Evaluation
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
After doing my preliminary product of a school magazines, I used the all the knowledge I know from making the magazine and doing the same to my music magazine, for example evaluating existing music magazine so that I know my market and initial ideas so I have some thought into what I might do. Therefore I have done the relevant research to help me produce a quality magazine by copying existing magazines features. For example the date “Jan - Feb 2010” as this makes the magazine look realistic and up to date. Magazines normally do a monthly magazine this is why I have put “Jan - Feb”. I have also said that “THE BAY is Sponsored by Whitley Bay High School” as many magazines have this and are sponsored by food companies like Walkers etc. In most magazines the image is the background then the image over the top, I have done this will my front cover as the text is down the side and at the bottom covering some of the sides and some of the students at the bottom. I have followed the theme of school, work and education through my magazine as there are feature on there which can be seen as iconic to these topics. For example the image of stationary which students use every day and image of the school uniform on the front cover. I used repetition on the front cover and contents by talking about the same topics like the “Guys & Dolls” production with a little intro to it. This makes the reader know that this topic is defiantly being talked about in this magazine. The school magazine “CHILL” that I evaluated used an acronym as a name of the magazine, I did a similar thing as I called my magazine “THE BAY” as the school is in Whitley Bay and everyone knows what the bay is meaning the beach. Although in my development I must be more clear as I changed my idea from my original as it was a medium close up , then I changed it to a long shot, even though this shot is good it wasn’t relevant to my specification. As a result if I was to redo the magazine I would do a medium close up with a teacher and student to show diversity of gender and status and to stick to my brief. I have also related my content to “CHILL” as the page numbers are laid out in a list and I have done this as it is a simpler way to read things.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
On the front cover it has both male and female students on the image; therefore it is aimed at both genders and as a result not seen as sexist, and it hasn’t used any stereotypical gender related colours or events. I have ranged the events as some are work related and holiday related with the school like “Paris trip photos” and “Art day”. Although the magazine has failed to represent ethnic students as it doesn’t have an ethnic character on the front. The magazine represents the typical school child as it shows the a group of friends walking to school together, which most of students do, therefore many people can relate to this. My magazine also represents teachers as main of these are involved with the events like art day therefore art teachers will be interested in what they say about it. As all the students on the front cover are all dressed in the same clothing, meaning there school uniform everyone can relate as all the students wear the same thing.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
As my magazine is specifically made as a school magazine, therefore my product would be distributed in a place of education for example a school, college or university. This is because my front cover image was relevant as it included students and as they are representatives of the school it fitted the topic and showed that it was a school magazine. With this there is also the school building in the background with the school children walking towards it, this makes the picture look very natural and not photoshopped. Therefore capturing natural, school life. I also used language to suit the magazine front cover by saying “THE BAY” was sponsored by Whitley Bay High School, as these are the manufactures and the information is about the school. Also the name of the school was in the picture already and it wasn’t photoshopped in, this also makes it look natural and well thought background photo.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
The topics on the front cover were appropriate for school children, as it had subjects like Guys & Dolls which is a school production, played by the schools own students. Also art day is shown, which is a very popular subject, therefore the students can relate to this. As a result to this is would say that my magazine is more aimed at school children aged yr9 – 6th form (14 – 18). It contains more student related issues e.g. Paris trip. Whereas if it had pictures of teachers and students on and was about career choices and parents evenings then it would be suitable for adults too. Although it is not specifically for an age group just for everyone in the school as everyone is evolved in some way with the events they participated in or there picture in on the front cover. Also parents may be interested in their child is in the magazine.
How did you attract/address your audience?
The magazine cover is an easy read as the layout is set all down the page and not dotted all about, making it simpler for the reader. Also by using the font sans-serif it makes it easier to read as it is block and basic lettering. As my audience is school children I put relevant topics on like “Guys and Dolls” and “New sports” this makes every reader happy as it focuses on every students liking whether your or a boy, girl or teacher in or producing the production of “Guys and Dolls”; or you’re a boy, girl or teacher running or participating in the “News sports”. Therefore sporty and theatre students can all read this magazine as be interested in the topics issued. I have also put a picture of both a male and female student of the school, therefore the other students cannot feel as though the magazine is gender specific and they can feel a part of the magazine as there class mates are on the front cover. It is not specifically for an age group just for everyone in the school as everyone is evolved in some way with the events they participated in or there picture in on the front cover. The language used is formal as it is informing the reader. I haven’t used lots of sophisticated language as my aged range is very big as young student like yr 9s and older students like 6th formers will be reading this so they both have to be able to read it. Therefore it could be seen as simplistic for 6th formers but alright for yr 9s
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
As I didn’t stick to my brief, I didn’t use technologies such as photoshop to my full skill level as I didn’t use a medium close up. Although due to this I have learnt that I should use the camera to take shots that are relevant and at a good quality such as taking pictures of school children and of the school building as this links to the topic of school and education. I also have learned how to photoshop my images to a good standard for a school magazine. For example by leaning about all the effects I could do to the image, although I chose not to use this as I thought it didn’t need this to make the image look more natural, therefore I could say I learnt technology can be overrated sometimes and people prefer the natural look. So I used natural light to show natural tones and colours as a school images is very important and teachers and other students can’t mislead their pupils. I also learnt about layering and how text could be placed on the front cover, for example different shapes and techniques; this is very important as what is ever on the top is the most important and you can see all of it. However this sometimes isn’t true as the my main image was the most important and was on the bottom layer and was still seen as the main focus. This is because my images covered the whole of the page as a background therefore even if parts of the background were covered the effect still stayed strong in being the main focal point.
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