Production:Images for Sixth Form magazine

Production: the selection of images that I have taken for my Sixth Form magazine:

Planning:Flatplan of Sixth Form magazine

This is the front cover plan for my Sixth Form magazine. I have briefly included the location of the aspects I wish to include. The centre image will be a medium shot that is surrounded with several bubbles of teasers to ensure that it looks interesting and worth the read to my target audience. The masthead is in bold letters so that it is easy to read and stands out from the rest of the typography.

 

This is my contents page. I have written down the subjects I wish to include within my magazine. There is also a space above the masthead for an image of a friendship group or classroom to be placed, this will make it look professional and a friendly place to be. I have also chosen for this masthead to be bold to ensure that readers are aware of what they are about to consume.

Research:Analysis of a Sixth Form magazine (second)

This is the feedback sheet for my second analysis of a Sixth Form magazine. For next time, I need to ensure that I add sub headings in regards to what I am talking about. In addition, it is good to include more terminology so that my analysis is portrayed as being professional and valid.

The school logo has been placed in prime position above the masthead. This is to ensure that it is widely recognised due to the fact that it is the branding of the school which also portrays a professional feel to how the school present themselves. Having the logo in a good place proves that they are proud of the status that they retain. It has been printed in plain colours due to the fact that it then has the ability to be photocopied if necessary.

It is evident that a subtle underscore has been presented underneath the school logo. I believe that this is for emphasis, to ensure that the aspects that they wish for their target audience to notice are
very visible.

The masthead has been presented in a simple black font for a professional feel. This goes nicely with the tagline positioned underneath written in red font. The term 'Excellence for all' is almost a USP due to the fact that the audience will feel as though this school takes their pride seriously.

The colour palette consists of prominent as well as vivid shades that come across as being mature and professional. It is clear that the mainly chosen shade is a dark red which nicely matches the lanyards in the background that the students are required to wear around their necks. Furthermore, this is allowing the target audience to be aware of what they are expected to meet if they attend the school. The white background therefore ensures that the masthead and tagline stand out, maintaining the simple yet effective typography.

One of the most important aspects to the front cover is the central image which in this case a medium shot. It denotes a girl as the focus shot, with her other pupils gathered in the background which is slightly blurred out to ensure that the girl is the main concentration. It connotes the fact that the pupils are clearly proud to be a part of the school and the way she looks studious is conveying that the school is off a high intelligence. It has also been placed in a way that is does not dominate the whole front cover as there is still a considerable amount of white background; avoiding overcrowding.

There is also a direct mode of address visible due to the fact that the young girl is smiling towards the audience/camera which is comforting as well as inviting for the target audience, giving them a sense that the atmosphere of the Sixth Form is friendly which is a huge incentive.

In terms of there being a date, it is printed in smaller typography under the central image to make sure that people know that they are reading an up to date copy of the Sixth Form details.

In regards to the contents page, the typography the font used is the same as on the front page to keep up a professional consistency.As well as this, the colour palette is also kept consistent (as their
house style) and they are also tasteful to avoid attracting the wrong target audience.

There is a subtle direct mode of address in regards to the word 'welcome' which is again portraying that this Sixth Form clearly has a friendly atmosphere.

The masthead and subheadings are presented in a bold font which is evidently larger than the majority of the font listed on the page. The typography is maintained simple so that the audience does not struggle to understand the point that they are aiming to get across. Making the magazine easy to navigate through.

In addition, each title is underlined with a vivid red shaded bar which means that each section in the contents page is organised in a professional fashion. 

They have ensured that the subjects that they have on offer are listed on the first page due to the fact that it is a USP. Not all Sixth Forms will offer the same courses and maybe they have something on offer that would differentiate them to another Sixth Form.

There is not a second centered image on the contents page but this could be because the main aim is just purely to get the subjects featured at the Sixth Form out to the audience; this is the priority.

Research:Annalysing a Sixth Form magazine (third)

 Masthead- Firstly, on this particular front cover it is evident that the masthead is more on the subtle and elegant side. It still stands out to the readers but it just is not the main focus of the front cover however, still gets the overall point across; ensuring that the brand identity is still widely portrayed to the target audience.

 Central image- This is clearly the main focus of the front cover and is also done very well. The chosen shot is medium which also denotes a young girl who is smiling at the camera and dressed in autumnal clothing. Furthermore, the image connotes a Sixth Form student who is using direct mode of address to the target audience to promote how warm and inviting the destination is, ensuring that the aim to promote is a success. 

