EVALUATION QUESTION 2IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA

PRODUCTS?

The genre of my magazine was rock, typically some of the key conventions of this genre include:• Dark colours• Confidence• Masculinity• Tattoos/Style • Rebellion

In my print, I have tried to approach most of these key conventions however some I have tried to change some to give rock a new, modern identity. This is because rock has lost some popularity as most of what we see in the top charts is dance and pop so this has made me realise that rock needs to appeal more to the younger generation to encourage a revival. The reason for this is because rock music represents the talent of PLAYING music, for example, rock stars will play the guitar and play the drums, unlike many music now that is made through mixing certain sounds, therefore, by bringing back rock, there will be a lot more variety in the music industry and fellow rock fans would feel as though their needs have been met. I have tried to make the front cover bold and catchy as this is what catches the audiences attention and encourages them to read. Therefore, I have attempted the same colour palette of dark colours throughout my production to create a sense of brand identity, this will increase the popularity of my magazine; the main aim of producing this magazine.

Introduction

FRONT COVER- HOW I DEVELOPED, CHALLENGED AND USED MEDIA CONVENTIONS

Masthead- Most rock magazines such as Kerrang and NME, all have large mastheads, therefore, I ensured that this was the largest typography on the page. I did this because it helps to gain more recognition for the brand name as this is what people will need to remember in order to purchase the magazine again. It is also located at the top of the page and this is to indicate to the audience that it is the brand logo, therefore, it meets their expectations and reduces confusion. I placed it here because commercially, it can be seen when stacked on the shelves, therefore, people are more likely to pick it up as the name gives the audience an insight of what kind of magazine it is. Linking from this, the name ‘CRASH’ connotes that it is a rock magazine because it sounds harsh and loud which reflects what rock music is. If the magazine was called ‘Vibe’ it would suggest that the magazine is hip-hop, therefore, the key is to make the genre obvious to attract a selected target audience. For people whom are music fanatics, they may realise that ‘CRASH’ comes from the crash symbol on a drum set, therefore, they may appreciate the hints in the logo, building curiosity for them to read on. Kerrang was my inspiration for the name as ‘Kerrang’ sounds like the noise made from a guitar and this is something that is well known. This is another way how I applied to a rock magazine convention as many include words that people associate with rock music, in order to connote the genre. Therefore, my logo name may have a two step flow effect because people may tell their friends about it, therefore, creating a mass audience as word of mouth is a useful form of promotion and it’s completely free! One convention which I did not follow was that mainly, the masthead will stretch across the whole page. I would probably do this in the future because without the flash ‘posters inside’ the top of the magazine would look bare which could discourage readers as they may feel as though there is not enough content. Moreover, in the future, I could use a tighter font so I could call it ‘CRASH MAGAZINE’ to reduce any gaps on my cover.

Front Cover-How I used, developed and challenged forms and conventions of

real media products.Colour Palette- The colour palette which I used was very conventional of rock magazines. Red; which is a symbol of lust and danger, both of these things we hear about in rock songs. Black; connotes darkness which is an incentive to not abide the rules of society. White; as a juxtaposition, to show purity and innocence which signifies that their target audience is young people. I have also used grey and this is to separate the three bold colours. My cover uses a similar colour palette to Kerrang and this is a good thing because it makes it obvious that it is a rock magazine, therefore, the audiences expectations have been met (Hegemony). Red is a very bold colour, so using this often, even in gossip magazines such as ‘Heat’ therefore using red gives my print brand identity and this is one way that it is going to become more memorable to readers. By using a small colour palette, it makes my magazine look more professional as it is very rare that you will see random colours; this usually suits younger children. It is also continuous as this colour palette runs throughout my magazine which will remind them of what they are reading. I feel this convention was used well because the writing is legible which assures the reader that they will have a relaxing read. Linking to the Uses and Gratifications Theory. By using red in the colour palette, it brings brightness and Kerrang have done this too, this is to prevent the magazine from looking dull. This conventional palette is eye catching which will encourage more readers. The only weakness to following this convention is that it may be confused with other magazines, therefore, it does not promote variety in the industry and mine may look a ‘rip off’. In the future, I would perhaps use blue instead of red however this could cause other issues such as feministic criticisms as blue is not gender neutral and would promote inequality.

