Preliminary task evaluation

Austen Mahon

PRELIMINARY TASK EVALUATION

IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND

CONVENTIONS OF MEDIA PRODUCTS?

Masthead

Cover lines

Cover image

Rule of thirds



Masthead

Cover lines

Cover image

Rule of thirds

My mast head uses colours that are associated with the college (purple and green). I have done this to create a sense of uniformity with the magazine, and to make it seem like it belongs to the college. Empire magazine on the other hand, has gone for block capitals in red.

My magazines cover lines are relevant to the target audience, and they interest them. I have used different colours to attract the reader, and the red in the word ‘REVEALED’ makes it seem more important. It also helps draw the reader in. Empire magazine on the other hand has cover lines that would attract their audience. They have also included a puff.The cover image on my magazine is a medium-close shot of a college student. Obviously other students, the target audience, will be more attracted towards the magazine if the picture on the front is of one of their peers. The Empire magazine on the other hand is a medium shot of Captain Jack Sparrow. He is chosen because the main cover line is to do with him.My magazine follows the rule of thirds quite well. The subject is offset to the right. I have done this, just to allow the masthead and cover lines to fit in on the left hand side. The Empire magazine has got the subject in the centre of the shot.



Title

Highlights front cover features

Layout of contents of magazine

Images



Title

Highlights front cover features

Layout of contents

Images

On my contents page, I decided to not insert my masthead, due to design choices. I did however decide to have the title ‘contents’ across the top of an image. On the contents for Empire, this has not been done, instead having the title simple at the top in a square.

For my contents page, I decided to have 3 of the main coverlines, as there own little sections on the page. The main cover line goes all the way across the top with its own image, and then the 2 next most important cover lines next to each other. This gives the 3 main cover lines a bit of emphasis, and the images mean that they will more likely get read. Empire have got something similar, but it has more text, and only small images scattered around.

For my contents page, I decided to instead of listing the pages with the page number next to each one, to have them across lines like a paragraph of text, with different fonts, sizes and colours to differentiate. This is mainly down to design, but it also meant I had enough room to fit in the images for the 3 main cover lines. I also has the titles of the main coverlines and their page number on the image, instead of in the contents. The Empire magazine on the other hand, has just got the pages listed with their page numbers.For my contents, I decided to use images for the three main coverlines. These are used to attract the reader to the articles. Considering a majority

of people only ‘skim’ through a magazine, looking at the images, this is a way help them read it, as if the image interests them, they may be inclined to read the article. Empire magazine has something similar, as they have got images for different articles, scattered across the front page.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT ABOUT TECHNOLOGIES FROM THE PROCESS OF

CONSTRUCTING THIS PRODUCT?

For this task I have used the following technologies:• Adobe Photoshop• Adobe InDesign• Blogger• Digital Camera



Photoshop is an industry standard, photo editing software. It is used to manipulate images. I used Photoshop in this task to create my front cover. I imported my cover image, created a masthead, added coverlines, a barcode and other bits and bobs to it.

When I inserted the image into Photoshop, I cropped it to fit onto the page. This was to make sure that the entire page was taken up by the cover image. Next, I added all my coverlines. For the coverlines, I used a variety of fonts, sizes and colours, to help split everything up, emphasise certain parts, and to make the cover look generally better. I added certain effects to the text, such as drop shadows, to make them stand out and look better. I also added a ‘Costa Coffee’ logo, which I imported, cropped, removed the background, and resized it to go on my cover.

During this task, I learnt a lot about Photoshop. I learnt how to use its basic, and some advanced, functions, how to create a composition of images and text, and how to export it into InDesign (which I will get onto on the next slide).



InDesign is an industry standard piece of desktop publishing software, used to manipulate text and images to create things such as posters, flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers and books. Unlike Photoshop, which is used to actually create something, InDesign is used to arrange things. Images would be created in Photoshop, and then imported into InDesign, along with text, and manipulated to create a page.

I used InDesign to create my contents page. During my time with it, I created ‘frames’ which act as placeholders for things. They are used to represent any component that will be added to the document, whether that be text or images. Afterwards, I inserted my 3 images into their associated frames. Next, I inserted text. After that, I manipulated them all. I added drop shadows to the text, resized it, coloured and changed its font. This is to allow all the text, especially that of the contents, to not all fall into one, but instead, to be differentiated into individual bits. This was mostly for design reasons.

After everything was in place, I inserted my front cover into the same InDesign document. As InDesign is to create things such as magazines, inserting the front cover into it, and making it all together, is what needs to be done.



We used Blogger to create online Blogs. In these blogs, we will be uploading all the different tasks that we have undertaken. This includes hand drawn plans, completed magazine components, images and information about what we are doing.

The blog act as a way to show what we are doing for our coursework tasks, and what going on behind the finished product.



For our preliminary task, all images had to have been taken by us. This means we can not use any images for online. We were given cameras by the college, and we had to then go around the college, taking photos for the magazine. I took 4 photos in total: my cover photo for the front cover, and then 3 more photos for the contents. The cover shot is a medium-close shot. This was necessary for the task.

When taking some of the photos, especially the one for the front cover, the subject had to have been standing in front of a plain background, as traditionally on a front cover, the subject is always standing in front of a plain background. This is mainly to allow the cover lines to go around the subject, not on top of a complex background.

Once we had taken the photos, they were to be uploaded to the computers. We used a USB date cable. Afterwards, I uploaded them to my blog. These photos were then inserted into Photoshop for my front cover, and then InDesign for my contents page.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES FROM THE AUDIENCE

Strengths Weaknesses

• Eye catching• Phrases that the

target audience understand

• Masthead• A lot to interest

people• Interactivity• Prizes• Well organised• Looks like a

professional magazine

• Cover photo is blurry

• Same font all over

As part of my evaluation, I asked a student (the target audience) to list the strengths and weaknesses of the front cover.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES FROM THE AUDIENCE

Strengths Weaknesses

• Layout• Contents layout• Text for individual

images/main coverlines

• Different fonts, colours, sizes and styles

• Titles

• The blankness behind the contents

• Could have more text

Like for the front cover, I asked a student (the target audience) to list the strengths and weaknesses of my contents page.

Documents

Preliminary task evaluation