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

Kicker

Masthead

Lead Story

Plug

Flash

Anchorage

Barcode

Feature Article Photo

Menu Strip

Cover Line

Selling Line

Banner

Graphic Feature

Front Cover

Front Image - The image I used for my front cover uses a direct mode of address as the model in the image is looking directly at the audience of the magazine. I also made it the dominant image of my magazine by not taking the focus away by placing other images around the magazine front cover. I did this to make the audience aware that the main story of the magazine will involve the model on the front. Also, using only the singular image gives a very dominant feel.Cover Lines - I used the four cover lines with the titles of the bands in bolder writing as this then draws potential buyers to the magazine if they see a band they like will be in it. I then gave a brief explanation of what the article on the band will be about, this will also encourage people to buy it more, as they will want to know more on what it says.

Barcode - I used a barcode on my magazine as through research on codes and conventions of magazines I noticed that many placed the barcode on the side, and this then worked well with the house style of my overall magazine. This then makes my magazine look more professional and that it may be being sold. I also placed the issue number above, as also through research of codes and conventions, I had noticed that many music magazines also did this. This also makes my magazine look more professional.

Here I show my final magazine product, and my chosen example magazine.

Front Cover

Mast Heads and Strap Lines –These help to engage the audience to the magazine and what it may be about. But also these are used to easily identify the magazine to regular buyers. I used the chosen font as it is bold and easily recognisable, also it fits in with the initial house style of the magazine, it also helps reflect the overall genre. Also, the use of the strap line helps potential buyers to know what the aim of the magazine is, and what the articles in the magazine will be about.

Feature Article Photo -The image I used for my front cover uses a direct mode of address as the model in the image is looking directly at the audience of the magazine. I also made it the dominant image of my magazine by not taking the focus away by placing other images around the magazine front cover. I did this to make the audience aware that the main story of the magazine will involve the model on the front. Also, using only the singular image gives a very dominant feel. I also developed this from my chosen example magazine.

Top and Bottom Strips –These are seen as being billboards for the magazine, as they advertise the magazine for the intended audience by using words such as ‘EXCLUSIVE’ and ‘WIN’ or ‘FREE’. These are mainly used so the audience will be intrigued in winning the competition’s or getting the exclusive interviews with the artist. I advertised my top and bottom strips by using a black background and a bold writing that comes out prominent on this, by using a red and white font. This is then a lot more eye catching to the audience. Also, from the magazine I used as my model, these also revolved around my initial house style.

Front Cover

The top grid contains information that the buyers of the magazine will look at first, this is why I placed the selling line with a buzz word of a different colour as the audiences would be more drawn to reading this. Also I used buzz words in the top right corner with giveaways and exclusive interviews, as this would then make the audience more likely to buy the magazine.

The middle grid then contains the additional information that comes within the magazine, along with my feature image, this is less intriguing than the top of the magazine, as hopefully with the top grid, the audiences have already been enticed into buying the magazine.

The bottom grid then contains the least important information, as you can see from my magazine front cover, the bottom grid has been left quite bland.

The Grid System Front Cover

Front Cover Copy

Signed Editorial

Border/Divider

Main Feature (With inset pictures)

Inset or Feature Shot (Of highlights and exclusives)

Page Numbers

Section Header

Issue and Dateline

Stand-out Quote

Navigation Panel (With header)

Number Itemised List

Subscription Box

Content Page

Images -I didn’t use a main image in particular in my content, as I wanted to use a vary of images to link in with the stories on the front cover, I also did this, as it makes the content page look a lot more exciting and interesting. I stuck to the overall house style colours of black, white and red so the magazine all fits together. I also used the same font for the title on my content page, as I did on my front cover. This then also makes the magazine recognisable to the audience. Quotes - I also used the quotes under the pictures to entice the audiences further into the magazine. I also made the keywords of the quotes in different colours to entice the audiences into reading what was said, but to also bring out the buzz words such as ‘exclusive’ so the audiences then feels they are getting something other magazines do not have.

Feature Shots -I tried to stick to the original house style of the example magazine. I did this, but changed the positioning of the feature shots to make the content page more interesting and enticing. I also stuck to the original house style with the colours red, black and white. To make my magazine look more professional.

Content Page

Content Page

Page Numbers – On my content page, I placed the page numbers near the chosen feature shots, to make the magazine look more professional, as this is a convention I had said whilst researching magazines.

Border/DividersI also used border/dividers to give my magazine a much more professional feel, and to also separate the articles from each other, so they do not merge and become too confusing for the audience to be able to understand.

Subscription Box - I also used a subscription box to entice the audience into the purchase of the magazine, I then used a buzz word in a different coloured font to entice the audiences into reading what it says, and to persuade them into purchasing it. This is also a convention I had seen in example magazine.

Front Cover Copy - I used a front cover copy with my editorial to familiarise the audience with the magazine they were purchasing, and to also give them an incite on what will be in the magazine and what they will be expecting to see. This was also a convention I had seen in my example magazine.

By LineFeature Article Photo

Introductory Text

Section Header

Feature Shot

Pull Quotes

Captions

Headline/Quote

Flash

Graphic Feature

Double Page Spread

Double Page Spread

Headline - The headline I used on my double page spread was a quote from the exclusive interview, I picked one of the most interesting quotes as this is then more likely to appeal the audience to the magazine. I also carried on my original house style with the colours red, black and white to keep the magazine looking professional. I also placed the key words of the headline quote in a different colour to the rest of the text to grasp attention.

Introductory Text - I also made the name at the beginning of the introductory text in red, to make sure the audience of the magazine know who they are reading. I had also noticed from my example magazines, that changing the colour, font or font style was a type of magazine convention.

By-Line - I placed the by line at the bottom of the magazine as this is also a common magazine convention I had seen through my magazine style models, this then makes the magazine look a lot more professional, but also would help the audience know who had wrote the article.

Flash - I used the flash ‘EXCLUSIVE’ to draw attention to people that may just be glancing through the magazine, as this would help in the sales if more people were intrigued in reading it. Also this is a magazine convention I had regularly seen whilst researching

Double Page Spread

Graphic Feature - I placed the graphic feature of the Leeds Festival logo onto the double page spread to familiarise the audience with what they had read on the magazine front cover and on the content page, and also to help them relate this particular article with the Leeds Festival 10 page special. This is also a convention I had noticed within my magazine research.

Feature Article Image -I used only the single page feature article image, to give the magazine a more professional look, but to also focus the interview on the one individual. I used the image that had a direct mode of address, to entice the audience into the magazine, and make them feel as if they have a relationship with the model. I also used this, to stick to the original house style of my magazine, as I also used a direct mode of address on my front cover.

Pull Quotes - I placed the pull quotes in a black text, on a white background, as this then makes the text easier to read, and less strain on your eyes. Also, this sticks to my overall house style, and gives a much more professional feel to the magazine, than placing multi coloured or irrelevant text colours or fonts would. I had also seen this in my example magazine research.

Feature Shot - I placed a feature shot at the end of the text, as this was also a convention I had seen in my magazine research, and sticks to the photo shoot I had used.

Section Header - I used the RMM section header, as I had seen it regularly used in magazines, as a convention. Also sticking to the original font and name helps the audience to familiarise with the magazine, and to know that the article is part of the magazine and not another.