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School Magazine Evaluation
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge codes and conventions of real media products?
I feel that my magazine has successfully used the typical codes and conventions of school magazines.My front cover has the masthead at the top of the page and above that there is a bar with the tag line “The No.1 magazine written for students. By students”, this is in conjunction to the codes and conventions of similar magazines. I have also included a id shot for the main image of a pupil which is a common theme for a school magazine. The main image is overlay onto top the masthead to give a feel of depth. I have included a secondary lead and splash which are conventions I found on other school magazines.
On my contents page, after doing research, I found that the contents page for magazines is often on the right hand of the double page with an advert on the left side, so I inserted an advert for stationary. The advert fits in with the theme of a student magazine and fits the conventions I have found. Another convention I have adhered to is that of having the title ‘contents’ at the top of the page and the stories listed down the left hand side. As with other school magazines I have made the name of the story bolder than the sentence or two introducing it.
On my double page spread I have challenged conventions. I have put the title of the piece at the bottom of the page as this is where the eye line is drawn due to the picture and the bold block of purple. The title balances out the quote on the opposite page so I decided I would break the conventions and put it there. Usually on a magazine the text is wrapped around one or two images; but, on my double page I have wrapped the text around a lot of images breaking the convention but sticking to it at the same time.
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
In my magazine the social group represented are demographic E as they are students. On the front cover they are represented as studious and academic as the model is reading a book. On the contents page the model is relating to the story ‘3 years later’ which is showing them successful later in life. On the double page spread the article is about exam stress which says that the social group is under a lot of pressure about exams. Most of this indicates that the social group are academic and high achievers interested in doing well at their academic studies.
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
As my magazine is designed to be given to students it does not have a specific media institution that would distribute the product. I have produced it to preliminary be given to the students directly from the school/collage.
4. Who would be the audience for your media product?
My school magazine would be aimed students aged 16-19 and studying in a college or sixth form. Trying to aim my magazine at all genders had insured that no student is left out and it is a magazine for everyone within the further education system. Otherwise put, my target audience is: demographic E achievers.
5. How did you attract/address your audience?
Keeping my target audience in mind when I took all the photos for the magazine I ensured that my models were of a similar demographic of that of my target market. My advert on the inside cover is appropriate to the target demographic as it is about stationary, something that is needed by all students. By having an exclusive offer for the magazine I was able to address the questionnaire where many people wanted to have exclusive offers to them as avid readers of the magazine.
6. What have you learnt about the hardware you have used in constructing this product?
Throughout the making of my school magazine I had to use several pieces of hardware in order to create my final product. These are things like the computers I used to edit my photos and build the magazine on. To do this I used my computer which is at home. I also had to use a Canon 450D to take the photos needed for the magazine. In order to get the right shot I had to pick my lenses carefully, as I wanted a few outdoor long shots and the vertically of getting good close up shots I opted for my Canon 16-135mm lenses and took all my photos on manual. I already knew how to use this equipment before starting the school magazine.
7. What have you learnt about the consumer software used in the production of your preliminary task?
I already knew Photoshop techniques fairly well before I started creating the school magazine, but I have discovered new actions on Photoshop for different elements and effects to adjust the images I have taken.
8. What lessons have you learnt here that will enable you to excel in the production of your main task: the music magazine?
In this task I have learnt that feedback off my friends and teachers is important as there might be some things that I miss when I look at it. I also feel that, for my final piece, I should include a time plan to help me better allocate my time and ensure I meet deadlines.
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