Evaluation

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

When developing the ideas for my school magazine my inspiration came from a range of different conventions which had been used in existing school magazines such as Greenfields School , Hazeley’s Sixth Form and Roundhay Roundup. I studied them closely and came up with the following ideas. Firstly, I took my main front cover image with Hazeley’s Sixth Form in mind because the image means that the viewer’s focus is directly in the centre of the page, and not drifting off it. I also had my subject doing a similar pose: standing up, carrying books, and looking directly at the camera in a close-up mid-shot. However, I decided against having a plain background because I think it can look quite unprofessional, especially as I stuggle to cut images out well on Photoshop, but I think the background on my front cover works just as effectively. Secondly, the simple colour scheme used in Top Terrace appealed to me because I didn’t want the front page to be too bright, and everything needed to link together, so I took the idea of using black and white as the main font colour, but with the bright red, they have a completely different effect: it is much more eye-catching. I also managed to incorporate the red from the school logo which meant that everything linked together. Furthermore, I continued this black font (along with the blue background and the same font) into my contents page so that there was an element of consistency in my work. In many ways my contents page follows most of the conventions of a contents page because it is simple, including just two pictures, and short sentences with minor detail about what my magazine includes. My front cover, on the other hand, challenges the conventions of a school magazine because it is very simple, whereas front covers usually contain more colours so that it looks more welcoming. This wasn’t a conscious decision, and I will keep this in mind for when I move onto my main coursework task.

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

I surprised myself with how much I learnt from using new technology in the past week. When using the cameras, I managed to use the focus and the zoom with ease, and took a few good close-ups, one of which I used on my front cover. Despite this, I need to learn how to know the difference between what is classed as a mid-shot, and what is classed as a medium long-shot and a close-up mid-shot because I think my main picture isn’t as close-up as it should have been. All of my photos were taking indoors – which is something I regret, and would change if I had the chance – so all the light was artificial, not including some of the sunlight through the windows. In a way, I think artificial light is easier to use because you can alter where it is and how much is used in order to get a better photo. At first I struggled to grasp the concept of layers on Photoshop, and in the end I didn’t need them much because I decided against cutting out the subject’s head to have it overlapping the name of my magazine. Although, I managed to adjust the hue and the lightness of the picture using Photoshop, and I experimented a lot with the lasso, magic wand, healing and shape tools and I think I will find them much easier to use in the future. 

Final Product

Planning

Picture	Who?	Location
Close-up mid-shot Student looking happy and holding books	Tilda	Library
Close two-shot of a boy and a girl looking comfortable and happy	Jack and Abby	Library
Low-angle mid-shot of a student holding a certificate showing looking proud (school uniform)	Lucy	Corridor (plain background)

Taking pictures

Below there is a selection of photos I took on my first attempt. I tried to experiment with angles and lighting, and these are my results.

1

Picture number one was one of my favourites, however, the flash of the camera reflected off the books in the background and they stood out more than I liked.

2
The lighting in this photo is too bright, and so the girl's features are almost undefined, and the flash has caused a big  shadow in the background which makes the background look darker, so I decided not to use this photo for my front page.

3

At first I thought this photo would look really effective, but when I uploaded it I noticed that I didn't use the rule of thirds, so the subject is less central, which means that the reader's attention is distracted from the centre of the page. Also, the natural light is behind the subject, when it should be behind the camera. I do, however, like the body language because it is confidence, so the other pictures were always a possibility.

4

I originally decided to use this photo for my front cover, but I later changed my mind because I felt as though the shadow behind the subject was too distracting.

Editing
My first step was editing the picture I'd taken for my front page; a close-up mid-shot of my friend holding some books. I edited out some of the blemished and adjusted the hue of the picture slightly so that the lighting wasn't so harsh, before I uploaded it. This was my finished image:

On InDesign, I created my layout so I knew how things would look once I uploaded everything. I decided to have a banner along the bottom of the page to allow space for announcements and extra information, as well as two extra pictures on either side of the page showing the successes and happiness of other students. In terms of the background, I decided against cutting out the head of the girl on the main image and have it overlapping the magazine name because I struggled to achieve a smooth cut which looked realistic, but I think leaving it looks just as effective, although it doesn't follow this particular popular convention.

Magazine Name

With so many options for a magazine name, I decided to try and think of something short and funny, which would catch the attention of the reader. After asking a number of friends, I decided on Whitley Hi! because I felt this was best suited to the nature of my magazine; it is humorous and informal, and it is easy to remember.

