Q1. In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Looking at many music magazines, I believe I have: followed many of their conventions, adapted them into my own magazine and also changed a few of these forms in order to illustrate my own design of a music magazine in order to suit my intended audience, yet at the same time not altering too much of these conventions as it would not pass off as a music magazine.

Out of all my products, I have applied all the conventions accurately mainly for my front cover magazine, including the masthead, cover lines, dateline and so on as I believe that all these conventions put together are highly significant on the way it is able to catch the buyers attention and is able to easily sell all the glory details of this unique magazine. I also decided to add a puff- attached with two images as my audience research evidently showed it as a vital ingredient.

In order to make it big, bold and unique, I’ve applied this aspect onto my masthead which is spread across the top, designed in a typeface incorporating a blend of tones from the same colour alongside rectangles behind in order to make it recognisable. Its composition as well as my cover lines and dateline develop the forms of a real media product as it follows the rule of the left third significantly consisting of famous artists’ names in the cover lines, which real media products do, in order to stand out and to sell the magazines main and intriguing features.

My main image is of a single model in a medium shot with her NVC and body language looking directly at the camera which dominates the page. This allows the audience to connect with the ‘artist’ which is an important factor as the magazine needs to entice the buyer. I’ve taken the conventions of a magazine further and have placed a selling line above the masthead which is short and sharp and therefore, alongside the masthead, it would be easy to spot and is attention grabbing. As my magazine is aimed at a diverse group of teenagers and music tastes, instead of having one or two different fonts, I’ve used several in order to engage the audience visually as well as connoting the magazines versatility in terms of genres and availability. 

I have taken more risks with my contents page and double page spread than the front cover, by either developing the conventions further, or getting rid of them completely. I’ve been consistent with the colour scheme, fonts and the main image as it is important to have a dominant connection with the front page and therefore wouldn’t clash in terms of style as it wouldn’t make it unique 

Instead of having ‘contents’ at the top I’ve allowed the masthead to stand by itself making it bold as a brand. To make it appealing to the eye and easy to read and to actually pass it off as a contents page, I’ve followed the conventions by adding a mix of images, text and columns and categorised headlines, so that the arrangement would allow the audience to easily follow it through. Therefore, there is no need of the indicated ‘contents’ as it should successfully be distinguishable as a contents page. Although it is small, I have included the issue date, contact info, web address which is placed directly at the top and would subtly blend into the page and therefore wouldn’t add too many distractions, alongside the other features which already do this.  

Instead of a white background I’ve used a grey/black background in order to match the front cover, making it a unique magazine as well as enhancing the contrasted lighter texts more. I decided not to use text-boxes and a sub-line to anchor my images as I thought there was already too much going on, on the page and therefore, I have challenged this convention to avoid too much chaos and untidiness on the page.

My double page spread also challenges the conventions slightly as I have excluded a by-line and a strap-line for the same reasons as I did for the contents page, as all the other features are more important. Although, to make up for their absence, I have instead used conventions such as the subject matter and the stand first which partially adopts the purpose of the excluded conventions, providing visual encouragement, to read the article further.

The convention of the main image consists of the subject posing in a direct address which I have challenged in order to connote her genuine love of music. Also in my view, the fact that we can’t see her eyes makes it more attractive as it almost makes you want to read and find out more about this hidden, serene artist. I have also attached a smaller image on the opposite page into the interview so that there are more visuals instead of the plain, dull and long text.
           
My double page spread follows the same colour scheme and has therefore followed the conventions, as they all look as though they belong to the same magazine, which is the whole purpose of the colour scheme. The subject name has been placed on top of the image as an overview of the whole article, which I have placed on top of the image and both pages so that there would be a balance of colour on both sides of the pages making it consistent. In the interview I have placed her quote directly in the middle as a ‘pull’ and this follows the conventions as it is enlarged and stands out from the whole article. I’ve followed the conventions in my text by beginning with a stand first as a summary of the interview below and a drop capital is included- not only to indicate where they should read, but also brings a little more depth to the page due to the arrangement, different font, size and colour, in order to make it more ‘abstract’.