Media conventions used/challenged

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Conventions used: I used a barcode in the bottom right corner of my front cover so that it was as unnoticeable as possible as I wanted my magazine cover to be clean line and simplistic. It is a convention that had to be included . There are certain conventions I have had to follow in order to make my magazine look professional, well produced and eye catching. Strap-line used to give details of main article inside. I used minimal text on my front cover so that text could relate to cover picture. Issue number, website address, date and price all above barcode – shows multi-platform consumption and a regularity to my magazine. Masthead at the top of the cover, main picture covers part of masthead as it is easily recognizable and is my brand title. Cover line- my main article.

Conventions used: “ Freebies”- to provide added value to my magazine and entice the reader. One main photo of main feature artist. I chose to use one more photo on my front cover to entice the readers and but the magazine.

I decided to follow the three column rule to make it look conventional and realistic. My article is also an interview so it fits wonderfully into columns. Having a capital at the beginning of the first paragraph is a feature I chose to use to show my professional writing technique. The gold questions make them stand out and follows through with the colour theme. The larger quotation entices the target audience by referencing to the music and breaks up the columns, making the page more interesting to look at. The captions in white stand out against the colourful pictures & develops the typical conventions.

Challenging Conventions:

Cinematography- I took a long shot of the model which is rare to see on the front cover of magazines. I felt that this picture needed to be on the cover as it’s mise en scene in the countryside and the vibrant colours linked so well with the article and everything Anna said. My models pose was important here- it is unassuming and un-sexual, this challenges conventions as usually music magazine covers have the model (s) looking straight at the camera. It connotes innocence and the guitar is almost the main feature. The over colourfully, but natural colour on the whole cover is challenging and again not something that any other magazines usually feature. I chose to not have my front cover full of strap lines and cover lines- I challenged this convention to keep my magazine classy and clutter free.