Question one of the evaluation

1. EVALUATION - QUESTION ONE
IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP, OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF
REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?

2. MAGAZINE COVER

3.  The image is conventional as it is a close-up/
mid shot of a relevant artists face
which appeals to the target audience as
they are mainly male and so a female
artist on the cover is appealing to males
(especially as the mid shot allows the
audience to see the female artists’ body)

4.  The image is unconventional in
that there is a shallow focus of
the image which makes the
artist’s hand the main focus of
the image and draws in the
audience to the artists’
aggression and subversion of a
female being at the source of
violence. This is good in its
unconventionality as it subverts
gender stereotypes and
appeals to my male-leaning
target audience (with the
violence and the female on the
cover)

5.  The layout is conventional as
the masthead is across the
top of the magazine and
draws in the target audience
from the primary optical area

6.  I have used some
puns on the cover
of my magazine –
“We sail soundly
with Bonney
Pirate”; “Arctic
Monk-Tees!” – to
appeal to my
target audience –
they are
conventional as Q
magazine likes to
have an element
of humour in their
magazines which
appeals to my
target audience
as they enjoy

7.  The language I have used is conventional for (indie) magazines like “Exclusive interview” and
names of relevant artists; this is effective in that it allows the audience to associate this to a
magazine and makes it seem more official

8.  The header
and footer I
have used is
conventional
for a
magazine; this
is effective as
it breaks up
the route of
the eye a little
and makes
the cover look
more
interesting

9.  I have used coverlines on my cover
which are conventional for a
magazine cover – most of my
coverlines are in the first vertical
third of the principle of thirds which
is also conventional for (my genre
of) magazine and means that my
route of the eye will lead the
audience

10.  The barcode of my magazine is conventionally vertical against the side of the magazine – this
is to make sure it is out of the way but still easy to find if you want to

11.  My coverlines are
conventional as they are
in the spaces where the
image isn’t and they
make up most of the
blank space – this is
effective as it allows the
audience to look at a bit
of the content of the
magazine

12.  The brand identity of this magazine
cover is conventional for the indie genre
as it is slightly sexual (through the female
artist, the mid shot and the use of a prop
which makes her look aggressive) and
humorous (due to the pirate costume
and the faux aggressive expression);
these modes of address that I have used
to create my conventional brand
identity are appealing to my target
audience as it is familiar to the
audience, interesting and also
corresponds to the target audience’s
interests (i.e. sex, humour etc.)

13. CONTENTS PAGE

14.  Features
conventionally listed
down the first vertical
third of the principle
of thirds which is
conventional (of a
magazine) and
appeals to the target
audience as it allows
for easy navigation

15.  Conventional long shot of
featured artists across three
quarters of the last two
vertical thirds

16.  Conventional
Contents title across
the top of the page
which the audience
see first

17.  Header conventionally at the top of the magazine with the masthead in

18.  Conventionall
y for my genre,
the numbers
that list the
contents are
followed by a
line separating
the number
and the
contents

19.  The sections of the
contents has been
conventionally (for
the genre)
separated –
usually with
headings in them –
using bars of red
(in keeping with
my house style)

20.  Conventionally placed issue number, date and magazine website

21.  A conventional
use of a box
adding in some
more
information
about the
magazine
(coloured in
keeping with my
house style)

22.  An
unconventional
placement of
images to make
the contents
page look more
creative and
thus more
appealing to the
target audience

23.  The brand identity of this
contents page is conventional
as it is approachable (due to
the easy navigation and
relaxed poses of the artists in
the smaller images); humorous
(due to the pirate costume)
and slightly sexual (created by
the dominant stance taken by
the artists in the long shot
image); these modes of
address that I have used to
create my conventional brand
identity are appealing to my
target audience as it is familiar
to the audience, interesting
and also corresponds to the
target audience’s interests (i.e.
sex, humour etc.)

24. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

25.  Page numbers are at
the bottom of the
page which follows
the conventions of a
magazine and makes
the magazine seem
more real and official

26.  I have used two images – a
large image and a smaller
image superimposed – this
is effective as it allows a
variety of imagery and
adds more context to the
artist (in my double page
spread, I have added the
artists’ latest album as a
superimposed image to
add more context to her
music and to promote her
new album – promotion is
conventional for a music
magazine)

27.  My image is large and so overlaps the page which creates a nice flow into the rest of the
article; this is effective as the image is one of the main things that draw the audience in (the
other being the headline)

28.  The article is conventional for a
magazine as it is separated into
columns and shapes around the
main image which is conventional
for a double page spread article
and appealing to my target
audience as it makes the image
stand out more and look more
interesting (therefore more
interesting to read as the writing is
aesthetically pleasing and
compliments the image)

29.  The image of my artist
relates to the article
which is conventional as
it adds more context to
the artist; it is also
conventional for the
indie genre of
magazine as the image
is (mainly) on the left
page

30.  The pull quote on my
double page spread is
appealing to my target
audience as it is in the
middle of the article and
conventionally uses
deictic language which
intrigues the target
audience into reading
the article. I have also
shaped the article
around the pull quote
which compliments the
article and also makes
the pull quote more eye
catching

31.  My headline is
conventionally
large, bold, at the
top of the page and
in a serif font so that
the audience are
drawn to it and
makes the audience
want to read the
article; this is
effective as it is the
first thing the
audience will see
and so is one of the
main things that
draw the audience
in so that they will
read the article (the
other thing being
the image)

32.  My stand-first is unconventionally large to
make sure it catches the readers’ eye and
makes them want to read the article

33.  My kicker is conventional
for magazines as it
displace approximately
four lines of the article; this
makes it appealing and
eye-catching and
encourages the audience
to read the rest of the
article

34.  The brand identity of my double
page spread is conventional to
the genre as it is inviting,
approachable and humorous
(due to the large image of the
artist surrounded by cuddly toys
and also due to the
stereotypical use of magazine
conventions (i.e. page numbers
at the bottom; bold headline
etc.); these modes of address
that I have used to create my
conventional brand identity are
appealing to my target
audience as it is familiar and
comfortable to the audience,
interesting and also corresponds
to the target audience’s
interests (i.e. sex, humour etc.)