What have you learnt about the technologies from the process of constructing this product?

During the process of constructing my media product, I have learnt a lot, particularly about how to use Adobe Photoshop. I had never used the programme before so I found it very challenging at first. However, soon enough, I was taught how to arrange photos and text in separate layers making it much easier to alter, develop and edit seperate parts of the magazine. I also used YouTube tutorials to help me develop my understanding further.

I watch tutorials on:

-Changing hair and eye colours

-Bloating and Slimming tool (Liquify)

-Making custom shapes.

-Airbrushing images and cropping and cutting them

I am now confident when undergoing these processes on Photoshop.

I was also taught that I must flatten my final image so all the layers become one- This ultimately stops me from making any unwanted errors or changes to my work.

During the process, I was able to learn how to make custom colours which I could add to my magazine making it more personal and to my own preferred taste. a

It was a challenge to complete however it looked very good once complete.

Not only have I learnt how to better my skills on Photoshop, I am now more aware of how much work and skill goes into making a real media product. We have been lucky enough this year to have the Chief Art Director of Mojo Magazine come in, as well as Poster Designer, Mia Maxton; the talks we had with the two professionals has widened my knowledge of all the many steps a product must undergo before becoming complete.

How did you attract/ address your audience?

To attract our audience we used large fonts and bright colours so our magazine stood out from the others. We used the colours yellow, purple and red which worked very well together. The clever puns on the movie titles are eye catching and the information the sell lines consist of address the student audience. The puns would make people stop, read and infer to understand where the pun is taken from- this, we hoped, would encourage people to buy the magazine.

The main picture on the front cover of the magazine of students in the park, again, helps to attract the required target audience as it states who the magazine is aimed at. If we used a picture of elderly people, clearly we would not be attracting our specific audience.

The words 'SEX', 'MARIJUANA' and 'COMMON ROOM' which are embedded in the text on the front cover draw the reader in as these are issues which sixth formers would be interested in.
The title of the magazine, 'Fast Times at Camden High' specifically addresses our school as it is again, a pun of the famous movie, 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' which many teens would have seen. Also, the word 'Fast' connotes something exciting, exhilarating and extreme- positive words which we hope will draw in an audience.

Who would be the media audience for your product?

Before we began the construction of our magazine, we decided that we wanted students aged between 16 to 18 as being the target audience for the magazine. We wanted to make a magazine which we also would enjoy reading, and seeing as we all go to a sixth form which consists of people that age, it would seems logical to use our teenage knowledge to the best of our abilities.

With this knowledge, we included issues which were directed to pupils of that age group, such as sex, drugs, work and relationships. The magazine article which consists of exam tips to help students were in fact written by the students themselves so other pupils can relate to what is being written.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

The school I attend, Camden School for Girls, may distribute my media product as a way to guide and advise the students in the school. The magazine would be a good way to get students involved with the lifestyle which comes with attending a sixth form college and would also encourage a school ethos.
My magazine is written by students, for students and allows many different people with a range of ideas to join in with the making of it.
It consists of a write in page where students can write in with any of their questions of queries. This could help the pupils as they would have some one to advise them anonymously.
The magazine is free and so is available to everyone!

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The magazine I have produced represents a particular social group through a number of deliberate techniques. The magazine is aimed at sixth form students between the ages of 16-18 years old. The bright, eye catching colours and fonts attract the attention of the students as well as the main photo which consists of students in their mid to late teens within a social environment. The sell lines are articles based on sex, drugs and music- issues with directly affect students of the recommended age group.

In what ways does you media product, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Our magazine follows the convention of real media products in the way that it follows a basic magazine structure. The poster shows the main title, 'Fast Times at Camden High' followed by various sell lines. The front cover photo is a picture of a group of students sitting in the park one lunchtime. this shows a friendly, social community. we used a fish eye lens to get everyone into the shot. The camera was facing the sun connoting a warm atmosphere.
As a group we generated our own bar codes using an Internet programme- this added to the realism and is another way out magazine followed the conventions of a real media product.
Our sell lines all linked to movie title and the fonts and colours we used were similar to the fonts and colours used in the heading.
we included the issue number, and the price of the magazine was free so it was accessible for every student.
we were going to have advertising from local businesses to pay for the making of the magazine.

Deconstructing Fast Times at Camden High School Magazine

Fast Times at Camden High School Magazine
Fast Times at Camden High is the school magazine I made in Media Studies this year with Louise and Billy. We looked at a range of other school magazines to help and inspire our own one. The idea of our title came from the title of a well known film, 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High'. We wanted the theme of our magazine to be like a high school year book- this idea is reinforced through the style and layout of the contents page. We used the same colours as the film did- Yellow, Red and Purple. These colours and different shades of them are used throughout the magazine. Our sell lines are all taken from titles of other well known films, however we altered them to suit the needs of the magazine. For example, High School Musical became High School Marijuana and so on. The photo image we used for the front cover was taken by Billy one lunch time. It consists of a number of students in Camden- this was done to highlight the friendly atmosphere in the school. We generated our own bar code from a website on the Internet to add to the realism of the magazine. As this is a school magazine, we made it free so it was available to everyone in the school.

Deconstructing The Parent and School Magazine

The Parent and School Magazine

The Parent and School magazine is slightly different to the other school magazine as it is essentially aimed at parents. The word 'parent' in the title is bold and the font is bigger causing it to stand out from the rest of the title. The use of the colour red is deliberate as it is vibrant and eye catching.

The sub heading, 'The Science on Energy Smart Schools', suggests that this magazine is explicitly based on science. This idea is reinforced by the main image on the front cover- of a boy using a microscope (a piece of scientific equiptment). There is a teacher wearing a white lab coat in the background helping another student. This connotes a helpful, friendly schooling atmosphere.

The extra information at the bottom of the front cover gives a brief description of what other stoiries and infromation can be found within the magazine.

Deconstructing 'The Loyolite School' Magazine

The Loyalite School Magazine

The Loyalite School magazine is a magazine for a primary school. I know this as the children in the image are young- perhaps aroung the ages of 5-8.

The photograph connotes a warm, friendly school environment as all the children are close together and are smiling. They all look veyr content.

The bold, three- dimentional writing, '2007' is fun and child-like, once again strengthening the idea that this is a Primary School magazine.

The main heading of the magazine is the name of the school, 'The Loyalite'; the font used is very elegent and curly- against, quite child like.

This front cover is vey minimalistic however is very effective. The light blue background is calm and soothing- similar to the way we are encouraged to feel the school is like.