Analysing Previous Student Work

With me having no understanding visually of the standard I had to replicate, I thought it would be of concern if I reviewed past students work in AS media from a variety of the Sunderland campuses, this would give me insight over identifying positive conventions and techniques they had demonstrated to make their production a success (so would be a good starting point for me to include within my own task) but also highlight the negatives that had set back the quality of their work and would determine I would not replicate these whilst constructing my own as this could lower the marks i subsequently receive for what I produce. I looked at a total of five completely different pieces and analysed each in depth, with both the strengths and weaknesses presented in a results table containing my personal opinion over my beliefs of their magazines.

Name of product	What I thought were the strengths	What I thought were the weaknesses
The Booth	The magazine itself was extremely well composed and provided regularity relating to the way it was presented on the page. The contents is organised, two sizes of fonts have been incorporated, the larger bold used on the title of the feature articles and other areas of interest effectively emphasises importance to me- and therefore the reader, whilst small sizing is used to provide essential information about the article. I find this efficient as it provides me with a ‘preview’ of the article before I view it, therefore assuring me I’ll be interested in reading it.  Bold numbers have been used to guide me to the articles which is time saving therefore I wont have to browse through the magazine to locate it. The colour scheme running throughout the cover, contents and double spread (red, black and white) relates to the theme of the magazine which is indie/alternative, this is effective as the writer is keeping n consistency with the genre of the magazine, so reassures me I am definitely reading a music magazine I am interested in. There are a variety of images incorporated on the contents which provides the idea the writer does not just focus on particular bands but a wide range. The masthead is large and in a completely different font style to the remainder of the pages, this uniqueness. The double page spread used an unique font style compared to the rest of the article to grab the attention of the reader, thy are much more likely to take notice if something is inconsistent and disjointed and this reverberates a mysterious sense and makes me want to read the text. A kicker is also incorporated to pull the audience in as it has used lager font then the article to provide more information upon what you are reading.	The front cover, contents page and double spread all have a major flaw- the background on all is very plain (white colour palette) and not extremely eye-catching, there has been no background colour used which to me vibrates dull and boring, the lack of an interesting background means I’m less likely to notice the magazine when its being marketed in a retail environment. The main image on the cover appears to be very naïve in nature, with many Photoshop mistakes which are easily noticeable and can be identified, this does not give the magazine a very professional feel to it. The body of text on the front cover is very disorganised and there does not appear to be any consistency with the way it has been positioned, this makes it look chaotic and very childish in nature. There is a lot of information provided within the double page spread, it is all composed together as one body of text without an image or pull quote separating it, this may bore the reader if they believe they have a lot of information to digest. The main and only image on the spread is very unrealistic as its easily noticeable it has been took in a back yard rather than a studio prepared shot.
Dynamic	The masthead on the front cover is eye-catching, the use of yellow and black colours which is incorporated into the font against a luminous purple background, makes it jump off the page and is impossible to miss when viewing this magazine- it is clearly the first element the reader will notice and is the major pull for attracting audience interest.	The images on all of the pages (cover, double spread and contents) are extremely unprofessional in the nature of their editing, it is clearly identifiable these have been created in Photoshop- this would not look appealing at all if it was being marketed in stores and the reader will be less likely for this reason to purchase it- as I know I personally would not be interested. The font style is the same throughout- I understand it creates consistency but the lettering is very boring and not particularly appealing to look at especially when it has been repeated over and over again. The layout on the contents does not keep with traditional magazine conventions, there are too many images crammed into the same place which makes the page look overpowering- as if the writer is trying to incorporate so many ideas together as possible to attract attention but this just overdoes the whole design and makes it look fairly tacky when presented like this on the page. There is too many a variety of colours used, this does not provide regularity within the magazine and it gives me the impression the editors tried to over do it by making it as attractive as possible
Mash	On this magazines front cover an extremely limited color palette has been incorporated to the style of the page, but they are fairly bold which makes it more of an eye catching product then others of its kind. The way the image has been placed and framed is effective as it is staring directly at the reader enticing them in to viewing the articles. There is a good consistency as the same text/font style is apparent in both the masthead and the body of text, which gives a rhythm and consistency to the product and makes it look more of a professional standard then what you’d expect a student to produce. The masthead itself is unique, the way it is presented to the audience is unusual which gives an intriguing feel to it and encourages others to take interest, this would make it more noticeable in a retail orientated environment. The text is positioned on par with the readers eye line which makes them gain its attention more easily as the sell lines and main images are clearly visible, attracting them to the more essential sections of information the writer wants them to see. The image itself of the artist ‘Scarlett Reeves’ portrays a sense of pride and an outgoing nature, this may intrigue the reader to want to know more about her as her self-confidence is more attractive then someone who is looking directly away from the camera. The pale background used on the contents page fits in with the overall color theme and conventions of the magazine, this levels it with a more of a professional standard and seems more authentic and believable as a true product. The page numbers have been placed besides there opposing articles which is an aspect of a official magazine, the use of an image besides the page number of the article is extremely effective as it identifies to the audience who they will be reading about and gives them a preview of what to expect. On the double page spread there is a large central image, which occupies the right hand side of the page and clearly represents what that particular feature will be focusing on. Pull quotes are an additional aspect as they help to gage the reader’s attention and make them more willing to read the spread. Another effective technique is the use of the same color palette again which breaks the article up, the reader can identify from the color scheme that the whole article is related and this provides consistency and assurance to them. This consistency can be seen proved again with the use of a repeating color on the text and questions. Effectively the questions are short and answers are long which gives more information about the artist for the audience to read.	The fact that a lot of focus is upon the fashion of the artist that this may distract the readers attention, although this is clearly a music magazine they may be falsely interpret it to be a clothing magazine. The image itself is extremely photo shopped as common errors (such as lines around her hair and body off the magic and tool) makes it look unprofessional and quite naïve in the nature of its presentation. The masthead name is unusual ‘MASH’ and is not really a name or theme that you would relate with a music magazine. The reader has no way of knowing what these letters stand for as the mastheads description is not underneath it. The sell lines are all organized together rather then being evenly spaced out, this is bombarding to the senses, maybe even confusing the reader, also it makes the page look quite messy and not presentable. There is too much variety in the text and times, even though a variety can be effective, there is too much color changes and disturbances within the letters and make it look unprofessional. Regarding the contents page, all of the images are heavily pixelated and some badly edited on the Photoshop software, this can give a tacky effect to the magazine. It doesn’t really incorporate a consistent color palette like some of the other magazines I browsed and doesn’t give it a professional finish as the elements on the contents page do not seem related or linked to one another and are scattered all over the page. The text is many different varieties and sizes on the contents, further emphasizing an armatures presentation. Finally the double page spread has poor quality images, since this is supposed to be the main feature of the magazine it should look more appealing but tacky images make it looked rushed and not worth reading. The text colors are not related to the color palette of the page, and because the same girl has been used in all the images in exactly identical costumes it gives the impression the photographer has not organized their shoot very well and couldn’t be bothered to include a bit of variety in their work.
