Ellie Broughton

Preliminary Task Evaluation

My college magazine front cover follows the conventions by having included; masthead, close up of a student (which relates to the product,) puffs, main story, cover lines and a selling line. I have done this to make the product seem more realistic and easily understandable.

I learnt in research that I should have articles relating to money, sport and social events. This is why I decided to include articles on each of these as they’re seen to be following conventions and appeal to the reader.

As well as this I have used, for the main image, a student with notebooks and a coffee in her arms which will relate to what is inside of the magazine, also the main story as it is about studying. By her having coffee shows she is a hard worker because I wanted this to show she has been studying all night. However I have not given the girl who is on the front cover model credit as I feel this will make the college magazine, named Student, appeal to everyone in general.

I called the magazine ‘Student,’ because it is easily remembered and simple to say, which I believe makes a good college magazine.

My media product represents social groups of stereotypical teenagers, who have no money and are excited about sport. I have done this by having articles on money managing and on the football cup finals.

My audience is students at a college, age ranging from 16-19, who want the best out of their time spent at college. You can tell this as I have written about grades and studying, I have also included an article about exchange students, this shows I do not have a specific nationality or ethnicity in mind, and my audience is very broad.

My magazine will appeal to the audience specifically as I have used a puff which advertises ‘NUS discount,’ a NUS card is something only students can have, this will appeal to the audience so they would buy the magazine. Also by having ‘ULTIMATE,’ in capital letters will attract the readers as this study plan is advertised not only as the best but immense.

They will feel part of the scene as they can appreciate having heavy folders and books in their arms but still having a laugh, which is all represented within the mise-en-scene. Also by having used second person and putting ‘YOUR money’ directly acknowledges the audience, and makes the feel related and personal towards the magazine.

For my initial ideas I made a mind map and included ideas about how to attract an audience, layout, colours and how to link to the cover. My given audience was students, but I decide to narrow it down to 16-17 year olds, I then decide on the colour scheme of black, purple and lime green because I believe the lime green would pop out and be a bold colour, which seems to fit with the conventions of the magazine.

Whilst actually making the front cover I felt quite comfortable on knowing simple steps on Adobe Photoshop, knowing how to use the blur tool to make the puff blend in to the background, also how to get rid of blemishes and red eye.  I feel like every time I go onto Photoshop I grow more confident and established on the program, and that I can only produce better work.

If I could re do the product I would take the pictures on a different day, because whilst taking photos the weather was really bad so the lighting wasn’t very good, also I would use a better quality of camera as many of my pictures seemed to go blurry.