Evaluation

Our task was to produce a fully finished front cover and a draft contents page of a college magazine, for Wyke college. The front cover of the magazine has to include, a masthead, a medium close up shot of a student and also sub-headings. We have been asked to use photo shop in the making of our magazine. I first did some research into different styles of college magazines, I looked at the two magazines we were given:- East Yorkshire College, and also Grimsby Institute. I also did my own research on the internet to look at other styles of college magazines. Once I had done this, I came up with a LIIAR analysis of these college magazines to find out which different styles attract an audience, and then use my research and knowledge to try and produce my own magazine front cover and contents page. 

I wanted to aim my magazine at not only students but teachers, potential students and their parents. The main ideology of my magazine was for the audience to feel that Wyke is a friendly college where you can make friends and still receive amazing grades, with the 99.7% pass rate. I feel like I have portrayed this well, as the sub-title states the amazing results in bright colours and also the friendly faces of the students, look like they are happy to be at Wyke.

Contents draft

This is just a rough version of the finished contents page, but I have decided to use the inside of the new Oak building as the main background. I chose to take the portrait shot from high up whilst there was not many people around, I also decided not to ask people to pose for this shot, as I wanted it to look as if it is natural. As well as the background and the text in the same font as the front cover in the same colour purple, I will be adding more sub-headings and more images. These images will be connected with certain sub-headings, they will also contain the page numbers that the articles will be on, the sub-headings will also have page numbers next to them.

Final front cover

This is my final front cover design.

I have tried to keep to Wyke's colour scheme, using purples and greens. I used a plain font, but made it stand out with bright colours and a black border around the font. I chose to use a black border so that the colour of the font would stand out yet won't get lost with the colours of the background. I think that I should have applied this to the sub-headings in the bottom left-hand corner, as you can hardly see what they say. The sub-headings are quite interesting for students, so I thought to try and grab the audiences attention to place headings on the front that would make them want to purchase the magazine to find out more.
The background is of the new main building "Oak" at the front of the college with two students smiling, this image is also relevent to the title of the magazine, I chose to take the picture here, as it is the first building you enter, and it also has the logo of the college on the side of the building. I think that the photo of the students which I have flipped and photoshopped onto the background are friendly and make the audience feel more welcome to the college and makek them want to read more of the magazine, this also represents the college, as a warm and friendly place to be, this helps welcome new students and parents.

LIIAR interpretation

Language 

All of the language portrayed on the cover of the piece of media/media text. Specific Media Terminology, ie:- Masthead title, Teaser, Sub-headings, Smaller Feature.

Institution 

Organisation, something that produces the media/media text.

Ideology 

Represented by values, ideas and beliefs.

Audience 

Consumers and Target Audience and how they will interpret the media and in what ways it would effect them.

Representation

Representing society back to us. Values people represent such as stereo types. How things are portrayed.

We were given two magazine covers to analyze, Grimsby institute, and East Riding College.

Grimsby Institute magazine:- 

Language

The denotation of the Grimsby Institute magazine (GX magazine), shows two students that have been cartooned, to make the magazine look more modernized, this also attracts more young people, as it seems more hip, to attract the teenage audience. I like the effect of the cartoon, but the pictures in the bottom right hand corner havn't been edited to look like cartoons, therefore contradicting the pattern of the front cover, I think that it makes the pictures look out of place, as they look like they don't belong. I think that because of the difference between the two images the magazine therefore looks un-professional. The subtexts in the bottom middle of the magazine are off central, and also in the same colour as the wall behind the models, and the magazine masthead. It is brightly coloured and eye catching but also quite hard to read. 

Ideology
I think that the frontcover of this magazine is purposelly made to try and draw new students into joining the college. I think that this magazine relates alot to young adults/teenagers.

Institution
Grimsby Institute. The students of the college have made this magazine.
 

Audience
I think that this magazine is not just for students but for both students and teachers. I think that it is directed at a wider audience.

