AS Media StudiesJamie Dear

Preliminary Task

Brief

In this preliminary task, we were asked to create a school magazine thus we had to ensure that our magazine suited students well. We had to consider the images we used, the colour schemes, the topics and features of the magazine as well as the text – these all had to be appropriate and well suited to my target audience. Therefore to ensure that I met this, I intended on creating a school magazine that featured the school logo throughout because this would make the magazine personal and would ensure that the school the magazine was from, was plainly evident so that the audience understood clearly what school the magazine was from – it was clear.To meet the specification, I also intended on doing independent research for example, audience research so that the topics I chose, the colour schemes, the features of the magazine etc. were all relevant and preferable – it would suit the target audience’s wants. Not only this, but I also intended on creating a rough draft of the school magazine so that I could take this, find out what the audience liked/disliked about it and from this, I could make further improvements and modifications to it. This would ensure that it was well liked by my target audience because it would be something that appealed to them because it was what they wanted.

The fact that there is a picture of a child – the main image and focus - highlights the fact that this magazine will be about children. This is why this magazine is successful in the way that it shows what sort of magazine it is because it is clearly showing that this magazine is suited towards children – it is child friendly. This is why it appeals to its target audience because the main picture on the page – the thing that first grabs your attention – is a picture of a child therefore we automatically know before we begin reading that it will be suited and focused on children.

It has a clear and bold masthead which takes us the majority of the top magazine. The word ‘New Term’ has been written in a bold and striking font and is also one of the biggest words on the page therefore we automatically know that this magazine focuses on school because the words are essentially clearly stated on the page. This is why in my opinion I think that this magazine is successful because it tells the target audience and buyer, exactly what the magazine is about clearly. Also, because it is clear and bold on the page, it suits the younger generation because it is easy to read and because it has been highlighted in black, it is successful in the way that is grabs our attention easily. This links into how the colours on the page are all bold and all contrast one another therefore makes the text look more vibrant on the page.

This magazine also features a strap/sell line which is another convention that has been successfully used. This line has been written underneath the main title and persuades the audience to pick up and buy the magazine because the line is convincing. The strap/sell line essentially entices the target market to buy the magazine because the line essentially shows how the magazine is going to show us what school life is like thus we automatically think the magazine is going to help us and is going to give us tips and helpful advice which for the target audience, would be very helpful. However to improve I would

perhaps suggest including a date line/issue no. so that the target market know just how old the magazine is, so they’re not reading a magazine which is a few years old; the audience want to be reading new and up to date magazines and because this magazine doesn’t explicitly state the date line or issue number therefore some could be put off because they don’t know whether it is a recent magazine or not. It also does not include a price thus to improve, they should add this so that people know how much it is because if its price is clearly stated, then we are more inclined to buy it there and then.Not only this but magazine cover also features secondary

stories and these have been positioned all over the page. I feel that this is successful because it makes the entire front page look interesting and therefore keeps the audience interested. Also because it has been highlighted in bold, ensures that we can clearly see it and ensures that we understand and know what is going to be in the magazine. The topics that are around the magazine, are all school topics which interest many school children like homework and revision tips therefore is successful in the way that it makes the audience want to buy the magazine.

This magazine cover also mentions a free calendar at the bottom of the page and this grabs our attention because we all love free things, especially when it is going to help you organise yourself. This is why I think that this magazine is successful because it appeals to the audience – students and parents – and the use of a free calendar, makes us want to buy the magazine for this purpose.

Analysis of another school magazine:

The masthead on this magazine is the name of the school and is clearly and boldly positioned on the page. It is written in dark blue in front of a white background and with the use of these contrasting colours, it makes the text stand out therefore we automatically know when we pick up the magazine, what school the magazine is about. This is why this magazine is successful because it clearly states the name of the school thus is suitable for students and parents. Unlike the previous magazine, this magazine includes an issue no. therefore we know how old the magazine is and whether it is a recent one or not. This is helpful because we know just how up to date the magazine is thus is suitable. Not only this but it includes the price of the magazine unlike the other magazine and I feel that this is a good and appropriate thing to include so that the target audience know exactly how much it is.

The magazine also features a strap/sell line at the bottom of the page and this is successful because it entices students to pick up and read the magazine. This is because the topic on the sell line is appropriate and suitable for students and because the sell line is exciting and interesting, the target audience are more inclined to buy it.

