2. QUESTION 1
In what ways does your media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions
of real media products?
3. 1. Use, develop or challenge forms and conventions
Front cover
When creating my magazine I used various generic codes and conventions that I had recognised
through tasks set on analysing codes and conventions:
http://lukebarnacle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/conventions-of-magazine-cover.html
I then practised adding codes and conventions to existing magazine templates to familiarise myself
with the features I would need on my magazine cover:
http://lukebarnacle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/codes-and-conventions-task.html
After completion of these tasks analysing magazines and
using these codes and conventions I got an understanding
of the layout for a music magazine.
I followed a lot of the genetic codes and conventions
typically seen on music magazines.
For example, I have followed the ‘left third’ rule with the
‘CMM’ masthead and I have highlighted the artist’s
importance by covering a part of the masthead with the
main image.
Also, I have learnt and ensured that the main cover line is
shown as the most important information on the cover as I
have made it the largest and put it on top of the main
image.
I have included other codes and conventions such as,
barcode, pug, date line, price and cover lines.
4. 1. Use, develop or challenge forms and conventions
Challenges and developments
Some of the codes and conventions I
used were not generic or the typical
ones you would expect to see in a
music magazine.
For example I used a white border
around my maid cover line as I felt
that it provided a unique edge to the
cover and put emphasis on the main
cover line.
Also, rather than a mid shot which is
often seen on music magazines I
used a full body shot of the band as I
really wanted them to take up the
space and have the most importance
on the cover. Also this allowed me to
use an effect as if they were fading in
which linked it to the main cover line.
This also helped me to make my
magazine more unique and different.
5. 1. Use, develop or challenge forms and conventions
Influences
A massive influence throughout
the construction of my
magazine was ‘NME’.
Particularly editions of the
magazine with Arctic Monkeys
on the cover as I felt they’re
very similar to the band I have
created.
I like the plain bold NME
masthead and decided to use a
very similar design for mine just
with a different shade of red.
I was also influenced by the
blocking of the main images for
NME so decided to have my
lead singer at up front with the
rest of the band behind him.
6. 1. Use, develop or challenge forms and conventions
Contents
The layout of the contents was also
inspired by NME magazine as I did
research in to contents pages:
http://lukebarnacle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/1
0/contents-page-research.html
In the NME contents page (right) I liked
the layout and in my magazine I followed
this including a similar colour scheme.
I also had a similar banner at the top of
the page with the masthead and title.
However, I decided to have two artist’s
images on the page with less informative
writing as I felt this would be a good
feature for a magazine ‘teasing’ on
stories.
I thought the small amount of writing
made it easy to read and more attractive.
7. 1. Use, develop or challenge forms and conventions
Contents
My contents page continued with the
house style and linked in with the front
cover as it had the same colour
scheme and artists featured on the
cover were also mentioned here with
another image of my band and other
artists in the ‘features’ section.
Although my contents page was
different to NME which heavily
influenced me as I had two artists on
the page there were a lot of similarities
such as the banner at the top and the
way the typical conventions are laid
out.
To maintain the importance of the main
band on the cover I have ensured that
they have the biggest section of page
with their picture and the ‘teaser of
information underneath.
8. 1. Use, develop or challenge forms and conventions
Double page spread
My initial influence for a double page spread was ‘Rolling Stones’ magazine:
http://lukebarnacle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/rolling-stones-magazine-double-spread.html
However, I was then mainly influenced my NME again for my double page spread in the sense that I had a
picture on one page and the interview on the other.
The house colours of red, white and black remain on the double page spread which brings the front cover,
contents page and this together and makes the magazine feel real.
I have dedicated one whole page for an image of one of my band’s members with a headline for the
interview as I felt this was more attractive and would interest potential fans of the band and the target
audience for my magazine.
The interview is in a question and answer format as I feel this is easier to read and makes it more interesting
and also the layout is more attractive. Certain parts of the answers are bold to highlight them as main parts
of the answers the artist is giving.
I included a picture relevant to one of the answers to separate all the writing and ensure it wasn’t boring.
9. QUESTION 2
How does your media product represent
particular social groups?
