The document evaluates how the media product uses, develops, or challenges conventions of real media products. It summarizes how the magazine cover, contents page, and double page spread borrow conventions from magazines like Q, Rolling Stone, and NME. These conventions include layout of text and images, use of buzzwords and headlines, and application of Laura Mulvey's “male gaze” theory through images of models. However, it also discusses one way the writing style challenges conventions by avoiding heavy use of swear words found in some magazines to achieve a more formal tone.

1. Evaluation
Question 1

2. In what ways does your media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
My magazine cover uses a similar convention to this
Q magazine. This is because I have placed the
sub – headings all around the cover and not just
down one side because like the Q magazine it makes
the page look not as basic and more full. Also the
name of the magazine is featured in the same place
as it would be the first thing the consumer reads. I
have also placed the banner over the image. I have
also used the same eye line of having the person
looking directly to the camera. I have also chosen my
main image to be the main feature of the article
which is similar to the Q magazine.
I have developed a convention used on this Rolling
Stones front cover to my own the idea of a white
background however mine is just slightly off white.
This is because from my research I found that the
colour white can represent purity and goodness but
also the idea of something new and as my main
feature on my front cover is an upcoming artist this
helps to get this message across.

3. From this NME front cover featuring Rihanna I used a
similar convention in my own front cover because they
both use Laura Mulvey’s idea of the male gaze. This is due
to the fact the eye line is looking straight into the camera
lense and also there is a bit of flesh shown. I planned the
picture to be in the centre and the text over the top as I
noticed this was a very common feature when doing my
research and also it looks more professional and more like
an actual media product. I also edited my main image as
in that I used the magic wand on Photoshop to make the
background more white or clearer. I also added a few
lighting effects to make the image brighter. The colour of
my font matches the colour of the red lipstick on my
model as this also applies to the male gaze as it attracts
the reader in. Also to link with the male gaze I have
included on my front cover the idea of free posters as this
would attract people to buy it.
A further convention my own front cover has to this
NME one is that both of the prices are featured at the
bottom. This is because if the price is small and in the
bottom corner it will be one of the last things the reader
looks at and so will help them not be put off from
buying it as they will have seen all the other conventions
persuading them too buy it before hand.

4. Another convention I have used in my front cover
from this Q magazine, is I have used buzz words. I
have used the words such as ‘exclusive’. This is similar
to the Q magazine as this also uses the buzz word
‘Bonanza’. Buzz words make the consumer feel more
involved and makes the magazine more personal to
them as they feel like they will be the first to see the
interview. Also buzz words are normally published
bright and bold so they catch the readers attention
and makes them want to buy it.
Like this Rolling Stones contents page my own
contents page uses a black and white image along
with a coloured picture. This is because they both
stand out as they are a strong contrast and so will
catch peoples attention. Also I have used a similar
idea of placing all the text down the left hand side as
it looks more organised and professional.
Also from this Rolling Stones contents page I have
used the convention and idea of the layout
however developed it to be my own. I used the
idea of using only a small amount of images and
then all the writing of where to find the pages
down one side. I decided to this as it is clearer to
understand and follow and also looks more
professional and have a more middle class status
feel to it.

5. I developed some of these conventions of this double
page spread on my own which I created on In Design. I
used a similar layout of having the images down the
right hand side and text on the left going across. This is
because I think the page is easy to follow and looks
more professional.
Also from this double page spread I used the idea of
using a gradient grey background. However I
developed it slightly more as the Lilly Allen front cover
doesn’t use as much gradient as I do. I decided to
make mine more gradient as I felt it made things stand
out more such as the text and images and also grey is
one of my colours which were featured on my style
sheet. Also from my audience research people
thought that grey would be a good colour to use so I
know that it will attract to my audience.
Similar to the convention on my front cover, my double
page spread uses Laura Mulvey’s idea of the ‘Male
Gaze’. This is also a feature on this NME double page
spread. They both show the male gaze as both of the
images are showing flesh of the models. Also one of my
pictures and the image of Florence Welsh are looking
directly into the camera which also gets this theory
across as it could imply seductivness and sexuality. Also
the idea of my model using make up and wearing bright
red lipstick shows the male gaze and femininity .

6. From reading the article from this double page
spread my own magazine has challenged the
conventions of the style of writing as in this article
there is a quite heavy use of swear words and I have
challenged this convention in my own interview as I
wanted to get across a more formal feel to it.