The text on the page is also successful because it uses contrasting colours like navy, white and red. This helps the text stand out on the page and makes the writing more clear and visible and this is not only suitable for the target market but it makes the overall magazine stand out on the shelf because the colours and bright and bold. Also, the main topics on the page – the secondary stories – are all highlighted and are in bold and this is helpful and suitable for the target market because it clearly states around the page, what will be featured therefore we are more inclined to read on. Not only this but all the topics are suitable for the target market and are all to do with school like uniform and exams therefore we automatically know by the front cover, what the magazine is about thus is successful in portraying the type of magazine.

The main image on this magazine cover is of a student possibly outside of his school therefore we automatically know that this magazine is going to be directed towards students and the younger generation therefore it is successful. However, to improve I would say that perhaps it would make the cover look more professional and classy because the clothes he is wearing are quite casual and doesn’t project the school in a positive and professional light. Although the magazine cover does include the school logo, I would suggest putting the school logo somewhere where it is more visible and is more eye catching. This is because it is quite transparent and because the magazine is essentially promoting the school, the fact that you can’t even see the school logo lets the magazine cover down. Moreover, I would also say that they should have included a free thing like the previous magazine cover because that makes the cover more exciting and makes the target audience want to buy the magazine because as stated before, people are more inclined to buy a magazine if it comes with free products. This is why to improve I would include a free product because it would be both appropriate and suitable for the target market – it would make the overall magazine more interesting thus more people would purchase.

Also, the text like the previous magazine is child friendly – no complex or swear words etc. - thus is suitable for the target audience therefore it is successful.

What do you expect to see in a school magazine? Total

Sports results II 2

Reviews of new music IIII 4

Reviews of new films IIII 4

Editorials II 2

Articles about school life III 3

Upcoming events IIII 4

A message from the head I 1

How much do you expect a school magazine to cost?

Free II 2

0.01p – 99p IIIIII 6

£1.00+ I 1

How often should a school magazine be published?

Daily III 3

Weekly IIIIII 6

Monthly II 2

Audience Research

In my opinion, this magazine cover and contents page are successful in the way that it clearly communicates to the audience, what the magazine is about and what is going to be featured inside. The student has successfully used a Medium Close-Up image of someone who looks happy and this portrays school in a positive light – it is showing the students enjoy school. As well as this, the colours and text are all suitable and successful because not only do they compliment the background thus are easy to read and clear on the page, but they are also simple and to the point. This is suitable for the target audience because it clearly tells the audience what sort of articles are going to be in the magazine; it’s straight to point therefore less time consuming and is easier to read. The magazine also covers a variety of aspects, from primary school to sixth form therefore allows a wider range of people to be interested in the magazine.

Personally, I think that the picture on the front cover can be improved. This is because the magazine is primarily about school however at first glance, I wouldn’t necessarily say that he looks like a student. Therefore, an improvement would be to use a student that is dressed in a school uniform and is younger perhaps? Because I feel that this would highlight the school’s magazine genre more and would make what the magazine is about, more evident at first glance.

I would say that this student has successfully fulfilled the brief because they have produced a front page of a school magazine that features a medium-close up photograph, as well as appropriate laid-out text and a mast head that is featured on both the front cover and the contents page. The mast head on the front cover is prominent and is bold on the front cover hence is successful. It also clearly demonstrates their image manipulation and DTP knowledge and understanding because they have used a variety of colours, sizes and positions for the text and images. As well as this, they have also put the mast head on the contents page and the transparency of this has been changed so the mast head has almost been faded into the background. This shows their understanding of Photoshop because they are clearly illustrating these techniques.

I think I could produce similar work to this but I would ensure that the photograph I do choose and use for the front cover, is suitable and is of a student who is in a formal school uniform as opposed to casual clothing. To improve, I would also need to know how to successfully use Photoshop so that I am able to make the text and images unique and creative so they make the magazine look more interesting and will thus, appeal to the target audience.

Analysis of Previous Work

Target audience:(age range, interests)Although it is a school newsletter you still have to think about your audience and how to appeal to them.