10. 2. Representing particular social groups
My magazine is targeted at older teenagers
such as 16-19 year olds as they are likely to
be going through an ‘indie/rock’ phase and
favour young rebellious bands like ‘Faux fur’
who I have created. NME helped me when
researching how I could appeal to this target
audience:
http://lukebarnacle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/m
agazine-genre-research.html
Cover stars
The cover stars are a band I created called
‘faux fur’ who have a Rebellious indie style,
leather and denim.
They are an up and coming indie/rock band
and their style represents life as young
teenagers to be fun and care free doing what
they want. In these images they are shown to
be looking away which I wanted to highlight
how care free and young they are and I
chose to have one of the artists smoking to
show the rebelliousness of the band.
11. 2. Representing particular social groups
With my main supporting artist I
used very similar photography to
that used with the cover stars. This
was so the genre was consistent
and I was ensuring that the whole
magazine appealed to the target
audience. This female has a similar
‘indie’ style to the main band
wearing leather and denim and is
also smoking to show her care free
attitude.
I feel that she appears to be quite
strong and individual and this
challenges stereotypes that females
are more dependant and passive.
12. QUESTION 3
What kind of media institution might distribute
your media product and why?
13. 3. Media institution
Due to the influence that NME magazine had on me whist constructing
my music magazine they are similar in genre and target audience that
would be buying the product therefore I think they would be published
and distributed by similar major distributing companies.
I found a variety of magazine genres online:
http://www.slideshare.net/eejc1993/what-kind-of-media-institution-might-
distribute-swagger-magazine
I looked at a variety of magazines from different genres and who
distributes them:
14. 3. Media institution
I’ve chosen IPC Media to distribute my magazine:
http://www.ipcmedia.com/
The main reason I’ve chose IPC Media as my distribution company is due to the
influence that NME has had on me whilst constructing my magazine as NME is
distributed by IPC media.
I feel that CMM will be good for this company as they know how to advertise to
my target audience being young ‘indie/rock’ music lovers in various ways mainly
through the use of modern technology.
16. 4. Audience for media product
I think I'll aim my music magazine at a
similar target audience as popular
magazines like NME. Indie/Rock artists
and bands are most commonly the cover
stars on the issues of NME, for example,
Arctic Monkeys have featured on the
cover of the magazine many times
throughout their career. This makes me
think that the magazine is mainly
targeted at older teenagers/young adults
as people around this age group, male or
female, can relate to the music featured
in NME. However, whilst NME is aimed at
a mass market on a whole, I'll aim my
magazine at more of a niche market,
sticking to indie/rock music.
I asked people around the age of 16-19
years old questions that are relevant to
the construction of my music magazine:
http://lukebarnacle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/1
2/analysis-of-questionnaire.html
18. 5. Attracting/Addressing audience
Colours
I used mature and simple colours for my
magazine due to the influence of NME as
I find the NME layout very attractive and
appealing.
I feel that the three colours together are
attractive and therefore would appeal to
anyone. However, I think the darkness of
the black and the connotations of danger
with red suit the young rebellious style I
aimed to achieve to suit my target
audience.
Red is often used to make text stand out
as it requires special attention.
Masthead
The name CMM is an acronym for
‘Cobain Melodic Method’ named after
Nirvana who are iconic to the indie/rock
genre.
I also think the simplicity of the acronym
would appeal to the younger target
audience and is easily memorable
therefore attractive for the audience.
19. 5. Attracting/Addressing audience
Cover lines
The cover lines and the pug
include phrases such as ‘free’
in bold capital letters to grab
the audiences attention
because most people would
be intrigued by what they
could have for free.
The wording is informal, such
as ‘clean up at the brits’ to
satisfy the young target
audience and keep it simple
and make it an easy read.
The cover line titles are in a
bold eccentric font that I think
give it a ‘rock’ edge and
attitude that would appeal to
the target audience of my
music magazine.
Images
The majority of the images are to highlight the youth and
rebelliousness of the artists featured in my magazine.
The main image has a fading effect on to appeal to the
audience as it links with the cover line that the band are
‘fading in to charts’. It also has a red tint which I feel
connotes danger and fits in with the youthful
rebelliousness that would appeal to my target audience.
