Presentation evaluating how my product uses, develops and challenges real media product conventions

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

2. As you can see from this image of a
front cover of NME magazine,
typically, indie magazines have a
very minimalistic colour scheme: the
use of bright primary colours breaks
up the patches of black and white
across the image. I have mimicked
this style within my magazine, using
a primary yellow on my front cover,
primary red on my contents page,
and a primary blue colour within my
double page spread. I have used this
convention within my product as it is
eye catching, and follows the ‘rules’
of typical indie magazines, which I
wished to convey within my pieces in
order to make them look like a real
indie music magazine.

3. How have I developed the conventions of a
real media product?
In order to develop conventions used
within real magazines, I have taken the
chatty style commonly used with
magazines and advanced this technique
by adding colloquialisms and lexis used
within the local area (Manchester). I have
matured this technique used my
magazines in order to have a connection
with the audience. Because the band I
have featured within my magazine is from
Manchester, I have exaggerated the use
of slang terms to make the group appeal
more to the youth of Manchester, as this
is my primary audience.

4. How have I challenged the conventions of
real media products?
My product has challenged the conventions
of typical music magazines due to the layout
of m double page spread. Most magazines I
have looked at have ad a rather linear style,
with a very geometric type feel, whereas, I
feel my double page spread has more of a
personal touch. Within this page I have
added smaller photographs in Polaroid
frames, breaking free from the very stiff
layout that many magazines have. I have
also added a more ‘intimate’ sidebar. I would
describe this as ‘imitate’ as it builds a
relationship with the reader; the rhetorical
question used within the sidebar adds more
interest, with the use of direct address
targeting the reader specifically. From my
research, I haven’t seen other magazines
use this approach when creating a sidebar.