To get feedback from by target audience I decided to create a questionnaire, using an opportunity sample, with a sample of 10 students from my Media Studies class. When creating my actual magazine I will use a larger sample that will give me information that is actually representative of my target audience. My media class sample is just one set of students in my 1 class in 1 year group. I should of asked students in each year and each class to fill in my questionnaire to get valid feedback, but just for my preliminary task I shall use the opportunity sample as it is quick and easy to do, and leaves more time to concentrate on my actual magazine. I wrote down a few questions and possible answers and then wrote up my questionnaire on the computer using these questions. I used around 10 questions in my questionnaire and handed out 10 of them to my Media Class. The results were as follows:
1. If the school were to release a free magazine would you read it? 9 people said yes and 1 person said no
2. what would you prefer the name to be? 9 people said Wor Monkey and 1 person said Pyramid
3. How many cover lines would you like to see? 2 people said 3 and under, 7 people said 4, nobody said 5 and 1 person said 6.
4. The front image will be of a student. would you prefer the student to be holding something or not? 8 people said holding something and 2 people said not.
5. The front image will be of a student. would you prefer the student to be in school uniform or not? 7 people said in school uniform and 3 people said not.
6. What sort of information would you like to see on the cover (select 3)? 7 people said new building information, 5 people said new uniform information, 5 people said agony aunt headlines, 7. people said 6th form help/tips, 6 people said school events and nobody said other.
8. Would you prefer the colour scheme to be: 3 people said bright, nobody said dark, nobody said plain and 7 people said a mixture.
I will take into account all of these responses when i am developing my cover further.
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Preliminary Task - Rough Drafts
Before I created my actual school magazine front cover I needed to have a rough idea of what I was going to do. So I created 3 mock up covers whilst I was in my lessons, and came up with 3 rough layouts of what I could try out on my magazine cover and see what worked well, and what didn't.
For my first draft had the mast head along the top, and some cover lines and small images scattered down the right hand side, with the main image on the left, and the bar code, issue number and date on the bottom left. I decided I liked the idea of the main image to one side, because it looks neat and set out well. I also like the idea of the bar code being in a bottom corner, like other magazines so it is recognisable. I don't like the idea of scattered small images and cover lines, as I feel it would make my magazine cover look trashy and thrown together.
My second draft had the mast head down the left of the page with the main image on the right, some cove lines across the bottom of the page, and the bar code on the bottom right. I liked the idea of the mast head going down the side of the page, as it is quite different to it going in the top corner or across the top of the page. I think having all the cover lines across the bottom of the page would make it look squashed and so decided not to use this idea.
My third draft had the mast head across the top of the page, the main image in the centre, and the cover lines all around the image, with the bar codes at the bottom left. I didn't like this draft at all. i thought having the cover lines all around the image made it look cramped and squashed therefore decided not to use this.
My drafts gave me a vague idea of what i wanted to do for my actual magazine cover. I wanted to put the mast head down the left or right of the page, with the image on the opposite side, and the cover lines to wither the left or the right of the image, and layering it slightly.
For my first draft had the mast head along the top, and some cover lines and small images scattered down the right hand side, with the main image on the left, and the bar code, issue number and date on the bottom left. I decided I liked the idea of the main image to one side, because it looks neat and set out well. I also like the idea of the bar code being in a bottom corner, like other magazines so it is recognisable. I don't like the idea of scattered small images and cover lines, as I feel it would make my magazine cover look trashy and thrown together.
My second draft had the mast head down the left of the page with the main image on the right, some cove lines across the bottom of the page, and the bar code on the bottom right. I liked the idea of the mast head going down the side of the page, as it is quite different to it going in the top corner or across the top of the page. I think having all the cover lines across the bottom of the page would make it look squashed and so decided not to use this idea.
My third draft had the mast head across the top of the page, the main image in the centre, and the cover lines all around the image, with the bar codes at the bottom left. I didn't like this draft at all. i thought having the cover lines all around the image made it look cramped and squashed therefore decided not to use this.
