1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
Main image
Within a magazine product, essentially the front cover the main attraction to the
audience is the main image; this to the consumer is going to be the main article.
So for the production they would make it stand out and maybe get the model to
do a model credit, giving that connection to the consumer. This use of the main
image is a key convention within magazines as it is the unique selling point for
that particular issue. My magazine for the main image uses the model to address
the audience by using a model credit. I think this is a key way to sell and promote
the magazine as it makes the consumers find it easy to distinguish who it is
within the magazine.
A main key convention technique I used to make the magazine attractive is with
using one image on the front cover. This technique attracts the audience solely
on that person, and not really has much more distractions from this. With the
image then I used the artist to use a direct mode of address to make it more
appealing to the audience.
Masthead
However my magazine does challenge some conventions within the front cover
by the use of the masthead. On the main magazines within the market (Q and
NME) they use bold and bright text to make sure that the masthead does stand
out, and this is normally in the top left hand corner. However in my magazine I
think to challenge this convention I have made it stretch across the top of the
page, but still in bold lettering just not as bright. I have done this to make the
magazine not so similar to other magazines.
Another convention when the masthead stretches across the page is if the header
would go in front or behind the text. one of the key conventions would be to go
behind the image, however I have gone against this convention in that I have put
the image behind the masthead, which makes the masthead stand out more.
Techniques
When using photo shop, I believe an effective technique that sells the magazine
would be to edit images to make them more appealing. On the main image on the
front cover I have made the model stand out more on the magazine. I have done
this by increasing the saturation on the photo and reducing the brightness down
a little. Another edit within the magazine I did was on the contents page, but on
the same model. With this is added an effect that changed the whole outlook on
the photo, making it almost into a yellow background. This edit gives the
consumers a different feel on the artist.
One of the key edits on the photos was cutting the model out from the
background; to make the magazine look more professional as the background on
the photos I took weren’t really suitable to make the magazine look professional.
This use of cutting them out and putting it onto a different background gives an
effective feel and makes the photos look like they were taken professionally.
For the article, I didn’t challenge the conventions; I used a stylish layout to make
it easy for the consumers to read, and no change in font.
House style
Another convention that is a unique selling point in the Q magazine is the faded
letter behind the text on the double page spread. For this is have used it in my

2. magazine to give an effect. This for Q magazine is part of their house style, which
is effectively a predominant reason as to why the Q magazine is so popular.
However my target audience isn’t similar to Q magazine as they look at an older
and higher class sort of audience. Whereas my magazine would look more into
the lower age groups and class because that’s the type of genre the magazine
would fit into. Another key house style skill that is used in other forms of
magazines within music industry is the colours of red, white and black. This is
used by both nme and Q magazine I n all of their products. This is a good colour
scheme to follow as they are two magazines that hold a large share of the market,
and are very popular. However these do aim at a different target audience to me,
and I believe to meet my target audience you would have to be innovative with
each colour scheme in magazines. So ideally for this magazine I have used black
white and grey. But then in future magazines I would see to add brighter colours
to get more attention. This is what mix mag do, they create different colour
schemes on each magazine to attract the audience.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
The main way I believe my media product represents a particular social group is
through the font that is used in the masthead. I wanted to give it an urban feel as
the magazine is a Dance magazine and doesn’t really appeal to a wide audience
as such. This urban feel could link in with the younger age groups (14-30) as it is
an attractive style and can associate with them within the street style. Also I
believe the name of the magazine “ULTRA” also gives of a young sort of urban
feel, that it is hitting not only a certain type of music but also social group.
One key magazine that relates to the same social group is mix mag. The magazine
represents the same sort of genre in music and also relates to the same social
group; the audience that would go out and listen to the music represented within
the magazine. One key way in which mix mag represent a social group is by the
text font and also the way there cover lines are put across. Firstly the font cover
font is in a sans serif, and not just a normal bold and straight edged. Whereas on
magazines such as nme and Q, they use bold, straight edged writing to kepe it
formal within the structure.