Layout: Initially, I planed to have a conventional ‘L’ shape layout because it is easy to read this way as it is simplistic and is what most readers are used to however after taking my image, I realised it would look bare and would not focus around the main image. Instead I went for a well known but not conventional ‘O’ shape and this is because it allows the attention to be on ‘Dylan Steele’. This will allow his fame to burst as he will get the most recognition and it would even encourage male/female gaze; these groups will encourage many people to repurchase the magazine as they may idolise the model. I have also developed one of the conventions in the print industry because usually, the pull quote will be smaller than the artists name, I did the opposite because I felt that the pull quote was interesting and encouraging as it arises many follow up questions which interests people. The other reason is because the musician/ band is unknown so his name would not mean anything to readers unless they were fans, therefore, the pull quote is the main hook for the magazine. It is conventional to have the pull quote centred so I did this in order for it to gain the most recognition from the reader. It is conventional to have a strap line at either the top and the bottom of the page and I included it at the bottom as I did not want it to become a distraction from the masthead as this could have discouraged the logo from being memorable. I included this conventional strapline because it is a way of including more content which will attract the reader. Despite this, in the future, I would use a smaller font on the strapline in order to fit in more information as it is a better way of advertising . Another convention which I used is placing the bar code at the bottom of the page, most magazines have it here so it symbolises that the magazine must be purchases and this will reduce theft. Placing it here, makes life easier for consumers because they will aware of where it must be scanned, for example, in self-checkout which makes purchases quick and easy which reduces any issues of people complaining about simple factors like the barcode.

Front Cover – Conventions

Graphics- On my front cover, I have used a range of graphics, one conventional feature is the plug on the left of the page ‘WIN A FREE IPAD’ with a circle around it. Many magazines do this, for example, gossip magazines such as Closer, however I did this so that it would appeal to women too, therefore, satisfying their needs ( linking to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs). It is conventional to have circle large and I did this because it will be eye catching to the reader and the fact that it has a competition on it, allows the reader to become involved with the magazine. This links to the Dyer Star Theory as people will feel as though they are more engaged with ‘CRASH’, with helps to build a good relationship with the consumer too. Other graphics which I have used are the translucent boxes around the cover line titles, for example, ‘Summer Specials’, most of the time, this graphics will be one bold colour however I challenged the convention by using translucent boxes it created a range of different textures on the page, for example, some boxes were block colours which created a variety on my cover to make it look more interesting. The cover lines are also not where I wanted to draw my focus so it ensured that ‘Dylan Steele’ was getting most of the recognition as he is the figure whom will give ‘CRASH’ brand identity. I have also used a small strap along the top right of the magazine, located next to the logo, it is a reminder which will make readers feel as though they have been valued, it is also another flash which is conventionally used to encourage people to read the magazine.

Front Cover – Conventions

Image- I don’t think there is a set rule for how many images there is on the front page, for rock magazines, it is usually only 1-3. I developed the convention by only including one because I wanted the model to gain the most recognition in the magazine as it signifies that he is important, being the only person on the magazine cover, therefore, he already has a high reputation and I did this to allow him to gain more respect. In the future, I would try and include a couple of images to make my magazine look more visual and it would maybe appeal to my target audience better as they prefer to look at images, instead of text. However, by doing this, the cover would perhaps look too frantic and become illegible, which would mean they would struggle to absorb all of the content and therefore they may ignore the magazine. Furthermore, the image conventionally takes up the whole of the page, similar to Q magazine which focuses on Dave Grohl and this creates a gap between the artist and the reader which makes them seem more of an idealistic figure. I used a male model as it is conventional for them to appear in rock, for example, rock music is usually dominated by males, for example, Guns’N’Roses and Bon Jovi, thus, it suggests many rock fans are males too. I found this in my survey when I analysed the results. Therefore, by using a male model, young man will look up to him and linking to the Dyer Star Theory, they may want to try and become ‘Dylan Steele’, for example, by copying his style, this is why I included fashion features To reduce inequality, I have included females in the cover lines to stop accusations of sexism. In the media industry, it is conventional that rock stars are good looking, I followed this because as I have previously mentioned, the audience are more likely to purchase the magazine if they are attracted to someone in it, as they are curious about what they are like (male and female gaze). He is also a young rock star, this diverts from the conventions as most rock stars are 25+, therefore, it connotes the talent in the youth, which could encourage people to explore their own talents; stretching them psychologically.

Mode of Address- Conventionally, magazines use a lot of direct language, such as ‘YOU’, I feel as though I should have included this as it makes the reader feel personalised and involved which lures them into reading the magazine. This may not have been necessary as my main image uses this convention by having a direct eye line match with the camera which is assertive and engages with the reader. If I had supported this with direct language, the reader may have felt as though the magazine was intrusive and too close, therefore, making them feel uncomfortable. I also used an enthusiastic mode of address and a lot of rock magazines do this because confidence is a key element of rock stars, thus, I wanted to reflect that through the language and punctuation so this is why a lot of capital letters and exclamation marks were used. Most of my language was informal, to relate to the way young people speak as formal language would be off putting and disregard the Uses and Gratifications Theory as they may feel the purpose of reading the magazine has been lost, for example, they may have wanted to read it as a distraction from school. Another selling technique which I have highlighted is making the reader feel special, this is why I have used ‘exclusive’ as they will feel as though they know secretive information who will be the first to tell their friends, this need will encourage sales to boom. I feel this meets the direct mode of address which you would expect of a rock magazine because it is loud and assertive which mirrors what rock music is like.

