Explanation of my mood board

When creating my mood board I had in mind that it would be based on sixth form life as a whole and I wanted to for a change provided a student aspect on the newspaper so that other students can relate to the  articles inside and to allow them to feel as if they have a voice.
Inside I want to have articles about social interaction such as things about the social networking sites that people follow, for example: Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, MSN etc. It could be about what celebs are tweeting about and what is big in the news at the current time. Furthermore, I put on my mood board independent study because now as sixth form students we are treated a considerable lot more like adults because we are now able to make our own choices and we can put as much effort in to our studies as we wish to without constsantly being told to concentrate on certain topics alone. We are expected to carry out further research on our own backs, so inside I want to include several useful websites for their studies to help them do the best they possbly can, but also recommedations from the teachers as well about what books to read to give them an extra boost with their courses. In addition, I wanted to include tips for homework and what would make them achieve their potential like how to write successful essay's etc but also ideas for their enrichment and how to get more involved within the school like for example, helping the teachers in lessons, helping out at school events, and with afterschool clubs as well, because all of this could contribiute to their UCAS forms at the end of year 12. Moreover, I would on my mood board I mentioned about life skills which are crucial for University as well as in the place of work like I could mention about office skills, driving lessons, expectations of being a grown up etc. Finally, to conclude I thought for the magazine I would like to include fashion tips for both males & females and for females beauty tips as well.

Mood Board for Preliminary Task

To refresh your memory my first task it to make a front cover and contents page for a school magazine so we have been told that our first exercise to complete for the task is to create a mood board with lots of ideas for the school magazine and then we have to upload it here on our blog. We need to use a variety of pictures and words to inspire us. So now I will begin creating mine using powerpoint and then uploading it onto slide share and then adding it to this post.

So now I have created it, so here is the link to view it:

Also on my next post I will explain how my mood board will link in with my ideas for the sixth form magazine task.

Plan for Sixth Form Magazine Task

For my sixth form magazine task I have decided to call it 'Sixth Sense', I chose this name because it is unique but you could also link it to the fact that the target audience is Sixth Formers but also you cold link it to the fact that newspapers are seen to omniscient (know everything). For the Masthead I have decided to use Bookman Old Style in bold and Italics to allow it seem bold yet fit its purpose. For the layout of the front cover the magazine I have decided to have it structured and have one main image of the main story and small other images as well which relate to the other stories in the newpaper and a have captions on the top of them as a layered effect and well as using the technique of cropping to allow it seem flawless. Additionally I have chosen my colour scheme to be blue and green to match to the school logo to allow it to be conveyed as uniformed. Furthermore, with my contents page I will use the same font to keep in looking matching and neat and same will go for the colour scheme as well. On the the contents page the background colour will be white but on the contents page will be a variety of images to relate to other aspects of the newspaper and well as there will be page numbers on the images and also there will be a list of the articles of what's inside, which will include page numbers and brief summary as well, for example, an important quote from the article to give the reader an idea about what to expect the article to be about, in addition to this it will include a note from the editor explaining the reasons behind the topics in the newspaper.

   

For the main story I have decided for it to be on returning back to school and the transition from GCSE's to A-levels. It will include images from the first weeks of sixth form and to demonstrate us trying to adjust to the new set up. Inside the other stories will be based on recent events such as the Olympics, recent celeb gossip, and upcoming film, music, tv, etc reviews, fashion & beauty ideas, news on sports & technology and upcoming school events etc. So on the whole this is my school newspaper plan so far, but gradually of time it will become more detailed and complex and the lessons progress.     

To anyone who views my blog

Hi,
If ever you want to leave a comment on my blog perhaps dicussing whether or not you do media at school or have an interesting point to make you are more than welcome because your advise or input would be really useful thank you! 