What kind of media may distribute your media product and why?
As my magazine is very much structured in a formal way to an extent like the
magazine NME, I believe that there are two options that could distribute my
product, in which either one could create the magazine as such. The two options
would be either ipc media, or bauer media. Both distributers produce some of
the most recognized magazines that are on the shop shelf’s of today. IPC Media is
a business that formats different magazines, within different markets. This
shows the versatility of the business and the different audiences they try and
attract. The key magazine that they do produce within the music industry is
NME. Which is mainly targeted at the male audience, Even though nme does hit a
different social group, this type of business manufacture would know a good way
to attract the male audience. IPC also distribute the magazine through different
sorts of technology such as an app on the iPad. Creating a different audition for

3. this sort of audience. This is a good technique by the manufacturer to meet
different audiences and make sure that it is easily accessible to everyone within
the target audience.
Baurer media on the other hand very in the types of magazines tha they produce.
Within the music industry however they produce the leading magazine, Q
magazine. However this magazine is much more formal than I would want mine.
Even though this is the case, the magazine distributors do produce magazines
such as Match magazine, that is a football magazine that is informal in a way to
meet its audiences. This shows the versatility on how the distributors can meet
different attractions
However, with new media convergence it is believed that magazines are better
now online, due to the Easy accessibility. Not only could I create an online
website that allows customers to look at the magazine online, but also could link
in with iTunes in making it into an iBook, where customers can get it on their
iPod, iPhone and iPad wherever they want. As the model is on his own, it
represents a social class of DJ’s. AsDj’s are normally seen on their own. This is a
strong representation as it oinks in with a strong representation of a particular
artist, who then relates to a social group.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
The audience for my magazine would be a young age group; I would personally
try and hit the target age group of between (14-30). As it being a dance magazine
I don’t believe that the older age groups would be as interested in a all out dance
magazine, whereas I think that the younger age groups would be more interested
into different gigs and festivals. Also, I would mainly hit the male gender, as
dance music is mainly male dominated. However, I do feel that there would be
articles within the magazine that would still attract and relate to both genders.
The way mix mag gain there customer loyalty is profoundly what I want to do as
both magazines hit the same audience a key technique into how mixmag do this
is by focusing the front cover solely on one person, with limited cover lines and a
strong an noticeable model credit. However I have gone against this convention,
and in fact added a main image and also another image to make the magazine
look more appealing.t his technique gives the audience an insight into who the
main cover lines within the magazine.
How did you attract/address your audience?
The key way the magazine would attract target audiences is through the cover
lines in what would be within the magazine. One key aspect this would create is
the enthusiasm of artists that they would like to see and read about being within
the magazine; Also other cover lines that show a different aspects within the
genre of dance, such as festivals and holidays. This is a key way to attract the
audience, as it would be something that they would want to read. This can be
created on both the front page and on the contents. For example on the front
page you are mainly attracting the audience towards the main image and main
cover line, but still having other cover lines that may finally entice the consumer

4. into buying it. In doing this, I still kept the magazine n a formal manner into
address the audience, as I believe it is the best way to connect with an audience
as it would be easy for them to read. Another way I could attract the target
audience is through the questionnaire that I took out. In this the majority of the
audience was in fact within the target audience I wanted to attract. From these
results I can work out what they like to be put in the magazine, and when on
occasions they would buy it. One suggestion that wasn’t on the questionnaire but
I do believe that putting the magazine online would be a key way to attract an
audience due to the class I am targeting, a lot is seen to revolve around web 2.0.
