2. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
Masthead
located at top
Main image
Features
or articles
For my music magazine, I have used
the forms and conventions of a real
media product. I laid out my front cover
in the specific way you would find on a
real music magazine, with the
masthead at the top. My main image
resides in the middle with articles and
offers running across at the top and
bottom of the page.
3. Masthead
placed in
same position
Main
image in
centre
I feel that I have challenged the forms or
conventions of a real media product with the title
“FEVER”, something which has nothing to do with
music. Instead, I felt that the name wouldn’t
associate itself with magazines which have nothing
to do with rock music, the magazines which have
more ‘friendlier’ names such as “TOP OF THE
POPS”. I have kept the layout almost identical to a
real music magazine as that is what I set out to
achieve. As you can see, everything is laid out
almost the exact same way to that of an existing
music magazine, in this case a magazine that
features on rock music.
4. The title of the magazine
The title is not The name derives from the sound
synonymous with rock made when the strings of a guitar
music, but still has the are struck all at once, with the
edge and roughness of amplifier maximising the sound.
what you would expect
to find in a rock
magazine.
5. Images
I have used a model with the clothing you would
associate with rock music, in this case dark
clothing with a hairstyle that exemplifies rock
music, with the side swept fringe, a common
hairstyle sported by fans of rock music. I edited
out the background and opted for a dark bold
colour for the background, something you would
almost always find on the cover of a rock music
magazine.
6. People
The people on the front cover of any magazine
are the main factor of reaching it’s target
audience, in this case, people who listen to
rock music. The ‘KERRANG!’ magazine
features a well recognised musician that fans
of rock will almost instantly recognise. Almost
every music magazine features this on the
front cover.
Ville Valo,
famous musician
amongst rock
music fans.
7. What kind of media institution might distribute
your media product and why?
A media institution is a non-profit organisation which regulates and distributes advertising, information
and entertainment services.My media product would be distributed by Bauer Media. Bauer Media
Group is a multinational media company headquartered in Hamburg, Germany which operates in 15
countries worldwide. Since the company was founded in 1875, it has been privately-owned and under
management by the Bauer family. The Bauer Media Group distribute ‘KERRANG!’ magazine, one of
the famous magazines specializing in rock music. Since my media product is a rock music magazine
heavily influenced by ‘KERRANG!’ magazine, this would be the appropriate choice of distributor.
8. Who would be the audience for your
media product?
The audience for my media product would most definitely be fans of rock music,
across all ages. I know this because of all my magazine has to offer them, such
as news on their favourite bands/musicians, etc. I set out to make a music
magazine aimed at fans of rock music and was certain that I would be successful
in drawing their attention. I drew inspiration heavily from the likes of ‘KERRANG!’
magazine and since that was a favourite amongst rock fans, I was sure of the
same results for my magazine.
9. How did you attract/address your audience?
The task of addressing my target audience was one of the main
things involved in the production of my media product. In order for
my media product to be successful, I had to give what the fans of
rock music wanted. In the case of a music magazine, I included
everything they would want and also what they would expect to
find in a typical magazine centring on rock music. I took out a
questionnaire on fans of rock music and was able to find out what
they liked and didn’t like and what they wanted to see within the
contents of a rock magazine. This helped as I was able to produce
my product in their favour. I also looked at magazines that do not
feature on rock music, such as ‘VIBE’, which features on R&B
Music. I looked at the different themes and conventions featured in
both of the magazines and decided what I wanted and didn’t want
in my own magazine. I was aware that people who were fans of
rock music did not want any of the themes/conventions featured in
an R&B magazine and this helped to attract my target audience.
10. Language
My choice of language and text was appropriate for my audience
as it was not too formal, and was easy to understand. I
. understood that fans of music magazines did not want pages and
pages full of written text, so I kept it short with information on
what was in each pages and what they could expect top find. You
can expect to find the same layout in any existing music
magazine.
The text is short
and the language
is easy to read.
11. Images
The images are again appropriate to fans of rock
music and they are able to familiarize themselves
with the music and people. The mise-en-scene in my
media product mainly consists of my model in my
main image dressed in typical rock fashion, namely
dark clothes. Existing music magazines, particularly
rock music magazines also make heavy use of this
mise-en-scene by having the main person or people Mise-en-scene consists
dressed in the same attire. of dark clothing.
12. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of
constructing this product?
I have learnt a lot through the construction of my media product, most of all the use of
Photoshop and how to take advantage of all it has to offer. I have learned how to alter pictures
and improve them, making them look more ‘perfect’, e.g. highlighting attributes on the model
for my product, adding or taking away anything I didn’t want or need. I have learned that it
does take more time than I have imagined, causing me to fall behind on my work and on the
construction of my media product, as I was not familiar with Photoshop.
13. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have
learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
I have learned to make better use of my time and use it more effectively, with the case of
the production of my media product. I was behind on my production as I did not take any
photos until the last minute. I spent too much time on my planning and not enough on my
actual media product production. I hope that the final product will be deemed good
enough with the amount of time I had available and I think that it will show in my final
work.
I have also made use of Photoshop for the first time and have learned a great deal about
how to use it. I was unfamiliar with Photoshop before and now benefit greatly from it as I
will be able to use it any other future projects.