Colour palette- The tones/ shades of colours that have been used regarding the background are all soft and muted . This is very effective due to the simple fact that in allows the central image to be more prominent as the tones on the young girl are more vivid and bright, attracting the majority of the attention. In addition, the subtle theme of colours used on the background and the masthead is maintaining the house style of the branding which proves consistency and makes it look more professional as a Sixth Form.

Tag lines and feature articles- There is not a clear number of tag lines evident however, they have focused attention on the featuring article which states; 'DELHI BOUND.' The typography of the font is printed in capitals to prove emphasis on how important it is to read. Which links onto the type below which is an imperative statement to entice the reader in. 

USP- A unique selling point to this article is the fact that the model featuring on the central image looks very happy and is also wearing non uniform. This is portraying a relaxed atmosphere which could be an incentive to a lot of teenagers to attend that particular Sixth Form.

Date and bar code- From what I can see on the front cover, there is not a bar code but there is a date line which ensures that the target audience are reading the correct and up to date magazine.

Colour palette- The contents page maintains professionalism due to the fact that the same muted colours are included. This also keeps up the idea of a brand identity.

Typography- The font used is the same soft font used on the front cover which proves consistency and house style. It is also set out in a very unique way to prove another USP of the magazine. The sub-headings are printed in capitals to allow the audience to know which parts to spend their time reading.

Images- There is a heavily used direct mode of address used through the images to engage whoever is reading the magazine. Again, the brighter tones of the pictures contrasts against the muted background and allows them to stand out more and be a focus of attention.

Underscoring- This particular technique is used underneath the title block of the word 'contents' to act as an emphasis on what the page is all about. This is not used on the word 'welcome' which in contrast, acts as a direct mode of address on the audience to make them feel welcome and know to carry on reading.

Research:Analysis of a Sixth Form magazine (first)

• The school logo is very prominent by being placed in the centre of the front cover, this is the branding of the school which therefore, is allowing them to promote their Sixth Form. They rely on this logo heavily as the name of the school is in a small font at the bottom.                               
• This particular magazine is very unique due to the fact that there is not a person on the front cover as instead the main focus is the uniform. The connotation of this is that they are keen on the way they present their pupils and being smart is clearly a key rule.                                                                                                                                                                                          
• Instead of having a typical masthead they have gone for more of a subtle approach by moving their title down towards the bottom of the front cover which looks very professional. It is important to attract the right audience who will most likely fit in with the Westcliff life and fulfill the values and aspirations they are portraying through their layout.                                                                                                                                                                          
• In addition, the badges on the blazer are another simple yet effective way of promoting the fact that the school offers many opportunities. It is as though they want you to come along and discover more for yourself, creating a sense of being intrigued.                                                         
• Another evident point is the way that the school slogan/strapline has been presented in capitals as though they are enticing you in with the incentive short sentence. They are also directly addressing the reader which makes it seem more personal. This is presented in a simple typography that is easy to read at first glance, fitting in with the theme of being smart and straight to the point.                                                                                                                           
• The colours that are used are personal to the school, showing that they are proud of the uniform and the status they hold. The crisp white shade of the font therefore stands out well against the black of the blazer. Allowing everything to stand out to promote the Westcliff Sixth Form.

              

Production:Sixth form magazine images

I chose this particular image as my sample Sixth Form front cover inspiration because I feel as though it looks very professional in regards to the camera skills involved. What I mean by this is the way that the leaves in the background are out of focus which therefore, means that the girl posing is the main aspect to the image. The colours are bright and is overall a very simple yet effective front cover that is pleasing to the eye for readers.

My group and I have decided that out of all of the images this was the best suited for a potential front cover of a Sixth Form Magazine. It is presented portrait which suits the shape of a typical magazine so would work well in that respect. In addition, the lighting is very good as it is not too dark but not too bright either which allows the image to look clear and professional. You can see that the sunlight is breaking through in the background which adds some brighter light without interrupting the image itself. The tree that we decided to lean against is a good background because it compliments the colour of the green blazer, allowing the model to stand out and be the main aspect which is of course intended.

On the other hand, this is the image that we decided would not be as suitable for a Sixth Form magazine cover. This is mainly due to the fact that it is taken in landscape form which would not be ideal for a typical magazine type. We tried to turn it into an A4 shaped image using Photoshop but this proved difficult and make it look less professional and pleasing to the eye.

Production:Pictures representing the first letters of my name

This image includes pictures that represent each letter of my name. We practised different shots and how they changed the way that the overall image looked, making simple objects look more artistic. I chose to find a simple 'E' for the first letter, a leaf to represent the 'L', myself using my arms to represent  an 'L' and finally, an alarm to represent an 'A'.