Evaluation of Preliminary Task

The magazine I have created uses similar conventions to other magazines such as the main image being the central focus of the cover, also the title of the magazine ‘OI!’ is another focus of attention as it is in a bright colour and bold on the page.  The magazine being called ‘OI!’ refers to what college students refer to each other as ‘Oi’ as college students are the target audience. Also, as the word ‘Oi’ is to get someone’s attention, the magazine is aiming to get the audience’s attention as if it is calling out to them ‘Oi!’

My magazine cover is also to similar covers as it has what is inside the magazine, but not giving to much away to the audience.

My media project is different to others as it is a magazine aimed at college students. I feel there is a gap in the market for a student magazine; this is why I aimed my magazine for college students.

It represents a variety of social groups as a college is a place of wide social groups and it covers a variety of subjects for a wide amount of social groups and statuses.

The magazine I created would be distributed in school as it is a magazine aimed at college students for the school, so it would be irrelevant selling it in mainstream stores.

I attracted my audience as I said when the questionnaire stated it would be for college students and the questionnaire asked them what they wanted to have in the magazine and what they would actually like to read.

For the majority of the preliminary task, I kept to my deadlines. But for one task (for reasons beyond my control) I could not hand in the task on the day, I handed it in later on during the week and got back on track with the rest of the project.

Technology helps to attract audiences as if a good programme is used for a magazine cover, it will attract more people because it “looks nice” I have learnt I need more practise in using Photoshop as using it is new to me.

During the preliminary task, I have learnt how to form a magazine front cover, a contents page and how much work needs to be put into a magazine.

I have also learnt how to carry out research for a magazine and how to analyse the results I get from the research questionnaires. During the project, I’ve learnt how to begin to use Photoshop and how to use the site Blogger, where we store all of our work.

Magazine Draft Cover

Draft Magazine Cover

Photo Story.

Early to rise.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

"Some people think football is a matter of life or death- I assure you, it's much more serious than that" - Bill Shankly.

Plane Crazy

Life's a journey

From London...

To Paris.

Standing on edge

Quackers for you!

Questionnaire results analysis.

I sent around 12 questionnaires asking what students aged 16-19 wanted to see in a school magazine, if they read magazines and what they liked and disliked in magazines.

7 females and 5 males responded to the questionnaire, which included the following questions:

• How old are you?
• Are you male or female?
• What magazines do you read? (If any)
• What interests you in a magazine?
• What do you dislike in a magazine?
• Why do you buy certain magazines?
• Do you read the school magazine?
• What would you like to see included in school magazines?
• Do you think parents would read the school magazine?

The majority of the students questioned said they think parents wouldn’t read the school magazine. However, some students said that if it was sent home or bought home by their child who attended the school they would probably read it.

Students would like to see information about the school and school events in the magazine, fashion, games consoles, agony aunt, sports, and local events/things to do outside of school.

On the other hand, the participants of the questionnaire didn’t want to see art or books.

The students said they mostly buy magazines because of what they see on the front cover, or they buy it because they know what is in the magazines.

Magazine cover analysis.

Heat – The name of the magazine could show it’s hot, its fast on gossip on celebrities and something everyone wants to read. The significant word is Heat, as it is the name of the magazine and grabs the attention of the audience straight away.  Bauer Media Group publish Heat magazine, aswell as Q magazine, which is a music magazine. Heat costs £1.65 on a weekly basis and its website is: http://www.heatworld.com

 Heat is targeting a younger audience of women, around 18-30. I can tell this because women of this age care about their size and whats going on in the world of celebrities. There is the text of ‘Skinny’s scary comeback’ which will attract women of this age to buy the magazine because this is what interests them.

 

•There are lots of images on the front cover. The main image is a picture of Katie Price, AKA Jordan in her underwear showing how skinny she is as the main text on the cover is ‘Skinny’s scary comeback’ There are other images on the page, of celebrity couples and skinny celebrities, which is what the target audience want to see. This can tell us that the target audience are obsessed with how they look, and how other celebrities look, possibly they could also be insecure about their own looks, and aspire to look like women in the magazines.

•The magazine does look cheap, but its target audience won’t mind as it has everything they want to read, for £1.65.

Questionnaire

• How old are you?
• Are you male or female?
• What magazines do you read? (If any)
• What interests you in a magazine?
• What do you dislike in a magazine?
• Why do you buy certain magazines?
• Do you read the school magazine?
• What would you like to see included in school magazines?
• Do you think parents would read the school magazine?

Skills Audit.

I work well in a team and I also feel I work well independently. I can recognise the audience of various media texts, however I don't feel as confident at the moment at analysing the production practices of various media texts. I need more experience using Photoshop and Publisher. I also read lots of magazines. I am also unsure of video editing terminology and using Moviemaker.


I haven't performed in front of an audience before as I feel uncomfortable and I don't have much confidence to do so. I haven't used auto-recording software before, I don't make my own music either (DJing) However I am very interested in music and I listen to a variety of radio stations.
I use the internet for many puroposes, socialising and academic work. Aditionally, I know how to use Powerpoint effectively, although I haven't used audio visual software to create podcasts.
I am good at recognising at my strengths and weaknesses.