AS Media Preliminary Task

EvaluationVicky Lawrence

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of media products?

Masthead

Main Image

Main Coverline

Coverlines

Covermount

Barcode

Price

Rule of Thirds

Front Cover

• I have followed the codes and conventions of a front cover by using a medium close up shot as my main image. However, I developed this convention slightly as the student in the main image is not looking directly at the camera. I have also used the rule of thirds on my front cover as the main image is centered so the students face is in the top centre box and the main coverline occupies both the left middle and bottom boxes.

• Another way that I followed the conventions was through the positioning of the masthead, as it runs across the top of the page, occupying all three top boxes of the rule of thirds. I have also stuck to a continuous colour scheme of only using red, white, black and shades of blue which gives the magazine a simple theme.

• One way that I have developed the forms was by using the "Myriad Pro" font instead of the typical "Sans Serif" font that most magazines usually use. Professional lifestyle magazines (like the one shown above) tend to use a blank background behind their main image so the image stands out. I have challenged this convention in my magazine by attempting to include a college building in the mise-en-scene to set the scene of a college environment to fit in with the genre of a college magazine.

• Furthermore, I have changed some of the layout of my magazine front cover compared to the original drawn draft that I created. Originally I had planned to use an image of a student from a side angle, so they were not facing the camera at all, but eventually decided to use a medium close up in order to follow the conventions of a magazine. I also changed the positioning of the main coverline and 2 other coverlines to fit around the main image as the coverlines were beginning to cover the students face.

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of media products?

Front Cover

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of media products?

Contents Page

Masthead

Rule of Thirds

Page Numbers

Date and Issue Number

Website Page

Images

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of media products?

• I have followed the codes and conventions of a magazine’s contents page by using the rule of thirds in my final draft. I used this feature of a contents page by splitting the layout of the page into three columns where the magazine articles and page numbers are held. I have further followed the forms of a contents page by including the masthead in the top left corner of the page in the same styling as on the front cover so it will begin to become a branded name.

• Another way that I have followed the codes and conventions of a contents page was through the use of the page numbers in larger text. However, I have developed this idea slightly by putting the page numbers in colourful boxes and by using a drop shadow to make them stand out more.

• In order to further follow the forms of a contents page, I included the link to the website page and social media links. Although I followed the codes and conventions of this feature, I changed it slightly as most magazines place these page links under the “contents” banner, whereas mine is placed at the bottom of the page.

• Furthermore, I also made some changes to the final contents page compared to my first draft. I had originally planned to use a grab quote in the middle column but instead decided to use one of my original images in it’s place so I could meet the convention of having 4 or more images on my contents page.

Contents Page

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

Hardware Software

I used Photoshop to create my magazine

front cover and contents page

I used the Microsoft Word software for my risk

assessments and to show my construction process

I used Microsoft Powerpoint to create the

evaluation of the preliminary task

I used the online software Blogger to store all of my work relating to

this preliminary task

When at college, I used a Windows computer to start creating my magazine

front cover and contents page and also to create and edit the documents for my

blog

I used a Macbook Pro at home to continue editing my work and also to finish off my final front cover and contents page

I used the voice memo feature on my iPhone to record my reflection piece

Also, I used a Canon camera to take the original photos for the final product

• When using online software, such as Blogger, I have learnt that the work that is stored on the website will never be lost and that it can be accessed anywhere from any computer, as long as you have the correct login. I have found out how useful this can be as it saves the use of a USB stick and it means that work can easily be accessed and edited from home.

• In Photoshop, I have learnt how to use the grid and ruler tools. These features helped me in the creation of my contents page as when using the rule of thirds, I needed to make sure that the columns were evenly spaced and that the images and text was inlined. This feature can be seen on the right:

• I used a Canon camera when taking the photographs for the final product. When I was using this piece of technology, I learnt the different camera settings that can be used to create different effects on images or videos. I also learnt how to use the zoom option in order to make sure that only what was needed in the mise-en-scene was included in the image.

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