IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS

AND CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?

EVALUATION- QUESTION 1

ELLA ASH

RESEARCH & PLANNING

When I began planning my magazine design and creating my basic flat plans for my music magazine, I had to bear in mind the forms and conventions of real music magazines and magazines in general. To begin I did my research of music magazines and chose the conventions I’d like to incorporate into my magazine e.g. pull quotes (text wrapped around), strapline/ tagline etc. As my magazine is based around a genre where there is a significant gap in the market (Ska & Rocksteady primarily), I couldn’t find any music magazine of that genre to relate to and help me choose what conventions to use. Therefore, I based my magazine similarly on NME and Q magazine in particular, however this slideshow is only going to show examples of NMEs cover, contents, and double page spread.

As well as incorporating the forms and conventions of real music magazines, I also challenged these at some points, which will be explained in the following slides.

FRONT COVER OF NME- CONVENTIONS Iconic masthead

Puff & plug

Slanted cover lines

Side banner- includes extra images and cover lines

Barcode, price, date and tagline

Main cover line- large and bold

Artist banner

Main image

Pull quote

Black, red and white colour scheme is suggested.

MY FRONT COVER- CONVENTIONS

Iconic masthead- bold and the largest text on the cover

Tagline/ strapline

Puff & plug- drop capital ‘50’ as the number grabs the readers attention and indicates they’re going to get something extra, that they wouldn’t find elsewhere.

Top banner showing the reader what else is ‘exclusively’ included in the magazine

Side banner containing other smaller images with smaller cover lines. I have still kept three images likewise NME, but I have changed the positioning so it is slanted as like that look. Also the colour links in with my chosen ‘primary colour’ scheme.

Pull quote

Main cover line- second largest text on the cover

Artist bannerBarcode, issue number, date and price

Primary colour scheme and black and white (especially images)

COMPARISONS BETWEEN CONVENTIONS- FRONT COVER• On my front cover, that was based around the NME cover I analysed for conventions, I have included numerous conventions of real

magazines. Firstly I created a masthead using ‘dafont.com’ and the font ‘Independant’ as it suited the genre of Rocksteady and looked a little 60s. I also made it the largest and boldest text on the page so that can easily be recognised. I also incorporated a puff & plug which the readers are immediately drawn to. Puffs and plugs usually show something exclusive or extra included in the magazine and mine does. However, I added a number to it which is also a common convention of magazine front covers, to catch the readers attention immediately and get them to want to read on and to make them feel as if their getting something extra that you can’t get elsewhere. Likewise NME, I added an side panel with extra images and smaller cover lines so that it would appeal to everyone. I thought that if there was just one story/ cover line on the cover, that some people not interested in the artist would just not pick it up, so this way it can appeal to everyone. However, as mentioned I decided to make my slanted to make it a bit different and added the bright yellow which I didn’t originally plan to use. I feel this makes the magazine gender neutral too. For the magazine to be aimed at both genders I don’t feel as if it needs images of both males and females and content to specifically suit each gender individually, so by using a neutral colour scheme and non gender biased content, it suits both genders as well as my intended age group (16- 50 or even older). I have also added an artist banner as I feel this is another effective way of addressing the content and the wide range of music to suit the audience. I also made this at a slant to make the cover cohesive and interesting to look at.

• Although the NME cover I analysed didn’t have a top banner, I decided to incorporate one as other magazines have them, and I feel again, it is another way of grabbing the readers attention and showing what additional content you get with the magazine. This can also make it appeal to more readers. I have also included a tagline similar to NME and most magazines, however unlike NME, I haven’t put it alongside the barcode, and instead under my masthead so it can be easily recognised and associated with the masthead. Also, I have used a close up portrait style shot for my main image. This is a typical convention of magazines to make the reader connect and feel like the artist is looking directly at them. This kind of shot is often seen on music magazine often as it’s more personal etc.

CONTENTS PAGE NME- CONVENTIONS

Masthead- can be easily recognised away from the magazine

Main image- On this contents page there is one main image which immediately grabs the readers attention. This is accompanied with a short but snappy cover line and bold page number so the reader can easily find it.

Band index- Acts as a simple navigation method for readers.

Contents= The contents is split up into various categories to make it easier and quicker for the readers to find where to go. However, I feel too much text has been squeezed onto one page.

These small arrows highlight the most important features.

Date of the issue

This is an advertisement banner which boosts magazine sales. This is a very common convention on contents pages especially in music magazines.

MY CONTENTS PAGE- CONVENTIONSMasthead- can be recognised easily‘This week’s artists’ side

panel- Likewise NME with their ‘band index’, however I haven’t included page numbers as I feel it will make it more intriguing for readers. Having this also shows straight away all of the musicians included which could also make a wider audience buy it.

