Evaluation

When producing my magazine front cover I considered lots of things and conducted many tasks to make sure that my finish product would be as professional as possible. I started off by conducting a conventions analysis of a 'Vogue' magazine front cover. I analysed the front cover in detail looking at the key conventions which I discovered were: a masthead; a main image; sell lines; a plug; a barcode; a price and a date/issue number. This helped me to begin because it gave me an idea about how a magazine front cover is laid out and the conventions which are on it so I could decide whether to follow them or not. I then conducted a LIIAR analysis of a magazine front cover so that I could see how professional and successful magazines represent their magazines to get across a message. This helped me to see how I can represent my own magazine to get across a message. Next I looked at existing college magazines and again looked at the conventions and the way they are represented to get inspiration for my own magazine. After this I looked at examples of shot types and took some photo's myself so I could see the difference between shot types for myself. This helped me to see what would be the best shot to use for my final product. Then I created a mood board to look at the different things I need to think about or include on my magazine front cover. This also helped me to identify my target market of students (aged 16-18) and parents. I then made a spider diagram which included all of my initial ideas and also again identified my target market. This allowed me to imagine what my final front cover could look like. Finally I made digital mock ups of a front cover, a contents page and a double page spread, which let me plan out where everything could be placed and see whether the finished product will look effective. All of this research helped me to create a college magazine front cover that is successful and appealing to my target market.

I then started the production process which involved taking photo's and using the software Photoshop to create my finished product. I took lots of different photo's of the college campus and my chosen models to give me a wide range of images to chose from, I experimented with different shots and angles etc and eventually chose a photo that I thought looked effective in attracting my target audience. Once I had chosen my photo I started editing it making sure that it looked professional by removing any unwanted things in the background and cropping it to an appropriate size. I also experimented with the brightness and contrast to make the photo look exciting. When I was totally happy with the photo I started creating my front cover. I placed the photo onto a plain A4 sheet of paper, then added my text and barcode. I wanted to keep to the Wyke colour scheme so used the colours purple and green, however this wasn't always visible against the background picture so I had to add a white coloured outer glow so that you could read the text better. Once this was complete my magazine front cover was complete.

I think that my front cover uses many conventions of real media products. In the planning process I researched many existing magazines to find out the main conventions which I could use in my own work. I wanted my magazine to look very conventional so that it was presented in the same way as a professional magazine and therefore looked realistic. I did this by incorporating the main elements into my own front cover whilst still making it look original. For example I used a medium close-up on my main image, I placed the masthead at the top of the page, I had a barcode and price in the bottom right corner and I also had sell lines around the models heads. I think using a medium close-up photo as my main image is very conventional because the majority of magazines use this shot as it allows you to see the models in just the right amount of detail. If I had used another type of shot I don't think that the finished product would have looked as realistic. The masthead being at the top of the page is very conventional and to challenge this convention would make the magazine front cover less professional so I again followed this convention. I put a barcode and price on my cover page because although they're not on the 'Vogue' magazine that I analysed I think it's essential for a college magazine. Finally I had sell lines around the models heads because this is where they are often founds and I again wanted to create this realistic look. It also makes them easily recognisable to the viewer as this is where they expect them to be.

I wanted my media product to represent a large range of social groups because colleges generally have lots of different groups of people with interests in different things. Therefore I aimed my front cover at all social groups within a college aged around 16-19. This meant that I needed to make sure that the topics I advertised on my magazine front cover where not all on one subject. For example I couldn't just advertise music in my sell lines because this would maybe only interest music students and not the rest of the college. This may also make people think that the college is mainly music based. I also had to make sure that the colours and fonts I used were not gender specific because this would again isolate a smaller audience. For example if I used the colour pink throughout viewers may think it is a magazine for females and if I used a very manly font such as Times New Roman viewers may think the magazine is aimed at males. To stop this stereotypical judgement happening I used gender neutral colours that were quite bold and vivid. I used purple and green throughout because they stand out due to them being contrasting, this also creates a theme which stops the magazine cover from becoming overwhelmed with colour. I also used a gender neutral font which was quite fun so that it didn't isolate a particular gender and represents the college itself as fun. I also carefully thought out the sell lines so that it attracted everyone. For example my first sell line read 'Revision tips inside!' as this applies to everyone because everyone is expected to revise for their subjects and my second sell line read 'Fresher's party tickets on sale now!' as this again applies to everyone because it is an open event. This reaches out to everyone inviting them to the event and again like the font used represents the college as fun because it suggests that it does these things often and isn't all about work. The image I used also appeals to a large range of social groups as the models are looking happy and are holding folders. This suggests that the college is good and they are enjoying studying there, we can see that they are students by the way they are holding folders. I think that the image suggests to people who aren't students that if you come to the college you will also be happy here. The name 'Wyke college' also appeals to all social groups as they all attend the college and so this is a mutual thing, it's also printed in purple which represents the college logo so they can all relate to it.

As I have mentioned previously my target market is 16-18 year olds initially and also parents. I identified my target market as this because 16 is the age you begin college usually and 18 is the age that you finish college generally and therefore these are the students that would be at college. However now I realise that some students stay onto college until age 19 and so it's also aimed at them. It's also aimed at parents because it shows them that it's a good college for their son/daughter. I think that my magazine front cover attracts this audience very well. It attracts the 16-19 year old audience because its conventional and therefore what they expect. It uses an obvious layout and a bright, contrasting colour scheme which appeals to the younger audience as it makes the cover come alive. It also uses interesting sell lines which appeal to all students especially the 'Fresher's party tickets on sale now!' line as the teenage audience likes to go out and have fun. The main image is also attractive to the student audience as the models are students themselves and so they can connect with the image.  The image also attracts the parent audience as the models are smiling and so it suggests to them that they are enjoying their studies and their child will also enjoy going to the college. The background of the image shows part of the college campus which looks clean and like a good facility, therefore this will also appeal to the parent audience as it again represents the college as good for their son/daughter.

I have learnt lots of things about the different technologies while doing this project and think I have improved quite a lot since the perfume advert project. The main thing that I used on this project was the software 'Photoshop' and I think during this project I have improved my Photoshop skills a lot. For example on the original photo that I used for my main image the model to the left had a bag on her arm, however I didn't really want this there so I learnt how to use the clone stamp to remove it. I also coloured over the word 'Ash' on the side of the building because only half of the word was visible so I removed it completely. I learnt how to improve the brightness and contrast so that the picture stands out more as well. I also think I've learnt a lot about taking photo's, I've learnt how to use different settings on the camera such as the aperture setting. I have also learnt how to get a grid up on the screen to apply 'rule of thirds' to my pictures. Overall I think I have improved a lot since the last project.

Overall I am very happy with my finished front cover however if I were to do the project again there are a few things that I would do differently. Firstly I would leave more time to edit my photo more so that I could make it look as professional as possible. I would also maybe use a different text that stands out more and place this text somewhere else as the background interferes with it. I would plan out the layout more carefully as well so I know where everything is definitely going to go and where it will look effective. Apart from those things I think my magazine front cover looks quite professional and would appeal to my target market quite well fulfilling and satisfying everyone's needs.