The document discusses how a media product uses conventions of real magazines. It describes using professional-looking photos on the front cover, contents page, and double-page spread to make the magazine look realistic. Key conventions like the masthead, cover lines, date, price, barcode, and plugs were included. The barcode was moved to improve design. Formatting elements like the date, price, and barcode are kept small so as not to take away from the main cover image while still being visible.

1. 1. In what ways does your media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions
of real media products?
All my magazine pages use usual conventions that you would see on a magazine you
would find on a newstand. For my front cover, I used a mid-shot of my artist. To make
it look more professional, I used the brush tool available on Photoshop to improve the
look of my models skin, and change the colour of my models hair. To add further
improvements to the skin, I used the spot healing brush which hid blemishes and
imperfect patches even further.
When making my magazine I wanted to use professional looking photographs to add
a ‘real’ feel to it. I wanted it to look as professional and real as possible, and therefore
I decided to make my front cover, contents page and DPS with as much precision
as possible.
There are a few conventions I wanted to use and stick to, and these are;
masthead, cover lines, date, price, barcode and plug. I believe that sticking to
these conventions helped me to keep the magazine looking as professional and
realistic as possible. Most magazines are known for their catchy cover lines, it’s what
sells magazine's, if a potential buyer reads a catchy, intriguing cover line, they will be
more enticed to buy it. When potential buyers see a plug saying something’s ‘FREE’
usually readers will be more willing to buy the magazine. I did however, move the
barcode from the conventional place of the bottom right hand corner, to near to the top
left hand corner. I did this because I felt as though it looked better there and fitted in
better with the rest of the cover. My date, barcode and price are all a reasonably small
size, as I didn’t want to take away from the main front cover, but I also did not want
them to be completely invisible. Price, for example, is key, as it is what determines
whether the magazine will be bought.

2. DATE
CONCERT
MASTHEAD IMAGES
BARCODE
PRICE AND
ISSUE NO.
PUFF
COVERLINES
PLUG
MAIN IMAGE

3. MASTHEAD
IMAGE ON
TOP HALF
EDITOR
S
LETTER
IMAGES
SUBSCRIPTIO
N
COLUMNS
MAIN STORY
WATERMARK
EFFECT

4. ARTICLE IN COLUMNS QOUTE/TITLE
DIFFERENT
COLOURS
FOR Q&A
MAIN
IMAGE
PAGE NUMBERS