1. Evaluation Question 1
In what ways does your media product
use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
2. Masthead – from right to
left because that’s how it
would be displayed on the
shelf.
The name ‘Q’ represents the
‘cue’ used when recording
music that indicates when you
start performing.
Main Image – Using a well established artist is very
conventional for this particular magazine. Q often
plays with an artists perception and attempts to
emphasise it further; Noel Gallagher can be seen
upholding a confrontational pose whilst maintaining
his new, more mature dress sense. This mirrors his
transition from Oasis to his solo career.
Main Feature Story –
Dramatic and controversial
quotes are taken from the
interview and placed on
the front cover to provoke
readers curiosity.
Sell Lines –The main articles
about the most popular acts
are displayed on the contents
page. Often a range of artists
are included as it broadens
the target demographic for
the magazine and increases
the chance of a new customer
purchasing the magazine.
The Barcode – can’t sell the
magazine without it!
Issue no. and date
The terms of the layout, the
page is split into thirds
vertically. The first including
the masthead and main cover
story, he second displaying
the main image and finally the
third which shows the other
features that are inside the
magazine.
Conventions
3. The colour scheme associated with
the Q ‘brand’ is seen throughout
most of their magazines.
Maintaining fonts and colours help
to make the magazine more
consistent and professional. It is
conventional for the masthead to
reappear on the contents page.
The main image on the
contents page usually relates to
the cover story. As the cover
story is the article the magazine
focuses on the most, the main
image is usually central and
towards the top of the page.
Other images are sometimes
included on the contents page
but rarely impede on the main
image and often surround it in
order to draw the eye towards
the main image. These smaller
images help to break up the page
and give breaks in the text so the
reader is not overwhelmed.
The contents page is often
divided into columns. In this
instance, the page is divided into
quarters. This helps to fill the
page evenly and organise the
information logically.
Sub-headings are placed in
different colours in order to stand
out and catch the eye. Again, this
helps to categorise the topics
within the magazine. Notice each
sub heading is music related and
short. This stays true to the genre
of the magazine and also aligns
with its name, being short and
snappy.The articles are set in
chronological order usually
with the feature story
somewhere near the front. The
page numbers and artists are
emboldened so they are easy
to see. The black and red with
the white background not only
mean the content is easy on
the eye, but also follows the
colour scheme
Under each article is a little bit
of text which is a summary of
what they should expect to see
when viewing the full article.
These should always be short
and dynamic to persuade the
reader to go and read the full
article.
4. It is common for a
quote, taken from
the interview, to act
as the headline on
for the article.
Usually such quote
will reflect the
demeanour of the
artist; in this
instance, “WE’VE
BOOTED THE DOOR
OFF ITS HINGES!”
represents Liam
Gallagher's self
proclaiming ego
and his combative
personality.
The main image features a picture of the artist and
also takes on the role of the background. This design
technique means readers feel more immersed in the
interview because there is nothing unrelated to the
article on the page. The image usually displays the
artist in a physical location that is associated with
music such as a recording studio or a live music
venue. This is because such locations are common to
the artist in the interview and offer everyday people a
glimpse into the life of a global celebrity.
Most double
page spread
pages include a
stand first. The
purpose of this
is to inform the
readers what
the article is
about and
sometimes a
little about the
artist
specifically.
Drop capitals
are used to
indicate
where the
reader should
begin reading
from.
In most cases, direct
address is established with
the reader through eye
contact. However, in this
magazine this is not the
case. This may have been
done to show Liam's
unconventional personality
and his obsession with
doing things differently.
5. By-lines are found on the main
image and contain the location of
the photograph. They can often
include who has written the article
and who has taken the photograph
as well as who Is in the photo and
when it was taken.
Pull quote’s are used to
highlight an interesting
part of the article. They
are often targeted
because they are
controversial or may even
offend some readers,
especially in magazines
such as Q or NME which
peruse the rock culture.