Conventions of a School Magazine

In this lesson we went on to discuss the several conventions to a school magazine, so below here are some of the examples in which we have discussed in class:

* Recent news about school
* Pictures
* Recent events
* In school competitions
* Students work
* Students and staff included - featured writing
* Upcoming events
* Purpose:

• Benefit students
• Extra curricular
• Inform students, parents and teachers
• Comunication Exercise
• Give students a voice
• Brings staff and students together
• Show their talents

Analysis of contents pages

Here are some examples of contents pages I have found during extra research and here is my analysis on them:

1) Teen Vogue

Target Audience:

Female Teenagers from the age of 13-19 who are interested in fashion and beauty, etc.

Price/ Frequency:

£2.30/ monthly

Number of Pictures:

1

Analysis of Pictures:

There is one because it shows that the picture relates to the main article mentioned on the front cover. Furthermore the text on the chalk board behind Taylor Swift is the lyrics to one of her songs so perhaps it link to the article perhaps because either it is promoting her new single or album.

Picture Captions/ Labels:

It indicates that the article is all about her maybe could be about her upbringing, music history etc.

Language Used:

Talking to the reader and attempting to intice them to read that article. In addition the language used is grammatically simple and informal but easy for the reader to understand.

Number of page in the magazine/ Number of articles mentioned:

11

Use of Colour:

Girly and neutral background.

Use of Font:

Simplistic and easy to read.

Any Other Information:

The use of heart graphics highlight that these are the articles mentioned on the front cover or could even represent the features.

 

2) Elle Magazine

 

Target Audience:

Women who are interested in fashion and beauty and between the age of late teens to early forties.

Price/ Frequency:

£3.60

Number of Pictures:

14 approx.

Analysis of Pictures:

Use of lighting is adds emphasis on the images and there is a variety of close ups and wide shot of the models.

Picture Captions/ Labels:

Provides the page number the picture is relevant to and what each picture is representing.

Language Used:

Formal due to the target audience it is set for.

Number of Pages in the Magazine/ Number of Articles Mentioned:  

25 are mentioned in the contents page.

Use of Colour:

Girly, pastel pink tones and neutral tones of peach as well.

Use of Font:

Stylised and feminine.

Any Other Information:

The layout is creative and the images overlap one another to perhaps to show that you get a suffcient amount of articles for what you pay for. .

Conventions of contents pages

Today we looked at several convenions of cotents pages and below here are some of the ones we came up with:

* Makes articles easy to find
* What's in the magazine - title, summary
* Page numbers of articles
* Pictures relating to what's inside- variety in therms of types and sizes.
* Captions- pictures
* Quotes
* Editors letter
* Title- 'contents page'
* Easy to navigate
* Themes
* Page Order
* Regulars/ Features

Analysis of Ruislip Eye School Magazine

For homework we were told that we had to analyse a copy of our lower school's magazine front cover using McMahon and Quinn's layout to analyse the technical, written and symbolic codes. So below here is my analysis of it:

Technical Codes

Layout of the page:

The layout the page is structured, thoughtful and professional as well and it is probably layed out this way to make it more simple for it's target audience for them to process the information being provided.

Typeface/ font:

The selection of font are quite standardised and simplistic which links in the way in which the layout is presented. Also the size is quite small and compact but still easily is viewable.

Size/ Quality of photos: 

It seems that some elements of the images are easily to see but however the majority is quite blured. However, some people could argue you can perhaps make out what is in the picture.

Cropping of photographs: 

You could describe the cropping of the photos as limited and if carried out not purposeful.

How photos relate to stories:

This is because it displays what the main article is about.

Why pictures have been used:

To back up the stories and to allow the magazine to seem boring and to seem more exciting.

Written Codes

Size of Cover Lines:

N/A

Keywords:

'Inside this Issue'

Missing information/ fulfilling expectations:

Yes it does fulfil its expectations however I would say for it's age group it can be seen as quite bland apart from the two graphics next to the title make it seem presentable but there are several improvements which could be made to allow it to seem much more appealing.

Persuasive language used: 

N/A

Picture Captions:

N/A

Symbolic Codes

Masthead/ Name of Magazine:

It links to the idea that they always have the eye for the latest news.