Contents Page- How I developed, challenged and used forms and conventions of real media products.

Colour Palette- As you can see, I have adapted the same colour palette on my contents page as my front cover and this is conventional because it promotes continuity which gives the brand a particular look which people will remember. It also allows people to get more attached if the pages look similar as they will feel as though they are on a journey and reading a book- this could be someone’s aim as part of the ‘Uses and Gratifications Theory’. I continued to use these colours as they are classic and represent the genre; rock. The background is darker than the front cover as there needs to be some distinction as otherwise it will result in boredom. I also did this so that the contents could be read easily in the white font as the two colours contrast well against each other. It is conventional to highlight key features, so I followed this by using red- the colour of the brand logo and this makes our decision seem more personal which will create a communal feel for the magazine.

Masthead- The masthead of the magazine is ‘contents’ and this is conventional in magazines because it is used to give the reader information about what they are reading. This was the largest font on the page and placed in the centre so it can be easily found by the reader. I have put the logo on the contents, conventionally, this is only shown once however I wanted to repeat it because it is a constant reminder of the brand name to help it become more well-known. If it is remembered, the aim is that it will have a Two-Step Flow effect, people may share it on social media to encourage mass marketing too. Sometimes the contents font is large however I did not want to do this as it may have appeared to dominating which would mean some of the content may not have fitted correctly too.

Contents Page- ConventionsNote from the Editor- It is conventional for most informal magazines to include this in their magazine, I did not initially plan to do this however from my first draft, my contents page look incomplete. I am glad that I included this in my contents page because it adds a personal touch to the magazine and does not alienate the people whom edit the magazine, thus, it shows a lot of engagement with the reader. I have also used a lot of friendly and relaxed language, this made it relatable to young readers, for example ‘It’s summer finally!’ as young people will share this feeling of relief, thus, there will be a consensus with the target audience which will influence Social Solidarity ( Uses and Gratifications Theory). The editors note is conventionally very inviting so instead of calling it ’note from the editor’ which is very aloof, I put the title as ‘Hello!’ which is more engaging, this will make readers feel more valued. I have also included an image of myself, this is to make the note feel more realistic and it builds a picture in their head. The picture is in black and white, to add a vintage feel which emphasizes the personable elements in my magazine. My facial expression is a half-smile as this looks mature and professional so that I meet the readers expectations of what an editor would look like. It is also conventional for the editor to include their own signature, instead of this, I used a hand writing font to make the note seem informal however I should have inserted my own signature to follow the convention as it is part of my personality. Despite this, there could be issues attached involving people forging my signature, thus, it is not very secure and I would have to use ‘public signature’ not my real one for protection purposes.

Contents Page- ConventionsNumber Order- For younger children, it is conventional to have the pages in chronological order however for my teenage audience, I have grouped different features under two headlines. The first is interviews and the other is weekly updates and these are in random order because people may specifically be looking for an edition, so it is simpler to find it under a headline. It also prevents my magazine from looking too basic as teenagers may be offended by chronological structures because they may appear too immature. It is more conventional to put content under headings however, I only used two because I wanted to highlight the importance of ‘special features’ compared to ‘weekly updates 'to make the edition appear more exciting. This makes the magazine appeared varied which will hook the reader as they will be assured that they will not be bored.

Contact Information- Conventionally, in our technologically advancing world, magazines have a contact information box. I have put ‘remember’ to encourage people that it is something that needs to be done, so it feels almost like a check list and this makes people more likely to promote the print on social media which opens it up to a mass fan base which can increase the popularity very quickly. I have added a Facebook link which is conventional and institutions use this social media platform because it has the most people registered on it, thus, it will attracted a wider range of people. I have added a post code to promote social equality as some people may not be able to access social media due to financial issues, thus, I do not want to exclude certain groups and neglect them from the rock culture, this would reduce my target market too. I have added a website so people can subscribe and this connotes loyalty which assures us that people are interested too.

Hair- Conventionally, female rock stars wear their hair loose. I have used this as it connotes that the model is natural and casual and it ignores the superficiality which we see in Pop and Hip-Hop too, it is a style in which anyone can achieve so the Dyer Star Theory can be achieved. We normally see dark hair on rock stars today, for example, the lead singer of Evanescence, so I am trying to bring back blonde hair to create a mix in the industry. It may attract older generations as it has will encourage intertextuality to singers such as Blondie as both models look similar.