The Twenty One	On the front cover the main image the reader will first notice has a high level of detail to it at a very replicable professional standard, making it not seem as if it was created by an A level student at all. Many other products I’ve studied all lack in the photographic element whilst this particular magazine excels at it. There is a variety of bold and bright colors on the text which helps to highlight it and make it stand out, catching the interest of the audience much more easily. The masthead is of an essential size and is displayed large, giving the magazine a sophisticated edge making this product more authentic and believable as a true retail marketing publishing. The masthead and sell lines text can be linked and related to one another as they use the same style of text, this helps the product to be in consistency with its elements. The title on the contents page is the same style as the masthead, which relates the whole magazine back to its chosen house theme. The first image is fairly professional in standard and re-emphasizes the sophisticated sense this product is portraying. Keeping on par with authentic music magazine this piece of student work included a sub-heading ‘Inside this week’, these subtitles are normally used on a retail publish. Page numbers accompany the articles allowing the reader to locate areas of interest more simply then having to flick through the product to find something that intrigues them. A whit background is incorporated into the contents page, another element that is regularly used in professional music products, and makes this one look realistic and smarter. The double page spread has a fairly simple grey background, this occupies room and makes the page look bold and interesting without giving it a cluttered, tightly packed feel. Pink pull quotes are scattered at the top of the spread, which attracts the attention of the audience and draws them to the text. The bold breaks everything down and identifies who is speaking in the article at a certain time, so readers don’t get confused with who is speaking or with conflicting information. A strapline explains the teaser, this doesn’t reveal too much information but intrigues the audience to carry on with the article. A large image occupies the whole right hand side of the spread this clearly identifies who the feature is focusing on and relates back to what the audience will be reading as it is overly emphasized. Three columns of text on the left side of the page are placed in consistency with one another, making the text more organized and less compressed giving it a professional feel and much more easy on the eyes to read.	On the front cover there is a lot of focus on the environment that surrounds the artist rather then attention being entirely on them. This can send a negative message to the reader and they may not believe the article is not worth viewing and therefore they are unlikely to buy the product if they are not enticed by an alluring image of the artist. Other sell lines revolving around other articles do not include any names or relevant information therefore on the feature itself, the audience may be deterred from purchasing the magazine if they do not exactly know what is contained within the article as it may be uninteresting or boring. The whole purpose of the cover is to entice the reader into the product ad not to deter them. Some of the images on the front cover have imperfections and red eyes, this makes them look naïve and not of a professional standard. The style of text changes throughout and does not convey a sense of consistency within this finished product. The masthead is included along besides the bar code; this is not of a true magazine convention style as normally the masthead would be at the top of the page to attract interest and the bar code at the bottom, as it is least important to the reader. The images on the cover of this magazine do not relate well with the main sell lines – normally the image conveys a sense of partnership with the article and represents the feature itself (for example NME focused on Muse and linked them with the sell line to indicate they were part of that particular article) On the contents page the title is disjointed and spread messily over three separate lines, this goes against traditional conventions as the title is usually placed at the top of the page to immediately  alert the reader where about in the magazine they are. This contents in particular lacks the repetition of the masthead along with the title, this is a good strategy to remind the audience which magazine it is they are reading. The other images included on this page look edited and unrealistic, a large contrast from the professional, sophisticated style of the main image displayed on the front cover. The images themselves look like they have been copied and pasted directly onto the contents page and do not merge with the background well giving them a naïve edge. Finally for the double page spread – it lacks greatly in using sophisticated font techniques. The writer has not included any conventions such as a drop capital which is useful in indicating to the reader where the beginning of the article is, there is also a lack of consistency with the page numbers as each one are in a separate colour from the rest, it makes it seem as if the magazine is not linked with each of its articles. The main image used on the spread is almost identical to the one used on the front cover, thi indicates regularity, but most mainstream magazines use different prepared studio shots/costume changes to provide variety in the artist and make them more intriguing for the audience to read about. Some of the colours clash with the palette for this page, the combination of dark colours (grey and brown) does not merge well with lighter ones (green and white)
Amplified	The use of the same colour palette for both the front cover and the content page provides consistency, regularity and rhythm within this product and imitates traditional magazine conventions. The main image is placed in the centre of the cover; this immediately attracts the reader to it and is a great pulling method of interest. It is also edited well and does not look like it has been created on a piece of software such as Photoshop. The major sell line is highlighted against all the other articles as different sized font has been used to make it bold and more attractive then anything else. The masthead is large and easily noticeable to potential buyers- the colour style used on it further helps to emphasise its importance. All other essential information such as other sell lines, issue number, barcode have been included. The contents page includes three images, breaking down the page into sections making it less cluttered for the audience to view. An editors view is included – this explains how the editor themselves feel about that particular issue, it provides an opinion and a slight preview of the articles to come informing the reader as to what to expect. An editors view is a traditional aspect of higher placed music magazines. The colour palette is fluent in the contents and matches along side the images. Spaces and lines have been incorporated to separate articles from one another that makes the layout look tidy and professional. The double page spread uses a different style of writing/font which provides variety to the product and shows this spread in particular is the main attraction and completely separate from anything else included in the issue. The title of the feature is placed directly in the middle, which informs the audience instantly about what they will be reading. Bold text is used to represent the text of the interviewer, indicating there responses are not linked with what the artist has to say. Strap lines are placed correctly, showing where the article itself begins.	There are too many different and unusual types of texts, as a completely separate style is use for each piece, this gives a very messy presentation and gives the impression they are not related to the article at all. A lack of colour is used on the image, this makes it seem insignificant to everything else when really it should be the centre piece and stand out above all other additional articles as it is the main method of selling this product. There is too much essential information included (such as other articles) this draws focus away from the sell point of the main feature. Within the contents page there are a few flaws. The editors view doesn’t stand out amongst the other pieces of text due to a similar colour palette as the background of the rest of the page and is almost overwhelmed by the other columns. There should really be an image included of the editor as well to give a personal aspect to the magazine. A website address or email link has failed to be included, this would provide more opportunity for sales for the magazine company if readers could access a website related to them. The writer has chosen not to repeat the masthead besides the contents title or any of the page numbers, this would have been effective in emphasising to the reader which magazine they are reading in particular. Finally the double page spread does not have any pull quotes, this would assist in breaking down the pages and attracting the readers attention with relevant information to the interview. There is a caption besides the image relating to the costume the artists wearing, his is regularly used in fashion magazines rather than music based products.

