This document provides an evaluation of a media product created by Liam Keenan. It summarizes the conventions and influences from magazines like NME and Kerrang that were used. It discusses the target audience as predominantly male teenagers aged 15-20 and the genres of music featured. It also analyzes the layout and design elements used on the front cover and contents page to attract and engage the target demographic.

1. Liam Keenan
Evaluation word processed
My Media product uses a lot of the conventions Real Magazines today include. I have been
influenced mostly by NME and Kerrang. Existing products use colours and fonts to appeal to
different target audiences. They use certain house styles which they repeat in each and every issue
of the magazine for example the red house style for NME and Kerrang. I do follow some conventions
such as using direct address but not on my main image and my magazine follows a black and white
house style to widen my audience and attract both genders and all races. My magazine follows a
darker colour scheme to attract more emotional teenagers and not the normal everyday indie
rockers. Contents pages in existing products are normally busy and full of pictures and text. I
followed this rule with my magazine. They normally include very colourful pictures on a white
background for dominant contrast. I continued my house style by using the same font and stuck to
the same black and white colour scheme. I used a similar layout scheme to Kerrang for my contents
page. On my double page spread I challenged most magazines by using a photo montage but
followed the original conventions with my main images appearing behind my text. I continued the
house style but the black and white colour scheme isn't as effective but stands out predominantly
over my background images. I include much more text than real magazines to provide lots of
information. My magazine would be aimed at teenagers as it provides information about new
upcoming bands and DJs. On the survey I undertook I found out the majority of magazine readers
are teenagers aged 15-20 and mostly males. A lot of females read magazines more frequently than
males and one was subscribed to the NME. Most teenagers don't have the money to read magazines
every week or fortnight but a lot of them who have part time jobs read them but monthly. Many full
time working teenagers don't have the time to read magazines. Most teenagers use the internet to
find music information as it is quick, reliable and easy to use. My research could be biased as I only
asked females of the same age group and mostly males. I would prefer IPC to publish my magazine
as it is targeted primarily at the same age group as NME. I was inspired mostly by NME so made my
magazine similar to appeal to the same age group. My target audience is primarily teenagers aged
15-20 predominantly males as my magazine has many conventions that will appeal to them. Some
aspects can appeal to an older generation such as the harrow font and the parka my main subject is
wearing on the front cover image. The hybrid genre of tech grunge could also attract an older
audience but the magazine also uses genres like future garage and electro. On my magazine I
followed Guttenberg's principle throughout putting the most relevant things in the two optical areas
and the less relevant in the dead space. I used dominant contrast on the front cover where the Band
name stands out and attracts the reader. The masthead I used was found on Dafont.com and I used
the same harrow font throughout to continue my house style and to represent fame through the
posh font. I placed the price in the primary optical area so the reader sees this first and direct
address was used in some pictures to involve the reader in the magazine a lot more. I put the band
name on a slant to appeal to younger audiences mostly disorderly teenagers who enjoy rebelling.
The parka my subject wears reflects the mod scene and could also attract an older generation to my
magazine. I placed the subscription box and the turn over> text in the terminal area so the reader
sees this last. On my double page spread I used the same harrow font dominantly contrasting with
the dark background. My main image on the right hand page uses shallow depth of field and both
photographs are low angles expressing dominance of the band members. The band posters in the
background of the main image show influences of the band and my main subjects serious expression
represents how he feels about his music. The black polo shirt and baseball cap connote death and

2. Liam Keenan
danger and will appeal to the target audience. The red guitar connotes desire and the Hawaiian
shorts show how unique the band are. The baseball cap he is wearing also appeals to a younger
audience. In my montage of photographs the graffiti attracts my target audience of rebellious youths
and the different instruments show how experimental the band is. The window on the photograph
and the jumping photo could represent freedom through music. Since my ancillary task I have learnt
to use Photoshop effectively and I can upload to slide share quickly and easily where as i was insure
about both at the start. I can use blogger a lot better now also and can operate a camera better as I
have learnt a lot about rule of thirds, shallow depth of field etc. My ancillary cover uses the same
conventions as my final cover but a red colour scheme attracting youths. I have improved my
knowledge of layout and can manipulate a photo to look how I want. I have learnt to use rule of
thirds effectively and shallow depth of field using a Nikon camera compared to my earlier
photograph taking