My drafts gave me a vague idea of what i wanted to do for my actual magazine cover. I wanted to put the mast head down the left or right of the page, with the image on the opposite side, and the cover lines to wither the left or the right of the image, and layering it slightly.
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
Preliminary Task - Planning the Cover
After summing up popular ideas from my research, i had a general idea of what i was going to include in my cover. So in class I created a thought shower of main ideas i could possibly use for my cover. My main branches were Name, Cover lines, Photograph, and Colour Schemes.
For the name of my magazine I decided to link it to the school in some way, by using links to the school name (Monkseaton High School) or links to the teachers, or popular aspects of the school. I thought of The Pyramid, because the glass pyramid is probably the most known aspect of the school. I also thought about using the name Space School Mag, because of the spaced learning our school has been developing. My personal favourite name was Wor Monkey. I used this as it links to our Geordie background by using the word 'wor' and the school by shortening Monkseaton to monkey. I thought this would be quite a popular original idea for the magazine, and I would use this and the Pyramid in my questionnaire to let the target audience decide on the final name.
My colour scheme ideas came from the current school logo, black and purple. So i decided to try out a style with black, and different shades of purple to see what worked the best. I decided to use a variety of shades of purple, so that the writing could be seen in parts where my image was slightly darker, or lighter where the writing would possibly be less visible. I decided that the background would be bright, so this would mean finding a bright place to shoot my photo, so the background could tie in with the colour scheme.
For my cover lines i decided to focus on the changes to the school, like the new building being built, and a new school uniform being introduced etc. I also decided to focus on some 'regulars' like the upcoming events in the school. I toyed with the idea of using a cover line for something unrelated to school, yet appealing to students, like fashion, or music, but decided against this idea and decided to stick to the school and to use cover lines related to the school in general. To make sure my target audience liked these ideas i will include this in my questionnaire and use the results to create my cover lines.
I had decided my name by now (wor monkey) therefore decided to design by picture around that name, by using a small stuffed monkey, and a model dressed as a student perhaps holding the monkey. The image will be in medium close up, and possible poses could be smiling, so it welcomes the reader or something along those lines.
For the name of my magazine I decided to link it to the school in some way, by using links to the school name (Monkseaton High School) or links to the teachers, or popular aspects of the school. I thought of The Pyramid, because the glass pyramid is probably the most known aspect of the school. I also thought about using the name Space School Mag, because of the spaced learning our school has been developing. My personal favourite name was Wor Monkey. I used this as it links to our Geordie background by using the word 'wor' and the school by shortening Monkseaton to monkey. I thought this would be quite a popular original idea for the magazine, and I would use this and the Pyramid in my questionnaire to let the target audience decide on the final name.
My colour scheme ideas came from the current school logo, black and purple. So i decided to try out a style with black, and different shades of purple to see what worked the best. I decided to use a variety of shades of purple, so that the writing could be seen in parts where my image was slightly darker, or lighter where the writing would possibly be less visible. I decided that the background would be bright, so this would mean finding a bright place to shoot my photo, so the background could tie in with the colour scheme.
For my cover lines i decided to focus on the changes to the school, like the new building being built, and a new school uniform being introduced etc. I also decided to focus on some 'regulars' like the upcoming events in the school. I toyed with the idea of using a cover line for something unrelated to school, yet appealing to students, like fashion, or music, but decided against this idea and decided to stick to the school and to use cover lines related to the school in general. To make sure my target audience liked these ideas i will include this in my questionnaire and use the results to create my cover lines.
I had decided my name by now (wor monkey) therefore decided to design by picture around that name, by using a small stuffed monkey, and a model dressed as a student perhaps holding the monkey. The image will be in medium close up, and possible poses could be smiling, so it welcomes the reader or something along those lines.
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Preliminary Task - Research Into Existing Covers
I started working on my preliminary task by browsing on the Internet for images of existing school/college/university covers, which kind of follow the sort of structure i would like to use to create my magazine. however i didn't find one to fit my criteria, and so i settled for a magazine called Campus Life.
