Evaluation Questions 1-3

By Thomas Harvey

My music magazine uses the same main features of a real music magazine. For example, the title is the largest font on the page and has a large main image on the front cover. The person within the picture on the front is also the person starring on the double page spread, mimicking a real music magazine. I chose not to have any other pictures on the cover, challenging the convention of normal magazines as I believe that having multiple images on the cover page makes it become crowded and less aesthetically pleasing. I have also implemented a barcode onto the front cover so that it also mirrors a real music magazine. Furthermore, I have used main cover line which is accompanied by multiple other cover lines, once again mimicking a real music magazine. I have developed my main image on my front cover, changing the colour, as it makes the cover seem more to do with the music it represents as it is very eccentric.

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

Within my contents page, I have kept the convention of the word ‘contents’ being the largest font on the page. I have also used few colours, once again keeping within the convention of a music magazine. Three pictures have been used within my contents page, which is in line with a real magazine. I have put the page numbers in the corners of each picture displaying what page you can find information about them on which is often used in music magazine contents pages. However, I have developed upon the standard contents page as I have faded the magazine title into the background of the page. I believe this gives a good effect and makes the page aesthetically pleasing. I have challenged the convention of a contents page by adding in a section called ‘What’s the word’ which is a section where I write an interesting fact. I believe this will engage the audience and entertain them whilst scanning through what the magazine contains.

I have challenged the conventions of a music magazine’s double page spread. Instead of putting all the text on the left/right hand side and a large imagine on the opposite side, I have decide to blend both images and text together. I believe this will maintain the reader’s attention as for every certain amount read, there will be a picture to entertain them. I chose a plain grey background which is a use of a real convention as on double page spreads; the background colour is often plain in order to not distract the reader from the actual information/pictures. I have developed upon the standard one main image on a double page spread by using multiple images. I believe this is better as it gives the reader more to look at and will help engage them. Within my double page spread, I have created an interview with my main artist, this should engage the reader as it allows them to find out more about the artist.

My music magazine is aimed at those who enjoy ‘rap’ and ‘drum and bass’ music.  The magazine MDMAybe is secondly aimed at people aged between sixteen and twenty five. I based this upon the fact during my research, I discovered that the rap genre is enjoyed mainly by people within that age group.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

People Who Enjoy Rap

Aged 11-18Aged 18-25Aged 25-32Aged 32-39

My colour scheme represents the social group that enjoys listening to rap music as it is very ‘in-your-face’. I believe this mirrors the ideas behind the creation of rap music, it has enabled people to speak their minds through music. The main image on my front cover is of my main artist who is dressed in order to represent the rap image. He is wearing a ‘snapback’, a ‘Dope Chef’ t-shirt and a gold watch. I believe this choice of clothing/accessories represents the social group of those who listen to rap on a regular basis. My artist also has a cigarette in his mouth on the cover and a pint of beer on the double page spread, portraying an outlaw which the rap genre is meant to represent. Tattoos have also been edited onto my cover artist in order to connote the fact he is an ‘outlaw’.

An independent distribution company would suit my ‘rap’ magazine and I believe it would help maintain the urban feel of the magazine. Furthermore, I believe it would represent the type of people that would read my magazine.

I believe a media institution such as ‘Vibe’ would be able to distribute my music magazine. I have determined this due to the fact it would grant a large amount of male attention as there is more males than females that are interested in rap. Furthermore, I mostly mention male artists within my magazine and therefore Vibe distributing my magazine is a good way to expand my male audience.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?