EVALUATION QUESTION 1 In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of

real media products?

1. Front Cover

The front cover is perhaps the most important part of

the magazine. It is the one chance a magazine brand has

to make it stand out amongst the hundreds of other

magazines sat on the shelf. Everything that goes onto

the magazine front cover has to count –from the full

bleed image to the size and type of font used.

Magazines also tend to have a house style and colour

scheme that look professional if carried all throughout

the publication e.g. Q magazine’s colour scheme is red,

black and white, Kerrang! varies a lot, but mostly black,

white, yellow and blue and NME the same as Q, maybe

with a splash of yellow. Most magazines’ colour

schemes will be composed of the greyscale and a ‘pop’

colour. I have taken this into consideration and used the

grayscale all throughout my magazine with my ‘pop’

colour being predominantly purple, but sometimes with

a flash of green. These secondary colours contrast

against each other in the colour wheel, therefore

making the magazine stand out, as well the colours

chosen being unisex so it appeals to both genders. I

wanted to use colours that were different not the

typical red, black, white to make my magazine stand out

in the shelf of scarlet.

I did look at other magazines before creating my own

and in particular looked at Q, NME and Kerrang! I really

liked the layout of the Q magazine but preferred the

images and colours of NME and Kerrang!

I did create a logo which took a little while to do, but I

feel the colours represent the alternative genre well –

green and purple are alternative colours. I situated my

logo in the top left corner to match the other magazines

and to make it look more realistic.

My full bleed image is very dark which can connote

mystery and eeriness which is the theme I was trying to

emit through my magazine – as you can see from the

other pages, this theme is continued throughout. I chose

an image that had them at different levels to make it

more interesting but I may change the picture later on.

2. Contents Page

This is contents (in production). I have not yet included all the images onto my contents page that I am going to use,

as I still have ideas for outdoors shoots. In my contents page I would like to use varied shots, both interior and

exterior. This is a typical convention of music magazine contents pages, as supported by the above images. Like the

professional magazines, I have also included my own photos from previous gigs which will entice the reader further to

look into that article and to see how they can be there.

I choose to base my magazine’s contents on an already existing magazine because I think then it will look more

realistic. I choose to base it on the above Q magazine contents, however I have varied it slightly so it will become my

own. Like the Q magazine and other magazines with a similar genre, I have varied the image styles, sizes, and

placements, almost to the extent where it looks like a collage. Typical of this genre, I have taken some close up shots,

but also am going to take some long shots and mid shots.

I have also included an editor’s note as well as small print at the bottom of the page which consists of my magazine’s

website. Unlike the Q magazine, I have chosen to advertise my social networking sites at the top of the page such as

Twitter, Facebook, Blogger and Instagram as I think these will be the most popular.

However, I have not included a list of bands – if I have time I may include a back page of a band index. On the other

hand I have included the typical Regulars and Features sections and articles to go with them.

3. Poster Page

This is my poster page, an introduction to the article. I choose to put my poster at the start of

the article because it would be the first thing the audience would see, and so if the photo

appealed to them and they were intrigued by it, they would be more interested to read the

main article and not skip it. I also decided to a poster as an extra sort of freebie which would

entice the reader more, if they think they are getting their money’s worth as they would not be

able to get such high quality ‘glossy’ images off the internet. The darkness of the poster

instantly contrasts against the brightness of the previous article, whether it’s a regular feature

or advertisement, and this would make it stand out as the reader turns the page – flipping the

page immediately invites them to a different world, a different atmosphere.

I wanted the position of the models to be quite unique so I had them all facing towards the

camera but with a slight change to their body angle so they would all be in a different

direction. This image is made up of three single photos merged together using the programs

Photoshop and InDesign.

I put the image in black and white, unlike most music magazine posters which are in

colour because I want it to look different and also because nearly all the other images are in

colour so I want to change the variation.

