Megan Healy created a music magazine called MOVE that drew upon conventions from other music magazines like Mixmag and DJ Magazine. She used similar formatting and design elements on the front page, contents page, and double page article spread. While drawing from these influences, she also challenged some conventions by using a plain green background on the front page rather than a busy one. Her target audience was males and females aged 16-25 interested in dance music. She would distribute the magazine through Thrust Publishing, the same company that distributes DJ Magazine, to reach a similar audience. Megan learned about using Microsoft Word, Page Plus, and Paint.Net software in designing and constructing her magazine.

1. AS MEDIA EVALUATION
Megan Healy

2. Question 1
• In what way does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

3. Question 1
• Throughout my magazine, on the front page,
contents page and double page spread I
have continuously tried to use the generic
conventions found on other music
magazines.
• I analysed an issue of "Blender" magazine's
front page to work out what the typical
conventions are:
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014
/09/analysis-of-three-music-
magazines_23.html
• I learnt about mastheads, cover lines,
anchorage text and selling lines, etc. I
created my own copy of NME:
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014
/09/creative-nme-task.html
• I could apply generic conventions to my own
music magazine.

4. Question 1
Using the conventions on my front page:
• I followed the left third rule and positioned
my masthead in the top left hand corner – I
had influence to do this from DJ magazine.
• I ensured the main cover line stood out from
all other cover lines by making it colourful
and contrasting.
• I merged the URL into the masthead just
like DJ magazine does, this shows that I
benefited from research.
• I used a bar code and date line to ensure
that my magazine looks realistic and
professional.
• The numerous cover lines show that my
magazine is jam packed.

5. Question 1
Developing and challenging conventions –
Front page:
• I added my own twist to my front page; magazines
such as DJ magazine or Mixmag use very busy
backgrounds – I chose a plain, lime green
background.
• Mixmag features more than one image on the
front page, I however, have kept my front page to
the point and used one image – this makes my
artist seem dominant.
• This is another example of mixmag magazine's
conventions being different to the featured
conventions in my magazine:
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/r
esearch-into-similar-products-other.html
• I displayed my anchorage text in a bold and italic
way – NME and Q do this, but my magazine is a
different genre, therefore it’s a challenge to
conventions because Mixmag and DJ magazine
do not:
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/s
imilar-products.html
The differences:

6. Question 1
Influences for my front page:
• Mixmag DJ elektro
VIBE
• DJ magazine helped me create my
masthead – I also used a round, bold
font “Amity Jack”. I also made the font
burgundy – this screams for attention.
• The names of Mixmag and DJ are so
simple, this inspired me to call my
magazine MOVE – an alternative
reason for MOVE being my choice is
because when you listen to dance
music it simply makes you want to
move.

7. Question 1
Influences for my front page:
• The cover lines of my magazine were
influenced by Mixmag – they are very
inferior in size compared to the
masthead/anchorage text.
• Mixmag also helped me to come up with
an artist identity; the issue of Annie Mac
inspired me:
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/20
14/11/research-into-similar-
products_9.html
• NME magazine was the reason I
highlighted my cover lines because it
shows that they can stand out on the page
without being as big as the anchorage text.

8. Question 1
Using the conventions in my contents
page:
• I took the contents page of Mixmag as an
example. I used it as a template for my
own magazine.
• I used three of my own images, a black
background and positioned my stories in
columns. Like Mixmag, I used a different,
bolder font for the word “Contents”.
• I constructed my contents page this way
because of this blog post:
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/2
015/02/drafting-and-planning_3.html

9. Question 1
• I carried the colour scheme through my FP and CP to give
it a consistent flow – lime green, burgundy, white and
black.
• I also used Amity Jack, Courier New and Consolas
through too. It shows a sense of simplicity and connects
everything together.
• I used a picture of my artist on the FP and CP so that it
gives my magazine a focal point.
• There are two more images on my contents page which
shows I have used Mixmag as an influence.
• Like Mixmag, I included the magazines Facebook and
Twitter pages and the website URL.
• I self assessed my contents page and improved:
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/organisat
ion-drafting-and-planning.html

10. Question 1
Using the conventions in my double page
spread:
• Mixmag continued to influence my
decisions shown in this post:
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/2
014/11/organisation_27.html
• I planned my layout to look similar to this
one, I wanted a picture of my artist to
take up the whole of the page on the
RHS and the text to take up the LHS.
• I used the colour black, blue and green
on the article page to create a connection
to contents page and kept all titles
highlighted in burgundy to link to the
masthead.

11. Question 1
Developing and challenging the
conventions in my double page
spread:
• I looked at magazines like NME and
VIBE to strengthen my research: I
found that articles took up two
pages – I challenged this as I have
an enticing interview on one page.
• I used VIBE magazine as inspiration
-
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co
.uk/2014/10/drafting-and-
planning_22.html

12. Question 2
• How does your media product represent particular social
groups?

13. Question 2
• My target audience for MOVE magazine is 16-
25 year olds who appreciate the dance music
genre widely. The readers are 50.50 male and
female.
• Mixmag helped me to produce an artist
identity: my cover star seems to have a blunt
facial expression – she shows her personality
through her music. My cover star has curly
hair, showing her wild personality.
• This is sure to appeal to my target audience
because my artist has a similar appearance to
Annie Mac: I researched Annie Mac.
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/20
14/11/drafting-and-planning_23.html

14. Question 2
• Teenagers are seen as wild, I wanted to show
this through photography in my magazine.
• Images where artists are smiling make them
seem excitable linking to the upbeat music.
• Images where artists have a blunt expression
make them appear moody and this is exhibited
through the bold tones in the music.