Logos are
conventionally found at
the end of the first
page to indicate the
article continues onto
the second page.
7. Masthead
My masthead follows the conventions set by other popular music magazines of the indie rock genre.
This is because my magazine is placed in the top third of the page and uses a San Serif font which is
typical of the genre. Capitalisation is also used to make the word more powerful and increase its
overall impact; magazines such as ‘Q’ and ‘NME’ also use this technique. Perhaps something that is
slightly less common is the punctual use of a full stop at the end of the word. Although punctuation at
the end of a masthead/logo is extremely uncommon, I felt it’s use might add an element of exclusivity
to my particular magazine, and make it slightly unique when compared to magazines of a similar
nature. The main colours of the masthead are black, white and red. The black and white are
contrasting colours and go together in such a way that makes the masthead really bold. Although
these colours are perhaps not the most exuberant, their simplicity gives the masthead a more mature
essence and captures the darker, adult themes that are common place in the indie rock music culture.
The hint of red helps the black and red to stand out even further, but it’s minor use means the
masthead does not become to complex or overwhelmed with various colours. Conventionally, black,
white and red are used throughout the genre with magazines such as ‘Q’ with the particular emphasis
on the white and the red. The three colours are also considered masculine colours, and therefore
help to attract my target demographic of male teenagers and young adults.
8. Main Image
The main image on my front cover follows the
convention of creating a connection with the reader by
using a direct mode of address, meaning the individual
on the cover is looking in the direction of the camera,
creating the effect that he is looking at whoever is
reading the magazine. The main image is also
significant and takes up a large portion of the page.
Conventionally, this would determine the main image,
but in my particular case, I chose not to add any other
images to the cover in order to avoid drawing the
readers eye somewhere else. The image itself
challenges the conventions of a cover star somewhat,
as the colour of his skin has been unnaturally altered.
This was done in an attempt to make the image stand
out against the white background and also give
another unique element to the cover. Not only that,
but the blue cohesively links to the article displayed on
my double page spread. Finally, it is often considered
conventional to chose your cover star in relation to
your target audience – in my case, young males are my
target demographic and therefore I have chosen to
make my main image a young male, making a greater
connection between the audience and the magazine.
The individual in the image has a beard giving the
stereotypical rugged look, whilst his complexion has
been slightly adjusted to erase any imperfections and
make his more conventionally attractive.
9. Main Feature Story
My main feature story displays the name of the artist (Roccia James)
and is in the form of a pull quote. Pull quotes are often used within
the main feature story on a front cover, as they are usually
interesting remarks made by the artist that aim to grab the readers
attention and convince them to read the entire feature, ultimately
resulting in the purchase of the magazine. The quote also helps to
link the text with the main image, as the pose used in the main image
loosely resembles that of someone playing a game and thinking. The
main cover story also converges with the convention of being the
largest bit of text on the page (excluding the masthead), showing the
readers that it is the most important feature in that particular edition
of the magazine.
Header/Skyline
The header uses the convention of using a different background
colour in order to make its content stand out more.
Conventionally, a skyline may have a similar function to a plug
and contain words such as ‘exclusive’ or ‘plus’ however mine
simply promotes events such as Glastonbury and Reading and
Leeds festival which are firmly associated with the indie rock
genre. Therefore my skyline just reinforces to the audience that
the genre of the music magazine is indie rock.
10. Plug
A plug is conventionally used for presenting a secondary feature story, or
highlighting some sort of competition or free gift that acts as an incentive for the
audience to read and buy the magazine. The plug on my magazine functions as the
latter, and highlights prizes that could be won in the form of physical merchandise
such as albums. My plug is made to stand out with bright colours such as pink and
yellow, and catches the eye more effectively because it adopts a spherical shape. In
addition, the plug also conations the buzz word ‘win!’. The variations in font size,
design and colour also help to attract attention to the plug.
