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

2. FRONT COVER, Image 1:
I have used a puff to advertise the possibility to win free
merchandise, a convention of music magazines. However,
fans within the rock genre are typically the biggest music
merch’ purchasers as they are often known as ‘real music
fans’, the music being a big part of their life, they also
chose to support the band, knowing it helps to finance
them. This opportunity to win FREE stuff appeals to my
target audience as they are at the age (15-25) where they
will most likely be students who do not have a lot of
money for luxuries.
Here I have used yellow, red and black as these are
conventional colours used in rock magazines that would
appeal to my target audience of rebellious young adults,
mainly male, as explored in my Moodboard and target
audience profile.
The style of the puff makes it seem like a sticker that
jumps out at the audience telling them to look at it. This
could act as a key selling point, gaining their interest and
convincing my audience to pick up the magazine and
purchase it.

3. FRONT COVER, Image 2:
Here is have met music magazine conventions, but placing
the main image of the band members slightly overlapping
the masthead, as these are easily recognised artists and it
is important they stand out to the audience. This is
essential as the band as the main image on the front cover
will be the first feature of the cover that grabs the reader’s
attentions, making it a key selling point.
I have used a simple, bold font, conventional of magazines
aimed at men. I have also used a ‘beaten’ looking font,
conventional of rock magazines, giving a rebellious image.

4. FRONT COVER, Image 3:
Much like the ‘Win’ puff, advertising posters inside is much
to my target audience’s interest. ‘Posters’, acts as a buzz
word for my audience, as they typically have
‘teenage/student bedrooms’ consisting of mostly posters.
This is guaranteeing them free merchandise, making it
another key selling point of the front cover.

5. CONTENTS PAGE, Image 1:
In a magazine there is always a subscription notice. Whereas here I have
developed this convention and added a free gift, acting as a luring device,
convincing readers to subscribe to my magazine. I have specifically chosen the
free gift to meet the audience’s interest. I chose a Vans backpack, as I
mentioned in my Moodboard, I looked at brands my target audience are
interested in and found that Vans was a major interest within this genre of
music. Appealing not only to their music interests but with their fashion and
lifestyle interests also.
By using the visual imagery of the backpack itself, grabs the reader’s attention
and encourages them to read on.

6. CONTENTS PAGE, Image 2:
A convention of contents pages is the column layout, I have used this
convention as when on the contents page as the reader needs to be able to
navigate through the magazine and find what they want to read. Often, the
contents page is still acting as a selling point before a customer purchases it, so
it is essential that a reader can clearly see everything in the issue. This is done
by using a clear column layout , telling the reader of every feature with the
corresponding page number so they can go straight to it.
I have used headers and numbers here to make the experience even easier for
the readers. I have used a dark purple for the page numbers and black for the
text, relating to the decisions made during the creation of my Moodboard.

7. CONTENTS PAGE, Image 3:
It is conventional to use images to illustrate the features of
the magazine in the contents page as readers do not want
to be bombarded with a lot of text as soon as they open
the magazine and images typically persuade the audience
to read on. I have developed this convention by also
adding page numbers to each image so that if a readers
was interested in a certain picture they could immediately
find the full article on this by following to the page
number.
The largest image on the contents page relates to the main
image on the front cover, as this is usually what has gained
the readers interest, to keep that interest I need to keep
stimulating it, with this image. The size of it compared to
the secondary images tells the reader of its importance,
that it’s the main feature of the magazine.
The smaller images relate to the secondary features on the
front cover, e.g. the “WIN FREE TICKETS” puff on the front
cover relating to the secondary image of tickets.

8. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD, Image 1:
My main image of my double page article both meets and challenges rock
magazine conventions.
It is often conventional with rock magazines to have images of rock stars
looking serious and/or rebellious; however my main image is one of the band
smiling and laughing together, seeming almost candid, as this is the side of
them their fans want to see, their real and honest side, so they can relate to
them. This is less conventional representation with ‘heavier’ bands; however
my magazine contains bands ranging from pop-punk to heavy metal, much
like Kerrang! and this is often conventional with pop-punk to alternative rock
bands, which this band fits.

9. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD, Image 2:
It is conventional to use quotations from the article to
attract the audience. It gives them information about what
the article is about, so I made sure to use quirky
quotations that make the reader question the content of
the article, e.g. “It was a big mistake”, the audience thinks
‘What was a big mistake?’ encouraging them to stop and
read the article. The quotes are informal, appealing to my
young target audience. I made the quotations a bigger and
bolder font to stand out from the main body of text.
I also developed this convention by creating the title of the
article using a quote from the article itself, the quote
mentioned a very popular band from the 80’s/90’s;
Nirvana, I have used the Nirvana colours and font here
(yellow) persuading a wider audience to read my article
through similar interests. Even if they don’t know the band
the article is on, some may feel inclined to read it as they
recognise the band Nirvana.

10. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD, Image 3:
As with the contents page it is conventional to use a
column layout for articles, as it helps the separate the text
making it seem less lengthy to the reader, as my young
target audience (15-25) often are not willing to read a long
article. By splitting it up using column and quotes the
audience is more likely to read my article.
I have also added a small piece of text at the bottom of the
main body, briefly telling the reader what the band is up to
e.g. the band in question is on tour.