20. QUESTION 6
What have you learnt about technologies from
the process of constructing the product?
21. 6. Technologies from the process of constructing
the product
During the process of constructing my magazine I used various different
technology including, paint.net, PagePlus and Microsoft Word.
Strengths of each programme:
Paint.net PagePlus Microsoft Publisher
Easy to use and
understand
Good photo cut out
studio
Very easy to use
Very easy effective when
cropping, removing the
backgrounds and editing
pictures
Easy to create template
for front cover, contents
page and double page
spread
Easy to save as JPEG
photo ready to post on
my blog
Able to add text and
shapes
Good choice of fonts on
‘text’ tool
Spell check prevents
grammatical mistakes
22. Paint.net PagePlus Microsoft Publisher
Text can’t be edited after
deselecting a layer
‘Text’tool is hard to use No photo editing tools
Limited choice of simple
tools like shapes
Imported images don’t
always have good
quality
Difficult to reposition text
and images
Images don’t always
save in great quality
6. Technologies from the process of constructing
the product
Weaknesses of each programme:
Each programme had uses when constructing my magazine. Paint.net was useful for
cropping and editing images. Microsoft word was good when I wanted to use basic tools
and group images together. PagePlus was useful for the final construction of my
magazine and putting everything together making it look professional.
23. 6. Technologies from the process of constructing
the product
Drafting and planning:
After creating my very first magazine draft a lot
went wrong and a lot of errors needed to be dealt
with, I highlighted this in my first draft analysis:
http://lukebarnacle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/analysi
s-of-first-magazine-draft.html
After assessing the final draft of my
magazine I realised there was still errors
that needed to be dealt with and before
my front cover, contents page and double
page spread were completed.
There were too many fonts on the cover
so I decided on one to make it more
simple.
Also, I felt there was too much negative
space on the contents page and I needed
more to fill it so I added a supporting
artist.
I also had difficulty cropping the
background out of the images without it
looking unprofessional, so I used the
‘feathering’ effect to soften the edges.
24. 6. Technologies from the process of constructing
the product
Photographic choices
Before thinking about taking the
photographs for my front page,
contents page and double page
spread I had to plan how the image
would fit in with the genre and layout
of the magazine. Also I had to plan for
the photo itself including the artist’s
outfits, location and blocking in the
photo.
This planning meant that one photo shoot was
enough to get the perfect pictures to fit on my
front cover, contents page and double page
spread.
Not much editing was required to improve the
photos initially but after cutting the background
out I had to edit the brightness and use a tool
called ‘feathering’ to improve the photo and
make it look more professional.
25. 6. Technologies from the process of constructing
the product
Blogger
Blogger was very useful throughout the process of constructing my magazine
and it makes the whole process of the construction very clear.
My blog is always accessible and it is much more simple and easy to store work
on the blog rather than saving everything in a folder.
Also, this makes it a lot easier to post, delete and edit work.
My blog address: http://lukebarnacle.blogspot.co.uk/
26. QUESTION 7
Looking back to your preliminary task, what do
you feel that you have learnt in the progression
from it to the full product?
27. 7. What I have learnt since the preliminary task
PRELIMINARY TASK FINAL PRODUCT
The preliminary task is to dull, plain and unprofessional. There are missing or wrong codes and
conventions such as the face that the masthead doesn’t follow the left third rule and there is no pug.
Also, the main cover line does not stand out from the other cover lines.
28. 7. What I have learnt since the preliminary task
PRELIMINARY TASK FINAL PRODUCT
The preliminary task is extremely dull and boring with a lot of negative space. It follows hardly any
codes and conventions and suggests that the magazine is 9 pages long.
29. QUESTION 8
How successful do you feel your end product is in
fulfilling the task? How well does it fit the brief?
30. 8. How successful is my end product?
I feel that my end product is successful in fulfilling the task to construct a music
magazine. After all the research in to similar products such as music magazines
like NME which heavily influenced me I feel that I have created a front cover,
contents page and double page spread for an indie/rock music magazine that I
think would appeal to the target audience of people in their late teens/early adult
years.
