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/2013/10/c
ontents-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/mag
azine-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/2013/12/
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/analysis-
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.
