Kay Evans evaluates their magazine, analyzing how it uses, develops, and challenges conventions of real media products. The front cover uses conventions like masthead placement but challenges them with a large banner. The content page uses conventions for layout but challenges them by including extra information and not using column formatting. Throughout the process, Kay learned new technologies like Photoshop and how to better manipulate images to create higher quality, uncommon images for their target young adult audience.
2. In What ways does you media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Front Cover:
Uses the convention by:
The images take up the whole page and go
over the masthead and strap line, and the artist
is looking straight at the camera
The masthead is in the top left hand corner and
takes up most of the top space, the strap line is
directly under in a different font, which is used
along with one other constantly throughout the
magazine.
There’s a date in the top left hand corner and
the barcode and price are in the bottom right
hand corner
The image description is across the image
Uses a continuous colour scheme
3. In What ways does you media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Front Cover:
Challenges the convention by:
A large banner across the bottom
announcing the main purpose of the
magazine
The masthead is not just text, it has a
graphic jagged line underneath it
4. In What ways does you media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Front Cover:
Develops the convention by:
Using the words Exclusive and Free in
bold and capital letters inside the
rectangles down the side of the magazine
The strap line is inside a coloured shape
5. In What ways does you media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Content Page:
Uses the convention by:
Having images take up most the page
Not listing all the pages, just the attention
catching ones
Not using words ‘Content Page’ using
‘Welcome Back’ instead
Uses a continuous colour scheme
The page number, the magazine name
and the date are all listed in the bottom left
hand corner.
6. In What ways does you media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Content Page:
Challenges the convention by:
Using large image to hold title
Not just giving information about what's in
the magazine but other information about
the website and the radio show along with
a bit of ‘chat’
7. In What ways does you media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Content Page:
Develops the convention by:
Using clear borders to separate each
section
One image has the person looking
straight at the camera
8. In What ways does you media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Content Page:
Uses the convention by:
Having one main image taking up most of the page
Having articles under and around the images
Uses a continuous colour scheme
9. In What ways does you media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Content Page:
Challenges the convention by:
Not having multiple columns but having the text in a single column
to suit the target audience
Not been consistent in using a photo for both articles but having a
photo in one and a CD cover in the other and using two different
types of border for the articles
10. In What ways does you media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Content Page:
Develops the convention by:
Instead of having the caption for the main image under the main image its
across the main image
Instead of having a small image of the person the article belongs to it uses a
relatively big one
Instead of having tiny writing to get the most on the limited space it uses larger
writing in a smaller amount to suit the target audience
Having the pictures take up the around half the pages to suit the target
audience
11. How does your media product represent particular
social groups?
The magazine is aimed at young adults, they would be classed in
the C1, C2 Demographic, who would have enough disposable
income to by this magazine regularly
The magazine reflects these social groups by featuring young
musicians and representing them as cheerful and friendly and
passionate about music.
This would appeal to the target audience because it reflects their
own interest and personality through the articles and images.
12. What kind of media institution might
distribute your media product and why?
As the magazine is aimed at young adults, the media institutions
distributing the magazine should be localised and easy to access
For example newsagents, co-op’s and supermarkets.
Also as the magazine is aimed at young adults, the internet would
also be a suitable distribution location either to order and have it
delivered, or to download which is attractive for young people as
they are used to doing this.
13. Who would be the target audience for your
media project?
The magazine is aimed at young adults 15 to 25 who listen to the
radio show the magazine represents.
It is also aimed at young adults who enjoy music and also want to
be able to read about it not just listen to it, giving reliable and
insightful information. This was based on the research I conducted
before I created my magazine and I have tried to incorporate the
results I found into a specific target audience
14. How did you attract/address your
audience?
The magazine represents a radio show, so all the listeners will
know about it as it would be advertised on the radio show and
those who have heard of the radio show might recognise it if they
saw it in a shop and other young adults would also be drawn to it
if they saw it in a shop.
On the front cover there are many objects to catch a audiences
eye, like the competition to win free concert tickets, the main
image along with many others.
15. What have you learnt about technologies
from the process of construction this
product?
While making my magazine I have used: Desktop Publisher,
Word, PowerPoint, Paint, Photoshop and Fireworks.
I used Desktop Publisher to create the layout of my magazine and
then to place all the text and images to form the final product
I used Word to write the text in before I placed it in the layout so I
could easily check the spelling and grammar
I used Paint, Photoshop and Fireworks to edit my photos
changing the colours and removing the back ground
I also used Fireworks and PowerPoint to create images using both
my photos, WordArt and Shapes (2007)
16. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you
have learnt in progression from it to the full product?
Looking at my preliminary magazine compared with my current
magazine I would say that I have come a long way. With the
preliminary I only basically manipulated the images and as I had
never done so before it wasn’t the highest quality, the images I
manipulated in my current magazine were done to a higher quality
and with more effect as I was learning new skills as I went along.
In the preliminary I only used standard images but in my current
magazine I learnt to manipulate them to create exciting
uncommon images, some based on previous images others made
from scratch.
I think that my product is affective as I have used a range of
conventions while adding my own touches to make my magazine
as appealing to the target audience as possible.
17. Images I may have used or illustrate my process of
production
