Evaluation - Question 1 - Cover Page

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


I have annotated the codes and conventions of the existing cover page, so that it is clear what needs to be seen on the final cover. I have then annotated the final cover, showing what codes and conventions the cover used, developed and challenged.


Existing Cover:

Final Cover:

Evaluation - Question 1 - Contents Page

I have annotated the codes and conventions of the existing contents page, so that it is clear what needs to be seen on the final contents page. I have then annotated the final contents page, showing what codes and conventions the cover used, developed and challenged.

Common Contents Page:

This is what a common hip/hop contents page looks like. This is a common layout adopted by many hip/hop magazines. It is a code and convention to have only one key image, that takes up the majority of the page. However, this means that there is not a variety of images. In order to create a successful contents page, the contents page that is going to be created, has to include a variety of images. This is the reason that further research was carried out into hip/hop related contents pages, as a variety of images sometimes means that the page will look more attractive to the audience. 

Apart from the key image, the codes and conventions of this contents page are the same as the contents page below. These conventions include a large, bold masthead. Bold headings and page numbers and the logo of the magazine have been put on the page, slightly altered into a faded letter but still a convention followed on the page. 

Existing Contents:

Final Contents:

Evaluation - Question 1 - Double page spread

I have annotated the codes and conventions of the existing double page spreads, so that it is clear what needs to be seen on the final double page spread. I have then annotated the final double page spread, showing what codes and conventions the cover has used, developed and challenged.

These are the third annotated images for double page spreads:

Final Versions

Cover Page

  

Contents Page

Double Page Spread

Draft Versions - Double Page Spread

This is my first draft version of my double page spread. I have asked several of my fellow pupils to comment on my work, so that I can improve and alter my work.

Draft 1

Number 1
The key image on this page is very good. I like the model is looking straight at the audience, it incourages me as the audience to read the interview. I think that the quote is very strong, I like how 'YOU' is underlined to enforce that the artist is talking directly to the audience. I think that the quote could be larger and wrapped around the image, this would mean that the quote was more eye-catching and clearer to the audience. 'Lil Frenzy' stands out well with the rest of the copy. It is clear and matches the type of font that was used on the cover page. I think that the introduction at the top of the page, is clear and easy to read. I think that it works well to incourage the audience to read the rest of the interview. I like how the title goes down the side of the page and runs the full length of the page. It is very eye-catching and would be intriguing to the audience.

Number 2
I like how the masthead of the interview runs down the full length of the page. It makes the page attractive and intriguing to the audience as it stands out to the audience. I think that it could be slightly thicker so that it stands out more to the audience. The copy is clear and I think that the overall layout looks proffestional. I like the key image that has been used. I like how he is looking at the audience. The stern face that he has works well as it indicates that the magazine is hip/hop well. The quote next to the key image is clear, I think that it could be larger just so that it stands out more to the audience.

Number 3
The introduction at the beginning of the interview looks really clear and works well to incourage the audience into reading the rest of the interview. The masthead is attractive and works well to intrigue the audience into reading the interview. The key image is good as I feel it uses gaze theory and meets the convention of hip/hop magazines. The way that the model is looking straight towards the audience is intriguing. I like how he intrigues the audience by having the model looking at the audience, but also how he is pointing straight at the audience. I think the use of depth-of-field works well to make the image more attractive. I think that the masthead could be made thicker to stand out. I also think the quote should be larger so that it is more eye-catching.

What I intend to do
After evaluating the comments made by my fellow pupils, there are some changes and alterations that need to be made to improve the double page spread. I must make the quote next to the key image larger so that it stands out more to the audience and is more eye-cathcing. The same must be done for the masthead going down the side of the page. I will make larger, bolder or thicker so that it stands out more to the audience.

Draft Versions - Contents Page

This is my first draft for my contents page. I have asked several of my fellow pupils to comment on the page.  From their comments, I will know what to improve or alter on the contents page.

Draft 1

Number 1
The layout of the contents page is attractive and well presented. I think that the layout is very clear and is easy to follow for the audience. I like how the key image clearly tells the audience that it is the most important story. The key image also has a sense of intimidation, which I feel works well with the genre of the magazine. The images that have been used are good however, I think that the the first image and the last image are very similar. Although a different location is used, it is still a mid shot of a model. I think that a different image should be used, if a close up or two shot is avalible then that should be used. I like how the main stories under the 'Features' stand out due to the red text. I think that the colours that have been used work well as they contrast with eachother to stand out to the audience, and are the same as those used on the cover page.

