The media product uses conventions found in existing music magazines such as rock magazines. These include a masthead at the top of the page with the magazine's name in a bold font and an exclamation point. The main cover image features a face forward portrait of an artist with strong eye contact, as is typical. Photographs include both posed studio shots and live shots. Headlines are written in a large, bold font in the center of the page and may use different fonts or be at an angle. The color scheme uses high contrasting bold colors like red, black, and white that have rock connotations. The price and barcode are placed together towards the bottom corner in a small, inconspicuous font.

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

2. Through research of existing products and planning I have identified codes and conventions. These include conventions that exist in most magazines and ones that apply only to music magazines. Some elements of magazines include:Photography

3. Articles/ writing style

4. Headlines

5. Price

6. Barcode

7. Masthead

8. Page numbers

9. Colour scheme

10. FontsMASTHEADExisting Products and features found in analysis of existing productsSimple, strong and bold fontExclamation mark The front cover main image is placed in front of the masthead At the top of the page spread vertically across the whole widthMy productIn my magazine, although it does not spread across the whole width of the page, I have followed the conventions of a masthead. The name of my magazine ‘PICK!’ is placed at the very top of the front cover – comparable to KERRANG! and ROCK SOUND – showing the importance of the name.The main image of my front cover is placed in front of my masthead which is a convention that occurs a lot in not only music magazines but magazines in general. This suggests how a masthead is easily recognisable and the targeted audience are familiar with it making the image more important on the front cover.Similar to KERRANG!, my masthead has an exclamation mark. This emphasises the name of my magazine again showing its importance. It also makes my masthead powerful and confident- connotations associated with rock music and it’s fans. The font of PICK! also fits with the usual conventions of a magazine masthead as it is simple and bold making it strong and striking.

11. Minute smileFace forward portraitsPHOTOGRAPHYPosed, studio shots, high contrasted.Mid shotsEye contactMy media product mainly uses the usual conventions of a front cover main image of a rock magazine. My images is a face forward photograph with strong eye contact from the artists. This is a common convention of a main image- particularly in rock magazines- as it suggests confidence from the artist as associated with rock music, but it also engages the audience as it gives a sense of contact between them and the artist featured in the image. The photograph is a posed studio image like that on Kerrang! and Rock Sounds which is a common convention on most magazine front covers as they are strong, clear and simple photographs that are eye appealing . I also edited my image to make it high contrasted again creating a strong and effective feature. The photograph is a midshot as it allows enough to be seen in order for familiarity and contact occur between the model and audience but not too much that there is not a main focus. Although in many ways I have followed the front cover main image conventions I have also developed them . Firstly, for my facial expression I originally planned for the model to have a slight smile to give a sense of welcome and friendliness to the magazine. However, when creating my page I found a bold facial expression was more effective especially for a rock magazine as it suggested confidence and assurance which is something readers may rely on within a magazine. I also added a prop to the image which is not as familiar in a front cover image. I planned this in order to make the reader immediately aware that the magazine is a music magazine meaning the audience are fully aware the magazine is for them.

12. PHOTOGRAPHYStudio imagesLive shotspropsPlanned/stagedI have followed the conventions of photography in my media product by using a variety of both studio and live shots. Both these kinds of images are used in rock magazines and other music magazines as it gives variety appealing to the audience. I have used studio shots in my magazine because when being able to plan photography you can create elements of an image such as eye contact and the body language. I have used live shots because like in Kerrang! and Rock sound the images are obviously not staged therefore portraying the rebellious and active connotations of rock.

13. HEADLINES/ WRITING STYLEinformalangledExclamation marksIn the middle of the pageChange of fontBand/artist nameLarge and bold, high contrast from the background.The conventions of my headline are very similar to those on existing rock magazines. Firstly, the main headline is written largely across the centre of the page in a simple and bold font. Like Kerrang! and Rock Sound I have done this as it creates a focus point for the front page and attracts the audience as the artists featured in the magazine are the main selling point. The headline is often of high contrast from the background for the same reason and frequently angled in a diagonal across the page. Like Kerrang! and Rock Sound I have used more than one line in my headline and have changed the font. This gives variety to a front cover making it more interesting and engaging. It also makes the main phrase of the headline stand out in order to be a main focus for the audience. Although I had planned to use this technique in my product, I have developed this conventions to suit my own page because due to the main image, my headline was most appealing straight therefore it did not clash with the props in my main image. As for the writing style, often exclamation marks are used on headlines. I chose not to use this convention as one already occurred in my masthead and I did not want to overuse the power of the punctuation.

14. COLOUR SCHEMERock connotationsbrightboldHigh contrastingI followed the conventions of the colour scheme element and like Kerrang! and Rock Sound I have used bold bright colours with connotations of rock. The colours i have used for my media products are red, black and white. These are high contrasted colours making them eye catching and therefore engaging for the audience. This has connotations of confidence and assurance as they stand out and are ‘in your face’. People who listen to rock music are stereotypically seen as outgoing, self-assured, active and confident which are the connotations these colours show.

15. PRICE AND BARCODEPrice written below or above barcodeTowards the bottom in a cornerSmall printedI have followed the conventions of the price and barcode elements of a magazine. My barcode is situated in the bottom left hand corner of my front page and is fairly small. I have done this as it has no key importance in attracting an audience however it is still highly needed in order for the magazine to be purchased therefore it is still present.I have followed this convention as it means my audience will have no problem in finding the price and also because it has less importance than other features on my page. If the audience is attracted by the other conventions of a front page, the price is less relevant therefore i have kept space on my page for them features. I have included the price in the same position just below the barcode. This is very common with not only music magazines but all magazines in general and it is a familiar place to find the price.