Prelim Evaluation

I have compared my magazine with "mens health" because of the layout and the font colour and text. The text for my masthead is very similar to the mast head on mens health, i chose this because it stands out and looks very sophisticated. Also the way i have layed out my sell lines down the left hand side of the page is very similar. i have done this so they stand out to the reader as they automatically look at the left hand side. Also the photography i have used is similar once again, i have used a medium close up and i have placed my model on the right hand side of the page with his hands in his pockets. Also i have a clear background so the readers attention is brought to the sell lines, mast head and my photo. I have used headphones as a prop for my model to go with my main sell line "how to be cool in college" because it is portrayed to be cool if you wear headphones. I have used these colours on my front cover because they are bright and vibrant which makes them stand out to the reader. The colour red connotes passion which suggests the students at the college are passionate about work, whereas in "mens health" they have used red to connote passion for the readers health. I used the colour blue for my sell lines becaus eit goes with the topic the sell line is talking about, it is an icy blue colour which connotes being cool, this makes the sell line more effective towards the reader because they want to know how to be cool.

My media  product represents young and trendy people. I have shown this by my front cover photo which my model is dressed in trendy clothes looking cool with headphones around his neck and hands in his pockets. I have stereotyped trendy and sporty people. i have shown this in my sell lines, which say "how to be cool in college" and i have a photo of my model looking cool which suggests that is how to look cool. Also my other sell line says "all of QE sports results inside" which suggests that this magazine  a stereotype of sporty and trendy people. I have dressed my model the way i have so that he looks trendy which also is a steryotype of trendy people because is have dressed him this way for a purpose.

Originally I didnt have a specific target audience, but as i have learned more throughout media i have noticed more things that i took for granted whilst making my front cover and i have decided it would have to be towards "nerds" and "trendies". This might seem like two totally different groups but in actual fact they are more or less the same but only the trendies wear up to date clothing and seem very cool, then the nerds aspire to be the trendies because of their reputation. My magazine appeals to teenagers aged 16-18 in both of these social groups as the main sell line says "how to look cool in college". The "nerds" look at this cover and will be intrigued by it because they aspire to be cool and will want to read how to be cool. However on the other hand, "Trendies" will look at the picture and will look specifically at what the model is wearing so they can update their look.

This is the type of person who would be considered a Trendy. A trendy is someone who follows modern fashion and listens to mainstream music, having no music genre in particular they follow. They will also generally shop in topman, river island, new look and such places. Typical trendy males dress in denim, commonly wearing tight jeans and tight shirts with a low cut neck. Usually their only interests are Girls, Rugby and looking good.

Tis is the type of person we would consider to be a Nerd. A nerd is someone who is portrayed to be very intellegent, more or less a straight A student and can be mistaken sometimes for being geeks, but in actuall fact they are far more intellegent and sophisticated. Nerds dress sence are commonly thought to be checkered shirts buttoned all the way to the top and straight jeans curled up a bit at the bottom with white socks on underneath. Nerds are usually interested in most things to do with college work, they dont have much interest in relationships simply because they lack the confidence to try for one, also they are portrayed to like all kinds of computing and gaming.

I have used a range of new technologies and programs since i started my media course to help me with designing and evaluating my Prelim.

The first of which is Photoshop. Photoshop has helped me design and develope my front cover for my magazine. I have learned a wide range of skills including how to modify and change a photo to improve its quality, i have also learned how to import fonts and then change them to make them look better and stand out more. 

The second program i used was In Design. In design heped me design and develope my contents page for my magazine. I learned how to use coloumns and rows to make it look more proffesional.

Blogger.com is another technology i have learned from. It has taught me how i can upload my work into a secure space and how to look at other pages to find work. Also it has helped me as if i dont get the work done in class, i can go home and the work has been saved onto my accout on the website.

I also used a camera to take my photographs for my front cover, i learned how to zoom in and out and how to set up the lighting on set. This was essential to my work as i could not have had a front cover to evaluate without my pictures.

The Apple Mac has helped me achieve all of this, as it has been a reliable a fast working computer system. Before i started my media course i had no knowledge of Apple Mac, and now i have learned how to work and function the machine properly i find it easier than using windows. It also allowed me to upload and import my photos for my front cover easily and effectively which allowed me to complete work quicker.