Contents Page- ConventionsClothing- Original rock chicks in the 1980’s would wear latex however this appears outdated in our society today. Conventionally, female rock fans take a low-key approach to fashion which is not very feminine. I dressed my model Saskia in a shirt, many rock fans wear these as it connotes she is casual and reflects that her personality is laid back which makes her very approachable for audiences; extending her fan base. She also conventionally wears black and ripped jeans, to add to make her look mysterious and ruthless, suggesting that she does not follow the rules. This will make the audience intruded about her attitude, which makes her appear like a rock star because her outfit makes her look confident too. I took my photos outside which is

conventional and I took them to a common place too, many magazines to this as it shows social realism. Signifying that the artist may be famous however they still have the same norms as us. The Dyer Star Theory can be achieved here as the reader will feel as though they are being closer to their idol.

By focuses one of the main images of a female, this challenges the masculinity forms we see in rock. This promotes the rise of the changing industry which connotes modernisation to our acceptance of female rock artists. This is an incentive that will encourage young girls to try and become more involved in rock as they will not feel out of place.

Unconventionally, I showed a playful image, this is a side that we usually only see at concerts not in print. By demonstrated this, my magazine will take a light-hearted, fun turn which will appeal to my young target audience as messing around with their friends, is again, something in which they can relate to. I have also put the two boys in conventional rock clothing: plaid shirts, this is to connote that they follow rock culture, making them seem relevant too. I have challenged the convention of rock bands, as this only involves two people, which is not what we usually see, this will surprise readers however due to it not being the norm, people will be curious to read about them too.

Mostly, magazines only use a couple of images on the contents and I did this because it can look to busy otherwise and make the purpose of the contents page ( to find information) more difficult than it needs to be, thus, it makes the task a lot easier for the consumer, reducing complaints and negative feedback which can give a magazine a bad reputation.

Double Page Spread- How I developed, challenged and used forms and conventions of real media products.

Layout- I have used a conventionally basic layout for my double page spread, with the image on the left and the content on the right however I included the pull quote on the image because it ties the pages together to make it look complete and together. The main reason for having the poster on the left- hand side is because it can be used for commercial reasons due to the male/female gaze, for example teenagers may rip off the page and stick it to their bedroom wall. This will also have a two-step flow effect if their peers also see it, therefore, encouraging more fans. It is also conventional to have 3 columns of text, this tricks the reader into thinking the artist has said more than they actually have, as 2 minutes is not a very long time. If it is full of content the consumer will feel as though they are getting their moneys worth which will boost the reputation of my magazine.

Image- Very often, the image on a double page spread is a close up or medium close up however I did not follow this as I took a shot of ‘Dylan Steele’ from this angle so it would not connote variety and this would not satisfy the reader. I took a medium long shot, so you could see him playing the guitar, it is conventional for them to have a natural pose, so this demonstrates that. The benefits of this is that the artists connotes his passion which allows the reader understand him more and this may hook their attention.

Logo- I have included the logo again the right corner. It is not conventional to repeat it as much as I have throughout my three pages however the aim is to get the name recognised in order to encourage as many people to join the rock culture as possible.

Again, I have included dark colours through his clothing to continue the rock symbol of darkness as this will indicate a house style for rock music. He is wearing a different outfit to the front cover and many magazines do this because it makes him appear as more of a celebrity, thus, he will be more socially desirable due to his diversity.

Double Page Spread Conventions Page Numbers- I have included page numbers as they are a guide for the different features and where to find particular musicians. This means people can tailor their reading experience which connotes our support for their hierarchy of needs, as we will be supporting their emotional requirements.

Mode of Address- In double page spread, it is usually structured interviews that take place as it gives the interviewee the direct answer which they want, for example, ‘are you single?’. As I feel structured interviews would be too formal for my target audience, I went for a un-structured interview where I asked the model direct follow up questions on the topics which I wanted to find out more on. The benefits of this is that the magazine has supplied in depth answers which helps them to feel closer to the musician; another way The Dyer Star Theory can be achieved. I asked non-music related questions which is another way it is informal for example, ‘what is your ideal girl’?’ This creates hope for the female readers that they will fit the criteria, another way of getting them involved. In the future, I would prefer to ask more random questions instead of music focused as sometimes they lack personality and depth which still puts the artist at distance from the reader.

Highlighted pull quotes- I have put specific key quotes into a highlighted black box, this is conventionally done because it attracts the reader to the written content which is usually ignored, thus encouraging more people to read about it. I used the quotes that appear the most interesting to my target audience, for example, ‘it’s all about the music’. This will hopefully connote that he is passionate which will help him gain more respect. I should have chosen less music based quotes in order to reveal more about his attitude however this may be conventional of gossip magazines, thus, not relating to my audience who focus on music.