Q1) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of

real media products?

There is a barcode and

a masthead on my front

cover, this makes is

possible to recognize

my magazine as a real

magazine…..

I used a model for my front covers background because I found that this was a

common convention among all magazines and my magazine should follow this

form so that it would be more professional like real media products. I ensured

that the model on my front page was also looking at the audience because on

other front page I researched into, this was a common feature. When I asked my

audience if they would prefer to have a model and the main image, or text/other,

they all agreed that using a model on my front page would be the must suitable

option. I think that my target audience agreed on this is because models on the

front of magazines is a common convention.

The background behind the model on magazines that I looked into also we plain.

I showed my target audience a magazine with a model on a street back ground

(NME) and they all preferred this there to be a more interesting background

behind the model, therefore I choose to take pictures of my model on location.

However I believe that this suits my target audience rather than a plain

background because I wanted to connote: fun, interesting, and vibrancy.

My Magazine

Other Magazines

Splash is a common feature on the cover of magazines, it

connotes the idea of Vibrancy, excitement and fun. On the

cover of the Q magazine issue that I did a in-depth study of, a

splash is more dominating than the masthead. I attempted to

get the same affect with my magazines front cover because

on most magazines for my intended audience, a

headline/feature of an article, is on the front page, and

dominates it.

The splash stands out from the rest of the

cover due to its sizing and colour. It gives the

effect of immediacy and importance. My media

product uses the convention of Splash

because other magazines use it too, this

makes it possible to recognize my magazine

as a real magazine.

My Magazine

I wanted the Note It! Audience to be drawn to the masthead

but I wanted the Splash to be the most dominating element of

the page. I followed the conventions set by real magazines by

having the font of the title in a different font from the other

text and situation at the top of the front cover. This makes it

easier to recognize my media product as a proper magazine

because it follows the conventions of existing magazines.

I also challenged conventions set by other magazines by not

putting the model on top of the title. The image that I choose

to use did not allow me to do this if I placed the masthead

where I did.

Real Magazines

TEXTIn my research, I noticed that all magazine used text on their front pages.

I followed these conventions and even developed them because I insured

that text on my front page was in different size and colour signalling

importance and interest for my reader. The name “Andrew Lloyd Webber”

are large, then “Interview” is larger and in another colour, whereas the

quote below is smaller and in black text. Some of the text on the front

cover is also in block capitals, and stands out from other significant texts

on the page. “Jazz” stands out more than “Interview” however

“Interview” is still the most dominating element of this small space on the

front cover. The size and colour of the text alters from heading to

heading.

The text also makes my magazine recognisable for my genre because the

Rosewood Std font that I used throughout my magazine is one that would

be associated with Musicals because such text has been used previously

in the WestEnd.

My Magazine

Real Magazines

CONTENTS PAGE

LAYOUTThe layout of my magazine challenges forms of others that I researched into.

Published magazine contents pages are aligned and straight, unlike mine where

images and text is on a slant. I choose to challenge this convention because I wanted

my magazine to be unique and attract the intended target audience by being “fun”. I

do not think that having my contents page on this angle makes it complicated, in fact

its connotation of “simple” still applies. I also think that by having the layout of my

contents page slanted makes my magazine more recognizable as belonging to my

genre of music, Musicals because people who like Musicals are considered to be

“happy, bouncy” , this whole contents page gives off a young vibe that my target

audience would like.

My contents page also appears to be split up into five different sections, editors note,

table of contents and three different images, whereas contents pages that I

researched into look as if it is one whole page. My contents page is one whole page

however has been „broke down‟, I think that this makes it more friendly to the eye

that contents pages that are too full on packed with lots of information in a small

space, not very appealing.