Any other graphics:

Only the school magazine logo and Christmas image.

Colours:

This relates to the school colours and they are neutral and not too completely in the readers face.

Symbols:

N/A

Overall impression:

My overall impression is that it fits its purpose but I feel that there are several improvements that could be made for it seem more appealing for it's target audience.

Analysis of Magazine Covers

Here is a selection of magazines in which I am going to analyse:

1) Teen Vogue

Technical Codes:

Layout of the page:

The layout of the page is structured and the text is overlapping the main image.

Typeface/ font:

They are bubbly, girly, bold and the colours are feminine and suttle.

Size/ quality of photos:

It is clear, fills up the whole page and the background is neutral and plain.

How do the photos relate to stories? 

This is because the main interview is given by Nina Dobrev about the Vampire Diaries.

Why pictures have been used?

To relate back to the main article to show who it is about.

Written Codes:

Size of cover lines:

They vary due to their importance and to add emphasis and grab the readers attention.

Key words:

Ultimate, Amazing, Pushy, Hottest, Partying and Kisses & Tells

Missing Information/ Fullfilling Expectations:

Yes because it is suitable for the target audience of female teenagers aged 13-19, easy to read, inticing and gripping.

Persuasive language used:

N/A

Picture Captions:

They are situated at the side for the main image (top right hand corner below the title.)

Symbolic Codes:

Masthead/ name of magazine:

It has two fonts for the two separate words which can show that it is unique and the font used on the word 'Vogue' is the same on the adult version and the word 'teen' is done in a more teen appropriate font so that they know it has been designed just for them.

Any other graphics:

N/A

Symbols:

N/A

Overall impression:

It fits its purpose and target audience and it is a good representaion of a magazine I could aspire to when designing mine.

2) Closer Magazine UK

Technical Codes:

Layout of the page:

It is structured in a creative way through the way the images have been postioned and cropped.

Typeface/ font:

Bold, feminine, simple and girly.

Size/ Quality of photos:

Clear, cropped to show what and who they are discussing about in the articles.

Written Codes:

Size of cover lines:

Easy to view but doesn't over power the page to distract the reader from the other parts mentioned that are going to be within the magazine.

Key words:

'Ready, Fattest, Steamy, Humiliating, Incrediable, Bounces and Snubs.

Missing Expectations/ Fulfilling Expectations: 

Yes because it fits in with its purpose and target audience of women aged 20-40.

Persuasive Language Used: 

N/A

Picture Captions: 

They are summarises of the stories inside to try and make the reader to read on to find out more.

Symbolic Codes: 

Masthead/ Name of Magazine: 

Bold, girly and stylised.

Any Other Graphics: 

N/A

Colours:

Feminine, girly, suitable for target audience and the colours used in the cover titles backgrounds highlighting them all complement the main colour used in the background.

Symbols:

N/A

Overall Impression:

Fits it purpose and target audience and there are some useful elements that can perhaps inspire me for my own magazine.

Classwork lesson 1

What would you expect to find on a magazine cover?

* Pictures - (Related to articles, one main focus, small photos around the edge and bottom.)
* Fonts- Different sizes and styles (2-3)
* Barcode
* Mast head- (title)
* Price
* Date
* Issue Number
* Logo of publisher
* Cover Lines- (tell you what's in the magazine, use of persuasive language, colours and fonts.)
* Colours
* Housestyle
 

Media Introduction

Within the blog you will find a selection of my coursework ideas, media homework, classwork and extra research, which will finally eventually enable me to produce my final product and demonstrate how I have eventually reached this stage.

Coursework 

Preliminary exercise: Produce the front page and a contents page of a new school magazine.

Main task: Produce the front page, contents and a double page spread of a new music magazine.

All images and text must be original, and at least four images must be produced per candidate. Both pieces must show examples of planning and evaluation.

Basically I have a ceratin amount of time to complete this and then it will be sent off and graded. So basically around three times a week I will be updating this blog with everything we do in class and extra work up until when this is due for completion.