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

2. On the cover..
I was unsure on whether to follow the standard
conventions of a magazine of the R&B/HipHop/Rap
genre or whether to challenge them and do
something different.
After looking at the magazines that were already
available I decided to follow the conventions for the
magazines front cover purely because my target
audience are mainstream teenagers and I felt that
following the conventions would be the best possible
way to draw in my audience and for them to show
interest.

3. On the cover..
I decided to go with the title CA$H & MUS!C as I felt that the majority of R&B/Rap/HipHop artists that my
target audience would admire/be inspired by such as Kayne West and Jay-z are very much influenced
not only by their love for music and performing but for having money and living a wild life style that only
someone with money could live. I therefore felt the CA$H was very appropriate, it also connotes power
and fame and the idea that being rich is something to be admired by and many teenagers would feel
they could relate to the idea of wanting to grow up and be successful and have money. The MUS!C is to
connote that the magazine is obviously a music magazine and the idea of using the screamer(!) as the !
Connotes a passion for music and for money. I used the $ instead of a pound as America always seems
much more powerful and has more influence over my supposed target audience instead of Britain. I
wanted to use symbols such as !, $ and & as it connotes the idea of being modern and the idea of youth.
I used a Sans Serif font as this suggests both power, maturity and makes a statement, the way artists do in
this genre.
I felt positioning the title behind the cover model follows the conventions of other magazines with the
same genre as it helps focus on the model and their ‘importance’ which connotes that celebrities who
are big in the genre, Eminem for example are always in the front and ahead of everyone. I also feel that
it connotes the idea that the magazine is that well known, successful and mainstream that the full title
doesn’t need to be shown as people will instantly recognise the magazine from the colour schemes and
use of cover models.

4. On the cover..
I again followed conventions of any standard magazine and included the date/month the magazine
was issued, I decided to go with monthly issues instead of weekly as I found in my research many
magazines such as XXL issue their magazines out monthly so I wanted to follow conventions in that
sense. I also included an issue number which again follows conventions of any magazine, not just music
magazines.

5. On the cover..
I set myself very specific ideas for what exactly I wanted my
cover model to be, I wanted to use a guy instead of a girl as
many magazines such woman in a residual idea of them being
used for sex and as something to be looked at and I wanted to
break away from that; however during my research I
discovered many models for my genre of magazine are very
often male.
My model needed to be a guy who was fairly attractive and
someone girls would want to look at and someone guys would
inspire to be like.
I chose the clothes to connote the idea of fashion and youth,
they also had to connote the idea of city living and I feel that is
shown well with the jumper and black jeans.
I told my model the pose had to be something that looked
relaxed and cool not forced and uncomfortable. I told him to
try with his hand in his pocket and to lean back slightly whilst
making direct eye contract with a smug grin as this connotes
confidence and the idea of having just the right amount of
‘cockiness’ in order to be liked and admired instead of
despised.

6. On the cover..
I wanted the background in the photo to be the same
one I use for the background for my cover as the majority
of magazines in this genre use plain white backgrounds
and I wanted to challenge that convention.
I decided to set up a variety of different newspapers in
my room, although it isn’t obvious to see I chose
newspapers such as The Sun and The Daily Mail as their
target audiences are for a more mainstream set of
people and they often post articles on celebrities.
I wanted the newspapers as they connote the idea of
being up to date, being modern and being in the know. I
also felt that photos such as this one are usually deemed
to be quite ‘quirky and indie’ and I wanted to remove
that stereotype by having a model who wasn’t indie and
more in to the rap/R&B genre.

7. On the cover..
I wanted my main sell to be a story that links to my cover model so the magazine looked
interesting and to connote the idea that everything flows smoothly. I wanted to have a main
sell that something people would be interested to read about and a story people could
either relate to or feel inspired by. As my target audience is teenagers I wanted to choose a
story that was to do with high school and the idea of sex as that is something every teenager
worries about. I wanted the mainsell/pull quote to connote the idea that it doesn’t matter
what you look like, especially at high school because it does get better and girls who are
deemed attractive, Rihanna in this instance is ‘eager’ to get to know you. I chose Rihanna as
she is deemed to be a very powerful and independent young woman who is seen as being
incredibly attractive.
Following the idea of my main sell being relatable to
teenagers, I chose to have the article on music, girls
and partying. I feel that people can relate to this as it
is something nearly every young person goes through
and wants to do.

