Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and

conventions of real media products?

When creating my final products, I had a lot of inspiration from existing magazines. Through my research and planning, I found that KERRANG, NME and ROCKSOUND magazines had similar target audiences, genre and colour schemes that I wanted to approach. Looking into this further, I liked the outcome of KERRANG the most therefore used KERRANGS conventions to inspire my products and adapt to my own magazine. At the same time I wanted my magazine to be able to compete with the real media products therefore I made subtle changes based on appealing to my audience.

Front Cover

On the left is my final front cover product and on the right is an example of a KERRANG front cover. I used, adapted and challenged the KERRANG cover layout as a basis to create my own. I used some similar conventions but also manipulated some so that my front cover looked unique. I also used my research on other magazines such as NME.

MastHead

I decided to call my magazine DEFUSED because it is short, snappy and catchy, making it more memorable to the reader. The word is defined as removing a fuse from an explosion therefore implies my magazine uncovers every story in the spotlight. It also suggests my magazine is explosive which alludes to the rebellious attitudes of Rock. It can be related to a fuse or spark linking to electric guitar sounds which is quite similar to KERRANG. KERRANG is an onomatopoeic word derived from playing a power chord on a distorted guitar however the name KERRANG is more focused on heavy rock and punk whereas I want my product to resemble mainstream Rock and Indie.I have used PUNK ATTITUDE font which is an indie approach to a newspaper style therefore fits the genre and product. KERRANGS white font is effective because it makes the masthead stand out from the rest of the page. Because of this I decided to use the same colour font however I challenged it by including a black border so that my masthead would stand out even more and not clash with the background. I also put my font in capital lettering so that it resembles the shouts and high volumes of Rock.

I liked the shattered glass effect KERRANG uses as it shows off the destructive and rebellious attitudes of rock. I wanted to show the same impression but not as extreme so chose a font that had jagged edges and scratches to challenge KERRANG in less extreme way. Like KERRANG, I stretched my masthead across the entire top thirds of the page because I wanted it to headline the rest of the information and instantly show my brand. I think this is more effective than NME who positions the masthead in the top left as it makes the page more organised therefore easier to navigate.I had my dominant image overlap my masthead because through research I found this is a very common convention- as shown by the KERRANG example. I felt however that KERRANG had overlapped a bit too much of the masthead which could be a problem to new buyers of the magazine who don’t recognise the name. For my own magazine I made sure that my dominant image overlapped the masthead but didn’t completely cover any letters so that you can still read the word even if you’ve never seen the magazine before. This is effective as my magazine has the opportunity to always attract new buyers which will help me compete with KERRANG.

Dominant ImageFor my dominant Image I chose a male model because females will find him appealing and males will aspire to be like him therefore I can instantly attract both genders to my magazine which is important because my target audience is 46% male and 53% female. The model is wearing outfit 2 which consists of black skinny jeans, a black and white flannel shirt and black tee. These dark colours are stereotypical of the genre and style of rock and also link with my colour scheme throughout the magazine. The KERRANG models for example are wearing completely black however against my background would prevent my model from standing out. Contrasting the black and white colours together made my image a lot more dominant therefore effective.

Using my research on facial expression theories, I chose Trevor Millums “practical” and “catalogue” expressions because they show my magazine is professional and serious about the industry. To appeal to the Indie sub-genre I got my model to smirk slightly to show my magazine is quite laidback and down to earth unlike KERRANGS magazine in which the punk genre is very outgoing and in your face. These are examples of the more common expressions used in KERRANG which I challenged.I also wanted my magazine to be relatable and inviting therefore I used direct mode of address so that the models eye line meets the eye line of the reader which is used very effectively in NME magazines especially because the model is quite close to the camera. I also got my model to smirk slightly to reflect that my magazine is laidback and down to earth representing an Indie approach. These conventions will allow my target audience to relate on a more personal level which will give them a unique experience.

To emphasises the rebellious and destructive attitudes of rock stars I added tattoos to my model and used a grunge graffiti background. Other magazines such as NME use plain white or grey backgrounds however I think this looks more effective as it gives the magazine more edge and more creativity.

