Question 1

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

conventions of real media products?”

Front CoverThe Codes And Conventions I Included: • Masthead• Puff• Main cover line• Cover lines• Bar Code• Date and issue number• Main image • Poster images • Skyline

The Challenges on my front cover:

• Tagline• Thumbnail images

The codes and conventions • I’ve included most of the stereotypical/ expected codes and

conventions onto my magazine front cover such as the masthead and the main image. I didn’t try and challenge the codes and conventions too much as I wanted my magazine to suit the alternative rock genre and not be too different from the rest that my target audience wouldn’t buy it. In addition to that I feel that by adding in conventions such as a puff would further the attraction to my target audience as they’re visually seeing an offer/ a chance to win. Furthermore my skyline also lures in my audience through the use of a competition, this is purely because I feel that my popular target audience’s age (16-25) would appreciate a chance to either win something or go somewhere for free such as a Reading Festival ticket.

My coverlines kept a simplistic pattern as I feel that the viewer would read the content easier and wouldn’t get the feel as if there is too much going on (on the front cover). All of my coverlines are contrasting between the colour red and blue, by keeping the text on the front cover just red, white and blue would help follow the colour scheme throughout the magazine. To conclude, those three colours are also the colours on the English flag which also highlights the fact that Ambushed Reality are English.

Contents Page

The codes and conventions that I included:

• Page numbers• Images • Masthead • Social Media links • Editorial • Grab Quotes• Heading• Sub heading

Codes and conventions

• In the contents page I didn’t challenge any codes and conventions purely because I feel that the layout of the contents page should be similar to other magazines. This is due to how the audience can find it easier to get somewhere inside the magazine if the layouts are very simple and clear. That being said, I decided to section out the contents page into three different sections; one with the text on the different pages: one with the page numbers next to the text: and the other of images that are luring in the audience to a certain page with a small article to follow.

• The grab quotes I used also showed the audience where to find that page with a page number reference shown with an image. By doing this made the contents page become lit and clear for readers to find their way around the magazine.

The Double Page Spread

I wanted to challenge the double page spread with having a different layout to a mainstream alternative rock magazine style. Despite the fact this certain layout has been done before, it hasn’t been used too much for this genre. I feel by challenging something the codes and conventions for my double page spread would have the audience used to a different more unique style. Furthermore I feel that with having such a young target audience, new ideas and creativity will lure them into reading and buying the magazine.

Furthermore I feel that by adding in the masthead to my Double Page Spread, I can actually keep full interested on my audience whilst also holding the possibility if the article would be later posted online (through social media websites).