What I have learned from looking at student work :

By viewing previous student work it gives me an indication of what I’d expect my finished product to look like and how to avoid any mistakes. The double page spread should be detailed, well composed and written so it encourages the reader to continue reading it as it is interesting. The text should constantly refer to the article and not drift off and focus on something completely unrelated. A wide color palete is not necessary as this can give a tacky, unprofessional look to my product, it is essential just to use colors that are simple but extremely effective. Most importantly it is overly important to have excellent camera focus and delicate detail within the images as this is what helps to achieve a glossy professional finish. All images should relate to the sell lines and other essential pieces of text included on the pages. Language used should identify with the target audience and not be overly complicated and difficult to interpret. I need to ensure there is a consistent element within the text, layout and color palette as this allows the reader to recognize articles by recurring themes.

How I will use this new knowledge to help me create my own product

I will use the knowledge I have gained whilst constructing this task to create my own product by ensuring all text fonts and style correlate directly with traditional magazine conventions (they will follow the same color, sizing, layout and font as one another). Costume changes will be essential in the models on the images, these means there is less likely of a chance they’d clash with the color of my music product and gives the impression the photographer has given thought into the images they have created. The models will need to be relaxed, it would be ideal if there posture and facial expressions relate to the theme (i.e I don’t want a bouncing happy model on a dismal background