I have included three images in a grid like fashion, which a lot of magazines do. I think this makes the contents page more visually appealing and offers a variety of significant features included in the magazine, whereas the NME only highlighted one. These are accompanied by short, catch captions containing buzz words such as ‘exclusive’ and ‘favourite’, which make the reader want to read on and also feel like they’re getting something extra from the magazine.

I have kept the text to a minimum and the overall contents on the page to a minimum, as it looks more simplistic and I feel this is more effective at grabbing the readers attention rather than a cluttered page. I have also used two different fonts to make it more cohesive and interesting to look at/ read.

The numbers of the pages the images relate to are in large, bold text in bright yellow so they immediately stand out. If a reader just looked at the image and liked the artist they could just flick straight to those pages without having to read anything else. This is an easy navigation system.

Advert- similar to NMEs one but positioned at the side without an image.

COMPARISONS BETWEEN CONVENTIONS- CONTENTS PAGE I have used numerous conventions of contents page on my contents page, however I feel my contents page does also challenge the conventions slightly. Firstly, I have included my magazines masthead on the contents page, so it becomes memorable for the reader and so that if they were to just see the contents page they would recognise what magazine it came from. I have also included large, colourful page numbers to aid simple navigation, as most magazines do. I have also created a small advert which advertises a subscription service for my magazine, likewise NME does. I have selected parts of the text to be in yellow rather than white so it catches the readers eye and they will be shocked by the price, which they will see first, and as a consequence be more likely to subscribe. I have kept to my primary and black and white colour scheme and also putting some of the text and lines at slight angles to make it more visually pleasing and to give it an edge, similar to the genre it is representing.

However, in general I feel my contents page doesn’t conform to the typical conventions of contents pages. This is because I have more than one main image, all showing different stories within the magazine, with no order of importance, however in most magazines there’s one main, important feature. Another way that my product challenged conventions of magazines is the side bar named ‘This week’s artists’ that I created. Although NME has something similar, I haven’t included page numbers as I feel it will make it more intriguing for readers. Having this also shows straight away all of the musicians included which could also make a wider audience buy it. I’ve never seen it in any other music magazines and it gives my contents page a uniqueness and also makes it visually interesting for readers. I have tried to kept the text to a minimum and the overall contents on the page to a minimum, as it looks more simplistic and I feel this is more effective at grabbing the readers attention rather than a cluttered page.

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD NME- CONVENTIONSPull quote/ title- consumes a page and a half. It’s bold and visually interesting so it will be the first thing the reader reads.

Page number and web address

Main image- medium close up

Drop capital

Introduction to make people decide whether they want to continue reading

Date, page number and masthead

Main body of text neatly organised into four columns on the left page.

Small text box containing a caption to accompany the image

MY DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD- CONVENTIONS Short introduction to let the readers decide whether they want to read on or not. I have included a drop capital in this as it is a common convention.

Pull quote with text wrapped around it

Page number, artists name and website/ masthead.

Main image- Sticking to my theme of black and white images and still using red.

Page number and artists name- same as other side.

Caption containing artist, place and date the photo was taken. This is common in a lot of magazines.

Enlarged letter ‘J’ to represent the artists name- this is unusual and adds to the uniqueness of my magazine and the genre/ artist being interviewed- challenging the conventions.

Lines to separate the text from the introduction and basic info. i.e. page numbers

Main body of text is organised into neat columns- convention of almost all magazines.

COMPARISONS BETWEEN CONVENTIONS- DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

My double page spread is probably the most deviant of conventions of magazines compared to my front cover and contents page. Firstly, I have included a main image which fills up the whole left hand page and I haven’t included a title at all or a pull quote on this page, which is unusual, however, I feel it looks effective and gives my magazine the uniqueness I was trying to create. Another way my double page spread challenges conventions is by putting the enlarged letter ‘J’ (representing the artists name) behind the main body of text. I got this idea from Q magazine so it isn’t completely original, but I feel it is a simple way of grabbing the readers attention and again giving the magazine a sense of individuality and so it can be told apart from other music magazines.

However, I have made use of many conventions too including the introductory paragraph but instead have put it above the line that separate it from the text, including a drop capital too. I have also structured the text as most magazines usually do in 3 columns running down the right hand side page. NME challenges this however, and has four smaller columns that spread across both pages, as well as the pull quote spreading across both pages. I have also added a pull quote with the text wrapped around it which is a typical convention, but I feel it looks good and grabs the readers attention. I chose an interesting part of the text that leaves unanswered questions which will hopefully make the reader want to read the entire article. I have similarly used a smaller version of my masthead below the main article, and have incorporated it into the web address for the magazine.

Overall I think my magazine both makes use of the forms and conventions of real media products, but also challenges them. I think this mixture is good because as well as it being recognised as a legitimate and realistic magazine design, it also as individuality and the uniqueness I set out to create.

BY ELLA ASH