Dominant Image continuedLike the majority of front covers, I positioned my dominant Image through the centre thirds. I was then able to frame my other conventions along either side which helped add to its dominance and make it stand out. I used the KERRANG cover to get an idea of how big my dominant image should be and how much I should crop it. Even though I didn’t have my image as high over the masthead, I cropped it to a similar medium shot. The audience can see all his features so can easily recognise the artist and meant I could still show the clothing and tattoo.

I didn’t like how plain the KERRANG background was however I liked how they used shadows along the outside to direct the audience’s focus to the centre. I adapted this to my own image by using “befunky.com” to add a vignette filter. This was effective as it also meant my sell lines had a more opaque shadow to stand out from.

Through my research, I established that not many magazines use props on the front cover as they draw attention away from the model therefore I decided to not use props.

Even though not many magazines use backgrounds, I still added this convention as I think it is a unique feature that will be more noticeable against other magazines.

On the KERRANG front cover, 3.0 lighting had been used to make the models look fresh, professional and flawless. To achieve a similar look I used the flash on my canon camera alongside natural lighting. I then used blur, blemish and brightening tools to make my models features look similar to the fresh look of KERRANGS.

Main Sell LineI linked my main sell line to my double page spread/ feature article because this a common convention of music magazines. The line reads “The return of ADAM NAVARRO” which is intriguing but doesn’t give too much away therefore the reader will purchase the magazine out of curiosity. I have included a pull quote as my sub head which reads “Its made me more determined than ever.” This is direct from the article and will make the reader question what has made him more determined as it is ambiguous but captivating. In magazines like NME, the pull quotes are normally a lot bigger however I think the name of the artist will be more appealing to a fan therefore I challenged this by making my pull quote into a subhead. I created a background for my main sell line so that it stood out from the rest of the page. The background is a messy paint stroke which links back to the graffiti and rebellion. This is quite similar to the KERRANG sell line background which is a faded block yellow colour however I have adapted it to show continuity with my dominant image. KERRANG have also used a pull quote however have positioned it at the top of the sell line and included an extra summary. I decided not to include a summary because I don’t want to give too much information away otherwise the audience won’t be intrigued enough to buy it. I also challenged KERRANG by putting my sell line at the bottom. This is so that they read the name of the artist first so know who is saying the quote. Like KERRANG, I increased my font for the name of the artist however decided to use a wider range of font than just one. I used a simple block font for “the return of” and then a graffiti style font for “Adam Navarro” which has messy spray paint marks around the letters therefore looks more unique. For the pull quote I used a newspaper font so that it looks like its been torn out of an article – which reflects how it is in my double page spread. Also, instead of putting it in the background box, I put it further down the page and spread it across the majority of the width. I feel that this broke up the text a bit more and made it easier to differentiate. I also wanted the pull quote to just be on one line so that it was fragmented as this would be a bit messy. The main sell line overlaps the dominant image like KERRANG and is in the same position as this is how the audience is able to relate it to the image. I also made mine a similar size to KERRANG as I noticed this is the leading text of the page after the masthead.

Essential information

The essential information I decided to include on my magazine front cover is the issue number, date cover, price and barcode. The issue number and cover date ensures readers, especially subscribers, can keep up to date with their purchasing's and know they are getting the latest issue. The price of my magazine is a factor that contributes to how likely the audience will buy it therefore I had to take them into consideration when choosing an appropriate price. Through my survey research I found the majority of my target audience are unemployed students therefore I think £2.50 is a reasonable price for a monthly issue. NME and KERRANG are weekly issues whereas Rock Sound releases a £3.99 issue every month. I decided to make my magazine much cheaper than Rock Sound so that I can compete with it and offer more of a bargain. My issue has less pages than a Rock Sound magazine however the audience get it at a cheaper price with enough content to appeal to the audience.

