Question 1 - Evaluation
- 1. Question 1... In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
- 3. Before beginning with the creation of my own magazine, I initially started off by doing some research on existing pop magazine covers. By doing this, it gave me an idea as to the conventions I needed to include in my magazine if I wanted it to be successful like the ones I deconstructed. Some of the key forms and conventions of the magazines I researched were: -strong image with direct eye contact -lots of bold colourful colours -sense of symmetry -lots of interesting cover lines -names of some artists featured -exclusives -bold masthead -free posters/music -lures (WIN!)
- 4. Conventions that I used.... The main factor I think which makes a magazine successful is direct eye contact. I specifically made sure that my model looked directly at the camera and I think that this is very important. Direct eye contact is very helpful in drawing the reader in, it grabs the readers attention more, and is a very common technique. Also, after looking at existing magazines I immediately decided that I wanted my cover to have a white background. I think those with white background stood out most to me, it meant that everything was very clear with no colour clashes. Furthermore, I took into account how existing magazines have a varied amount of cover lines, all of different colours, fonts and sizes. In my cover, I have used many colours of which I think connote pop. I have also used lots of different fonts, and my cover lines are all different sizes. I think this helps it to attract more to my target audience and it make the cover a lot more interesting and eye catching. In my cover, I also decided to use lots of lures. These are again very successful and help to encourage a reader to buy your magazine. In my cover, the lures I have used are: . WIN TICKETS TO T4OTB . FREE POSTERS . EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW .EXCLUSIVE PICTURES
- 5. Conventions that I challenged... Like all other magazines, I have also got a masthead at the top of my cover. My magazine is called Jukebox, and to help it connote music in my masthead, instead of the ‘u’ I have some big headphones. The majority of the magazine covers I looked at either had an image below or above the masthead. I didn’t like this idea, and so for my magazine, I decided to have my masthead very clearly at the top with nothing covering up any of the letters. Another convention I slightly went against was the randomness of some of the covers I looked at. Some of them had cover lines that would overlap the image, which I didn’t especially like. Therefore, I tried to make my cover look slightly organised but not overly organised. I like wrapped my cover lines around my image, but to make it more interesting I decided to add some stamp type things, including a star and free posters box. A few of the magazine covers I looked at were set out in thirds and had a sense of symmetry (the blender magazine in particular). However, some were more random and didn’t really have a sense of symmetry about it. I decided that I preferred those that did and so for my cover you can see that it can be split into thirds and has a sense of symmetry about it.
- 6. My front cover product compared with existing product... Differences Similarities Differences My masthead is extremely clear as there is Both covers have a capitalised The Bliss masthead has the image of Cher a pink box underneath it, making the masthead, across the top of the page. underneath it. It is still clear, but doesn’t white writing stand out a lot. They are both pink and are quite stand out as much for me personally, bold and eye catching. Both covers have an image in more or less the centre of the page. Both models have direct eye contact with the camera, helping to draw readers in more. The two covers have JLS mentioned on the front cover, I think they are a big part of pop so it will help encourage fans to buy them. Both of the covers have a cover line about the model of the front cover. You can clearly see what a main article in the magazine is going to be based on. Quotes have been used on both the covers, my quote is from a song and the Bliss quote is from an interview. Both cover have something what My model is a readers can WIN, this help to attract guy, which I I have a box people to the magazine as they may This front cover about hot free They have a box model is a think helps like the things that are available to on the summer appeal more to posters that come win. girl, Cher, who is in the magazine. fashion. becoming quite girls. The two covers have a white My cover lines are wrapped The cover lines on this big in the pop background and quite similar colour around my image, I have used cover overlap over the industry. scheme of pink, blue, yellow, white and more colours and more variations black. image, less variation of of fonts. font is used.
- 7. Contents...
- 8. I deconstructed 3 different magazine contents pages as well. This was helpful as it helps to give you an idea as to the common forms and conventions of contents pages. Some of the key forms and conventions in the contents pages that I analysed were: -clear numbering -mixture of images -main bits stand out more -heading to split the contents up -strong image/images -variation of page number(not just listed 1,2,3,4 etc) -highlighted text to make it stand out -clear contents title -colour variations
- 9. Conventions that I used.... The main factor which I think makes a contents page successful is not listing all the pages in 1,2,3,4 order. This makes the contents extremely boring and goes against the normal conventions. Therefore, in my contents I have listed it with random page numbers which contain all the magazines best things. Also, another convention that is similar is the clear contents title. In the magazines that I initially looked at, all of them had a clear contents title, so again I made the title really clear by having white writing on a pink squared box so it stands out against my white page. I have also used headings to separate my contents; featured, reviews and exclusives. This again goes along with the normal conventions of contents page and I think it is a good way to clearly divide up the contents information. Readers can easily find what they are looking for immediately. I have also included an online web address which persuades readers to go have a look online at the magazine and possible subscribe up for it monthly. The majority of magazines would have a web address somewhere in the magazine. Finally, another convention of contents that I used was highlighting the main parts. I used yellow to highlight some new, up-to-date things that my magazine has to offer in that particular month.