8. On the cover..
I wanted my cover lines and straplines to again be
something that again relates to the genre, as my issue is
December 2012 I felt that it would be necessary to
include an almost tribute/flash back to the best songs of
the year as that is a convention a lot of magazines follow
at this time of a year. I felt it incredibly effective as many
people are interested in looking back at the year and
what worked and I wanted to pay a homage to the top
tracks of the genre in the last 12 months.
I also wanted to show the other artists that
my music focuses on and decided the best
way to draw my target audience in was to
include big names such as Chris Brown,
Nicki Minaj and 50 Cent.

9. On the cover..
To finish off the conventions of my
magazine I included a barcode and
a price in order to make the
magazine look realistic.
I used my research to come up with
an understandable price to again
make the magazine look more
realistic to buy/read.

10. On the contents..
I wanted my contents and front cover to be linked in many
ways and the first was the colour scheme, I then decided
the contents would again look good using the same
backdrop as the original photo instead of following the
conventions and using a plain coloured one.
I made sure I didn’t follow any standard contents page as I
wanted my magazine to have more of an edge, one of the
only standard conventions that I did follow was having the
word ‘contents’ in large letters at the centre of the p age to
instantly grab attention and draw the readers in.
I also had my cover model stand away from the camera
instead of seeing her face, this was mainly as I wanted to
take away the residual idea of how females are just there to
be looked at/admired and seen as a sex object and facing
away from the camera instantly takes away those opinions.

11. On the contents..
I changed the background to black and white to match the
front cover even more, I wanted the location to be near the
beach to connote the idea that this genre of music can be
listened to anywhere, not just in a busy city setting like my
cover photo connotes.
I also followed conventions by having a ‘On The Cover’
section, instead of just listing the celebrities included as I did
on the cover I extended their articles out for example ‘Tyga’s
New Album’ not just Tyga.
I included the features section to show what my magazine
would always include and I tried to choose titles which relate
to the artists; for example I chose Chris Brown and ‘talks
fame and fortune’ due to his two albums being called fame
and fortune. Similarly I chose ‘Opinions ain’t facts’ for the
‘letter’ page as they are lyrics that a lot of people recognize.

12. On the double page spread..
I changed the article for my double page spread
than what was first stated on the cover mainly
because for this task I wanted to create a more
standard interview which slightly follows
conventions.
If I had more time I would have perhaps extended
the interview and added more questions including
ones that would relate to the idea of not finding
anyone to sleep with until you left high school.
I wanted to use the same model as I felt it helped
the pages looked more professional and more
together.

13. On the double page spread..
Following standard conventions I include a title and centred it at the top of the article, I
wanted to use a title that matches the photograph and the article with a clever play on
words.
As my article is an almost introduction to who Young Rush is and a chance for him to almost
show off I liked the idea of showing off stripes, almost to connote that you’re proud of who
you are and simply want to show it off.
I used a sans serif font for the Young Rush and Stripes as this suggests confidence and
makes a statement the same way the article wants to help Young Rush make a statement.
I wanted to use two different fonts as I felt it helps show both his bold and confident side
and the more delicate perhaps personal side to who Young Rush is.
I of course chose the colours to fit in with a tiger theme and the idea of showing off stripes.

14. On the double page spread..
I chose this as the photograph for the double page spread as it is simple
and relates well to the theme of showing off the stripes. It also fits in with
the more delicate, personal side as it could be deemed as being ‘cute.
I wanted my introduction paragraph to be different to
conventions, I avoided using a large opening letter as I
felt it would make the article look more formal and
mature than what I was originally going for. I was careful
to include big names to hint at the idea that Young Rush
is going to succeed. I chose a sans serif font which is all
in capitals to help make a sudden statement and
connote the idea that there is no messing around and
this is the real deal.

15. On the double page spread..
I wanted to include a text wrap to help the magazine look
more professional and something you would want to read, I
didn’t want to over do it and kept t as simple as possible.
I found the text wrap to be incredibly challenging especially
as I wasn’t to familiar with Indesign, however I’m incredibly
happy of the result and feel it looks professional and
something you would see in a professional magazine.
I also included page numbers as they are a conventional feature
of all magazines and give the article a professional finish.

16. On the double page spread..
I wanted the actual article and the questions
asked to be as real as possible and for that to
work I actually made Sam (the model) answer
the questions so they were as raw as they
possibly could be.
I wanted the pull out quotes to show humour,
and therefor thought that ‘It’s where they make
the sauce’ was a good quote as it relates well
to coming from Worcester due to Worcester
sauce and it is a good way to tell people where
you are from.
I included columns to make the article again
look professional and interesting, as well as easy
to read and a pleasure to look at.