The document discusses how the author's media product follows conventions of real pop magazines for their target young audience. The author researched various magazine genres and pop magazines specifically to identify common styles and layouts to incorporate, such as direct addressing of the reader, medium close-up shots, and bright colors. The author aimed to closely follow typical magazine conventions to make their magazine familiar to the target audience while adding some unique elements like a blue background color.

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

2. During the process of making my product, I wanted to make sure I
followed the conventions of a typical pop magazine. I used a variety of
conventions of many different pop magazines that I found. I wanted to
make sure that it fit the young target audience that the magazine is
focused towards, without it being too immature.
I researched many different genres of magazine to see the conventions
all magazines follow, such as sizing, mastheads and cover stories. After
that, I researched just pop magazines in order to get an idea of the
basic styles and layouts. I tried to add the concepts from these
magazines into my own product. These are thing like: direct address,
medium close up camera shot and bright colours.

3. When starting my magazine, I wanted to stick to the conventions of a
typical magazine closely. I didn’t think the young target audience
would want a magazine that stray away from what they are used to.
On my front cover, the first
convention I decided to use was a
large main image in the centre of
the page. The image is a medium
close up with a direct address.
The expression is ‘happy’ and
‘carefree’. I also added small
images, with direct address, to
the front cover. I thought this
would attract the audience the
best.

4. My contents page only included
one photo because I designed it to
have the main focus as the front
cover image. The image I did use
was also a medium close with
direct address. This was to create
a poster-like image. I used this this
camera angle and pose a few
times because it best suits my
audience. I think this because the
readers feel more closely involved
in the story in question.

5. In my double page spread, the main
image I used was a long shot. This is
a common convention for the
double page spread. This image is
more relaxed than the other images
within my magazine. This was to
make the article feel casual, like a
‘chit chat’ instead of an interview.
For the other image, I used a close
up camera shot. I used it because
the image is supposed to give the
reader more information on the
article, not one of the interviewees,
therefore does not need to be a
medium close up.

6. By keeping the same colour scheme throughout my magazine, I have
ensure there will be continuity. My colour scheme was pink, blue and
yellow. These are very common colours in pop magazines as they can
be very bright and eye-catching. I did not use these colours completely
exclusively as I used black for text colour in the main body of the
contents and double page. I used black because the text needed to
stand out from the light background. I could have used a very dark blue
but as the background was already blue, I didn’t want to go over the
top with the colours infused into the magazine.

7. I only used two fonts throughout
the whole magazine. I used ‘cheri
liney’ for the masthead and
contents title. This is a bubble text
that is girly and childish. It will
stand out to the young audience
more than block text would have.
For the rest of the magazine, I
used the font ‘myriad pro
condensed’. The font isn’t too
harsh or formal for the magazine
and is very easy to read.
Cheri liney
Myriad pro
condensed

8. A competition entices the readers
and compels them to buy the
magazine, which is very common to
be included in pop magazines. I
added one to my magazine including
a photo of make up which is the
prize. The young target audience will
be more likely to buy the magazine
with this prize as that is something
most girls are interested in. Also,
parents are not always willing to buy
their children expensive makeup,
they will be keen to have the chance
to get something for free.

9. Using cover stories on my front cover makes the reader look more closely at
the magazine when choosing it. One large story was used in the centre of my
front page which is very common in pop magazines. I added two small
stories to my front cover. They include a photo and a caption; the caption is
short and catchy to make the reader want to find out more.
On my contents page I listed all the articles that would be in my magazine if I
had created the whole thing. These are very short pieces of information with
plenty of celebrity names. The celebrity names interest the reader making
them want to find specific pages for the articles.

10. The common conventions of a masthead is bright, bold and eye-
catching, this is what I tried to do when making my masthead. I initially
started off with a blue masthead but because it wasn’t standing out
enough, I had to change it. I did not add a strap line to my magazine
because the young audience I am aiming my magazine towards care
more about the content and less about brand loyalty. Strap lines are
not always in pop magazines.
Old masthead design New masthead design

11. Overall, I think I stuck to the conventions of a pop music magazine
closely. Sticking to the conventions was important to my magazine as I
wanted the target audience to be able to distinguish what genre my
magazine was. There were very small areas, such as having a blue
background, that were not common as I wanted my magazine to be
unique and stand out from others.