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

real media products?

Front cover

Splash image

Fig 1. Fig 3.Fig 2.

For my splash image, I have used a medium shot (Fig 1.) which is what is most commonly used in other magazines (Fig 2. and Fig 3.). By doing this, my image is one of the first things that the audience will see.

I have used a female on the front cover to break the conventions that magazines in this genre will generally have a male on the cover. As I have done this, it will catch peoples attention as it is something different and it also helps to bring females towards my magazine rather than it being completely focused on the male side. Laura Mulvey also came up with the theory of the Male Gaze so it will help to include the male audience as well so my magazine has a more balanced audience.

When I took the pictures for my splash image, I made sure that my model had fashionable clothing, had some slight make up and her hair was slightly styled. I did this so that she would still fit in with the other images from other magazines (Fig 2. and Fig 3.) as they have not been very styled for their images.

In Fig 1. the model is making eye contact with the camera so, when people look at the magazine, they will feel connected to her and it will help to catch the audiences eye. The same has been done in Fig 3. where he is looking directly at the camera to connect with the audience, and in Fig 2., though his face is turned slightly from the camera, his eyes are still looking directly at it which keeps to the conventions of the splash image for the magazine.

Fig 1. Fig 3.Fig 2.

Cover lines

My cover lines (Fig 1.) are similar to the way that Kerrang (Fig 3.) have laid out their cover lines as there are only a couple and they are spaced out on the page. However, it is slightly different to the NME (Fig 2.) layout as they are all lined up down one side of the page.

I have challenged the conventions used in Fig 2. as there are only two cover lines and they are spread out over the page. It also challenges the conventions used in Fig 3. as I have tried to not cover up much of the splash image where as they have placed theirs on top of the image without trying to avoid it. I did this as I found it was much easier to read than when it is surrounded by the image as it can distract the readers vision.

I also tried to use words which would attract the audience, like “Exclusive” and “Comeback”, which will encourage the reader to pick up the magazine as they will get new information by reading the magazine. This is similar to both Fig 2. and Fig 3. as they have also used words like this to attract the audience towards their magazine. However, I have challenged the conventions by not including different colours to show each separate cover line on the page which the other two magazines have done.

Masthead

For my masthead (Fig 1.), I wanted it to look different to how they normally look in a magazine. I have used a red colour scheme (like in Fig 2.) and I have tried to make it stretch out over the whole of the page (like in Fig 3.). I chose to use red for the colour for my masthead as it commonly used in my genre of magazine and it is clear and easy to read on the lighter coloured background for this cover but would also work on a darker background as well.

My masthead is positioned slightly off to the left so that the date, issue and logo/app symbol can be positioned at the top as well. I have included the logo at the top of the page so that the audience will automatically relate that symbol with the magazine and make it more recognisable to the audience as well.

I have gone against the usual conventions of the magazine as my masthead is not in bold like the other two examples. This will help to make it different from the other magazines and also helps to create to the pop side of the rock pop genre as it look more similar to that type of genre.

I have kept to the conventions of the magazine though by having the main image covering up part of the title which has been done in both Fig 1. and Fig 2. By doing this, the audience can still see the title clearly but it also helps to draw the eye down to the main image.

Fig 1. Fig 3.Fig 2.

Colour scheme

For my colour scheme, I have got one staple colour (red) and then used black, white and grey for nearly all of the cover, I have used yellow once to highlight the chance to win in the sticker style. This is very similar to Fig 2. as they have got the two staple colours of red and blue with all of the other items on the page being in neutral colours. Where as, Fig 3. has four main colours being used consistently throughout the page. I have also chosen red as my staple colour so that it ties in with my masthead and looks much more professional than if the I had used completely different colours throughout the cover.

For the background of my image, I have used a plain white background (which is the same as Fig 3. and similar to how Fig 2. has been done with a plain background) as this sticks to the conventions normally seen in a magazine and helps to make it look much more professional.

Fig 1. Fig 3.Fig 2.

Banner

My banner (Fig 1.) stretches along the bottom of my magazine which is different to how they are laid out in (Fig 2.). I have only used three images for my poster which is the same as Fig 2. but I have spread mine out along the page where as they have all been bundled together on the other magazine. I have done this so that the are easy to spot for the audience and gives them a bigger reason to buy the magazine as they will get free posters when they buy it.

I have stuck to the conventions of a magazine buy including posters on the front of the page and advertising them to the audience. I have also made them much larger to show off some of the ones which the audience will be most interested in so that they buy the magazine to see all of the other posters inside.

Fig 1.

Fig 2.

Contents

Headline

Fig 1.

Fig 2. Fig 3.

The headline of my magazine (Fig 1.) still uses the staple colour of red to help keep the magazine tied in together and keeps it looking professional and neat throughout the magazine. This is the same as Fig 2. and Fig 3. as they have kept to using the main colours which were used on their front covers.

For the font, I have used a basic, easy to read font like the other two magazines so that the audience can see clearly what the page is. By having a gradient behind it though, it makes it more interesting to look at and it helps to draw the eye downwards to look at the articles being mentioned.

Both Fig 2. and Fig 3. have the phrase “This week” instead of just saying contents which is something that I took on board when designing my contents page. Instead of saying “This week” though I put “What’s new” to help catch the readers attention. It also suggests that there will be something new included in the magazine this week instead of it being the same articles each week.

They have also both included their magazine name where as I have not. I have done this as I have included the logo further down on the page and I have also mentioned the name throughout the magazine.

Images

Fig 1.

Fig 3.

Fig 2.

I only used a couple of images on my contents page like Fig 3. which related to the small article included on the contents page. I made the images relatively large so that they catch the readers attention and make the want to read the article on the contents page and look at the other articles featured in the magazine.

