This document provides an evaluation of a student's media magazine portfolio project. The student summarizes how their magazine used, developed, or challenged conventions of real media products. They analyzed the front cover, contents page, and double page spread sections. The student explained how their magazine represented social groups and their target audience. They also discussed what media institution might distribute the magazine and what technologies they learned about through the project. The student reflected on the progression of their skills from their preliminary task to the full magazine product.

1. G321 Foundation Portfolio in
Media – Evaluation
By Louise Storer

2. In What Way Does your Media Product use,
Develop or Challenge forms and Conventions of
Real Media Products?
My magazine was inspired by different
things, however mostly by Q
magazines. My colour scheme and
central image was inspired by Mojo
magazine as I loved the relaxed ‘rock
and roll’ style that the image created.
The layout of the Q magazine (down
the right hand side) I really liked, so I
emulated their idea onto my magazine.
I have challenged my research findings
by making my magazine original by
using puffs in different shaped boxes
makes my magazine look more
interesting. And I also used different
fonts like for ‘Situation’ to reflect what
type of music they produce.

3. Analysis of Front Cover
The font for my masthead is very The date is an
interesting and different, this will convention of a
draw my audience in. magazine.
With the
struggling music
My central
industry I’ve
image is the
made my
main focal
magazine Free. I
point, and
chose to use red
I’ve chosen a
so it would be
strong and
very noticeable
bold image.
and may attract
With this you
more people to
can tell the
read.
type of music
will be in my
magazine.
This was inspired
by Q magazine, I
I made the font chose a bright
for Situation colour so it
stand out by would stand out.
using the
ransom
lettering. Also Puffs and a barcode are
indicating the conventions of a magazine, I have
type of band included them because of this and
they are. to make my magazine more
realistic. .

4. Analysis of Contents Page
I was inspired by Vibe magazine’s
‘Contents’ and how it was displayed as
I thought it was really interesting.
I chose to use
a full image
for my For my text I
background chose to use a
and central more formal font
image as I also this
really like the contrasts well
look of this with the ‘rock
on other and roll’ theme.
magazines I However with
researched. I bold black
think it fits outlining it still
really well has the same
also as the sort of look as
tree shapes the ‘Situation’
my page. writing on the
first page.
And lastly I inserted a black box around my page
to finish it off, and also to give it the ‘rock and
roll’ theme through out my magazine.

5. Analysis of Double Page Spread
My Central image was inspired by the double page spread with Blondie, as I
thought it would make a great image linking again with my ‘Rock and Roll’
theme. Also I chose to slightly cut the guitar out of the page, this was inspired
by the Lily Alan image, as I thought it gave a casual and rebellious feel.
Also my
heading
font was
inspired
by the Lily
Alan page,
however I
challenge
d this by
using a
font that
reflects
my text, to
do with
sound
My general text I’ve used is a convention of magazine exploding
articles. However I've linked this text with a similar text out.
with my contents page. I’ve made my interview chatty
and slightly informal due to it being a weekly thing. Also
I’ve placed a colourful box within my text as this is
another convention some magazines have, as well as
having a quote of the page giving the reader an idea of
what the interview may contain.

6. How Does your Media Product Represent Social
Groups?
The images I have taken reflects the easy going
young male adults who would enjoy my
magazine. Its aimed at people who have an love
and passion for a range of music. In this addition I
have focused on the new band ‘Situation’ which
is an up and coming rock band. This may not be
to everyone's taste but people who read Avant
want to know all the latest bands and
singers, whatever there genre. The lead guitarist
in ‘Situation’ comes from a ‘normal’ background
just like many of the readers, this may inspire
them to do music as a career.
In my double page spread write up I have portrayed my artist as a humble and easy going
kind a guy, ‘We never thought we would make it this far’. To represent my chosen
audience I’ve used a sociolect of young adults such as, ‘Mates’ ‘Having a laugh’ ‘Catch ya’
next week!’ These are all terms young people use and they can then associate with them.

7. What kind of media institution might distribute
your media product and why?
I am aware the music industry is suffering and that’s why
I’m making my magazine free so it attracts my audience
who probably wont have much money anyway as many
would have just come out of university. I would also put
my magazine as an online subscription, as ‘going viral’ is
very popular and I could also do online deal’s to attract
more people, such as money off festivals and gig tickets.
I would also make my magazine an I-Pad and I-Phone
app as this would target my audience as young and into
new technology.
If I were to have an appropriate institution for my
magazine I would use Bauer Media as they also do
magazines such as Q, Mojo and Kerrang as people in the
same sort of genre would be reading them and my
magazine may interest them as its by the same
institution.

8. Who Would be the Audience for your Media
Product?
My typical reader is a young male
adult, about 17 years to 24 years, who’s life
style is fun yet easy going. Its for the
innovators who have an love and passion for
a range of different music styles from dance
to rock and roll.
They want to know about the latest
news, music and festivals and are keen to
try new things within music genres. The
social background for my audience would
be working class as many would be students
and people just out of university.

9. How did you Attract/Address your Audience?
I made my magazine fit with my audience as I
used a person on the front of my cover who
would be about the same age as my
reader, therefor giving my audience
something to relate to.
Throughout my magazine I’ve used the colour
black, giving my magazine a bold and ‘in your
face’ vibe which links back to my typical
reader. I’ve used large, bold text also for this
reason and it gives my magazine an edgy
look.
My front cover and double page spread image
I’ve also got him wearing a black t-shirt, this
reflects what type of music the band
‘Situation’ produce and making it clearer for
the reader.

10. What Have you Learnt about Technologies from
the Process of Constructing this Product?
The skills I have learnt doing this project include photography
when creating pictures for my front cover, contents page and
double page spread and Photoshop which I used throughout
Here is an example of the layers I
the production of my magazine.
named to make them easier to
For the photography part of the project, I learnt the manage.
importance of using a good camera and how using a bad
camera and bad lighting could totally change the overall
outcome of the magazine.
I found Photoshop very useful and I really enjoyed using
it, however at the beginning I found all the different layers
tricky to handle. I overcome this by naming each layer with an
appropriate name of what it was, this saved me time and
made things go a lot smoother in production. Overall I found
Photoshop very easy and extremely useful to use when I knew
all the different tool and techniques there was.
I think my magazine looks professional even though you can
see the gradual improvement in my work, this is probably
because I got more confident with the Photoshop tools, which
really helped my improve my finished pieces.

11. Looking back at your Preliminary Task, what do
you feel you have Learnt in the Progression from
it to the Full Product?
Looking back I feel I have gained a lot of skills and expertise when it comes to Photoshop, as
well as having the confidence to explore ideas and create a finished piece of work which is
unique and interesting. With my two contents pages, I can clearly see the improvement in
my skills as in the preliminary task my work was quite basic and boring. However in my
main task my contents page looks really intriguing and draws you in, especially with the
different fonts and originality.
From preliminary task to my
main task contents page.