- 10. Conventions that I challenged... One convention that makes my contents quite different from those I looked at is the fact that I have used a huge variation of different fonts and font sizes. Whereas some existing contents only use a couple of fonts throughout. I decided to use such a variation in fonts to make it more eye catching and interesting. Also, I have made the more interesting contents information have a slightly bigger font, meaning that particular cover lines stand out more than the rest. Also, in my contents I have used a total of five different images, one of my model who is on the front cover and four that I took from concerts. This sort of goes against the normal conventions of contents pages as they usually only have about three at the most. I decided to include all the images as I believe it makes the contents more interesting rather than just lots of writing and I think that the images will help to attract my target audience. Furthermore, I have also made certain page numbers bigger than others, I did this deliberately to make particular things stand out more to the reader. This again sort of goes against the normal conventions as the page numbering is usually all about the same size.
- 11. My contents page compared with existing product... Differences Similarities Differences I have called my contents page Both contents pages have a heading They have just wrote ‘inside the mag...’, as ‘contents’ to clearly show if not already at the top in a pink box with white most people know that when they see lots of known what the page is. writing, making it very clear and numbers it is going to be a contents page. easy for the reader to read. They both have used yellow to highlight particular bits of the contents to make them stand out more. A variation of numbering has been used in both. They have not been listed like 1,2,3,4 etc. Both the contents pages have used headings to divide up the contents. It is not all just one massive list. It has been divided up in ways which make it look more interesting and clear to read. More than one image has been used in both the pages. An image of members of a pop boy bands have been used. In my contents being Tom from The Wanted and in the Totp contents being members from One Direction. Larger numbering has been used in both to emphasis some of the main They have I have a lot more Totp contents included an image things featured in the magazine. variation of fonts and I have included has images of of the front cover font sizes. I have also an online web The colour scheme of both is quite jewellery as well and have arrows included a variation of address for similar of pink, blue, yellow, black as artists to showing what is different shapes, like reader to look and white. They are both very make it appeal page number the star and circle. online at the colourful, helping to connote that it is to the girls even everything is on. magazine. a pop contents page. more.
- 12. DPS...
- 13. I also deconstructed 3 different magazine double page spreads before starting any of my own creation of my pages. It is helpful to do so as likewise to the front cover and contents, you can also get more of an idea as to the common forms and conventions of existing products. Some of the key forms and conventions in the double page spread that I analysed were: -eye catching image -large main quote -clear questions and answers -’exclusive interview’ -consistent colour scheme -artists name clearly displayed -easy to read -suitable length writing -variation of different images
- 14. Conventions that I used.... In my double page spread I ensured that the text was very clear and easy to read. It would be pointless if the writing was hard to read as people won’t even bother reading it. So, I have a suitable size font that I believe is clear and easy for anyone of all ages to read. I have also provided a suitable length interview so people are not let down and the money that they paid for the magazine is worth it. Also, I have clearly split up the questions from the writing so it is not just one big chunk of text. I have my questions in pink and my writing in black. This is similar to the DPS pages I looked at and it makes the page more clear and interesting for the reader. I also used the convention of having a large quote, which is usually the best part from the interview. It helps to sum up the interview as a whole and encourages people to read on more. Furthermore, I have included some lures that existing DPS pages also do. I have exclusive, debut album out now, and the chance to win a signed album. This helps to promote the artist and their work and it also enables reader to read on through the magazine and be at chance of winning lots of exclusive things. I have clearly displayed the artists name both at the top of the interview and on the image. The informs people if not known, who he is, so they automatically know who the interview is going to be based on.
- 15. Conventions that I challenged... Most of the covers that I looked at had two or more images on the DPS. However, on mine I only have one, I didn’t really feel it was necessary to have another as I believe that throughout my front cover, contents and DPS my images have helped to show a different personality side to my model each time. My model does have eye contact with the camera again, which again I think is very successful in drawing the reading in more. I think that in my DPS compared to those I deconstructed, I have a lot more variation of fonts again. I feel that the font variation works quite well, it makes the page more interesting and kind of makes it make it have a more ‘poppy’ feel to it. Another convention of my DPS that is slightly different to the ones I deconstructed is the fact that all my text is on the right hand side. In the ones I looked at however, it is spread a little across both pages. I don’t feel this is a problem, as on the one page I have a large eye catching image and on the other I have the exclusive interview. I also have included a little signature at the bottom of the interview, which I haven’t seen in any existing DPS’s. I think that it makes it more personal, and it shows the reader it is from the artist and not just made up gossip.
- 16. My DPS compared with existing product... Differences Similarities Differences Both have a large quote on the right All my interview is on the right hand The interview is spread across with part hand side. It is normally the most side. I have one large image and then of it on each. There is also two images of interesting part of the interview and the interview beside, with lures and the artists in the same clothing and same kind of sums up the interview as a quotes around the page. equipment (basketball) but different whole. They both have a bit to positions. show that it is an exclusive interview and readers know that it is new gossip that has never been out before. The male models in both have direct eye contact with the camera, this helps to draw the reader in more, and encourages them to read the interview. Questions and answers have been clearly separated in both by the change of colour. The answers in both have been done in black font as it is They have included help and advice to I have included the artist name clearly probably one of the on the image, so reader can cut out and readers who may have experienced most easiest for every to bullying like Justin Bieber did. I think keep the image if wanted. Also, I have read. persuaded them to read on by giving that this is quite good, not only can them a chance to read a signed copy of Both have a similar length interview people read about their favourite his new debut album which I think is based on male artists, both are on a celebs, they can also get some important quite a good idea. white background, both have lures to advice on how to deal with serious attract reader. matters.