- The document discusses the process of creating a magazine for a school assignment, including researching conventions, developing the layout, and challenges faced. - Key steps included researching existing magazines to understand conventions, experimenting with different software, drafting plans, taking photos to convey the genre, and using a blog to display the work. - Feedback indicates the final product successfully fulfilled the brief of a music magazine through appealing to the target audience and drawing inspiration from real products, with the cover being the strongest element.

1. By Jae Plummer

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

3.  Front cover
In the creation process of making my magazine I used a variation of typical codes and
conventions. I knew what these were from becoming familiar with them from doing the generic
codes task:
- http://jaeplummerasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/i-used-pun-from-kings-of-leons-hit-
song.html
- http://jaeplummerasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-typography-choose-matched-
zombie.html
- http://jaeplummerasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-typography-choose-was-
revolved.html
- http://jaeplummerasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/i-choose-this-name-for-group-as-i-
think.html
- http://jaeplummerasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/i-used-white-font-as-it-stand-it-
on.html
I then looked at existing products to familiarises myself with these features:
- http://jaeplummerasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/magazine-analysis-of-xxl.html

4.  Front cover
From these exercises I was able to have a clear understanding of the layout of
magazines as shown in the example. The convention rules that I followed are circled
below, the masthead follows the ‘left-third’ and the
Main cover line stands out a lot more compared to
The cover lines. The bar code and price also are
Placed typically in the bottom right hand corner.

5.  Challenges and developments
To give my magazine its own identity and interpretation of these conventions I
included challenges and developments to them. The main image shown in the
example below is in grey which is not something you will
Often see on a magazine. Also the masthead is quite big
I did this in order for it to stand out and show a sense of
Authority on the front cover to show its importance.

6.  Influences
I took most of my influence from similar products in
particular ‘XXL magazine’. This made sense to do as it
shares the same genre as my magazine, which is rap.
I took inspiration for my layout as shown in the XXL edition
of ‘the game’ as this does I put the main cover line in front
of the cover star. I also was inspired by the photography
that was used quite frequently for XXL of the medium close
ups of cover stars, I also did this however decided not to use
a white background as I felt this made it look to plain and empty.

7. My contents page fits with my front cover as it follows suit of
colours, I was influenced
for this mainly by Q magazine even though it doesn’t have
the same genre as I do therefore I changed fonts and the
style. Using the borders I was able to still keep the focus on
the cover star as well as making the
Contents clear on the page due to the contrast between the
black background and white writing.
 Contents page

8.  Double page spread
When creating a double page spread I firstly had to look at other existing double
page spread and I chose to look at one from ‘XXL magazine’ this being my inspiring
magazine.
- http://jaeplummerasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/double-page-spread-from-
inspired.html
I analysed the double page spread
So that I then knew the conventions
of a double page spread. From this
I incorporated a large image that is
Set as the background and I feel
this makes the cover star the main
Focus as it should be.

9.  How does your media product represent
particular social groups?

10.  My magazine is aimed at teenagers, mainly boys who enjoy the music genre rap. I
used XXL magazine to help me understand how to fit my magazine with its genre
and also how to target it at my audience, who is teenage boys.
Cover star
The cover star ‘J Indigo’ emulates a cool laid back teenage boy,
who is shown as being independent through the camerawork
showing him in a lone light but yet still stands out.

11.  The other photos used also expressed the same as my cover stars as being
inquisitive as well as having depth within their personality that readers of the
magazine want to be revealed. They persisted with the theme of being laid back
yet shady. Boys dominate the magazine typically teenage boys this gives my target
audience something to relate to as they will be mostly teenage boys themselves.

12.  What kind of media institute might distribute
your product and why?

13.  The genre of shiftyrap is similar to XXL and vibe, these magazines are from major
distribution companies. Shifty rap could work well for a major distributor as it will
feature a lot of upcoming and established artists and will include fresh ideas and
styles hence making it likely to be a top selling magazine.

14.  I researched on several magazines and the distributor that I think should
distribute my magazine is IPC media : http://www.ipcmedia.com/
 The reason for this is it is a British major distributor that not yet publishes a rap
magazine and I feel that this is a spot that my magazine can fill. They also
advertise on many platforms such as websites, printing and modern technology
like tablets and mobiles, which would be most beneficial for my magazine.

15.  Who would be the audience for your media
product?

16.  My magazine will be aimed at teenagers mainly boys aged between 16-21 who are
interested in rap music.

17.  Age and gender of target audience
The age of my target audience will be people over 16 to about 21, so it is quite a
young target audience, it will also be aimed at males and this is shown through the
colours used in the magazine and it being dominated by male artists as rap is more
of a male genre of music.
 Magazines similar to mine
Magazines similar to mine are XXL and vibe magazine, they will also have a similar
target audience to mine which will be young males again the reason being that rap
music has a large male audience that tends to be quite young.

