2. 1. IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA
PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR
CHALLENGE FORMS AND
CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA
PRODUCTS?I used conventions in my magazine to try and make it look
as professional as I could and to give it a proper magazine
look. The conventions I used on my front cover were a
large mid shot image, to clearly show the figure on the
front cover to attract readers and to show what the
magazine is about. I wanted to use an image in the first
place as I feel it is one of the most important parts of a
magazine front cover and it makes it look the most
professional. The date would just make the magazine
seem more realistic and again make it look like a real
magazine. The same goes for the price, it gave the
magazine front cover a realistic look and follows the
regular conventions of most magazines. Next the barcode
and barcode, to stick to regular conventions of a
magazine, features to show what the magazine has inside
of it, promotions to give a more realistic look to the
magazine, masthead because it is a vital part of the
magazine and it is a basic convention and a colour
scheme which again is a vital part of the magazine as it
gives it an individual look. This is because I felt that they
all gave my magazine the best professional look and
3. More specifically, the masthead, large mid shot image and colour
scheme was my main focus as they are the most visible conventions
and they will give my magazine the best look. However I didn’t use a
left hand third, cover lines, puff/plug and a unique selling point, this
is because I felt these weren’t the best looking or the most important.
I didn’t use a left hand third because I thought it didn’t look good
next to my picture and think it looked the best. Also the magazine
which I used for my inspiration didn’t use these conventions either.
4. 2. HOW DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT
REPRESENT PARTICULAR SOCIAL
GROUPS?
I think my magazine represents the male gender through the colour
scheme. It’s quite dark and gives a masculine look. Also the feature
and articles are all about male artist who mainly have a male target
audience. The features and articles would also represent rap and hip
hop fans. It would be aimed at ‘working class’ people because of the
article. This is because the article is based on an interview and isn’t
really long as it only covers a page so it may not be the long piece of
writing higher class people may be looking for. Finally my magazine
represents teenagers through the colour scheme, article and features.
The colour scheme isn’t bright and childish but it isn’t dull with no
colour for an adult so I think the dark colours mixed with some bright
colours. The features and article again include trendy music artist
whose main target audience is teens. The artist would also match the
social group as he is a young/teen artist and a rap & hip hop artist,
which is who the magazine is aimed at.
5. 3. WHAT KIND OF MEDIA INSTITUTION
MIGHT DISTRIBUTE YOUR MEDIA
PRODUCT AND WHY?
I think the Bauer would be the media institution to distribute my
magazine because they are a massive magazine distributor and are
known for some of the biggest magazines selling. I think they would
be interested in my magazine because they don’t produce many
music magazine so I feel they would like to change this. Bauer media
group are known for around 80 magazine some are the top sellers in
the UK including heat, FHM and MATCH! Bauer distribute their
magazine in two different ways, in shops and online but their main
seller is online. They would suit my magazine as they produce many
other music magazine but not many with the same music genre.
However, a smaller media institution may also distribute this
magazine because its unknown
6. 4. WHO WOULD BE THE AUDIENCE FOR
YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT?
My target audience would be for male teenagers who are interested in
Rap/Hip Hop/R&B. I came to this decision because I felt it would
make it easier to make the magazine as that target audience matches
me and so I would know what to look for in the magazine. I didn’t
change my target audience during construction because I feel it
would make it too hard to change and the target audience I started
with made it easier to make the magazine. I think it was easy to make
my magazine to suit my target audience because I just used other
magazine with this target audience to help me and use ideas if I was
stuck and I just made sure that my features and article were based
round the right artist. However, some women will enjoy this magazine
too so the magazine won’t be too gender specific.
7. 5. HOW DID YOU
ATTRACT/ADDRESS YOUR
AUDIENCE?
Firstly, the genre of the magazine rather suits my audience. As
teenagers and young adults, this particular genre of music, hip hop
and rap, would be the most likely to appeal to them as it is two of the
most listened to genres of today. I tried to express the genre of the
magazine on the front cover more then anywhere else because it is
the first thing which a consumer will see. Next I feel the colour
scheme would attract my audience of males because the colour
scheme is quite dark and masculine. This would clearly indicate that
this is mainly aimed at a male audience and they would feel inclined
to buy this magazine ahead of others of the same genre. Finally the
content of the magazine also addresses my audience. The genre is
the main focus of the article featured on the double page spread. This
will address my audience because they are reading about exactly
what they want to and nothing else.
8. 6. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT ABOUT
TECHNOLOGIES FROM THE PROCESS
OF CONSTRUCTING THIS PRODUCT?
The software I used was Indesign, Photoshop CS3 and Google
Chrome. Indesign was used for making my double page spread and
my masthead. The double page spread was created by using the
double page option and it consisted of text boxes, coloured squares
and images. The mastheads were just different texts with effects such
as colour, shadow and transparency. Photoshop CS3 was used for my
contents page and my front cover. The contents page was created by
using a black page with a contrast background, images, text boxes
and coloured shapes. For my image I had to crop out the background
and just have the person on its own.
9. 7. LOOKING BACK AT YOUR
PRELIMINARY TASK, WHAT DO YOU
FEEL YOU HAVE LEARNT IN THE
PROGRESSION FROM IT TO THE FULL
PRODUCT?I feel I have learnt quite a lot. At first I only had a vague idea of what
a magazine consists of and what one looked like. Now I know about
conventions which I have tried to put into my magazine now to give it
the most professional look. The skills I have learnt include Photoshop
and Indesign, before I would have had no idea how to use these
applications let along to be able to produce what I have. I have
improved because I have picked up better ICT skill and learnt how to
professionally make a magazine instead of using PowerPoint. I have
picked up general photoshop skills which have helped me construct
the professional looking magazine I have made.
