving you reasons to go there.
• Tv review's: Students go through popular and current movies which might be of interest to a college student, and they are reviewed, it's nice to get an idea of wha the film is like before paying the money to see it.
• SPOTTED:This is pictures of current students out and about at college bashes etc.
• Horoscopes: This is something everyone can read, I like the layout of it and how your are able to read it and how it makes it look realistly like a magazine you would buy in a shop.

Action Plan.

Week 1 WB 15th November 2010

• Create blog.
• Write action plan.
• Comparison of student magazines.
• Create audience questionaire.

Week 2 WB 22nd November 2010

• Draft pages for the magazine.
• Textual analysis.
• Organize photoshoot.
• Edit Photo's.

Week 3 WB 29th November 2010

• Create layout designs.
• Create a cover and contents page.

Week 4 WB 6th December 2010

• Audience feedback.
• Evaluation.

Deadline 10th December.