Each of my images were taken on location at concerts (like Fig 3.) which makes them much more interesting to look at than just being studio shots. This helps to make the audience feel involved in what is going on and gives them a taster on what the small article be about (which is how the images in Fig 3. have been used).

Layout

The layout of my magazine (Fig 1.) is very similar to both Fig 2. and Fig 3. which shows how I am sticking to the conventions of the magazine. I have kept my contents page neat and tidy by making everything line up and having all of the colours work together well.

My contents page is very similar in layout to Fig 2. as I have the main contents down the right side of the page with the article on the left, headline at the top and adverts and extras at the bottom so I have kept with the conventions for how the layout of the magazine should be. The colours used are also very similar to Fig 3. as these are very common colours to use in this genre of magazine and are the colours which I chose to use for my magazine.

I have set out my contents into different sections (like Fig 2. and Fig 3.) so that it is easy for the audience to see what will be included in the magazine and can see what there is in different areas of the magazine.

Fig 1. Fig 2. Fig 3.

Double page spread

Headline

My headline (Fig 1.) is at the very top of the left page which is the same as Fig 3. where as Fig 2. has the headline on the right page instead. This shows how I have stuck to the conventions of the magazine as it is the same as the other magazines out there. By having it on the left page at the top, it is the first thing that the reader will see and it is what will catch their eye and encourage them to read the article.

For the headline, I have used a pull quote which stood out in the article (like in Fig 3.) as this will encourage the audience to read the article to see why that has been said. It also does not give too much away so the audience will want to read it so that they can find out what it is about.

I have used the same red that I have used throughout the magazine so that it still links together and stands out clearly on the lighter background. I also included a gradient so that it makes it more interesting to look at and draws the readers eye down and encourages them to read the article.

Fig 1.

Fig 3.

Fig 2.

Layout

Fig 1.

Fig 2.

Fig 3.

The layout of my double page spread (Fig 1.) is very similar to how Fig 2. and Fig 3. are laid out. I have the image taking up the whole of the right side of the page with all of the text on the left. This is the same as how Fig 3. has been laid out. I have done this so that the image can be used as a poster and so that it keeps with the conventions of the magazine.

My text has been separated into three columns to represent the three members of the band where as Fig 2. and Fig 3. are only split into two columns. This means that I have challenged the conventions of the magazine as I have done something which makes it different to the others.

I have stuck to the conventions of the magazine as I have used a similar amount of images to the other two magazines on my double page. By only using two images, it does not draw the audiences attention away from what the article is about but it does help to separate the text up and make it much more interesting to look at.

Images

I have used two different images (Fig 1.) on my double page spread which is keeping with the conventions of the magazine as most other magazines have a range between 1 - 3 images which is the same as I have done.

Both of my images were taken out in York so that they relate more to my target audience and seem more approachable to the audience. I have kept to the conventions by doing this as most other magazines have images taken on location and do not have a plain background. I found it also makes the image more interesting to look at as you can see where they are and relate to the band more. I used one long shot of the whole band and then a medium long shot of the lead singer as the poster image on the other page. This has challenged the conventions as Fig 2. and Fig 3. both use medium shots of the singular artists so that the focus is on the artists face and the instrument that they are playing (Fig 3.).

I also edited the larger, poster image so that the background is in black and white with the artist still in colour. I did this to reinforce the focus on the artist and to show that he is the lead in the band. It also makes the image stand out from the rest of the page and will catch the audiences interest when they are looking through the magazine. This is similar to Fig 3. as they have taken most of the colour out of the image so I have conformed to their views on a magazine however, it is different to Fig 2. so I have challenged their views on what the magazine should look like.

Fig 3.

Fig 2.

Fig 1.

Colour scheme

Fig 1.

Fig 2.

The colour scheme on my double page spread (Fig 1.) is the same as the rest of my magazine. I have used red as the staple colour and with black, white and grey as the neutral, background colours for the rest of the page. I have kept to using the red so that the magazine will look more professional and it will seem more continuous as the colours are the same throughout and do not suddenly change on each page.

The background is white with a grey gradient at the top where the title is to encourage the reader to follow the gradient down to read the rest of the article. This is very similar to Fig 2. as they have used a plain white background for the double page which makes it easy to read and creates a much cleaner look throughout the magazine. However, it is very different to Fig 3. as that has a completely coloured background to tie the image in over both pages. I took this into account when designing mine so I kept the same grey as there is in the image as the gradient at the top of the page to help tie the two pages together.

By doing this, I have stuck to the conventions of both magazines as I have used the white background from Fig 2. but incorporated the colour element from Fig 3. for my double page spread.

I have used red as my staple colour as it stands out against the white background and black text so catches the audiences attention well and is still easy to read. I have stuck to the conventions as the other two magazines as they have both used a staple colour in their double page spreads to help it stand out on the page. The questions in the interview have been put in red so that the reader can easily see where each of the questions are and can skip to another question easily if they want to or re read one without having to search through all of the text. Fig 3.

Fig 1.

Writing style

Fig 2.

Fig 3.

I tried to write my article (Fig 1.) in an easy to read way which is relatively informal. I id this to relate to my audience more as they are likely to be younger so will not want to read an in depth article and would rather it seem like they are talking to them themselves. The younger generation do not speak formally to one another and in general day to day conversation so it is more relatable to them by using informal language in the article. This is similar to both Fig 2. and Fig 3. as they both use informal language throughout the article to relate more to the target audience.

The questions that are in the article are about the band, their music and concerts and festivals that they are either playing soon are have played recently. I have done this as this is what the audience will want to read about and is what most other interviews with other artists are like so I have kept with the conventions of the writing style involved in magazines.

My text is also split up into three separate columns to help represent the three people playing in the band in the picture just above the text.