Magazine cover learner response

1) Add your finished magazine cover as a JPEG image.

2) Type up your feedback from your teacher. If you've received this by email, you can copy and paste it across - WWW and EBIs.

Mark: 11

Grade: B

WWW: In many ways this is an A grade cover – it immediately looks professional, sits well between two real GQ Style covers and has an excellent harmonious page design. The cover image is strong, direct address from the model’s eye contact is absolutely appropriate and the left-hand side cover lines are very good. In addition, your evaluation is quite detailed and reflective and these will be valuable skills when it comes to acting on feedback for the real coursework next year. There are just two key aspects holding this back… 

EBI: The big lesson here will be extremely useful for the coursework next year – read the brief! Your ‘Public Enemy’ main flash is identical to a real GQ Style cover and the brief states that you need to come up with original cover lines and content. Secondly, the text in the top right hand corner holds this back from professional standards – the font doesn’t match the ultra-modern, urban feel of the rest of the cover (why a serif font there?) and you are missing an apostrophe on ‘World’s top fashion magazine’. This is a great lesson in the level of attention to detail and professional finish we need in the coursework next year! 

3) Consider your mark against the mark scheme above. What are the strengths of your production based on the the mark scheme? Think about magazine cover conventions and the media language techniques you have used to communicate with your audience (e.g. mise-en-scene, camera shot etc.)

 In terms of the mark scheme, I have shown a great application of knowledge and understanding of media language as I use my cover lines effectively as they seem professional in the way I have wrote them and the placement. The colour scheme I used in this is black and white which is very professional and seen a lot in GQ magazines adding to the effectiveness. I also use different methods in order to communicate clear meanings making it add to the realistic aspect of a magazine cover. The camera shot also compliments the style of my cover. 

4) Look at the mark scheme again. What can you do to move your mark higher and, if required, move up a level?

In order to move up a level I could've used an excellent cross-media production that constructs very effective narratives and shows deliberate control of connotations, though this may not be throughout, and constructs points of view that reflect values and attitudes. 

5) What would be one piece of advice you would give a student about to start the same magazine cover project you have just completed?

I would say to most definitely make sure to stick to the brief throughout the whole thing as if you use aspects from another magazine directly you will lose out on silly marks. Also make sure to make it as professional as possible so that the examiner can clearly see you took time with it and have a clear understanding of media products.