My final media evaluation question.

1. EVALUATION QUESTION 1.

2. IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT
USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND
CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?
For my A-level coursework, I was given the brief to create the first four
pages of an original regional magazine, two hyperlinked pages from
the magazine’s website and a billboard advertisement for the
magazine.
I chose to base my products on the genre of fashion, beauty and
lifestyle; with the regional location of London. This meant, in order to
make my products resemble real magazines I had to research into my
chosen genre and get an understanding around the conventions used
by real fashion magazines on the market.

3. FRONT COVER.
Alike real magazines on the market, my front cover product exploits many typical conventions. For example, on my
front cover product, I chose to use the convention of the main image. My main image acts as the visual hierarchy for
my product and displays to my audience what my product is based up. For instance, in reference to Millum and
Ferguson’s model pose theory; my model is pictured pulling an invitational pose. One may feel this is important
because the main image acts at the front cover’s visual hierarchy and therefore represents my magazine’s genre of
fashion. As well as this, for my model's costume, I specifically chose to dress her in a stylish jumper as she is being
portrayed as an individual who is up to date on current fashion trends. Furthermore, I also chose this dress code for
my model as it fits the release date of my magazine’s issue which is in the autumn. Therefore, I felt it was important
to include this detail when designing my magazine as it results in my product looking like a professional magazine.
On the front cover product for my magazine, I also used conventions such as a large masthead, cover lines and a bar
code along with my magazine's price. For my masthead, I chose to use a mature, simplistic font for my text as I was
aiming to keep my overall design very sophisticated and professional as I was targeting it towards a more mature
audience. Furthermore, from my research, I discovered that this convention was very typical with both regional and
national magazines and was a very popular design with fashion magazines. Leading on from this, I also chose to use
clear and crisp text for my magazine’s cover lines as I wanted to emphasise this further and create an overall design
that did not look too crowded or unprofessional. I also chose to use the convention of cover lines on my front cover
as it creates imperative advertising and would, therefore, encourage my audience to purchase my product.
Additionally, I also chose to exploit the convention of cover lines by including a larger cover line across my front
cover. Although from my research I discovered that it was not very typical for regional magazines to include this
convention; for instance, ‘Exclusive’ magazine was one of the few fashion magazines I found to follow this
convention. However, I felt that my magazine would benefit a lot if I were to include this as it would give my
audience an insight to what would be included within the issue and consequently encourage them to purchase my
products if they were to be sold on the market.
On the contrary, one may feel that my front cover product did challenge conventions and characteristics of real
regional magazines instead of conforming to them. For instance, when comparing my final front cover product
design to real regional magazines their overall appearance do show some contrast. One might consider evidence of
this being that my magazine’s front cover design resembles a national magazine over a regional magazine. For
instance, when comparing my magazine front cover to East Anglian Daily Times, Suffolk’s October 2014 issue one
can see how I have featured smaller cover lines. This shows a difference to East Anglian’s Daily Times magazine as
they feature larger cover lines displaying more information on their front cover. However, although I was creating a
regional magazine and took a lot of inspiration from regional magazines such as this, I felt that this convention
design did not portray the design I was wanting to create for my products. Instead, I chose to include short snappy
cover lines on my front cover as I felt they would catch my reader's eye drawing them into my product. As well as
this, I also felt that longer cover lines would not suit my magazine as my regional magazine would not include an
extensive amount of content; therefore meaning that they would overpower my product.

4. CONTENTS PAGE.
In similar ways to a real magazine contents page, I have used indistinguishable conventions on
my final product. For example, the use of text on my contents page resembles conventions
used by real regional magazines. I have included conventions such as subheadings. As well as
this, I have displayed these conventions using a typical layout, this being in columns and using
clear text. Next, to the contents and subheadings, I also added page numbers. I felt it was a
good idea to use this convention on my final product as it would allow my audience to navigate
their way around my magazine easily. To emphasise this I also changed the colour of the font
used for the numbers to make them stand out on the page. Furthermore, by using a text I was
able to display my house scheme and link my contents page to my front cover and other
products due to their linking colour scheme.
Another convention that I used on my contents page was the use of a masthead. I used the
same ’Victoria’ masthead displayed on my magazine front cover. Subsequently, I felt this gave
my contents page anchorage to my other final products making them look professional.
Imagery is also another typical convention of many magazines I have used on my contents
page. I felt it was important to include images on my contents page as I felt it would provide my
audience with a more detailed idea of what will be included in my magazine.
Nevertheless, one may also argue that I have challenged real magazine conventions through my
final product’s design. For example, like real magazines, I have used text to display what
content will be included in the issue of my magazine. However, when compared to the regional
magazine I looked at during m research and planning, my contents page does not include an
equivalent amount of text. Despite this, I chose to do this for a specific reason; this being that I
was creating a regional magazine, not a national magazine. Consequently meaning that my
product would not include the same amount of content as it focuses its content to a smaller
target audience. This, therefore, meaning that my contents page would not need to display the

5. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD.
Like my other final products, my double page spread also challenges and
develops forms and conventions used by real regional magazines. At first
glance, one can clearly see how I have followed a typical magazine double
page spread layout and overall design. For instance, I have used a strict
structure to display my columns of text. As well as this, I have also clearly
displayed the article title at the top of the page using a larger font.
Additionally, I have also included a blurb for my magazine’s article. I chose to
include this because from my research I discovered that this was a very typical
convention used by a professional fashion magazine. For instance, British
Vogue is known for including small blurbs before their articles as it allows
their audience to get a brief understanding of what the article they are about
to read will entail.
Furthermore, on my double page spread, I have also followed the typical
convention of including images. I felt it was very important to follow this
feature through my design as it adds interest and entertainment to my
product. This is due to the fact it gives my audience sensory imagery and
allows them to see pictures lining to the article. Leading on from this, I also
developed my magazine double page spread design throughout the course to
make it appear more realistic. For example, after I received feedback on my
work I began to add more specific detail to make it look like a well established
and real magazine. For example, I chose to add page numbers in each corner
of the magazine pages making it look like a real magazine product. Another
convention I chose to include on my double page spread was pull quotes. I
found that by including pull quotes on my product it resulted in it resembling

6. BILLBOARD.
Out of all of the products I was tasked to create for my A level Media Studies coursework, I felt
that the billboard was the easiest products to create. I believe this was because billboards are
typically known for being simplistic and only containing important information. This, therefore,
meaning that it was easy to focus on the key elements and conventions in order to promote my
products and brand. For example, the first convention that I chose to develop through my
product was the use of a house style. By following my magazine products house and follow the
same editing conventions.
As well as this, I chose to include the convention of my magazine’s cover line on my billboard.
By including this convention on my product I feel it makes my product look more recognisable
and creates consistency throughout my products. Moreover, I also followed the typical
convention of displaying my magazine’s masthead on my billboard. As as result, this
emphasised the link between my products and allows my audience to recognise my product
easily due to them finding my masthead familiar.
Furthermore, I also chose to make the main image on my billboard a picture of the model I
used for my magazine's front cover and article because I feel it again emphasised the link
between my product. I also believe that by using a picture of my model for my main image it
meant that I was subtly promoted the current issue of my magazine and creates awareness of
the product's existence.
On the other hand, one may also feel that my billboard product does, in fact, challenge the
conventions of some real magazine billboards. For example, unlike most of the billboards I
researched into I chose not to display a release date for my product on my billboard. The
reason for this being because I felt it would stand out on my overall design and not suit the
design I was aiming for. However, instead of displaying the release date on my magazine I
decided to display my magazine’s website link. II felt this was more appropriate to include on
my product because I knew from my research and planning that on billboards designers

7. WEBSITE.
After doing research into different fashion magazine websites both, regional and national I was
left feeling inspired to create a product that challenges the conventions of both. The two
websites that I look the majority of my inspiration from were Fashion-north.com (regional) and
Vogue.co.uk (national). I chose to specifically focus on these two websites as they both has
similar overall, simplistic designs and both focused on the same genre as my regional
magazine.
The first convention I chose to include on my website was the use of a navigation bar.
Navigation bars are considered a very important convention to include on a website as they
allow the audience to navigate their way around the website and find the content they are
wanting to view. Furthermore, I have also included to the convention of labels/tabs on my
website as they also allow my audience to navigate their way around my website.
Leading on from this, I also chose to include my magazine’s masthead on my website as I felt it
would allow my audience to recognise what website they were on when they first visited the
website, whilst recognising my brand. Furthermore, I also included imagery throughout my
website design to give the cover lines I have displays more depth and detail. However, more
importantly, I chose to use imagery to display my magazine’s latest issue on my website. I did
this by displaying a screen shot of my magazine front cover at the bottom of my website. In
addition to this, I also chose to use the typical convention of displaying the option to subscribe
to a monthly subscription of my regional magazine. One might believe this is convention is
popular with many real and professional magazines because it is a form of free advertising.
Furthermore, by offering the option to subscribe to the magazine it encourages more people to
purchase my products and therefore increase regular readers and consequently result in my
product and brand becoming well known to the public. Besides this, I also chose to display my
magazine product’s social media icons and links on my website too as I felt this convention

8. CONCLUSION.
In conclusion, I believe that my final products both challenge and
develop the conventions used by real regional magazines to a
large extent. Subsequently, throughout this project, I have learnt
what important factors are needed to be considered when
creating a magazine in order to make them stand out on the
market and encourage people to purchase them. Leading on
from this, I have also learnt what magazines would be my
biggest competitors on the market and how I would have to use
and explore different magazine forms and conventions in order
to attract a wider audience. As well as this, I have also learnt how
to successfully intertwine multiple media products together
creating advertisement between my products and the impression
that my magazine brand is well established and professional.