One of the ways I have challenged existing media products is through my layout. During research and planning, I have noticed a lot of magazines use top banners with names of artists or special features in them. When I added a top banner to my front cover, I felt that it made the page look a bit overcrowded and narrowed the height of my magazine. Researching NME, I liked how they positioned their essential information down the side of their masthead because I thought it made it a lot more important. Instead of having a top banner across the top, I decided to put my issue number, cover date and price above my masthead, adapting the style of NME. In magazines like KERRANG, the essential information is attached to the barcode however I wanted them to be in a more obvious place. I have kept the text quite small because it isn’t an appealing convention that should stand out but is essential. It still looks neat and tidy and has prevented the top of my magazine from looking crowded.

Like most magazines, I kept the position of my barcode in the bottom right however because I didn’t have any essential information attached it meant I could make it a bit smaller. I also put it vertically so that it line dup with my sell lines and didn’t look randomly positioned. The audience doesn’t really pay attention to the barcode because it is only needed at the checkout so by separating it from the essential information and putting it at the bottom right, I was able to separate what was important to be more noticeable at the top.

All of my essential information was in capital letters so that it stood out and could be noticed. I used a white bold font so that it didn’t clash or blend with the background. The colour also fit with my colour scheme.

Secondary/ sub images

I have used secondary images to advertise that my magazine comes with 10 free posters which is a unique selling proposition. KERRANG magazines sometimes offer between 5-10 free posters, Rock Sound normally offers album samples and NME prefer to put more emphasis on their feature articles as a selling point. This means that KERRANG are my main competition for offering posters however because my magazine is cheaper, people will find it more appealing as they are getting more for their money.

I have included 4 out of the 10 posters on the front cover however they are only small so don’t give too much away. I liked KERRANGS idea of putting a border around the images so I have put contrasting white and black borders around the edges of each poster image to show that they all go together and to make them stand out from the dominant image.

KERRANG has put their images on a slightly different angles so I have adapted this to be more prominent. I have purposefully arranged my own images at different heights, widths and sizes so that they form a cluttered line that isn’t too structured. I think this adds to the abstract and slightly messy approach to the rock genre but at the same time shows they are part of the same convention.

Each issue of DEFUSED will have 10 posters of the feature artist which in this issue is Adam Navarro/ my model. This is a unique feature which will make the audience look forward to the issue that has their favourite artist in and getting a free bonus every month will appeal to them.

The 4 images I have chosen feature 3 different locations and 3 different outfits to show that the posters are a collection and not too similar. I have used a range of camera angles such as a long shot, medium shot and medium close up to show the variation. In all of the images, my model is wearing clothing that fits the colour scheme and reflects the genre as well as being in a suitable rock environment for the background.

I have used the convention of including the word “KILLER” to describe my posters, like KERRANG. This is because I think it exaggerates how good the posters will be which will encourage the audience to buy them as well as being a connotation of the rock genre. To make my text stand out more, I decided to use a paint stroke background which matched the paint stroke of my main sell line. Challenging conventions I overlapped this with the poster sub image to sum up why they were there. I also put a faded white background across all the images and the text to box together in a subtle way which added to the framing around my dominant image.

Sub images continuedIn my research and planning survey, 82% of my potential target audience said that they would prefer posters as a bonus feature in a magazine which justifies why I chose to offer them.

The other sub image I used was part of a sell line. It is a zoomed in image I have taken of a rock artist at a festival. I have added a black border to the image so that it stands out and put the sell line below it so it acts as a caption. I got inspiration from the KERRANG magazine to include a sub image with the sell lines however I adapted the positioning. Instead of having it in the bottom right corner I decided to put it at the top right so that the sides of my magazine were equally filled and the bottom wasn’t too crowded.

I organised my poster images in a similar way to the KERRANG magazine that I took inspiration from and aligned them across the bottom above the bottom banner. Even though this is near the bottom, they are big enough to be easily seen and the borders make them stand out even more.

PuffI was inspired to add a puff to my magazine by KERRANG however adapted the idea to make it more appealing and stand out.

For my Puff I used a black circle with a red outline to make it stand out from the rest of the information on the page. Using blending options on Photoshop, I added shadows and embossments to make the circle look like a 3D style sticker.