My Magazine

Real Magazines

IMAGESMost of the contents pages that I researched into have one main image. I

have challenged this convention and have used more than one image. When

comparing “Rolling Stones” magazine to “Spin” (both of which I researched

into) , I believed that the assembly of images on “Rolling Stones” contents

page looked better than on “Spin” because not only where there more image

but the reader had more of a variety of images to view and could easily find

the article that they wanted to read first. Following the form of the “Rolling

Stones” issue that I researched into, I placed the page numbers on top of the

images, like I did in my Preliminary task because this is what the audience

would expect instead of having it blocked and looking unprofessional

because I have not used the effects that were available to me.

I also used drop shadow on the lines on my contents page. I followed

conventions set by other magazine in this instance because It is what my

audience would expect, and is typical of all magazines to make the line look

optimized, 3D and therefore more professional. The drop shadows continue

throughout the entire magazine, it gives the overall finish of a high standard.

My Magazine

Real Magazines

There is a shadow behind the model.

EDITORS NOTEI wanted to include a editors note on my contents page because I felt that

this would be suitable for my target audience and would make my magazine

more informal. I asked my target audience and they felt that a editors note

was appropriate. Most of the magazines that I researched into did not have a

“chatty” form of editors note, and some did not have any at all. I liked the

“Take me out” editors note that I showed my target audience, therefore I

followed this form slightly with a more informal tone that would make my

target audience feel more relaxed, and they would think that the editor was

friendly and had created the magazine with the audience in mind.

The magazines that I researched into that did have an editors note all

included a image of the editor, I followed this form and used a picture of

Jennie, the editor of Note It!

Real Magazines

My Magazine

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

LAYOUTI tried out some different Ideas for the layout before I settled on this

one. Many double page spreads in magazines have one main image

covering on whole page and the other page has all the text on. I was

going to follow this convention, however I do not think that it looked

appropriate, or professional. I changed it to this layout which

challenged conventions because there was more than one image on

one of the pages. I also used a selection of both colour and black

white images. I felt that the varied colours suited the target audience

and the article that I had written. The different pictures will keep the

audience interested because it will not be what they are expecting. I

attempted to make the images look like a casual photo album. This

suits the theme of the page because the article is a interview with a

famous superstar talking about her past, childhood and experiences.

I have made my article into a interview, keeping all text on the right –

page of the double page spread, however the title is clearly displayed

on the left hand side top corner. I placed the title there because this is

where my audience will look first when they are viewing the double

page spread. Most of the double page spreads that I looked at and

researched into had the title displayed at the top (often in the left) for

the same reason. I felt it was important to follow this convention

because I wanted it to be clear that my media product was a magazine

and was recognizable.

My Magazine

Real Magazines

TEXTIn my research, I noticed that the font of the text was clear where

there was a lot of main body text. I used a clear font, at used different

colours for the interviewer and the interviewee, this will make it clear

to the audience who is speaking, and also makes is easy to navigate

around the page. I found that this was a common convention among

magazines that had interviews in them as a double page spread. The

main body text is in four columns. Every magazine that I researched

into and looked at had columns. I followed this form because it is

important that my double page spread can be distinguished as a

magazine that has a format, than being a disaster.

I also placed Pull quotes in the article. This was common among

interviews in magazine because it is what the reader accepts as being

the „norm‟. The pull quotes make the page look recognizable as a

interview in a magazine.

My Magazine

Real Magazines

KICKERAll magazines I researched into had a Kicker at the start of their

articles. I followed this convention because it looked more

professional and made it more obvious to the reader where the

article starts.

My Magazine

Real Magazines

OVERALL

COLOUR SCHEMEAll of the magazines that I researched into had a colour scheme that

was consistent throughout. I ensured that my pages followed this

form by following a set colour scheme, the scheme of the union jack.

The audience expect all the pages in a magazine to look as if they do

come from the same magazine instead having some pages that do

not look like they are even part on the same magazine.

Red appeared as a main colour on many magazines. Note It! Has a

very unique blue.

TEXTFollowing the forms of other magazines, I ensured that the type face I

used was carried on throughout the magazine.