Their costumes are casual in this picture, however looking back on it I might change the photos

to three of the images taken in their smart clothing as I feel this would capture the audience

better but I feel that I may run out of time to do this and consider this a low priority.

4. Double Page

Spread/Article

This is the proper introduction page into the actual article itself, which is why it is so important – because if

it doesn’t grab the reader at first, what is to say the rest of the article will?

I decided to again base it on an already existing magazine – this time the Kerrang! article on Blink 182. I

found myself attracted to the article because it was different – the typical colour of this genre, red, stood

out massively against the dark background as well as the bleed image being centred to the side, not in the

middle, which is unique for any genre of magazine – a lot tend to have their focus subject in the middle. I

also like the use of lines in this article – it surrounds the quote perfectly and makes the text stand out. It

also makes the article look neat but sketchy at the same time – good for this genre.

I took into consideration the general layout of any music magazine with placement and images – with this

page I used a full bleed image and put it in black and white to make the text stand out more and to fit in

with the rest of the magazine. I also put the text into columns to make it look neater, more realistic and

easier for the audience to read, and have continued this all throughout the article.

Lastly, I feel I have a few improvements to be made, such as getting rid of the glow behind Zak’s form and

possibly adding my website on there somewhere.

This is the second double page spread of my article. It is still in the production process as I’m working on

which images to use and where to place them.

I want my images to be placed uniquely, not just in the centre of the page and I have based the layout on

the article above from NME. I like how both the article text and images have an equal display on this page –

it’s been evenly split in half for each aspect. Like the NME article, I have kept with my house style of using

lines to separate text from each other as well as keeping in with the colour consistency and outlining the

pull quotes in purple. Later on I may add a greenish glow to match the front cover and to make the text

even bolder.

Also like most magazines in general, I have put my article in columns, so it looks neater and is easier to read.

Like other music magazines I have also made the first letter of the columns on the introduction page and

back page bigger and in a different colour to make that bit of text stand out more. Also like most music

magazine I have included the magazine’s website at the bottom of the page, which may catch the reader’s

eye and prompt them to go onto the website if they found the article interesting.

I have tried to vary my images; close ups, long shots, mid shots, as I want the audience to see what

instruments the band has used so they can relate more to them and don’t think the talent has come

naturally.

Unlike some music magazine articles, I have kept in with this ‘dark theme’ and changed the background to a

basic black, which not only fits in with the genre but also the theme of the magazine and makes the images

seem to blend in more – like the band members are coming out of the darkness.

This is the back page of my article – the final page. If I have time I may create an advertisement to go

after the magazine but that is a low priority. The last article page has to be quite special and mine is still in

the process of production. I have kept the columns but I have switched it around a little and interrupted

the flow and layout of text with pictures because this article fits in with the ‘Educational’ part of the Uses

and Gratifications Theory as well as being a form of escapism and some audiences are more attracted to

images rather than text – too much text can be seen as boring. Hence the reason for the many images

and two box out texts – they help to break up the text. I included a box out text on a possible tour for

the band because then the audience feel more engaged with the band and this may be the first time

they’ve seen advertisements for the tour – and they can thank the magazine for it. I have also included

Support Acts which will encourage the reader further to go and see the tour.

Again I have stuck with the tradition of keeping the same colours together – purple, black, white and

have tried to keep these within the images as well. I am still playing around with images on Photoshop

and Powerpoint.

Lastly, I have used the typical convention of the by-line at the end of the article – I have included the

name of the band, the year, the upcoming album and the writer of the article.

^ This is my box out text. It is details of a UK tour

named “Beware of the Moon” performed by my

band The Mundanes. I decided to include a tour

because it would then appeal to the audience more

as it engages them as well.

I also have included another box out in the form of

a small fact file – The Mundane Files. This is

another part of the Education aspect of the Uses

and Gratifications aspect – this is a part of the

magazine that educates the audience, this is where

they learn about their favourite acts and become a

‘fan.’