Contents

Point made: More than one picture

A few of the contents pages I have analysed have included more than one image to illustrate what the reader should expect from the magazine. For example, on the right, the third picture down shows us the new classrooms which we are told is written about on page 4.  Although, I like the images on the contents page below because they are simpler to understand what is going on. For my contetns page, I plan on having two main images (one large) with more happy students so it continues smoothly from my front cover.

Point made: Colour scheme

The colour schemes on contents pages are usually the same as that of the front covers so the pages run smoothly into the next. This reinforces the importance of the colours, especially if they appear in the school logo. It also ensures that the text isn’t overshadowed by the sudden change of colours, so that the reader’s attention is drawn to what is included inside the magazine. This is something which I will take into careful consideration when constructing my contents page. I will make sure I include the same colours I did on my front page in order to enforce continuity.

Point made: Layout

It has occurred to me that contents pages must be kept very simple in order to look appealing to readers; this convention has been followed in most of the contents pages I have studied, accepted The Works. The creator of this page has included three separate columns filled with a mix of small writing and pictures, which, in my opinion, is too busy. As a reader, my eyes aren’t focused on any piece of information because there is too much to look at. Because of this, I have decided to keep my contents page as simple as possible to keep the reader engaged and wanting to know more about my magazine. I will keep writing to a minimal and include at least one large image to accompany it.

Point made: Language
 Typically, contents pages don’t use full sentences, which leave the reader intrigued and wanting to find out more. They also occasionally use exclamation marks for important information to alert the readers as to what they’re expected to look out for. As a convention, this is something I will definitely use in my contents page because it is what is expected by readers. 

Codes and conventions

FRONT COVER
Point made: Either 1 or 3 students on front cover image

The image on the front of school magazines are usually of one, if not three, students looking directly at the camera to draw the viewer’s eyes into the central area of the page. This is usually done by using the rule of thirds which creates a symmetrical image which is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Using one model means that the main headline is much more specific on the student, and can be used to show their individual success. However, using three models gives the photographer the chance to express the range of students which attend the school in a close 3-shot to reflect the friendly learning environment. In the example I have looked at, Top Terrace was the only magazine which didn’t follow this convention. On the front of my magazine I will have a photograph of one sixth form student smiling,  and looking directly at the camera to show the success of that individual, which they have earned from their time at Whitley Bay High School. I think this will reflect positively on the school and show that they are happy and comfortable in their working environment, and how anyone can achieve if they attend the school.

Point made: Happy students

 The large image is the convention which will affect the success the magazine, as it is what will attract the most attention. This picture is always of happy, diverse students in a close three shot to show unity within the school. As in Roundhay roundup, the students are doing the same pose which reinforces how comfortable they are around each other. The students’ smiles lighten the mood of the picture, particularly if it is well-lit and created using the rule of thirds. This is something which I will definitely use on my front cover because it appears to be the most successful way to catch the attention of the reader, especially with the direct eye contact.

Point made: Colour theme for fonts

Typically, a school magazine includes three colours on the front page, and continues them into the internal pages which make for a simpler and smoother viewing experience. The colours usually consist of black or white – or both – and a brighter colour such as red, and a colour which features on the school logo. For my magazine cover, I expect I will use black and white - because they can be used against a wide range of colours without causing a contrast - and red because it is a universal colour which will appeal to a larger target audience, as well as appearing in the school logo. 

Point made: Hooks

Although usually used for humorous effect, I haven’t seen many school magazines which use hooks. However, from the ones I’ve seen, they are usually serious and informative: for example, in Top Terrace the hook is “News & views from the Mill Hill Foundation”. The rhyming of news and views is effective because it transforms the sentence from flat and monotone to lively and attention-grabbing. I don’t plan on using a hook on my magazine cover because I don’t think they’re needed and I’m aware that the page can become crowded and, essentially, unappealing. However, if I thought of one which fitted my theme and I had room for it beneath my title, I would consider using it.

Point made: Cut out pictures
As in Roundhay Roundup the student’s head is overlapping the headline which adds depth and dimension to the image. Despite this, pictures can be just as effective without this kind of editing, like in School Weekly, and this option gives you more space to advertise what is included in the magazine. I think I will try to use Photoshop to achieve this cut-out effect because it makes any magazine look professional and contemporary.