Comparison between my preliminary task and my final product.By Heidi Elkin

Front cover- conventionsWithin the transition between creating my preliminary task and final product I have developed more skills in creating a conventional magazine cover.

The preliminary task cover has very few conventions, I have used contrasting colours and a large main image, however there are many conventions which I am missing. I have now gained a lot of knowledge since I created my preliminary task and have now created a more conventional magazine cover.

My use of images has improved as I have used images which fit into the genre of my magazine compared to my preliminary task where the images are unconventional and also I used an unconventional shot types for my images in my preliminary task.

The fonts which I used in my final product are much more conventional as for example the masthead is more eye-catching and appealing which fits into the genre of my final magazine. However in my preliminary task the font is not quite so conventional as I did not put any effort into making the text appealing and conventional.

Front cover- photography and mise-en-scene

My photography skills have improved from my preliminary task to my final product. Evidence of this is that the shot type and angle on my preliminary task are not very good and the images are also very unconventional. In my final product I put effort into ensuring that I used a close up, and put the camera at a slight high angle as this is conventional for the magazine genre. Also my use of mise-en-scene has improved as on my preliminary task there is no use of props, location or costumes which relate to the genre of the magazine. On my final product I have ensured that for example the make-up and style of the person used on my main image is conventional to the magazine genre. This will make the magazine appeal more to the target audience whereas my preliminary task may not have appealed to the target audience of the magazine.

Front cover- image editing

My image editing has improved since creating my preliminary task as I didn’t edit my images used on my preliminary task, but on my final product I edited the contrast and brightness of the images used to ensure that they were conventional for my magazine and appealing to the target audience. I also put a lot of effort into ensuring that my backgrounds of my images are a conventional brightness which I didn’t do in my preliminary task.

Front cover- layout

The layout of my preliminary task is very unconventional, however in my final product a lot more effort went into the layout. For example on my final product I followed the route of the eye which I didn’t do on my preliminary task. On my final product I used a cluttered layout as this is conventional for the genre. On the preliminary task I used an informal layout but the magazine should have been formal, this is evidence that my layout skills have improved. This shows how I have improved my skills so my magazine becomes more appealing to the target audience.

Front cover- fonts

The fonts I used in my preliminary task were conventional as I used san serif fonts which is formal, but however I could have still improved this by making it more appealing to the target audience by using a bolder font. When I did my final product I put a lot more effort into the masthead font to ensure that it was appealing to the target audience, I did this by researching about what fonts are appealing to the target audience and then choosing a font which suited this. I then ensure the font was bold so it was eye-catching and appealing to my target audience.

Front cover- mode of address

The mode of address in my preliminary task should have been formal as it was a formal magazine and this did not show. The reason this was not obvious to the audience is because I had an informal layout, for example the images were not straight. However when I made my final product I ensured the mode of address was conventional as this magazine should have an informal mode of address due to the target audience, I managed to do this by using a cluttered layout and a range of colours which would appeal to the target audience.Another way my final product conveys a conventional mode of address is the use of connotations, I used words which would appeal to the target audience such as shortened words like ‘celeb’ this would convey the informal mode of address as informal words are used. This would appeal the target audience as it makes the magazine seem fun and exiting which the target audience stereotypically like.

Contents page- conventions

My preliminary task included minimal conventions on the contents page. Since creating that my knowledge of the importance of conventions has increased and therefore my final product contained many conventions for the genre of my magazine in areas such as layout, images, colours and fonts. The layout now follows the route of the eye and the images, colours and fonts signify what the target audience are interested in. For example the colours used are mainly light which signifies fun.

Contents page- photography and mis-en-scene

My use of photography and mise-en-scene has improved. The reason for this is because I have ensured that all images I used on my contents, the correct props, settings and make-up was used. For example all of the people on the images look feminine and fashionable which I managed to do through the use of make-up and costumes. Whereas on my preliminary task I failed to even use images. I also ensured that conventional shot types were used on my images, close up and slight high angles were used on my images as these are conventional shot types and will appeal to the target audience. I also used conventional images as for this genre of magazine small images are usually used on the contents page. I should have used images on my contents page for my preliminary task as this would have made the magazine attract a wider audience.

Contents page- layoutMy contents page has improved majorly in the form of layout. This is because I have used a cluttered layout for my contents page in my final product but however in my preliminary task I used a very basic layout and didn’t use put much information on which should have been there to help form a more conventional layout. I feel my layout on my final product would attract the correct audience as I managed to make a conventional layout by sectioning the contents information out and also including images and a range of fonts. My preliminary task may not have attracted the correct audience as it was very basic whereas it was supposed to be a formal layout, this is not a conventional layout as I have not provided the information on the contents to make a formal layout.

Contents page- fonts and colours

I feel the fonts I used in my preliminary task are very basic and I didn’t do enough research on the target audience to find out which fonts would be appealing for them and therefore I only used a basic font not one that is formal and appealing to the target audience. However when I came to making my final product I done a lot of research on what the fonts the target audience like, I then chose the fonts which I felt the target audience would find eye-catching. I used serif fonts as this is what my target audience liked best. This therefore shows how I put a lot more effort into my fonts in my final product than I did in my preliminary task.

Contents page- mode of address

The mode of address on my preliminary content page is very simple, I just used a red background and a white font which is again very basic and doesn’t provide any information to the audience about what the magazine will be like. However my final product I have used a pink and purple house style and provide information which will explain the audience what the magazine is about. I have used shortened words and slang words which will therefore express to the audience that the magazine is fun as it connotes fun. Also the colours connote happiness which is again appealing to the target audience as the target audience stereotypically enjoy fun and happiness.