Number 2
I like the images that have been used. I think that they work well to make the page attractive and vibrant. Some of the images are quite similar, I think that one of the images needs to be changed just to show a complete variety in images. Some more copy needs to be added to the information of the pages, to give the audience more information and encourage them to go to the pages. The copy under the 'Plus' need to be put inline with the key images borders and the black block underneath that. This would make the page look neat and proffestional, having all of the copy in line would make it look professtional. I really like the key image that has been used. It makes it clear to the audience what the main story of the magazine is. I like how the headings that are red tells the audience what the secondary important stories in the magazine are.

Number 3
I like the way that the copy for the important stories are in red. I do think that all of the headings should be made bold, so that they stand out to the audience and is clear that they are seperate from the informatoin. The borders around the images work well to seperate them from the copy around them. I think that the last image is to similar to the image at the top. The location is different which works well but the mid shot makes it the same. I think that the colour that have been used work well to make the copy stand out to the audience. Some of the copy needs to be moved around to put it in line with the key image and other images. By having the copy in line and neat, it makes the page and copy clear and look proffestional.

What changes I intend to do
After evaluating the comments made by the my fellow pupils, there are several alterations that need to be made in order to improve my contents page. These improvments include, making the headings bold so that they stand out to the audience and seperates the headings from the rest of the copy. I need to change the image at the bottom of the page, as it is to similar to the other images. I am going to swap it with a two shot I have taken, this will mean that a variety of images are being used. The copy will need to be justified so that it is in line with the key image, this will the page neat and the copy clear, easy to read and attractive. I will add some more copy into the information so that the page looks more appealing as there is no dead space.

Draft Versions - Cover Page

This is my first draft version of my cover page. I asked several of my fellow pupils to comment on the cover and suggest what I could do to improve it. 


Draft 1

Number 1

The white background is quite bland, it works well in terms of making the text stand out. However, it is not very attractive, adding some colour would make the cover more vibrant. I really like the image that has been used. The model is looking straight at the reader, which engages the reader to pick the magazine up. The text behind the model is ok but I think that it should be brought to the front. I also think that the the 'lil Frenzy' and the 'Forgive Me' should be in a different font, in its current form, it does not pull me in. I do like how the 'R' is the other way round, which is something that I have seen used by some rappers. Overall, I think that the layout of the magazine is very good and close to professional. I think that with a few adjustments, the cover would be even closer to a hip/hop magazine. 

Number 2

I like the overall layout of the cover page. I like how the key image is looking straight towards the audience, which draws the audience in. The masthead is eye-catching to the audience and works well as a hip/hop masthead. The lures around the edge of the key image would look better in front of the model, the lures are slightly hard to read behind the model. The 'lil Frenzy' and 'Forgive me' is quite dull and does not encourage the audience to read the magazine. I think that the white background should also change, as it is boring and will discourage the audience from picking the magazine up. A glow or shadow would make the background more attractive or intriguing to the audience. 

Number 3

I think that the overall layout of the magazine is close to a hip/hop magazine and matches many of the codes and conventions. I think that the lures should be in front of the key image and the headings could be slightly larger, to make them stand out more to the audience. I think that the dead space above the headings, could be replaced with more lures, or the lures could be moved up and enlarged. I like how the key image is looking towards the audience, I think that this encourages the audience to pick the magazine up and read it. The artists name could be a different font, I feel that it is quite dull and would be more attractive if the font changed. Overall, I like the layout and if the changes were made, the cover would be very attractive and would be an effective hip/hop cover page. 

What changes I intend to do  

After evaluating each of the comments, I have decided that there are several alterations that need to be made in order to create a better and more effective cover. The name of the existing artist above the masthead needs to be changed to be the same font style as the style of the lures. The white background needs to be altered. At the moment, it is dull and not very intriguing for the audience. I will add a shadow or glow to the background, to make it more attractive to the audience. The lures are going to be be moved up, to replace the dead space. The headings and lures will be made larger, so that they are easier for the audience to read and see. The 'Lil Frenzy' and 'Forgive me' should be changed to make them more vibrant or intriguing to the audience. They need to be more attractive, to encourage the audience to pick the magazine up in the first place. The key image is slightly overexposed, in Photoshop, I will darken it,  to make it less overwhelming for the audience.