The document discusses how the product uses and challenges conventions of real media products like magazines. It notes that the product uses conventions like a house theme communicated through color scheme and focusing the page on the artist. However, it also challenges some conventions, like having a differently formatted menu strip and an artist photo that does not match the house theme. Overall, the document argues that while some elements challenge magazine conventions, most follow a similar form to existing magazines. However, the contents page presents a greater challenge by using fewer images and a more structured layout than typical for a music magazine contents page. The double page spread is assessed to follow conventions in its style and image/text layout.

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

2. One convention that my product uses is
the idea of a house theme. In this issue of
Q the house theme is clearly set out
using red, grey and white. I have used
black red and white for the same effect.
Furthermore, the image of the artist is
used as the main focus point of the
page and they are both fixed against a
plain background in order to capture
the audiences attention solely on the
artist. However, there is still a large
focus on the instrument too, this allows
the genre of the magazine to shine
through.
There is also a similarity between the
use of red lines to structure and
separate elements of the page.
Moreover, the change in font size and
type face to highlight or demonstrate
the importance of difference between
certain features especially the main
feature.

3. There are also several
challenges to conventions in
my product. For example,
the menu strip at the bottom
of the page on Q magazine
appears to follow the
presentation of the reset of
the page using a similar size
font; however, my menu strip
is presented as a different
section of the page.
Furthermore, the artist on Q
magazine is wearing an
outfit which appears to
follow the house theme of
the magazine whereas my
image does not.

4. § I believe that my cover develops and uses conventions of media products because
despite several elements challenging the usual conventions for magazines such
as Q, the vast majority of elements follow a similar form to already existing
products.
§ On the other hand, I do believe that my contents page challenges the conventions
of already existing products. For example, typically several images could be
found on the contents page of any magazine similar to this genre. However, my
contents page uses two images and a large amount of text.
§ Furthermore, the usual style of a music magazine contents page tends to follow a
more busy and less structured layout which is very different to mine.

6. § I also believe that my double page spread follows many of the conventions
typically seen in other media products.The type of image and style of editing
amongst the layout of the page, in my opinion, looks very similar to a double
page spread found in this genre of magazine.