Stylistic Elements
Subtle components on my front cover can change the overall impression of the magazine. The line
used as part of the skyline helps to separate the two chunks of text contained within the skyline.
The line also fills the space and makes the skyline look complete. In addition, the ‘plus’ sign is used
instead of the actual word because it looks more visually interesting and also helps to partially
frame the sell lines in the bottom corner of the page. Simple features such as these make the
magazine appear more professional and interesting. A processional finish is essential because my
target social class (middle class) will want to buy quality products, whilst also getting good value for
money. The plus feature is conventionally visible on similar magazine covers such as NME and Q.
11. Slogan
I have chosen to include a slogan on my media magazine front cover. Existing magazines such as Q
use a variety of slogans such as ‘the worlds greatest music magazine’ and ‘the UK’s biggest music
magazine’. Conventionally, slogans are catchy, memorable and positioned close to the masthead. I
have chosen to conform to these conventions, with my slogan being a very short simple sentence.
The only use of polysyllabic lexis is the second word ‘music’ which places more emphasis on the
word because it is surrounded by one syllable words (monosyllabic lexis) such as ‘where’ and
‘lives’. It presents the magazine in a positive fashion, highlighting how the magazine revolves
predominantly around music. I have also followed the convention of making the slogan catchy by
the means of a literal technique; using personification, the slogan implies that music is a living
thing and therefore once again places real emphasis on the magazines love of music. In terms of
the visual appearance of the slogan, mine may be considered unconventional because the text is
slightly larger then other slogans on similar magazines. This was once again done to reinforce the
purpose of the magazine, and make it stand out from a far so readers get a clear and concise feel
of what the magazine has to offer them.
Overlapping
Conventionally, different components on a magazine front cover can overlap. For example, the
masthead of a magazine is sometimes partially obstructed by the main image however my
masthead actually sits over the top of the main image making it slightly unconventional. On the
other hand, my magazine displays other examples of overlapping such as the sell lines and the
main feature story slightly overlapping the sides of the main image – this is an example of how my
magazine also uses conventional overlapping techniques.
12. Bar Code
Magazines have a barcode so they can be scanned through the
till when being bought. Although not in every situation, it is
very conventional for barcodes to be placed on the bottom left
corner of the page. My barcode is in a bottom corner, however
it occupies the bottom right corner showing how my barcode
placement is not entirely conventional . This was done because
I felt the left hand side of the page better complimented the
main feature story.
The Price
The Date
The price is conventionally found on the barcode and my magazine does not take exception to
this. My price has to be on the magazine somewhere in order to show people how much the
magazine will cost them. The price has to be appropriate for a middle class demographic.
The date is also conventionally found on the barcode, as it is on my magazine.
13. Secondary Feature Stories
The secondary feature stories are conventionally placed to the side of the main image, and not
central. Both use the same bright yellow but the slight difference in font style ensure readers don’t
mistake the feature stories to be related. The cover story on the right places its main text in boxes
which makes the feature more interesting and visually engaging, whilst also further implementing
the colour scheme. This boxing of individual words can be seen in a variety of indie rock magazine
front covers, but isn’t considered extremely conventional nor unconventional.
The feature on the left is conventional because its short and concise, and the feature story on the
light displays the conventional technique of a pull quote which aims to obtain the readers focus.
14. Contents Page
On the contents page it is
conventional to have a
subscription panel/box.
The purpose of this
subscription panel is to get
people to subscribe to the
magazine.
The cover story image on
the contents page is the
longest and also the first to
meet the readers eye as we
read from left to right
starting at the top of the
page.
It is unconventional for the
main image not to be of
the cover star, but I felt the
image was one of the
strongest and had to be
fully utilised.
Some sort of title on the
contents page is
conventional, however it
does not always have to be
‘contents page’. My title was
inspired directly from a NME
contents page.
Page numbers are made to
stand out with the use of
small white boxes and red
letters – techniques of
similar nature are
conventional throughout
indie rock magazines.