In KERRANGS magazine, they were advertising listings of gigs however I thought it would be appealing to advertise a competition which would appeal to the audience as they are getting an added bonus with the magazine. The Puff reads “WIN MEET AND GREET TICKETS FOR LEEDS FESTIVAL.” The text is enough to entice the reader but doesn’t give too much away so that they will buy the magazine to find out how.

The biggest font is the word “WIN” which takes up half of the circle as this is what will draw the reader in. I have put this in red and the other text in white so that it acts as a header to the puff. The font I used was from dafont.com because I wanted it to be unique however it is the same as my other sell lines to show continuity across my magazine.

I chose “meet and greet tickets” because they are more personal than ordinary tickets therefore it shows my magazine offers that personal and exclusive feature which will help with competition. I have also chosen “Leeds festival” because my magazine is a UK magazine and Leeds is well known for its listings of rock artists. Also, in my target audience survey 85.7% said that they are festival goers therefore my puff will be appealing to the majority of my readers.

Bottom banner

KERRANG, Rock Sound and NME all include bottom banners with additional artists featured in their magazine on the front cover. As these three magazines are of the same genre, I thought it was important for me to include this convention in my own work. Instead of including the word “PLUS!” I decided to just include the plus sign because it is more informal therefore similar to the language of my audience. I added 8 names of rock/ indie artists and aligned them in two lines with dashes separating each name. I put the names quite close together so used an alternate colour scheme of white and yellow to make each individual artist stand out. I think this looks effective as it doesn’t just look like a list and catches the eye. I also added a black box background so that it was noticed as its own convention.

Adding a bottom banner means that my target audience can buy the magazine knowing their favourite artist is feature even if they aren’t in the sell lines. It also means that specific fans of artists will buy the magazine and shows that DEFUSED is full of information offering a range of stories.

Sell lines

I have positioned my sell lines either side of the dominant image so that they frame it and only overlap it slightly. KERRANG has also framed their dominant image with sell lines however they start lower down and go further down the page. I have found out that magazines normally include between 2 – 5 sell lines therefore I though 3 was a suitable middle number as I wanted them to be big enough to see but not too cluttered.

Unlike the KERRANG example below which uses the same background, font and colours for each sell line, I have designed them so that some stand out more than others. This allows me to control the eye line of my audience as they will notice the more appealing and important sell line first. For example, “The 1975” is the biggest font and is against an arrow background. The contrast between black and yellow makes it stand out the most and is the most interesting. The arrow also acts as the heading for the sell line which challenges KERRANGS simple font colour change as a headline. I have included a sell line that is supported by a sub image as this gives visual and textual aid for the reader. My other sell line is headlined with the artists name as that is what will attract them to reading the sell line. I have used my colour scheme of black, white, red and yellow throughout all of my sell lines.

I have used language in my sell lines that will appeal to the reader and leave them wanting more. For example, they will want to know why Van MCann broke down on twitter and where the 1975 are touring. I have also used alliteration such as “Halsey hits” which makes the sell lines flow better.

Each sell line is short, snappy and straight to the point. This is because I don’t want to give too much information away. KERRANGS sell lines are also very short which stops the page from looking too cluttered and messy.

Colour Scheme

The colour scheme for my entire magazine is red, yellow, black and white. I chose 4 colours as schemes tend to range from around 3 to 5 colours. KERRANG also uses a red, yellow, black and white colour scheme however they put a more heavy emphasis on the colours of red and yellow. They also don’t keep their scheme consistent as more punk themed issues incorporate colours such as green , purple and blue. NME is another example of a magazine that I took inspiration from as they use the colours red, white and black. To adapt these colour schemes to my own magazine, I decided that I want my scheme to be not as demanding as KERRANG but not as simple as NME. To achieve this, I made my colours slightly darker and more grunge so that they wouldn’t look as punk but would still emphasise the cautionary and demanding attitudes of rock. I have also used the same colours throughout all of my magazine and will be using them on every issue so that the reader can establish a link between them and my brand. On my front cover specifically, I have tried to distribute the 4 colours evenly so that no one colour is more demanding than the other.