Researching School Magazines
The magazines name is The Kings School which is probably the name of the school. It is written in bold blue letters in a font that stands out, it is at the top of the cover which is typically where the masthead usually is. The issue number and price are written underneath the masthead so that people clearly know what issue it is and how much it costs. They have used a large feature image in the centre of the page and is of a student standing in front of the school, the image is large as it is the main focal point. There is a barcode on the front of the magazine to be scanned when people purchase it. There is no page reference numbers on the front page of the magazine so therefore the reader will have to turn to the contents page to find out what page each article is on. There is one slightly smaller image on the cover which doesn't draw attention away from the main image but keeps the cover interesting, this is something I may consider when making my own magazine. There are a few feature stories on the cover which will grab the attention of the readers and may even interest people who wouldn't normally buy the magazine to purchase it as they want to find out more. They have also included the school logo on the cover of the magazine so that when people see the magazine they associate it with the school. They have used a simple colour scheme consisting of blue, red and yellow which are neutral colours.
This magazines name is Inspired, like the first one it is at the top of the cover in bold blue letters. Underneath the masthead is a slogan "For all the information you need to know now" when people hear this they will associate it with this magazine. They have only used one main image in the centre of the page, they have kept it simple by only using one image however some people may see it as boring. Like most other magazines they have included their feature stories on the cover giving the reader a taste of what's inside. Also they have included the issue number, date, price and barcode on the cover for people to know that they are up to date with the latest issue. They have kept the colour scheme simple by using blue, red, yellow and green. The layout of the cover is simple however not very eye catching.
The name of the magazine is Twelve and that is very clearly printed at the top of the cover. Similar to the other magazines this one also includes the issue number, price and a barcode this element is something that I will keep in mind when I make my own magazine. There is a large main image of a student doing work with some smaller images around it to keep the cover interesting however sometimes it can look over crowded. They have included a competition where people can win a £10 voucher, this may attract more readers as people will want to know how to enter the competition. Competitions and free gifts are a good way to get more people to purchase your magazine so this is something I feel works well and will be including in my own magazine. They have used a colour scheme of black, purple and a pale pink.
School Magazine cover and Evaluation
This is my school magazine cover, from my research I learnt that the masthead was always at the top of the page and easily visible so I decided to incorporate this into my own magazine. I also used a slogan "where learning comes first" so that when people hear it they associate it with my magazine. as well as the slogan I included the school logo so that people link the magazine with the school. I decided to use a simple colour scheme of white, black, red and yellow as I felt I could use red or yellow for the points that I want to stand out to the audience, for example my feature stories are written in yellow so that they catch the attention of the readers. As well as this I also offered the chance for people to win a competition as I felt it was a good way of getting more people to want to buy my magazine. Rather than using one main image I decided to use four small images that were all the same size as I didn't want my front cover to look boring and simple. However next time I may use one image to ensure that my cover doesn't look over crowded.
Costumes and Props Research
For my research I created a presentation using Prezi.
Representation of men and women in magazines
Men and women are portrayed to the public very differently. quite often women are seen as sex symbols that will attract the attention of the male audience, the aim is that the main image will appeal to them making them want to buy the magazine in order to see similar images. They are made to look alluring and appealing often dressed in very little clothes with soft facial expressions in order to entertain the male audience and draw them in. On the other hand some people view the women on the cover of the magazine as an icon. Girls often want to look like famous women that they see on these covers of music magazines as they are portrayed to have perfect skin, hair, makeup and figure.
Men on the other hand are made to look powerful and strong. They stand bold and will have strong facial expressions so that the reader feels like they are staring them straight in the eye. Boys will often look up to them as they are respected. They are also seen as sex icons but no so often as women are. Whereas women would be doing a seductive stare to get the interest of the male audience.
Codes and Conventions
All magazines tend to follow basic codes and conventions. An example of this is that they all have a masthead. The masthead will usually be at the top of the page and will often be quite large in order for it to stand out to the audience. As well as this there would usually be a large main image that takes up most of the front cover as this will be the main focal point. There may also be some smaller images around it. another factor they all share is that they will have the date and issue number somewhere on the cover of the magazine.
Different genres of magazines use different types of font. The rock genre of magazine will often use bold block writing that stands out whereas girly pop magazines tend to use more bubbly writing to match the light hearted tone of the magazine and appeal to the appropriate audience.
Magazines will often try to appeal to a larger audience by offering free gifts or prizes that can be won through competitions. This tends to make people more interested in buying the magazine even if they aren't a regular buyer as they may like the idea of a free gift or the chance to win a prize.
Also they will use quotes and pictures from the feature stories in order to give the audience a taste of what is going to be included in the magazine. By reading the quotes it may make them want to read the full article so will therefore buy the magazine.
The codes and conventions will differ as to what genre the magazine is. Different genres will have different colour schemes to match the mood of the magazine for example NME magazine uses a colour scheme of dull colours such as black, white, grey and then a main colour that will stand out like red.
Equipment needed for my photo shoot
There is not a lot that I will need for my photo shoot. This is a list of all the equipment I will need in order to take my photos ready to use in my magazine.
- Camera to take my pictures
- A tripod to ensure that my photos don't blur
- A Green screen so that I can edit the background later
- Model
- My shot list so that I know what photos I need to take
- Any costumes and props that I have planned to use in my photos
Here I have compared two different styles of magazine NME and We Love Pop. I have analysed their colour schemes and layout in order to decide what things I will use when creating my own magazine and what things I think didn't work so well so wont be including in my own magazine.