Because it is a school magazine, I shall be appealing specifically to students. Therefore because of this, I will ensure that the text, topics, colour scheme and images suit students. I will also try and appeal to both male and female and I am hoping to target 11-18 year olds thus I will have to ensure that the magazine suits all secondary school students.

Possible title ideas:(masthead / title block)What is your magazine going to be called?

The mast head will be related to school in some way. I want it to be memorable and short as well as it being suitable for the magazine. This is why I may call the magazine ‘Student’, ‘Priory News’ or ‘Schoolin’ Life’ because they are easy to remember and they are both simple and to the point. They are also both related to school however, I am strongly considering ‘Schoolin’ Life’ because it is modern and creative but I also like ‘Student’ because the magazine is written for and by students therefore it makes sense and is suitable.

Main image:What will be the focal point of your front page, remember, your work “must include a photograph of a student in a medium close-up”

I will ensure that the main image is a medium close-up of a student who is smartly dressed and looks happy. This is because I don’t want a scruffy, unhappy child as this doesn’t put the school in a positive light. Also, I will possibly use a sixth form student because they generally look smarter and they will be the ones who will most likely read the magazine because they will be the most interested in helping the school to progress and will be the most interested in reading tips about exams etc.

Main cover line:What will be the main story?

I want the main story to be a discussion based subject therefore every week or month, there is a different discussion. One that is most relevant at the moment is whether we should have spent money on the flag poles when we need money for ink and paper for printing. Therefore, I will highlight this on the front cover and will use the phrase “Printer credits or flag poles?” This gives students the chance to get involved and it also allows the school to progress and change. I would also like it if the main story was about tips and tricks on exams from the Year 11’s, 12’s and 13’s and especially towards exam season, I feel this would be very relevant appropriate because it is something all students struggle with thus would suit the magazine and the target audience.

Proposal Form

Additional key images:What other images will be on your front cover?Remember, it is a school magazine.

Other than the main image, I will probably only use the school logo. This is because I feel that by adding the school logo, it makes the magazine more memorable and personal. Also, it ensures that when you pick up the magazine, it clearly indicates what school it is from therefore it makes the magazine clearer. However other than this, I don’t think I will add any other images because I don’t want to clutter the front cover – it is probably not necessary and it takes away from the main image.

Additional cover lines:Other features, stories or selling points which will be inside the magazine, these need to be audience appropriate.

At the beginning of the term, I will probably include GCSE and A-Level results and statistics because not only will this be relevant but it is something that many will be interested in. As well as this, I will also include reviews. This will include film and music reviews and so students will know opinions on any new music or new films that have recently come out. This I feel would be suitable for my target audience because it makes the magazine not just about school – there are additional, interesting articles and reviews that students will find useful and helpful. I will also include a section on prom at the beginning of the year so students are able to see prom pictures which is something fun and interesting and I will also use opinionated articles written by students so that parents, teachers and students are all able to see the current issues and how pupils want to deal with them. All of these I feel, are very suitable for my target audience.

Typography:(style, size, colour of copy)Think about the writing and the style of the writing on your front page.

I am going to choose a style of writing that is clear and can easily be read. Dependent on the background, I will choose a colour that works well with the background colour. For example, if the background is red, I will most likely put the text in white. This is because I want the text to be visible and bold on the page. Also, I will most likely use a size 18 – 30 text for the stories and features because I feel this is not too small so that you aren’t able to see it but isn’t too big either so that it takes up the entire page. I will probably use a style that is simple because I feel that a complex font will be inappropriate because some may not be able to read it. Not only this, I will also use a large font size for the mast head because this will ensure that the audience are able to know automatically what the magazine is called and it will also make the magazine easier to identify.

Background colour/image:What will be in the background, remember you don’t want to take the focus away from the main image.

When I design the background for my magazine, I don’t want it to be plain. I want the background to be creative and different because this will ensure my magazine is original and unique. I would either like the background to be an ombre effect using the school colours – this is red, white and black - which I feel is very modern and stylish thus suiting my audience but I would also like my background to be a collage of either school pictures or the school logo. Therefore, this makes the magazine original and unlike any other and it also makes the magazine personal because the pictures that will be in the background, will have been taken by the school thus is individual and personal – it can’t be copied. This I feel would also suit my target audience greatly. However, when taking my pictures for my school magazine, I want to ensure I use a plain background so preferably white. This is so there is definite focus on the model and the background isn’t distracting. Not only this, but a white background would ensure that the model stands out and this is good and suitable because I don’t want the model to blend in with the background.

