In what ways do your media products use, develop or challenge forms and

conventions of real media products?

Before constructing my final magazine, I researched into existing music magazines. I
looked carefully at their codes and conventions in terms of the front cover, contents page
and double page spread.
In terms of my front cover:
For example, I followed the conventions of the
worn out and ripped text from the magazine
blender. Blender is an American music
magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate
guide to music and more". It targets a similar
audience of 16-25 years old. The the layout
format is very different to the average pop
magazine that you see on the market. I chose
to conform to this particular convention as it
stands out in front of the background as it
gives quite an edgy effect. it reduces the
formality of the magazine and makes it seem
more informal and casual' therefore
targeting a younger age range. I also followed
the conventions as my mast head is
capitalized however most magazines display a
single artist in front of the masthead to make
them look more prominent, I did not conform
to this as I felt that this took attention away
from the magazine. For the fonts I kept to to
the blender magazines conventions by using a
rustic, edgy, rough font to make the magazine
seem casual and informal therefore targeting a
younger target audience. I am not conforming
to the VIBE magazine fonts as their fonts are
quite harsh and bold making the magazine
seem quite serious. The colours of myFor
fonts
my headline, I stuck to the
however do not conform to any particular
conventions of having it in the bottom
magazine on the market as most magazine
left hand side of the cover, this is similar
use a range of different colours, I however
to vibe magazine as it allows room for

the main image and doesnt distract from

the main image as this helps to give it
the most cover space. Also it is in a
better area as if it was printed there
wouldnt be any danger of the spine
obstructing any of the text. However, I
have not stuck to the typical convention
of having the headline over the top of the

In terms of graphology, my
cover was unique and different
compared to other magazines
on the market. My magazine
includes a masthead,
secondary leads and plugs. My
magazine has stuck to the rule
of thirds which allows easy
navigation as the text is
displayed on either side of the
image which occupies the
middle third. I have used
secondary images to preview
other articles which is similar to
the magazine company I did
this instead of using a large
amount of text I I feel like text
would make the front cover
cluttered.
I have stuck to cosmopolitans
magazines conventions using a
feminine, curved front for my
headline. I used the font miama
nueva to give a handwritten effect.
this adds a a more casual feel but
also makes the magazine seem
more feminine using curved, flicking
effects which create quite an
elegant, delicate effect. I however
am not conforming to the Q
magazines stereotype as their font
is harsh and bold to add a more
serious tone, however my font is
also similar as I have used a white
to define this text as this colour
contrast with the grey scale image
behind it.

I have used a mid-shot

which links to the sugar
magazine. This allows a
detailed shot of the face
emphasising direct eye
contact with the camera
however it still allows for
some background to be
seen and outfit choses to
be emphasized. The space
around the artist can also
be used by the secondary
leads which then doesnt

In terms of mise-en-scene I didnt use

similar costumes like the magazine
cosmopolitan. I wanted my artist to wear
white as this represents purity, perfection
and innocents which shows the artist in a
positive light, I also didnt want to
emphasize the clothes too much which is
I think have stuck to the typical colour scheme of music magazine
why I didnt dress the artist in a dramatic
of a pop genre. I think the colour schemes that my genre of
or patterned outfit as I really wanted the
magazine is closest too is the magazine we heart pop as it has
cover to be more about the headline and
the artist herself rather then it all beinguse bright bold pinks and purples. However, I mainly stuck to a
colour scheme based around this magazines logo. I used a
about what she is wearing. This however
was not the case for cosmopolitan as magenta pink to reinforce the fact that the majority of my
audience will be female. However, this magazine has more purple
because they are a fashion. magazine all
the emphasis would have been focusedtones whereas mine had more pink tones and black tones. I have
on the outfit the artist was wearing so chosen to do this as I feel it makes my magazine more grown up
therefore targeting a younger adult market. The purples on the
we heart pop magazine make it seem very girly and childish
which is not what I wanted my magazine to represent.

I have not stuck to the conventions of this contents

page as I have included and editors letter to act as an
introduction to my magazine. This magazine does not
include one of these and may be because the main
focus for this magazine was the image.
The masthead of
my contents page
conforms to
typical
conventions, it is
located at the top
of the page so it
an be clearly seen
and relates to the
existing magazine
I however have used a
as it uses a bold
secondary
image
in
my
fontused
with
My contents page sticks to theFor
conventions
of a contents
pageabold
as
it has
to read
the main image
I have
long
shoteasy
which
is
contents
page
which
colours
to
columns for easy navigation which
is
also
what
the
existing
magazine
has
in
order
also used in this magazine to show the full artist, thisto
challenges
the layout
of clearlyto
emphasize
the up in
split up each article type. Number
are also
highlighted,
my
provides
a contrast
the
typicalhowever
close
exhibited
on
the
existing
magazine.
I
text
in
order
to
contents page I have emphasized
these
more
as
I
felt
that
this
was
the
most
the front cover. Both of the image take up almost half
have done of
this
it gives
important piece of information
asthe
itasallows
readers
to easily
locate
the article
page
and
by doing
this it
highlights
their they
insight
into
the
articles.
wanted to read, in a fast hassle
free
way.
The
main
article
is
also
emphasized
using
importance within the magazine showing that they
area
larger text type however the existing magazine has done this in a different way and

I have stuck to the typical

conventions for my double
page spread in the sense
that I have used the main
image as a focal point for
my magazine with
secondary images to build
up the artists profile. This
magazine also relies on
multiple images to make
the magazine interesting
and
I was inspired by the heart
background of the existing
magazine background as
the hearts gave a feminine
colourful.
feel to the magazine. I feel
that for this type of genre
very patterned
backgrounds are extremely
relevant as they make that
magazine seem fun and
exiting.
Both magazines have
used a speech
masthead with large
speech marks to
make sure the
readers know this has
come directly from
the artist. This is
effective as it
introduces the article
and gives readers an
My double page spread is similar to this existing magazine arrangement,
I have
insight into what
it is
included a mid shot image and a secondary image to give more of an insight into
the article and to make the main focus about the artist. I have also used text
markers. This has also been done by the existing magazine to break up the text
making it look like a Q&A format and the text is also displayed in columns to allow
for easy navigation. I did this simply by writing the text in Photoshop in sections
rate than all in one go. I however did not write as much text for the double page
spread as I felt a lot of information would intimidate the readers, I therefor made
the magazine focus more on the images and key quotations of what the artist has