18.  How did you attract/address your audience?

19.  Masthead
My masthead ‘shiftyrap’ is in a bright red colour which makes it stand out as a
masthead should as should, the font of the masthead is also different giving it a
unique look this is something that people will remember and be attracted to as it
gives them visual interest.
colours
The colour scheme of black and red contrast well together, the colour red has
connotations for energy which relates to my target audience of youth and
teenagers. The black gives the magazine a dark and mysterious edge. Red is also
used in similar products such as ‘XXL’ so it is clear that this is colour is successful
in attracting an audience.

20.  Images
The images in the magazine use direct address to engage with the audience, the
direct address is particularly strong on the main image (front cover). The images
of the cover star show the dress code of most teenagers today for example the
cap and hoodie, presenting this as being magazine including young artists that my
audience can relate to.
Pug
The pug attracts the audience as it offers a free item inside the magazine creating a
want from the costumers for the item and is an incentive for the audience to want
to open the magazine. It is in the middle of a circle making it stand out on the
page.

21.  What have you learnt about technologies from
the process of constructing the product?

22. During the process of making the magazine I used a number of different software's
and each of these had there strengths and weaknesses. Here are the strenghts of
each:
Microsoft Publisher Pageplus Paint.net
Easy and logical to
use
Being a software
used for magazines
means it gives a
professional look.
Use of layers allows
you to return to
layers and edit or
delete at any time
Able to add text
and images on to
documents easily
Cut-out studio
allows to crop
images accurately
Easy to use and
understand
Has a spell checker
meaning mistakes
are prevented
Images and text
can easily be
transformed
Able to add text
and shapes
Clear print previews Able to save in
many different
formats
Images can be
edited with the
effects and tools

23. Weaknesses:
Microsoft
publisher
PagePlus Paint.Net
Programme is
too simple
New users of
the programme
will find it
complex to use
Effects come out
as a poor
quality
Limited effects
gives little
choice to what
you can do
A wide choice of
effects could
lead to over
using them
Unable to edit
text after
deselecting a
layer
Exact placement
of text and
images is fiddly
and difficult
Limited choice
of shapes and
brush effects

24.  Drafting and planning
Before creating any features of the magazine I firstly had to draft and plan. This
involved me looking at existing products and looking into more detail about my
genre of music so that each aspect of the magazine was going to be well thought
out. I experimented with different features of the magazine and this helped me to
come to a final idea by building my skills and creativity before hand. A difficulty that
I faced in the process was getting the layout right as this could be the difference
between it looking professional and looking amateur.
http://jaeplummerasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/page-plus-project.html

25.  Photographic choices
Before I even began to take my pictures I needed to make a plan of how my pictures
would be taken to convey the music genre and the artists attitude and also how it
would fit in with the layout with the cover lines and other features.
Doing this allowed me to have an idea in my head of how the photographs should be
taken and this mean that the end result would be better and I would have a wider
choice to choose from.
These are some of the photos that I ended up with:

26. Blogger
The whole process of the magazine was displayed through the use of an online blog.
I found this as an effective way to upload and display my work on. I am able to
access the blog anywhere at anytime as there is an app which proved to be very
useful. This was a much better way to display coursework rather than using a folder
as it is self organised and the work cannot be lost this way. Blogger also had an
added freedom as I could add, delete and edit posts and this was much more
efficient than having to rewrite work.

27.  Looking back at the preliminary task what do
you feel you have learnt from the progression
in it to the full product?

28. The layout of the preliminary task is very simple and the fonts are too big and don’t
surround the cover star well. The fonts also seem to be all oversized.
Preliminary task Final product

29. The contents page of the preliminary task is plain and includes no images. Looking
at the final product I can see that There is a clear colour scheme and layout and
also there are images, so I can see a real big improvement.
Preliminary task Final product

30.  How successful do you feel your end product
is in fulfilling the task? How well does it fit
the brief?

31. Overall I feel that my final product was successful and that it fit the brief well of a
music magazine. Through thorough research I was able to identify my target
audience and then manipulate this into the product through colour schemes and
features that appeal to them. I created a rap magazine that uses inspiration from
existing similar products helping it the fit the music genre. I feel that each page is
linked to each through the brand. I feel that main cover is the strongest part of the
magazine as it includes good photography and layout that all ties in together with
the colour scheme.