The document provides an evaluation by Victoria Graham of her cover page and double page spread for her music magazine coursework. She compares her work to conventions of professional music magazines and analyzes ways to potentially improve. She explains the technology used and why certain design choices were made.

1. Media Coursework Evaluation
In my evaluation I will be looking closely at my cover contents pages and double
page spread for my music magazine. I will be comparing them to the regular
conventions of a professional music magazine, and all aspects of them in the
following essay. I will explain why and how I used the technology I did and I will
also analyse my work for any possible improvements that need to be made.
By Victoria Graham

2. In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
• On my front cover of my music magazine I have used the conventional style of layout compared to other
professional music magazine such as NME. I have used similar layout conventions such as a medium close up
cover image, bold large titles and no more that 4 fonts used on a page. I have used these conventions to
signify how they can make a big difference to the cover of a magazine to give what is an ammeter magazine a
professional look.
• By using a medium close up cover image I could make my front cover the focus of the magazine as it will be
the main selling point. Also by using a medium close up the image is striking and has a more personal look as
the expressions on the models face can be clearly seen to connect with the audience. This convention is in
my mind the most important convention as it signifies what they style of the magazine is and who it is aimed
by showing an image of a person from certain genre of music.
• I also stuck to a colour scheme as this is another major convention of a magazine front cover as seen in the
NME example above. I did this because it is important to make sure that the magazine does not look
overcrowded and too colourful as this will give it an ammeter look so I have decided to stick with three
primary colours of black, red and white.
• My central image also uses the conventional pose from my model of a serious glance down the camera lens
to signify the style of the magazine. I did this because during my research i found that people thought that a
serious medium close up image gave the magazine a more professional look. By looking down the lens it also
gives the image a personal look to make the audience feel a connection with the cover image.
• The title i have chosen is PROFILE as seen above because when doing my research i found that PROFILE was a
more popular choice, because it was seen as a reference to the massively well known Facebook. The
feedback I received was that by having a connection with Facebook it gave the magazine a personal feel 'as
though you have the celebrity on your Facebook and can get to know them'. By using this idea it has give my
magazine a unique selling point as each week only one artist will be 'profiled'.
• Another convention of a media magazine I used was when creating my contents page for my music magazine
I used the conventional layout. The conventional layout consists of being written and put together in
columns, using the same colour scheme as on the front cover and using more than one image on the page. I
have decided to follow this convention as it makes the magazine look consistent and easy to read. This
convention also allows for my magazine to fit into a niche as people would easily relate to the layout of it
which signifies how these conventions give the magazine a more profession magazine to be taken seriously.
By using more than one image gives the reader sneak peeks of what is inside the magazine and reveals small
parts of the contents to draw the reader, this is a useful convention when it comes to the sale of the
magazine.
• I think that by following the above conventions has worked well because it not only makes my magazine look
professional but like an interesting magazine to read. They also provide the magazine with effective, clear,
simple and a tidy layout so will be easy to read and enjoy.
• A convention that I have decided to challenge on my music magazine is by adding an editors not. When
carrying out research I noticed that not many music magazines did this as they thought it was not necessary. I
have decided to include the editor’s note because I think it gives the reader a good connection with the
editor and gives the editor a chance to thank the reader for their purchase of the magazine, also wishing that
they enjoy it. I also thought the editors not made my magazine more unique by using this feature and
provided it with the unique selling point that the editor speaks to the readers as well as the other features in
the magazine.

3. Completed Front Cover Image
I have used this subheading
across the magazine to highlight
I have used the font Blackoak Std in the size 136.85 for
my masthead as I think that this font fits best to the reader who the model is
with the style of the magazine as it is bold, eye on my front cover and to
catching and is not to deviant from the
conventional font to be used on a music incorporate her into the
magazine. The reason my masthead is in such a magazine and to make her
large font is because this way it is clear it is
titling the magazine and would be easier to relevant to the magazine as a
remember if is prominent on the page. music artist so she will be
familiar to the readers.
The model used on my front cover
image is dressed in the colours
I have used the font is Bernard MT from my colour scheme of the
Condensed in the size 24pt magazine. I have done this
because I thought this was the intentionally as she is the
most appropriate as it slightly immediately associated with the
differentiates from the masthead magazine and does not look to
but does not take to much different or deviate from the
attention away from it but still conventions of a front cover image
looks dramatic and eye-catching . model for a magazine. The
continued colour scheme also
makes the magazine look more
The reason I have not used the professional as nothing looks out of
conventional medium close up place or odd.
and I have used a high angel
shot showing the models feet
at the bottom of the image is a
metaphor for how the
artist/model in the image is
still grounded during her music
career is taking off which will
make her an inspiration to I have used the three overlapping images at the bottom of the
readers page to give the magazine a more edgy and quirky style as the it
looks almost like a scrapbook of photos would be stuck down
which is my intention so the reader has the impression the
magazine is crafted and personalised and not just straightforward
and dull.