Representation
This magazine is appealing for students as it is very modern.

East Riding College Magazine:-

Language

The magazine cover has a large image of students in Berlin, this image dominates the whole of the page, but it's quite dull and boring, because even though it is a good picture, it's not eye-catching and it doesn't attract young adults. Because of the black background all of the writing is in white, which isn't eye catching. They still have the price of the magazine which is free, which is more likely for people to pick it up. It only contains the logo of the college and the masthead.

I like how the Spring 2010 has been rotated, as it seems more interesting.

Institution
East Riding College. The students of the college have made this magazine.

Ideology
I think that the ideology of the magazine is to make a good impression on college life and for new students, but it's very boring and I don't think that it draws in peoples attention, especially not new students/teenagers. Where as the GX magazine is very eye-catching.

Audience
The audience of the magazine I think is mostly for the students and teenagers but as it doesn't seem to appeal to the students, I think mostly the staff will be more interested.

Representation
As this isn't very modern I don't think that is relates or appeals to the students.

Potential images

I decided to take pictures of the students on a green screen then photoshop them onto the background. I chose to do this instead of taking pictures of them actually outside as I thought the lighting on the students would be quite dull and dark as it wasn't a very sunny day so I thought it would be lighter.

 Student Images:-

This was the first picture I took, I liked this picture as it shows the dedication of the students working but as my magazine is about the results of the students, I didn't think that this showed anything to do with results, as they are looking at a maths textbook. I also decided against this picture as it was a full body shot and not a mid-shot.

 This shot was a mid-shot, which we were told to include in our front cover, but I decided against this picture, as once again it doesn't portray anything to do with exam results, just the interest of the students.

This shot was taken on a plain white background, this was also my last shot. I have chosen this shot as it portrays happiness to show good results, and also shows that they are happy to be at this college. This shot is also a mid-shot, which covers what I was told to include.

Background Images:-

 For my front cover I wanted a picture of the outside of the new building, but I decided against this shot as it's landscape and also the top of the lamp post isn't in the shot, so I thought it would look un-professional.

 This shot is from further away, but it's still landscape and also I don't like how you can see the bikes as they look messy. Also this picture is more slanted and you can see the leaves.

This is my favourite shot, as it is portrait and it focuses directly onto the side of the building and also the name. I also chose this picture as the lamp is not in the shot either.

Design Ideas

Possible magazine names:-

Wyke 4 U - I think that this name makes the magazine seem more modern, as it is using text language. I also think that it seems quite personal and also friendly.

Your Wyke - I thought that this name would be good for my magazine as it is personal and also inviting for the reader and potential students. Also it is not just directed at students but also teachers as well.

Inside Wyke - This name suggests a closer look into Wyke, which could appeal to all students to get to know more about Wyke, and also helps them feel more involved.

I chose against "Wyke 4 U" and "Inside Wyke" as I felt that "Wyke 4 U", yet it was modern was unprofessional and it suggests that it is mainly aimed at students, where as I want my magazine to be bought and read by students, potential students and parents and also teachers. I considered using "Inside Wyke" but I felt that even though it isn't directed at a certain audience, it felt too in-personal.

Therefore, I decided to choose "Your Wyke" as my magazine name, as it is directed at the reader, making it personal and also making the reader feel involved. It also doesn't have a specific audience therefore, it can be read and bought by students, potential students and parents and also teachers.

Magazine design:-

I designed a quick sketch of how I want the magazine to look like before I planned it on photo shop. This is just a rough idea, but I like the concept of the building behind two students. I have decided to have the name of the magazine in large bright letters, to make it stand out. The whole front cover of the magazine will be in colour therefore making it eyecatching for the reader, and not boring.

Preliminary brief.

For our preliminary task we have been asked to create a fully finished front cover and a draft contents page of a college magazine, for Wyke college. The front cover has to include, a masthead, a medium close up shot of a student and also sub-headings. We have been asked to use photoshop in the making of our magazine.