The first thing that draws attention to this magazine is the image and colours used. the image takes up all of the front cover. It is layered over the top of the magazine title, which is what a lot of magazines tend to do to make the magazine seem more modern. the next thing i noticed was that its a popular person being used on the cover. Its a person from the famous well known band. This would attract fans of this band to buy this magazine. The red shirt the guy is wearing stands out as it is quite bright in contrast to the rest of the cover. The cover lines then stick to this colour scheme, Quite plain (White font) Then the name of the guy (Dallas Green) to attract readers to the magazine is red, so it stands out more, and so it sticks to the colour scheme and Dallas' shirt. The layout of the cover lines is quite neat. It's boxed with a black background, so that the white font stands out more.
Overall this is a fairly simple design, but it is quite effective. Although I like this design, I don't think I will use it for my actual school magazine as it is not the type of design my target audience would appreciate.
Also the class looked at a Magazine called Latino University Magazine. Firstly I shall focus on the image. The creator of this used the image of a typically attractive woman, who looks rather like a model, not a university student. She is fashionably dressed, in medium close up and the cover model would appeal to a wide variety of people. I found this cover stuck to a colour scheme, which seemed to work effectively with the purple, white and beige background. The layout is neatly spread, with the model slightly to the left of the page. The writing is evenly spread on the right and sticks to the colour scheme of purple and white. the model is layered over the top of the mast head, which i found a lot of magazines appear to do.
Overall this is an effective magazine, but more for the use of a fashion magazine, not a university magazine for students. Although i like the idea of a meduim close up image and will be using this in my design for my school magazine.
The first thing that draws attention to this magazine is the image and colours used. the image takes up all of the front cover. It is layered over the top of the magazine title, which is what a lot of magazines tend to do to make the magazine seem more modern. the next thing i noticed was that its a popular person being used on the cover. Its a person from the famous well known band. This would attract fans of this band to buy this magazine. The red shirt the guy is wearing stands out as it is quite bright in contrast to the rest of the cover. The cover lines then stick to this colour scheme, Quite plain (White font) Then the name of the guy (Dallas Green) to attract readers to the magazine is red, so it stands out more, and so it sticks to the colour scheme and Dallas' shirt. The layout of the cover lines is quite neat. It's boxed with a black background, so that the white font stands out more.
Overall this is a fairly simple design, but it is quite effective. Although I like this design, I don't think I will use it for my actual school magazine as it is not the type of design my target audience would appreciate.
Also the class looked at a Magazine called Latino University Magazine. Firstly I shall focus on the image. The creator of this used the image of a typically attractive woman, who looks rather like a model, not a university student. She is fashionably dressed, in medium close up and the cover model would appeal to a wide variety of people. I found this cover stuck to a colour scheme, which seemed to work effectively with the purple, white and beige background. The layout is neatly spread, with the model slightly to the left of the page. The writing is evenly spread on the right and sticks to the colour scheme of purple and white. the model is layered over the top of the mast head, which i found a lot of magazines appear to do.
Overall this is an effective magazine, but more for the use of a fashion magazine, not a university magazine for students. Although i like the idea of a meduim close up image and will be using this in my design for my school magazine.
Monday, 13 October 2008
Preliminary Task - Introduction
Before I began working on my main task, I started working on the preliminary task - A School Magazine. On the cover I had to include a few appropriate cover lines, a picture of a student in medium close up, a mast head. Also I had to make a mock up of the contents page. This was to show how well my skills of DTP were. I knew exactly what to do, and when to do it for so that i was able to hit my deadline.
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Introduction
Media Studies
AS Level
Unit G321
Foundation Portfolio
I took up the option of Media Studies for my A-Levels. This is my practical production task blog. In the practical production we have a preliminary task to start with. In this task we had to plan and create a School magazine for our own school (Monkseaton High School). Our main task is to plan and create a Music magazine, based on a genre of our own choice and designed how we like. This blog will include details on how I researched into school/music magazines, research into the target audience, and what they want from the magazines (Questionnaires), how I planned the production of my magazine (Draft hand drawings, detailed drafts), how i organise models for a photo shoot for the cover photograph, how i made a contents page/double page spread draft, how i managed my time, and an evaluation of the final product.
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