Evaluation - Question 1 Revisited

Question 1: In what way does your media product use, develop, or challenge form conventions of real media productions?

My products stick to the typical conventions of a music magazine as it uses mastheads, tag lines, sell-lines, cover lines, pull quotes, images and the correct shot types in the correct place and most importantly the link that it is a music magazine as I have used artists and band names that some people may now as they are in the UK charts but also some people who my target audience may know as they are artists and bands on YouTube.

A way in which my media product is more developed from your typical music magazine is that it has undiscovered artists and bands on it as well as a few discovered artists and bands which people may now and the niche for my magazine is that it is a magazine which is their to help my target audience be discovered and be inspired to go into the music industry, something which other music magazines may do in that they sell magazines due to the artists’ or bands status that they receive from their fans and the artists fame itself in that the their target audience may interpret that they too can be inspired by the artists and bands in the music magazine.

Front Cover

  

A more in depth way in which I have stuck to media conventions is that for my front cover I have used a female model, who is wearing a pale dress so that it doesn’t really catch the readers attention as I want it to be about them, their music and their stories rather than other conventional magazines which draw in on what the artist/band are wearing rather then their lyrics or their story to getting to the top. I was thinking this with the models hair, accessories and makeup as I again didn’t want it to be about those things. I imitated the VOGUE magazine with Lana Del Rey on the cover as for all it wasn’t a music magazine I believe the body language, hand position, facial expression and hair styling suited the purpose and goal of my magazine; to look natural so that the focus was on the artist/band and on their music. I used it also as I believed that it looked natural, inviting rather than aggressive and domineering like conventional magazines. The same method was used in relation to my colour palette as I wanted it to be eye catching in certain places and so I used the pink, blue, white and gold in certain parts of the cover so as to draw the reader in. I also decided to use this colour palette as it was similar to the colour palette of some of the magazines which I had researched but most importantly the VOGUE magazine as I thought that it signified what I wanted my magazine to be about; pale colours so that the music stood out for itself. I used the gold to signify that it was a special edition for my magazine but it could also be interpreted by my target audience that it is gold to show that it is unique, special as my niche doesn’t really conform to normal conventions.

 

For my masthead I looked through different fonts/styles, but decided to use ‘MoolBaron’ font for my masthead as 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. I choose to have my masthead gold to make it stand out for my special edition of my magazine but also so that it stands out as NME and Q are mostly red and so I decided to challenge the music magazine masthead convention and use gold. I also found from doing this research that they sometimes put the masthead in front of the image when it is a less well-known magazine, so I have kept to those conventions, but also the magazine in itself is the draw for my target audience, not just the artists like conventional music magazine so I decided to put the text in front of my model.  

I have also 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. 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 as well as my main inspiration magazine VOGUE as they have also used this technique to make the main sell-line stand out. 

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)

Contents Page 

 

For my contents page I decided to use the same style of layout, which ‘Q’ magazine used for their October 2008 contents page as well as GLAMOUR’s February 2011 edition, 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 his costume, as when you do a music magazine, as they don’t really stand out, however they also don’t compete or look too contrasting with the rest of the magazine and colour palette, so that it looks consistent and professional. 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)

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.

Double Page Spread

For my double page spread I have used put my image to the left hand side of the double page spread, as this is what they have done in some of the magazines which I have researched, the pull quote (title) is big on the page and I have also put a little introduction to who Ally Rhodes is, as these are conventional things to have on a double page spread for a music magazine.. 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 the same outfit as this is what they do in music magazine as this is what I have found in my research.

     

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 sitting on the floor much like Lana Del Rey in VOGUE magazine as I again believed it showed the right connotations and signified what my magazine is about.

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). 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)

Time Management

 In this post I have screen captured the contents page for my magazine as I worked on it. This can be seen below:

Progress Report

During my lesson I have found some more research which has helped me structure it my magazine, this can be found below:

During the lesson I have made progress on my front cover and colour palette which can be seen below:

Time Management

I have started to edit and recreate my magazine and have found that these colours work really well together and could be used as my colour palette for my magazine.

Models

I needed to have models for my images and so I asked my friends if they wanted to be my model. This can be seen below:

                                     

Conventions I will continue to follow/change

ADD ADELE THE TRIUMPH OF ADELE DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD JPEG For my revisited magazine I plan to use and stick to the conventions of music magazines eg. use artists and bands on the front cover using medium close ups, masthead at the top of the front cover of the page, sell-lines around the main image framing the main image.I will be imitating VOGUE magazine with Lana Del Ray on predominantly but also other magazines including music magazine which I have also been inspired by and which I will try to imitate so I should stick to many if not all of the music magazine conventions.

