Post-production techniques and processes (U3:P5)

Learning outcome 4 (U3): Be able to carry out post-production techniques and processes for an original media product to a client brief.

Final front cover

Final double page spread

Review of suitability 

Front cover: I believe my magazines front cover is appropriate for the target audience which I aim to entice and sell to. The cover has used a simplistic yet sophisticated design through limiting the colour palette, allowing our readers to be enticed but not distracted by the cover and therefore better read and absorb the information. Furthermore, by reducing the information on the page it enables the magazine to appeal to a wider audience, typically young kids' magazines have busy front covers and therefore become too distracting for anyone else. Interestingly, having a less crowded page allows for the magazine to appeal to the slightly older side of the demographic, while the bright colours and script typefaces will entice the younger end of our target audience. Less information crowding the page often entices the older side of our demographic as the magazine looks sleeker and more sophisticated and therefore they trust the information more. Additionally, the subtle mentions of 'local magazine' and 'North London' applies well to the brief and the explicit requirements of my client. Finally, the use of puffs on the cover make the magazine more fun and appeal better to the young demographic which make up my primary target audience as well as emphasising the information within the puff.

Strengths

1. I have used the magazine cover to promote No7 lipstick, this is a good way to fund the magazine and promote another brand. The readers of my magazine might purchase the product and if they like it this will likely result in them trusting the magazine more and therefore purchasing it. 

2. Easy to locate social media accounts will allow readers to interact more with the magazine as well as helping us to promote the brand more through social media, we will be able to advertise and promote more products on social media if we know our customers are seeing it.

3. Our logo has been strategically positioned in the top left hand corner to ensure it is always visible to our potential customers when stacked on shelves. In addition, the logo is vibrant and relates to our content which will allow for it to be memorable to customers. 

Improvements

1. Making the text on the puff clearer, one of the puffs is difficult to read from a distance and therefore customers might find it challenging to read and subsequently, the purpose of the puff which is to make information stand out is ultimately not being met here. 

2. Making the cover lines with more importance larger, this is a simple change I can do to make the more enticing information stand out and really capture our readers attention to encourage them to purchase the magazine.

Double page spread: My magazines double page spread is perfectly suited to the targeted audience, the article has been specifically written to entertain the audience, there is additionally a flow chart quiz which allows the reader to be more interactive with the magazine and consequently enjoy it further. In addition, the QR code can be easily located and this will take readers to a recorded version of the interview where they can connect with the artist on a more personal level. Finally, the background has been kept a solid, dark colour to really allow any other colours used for fonts, puffs and images to really pop against it and further draw in our readers.

Strengths

1. The clouds I've used for the quiz connote younger and more fun themes to readers which appeals well to our target audience, it gives the magazine a youthful vibe and therefore our target audience will enjoy the magazine more. 

2. I have ensure the article is split up to follow the traditional layout of magazine columns, to ensure our audience can read the information clearly and in order I have ensure the Q&A's are clearly labelled in order and aren't too over detailed. I have included enough detail to inform customers but not too much that they grow bored with the article.

3. My magazine has used big titles with a script font to draw readers into the article, the larger texts were titles and quotes relating to the article. In this way I am able to easily capture my readers' attention and this can sometimes be difficult due to my target audience often becoming distracted.

Improvements

1. Perhaps I will make the Q&A font slightly larger, it's slightly smaller than anticipated and therefore I would enlarge it where possible so that it is easily visible to readers. 

2. In the future I will try including more options for the quiz, this will make the quiz more interactive and less predictable which I believe my target audience will appreciate greatly.