The market research I took out was through in ways to attract the audience, not
only did I meet up with audiences to get personal opinion, I also looked at unique
styles that other music magazines used. So with this is researched on different
magazines front covers, contents pages and double page spread on how they
maybe used key principles and conventions such as the Guttenberg principle, or
even break conventions. This all carried within different magazines. For example
you’d see how NME and Q would stick to conventions within the magazine to
attract the audience, and this is mainly what I followed, to make sure key
principles were used. However when looking at magazines such as Vibe, that
actually break conventions, particularly on the contents page by not having the
masthead in the top left and having it on the right hand side wrote in a unique
way. This looks like it would attract the audience’s attention more, especially
with the target audience I am trying to meet
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing
this product?
Throughout the task we have used technologies such as Photoshop, blogger,
Facebook, slide share, cannon and Microsoft. Firstly I have mainly learntthe
different aspects that different programs can give to you.
Photoshop: The main function being photo shop, how within the software you
are able to do so much ad be so creative within a task;from cutting out the
background to changing colours within photos in an effective manor. As
Photoshop was mainly the fundamental part of the production, the other
technology devices that we used were either for the research of the pre and post
production.
Blogger: Blogger is a useful website that enables you to promote the production
you are doing and show an audience on what, why and how you are creating
something. Blogger is easily accessible and easy to use for you to promote your
media, and also the research behind it, however sometimes you would have to
use slide share to be able to put on some programs i.e Word.
Cannon: Another key device that was used to make the product was a cannon
camera; this form of technology was crucial in being able to use the equipment
right so you can get the right image. Even though on Photoshop you would later
edit the images take, it was stil idle to get the lighting on the photos right and the
right angles. Also the cannon camera allowed us to adjust the different focuses,
which enabled to take numerous effects on photos. As on the main image the
focus would be the face of the model, this would be what our focus would have
been on. Whereas in other photos the model could be doing hand gestures that
would look good in focus with the rest out of focus.

5. Slide share: this sort of programmer allowed us to put on different documents
that weren’t compatible with blogger. For example when writing a word
document, to put it on your blogger you would have to put it through slide share
first. Slide share is easy to use and easily workable when wanting to delete
projects etc.
Prezi: this web browser was a way in which you can put across an evaluation
question in a different way to just a simple word document or PowerPoint. It
allows you to be creative in presenting an answer to a question; Helping the
answer flow from one point to another.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in
the progression from it to the full product?
When looking back at the preliminary task of the college magazine, I have looked
to improve massively on the techniques that can be featured within the magazine
by using Photoshop. For example one key feature of my music magazine is how
the artist is cut out from the background, this ads a great effect on the actual
image, and the image placement. Whereas in the college magazine I left the
background in, that limited me into what I could do with the image itself.
Also I have learnt about the placement of cover lines, and also the text and font
colour in the magazine. In the preliminary task I believe for the image that is use,
the text was to bright and it over powered the initial image. This was a problem,
as it wouldn’t make the magazine stand out as much. Also the font style I used
didn’t look as appealing. So when I came onto the final product, It was essential
to get fonts that look good and appealing to the audience I am trying to target.
For example as I wanted the urban feel, I got a font that would give that
impression, and used that font throughout the front cover. This shows me how I
have learnt to choose the font and the font colour wisely. However one key
technique that did come from the preliminary task that I used in the main
product was to keep a house style, and keep them particular colours. This was
key to make the magazine look professional. In my preliminary task I used blue
and yellow as house style colours, whereas in the main magazine I used white,
black and grey for my house style colours. Another key skill I picked up was how
to use a professional camera, and the way that the different techniques and
angles you can use, shows how the different effects that can be portrayed.
During making the preliminary task, we learned about the design principles that
you would need to use, however in the preliminary task I don’t seem to have
used them. However when creating the main product, I ensured that the
principles that the guttenburg express to use was ensured. In this the reading
gravity pull from the top left to the bottom right is where the main image will be
with a direct mode of address. This is a good design principle to attract the
audience. Also in the strong fallow area is another image of a different artist that
would be in the magazine. I placed that there as I know how strong the area
would be to make the audience more attracted.