15. Question 3
• What kind of media institution might distribute your media
product and why?

16. Question 3
• Bauer Media Group distributes music magazines, so I
researched into it.
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/drafting-and-
planning.html
• It distributes Q and Kerrang. So I didn’t think Bauer Media
Group was right for my magazine, therefore I went on to look at
companies that distribute magazine's such as Mixmag.
• Thrust Publishing who distributes DJ magazine could be right for
my magazine:
• It has experience with a magazine of the same genre and it's a
British company like my magazine is a British magazine.

17. Question 3
• 1) I have chosen Thrust Publishing as my
magazine's distributor because my
magazine was highly influenced by DJ
magazine.
• http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/201
4/10/research-into-similar-products.html
• http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/201
5/02/drafting-and-planning_5.html
• 2) MOVE magazine has a website, Twitter
page and Facebook page like DJ magazine.
Having Thrust Publishing distribute my
magazine, it will give MOVE the same sort of
identity and popularity.
• 3) MOVE magazine will be able to merge
well with Thrust Publishing as a new
magazine for lovers of dance music.

18. Question 4
• Who would be the audience for your media product?

19. Question 4
• My magazine is aimed at male and
females 16-25 years old.
• I used Survey Monkey to know how to
appeal to them.
• http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.u
k/2014/11/target-audience.html
• I could then successfully target my
audience.

20. Question 5
• How did you attract/address your audience?

21. Question 5
Masthead:
• I looked very closely at the colours and fonts of Mixmag
and DJ to produce my own.
• The capital letters in DJ magazine make it effective
because it seems as though it’s shouting at the reader,
grabbing their attention.

22. Question 5
Colours:
• The house colours are lime green, burgundy, black and
white with a little touch of blue – this is a good contrast of
colours.
• This colour scheme works well as it connects to this
edition of Mixmag.
• I found some of my colours through my research in this
post:
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/organisa
tiontarget-audienceresearch.html

23. Question 5
Cover lines:
• These draw the attention of the reader, they’ll be enticed
by the magazine and be willing to read it.
• The main cover line in my magazine is a quote from the
artist “I never expected success” – this will make the
reader wonder what the artist is talking about.
• The anchorage text could also be referred to as a
screamer in this case because it’s much bolder than the
rest of the text.
• The language I chose is informal and basic because of
the age of my target audience.

24. Question 5
Images:
• The images in my magazine emit an air of confidence, yet
they don’t give too much away.
• The cover star makes eye contact with the reader so that
it pulls them into the magazine.
• I have used numerous pictures to try and appeal to my
audience in different ways… Through the attractiveness of
the artists, their clothes or even the way they give nothing
away.
• This is shown through:
http://meganhealymedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/drafting-
and-planning-target-audience.html

25. Question 6
• What have you learnt about technologies from the
process of constructing the product?

26. Question 6
Microsoft Word
strengths
Microsoft Word
weaknesses
Simple to use Can’t save work as
JPEG’s/PDF’s
Can add text and
pictures
Difficult to move
text/images
Easy to make
changes
Time consuming
Spell and grammar
check
Clear previews of
work
Page Plus
strengths
Page Plus
weaknesses
Easy to use Effects aren’t good
quality
Can add
effects/filters and
use tools
Can’t make
changes after
deselecting the
layer
Can make changes
to text/fonts
Limited choice of
shapes
Can save files in
different formats

27. Question 6
Paint.Net
strengths
Paint.Net
weaknesses
Easy to use Takes ages to
load
Lots of tools and
effects
Magic Wand tool
isn’t very reliable
You can add
text/shapes/colour
Easy to lose work
You can change
canvas size
You can add and
remove layers
Microsoft
Publisher
strengths
Microsoft
Publisher
weaknesses
Easy to use The tools are basic
Can save your
work in different
formats
Cropping tools are
useless
I was familiar with
the software so I
could start straight
away
Can’t add effects
to your work
Easy to make
changes to

28. Question 6
Blogger:
• Helped me to display progress of research into similar
products, drafting and planning, organisation and
target audience.
• Helped me to access my coursework without saving it into
files and losing it.
• Provides freedom: ability, to save, delete and edit your
work.
• It’s been enjoyable to use as it’s another method of
displaying my work.

29. Question 7
• Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel
you have learnt in the progression from that to the full
product?

30. Question 7
Preliminary task:
1. Looking back, I have noticed the
cover lines are too much.
2. The use of a star shaped screamer
looks to childish and unprofessional.
3. The masthead text is too small, and
the colour scheme is too plain.
Final task:
1. This is much better structured
because the cover lines are simpler.
2. There are no screamers, but all
generic conventions have been
included.
3. The artists appearance matches the
genre of music in the magazine.

31. Question 7
Preliminary task:
1. There aren’t enough stories and it’s
very plain.
2. The model is not making direct mode
of address.
3. The text covers the model and makes
him seem less relevant.
Final task:
1. I have included all of the generic
conventions.
2. There are numerous images.
3. I have used a complimentary colour
scheme.

32. Question 8
• How successful do you feel your end product is in fulfilling
the task? How well does it fit the brief?

33. Question 8
• I am very happy with my final product and I hope it fits
well within the brief.
• Even though this is a dance music magazine, there are
some elements of rock; e.g. underlining of fonts and
contrasting colours.
• The images, fonts and colour scheme are all consistent
which provides coherence.