The document analyzes the conventions used in magazine front covers and discusses how the student's media product both incorporates and challenges some of these conventions. It examines elements like mastheads, headings, color schemes, photography styles, writing styles, coverlines, and barcodes/prices/dates. The student aims to appeal to their target audience while also creating a more simplified and professional design.

1. FRONT COVER
In what ways does your media product
use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
Alex Townsley
As Media Studies

2. Most magazine front covers that fit into the genre of my magazine follow these
conventions: -
- Masthead
- Fonts
- Colour scheme
- Style of photography
- Writing style
- Coverlines
- Barcode/Price/Date
- Sub-Heading

3. Masthead
Mastheads
Both mastheads have the
Both existing main image covering it to
magazines’ mastheads; keep the main story
the masthead pans dominant and stood out.
across the width of the
whole page.
The font choice in both
mastheads is bold,
capitalised and quite
distorted. This suits the
target audience of
My Masthead these two existing front
covers
In my masthead I chose to go with Both existing front covers
the same, vibrant and capitalised above have the masthead
style as the two existing front panning across the width of
covers. I chose to do this for the the page. I chose not to do this
same reasons I believe the existing so that my main image and
products did it, to appeal to my story would stand out more.
target audience better. Also I did this to create more
Notice that I chose to put my key image over my masthead like the existing products do. I felt space for my barcode, date,
that in the existing products it kept the key image (main story) the main part of the front cover issue etc.
– which is why I chose to do this on my front cover.

4. Heading
Headings in existing front covers
Like the masthead, the font
of the title is big and bold Sub heading to bring in
and matches the colour reader more. Also written
scheme of the front cover in big font which matches
itself. colour scheme well.
My heading on my front cover
Like the existing products I also chose to keep my main
story big bold like the masthead. I chose to do this to
keep the main story the biggest part of the magazine.
I also chose to use a sub heading like the existing
products do to draw in my target audience more
effectively and easily with a catchy line.

5. Colour Scheme
Colour schemes in existing front covers
Colour schemes in my front cover
As you can see in the existing products both colour schemes are exactly the
same. I chose to incorporate some of the ideas from there colour schemes
because I felt it suited my genre well. This colour scheme allows my magazine to
be quite rocky, like the genre, but also not be too boring.

6. Style of photography
Photography in existing front covers
Both taken in
studio
Both photos quite personal
due to eye contact
Both passive
Both quite monochromatic
Both posed
Both front covers
have the people in
eye contact

7. Photography in my front cover
I chose to use this type of photo as I felt it was
effective on the reader. This is due to many reasons.
One being the eye contact made by the artist in the
photo; I felt that this was a good thing to use in my
magazine as it creates an immediate bond between
that artist and reader.
Like the existing products, my photo is also
monochromatic. I did this for two reasons; one being
it suited my colour scheme really well. The other
being it doesn’t make the photo busy, it doesn’t
contain a lot of visual information meaning the photo
is simplistic which is what I intended it to be like.
Also like the existing products I chose to have my
photo posed; my reason for doing this is because I
think it makes the artist and the magazine seem more
professional. Also it makes the artist and the
magazine more serious about music which I think is
what fans want to see.
Although my photo was not taken in a studio, I chose
to cut out the mise-en-scene to make it look like it
was. I chose to do this because I wanted my magazine
to look as professional as possible – and I felt that it
was effective in the existing products.

8. Writing style
Writing style in existing products
In both existing products the writing style is reasonably informal.
In ‘KERRANG!’ (to the left) they chose to use a powerful choice of
lexis. For example the use of exclamation marks is used a lot
throughout the front cover – ‘FREE!’ and ‘PLUS!’ This lexical
choice is supported by the fonts used. In ‘NME’ to the left they
also go for this technique, although the words chosen aren’t
quite as powerful and aren’t emphasised as much as those in
‘KERRANG!’. The use of quotations in ‘NME’ was effective as it
draws the reader in.
Writing style in my magazine
I chose to go for a similar technique to that of ‘KERRANG!’ and ‘NME’, as I felt it suits
my target audience and the genre of my magazine. In ‘KERRANG!’ they choose to
emphasise words like ‘free’ by using a different colour or exclamation; I chose to
incorporate ideas from this by putting the word ‘shook’ in a completely different font
to the rest of the front cover. I chose to do this as it is a powerful word which I think
would catch the eye of my target audience. In ‘NME’ the use of quote is very effective
as it draws the reader in, I chose to use this in my magazine for similar reasons ‘What
happens on the Weezer cruise, stays on the Weezer cruise!’

9. Coverlines
Coverlines in existing products
The coverlines in the existing products are again, big and bold
like the masthead and heading. However they aren’t quite as
big and bold due to the fact the heading (main story) is much
more important and the editor will want the focus on that.
In the coverlines from ‘KERRANG!’ they include photos to go
with the story, they choose not to do this in ‘NME’.
The coverlines also follow the colour scheme in both existing
products.
The coverlines in ‘NME’ (far left) have a sub-heading also –
gives extra detail.
Coverlines in my magazine
I chose to incorporate some ideas from the existing products
seen above. Firstly; in both, ‘NME’ and ‘KERRANG!’ we saw that
the coverlines are bold and stand out. I chose to use this in my
magazine.
Also, in ‘NME’ I noted that they chose to use a sub-heading
with the coverlines. I chose to do this so I can give the audience
extra detail which could possibly attract them more to buying
the magazine.

10. Bar code/Price/Date
Bar code/Price/Date in existing products
Both bar code/price/dates are located on the bottom right of the
page. They aren’t a distraction from the key image/headline.
Bar code/Price/Date in my magazine
Located on the top right of the page. I chose to do this for similar
reasons – doesn’t distract the reader from the key image/headline.

11. Sub-heading
Sub-headings in existing products
KERRANG! Both sub-headings have a short and catchy line which immediately draws the
reader in. In ‘KERRANG!’ the use of a rhetorical question is extremely effective as
it makes the reader want to search for the answer.
NME In ‘NME’, we can see that have chose to use a short quotation from the article
itself. Doing this allows the reader to gain some information but not enough to
not buy and read the article.
Sub-headings in my magazine
I again gained ideas from the existing products. By using a catchy line like they do in ‘NME’ and ‘KERRANG!’
(above) I have immediately drawn in the audience in ‘the man behind the album that shook the world’.
I also chose to emphasise the word ‘shook’ by changing it to a completely different font and a change of
colour which fits in with the organized colour scheme – I chose to do this as ‘shook’ is a powerful word
which will stand out to my target audience (writing style)