4. My Completed Contents Page
I have included a fashion section into my
magazine as music is very commercial now and
everything a musician does is observed even
their fashion, so by including it in my magazine it
I have used this black and white will give the fans a chance to take influence from
Wombat’s image here as I think their favourite musicians.
that it looks a little quirkier than
the in colour images and
highlights the bright lights of the I have slightly changed my colour scheme on the
stage setting better for a more contents page by putting my subheadings in red and
dramatic look. all the text in black as this makes the subheadings
stand out more and be more attention grabbing.
I have used many images on I have used the convention of
my contents page all to having three columns on my
represent and give ‘sneak contents page because I did not
peaks’ to my intended want my contents page to deviate
audience to intrigue them from the ordinary conventions of a
and make the content look all music magazine so it looks more
the more exciting by giving professional and signifies it has a
the reader a quick look at serious content.
what the magazine contains,
this is a regular convention of
a media magazine.
I have decided to deviate from
some of the usual conventions of a
music magazine by including a
detailed editors not on my
contents page to give the reader
an insight to the making and
feeling behind the production of
the magazine.

5. My Completed Double Page Spread
I have used a black ground on my mast
head on my double page spread to
make the white masthead writing really
By using the programme Quark I stand of the page and look exciting and
managed to create the conventional eye-catching, it looks this way as I have
columns of a double page spread, but I not used this technique anywhere else
also managed to insert images in- in my magazine.
between paragraphs of the review
which is something I have not been
able to do using other programmes. I
have used these columns to give the
magazine a more professional and I have used a lot of brightly coloured
artistically creative look so it will look primary images that I took myself in the
more interesting to read. crowd at this concert on my double page
spread because I think that it gives the
review a live and real feel to it like the
readers are experiencing the gig for
themselves and not just reading a review
of it in a magazine.
I decided to go back to my original
colour scheme of having my subheadings
in black as I thought that by doing this I have used a red font at the bottom of my review
the double page spread will relate to the to highlight a quote that was said about the
headings on my front cover page and will Wombats during the review . By doing this I am
allow for the colours in the images to giving the reader a clue into the direction of the
look more vivid an stand out a lot more review and it also gives the reader another sneak
in contrast to the text. By having the peek into the magazines content. A quote
black heading it also ensure that the red standing out in this way Is a convention of music
quotation I have at the bottom of my magazines as it give is an eye-catching way to
screen is clearly highlighted and stands intrigue the reader into the text
out well

6. How Does Your Media Product Represent
Particular Social Groups?
My music magazine represents a wide age range as each week it features and 'profiles' a different artist that has lately had a lot of
media hype. Because of this important feature of my magazine the age range is very wide as one week I could be 'profiling'
Katy Perry and the next 'Coldplay' which are two artist that have a very different fan base. Although this method will require
more and regular advertising of my magazine it provides it with a unique selling point as no other music magazine does this
and will excel on originality. My magazine represents all music fans who want to get an inside look of their favourite artist’s
lives and music background and current music career. 'PROFILE' is the music fans magazine as the slogan for the magazine
implies 'a look at music's life' that the readers and get a real and informative insight by reading this magazine. On my front
cover there is a image of an up and coming artist that will cause a lot of media speculation which goes well with my target
audience as it gives new music fans a chance to get an inside look on up and coming artists and the type of music and
background this girl has come from in the features written about her. My music magazine has the intent on bringing music
fans not only closer to the music they love but also to the artists they want to know more about and are interested in. I think
Katie (front cover image) represents my target audience well as she is in the 16-25 age range who when researching i found
had more of an interest in new and upcoming music. Katie also represents this well as her hair, makeup and clothing is very
neutral which means she is not immediately classed as a certain stereotype so she would be more likely to intrigue the
reader. Also the colour of Katie's hair is significant as it is bright red which is shocking and would intrigue the reader as they
will e drawn to the bright colours of the image. By using all of the above techniques I am aiming to intrigue my target
audience with something new and exciting as this is what the cover image represents. I thought it important to style Katie in
a neutral way as there is a lot of stereotypical labelling in the music industry so by assigning Katie no specific themed
clothing means she cannot be categorized as a certain social group in society by doing this it gives my music magazine
another unique selling point by not labelling people which is a major aspect of the media at the moment. By not focusing on
people social groups and focusing on the music will appeal to many more music fans as the magazine is then a 'true music'
magazine. Whilst doing my research i found that young people do not like stereotypical labels and do not just like one style
of music so by having a wide variety and range of music and artists in my features will keep my target audiences interested. I
think that Katie could be a potential role model for my target audiences because she is removed from social group
stereotypes and concentrates on the music she loves which will encourage the readers to look past all of the stereotyping
and labelling being given to people in the media and music every day. It also highlights her talents as a musician rather than
her dress sense which could be inspirational to many young music fans. My music magazine is not target towards any
particular gender, age social class, race or ethnicity or region because by not doing so it gives every type of music fan no
matter their age or gender can take an interest in 'profiling' their favourite artists as my magazine specifically represents
music fans not stereotypical styles of social groups or age ranges. Also by not aiming my magazine at a particular social class
adds a sense of equality to my magazine as every week the featured artists will be different and their will one week or
another is something to suit everybody’s music needs and interests.