Media Evaluation

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

FRONT COVER:

When looking at the front covers of other music magazines I had to focus on specific conventions.Some of the main conventions used in all magazines are: eye-flow, layout and editing. I also had to look for key features actually in the magazine. For example, the masthead, barcode, slug , editorial pillars, and page numbers etc.

I found that all the front covers I looked at shared similar features so I knew that I wanted my magazine to follow these basic codes too, as I believe it makes it look more realistic thus, making it more appealing to potential readers.

On the next three slides I am going to explain to you how these real life magazines follow or challenge conventions and then compare them to my final front cover.

The first front cover I chose to analyse for my research:

• As you can see, this magazine shares a lot of conventions with your average magazine.

• There are multiple cover lines up and down the left and right hand sides of the page.

• There is an obvious colour scheme of red white and blue.

• On the left hand side there is a kicker that says “16-Page GIG blow-out!”. This is effective at making one of the main stories stand out.

• At the top of the front cover, towards the left hand side there is a masthead which is both the title of the magazine being “Q”. However, this magazine does not follow the typical convention of putting the masthead directly across the page, in the center, at the top. Their masthead is slightly more to the left and does not span across the whole page. Instead, there is a’top line’ highlighting one of the articles in the magazine.

The second front cover I chose to analyse for my research:

• Like, the previous magazine I analysed, you can see that it shares some of the same conventions as your average magazine.

• For example, the masthead is is big and eye catching which helps the magazine to stand out to readers if they are looking for it against all the other magazines.

• Also, the magazine has cover lines on both sides of the front cover which is typical of magazines.

• Like most magazines there is also a colour scheme. The colour scheme for this magazine is red and white against a dark blue/navy background.

• One way this magazine breaks conventions is because of its barcode.

• In most magazines if the barcode is on the front page it is not overwhelmingly big so it does not distract the readers attention the main stories and cover lines. However, this magazine has made it larger than average and put it going up half of the right hand side of the magazine where more cover lines or kickers would usually be.

The third front cover I chose to analyse for my research:

• Like the “VIBE” magazine this magazine also follows convention by placing the masthead of the magazine in the center of the front cover but at the top.

• It is very common that the main image of the magazine will be covering some of the masthead like it is in this magazine.

• Similar to the average magazine, this magazine has a kicker.

• A kicker is decided to make one of the main articles/stories in the magazine stand out. The kicker on this front cover is on the bottom right hand corner.

• This magazine does not have a barcode. However, this does not challenge convention because not all magazines place their barcodes on the front cover.

• This front cover follows code by using a colour scheme. The colour scheme for this front cover is pink and white, with a splash of yellow in the ‘d’ of the masthead.

• This is effective at making the mast head stand out further.

My final front cover and how it FOLLOWS conventions:• There are many ways in which my

magazine follows the conventions of a normal, real life magazine.

• Firstly, my masthead is placed in the same place most magazines would put their masthead which is in the center of the page at the very top of the magazine.

• Also, my model’s head is covering the masthead slightly which is typical of both magazines and follows the same conventions of the second and third magazines I chose to analyse.

• Another way my front cover follows conventions is by having a barcode and the price of the magazine.

• On my front cover, there is also an issue number and date which is what highlights to readers when the magazine was published and what issue number it is.

• I have also used a puff in the bottom right hand corner.

How my final front cover CHALLENGES conventions:• Although my magazine

predominantly follows media conventions my magazine does also challenge media conventions.

• For example, my colour scheme could be blue and black with a pop of yellow..

• However, it challenges normal conventions because I chose to incorporate three different colours of blue as opposed to just one.

• The reason why I did this is because before adding any colour my front cover was quite monochrome in the sense that it was just black and white and the original colour of blue I wanted to use didn’t show up against some of the white so I decided to tactfully place the different colour blues in the places where I knew they would stand out best.

• Another way my front cover could challenge convention is because of my main image.

• Unlike all the other magazines I analysed the photo I chose to use is not a close up but instead a medium shot.

Double Page Spread:

When looking at the double page spreads I had to focus on the same things I did for the front covers.A reminder of the conventions are:

Some of the main conventions used in all magazines are: eye-flow, layout and editing. I also had to look for key features in a double page spread, which are: Drop caps, gutters, main image, pull quotes, and page numbers etc.

Out of my contents page, front cover and DPS, I think my Double Page Spread is the aspect of my music magazine that challenges conventions the least.

In the next few slides I am going to be analysing two double page spreads and explaining how they either conform or challenge media conventions and features:

This is the first DPS I chose to analyse:• This DPS has a large body text.• This means that the DPS is content

heavy as the majority of the space is filled up by writing.

• One of the ways it conforms to convention is through its use of drop caps.

• Lots of Double Page Spreads tend to use drop caps to highlight to readers the start of the article.

• Another way this magazine follows conventions is by using pull quotes.

• This magazine’s pull quotes are right in the center of the page which make them stand out. Most pull quotes tend to be in the middle of the main body text or on the main image.