Technical considerations:(equipment, setting, props, costume, lighting)Be realistic and creative, think about what you have access to and how you could use it.

I will try and choose a main image that is bright and colourful. I will make sure that the clothes the student is wearing are bright and bold because this will make the front cover more bright and exciting – it makes it more fun. I will also ensure they are wearing a suitable uniform which is formal and classy so that it portrays the school in a smart and positive light. This I feel would suit my audience because I don’t want to make the school magazine boring as then nobody would read it. I will also use natural lighting because I feel this is the best lighting and makes the model look more natural. However, if there is no natural lighting, I will consider using artificial lighting because it is softer and neutral thus makes you look softer; it doesn’t create shadows. If I was to use props, I would use school books, for example: the model will hold them or read them, or stationary because this is school related and is well suited to my magazine. Also, it would ensure that at first glance, the genre and topic of the magazine is clear and obvious – it is easily identifiable. In addition to this, I will definitely use a school setting because this relates well to the magazine thus is the most suitable background. Again, it also makes the image more personal.

Rough draft of magazine front cover:

Rough draft of magazine contents page:

Tilted Frame Low angle shot (Looking up)

High angle shot (Looking down)

Moving subject walks into frame

Interviewee looks into space in the frame (and towards the

interviewer)

‘Over the shoulder shot’

Two Shot Very Long Shot Long Shot

Medium Long Shot Medium Shot Medium Close-Up

Extreme Close-UpClose-Up Big Close-Up

Screen grabs and notes:

Here is the original photo. I took a medium close-up but I felt that the photo was too dark to begin with and so I decided to change it using the ‘curve’ tool/effect. This made the photo darker and lighter and I experimented with both so that I could find a suitable tone so that it wasn’t too dark or too light.

Here, the photo is too dark because it is really difficult to see her facial features; it isn’t clear. This is why I didn’t choose this effect.

In this photo, I made the image a bit lighter. This is because I didn’t want the photo to be really dark or really light because this would mean that her face would be unclear and hidden. This is why I tried to find the right balance so that it was light and bright on the page but it wasn’t so light that her face disappeared.

Here is the original photo. Because there were a variety of images on the page, I wanted to make one image a bit different and quirky. For this, I changed the levels and this changed the effect of the image.

At first, I made the overall image lighter and softer because it made the text and logos stand out more on the page. However, I didn’t choose this effect because it was quite boring and unsuitable – it wasn’t bright and colourful.

Here is another example of my experimentation with levels. I made the image a lot more creative and unique because it has somewhat made the image quite plastic and colourful. However despite this, I will probably not use this effect as it is unclear.

Lastly, I experimented with effects. I decided to try a black and white effect because it is quite modern and classy however I will not use this because it doesn’t make the image bright and colourful like I wanted it to be.

A draft of the front cover and contents page: Front cover draft:

Contents page draft:

What have I learnt?

I found this process extremely helpful and useful. This is because I got to play around with new softwares such as Photoshop so when I come to use it in my next project, I am aware of what I can do to make my work of a good standard. As well as this, I also learnt how to use a camera properly and this is something that I can take with me into my next project because it will ensure that the quality of my pictures are high. Also, I learnt about time management and deadlines because work had to be completed by specific times so that we didn’t fall behind. This is why I feel that this process was useful because it has prepared me for my next project. This is because it ensured that I balanced out my work load well and it ensured that each piece of work was done to the best of my ability. Also, it ensured that for my next project, I don’t rush over any work nor do I spend hours on one piece of work when it is unnecessary because this wouldn’t be good time management. I have also learnt how to be creative. This is because I got to play around with photos and text and images by using different effects etc. and this is again, something I can take into my next project because it means that when I come to create my music magazine, I can create one that features creative and unique pictures and text. This links into how this process made me think about the audience/target market more when creating a magazine, because I had to constantly be aware of the target market throughout so that my magazine greatly suited them. This I felt was essential because they would be the ones buying it and if they didn’t like it, then it is somewhat pointless. Therefore, I have found this process very useful and helpful, especially because I have learnt a variety of new skills and techniques that I can take with me and use in my next project.