What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
In creating my magazine and contents page I used google, quark express and photoshop. This new technology has helped me to arrange, crop and edit my photos that I used for my front cover and also helped me design the uneven reversed out coverlines that draw the readers eye towards all of the main selling points of my magazine. The special effects that I couldn't do before were things like lightening the picture, highlighting all of the main colours and providing a border for around the outside of the smaller pictures that are on the front cover of my magazine. Quark Express has also been useful as it has allowed me to design a contents page that has a small message from the editor along with a small photograph of the front cover with arrows detailing all of the main cover stories.
However the main advantage of using the Digital SLR cameras and all the new computer technology was the detailed and easy to use image manipulation.
Blogging was another important and useful part to design and producing my magazine front cover and contents page. It helped me keep a detailed record of what I have learnt and also allows me to go back for help and assistance if needed. It also helped me plan and present all of my research in a clear, concise and coherent way.
Friday 23 October 2009
Thursday 22 October 2009
Evaluation question 5
How did you attract/ address your audience?
I used bold colours, namely blues, which connote a neutral and mixed gender appeal to attract a larger target audience towards my magazine. The unusual edges to the reversed out coverlines that are employed on the front cover also connote a cool, bold and fun element towards my audience and gives them a link that will stick to my magazine and become a running theme within it. The informal language and streamers used similarly connote a laid back and fun theme to the readers, as students rarely read magazines which uses full English grammar on the front cover. This would therefore appeal to a wider audience of the target audience. The reversed out strapline also draws the readers attention towards each separate point of main sell and the numerous straplines also detail that this magazine has a lot of information inside.
The price of this magazine is $1.90 and is monthly. This its well into the similar market for this type of magazine, with the magazine only being sold monthly as it gives the audience time to let all the information sink in and also so that more stories can be gathered. The MCU is a female holding a textbook towards her face, whilst she is looking away. This could connote the difference between having a fun social life and he seriousness of studying and getting the right future. This is also shown in the magazine as there is a general mix between the fun and serious side, e.g the real student life, and the serious one, e.g' finding the right university for you. Thr main photo of the femal e could also attract a more female audiecne as they might feel more on the smae level as the girl in the photo.
I used bold colours, namely blues, which connote a neutral and mixed gender appeal to attract a larger target audience towards my magazine. The unusual edges to the reversed out coverlines that are employed on the front cover also connote a cool, bold and fun element towards my audience and gives them a link that will stick to my magazine and become a running theme within it. The informal language and streamers used similarly connote a laid back and fun theme to the readers, as students rarely read magazines which uses full English grammar on the front cover. This would therefore appeal to a wider audience of the target audience. The reversed out strapline also draws the readers attention towards each separate point of main sell and the numerous straplines also detail that this magazine has a lot of information inside.
The price of this magazine is $1.90 and is monthly. This its well into the similar market for this type of magazine, with the magazine only being sold monthly as it gives the audience time to let all the information sink in and also so that more stories can be gathered. The MCU is a female holding a textbook towards her face, whilst she is looking away. This could connote the difference between having a fun social life and he seriousness of studying and getting the right future. This is also shown in the magazine as there is a general mix between the fun and serious side, e.g the real student life, and the serious one, e.g' finding the right university for you. Thr main photo of the femal e could also attract a more female audiecne as they might feel more on the smae level as the girl in the photo.
Evaluation question 4
Who would be the audience for your media product?
For my magazine I have decided to concentrate on designing and producing a new student fashion and celebrity gossip magazine for students aged between 16-19. The subject matter for this magazine will be fashion, celebrity gossip and student life. The target audience for this magazine will be females aged between 16-19, with a demographic profile of between C1 and C2 and a psychographic profile of materialists, traditionalists and aspires.
For my magazine I have decided to concentrate on designing and producing a new student fashion and celebrity gossip magazine for students aged between 16-19. The subject matter for this magazine will be fashion, celebrity gossip and student life. The target audience for this magazine will be females aged between 16-19, with a demographic profile of between C1 and C2 and a psychographic profile of materialists, traditionalists and aspires.
