1.
In what ways does
your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
Front Cover
For my font cover I have
tried to stick to media conventions as I have used a medium close up of my model,
as this is what they usually use for front covers, so as to draw readers into
my magazine. My model also wore a black dress, so that it stayed in with my
colour palette and by doing this it also kept in with media conventions, as
this is what other music magazines do. I also made her put her hands on her
hips so that it gave the connotation of power, but she is smiling too, which
gives the connotation that she is friendly, inviting but tough, which goes with
my main sell-line. I did this because this is what they usually do in real
music magazines.
For my masthead I
looked through different fonts/styles, but decided to use ‘MoolBaron’ font
because it gave the connotations of professional and elegant, which I believe
my target audience are like. (LINK)I also chose this style of text because
it was clear, easy to read and from my research I found out that they usually
use black font, for example ‘Billboard’ magazine uses a black font with
different colours in the counters. I also found from doing this research that
they sometimes put the masthead behind the image when it is a well-known
magazine, so I have kept to those conventions.
However I have challenged media forms for my media product as well as keep to them as I have created a
music magazine with a unique selling point; a music magazine, which is
dedicated to undiscovered artists/bands so that they can become discovered
without the aid of talent shows. From doing my audience research I found that
there was already an existing market for my media product as I uploaded a
questionnaire for my target audience (14-21 year old females) to fill in, and
found that they thought it was a good idea and that it would be a ‘Good way to find out about new music’. (LINK)
Another way in which I have
used conventions of a real media product is that I have a white main sell-line,
with a black drop shadow on the text. I decided to do this because I wanted the
main sell-line to stand out against the image and other pieces of text, but I
also found whilst doing my research that NME magazine have also used this
technique to make the main sell-line stand out.
I have also challenge and develop conventions for my front cover by
putting my websites at the top left hand side of the page, as real magazines
usually put their websites with the bar code, however I decided to put it there
so that it filled the space, it looked similar to the right hand side of the
page, and I wanted it to be seen, because when you look at real music magazines
you can’t really see what the text says, and as my media product would also be
digital, it would be in my interest to make it easily visible.
I have also added a barcode for my front cover, as music magazines need
to be sold and have a barcode so that the retailers know what the product is
and what the price is. I never made my bar code, however I did make sure that
it was a music magazine bar code so that it kept in with media conventions. For
the price of my music magazine I asked my target audience using ‘Survey Monkey’, so that I could find out
how much they would pay for my music magazine, however I found that the price
of my music magazine would be too low compared to other music magazines, so I
decided to raise it to £2.99, so that it would still be a competitive price
compared to other magazines. (LINK)
For my contents page I decided to use the same style of layout, which ‘Q’
magazine used for their October 2008 contents page, so that I keep to music
magazine conventions. I have also kept to music magazine conventions by using a
long shot of my model, as this is what they do in music magazines, so that
readers are drawn into the page, so that they can identify who the
person/people in the image is. I have also kept to conventions for her costume,
as when you do a music magazine, you need your model to wear the same colours
from your colour palette that you have chosen for your magazine, so that it
looks consistent and professional. For the background colour behind my model I
decided to keep to my colour scheme by using a blue shade for my background. I
also decided to use the same colour as my front cover for my contents page
background so that it kept consistency in my magazine and looked professional.
I have also tried to use a very limited colour for the rest of my contents page
so that it is stripped back and professional looking, but also so it appeals to
my target audience and so that it gives connotations that it is for young
adults. (LINK)
For my cover lines for my contents page I decided to use large numbers
(38/46) instead of small numbers (1/2) as this is what they do in music
magazines such as ‘Q’ and ‘NME’. I did this so that I kept in with music
magazine conventions. Another way in which I have used this magazine (NME) to
create my music magazine is that ‘NME’ tell their readers that they could
subscribe to that magazine. I decided to use this because music magazines that
do this are usually wanting to promote their magazine, so that the target audience
buys more than one issue rather than buying that issue for that specific thing
in that article at the time. I have also done this so that my target audience
would be kept up-to-date with undiscovered artists/bands.
Another way in which I have
used a cover line called ‘EVERY MONTH’, as this is what they do in ‘Q’
magazine, so that it kept in with music magazine conventions. I also wanted to
use this cover line so that my target audience knew exactly what my music
magazine was about and what it contained, as this is what my unique selling
point is, so I wanted my target audience to buy my music magazine for the right reasons.
I have also created a contents page number on the
right hand side of the page, alongside the page number so that my target
audience know which magazine the contents page is, also so they know what page
umber they are on as this is what they usually do in music magazines.
Double Page Spread
For my front cover I have
again stuck to music magazine conventions as like the double page spread I have
used put my image to the right hand side of the double page spread, the pull
quote (title) is big on the page and I have also put a little introduction to who
Ally Rhodes is. Another way in which I have kept to music magazine conventions
is that I have used pull quotes, a drop capital at the beginning of my article,
and on a double page spread they usually use 3-4 columns per page, so this is
what I did for my double page spread. I have also put page numbers at the
bottom of the page, as this is what they do in music magazines, along with the
masthead. Another way in which I have kept in with music magazine conventions
for my media product is that the number for my double page spread is high,
because they don’t usually put the main sell-line article at the beginning, and
is usually in the middle. (LINK)
I have also kept to my colour scheme for my double page spread so that
it kept consistency throughout the magazine and looked professional. For my
model for my double page spread I have got her to wear a different costume so
that she looks different, however I still got her to wear black and red so that
it kept to my chosen colour scheme.
For my double page spread
image I decided to use a long shot so that people would be drawn into the
article, just like NME magazine, however music magazines typically use close up
or medium close ups as they seem to be more intimate, but I wanted to use a
long shot to give the connotations that my audience would be ‘seeing’
everything about Ally Rhodes and her life, without holding back. For my image I
have also used a long shot as it takes up the page, and breaks up the text,
however still not looking overcrowded on the page. I have also made my model
look over her shoulder and smiling, so that she can be seen and give
connotations of cheeky, fun and happy, despite the her struggles. I have also
added a shadow to my image so that my image linked in with my title (as my
title has a shadow), but also so that it stood out against the text.
For the text for my double page spread I decided to use simple text, so
that my target audience would be able to read it (LINK) and I also decided to
change the colour of the questions as this is what they sometimes do in real
music magazines as it breaks up the page and so it doesn’t seem as long. Also
for my text I have tried to use inspirational words/phrases as this is my
unique selling point for my media product; to have undiscovered artists/bands
in my music magazine so that they can become discovered by my target audience
without the aid of talent shows. This challenges the conventions of a real
media product, but from the research I have collected from my target audience I
have found that they would buy a music magazine with people they don’t
recognize on the front. (LINK)
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