A plus panel or something
similar in function is
conventional for a
contents page. It shows
the remaining features
that haven't been picked
out and represented with
a picture.
Using separators such as
lines is conventional in
arranging the layout of the
page. However, more
structured columns would
be considered more
conventional.
It is very conventional for
other images to be
included on the contents
page as they draw
attention to a select group
of feature stories.
15. Double Page Spread
It’s conventional for the main
title/heading to be a pull quote
from the text itself. The title is large
and is placed in the upper half on
the right side of the double page
spread which is where it is most
conventional.
The left page is
taken up almost
entirely by the
main image –
direct address
with the reader is
achieved once
again.
Words such as
‘exclusive’ are
often seen on a
double page
spread to entice
the reader and
further engage
with the
audience
The stand first which serves
the purpose of summarising
the article so the audience
know what to expect. These
are often made catchy in order
to encourage the audience to
read the whole article and are
very conventional.
Drop Caps are used to
indicate where the article
begins. Drop caps are very
conventional and make the
typography more interesting.
The button contains some extra
information about the
article/artist. It is conventional
to have additional bits of
Information however I have
created a unique graphic in
which to present it, which may
not be considered all that
conventional.
16. A small icon is
conventionally found
where the text ends
on the double page
spread. This icon is an
indication that the
article continues on
the following pages.
Emboldened text is sometimes
inserted between paragraphs of the
article. Conventionally, these
emboldened paragraphs might be
from later on in the article, and they
offer the reader an incentive to carry
on reading whilst also breaking up the
text slightly, and making it less
formulaic and overwhelming.
Page numbers are
conventionally placed in
both corners of the
double page spread. The
date is not a necessity
but often included also.
The name of the
photographer is often
revealed through the use of
by-lines
Columns are used throughout the vast majority
of double page spreads. Usually, the text is
divided into 2 or more columns in order to break
up the text and make it less overwhelming.
17. Colour Scheme
The colour scheme for my magazine is not the most conventional. The bright blue, yellow and pink are
more commonly associated with the pop genre, and magazines aimed at a young female audience.
However, I chose to challenge the regular conventions because I felt the completion for music
magazines is intense, and my magazine needed to stand out from similar magazines such as Q and
NME. Q has a strong brand association with red, white, black and gold, and usually displays the same
colour scheme with every issue of the magazine. However, I felt the colour scheme should change from
issue to issue, meaning visually, the magazines will always be looking fresh and unique. Because of the
inclusion of these bright colours, I felt it was necessary to include black and white in order to sustain a
professional finish, and not run the risk of my magazine looking chaotic or even childish. Throughout
the front cover, the contents page and the double page spread, the background has bee white. Black
and blue have also been used on every page, with yellow making a small cameo appearance on each of
them too. This consistency is key and helps to create the impression that each of the three products are
from the same magazine.
Although the intension is for the colour scheme to change from issue to issue, the branding of the
magazine will carry on throughout every issue. For example, the main colours of the magazine logo
(black, white and red) will be used in every edition and create a stronger brand image and more
continuity between each issue of the magazine. These colours may be less obvious, however the page
numbers on the contents page are an example of the red that is part of the core three colours of the
magazines branding. In addition to the colours, The Ringo logo will be used throughout every edition of
the magazine. The logo itself is visible three times on the front cover, four times on the contents page
and twice on the double page spread. The repeated emphasis of a the brand logo is a conventional
throughout virtually every magazine of every genre.
Branding
18. Fonts
The repetition of fonts is evident throughout each of the products, and continuity is created for
this very reason. Not only does this mean the magazine looks professional and complete, it also
means that ,when combined with the repetition of a colour scheme and an emphasis on
branding, a house style is created. Magazines create house styles because they show consistency,
and the audience will know what to expect. On the majority of features on my front cover, and
again on the double page spread headline, the spacing between each letter was minimalised. This
creates an organised, sleek look and is a conventional technique throughout music magazines.
