2. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media
products?
EYEBROWS
Is it not conventional to
STAND FIRST
have eye brows on the
magazine cover as some
It is conventional for the stand
magazines have eyebrows
first to be bold and big. Hip-Hop
and some don’t have eye
magazines put the main image
brows.
picture on top of the stand first.
This makes the model the main
focus of the magazine.
COVER LINES
It is conventional for the
cover lines to be either
side of the model as shown
VIBE magazine. Their
conventional in order to
show the audience what
genre the magazine is MAIN IMAGE
It is conventional for male models to be cut of
above the waist of the magazine. Showing how BAR CODES
the models are not used to attract the audience
in a sexual way. However female models are cut
off above the legs I saw this on most magazines Bar codes are conventional in music magazines
because they attract the audience for sexual as they tell the price of the magazines. Some
reasons. Most of the females models have sexual magazines use the q codes for smartphones as
poses. It is conventional for the models to be they are becoming more popular.
looking at the audience .
3. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
All the magazine that I researched had the
stand first in capitals. This meant that it is
conventional to have the stand first in
capitals, as the name of the magazine
The eyebrows are not conventional stands out Magazines such as Q and Vibe
all magazines how ever I included an had the stand first with a left align. This
eyebrow in my magazine. Included it influenced me to have mine with a left align
because it draws attention to the as it was conventional. Most popular ship-
audience having looked at other hop magazines shows the main image on
magazines. top of the stand first however my influence
of the stand first was Q magazine. As the
main image not covering the stand first as
Cover lines are a conventional when shown in THE SOURCE magazine.
producing a music magazine this is
because they enable the audience to
know what is in the magazine. However
it is not conventional for cover lines to be
placed a certain way on magazines. For
example on The Source magazine
there's cover lines on the left and right of
the magazine. This is not conventional of
every Hip-Hip magazine. DA VIBE main
cover lines are on the left of the
magazine.
The main image is conventional for all
I included a barcode for
music magazines. However after doing
smartphones because smart
research the models pose is adapted in
phones such as Blackberry's are
every magazine so that it matches the Barcodes are conventional for every
more popular with my target
genre. I used the bling so that it music magazine because they tell the
audience which is 16-25. This
matches the Hip-Hop genre. The price of every magazine. The way it is
means that more of my target
Source’s and Da Vibe magazines pose placed on every magazine is different
audience can get more out of the
also represents the hip-Hop culture as I for example DA VIDE is vertical but still
online website.
used the same body language. on the bottom of the page. THE
SOURCE is on the left but DA VIBE is on
the right .
4. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
Stand first
Stand first’s are
conventional to music
magazines because they Type Face
allow the audience to know
that it is the contents page. It is conventional for the
Most magazines show the contents page to use
stand first to be bold and in similar type face as the
capitals which draws more magazine cover. This make
attention to it. it consistent through out
the magazine. It also
makes the magazine look
simple.
The main image House style
It is conventional for the main image of the It is conventional for magazine
magazine to be looking directly at the contents to show a definite house
audience. However putting one picture is style. This enables the magazine to be
not conventional . Magazines such as Q showing consistent colours through
and Kerrung! Rarely use one image. out the magazine.
However many Hip Hop magazine such as
Vibe and The Source use one image
5. I have included pictures of music magazines to show their conventions and where I got the inspiration for my magazine contents
The house style of the magazine is clearly shown.
The stand first stands out in the It is conventional for magazines to have a house
VIBE’s contents. The Image is in style. Many magazines that I research have a
front on the stand first like the house style. Q magazine and Vibe magazine have
front cover. However on my a definite house style with is shown through out
contents page the main image is the contents page.
not covering the stand first. I got
this idea from the Q Magazine
contents. My stand first design for
my magazine is influenced by VIBE
Magazine’s contents because I
wanted to have a stand first that
would appeal to my audience.
It’s conventional to have page
numbers on the magazine
contents. This makes it easier
for the reader to find the
pages. It also helps save time if
Vibe magazine use one main image for a reader saw the cover story
their magazine contents. I two used on the cover.
models in my contents however this is
not conventional of every magazine. The
main image for VIBE magazine matches
the house style as it is made grey like the
page. I got my inspiration to keep the
image its original colour from Q and other
magazines as I preferred it.
It is conventional to have the models
face the audience. However my first
model is not looking at the audience
how ever he is pointing at the
features. This draws more attention at
the features instead of the images.
6. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
A standfirst is
conventional so that the A pull quote is convectional
audience know what in most double page
artist is being interviewed spreads a pull quote was
or the article is about. It is used to stand out from the
normally bold so that fans text. This attracts more of
of the artist read the the audience as it is more
article and to catch the highlighted by being bigger.
readers eye.
It is conventional for
the type face to be
justified so its aligned
from left and right
margins .
It is conventional for a house style
To be shown on double page spreads. Hip The main image is
Hop Connection show a house style of conventional as the artist is
black red and white. shown so that the audience
can identify the. Most
magazines used full bleed
images like hip-hop
connection
7. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
I made the standfirst the
I made the image full bold so that the audience
bleed because after can tell who the artist is.
researching other The stand first has the
double page spreads I same colour as the
found the full bleed magazine cover. The
images more double page spread
appealing. resembles colours to the
cover , this shows how' I
have continued the house
style.
I justified my text so that it looks more
appealing to the audience. I thought
this was conventional as in most
I included a main image in my double page spreads the text was
double page spread as it is aligned this way.
conventional for a double page
spread to have an image. My
model is holding their fists. I
made the model pose in this
way to show the power they
have which suggests that they
are going to be come a I used a pull quote on the image so
superstar. This image is that it can draw my readers
appealing to both males and attention. I put it on the image not in
females as most males aspire the text because the image is what
to have muscles and females the audience will see when they turn
can find it appealing as the the page to the double page spread.
model is facing the audience.
8. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
My magazine “MUS!Q” challenges the stereotypical teenager and young adults.
Teenagers are shown to be careless, violent and associated with underage
drinking and drugs. However my magazine MUSIQ doesn’t portray that image of
teenagers as it as it shows young people with aspirations.
The stereo typical teenager My magazine shows
and young adult is teenagers to be
portrayed as being a thug aspiring. My model is
or violent. Their shown the wearing fashionable
be wearing hoodies and trends and it shows
tracksuits. Teenagers are him smiling. This
shown to be out of control takes out the negative
as this image shows a connotations
teenager out at night. This associated with
is the stereotype for all teenagers as not all
teenagers. teenagers are like the
“stereotypical
teenager”
9. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
The first picture shows the connotations surrounding
teenage girls, however my magazine challenges the
connotations by presenting the female model to look
decent and powerful. This also shows that my magazine
is not aimed at “chavs”. It also makes female readers
want to aspire to be like the female model.
10. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Representation
Social Economic Class
Materialists – my audience are materialists as
they do not pay for anything, most of my target
audience live with their parents so they want
the latest fashion and music trends. This shows
how they have a live now pay later attitude and
live in the present
Hedonists – this is because they are ”living life
to the fullest” they also are not that serious
because they go out a lot with friends.
Post Modernist – to be ,to have ,to play . This My magazine shows the representation on a non-
allows them to enjoy their youth before they violent teenager as my model. The model is not
have to get jobs and start being independent. shown to be the “stereotypical” unlike Hip Hop
magazine The Source's cover of The Game shows a
I represented the target audience which is 16- lot of violence. This is shown as the model is holding
25 as they are materialists. This meant that I a gun. This magazine is associating Hip Hop with
could get high fashion or gadgets to advertise violence. However my model is shown to be into
in my magazine . For example I included an high fashion like teenagers as well as representing
advert of VANS in my magazine this means that Hip-Hop with the bling on his neck
I can relate to the audience as most of them
wear vans.
11. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
Bauer Media Group is a very success full media group they have different forms of
media such as , magazines, radio stations and television channels. They have 99
iconic brands
Bauer Media Group would publish my magazine because they have a gap in the
market. All of their music magazines are made for males. The don’t have any Hip-
Hop magazines aimed at young adults and teenagers. For example their magazine
Q’s median age is 27. By targeting a much younger audience they can get a bigger
profit as the price of my magazine is a low price this would mean that more young
people can afford to purchase the magazine.
12. Who would be the audience for your media product?
My Media product is aimed around the age of 16-25. I feel that the
connotations around my media product are suited to people in the age
group. The fonts that I used and the images would stereotypically
attract people in this category. I used this age group because most of
the magazines are aimed at a much older generation. My magazine
features interest of the younger generations by including adverts one
Beats By Dre as their becoming popular in the younger generations.
My audience definition is that
They watch music channels
Own the latest trends and trainers
Listen to new and upcoming artist on YouTube
Be interested in Hip-Hop and urban music . They must recognise
the artists on the front cover.
13. How did you attract/address your audience?
The connotations of my magazine means that its
aimed at Radical aspirers.
The audience think that they are individuals and
they have individual taste.
