Preliminary Project - Evaluation

In what ways does your media product use, develop, or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
          During research of other magazines, I discovered many techniques that are used to change the appearance and audience of the magazine. I decided in my research that I would use a basic colour scheme, consisting of only one bright colour and various shades of others. I took this inspiration from magazines such as 'Vibe' which in one of their issues used black, white and yellow. However, the end result of my magazine consists of white, red and blue. Although this differs to my planning, it is still inspired by existing media as the colour scheme was produced from the main cover image. Many magazines featured the masthead running behind the image, however, I decided that I wanted to make the cover look very clean cut and clear. In order to achieve this, I challenged what appears to be a common technique in modern magazines, and placed my masthead on top of my image. This makes it more visible and brings more of a focus to the title of the magazine. The images and font featured on the cover are all placed horizontally, there are no angles used as this made the magazine look more downmarket and gave the feel of being 'too casual'. The only other image used on the cover is small and cropped in order to remove the background, this keeps the sophisticated ambience that the magazines portrays. However, with the image featuring a 'Blackberry' mobile phone, it again balances this sophistication with youth and modern technology, making it appeal to a younger audience. Unlike some of the magazines investigated in my research, my cover only consisted of two images, this keeps a simplistic design and does not overwhelm the reader. This layout was inspired by 'Vibe' magazine which also keeps images to a minimum. 
Who would be the audience for your media product?
          The focus of the magazine is college based information, making the main target audience young people, mixed gender, primarily between the ages of 16-20. Due to the target audience being of a young age, it is required to rate their parents on the jicnars scale, meaning that demographically, the target audience ranges between A-C1. To cater to this high intellect, sophisticated audience, I have manipulated the contents and layout of my magazine to match the expectations of the target audience. By using a clear, simple design, the magazine will also appeal to the parents/carers of the students and secure their knowledge that they made the right educational choices. Psychographically, the target audience of my magazine will be radicals and aspirers. They will fall into the lifestage categories of 'Kids' and 'Decision pending'. 
How did you attract/address your audience?
          In order to attract my target audience and persuade them to purchase my media product, I tried to appeal to their taste using various techniques. The masthead is the only font on the cover that is written in bold, this draws attention to it. The colour scheme used was produced from the main image, it consists of mainly blue, red and white, however also contains accents that are shades of these three colours. Red, white and blue connote patriotism, and therefore traditionalism. This theme is contradicted by the image which connotes youth, fun and education in a way that would appeal to the target audience. The secure colour scheme that is repeated throughout the media product, make the overall appearance more classy and clean-cut. The neat presentation of the cover is enhanced by the cover lines being written in capitals, this eliminates ascenders and descenders, again making the product appear more up-market due to the orderly design. The main cover image consists of recent trends such as checked patterns, 'geek' style glasses and large fronted caps. This again increases the suitability for a young audience. It connotes style, youth and adds a fun edge to the product. This result is achieved affectively by also relating the cover lines to these themes. 
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
          Before this preliminary project, I had not used a digital SLR camera. This exercise taught me about various functions on the camera that can change the appearance of an image, such as 'portrait' which focuses on that which is closest, and blurs the background image. To create the Cover page, I used a programme called 'Photoshop', this allowed me to alter the image and create the illusion of perfection. I was also able to layer different texts and images with this programme. Through this, I learnt that modern technology allows the manipulation and alteration of images to achieve a desired outcome. To create the Contents page, I used a programme called 'InDesign'. This allows a professional appearance to be achieved easily and with little skills. Through pure experimentation with the programme, I learnt how to create a sophisticated, neat contents page, this reveals that updated technology eliminates the great need for specialist skills. The use of this blog allowed me to easily refer to my planning notes throughout the task of production, this helped me ensure I was keeping to my guidelines to achieve the appropriate result. 

Preliminary Project - Contents

Preliminary Project - Front Cover

Research and Planning - Cover Image

We took many photos for our cover image until we finally found our three possibilities. We used two different models and three different hats to gain an understanding of which colours worked best. We chose the image on the far left as our main cover image and this is the one we felt incorporated the colours best. We used the blue and the red from the models clothing as our colour scheme for the accompanying text on the cover. In order to make this image suitable, we used photoshop to crop it to an appropriate size, and also remove imperfections and perfect the skin tone and lighting. 

Research and Planning - Plans and Ideas

The research I carried out has led to a series of progressions in my planning work. Magazines such as 'vibe' have had a huge impact on inspiring my own magazine. The magazines I focused on have allowed me to narrow down my options, I have decided that in order to keep my magazine fairly upmarket, yet still appealing to a younger audience, I will use one vivid colour, and one or two shades. This will keep the magazine fun and appropriately youthful, without making it downmarket. Again, drawing on my research, it would be best if Sans serif was used as the main typeface, this will reduce the risk off the magazine becomming too upmarket. However, some serif font may be used for important text, perhaps where education is mentioned and sophistication is relevant. The title and the main text of the coverlines could be written in capital lettering, this would reduce the ascenders and descenders and make the cover look neater. The result of this is a more clean cut finish.
Various image styles are used in the magazines, the main image should be medium close up,it could have a plain background to keep the focus of the reader. This would also prevent a possible bleed, which could make the magazine more downmarket. By keeping the magazine sophisticated, it would send the right message to parents about the college as well as entertaining the students.
The banner could be quite small so as not to distract from the content of the magazine, the price could also be small, but coloured so it still draws the eye of the reader.
The layout of the cover should fit the theme of the magazine, it should hold the upmarket style by being neat, almost in a grid formation. It may be easier to hold this style if the images or text are horizontal as opposed to angled, as sometimes this can make it look more casual and downmarket.
The fillers used on the cover should be necessary and contain valuble information so as not to decrease the overall views of the magazine.
The title of the magazine should reflect the educational side of college, whilst incorporating the fun, entertaining elements. Some ideas are:
Pathways
Stepping Stones
Flames
Buzz
Groove
Turning Pages
These ideals also apply to the main image on the cover; it should reflect the youthful, fun side of being a student, whilst enforcing the feature and serious tones. In order to convey this correctly, many suggestions have been made which should be considered for the main image:
1) A person reading: this conveys the educational side of the magazine.
2) Someone who works in the cafeteria holding a prop such as a spoon or a spatula: this could relate to the main feature story.
3) A male wearing a hat and glasses holding a book: this would incorporate the education whilst keeping up to date with the latest trends amongst students.
4) A person with a party blower: this would convey the fun aspects of the magazine.