Evaluation

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

My magazine cover uses conventions used in real media products such as plugs, mastheads e.t.c. My magazine cover looks like a real media product as I spent time studying real magazine covers and using the conventions in my own work making it look as realistic as possible. My product doesn’t challenge the forms or conventions of real media products as it is structured and looks like a normal magazine.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My media product is representing college students as there is a student on the front of each cover and it also says ‘Wyke college magazine’ but categorising them into two different groups: male and female. The male part of the magazine includes stories about rugby and NUS sports deals and the female part of the magazine includes stories about a fashion show and fashion tips. The male cover text e.t.c. is in blue and the female in pink. This is stereotypical of males and females but this is common in media, especially magazines.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

The male part of my magazine is based on a sports type magazine as it includes stories about rugby, deals on sports items and there is a photograph of a rugby player. This is because playing sports is stereotypical of males and doing this shows clearly that that part of the magazine is aimed at the male students. The female part of my magazine is based on modern gossip magazines such as ‘Closer’. The magazine includes stories about a fashion show, Topshop deals and there is an image of a trendy female. This is because fashion and shopping is stereotypical of females and this shows clearly that that part of the magazine is aimed at the female students.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The audience for my media product would be college students, the male part obviously aimed at males the female obviously aimed at females.

How did you attract/address your audience?

I attracted my audience by using bright, stereotypical colours for the fonts on the magazine covers and using professional looking photographs of attractive students for the main images. I have created the magazine covers to look bright and interesting but also realistic and smart so as to attract the reader. I address the reader as any other magazine would as this will attract the reader as they will be used to other magazines doing this.

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

I have learnt that making the magazine look as realistic as possible will grab the audience’s attention as it will look attractive and professional. I have also learnt that stereotyping is a good use in media.

Looking back at the preliminary task what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

When I first heard what the task was I was excited as I enjoy creating things and I knew I would enjoy making a magazine cover. I think I am good at using the program Ulead Photo Express and I also enjoy it so I think this pays off in my work. I have learnt that to make your work look its best you have to spend a lot of time changing little things such as fonts and image sizes and borders. They are only little changes to make but they pay off a lot in the end result as they make your work look better if you spend the time changing things.