1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? In my media product I used similar conventions to the real media products. For the conventions of the Kerrang! Magazine I analysed, for the front cover I had the title of the magazine at the top where most of them were, a main image for the whole page to show that he/she or they were the main topic of discussion and artice boxes around the whole page. But I challenged that convention by not adding as many as Kerrang! did, because I wanted my magazine to be a little more subtle. For my contents page I took the conventions of a Q magazine, having the features scroll down the left hand margin, a main image near the right, and special features under the main image. For my double page spread I took the conventions from NME magazine, the whole image was on both pages with the text overlapping it, i made the text in the style as it would be in a newspaper, like it was in NME, and also a few quotes. I made my product look like a real media product with a few alterations here and there .

2. Real Mag My Mag

3. How does your media product represent particular social groups? The age group that I am appealing to most is teenagers and people in their mid 20’s to 30’s. This is because I thought it would be easier to make my magazine appeal to this age group easier than others, due to that they tend to enjoy music more than other ages. My questionnaire that I carried out proves this because most people in that age group said that they buy at least one music magazine monthly. You can tell this by looking at my magazine because I’ve used images of a guy in that age group who looks like he would be in a band, and also the use of the colour that I have used as well, because they are bright and passionate colours, such as the reds I used which stand for rebelliousness and anarchy. The message that i gave out about this age group is that they really enjoy their music and look and feel cool while doing it. The gender that I have appealed to is Male. This is because I thought that men enjoy jazz rock more than girls and mostly that jazz rock bands consist of all men. You can tell from looking at my mag because all my images consist of a male saxaphonist who I have used throughout my magazine. The message I am trying to give out about this gender is that when they go out and learn how to play (and play well) they are really showboating, cool and fun guys to follow around and be with. I am appealing to all ethnicities because I feel that no matter what you are anyone can enjoy any types of music. You cant really tell this by looking at my mag because I’ve only used images of a Caucasian throughout my magazine which wasn’t intended.

5. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? The main way that real music magazines are produced is that they are sold at Newsagent institutions and also some special companies offer a subscription service. For my music magazine it would be only wise to follow in the same direction, as selling them through newsagents is possibly the best way for magazine material to be sold, as it is mass produced this way to gain massive income.

6. Who would be the audience for your media product? The main audience for my product would be mainly teenagers leading to mid 20 year olds. But my product may appeal to people beyond that age barrier due to my use of attractive images and font styles. It wouldn’t really matter how rich or poor they are because my mag is priced at a reasonably cost, so that it wont make anyone think that they’re being ripped off or being sold a dodgy product.

7. How did you attract/address your audience? Front Page: The main title is centred at the top of the page and is in copperplate bold font style. To add the effect of this magazine’s title “Pure Sounds “ the text has been coloured in gold to signify its pureness and originality. The main image is surrounding the whole page and the text is overlapping it. Article boxes are present showing the reader what will be featured in the magazine, and the use of different coloured texts adds emphasis to the page with no sense of copying. Selling point located at the top above the title, with red background and blue text, so that they stand out from each other. Bar-code at the bottom right of the page. Contents Page: Title of the page is back grounded by blue border with the title itself in the Gold font again, so that it maintains the originality. Date and website follow the same idea. The features scroll down the left hand margin with the text in black and the page numbers in red. This is so that they stand out and to keep with the mag’s message. Two images are present; one on the top right and one on the bottom left. Both images are of the same thing; the lead player from the band Merge who for this month’s issue is being interviewed for. Therefore one image for the main feature and the other to represent a special 18 page feature. Other reviews are displayed at the bottom right below the main image, the use of red and black remain present. There is a little box with a quote from the leader of Merge; “The joy of SAX”. This is a pun from the band because the leader plays the saxophone, so this is to increase humor. Double Page Spread: The title is in the same font and colour bordered by a blue background as in the previous pages, still remaining to the house style. The main image covers the entire right page and part of the left. Main image is of Kenny “Rhythmic” Mcmillan in a close up shot to signify that the article is mainly all about him. Text is laid out like a news article to make it seem like it is truthful. Added effect of extra images, which relate to the topic, next to the text.

8. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? I have learnt that constructing a magazine through the use of photo shop is a difficult process and that you have to be truly professional about making a magazine when using this software. Using tools like moving specific objects around the page was quite challenging to use, because one wrong placement and it leads to frustration. I also learned how to upload photos properly and perfectly without any pixels present, so that I got a clear image.

9. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? I have learnt to use a better use of colour, fonts and where to place everything on the page since my preliminary task. I have been able to take better pictures with better camera angles and be a bit more stylish about it.