• The way this magazines ignores convention is through the image.

• Because there is so much text the image is significantly smaller than the average DPS.

• However, they still follow convention by having an image featured.

This is the second Double Page Spread I chose to analyse:• This DPS follows the conventions of

the average DPS quite a lot.• The first way it follows convention is

by having a huge main image taking over not just one page but a section of the other page too.

• Like the previous DPS, although this one doesn’t have as many, it too uses drop caps to signify the start of the article

• The article is in the form of an interview which is a very popular layout for a magazine.

• One way this DPS does not follow convention is because of the fact that it does not have any pull quotes.

• Most DPS’ do have pull quotes which are used to draw attention some of the best content within the article.

My final Double Page Spread and how it FOLLOWS conventions:

• There are many ways my final DPS follows convention.• Firstly, I have used two main pull quotes. The first pull quotes is positioned directly in the middle of

the text and the second pull quote is placed on my main image.• Regarding my main image, like the second DPS I analysed it too goes across onto both pages. I chose

to do this because I wanted the image in my DPS to be the main focus. • The layout of my magazine is in the form of an interview. This is a very popular way to layout a DPS

article. • Like both real life examples of DPS, I have also used drop caps. • Also, like both DPS I also have gutters which makes the columns in the article look more separated

and elegantly placed.

My final DPS and how it REJECTS conventions:

• Despite mostly following convention, my DPS does also ignore and reject conventions. • The main way it does this is by having writing other than pull quotes on the main image.• The main reason why I wrote ‘Phoebe C’ on the main image is because it follows on from the

‘Introducing…’ section which is actually the title of my article.• The final way my DPS does not follow convention is by having more than one image. Although they

are not main images, there are three smaller images on the left hand side of my DPS. Usually, there is only one main image however I wanted to add the three more in the form of polaroids because I thought that they would tie in well with the theme of my DPS.

CONTENTS PAGE:

When looking at real life contents pages I had to focus on the conventions and codes as I did when I was analysing front covers and Double Page Spreads.

These are:Some of the main conventions used in all magazines are: eye-flow, layout and editing. Some of the key features in a contents page are: subscritpion box, editorial pillars, leading text, page numbers, and the issue date and number etc.

In the next few slides I will be analysing two contents pages and comparing to them mine.I will also be talking about how my contents page follows and rejects mainstream conventions/codes:

The first contents page I analysed:• There are many ways that this

contents page follows conventions. • For example, down the right hand

side of the page you can see a significant amount of editorial pillars. Most contents pages in real magazines will have editorial pillars as they highlight to the readers the main themes in the magazines.

• Another way this magazine follows conventions and features of the average magazine is having a subscription box.

• The subscription box in this magazine is made clear because it is the black box at the bottom of the page with yellow writing which stands out against the main colour scheme of black, red and white.

• One way this magazine rejects conventions is by having only one main image on the contents page.

• Usually, in most magazines there are a few different types of images which are used to give sneak peeks into some of the content of the magazines.

The second contents page I analysed to understand key magazine features and conventions:• Unlike the other contents page, this

contents page does not follow many of the average conventions.

• For example, there are minimal article titles or pieces of leading text.

• In fact, there is minimal writing on this page. However, this could be due to the fact that some magazines have two contents pages so the main text could be on the second cover page.

• Another way this magazine rejects convention is by having only one main image. Especially one that takes up the whole entire page and is the main feature of the contents page.

• Like all other magazines, this contents page follows conventions by having a colour scheme of black and white.

• On the bottom of the page there is also an issue date and number as well as a page number which is a key feature of a contents page.

My final contents page and how it FOLLOWS major conventions:• Overall, I think that my contents

page does follow some of the main conventions of a real magazine.

• As you can see, my contents page follows one of the key features by having an editors note. This is placed at the top of the page above all of my editorial pillars.

• Speaking of editorial pillars, my magazine has loads which is quite similar to the first contents page I analysed.

• Another way my magazine follows convention is by having page numbers next to every single piece of leading text on my page.

• Page numbers are effective at showing the reader what number page the articles are on.

• Another way that I followed convention is by having a colour scheme of blue, black and white.

My final contents page along with some of the ways it IGNORES convention:• One of the main ways my contents

page challenges conventions is having an above average number of pictures on my contents page.

• The total number of pictures on my contents page is 7. I have 4 main pictures down the right hand side which are complemented with captions stating the article they belong to.

• Then the 3 smaller images are the same images I used on my Double Page Spread, linking to another picture of Phoebe which highlights they are apart of that article.

• I also have

Overall, why did you break convention on your magazine?

• The main reason why I broke convention was simple.

• I wanted to make my magazine look as aesthetically pleasing as possible and sometimes that is not possible if you choose to follow every single media convention/feature.

• The main piece of evidence for this is in my front cover and the fact that I did not choose a main colour scheme but instead chose to have different shades of blue.

• The reason why I did this is because I thought the different shades of blue looked nice against the white background of the brick wall and they also projected fantastically against the black of Phoebe’s (my model) clothes.