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

2. My media product is a music magazine looking
into genres such as: dance, techno, drum and
bass, dubstep and hip-hop.
When constructing this magazine I had to consider
many elements in which it must contain in order to
look proffessional. For example:
•Genre
•Photos
•Costumes
•Themes
I used these standard forms and conventions of real
media products in order for it to look professional,
however I challenged these real products slightly in
order to make it more interesting and appeal to a
slightly different audience.

3. Genre
In addition to this I have used the
conventions of existing media
products by capturing images of
As my magazine is a dance/urban mag it
people dancing and clubbing and
was vital that I studied other similar
put it in the magazine. There is
magazines. To emphasise the genre in this
some conventions that is very hard
magazine I need to ensure of images and
not using for attracting the same
typeface to be of a similar appearance. For
audience, and images such as
example, the font used here is ideal for
these attract this specific audience
giving the page that urban finish. This is
perfectly. Not only does it
very much an existing convention that
exaggerate the genre, but also
many magazines use. It is also shown very
emphasizes the sub-genre
successful, this therefore being why I used
this convention.
I used this rating system which was developed
from previous mags in order to help the
audience realise it is a music magazine.

4. Photos
Additionally, I used and manipulated
photos to make it appear for an audience
with high social class for example using
the arty photographs rather than photos
of random party party animals to entice
a more sophisticated audience. This has
challenged the forms and conventions of
real media products as they do not
usually go about the photos in this way.

5. Photos
I challenged the basic forms and conventions of
similar products by excluding sexually
orientated pictures of men & women and
replaced them with many photos of men
testosterone fuelled men. To appeal to a
different market, mainly aiming at men. I have
also done this by manipulating the images to
make it appear more masculine. For example, I
manipulated this photo by making it grayscale,
therefore improving the amount of dark colors
and appearing more masculine. This idea
although challenges the ideas of similar
products I however kept the colors of the t-
shirts as I thought they would stand out
furthermore and add the clubbing/raving
appearance, this therefore using and
developing the forms and conventions of real
media products.

6. Costumes
When arranging a meeting with
my models, I brought along a few
t-shirts. I chosen these specific
tees as they seem casual yet
effective towards the audience I
am hoping to attract. The bright
fluorescent colors brilliantly stand
out, making the model stand out
as a result. I have taken the ideas
of bright clothing from previous
mags of similar sort.

7. Genres are not static but shifting and
slippery, evolving over time. This therefore being
why an individualist approach is possibly a good
approach. Media forms if they are to engage the
audiences need to use the conventions of the
genre but also subtly change them to keep the
audience interested.