They also want to achieve more , I used the front
cover with the bling to show a richer side of hip-
hop so that the audience can aspire to that.
My target audience would be on the D to E on the
Jicnar Scale .
D to E means the audience is semi or unskilled
workers and unemployed people. Also people in
low income jobs.
This is because their in full time education of in low
income jobs.
14. How did you attract/address your audience?
I used language that would appeal
to my audience. I used this to attract
my audience as the language
relates to them.
I included the barcode because
smartphones are popular within
teenagers. This makes it easier to
access the website on their phones.
I used eyebrows to appeal to my I used my house style so it’s not
audience as they reviewed more artists associated with stereotypical
that are in the magazine. This is more male and female colours. This
appealing to the audience as they can represents the music magazine
identify their favourite artists and is unisex.
purchase the magazine.
I used a drop shadow behind the
image this creates an effect as it
looks more professional therefore it
can attract both genders to my
magazine.
15. Audience responses
Walay , 20
This magazine is great. I feel it really
speaks out to it’s target audience and
appeals to those who like the genre of
music that is displayed in it. However, I do
feel it is overpriced and teenagers might
not be willing to spent that much money
on a magazine.
If this magazine was real I would
I love the way you have
indeed buy it! It has great artists,
contrasted everything together
the layout brings out this
but I would by your magazine
importance of the magazine and
because it’s not very female
the front cover is eye-catching. Also,
orientated and it’s not the type of
the people “featured” in the
music I like, it’s a good magazine
magazine are to my taste. I do think
though!
that think I’d be willing to pay the
£2.99 for a monthly subscription.
16. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I have gained some InDesign skills from the first time I used InDesign for
my preliminary exercise. I have used InDesign when be siding what type
face to use for my stand first also when making my double page spread. I
have found InDesign very useful and it was easily accessible, this made it
easier for me to do a don’t of my work on it. I took some getting used to
then it became simple to use.
I have gained some Photoshop skills . This allowed me to edit pictures, cut the
picture out of the background. I found photo shop very helpful in making my
magazine as I was able to make the magazine how I wanted to make it . I found
photo shop very difficult to use however after a couple weeks of using it I
became familiar with the software which gave me great result which my magazine
cover.
I used a Nikon camera to take my pictures. This mean I could use top quality
images in my magazine. I also took the pictures portrait. So that I can get more
out of the image. It was very accessible to use and I found that the camera
produced good pictures.
17. I have learnt how to construct my interviews
well, and it was easily accessible as I had this
software at home, therefore making it easier for
me to work from many places.
I found using Microsoft PowerPoint easier
than using Microsoft word document as it is
easier to label and annotate my work. It uses
a range of different techniques which result in
making pictures and titles stand out thus
attracting people to the magazine.
18. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it
to the full product?
I used this flat plan for my contents page. However I had to alter some
pages because I felt that they were in the wrong place. I showed this using
my contents page. I have learnt that I can make some changes when
planning the pages in my magazine contents.
I changed the layout out of my magazine cover and layout after
researching more Hip-Hop and urban music magazines. I felt that
my magazine wouldn’t appeal to my target audience. It was
important that I chose a contents page layout that would attract
more readers and appeal to them. I think I have made a
progression in understanding how other magazines layout the
cover and contents page. I also felt that I have grasped a better
understanding of my audience as I was able to identify what
would appeal to them and what wouldn’t.
19. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression
from it to the full product?
The main image for my preliminary exercise is
not every professional. The main image is also
not looking at the audience this is shown as in
my final magazine cover the model is not
looking directly to the audience.
The masthead in my
preliminary front cover’s
house style is not shown on
the masthead as it has a lot of I included eyebrows to
different colours on them. emphasise what if
going to be in my
magazine. However
my preliminary doesn’t
have eyebrows
showing how I have
progressed to know
the importance of
eyebrows.
Since the preliminary exercise I have learnt some
more skills in using photo shop. After researching
magazine covers I have designed my magazine
cover so that it looks like existing ones . The first
magazine that I designed the typeface is not clear
enough for the reader to read.
20. There's a more defined house
style in my magazine, however
in my preliminary magazine My final stand first
cover there's too many colours stand out more than
which is a bit too much. my preliminary stand
first. This makes it
more visible that it is a
contents page.
My magazine picture is not at high
quality as the model is facing the left
which shows how she’s not associated
with the magazine. However although On my preliminary exercise the magazine contents looks empty
my model is facing right and not at the however on my final contents page I included two pictures
audience he's pointing at the text so which makes it more professional and appealing but my
the reader follows his arm and reads preliminary exercise looks unfinished.
the text.