2. In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use, develop or
challenge forms and Conventions Of Real Media Products?
Most Magazine titles appear either My Magazine uses
to the top left of the front cover or in the forms and
the middle. My title is too big to fit conventions of any
on one side of the magazine, so it fits other
perfectly in the middle. magazine, except I
have only used the
one, close
up, image.
A lot of front covers use more
than one image on the front
cover but I have chosen to use
the full page with just one
image. This is because I want the
readers to realise the Zac
Hancock is the main feature in
this magazine.
The ‘+’ Icon is used to make the
reader feel as if they are getting
something extra in magazine.
I have added a price and issue
date. And the website to let
the reader know a little bit
about the magazine before
they buy it.
3. I noticed that most magazines stick to their contents
page following the same colour scheme as there front
cover. I have chosen to stick to this colour scheme.
Although I didn’t find a use for the light blue colour.
I stuck to the same font for the heading as the
front cover to help keep a link with the theme
through the magazine. But I have split up the
letters to add change to the stereo typical
contents pages. I also added one pink letter to
match the magazine name font colours.
I have inserted a faint ‘V’ at the top of the page
because the ‘V’ for ‘indieVidual’ in the magazines
trade mark.
I have challenged the most magazine contents pages
by only having one image. I have made it out to look
as if ‘Zac Hancock’ is actually stood next to the
Features and sub-headings . I have done this because
it makes a change to magazine ideas, and keeps the
reader interested by not getting bored of the same
kind of magazine over and over again. This is one of
my USP’s.
I have only put the main pages of the magazine on the contents page with page numbers. In between these
pages would be advertisements and lesser competitions.
4. DoublePage Spread
This whole page challenges the
stereotypical design of a doublepage
spread. This is because I have an image
crossing over the middle of the pages and
many magazines keep the images to one
side or on each side of the doublepage
spread. However, I have done this because
it makes my magazine different, and
unique. I hope that it may catch the reader
as being unique and have it stand out of all
the other music magazines.
I also think that it makes it look quite
interesting , too.
Magazines usually use the name of the
artist at the top of the magazine as the
heading, this is a lot bigger than the
rest of the writing to make it stand out.
This attracts the readers attention to
the artist. This is a common trend in
magazines, so I have used the same Throughout my interview I used Interviews are set in columns and
design for my magazine. The title also only quotations. I have done this I have stuck to columns but I have
follows the colour scheme, and fits in because I want the reader to link set the columns to work around
with the text. themselves with the band on a the images. Having columns makes
personal level, making them feel it easier to read, and is nice to
I have also used more personal photos I took as if they are involved with the look at.
whilst they were socialising or just being interview. Doing this with every
themselves. I have done this to make the interview may make the reader
reader feel like they are on a more personal interested in my magazine because
level with the artists. its different than other magazines.
5. Again I have not put the interview in separate
columns. I have left it to fill the page and work
around the images.
This is an extra interview that I included
because If I based everything on zac Hancock
the magazine would be too repetitive and the
reader may get bored. So I left the double
page spread to ‘Blindside’ and added and
additional interview.
Most magazine would just have interviews
in the magazine, and mine has too, but by
making this an extra interview buyers
believe they have some special/unique
within this magazine that others do not.
I have still stuck the main colour scheme.
I have used the magazine heading at the
top of this interview because this interview
is a one off, and making out that my
magazine is boasting about it.
6. Who Would Be The Audience For Your
Media Product?
7. My magazine is aimed at teenagers ages
16+, but mostly just for music lovers.
It’s mainly teenagers who listen to dance
music and DJ’s. But a lot of older people
like dance too, but a lot more older
people are into the actual instrumental
side of music like bands, and that’s how
this magazine also relates to older
people.
This artist is also very young and very
new, so all content is extremely up to
date and no other magazine would have
material quite the same that includes Zac
Hancock.
8. How does your magazine represent
particular social groups?
9. Different groups like different types of music, and some groups
like a mixture. This magazine dabbles in a bit of different types of
music, for example, dance music and indie/alternative rock music,
I have done this to expand the target audience for my magazine.
Zac Hancock is a DJ who is a massive part of today’s dance music.
I have used a DJ because a lot more people are interested in
dance and remixed music, and that is a large percentage of the
population.
My magazine represents social groups that are obviously interested in music, but
interested in modern/ most popular music. It involves different genres of music such
as dance, and alternative rock. I have done this for a few reasons. One is that it
increases my target audience for more buyers. I have also done it because a lot of
people today like a mixture of genre’s and listen to more than one kind of music.
