The document discusses how the student's media product, a music magazine, uses and challenges conventions of real music magazines like Kerrang and NME. The student based various elements of their magazine's layout on Kerrang, such as using close-up images with direct eye contact and a consistent color scheme. However, the student also challenged some conventions by designing their contents page differently from Kerrang and NME, making the main interview stand out more clearly on the plain layout. The student drew inspiration and influences from multiple magazine issues but presented elements in their own way.

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

2. Kerrang cover images are always close ups with direct eye contact
of the singers or bands and often leaving very little or no room
for a backgrounds. So this is what I did in all my photos, having a
plain background with most attention and detail to the my band,
Black Queen.
Similarly to Kerrang’s cover image, I’ve also made my models wear
the colour scheme to the magazine. Looking back, If I had to improve
on my magazine, I would of added a barrier at the top and bottom of
my magazine to make it more professional.
I like how the layout of Kerrang magazine is constantly changing, you
never know what to expect next. The magazines are never the same
so they never get boring and the layouts are always interesting. I
chose to focus more on this version for my magazine.
Both of these issues involve a couple of smaller images on the front
cover that will relate to the target audience. These are mainly to
advertise posters whereas on mine, I used it to show one of the many
‘exclusive’ photos live from Marilyn Manson’s concert.
I was basing my front cover layout on Kerrang’s issue involving
Hayley Williams.
By having direct eye contact, it makes the reader feel involved. So to
reflect Kerrang’s style in my magazine, I made both models give direct
eye contact, which is essential.
Most, if not all magazines of all types have a colour scheme that will
represent and appeal to it’s audience. For example, in Kerrang’s
magazine featuring Rammstein, the colour scheme is black, white and
red. To reflect Kerrang’s rebellious attitude, I also chose these
colours.

3. Although similarly , my main cover line is bigger and taking up
more space than the others and my main image is also comical
because of the faces being pulled.
When looking back and comparing my contents page to other
rock music content pages I’ve researched, I think my magazine
challenges the normal layout for it.
My contents page looks ‘plain’ compared to NME’s contents
page. I’ve not used as much images as they have because I
wanted the main cover line – Black Queen Interview – to stand
out the most. Again, looking back, If I could change it, I think I
would add more images to make it seem more packed.
I was basing my music magazine on Kerrang and NME overall
however I’ve gone against some of the conventions of their
magazine by choosing to present parts of the layout differently.
Even though I have not copied
the layout of this contents
page to make them look
identical , you can still see that
I’ve taken elements from it to
use in my own magazine such
as the layout of the photos at
the bottom and the column on
the far right.
I also got influences and ideas from the other issue of Kerrang
magazine below. You can see I used the same colours and font on
the main image and the barrier on the top of the contents page.

4. My contents page was designed around a mixture of influences
including these two on the right. You can see I’ve used the same
layout of the interview of this magazine
For the image, I was loosely basing it on this “Wild Child” double
page. I liked the idea of the main cover image going across the
two pages as this was against normal magazine conventions, but
in the end, I chose to place it on just one side.
When looking back and comparing my
contents page to other rock music
content pages I’ve researched, I think my
magazine challenges the normal layout
for it.
My contents page looks ‘plain’ compared
to NME’s contents page. I’ve not used as
much images as they have because I
wanted the main cover line – Black Queen
Interview – to stand out the most. Again,
looking back, If I could change it, I think I
would add more images to make it seem
more packed.
Just like the “Wild Child” double page spread, I’ve used plenty of different fonts and colours
to highlight certain words or quotes.