Evaluation questions

Kelsey Wheeler

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Target audience for my magazine was aimed at teenage and young females as it is all about musicals. I didn’t think that males would be that interested in it but after some research more seemed interested than I thought and a larger number in the homosexuals audience aswell. I used a variety of features throughout the magazine to target the audience for example I used eye catching colours and the image on the front cover stands out due to the use of direct address. The language throughout the magazine is informal similar to a gossip styled magazine but everything was evolved around music. The layout of my magazine I used the stereotypical conventions such as the third columns of text, the way the images were placed, taken and edited. The layout tied into the whole theme of the magazine making it stand out compared to others as it looks more of a magazine that fits into a higher class social bracket. Although the price of the magazine is of a reasonable price as majority of the target audience will be classed as students therefore having less money than others, but I have included a subscription deal (another stereotypical convention)

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The predominant target audience for my magazine is related to the stereotypical categorization of each possible type of social group and or gender possible. By this, I am stating that I researched each possible contender of audience to feature in my magazine. With this in mind, the inclusion of a general female based focus meant that I was able to clearly connect with my audience and further my relation as their magazine writer with them.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full

product? Comparing my current work with my pre-lim exercise I think it clearly shows

how I have developed as a media student. Previously I thought you could just make a magazine without a lot of preparation, I was wrong. I had to carry out further research and planning stages such as for research I created a number of vox pox’s, created mini surveys with selected font ideas for the front cover and more. For planning I created a schedule and as a class we had a deadline sheet that we had to meet and work to our best abilities to get the best work done. Planning is a much larger part of the final product than I thought. During the planning stage I had to create a variety of layouts and mock up’s of my magazine and I think since the pre-lim exercise I have improved my photography and Photoshop skills have improved due to a lot of practice. I’m still not very confident with using Photoshop but I have improved vastly since September. I also think that using a wider range of digital technologies as helped me develop my skills. For example I’ve used, yola, prezi,slideshare,photoshop,youtube,camera,sound,lighting techniques and many more.

Overall I have learnt how to properly prepare and create a media product, and that to use and experiment with different technologies. Therefore these technologies allowed me to produce a magazine piece to industry standards.

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

real media products?Whilst designing my product I tried to use the stereotypical codes and conventions of magazines

already out there.For example conventions for the front cover1. Masthead2. Cover line3. Cover story4. Main image5. Captions6. Pugs7. Barcode

Contents page1. Title contents2. Principle of thirds3. Eye catching colours4. Page numbers and

what is on themAnd more.

Double page spread1. Headline2. Quotes3. Captions4. Big eye catching

main imageAnd more.

I challenged the typical conventions in many ways, an example of this would be on the front cover I have included all the stereotypical parts but not in their typical positions, the magazine website, issue number, price are all in the top right hand corner rather than on the bottom half of the cover. On the contents page I evolved my layout around the principle of thirds and included images within them making the look of my magazine more unique. The double page spread I have used the three columns of text technique which have been placed around images on the page, also the main image of the spread doesn’t take up a whole page like usual magazine stories again making my magazine more unique.

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

I think that the company Emap would distribute my magazine as Emap distribute many magazines and the only younger audience music magazine that they distribute is smash hits. So I think that because my magazine is of a different genre they would distribute my magazine and for it would benefit the company also.The privileges of having Emap as a distributor would be that i could make profit but by having a fairly unknown company as my distributor could effect the audience buyers per unit.

How did you attract/address your audienceMy magazine attracts my target audience with a variety of colours and distinctive images. Also as my target audience is for magazine readers I had to include majority of stereotypical magazine conventions to attract their attention. Also I think that the advertisements for the magazines that I mentioned within my pitch, would attract my audience in different ways as well to then make more profit and have a bigger and better outcome. Throughout my production part of the task after I had the final drafts of the magazine I asked a few class mates to state what it is about the magazine that attracts them.

FRONT COVER“The title is very unique and the use of the gold dots to make it look like lights on Broadway really tie in with the theme of

the musical genre.” Char“”I like the title and the colour scheme” Leila“The main image is very strong and eye catching I really like it” Harry“The image is great, the costumes and the use of colours that matching the corset look good, also it makes you want to

read on and know what musical it is and what it is about” Lucy CONTENTS PAGE“Use of synergy throughout the magazine with the title style shows consistency.” Char“The images make me want to read more about the stories.” Leila“The layout makes the magazine look more professional.” Harry“The use of stars on the page are a relation to the ‘stardome’ of the musicals, very eye catching.” LucyDOUBLE PAGE SPREAD“The quote in green that matches the image catches my attention.” Char“The big masthead going across both pages shows it’s a double page article and then makes me want toRead more” Leila“Use of colours are eye catching still.” Harry“The continuous use of the LUST font is very eye catching and attracts me to buy the magazine.” Lucy

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

Throughout creating my magazine I have learnt a range of techniques. At the start of this project I wasn’t very confident with using any photo editing programmes and using the prezi and yola software’s. Now I am more confident with using these technologies as I have had enough time to get to know how to use the software in the correct ways. Comparing back to my preliminary task you can see how I have adapted with Photoshop within the past six months.

Technologies I have used were, • Dafont• Camera (both still and video)• Lighting • Photoshop• PowerPoint• And many more

Thank you for reading!