Instead of buying two different magazines, or having to choose one over the
other, they can just buy this one magazine.
11. I have directly informed the audience of what the
magazine is with the top banner heading. I have
done this right on top of the magazine heading
because when the audience see’s the heading
and wonders what kind of music magazine it is,
they will be able to identify it quickly by noticing
the banner above it.
Almost all headings are featured mainly on Zac
Hancock, and used personal advice from Zac to
reach readers on a personal level and make
them feel that Zac has helped them.
I have also used zac because he is modernly
styled with big fashionable headphones and
long hair.
I have left the other features of the magazine
on the contents page because it leaves the
viewer curious of what other acts will be in this
magazine.
12. Zac is supposed to be an up and coming music star that has
hit Britain and America by storm, using him will attract so
many people of both sex’.
Again he is fashionable and wearing clothes such as
‘Hollister’ is what many stylish people wear to day.
Also by using a slightly unique way of presenting a contents
page, buyers will think this magazine is better than others
because the presentation is different/better.
In my interview I have only used quotations of the interview. I
have done this to make the reader feel like ‘Blindside’ are
talking directly to them, and getting more honest answers that
aren't manipulated by the interviewer. When it comes to
information like this, and just information in general, the
reader is going to want the truth. If the quotes, or articles are
proven to be fiction/fake the magazine would lose viewers
because they now feel the magazine is dishonest with the
reader and the information could be/is wrong.
13. Using a personal style of interviewing by only having
quotations in the throughout the interview, readers feel
more personal with Zac Hancock, and getting a feel of what
zac Hancock is like. I have also included an online
interview/recording of the interview because then readers
will known that the writer is making information up and
that everything in the interview is genuine.
Also using personal photos of zac with his equipment
people see a side of zac they wouldn’t see when watching
him tour or on television.
Using big photos and interesting photos gives the
reader more variety to look at on the page.
There’s more things to look at and the page isn’t
boring and doesn’t look like an essay.
14. What kind of media institution might
distribute your media product and why?
I think IPC would be a great institution to distribute my magazine because IPC magazines are based of different
genres, And seeing as my magazine is a mixture of genres it would fit perfectly in with IPC’s products.
It wouldn’t fit in with say, EMAP or Development Hell LTD because these institutions stick to one kind of
genre. They stick to popular dance genres and themes, unlike my magazine that dabbles in different
genre’s in each edition.
IPC produce such magazines as; Guitar & Bass, NME, Woman Weekly, etc.
My magazine is a little different to IPC’s magazines but fits in best with that institution because of it variety of
genre’s. but it is also unique because the magazine in its self contains a variety of different genre’s and is
appealing for both sex’. It uses a colour scheme that is quite different to other magazines, and by making
each page interesting and easy to identify the pages aren't clustered with different headings making things
hard to find. By keeping things neat but effective the overall out come is quite appealing.
15. What have you learnt about technologies from
the process of constructing this product?
I learnt how to edit photos to a professional Quality using both ‘Lightroom’, and, ‘Photoshop’. With these programs
I have edited the photos to make them really stand out and burst with colour. I have been able to remove
backgrounds of an image but being able to keep the photograph in good quality. Removing the background was a
big adjustment but editing the saturation and contrast or brightness of a photo can really change the quality and
perspective of the images.
I used a burn tool on photoshop to make the effect of a shadow behind Zac’s head, giving the effect that he is stood
in front of that wall and not being plain and looking un realistic.
By having photo shoots and looking at different
magazines and professional images has really influenced
of how I take my photos. I think that my images have
come out quite professional looking because of the
quality of camera I used, and how I edited the photo. I
don’t believe I over edited it or under edited it, and the
angles and poses I have gotten the model to do makes
them come across as being famous and knowing what
they’re doing.
16. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you
feel you have in the progression from it to the full
production?
• I feel as if I know all aspects and conventions of a magazine a lot better, and now
when I look at magazines I can image all the hard work that has actually gone in to
designing and producing them. I know good ways of collecting data now thanks to
my hand outs.
I learnt how things were placed properly on the pages that I didn’t quite know
when I was designing my college magazine, in my prelim I tried to fit as much as I
could into one page, but I have realised now that it doesn’t need to have a lot on
one page if by using less you can make it effective.
Instead of using quick photos for the prelim task, I have learnt how to set my
camera up properly for professional looking photos.
I have also learnt that planning for the music magazine really paid of, for the
prelim not a lot of research was done. In my music magazine looking into different
magazines and getting audience feedback I found ways to make my magazine
become more appealing to my targeted audience.
