Practical Production

Photographs to choose

This image is the one I have chosen to feature on the front of the magazine. I like it because the colous and bright and inviting and there is just enough shadow on her face. She is slightly to the side which gives a casual friendly feeling, inviting the reader into the magazine. I think this image will work well because it meets all the conventions my target market ask for and is aesthetically pleasing.



This is one of my favourite images that I have taken. The lighting and shadow is just right and Charlie is the main focal point. However, I think that the image is a bit too formal as it is taken straight on and does not have a relaxed feel.


I do like this image, although I feel as though I am too zoomed out, and there isn't enough figure in the photo. At the bottom of the frame there is quite a lot of the bench so the photo isn't framed very well. I will not be using this image for my front cover.



I like this image as it fulfills the brief in being a medium close up of a student. It could be used as the image for my front cover but it's not as good as it could be. The colourful cardigan takes the focus away from the students face, and the whole image isn't in perfect focus. I would be more likely to use this image for my contents page.

School Magazine Analysis

This is a childrens school magazine. The school is a junior school and so the magazine is geared towards attracting two types of audience. Potential students (children) and adults, whether it be parents of potential students, or just mothers and fathers of children that already go to the school. The front cover of the magzine is clear, and bright which attracts the reader. The name of the magazine is in very bold letters and so straight away the reader is drawn towards it and has an idea of what the magazine is about. The font is large and bold and is effected which makes it seem as though there is a shadow on the lettering. The title takes up quite a lot of room on the front cover as they have used a panel behind the lettering. Above the title of the magazine is the schools slogan, 'Achieving success together'. The word 'success' is in bold which emphasises the meaning and makes the school seem as though they are geared towards acheieving great things. The rest of the magazine cover is relatively simply and there is really only one more headline which reads 'Head of the class' This co-insides with the image that is on the front cover as the three students are wearing hats on their heads. The wo

rd 'class' is features much larger than any of the other words which could have two meanings. Class meaning in school in a classroom where children learn, and 'class' could mean social status. The magazine could be indicating that if you send your child to this school then they will have a high level of social standard.

              The image used is of three children that are obviously students at the school. We know this because they are wearing uniform, this represents them as wanting to learn and studious, recieveing a good education. The uniforms are presented smartly too, so this backs up this fact. Two girls and one boy are featured, but as the boy is in the foreground and the girls are in the background it appears that the boy seems more important. Even though there are more girls, the male gender is being represented as appearing to be more important. There is the most focus on him in the image and he is wearing the largest hat. As a reader you a drawn to him straight away, as the expression on his face connotes happiness. This is a positive selling point of the magazine as the reader will get the impression that if you go to the school you will be happy there.

The background doesn't have very much going on, so it doesn't distract you. There is a lot of greenery and the background seems bright like there is a lot of sunlight, which gives a summery feel.

This magazine is for the George Stephenson high school. The magazine is called 'Evolve' which implies growing and learning. The whole overall look of the magazine is very simple and basic, but effective. The background of the magazine is vibrant and bright, but uses a blue colour so people could interpret the magazine as one more directed towards the male gender. The silhouette is of a male jumping in the air with a guitar. This implies liveliness and energy. As the boy is holding a guitar this could mean that the school is geared towards music. We can also see the shadow of the eiffel tower, which could imply that the school is interested in trips abroad, or that thy concentrate on languages too. The last image is the shadow of a snowman. The magazine is a winter addition, and a snowman is a christmassy item. This also ties in with the colour of the background as blue connotes coldness, rain and snow; winter. The front cover is very simple and doesn't give much away as to what the magazine will contain. We are not given any headings or subheadings so it is very much up to the reader to purchase or acquire the magazine to see what is inside it. The magazine cover appears lively and full of character. This will attract children. There is a contrast from the other magazine cover that I have analysed compared to this magazine. As the other magazine is more geared towards children, it features much more bright colours, and has students that are the same age as their target audience, whereas this magazine is quite vague and doesn't really seem to have a target market, the only one we can gather from the front cover is that maybe it's targeted towards teenagers, as the silhouette of the boy appears to be adolescent.

Questionnaire & Results

1. I asked this question so that I could gather my information together and see what age bracket of people are likely to like my magazine, and who I should aim it towards. From my research I have discovered that over 70% of people that answered 'yes', were above year 10 in education.

2. From the results you can see that most teens would be willing to pay an average amount for a magazine. If I were to price the magazine it would be an average £1-£3. This is at the higher end of the scale because a lot of teenagers have a disposable income if they are working.

3. The most popular subject being studied at school was Art. When I make my magazine I will be sure to consider this, gearing articles, adverts or competitions towards this subject.

4. A majority vote from my questionnaire was that most people were in years 12 to 13, closely followed by years 10 to 11. I will be targeting my magazine towards the higher end of the school. To make sure this is successful I will use more mature language and things that older teenagers are more interested in.

5. The most popular extra-curricular activities that students partook in were helping in the community and charity events. Including these things will make people more interested in the magazine.

6. The most popular thing students would want to see in a school magazine is interviews and competitions. This is because winning something is desirable and people like to know about others peoples views and opinions. Including at least one of these articles on my front cover will appeal to my target market and make my magazine successful.

Questionnaire for School Magazine

1. Do you buy magazines regularly?

 Yes     No

2. How much would you be willing to pay for a magazine?

Free      Less than £1       £1-£3         More than £3

3. What is your favourite subject?

Maths        Science         Art        History        Geography        Drama

4. What year are you in?

7-8        9        10-11       12-13

5. What extra-curricular activities do you take part in?

Helping the community      Charity Events       Sporting Events      Art and Craft Events

If any, please specify...............................................

6. What type of articles would you be interested in a school magazine?

Charity Fundraisers         Up and coming events       Interviews         Competitions     Quizzes

Other.............................

Audience Focus Group

1)

Name: Charlie Say

Age: 17

Subjects being taken: Art, Psychology, Biology, Government and Politics

What they like about school: There's a better quality of learning compared to her old school

What magazines they buy: Hair Magazines

What kind of articles they would find interesting in a school magazine: Jokes and Funny things

How much media they consume per week (Television): Around 14 hours a week

2)

Name: Robyn Adams

Age: 16

Subjects being taken: French, Biology, Chemistry and Maths

What they like about school: Learning new things

What magazines they buy: Company and Look

What kind of articles they would find interesting in a school magazine: Reviews on Events and Trips

How much media they consume per week (Television): Around 20 hours a week

3)

Name: Georgia

 Atkins

Age: 16

Subjects being taken: Biology, Psychology, Chemistry and History

What they like about school: How many events and clubs they set up, good opportunities

What magazines they buy: More

What kind of articles they would find interesting in a school magazine: Student achievements

How much media they consume per week (Television): Around 12 hours a week

4)

Name: Chloe Mehta

Age: 16

Subjects being taken: Biology, Product Design, Psychology and English Literature

What they like about school: Seeing friends and socializing

What magazines they buy: Don't buy magazines, occasionally gossip ones

What kind of articles they would find interesting in a school magazine: Interviews with students/teachers

How much media they consume per week (Television): Around 15 hours a week