Evaluation question 1
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My front cover and contents page closely follow the key codes and conventions that are used in other magazines in the genre I have chosen, which is a student magazine; focused mainly on student fashion and other key aspects of general student life. One of the main conventions that I used in my magazine is reversed out coverlines. I have used these to highlight all of the magazines main selling points and the sans sherif font connotes an informal and fun yet also tells the reader all the important issues in student life, such as choosing the right university. The slight uneven edges to each reversed out coverline draw the audience's attention to each indivual point and also conntoes a fun, energetic, youthful and unconvential effect that will have not be seen before and also provides the magazine with something that the audience can recognise and link with my magazine. Other aspects that feature within my front cover and therefore with other magazines of it's type are; a MCU, a screamer, the issue date and price, and a masthead.
The contents page for my magazine similarly fits in well with other magazines of it's type. The contents page uses the same designs as on the front cover; the same colour desgins, reversed out bold colours, sans sherif font, informal language and one of the most important conventions for a contents page, the letter from the editor. This connotes a personal and more friendly approach that makes the audience beleive in the editor and therefore the magazine, you feel that little bit closer to the person that runs that particular magazine.
My front cover and contents page closely follow the key codes and conventions that are used in other magazines in the genre I have chosen, which is a student magazine; focused mainly on student fashion and other key aspects of general student life. One of the main conventions that I used in my magazine is reversed out coverlines. I have used these to highlight all of the magazines main selling points and the sans sherif font connotes an informal and fun yet also tells the reader all the important issues in student life, such as choosing the right university. The slight uneven edges to each reversed out coverline draw the audience's attention to each indivual point and also conntoes a fun, energetic, youthful and unconvential effect that will have not be seen before and also provides the magazine with something that the audience can recognise and link with my magazine. Other aspects that feature within my front cover and therefore with other magazines of it's type are; a MCU, a screamer, the issue date and price, and a masthead.
The contents page for my magazine similarly fits in well with other magazines of it's type. The contents page uses the same designs as on the front cover; the same colour desgins, reversed out bold colours, sans sherif font, informal language and one of the most important conventions for a contents page, the letter from the editor. This connotes a personal and more friendly approach that makes the audience beleive in the editor and therefore the magazine, you feel that little bit closer to the person that runs that particular magazine.
Friday 9 October 2009
Friday 2 October 2009
Contents Page
For the next part of my research I will be investigating what features are common in the contents pages of successful magazines that are similar to my own magazine; Closer and Woman. Then using this research I will be able to construct my own The features common in both magazines include a small message from the editor, including a small picture and a copy of there signature. This could connote openness and friendliness as the editor uses informal language to try and appear like they are your friend rather than a business person. It also makes the magazine more personal and having a small photo and their signature adds a more personal touch and allows you to see just who runs this magazine.
Secondly on both magazines have a small photo of the issues front cover in the top right hand corner, highlighting the cover stories and telling the reader what pages numbers they are on. This helps the reader find the exact story that was on the front cover as it was probably what first drew the reader to the magazine. This could also connote the main selling points of the magazine. Similarly the other main selling points of the magazine but were not on the front cover also have their own photos and small text highlighting what the story is and the page no. These are usually on the left hand side and this could connote that the magazine has lots of different stories and articles that will appeal to a number of different people and make the target market much wider. Next in the middle of the page there is the main contents page, with all the stories and their relative page numbers on. These page numbers and a brief sentence description of the article are all separated into subheadings; including clothes, celeb news and gossip.
Secondly on both magazines have a small photo of the issues front cover in the top right hand corner, highlighting the cover stories and telling the reader what pages numbers they are on. This helps the reader find the exact story that was on the front cover as it was probably what first drew the reader to the magazine. This could also connote the main selling points of the magazine. Similarly the other main selling points of the magazine but were not on the front cover also have their own photos and small text highlighting what the story is and the page no. These are usually on the left hand side and this could connote that the magazine has lots of different stories and articles that will appeal to a number of different people and make the target market much wider. Next in the middle of the page there is the main contents page, with all the stories and their relative page numbers on. These page numbers and a brief sentence description of the article are all separated into subheadings; including clothes, celeb news and gossip.
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