This document analyzes how a student media product uses, develops, and challenges conventions of real media products. It provides examples of several conventions used: mastheads, cover images, coverlines, issue numbers, barcodes, headlines, images, page numbers, subtitles/captions, standfirsts, pull quotes, and bylines. The student developed some conventions by making elements bigger, using different fonts/layouts, and challenging conventions like separating cover stories, using close-up images, and including biographies instead of interviews. The analysis compares the student product to Top of the Pops magazine.
4. Used Conventions
Developed
Conventions
Masthead- I have used a
masthead on my front cover. It is
similar to Top of the Pops as it is
colourful, attractive and bold.
Masthead- Like I said it is similar
however, I made my masthead
cover whole top of the page as I
believe it is a better way of
grabbing the readers eye, showing
it is a developed convention.
Image- I would say my front cover
image is conventional when you
look at various pop magazines as
the artist is stylish, attractive and
happy.
Barcode- I placed a barcode on
my front cover as I based mine on
Top of the Pops magazine.
However, not all pop magazines
do have a barcode on the front
cover. This shows mine is a
developed convention.
Coverlines- I used similar layout
of coverlines in my magazine to
the ones on Top of the Pops. All
three are situated on the third
left.
Issue Number and Price- In Top
of the Pops magazine the issue
number and price is on the bottom
right, like my magazine.
However, in my the size of the
issue number and price is bigger
to attractive more attention to it.
Challenges
Conventions
Cover Story- Most pop
magazines cover story is
all one bulk of text placed
just under artist.
However, mine is
separated into two
section, one above the
artist and one below. Also
one section of it is slanted
to create an attractive
message.
Image- I have
challenged conventions
in my image by using a
different shot type. Many
pop magazines use a
mid shot, however, I
used a close up as it
shows the artists
expression more
appealing to the reader
better.
7. Used Conventions
Headline- The headline of the
contents page is very similar to Top
of the Pops magazines. They both
have same sort of font style, colour
scheme and layout.
Image- Both magazines has an
image of the front cover to highlight
where key elements of the magazine
are. By placing page numbers next to
this, the audience can see where the
information in the magazine is.
Subtitles- Both magazine use
subtitles to place the magazines
content in a set order so its easier for
the readers to find the information
they are looking for. As the target
audience are teenagers there
attention are small so they need to
find the information quickly to keep
them fixed.
Developed
Conventions
Page Numbers- I used page
numbers to highlight where
information is in the magazine.
However, I decided to make mine
all different sizes, colours and
fonts as I thought it would be
better way of attracting the
audience.
Subtitles- I used subtitles like
Top of the Pops however, I used
sans-serif font to make them look
formal rather than informal as it is
information which needs to be
addressed quickly and seriously.
Whereas Top of the Pops uses
serif font for the subtitles.
Challenges
Conventions
Artist Image- I decided to
place an image of an
artist in the corner like in
Top of the Pops
magazine. However, I
decided to get the
audience to face the other
way to make him look
more mysterious.
Subtitles- Top of the
Pops uses subtitles,
however, they are
basically all the same
on the contents page.
However, my magazine
uses a different font
and colour for one
section as it is exciting
and uses words relating
to the colour, e.g.- Red
and Love.
10. Used Conventions
Page Numbers- Both
magazines have page
numbers at the bottom of
the pages, they are also in
a coloured fill shape to
attracted audiences
attention.
Standfirst- The articles
both have a standfirst
highlighting what's in the
article. Also they are both
above the article to give the
reader a small insist into
the article.
Pull Quote- Similar to all
pop magazines, my
magazine has two pull
quotes from the article.
This allows the reader to
quickly glance at them so
they can see what the
article is most probably
going to say.
Developed
Conventions
Image- Both magazines
have an image of an artist
sitting down and both taking
up majority of one page.
However, in my magazine
the image is only taking up
one full page, whereas the
professional magazine is
more in the middle of both
pages.
Pull Quote- The Top of the
Pops magazine uses two
pull quotes in the article, so I
decided to use two as well.
However, I decided to move
them away from the featured
article in the corners and
made them the same
colours so it keeps to a
consistent house style and
colour scheme.
Challenges
Conventions
Headline- In majority of pop
magazines there double page
spread headline is a pull quote
from the article. I have decided
not to do that and have created a
normal headline on its own as it
creates a bigger attraction
element to the reader.
Article/Feature- The majority of
pop magazines use interviews as
ways of promoting and
highlighting the artist. However, I
decided to use a biography
describing the artists life and
journey from his childhood to
breaking into the industry. I
believed this would be more
interesting than a interview.
Image- The professional
magazine decided to do one
reasonable sized long shot of the
artist on the double page spread.
Whereas I decided to do two
small mid shot images of the
artist as I believed it gives more
publicity to the artist from the
readers.
