Evaluation

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


My media product uses the forms and conventions of real media; as going by the research of real media products such as actual primary school magazines and general contents pages I then related my product to the real thing therefore, follows some sort of conventional presentation. By initially doing this secondary research, it enabled me to be able to create a product that would appear a real magazine even if it is only an AS level preliminary, the brief is to create an authentic magazine that could potentially be distributed as a magazine that parents of the school pupil's can read.


My front page of the magazine uses, the clear bold title spread across the top of the page, complete with a date and a main focus image as the background. It has pieces of short text and headings drawing the reader in and wanting to read whats inside the magazine. Moreover, just generally making the magazine stand out, being bold and inviting just like any other conventional media product that is on the market today.


My contents page also follows and uses the typical forms and conventions of real media, as like I did previously for my front page I also researched real media contents pages, I therefore, analysed them to see what a range of them included and what could potentially fit into my contents to give it a sense of realism as if it is already a ready made product. I specifically included the rule of thirds technique in order to lay it out in an orderly manor. This technique then enables the reader to have a clear viewing of what they are looking at, since it is a reference page, therefore, it having to be clear, simple and precise. Many magazines use this technique, meaning that I too applied it to my contents, creating that 'real media product' Using this I also applied the bold title, one image for the reader to concentrate on and clear easy page numbers and references. All in all both media products have been purposely made to look like a 'real media product'


How does your media product represent particular social groups?


My media product represents the primary school children in the most positive light possible, not as some little 'hooligans' growing up to turn into so called 'thugs.' This magazine is just a general presentation of the successes of one particular primary school, focusing on the achievements of the pupils, up coming events and in overall informing the parents of what the children have been up to and what the school has been participating in, and how the children are benefiting and achieving from these certain activities and days out.This particular product represents children of 5 and  up towards 11 years of age, this magazine truly portrays how school can be enjoyable and fun, and not 'some place' you have to go to; it most definitely focus' on this aspect, everything is very friendly and laid back, all in all a positive presentation.


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


Most probably an independent magazine institution would distribute this magazine as it is only for one school; and it would cost too much money to get it done professionally as the school wouldn't have the same amount of funds that for instance produce the Daily Mail.


Who be the audience of your media product?


I mainly aimed my media product at the parents of the pupils as they are effectively the ones that are being informed about the on goings within the school grounds. However, I have still made it very 'child friendly' as the magazine would initially be given to the child to take home so they are the first one to receive it therefore, if they find it interesting from the front cover, they may also be willing to read it, consequently the more people that read it and the wider the audience that are drawn in the more successfull the magazine has been. The overall presentation is of a very childlike nature as that who it is about, and the parents would rather see a smiling child happy with coming to school rather than a miserable head teacher, which is not the main focus. Therefore, my main target audience is that of the child's parents however, I have tried to make the magazine so that it appeals to a wide audience as well.


How did it attract/address your audience? 


Firstly, the boldness of the front cover was intentionally created to attract the audiences eye and attention; the use of bold primary colours and the significance of having one main picture with nothing else going on adds to this aspect. It then addresses the audience in a very friendly, content manner as the magazine is nothing near as formal as it could be, however, just showing the pure enjoyment that primary school pupils get from being at school. This audience, mainly being the parents then reassures them that it is a decent school and that their child is getting a well deserved and well taught primary education. Leading on from the front page is then the contents page; again using the same techniques, bold, primary colours following a theme of blue, red and white so that the overall presentation addresses the audience in a suttle way as it isn't too overbearing for the eye, nevertheless still attracts them. The focus of the one main image again doesn't make the page too over crowded but still attracts the reader because there is no other image to focus on so all the concentration can be put to that. The overall simplicity but boldness of the contents page makes it very inviting for the audience and addresses them in a way that it is easy for them to find and search for a page reference that they can go to within the magazine.


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


From constructing this overall product I have learnt from the very beginning of new technologies and how to use them and advanced further in my knowledge of others. Firstly, I learnt about how Adobe InDesign works, as I used this in the beginning to decide on my font for my title and use this program for development and to experiment with different font/styles/sizes/ colours and so forth - I then went on to use this program further; as I created both the front cover and contents page using Adobe InDesign. At first I found it quite challenging being able to to try and work out where everything was and how certain things work and what changes what, but after trial and error it became a program that proved to be very straight forward to use.


Another program that I used was Photoshop; a program I had used previously however, not in much depth, I hadn't much greater knowledge, however, knew the basics. Nevertheless, when taught Photoshop in greater depth I then used it to manipulate and correct any imperfections within the photographs I had taken and chosen to be in my magazine, by using a 'cloning stamp' that identically copies a selected part of the picture which then can replicated in a place that for instance has a blemish; all in order to give it that final finished look.