   

Time Management

In relation to my revisited magazine I have gone to the photoshoot sessions in the studio and have looked through the images and have found that I have enough images to start editing in Photoshop for my magazine and won't need another studio session.

Time Management

In relation to my revisited magazine I have booked three studio sessions for my photoshoot with my models for my front cover, contents page and double page spread as I know from last years and this sessions in the studio that one session wouldn't be long enough to get enough images and also in case I needed to re-do shot (Plan B shoot).

Time Management

In relation to my revisited magazine I have already started researching existing front covers, contents pages, double page spreads and analysed them in how they have inspired me to recreate my music magazine commenting on the conventions that they have followed etc.

I have already took images for my front cover, contents page and double page spread as I gained my ideas for the three photoshoots from my research of magazines and knew what images I needed as I had already created my flat plans for each page of my magazines.

Draft/Content

I will be using mostly the same content throughout my revisited magazine as I did when I first created it as I believe it was the delivery and execution of what I did rather then the content itself. For example I need to change images as when I first done them they looked flat once I edited them which makes my magazine look like an amateur magazine rather than a professional one.

Resources Needed

For my revisited magazine I will need to have a computer/Mac which has Photoshop on it as I will need to edit images and recreate my magazine as well as well access to the internet to upload my blogs etc. Another resource I will need is a good quality camera and a tripod so that I can get a professional looking shot that isn't blurry. I would also need to have a place to take professional shots in; Shiney Studio, as well as lighting equipment.. 

Revisited Recce

the ‘recce’

For my Recce for the revisited magazine it will have mostly the same potential problems and solutions as when I first created the magazine.

1.    Are there any potential hazards that could pose a health and safety risk where your photo shoot will take place (trailing cables/traffic/other objects)?

There could be a potential for the models to trip on camera equipment and/or props that are being used.

2.    What will you do to ensure these risks are minimised?
I will keep the camera equipment and props off the floor or out of the way of my models.

3.    Will the time of day/weather affect the outcome of the photos? Have you allowed for this?
Time of day won't really effect my images I will taking my images in a studio so I will be using studio lighting for my images. I will have to make sure though that the lighting doesn't become overexposed and look unnatural though as I am taking them inside in a studio.

4.    Have you considered the background to your photos, particularly if taken outside? How will you ensure you will get the background you want?
For my background I have considered of the possibility of the background ruining my photograph, so I have decided to have a plain background so it, will be easy edit as in the studio there is a proper place to take images which has a white background so it should be easy to edit and look professional.

5.    Have you considered lighting? What about the ‘problems’ of natural lighting, either outside, or streaming through a window? Will you need to use a flash? Have you considered reflective objects that might spoil the effect?
I have considered the lighting and I will be using lighting equipment to substitute for the natural lighting, but making sure that it doesn't become overexposed or unnatural.

6.    Do you need permission to take photos in the place/venue you have in mind?
I didn’t need to ask for permission to take photographs in the place I have in mind.

7.    Do you need to book time in a room (eg the photography studio at Shiney)?
I have booked the studio out to use three times so that I know that I will be able to do my images with enough time so that I don't have rush and if I don't get the right image I can recreate it in another session.

8.    Are other people/crowds likely to be an issue for you? What have you done to ensure that it will not spoil the effect?
I will be doing my images in a studio so I shouldn't be disturbed and people shouldn't spoil my images but to ensure that there aren’t other people in my shot so as not to spoil the effect, I will inform others of when the shoot was taking place.

9.    Are you reliant on lifts/props/friends’ equipment/models? How have you planned that these things will come together at the appointed time? Plan B?
I will be using my own lighting equipment, props, costumes, accessories and shoes. For some of my models they will be using and bringing their own costumes but if they didn't bring the correct costume I will bring my own clothes which will suit what I need for that particular shot(s). 

10. Finally, have you thought of every eventuality…?
I have thought of lighting, props, models not turning up (have other models ready for the shoot), and if there is something that I haven’t accounted for I have already arranged to do another two sessions in the studio so that I know that I will be able to do my images with enough time so that I don't have rush and if I don't get the right image I can recreate it in another session.

Inspirational Texts and Analysis of the Double Page Spreads of Magazines

Below is my research for music magazine contents page which I have analysed, commenting on what I liked, would like to imitate and the conventions the magazine followed: