My media product uses conventions of real music magazines while also challenging some conventions. On the front cover, conventions like the masthead, barcode, and plug are used, but no skyline, features, or quotations are included. The contents page challenges conventions by omitting the main image and editors section. The double page spread largely follows conventions with the main image, title, and credits, but page numbers are placed in the middle rather than bottom. Overall, the product challenges a few conventions through omissions and layout choices, but generally adheres to realistic magazine conventions.

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

2. FRONT COVER
Research:
Initially I looked into the genre of alternative music magazine, I noticed some
of these didn’t conform to the key conventions- masthead, main image, main
features, taglines, plugs, key quotations, footer, a header, price, date, skyline
and barcode. Therefore I decided to base my design’s around NME magazine
designs, which incorporate the majority of these elements however not usually
all the conventions. This would not include quotations, features, header or a
skyline. Further more it would include a masthead, feature artists, a main
headline, a plug, barcode, date and price.

3. FRONT COVER INSPERATION
I chose this as my model front
cover, I liked the style that it had I
also liked the placement of the
information and I thought the colour
scheme worked well. They seemed
to use many of the conventions that
are needed on a front cover of a
magazine. I wasn’t to keen on the
idea of a skyline so I didn’t add one
onto my magazine, but everything
else I liked so tried to use as many
as the same conventions as I could
that worked well.

4. MY FRONT COVER
My front cover has used
conventional features such as a
footer, a plug, the masthead, barcode
and sell lines. Plugs usually introduce
a promotional feature however mine
simply announces awards to be won.
This is a non conventional addition I
made. On my front cover I have not
used the conventions of a skyline,
features and quotations from artists.
Main
image
Plug
Barcode, date and
price
Banner headline
Footer
Masthead
Plug
Sell Lines
Sell Lines

5. CONTENTS PAGE INSPERATION
My inspiration for my contents page is the
NME “INSIDE THIS WEEK” page. This
breaks the conventions as it doesn’t
include one main image. It doesn’t include
the artist on the front cover at all but on
my contents page I challenged the use of
the main image being on the contents page
which I thought ended up working quite
well. Also it doesn’t list everything that is
in the magazine, only five or six features.
It includes the date, images of the
bands/artists, a subscription box and
further information, a square box effect for
each feature, the page numbers and quotes
from the articles that the artist/band has
said. It doesn’t include editors letters or
the title of the magazine.

6. MY CONTENTS PAGE
My contents page uses the same
concept of NME’s. Instead of using the
term “INSIDE THIS WEEK”I have used
my magazine name this challenges the
normal magazine conventions. My
contents page also challenges the
conventions by not including a editors
section and no main image. I have
added the same amount of information
about each band/artist that NME does
as I think it is a reasonable amount of
information. I have also added my own
artist column which breaks the
conventions as they would usually have
page numbers but I like the simplicity
without them.
Contents page
masthead
Date
Images
Page
Numbers
Feature
explanations
Subscription
box
Plug

7. MY DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD
With my double page spread I
didn’t have a inspiration to follow;
I based it on my own thoughts of
design. The conventions of a
double page spread would be a
main image, covering one whole
page, a main title at the top of the
page, the artists name, a drop cap
at the start of the article, page
numbers at the bottom of the
page, the logo of the brand, a pull
quotation, credits who wrote the
piece and photo caption. I have
made my double page spread in a
very conventional way as I think
this layout and all the conventions
work well together, the only think
I have done is not placed the page
number at the bottom of the page
and have placed them in the
middle at each side.
Main image
Page
numbers
Title
Article
Pull quote
Secondary image
Anchorage
Smaller
secondary
images
Side bar
Web link
Subheading

8. Sales
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
RESULTS
I asked 10 different people from the age range of 15 to 55 if they thought my magazine looked
genuine due to the conventions of other magazines and if they believed mine challenges the
conventions or is rather conventional.
Does my magazine follow the standard conventions of
a music magazine?
Do you think my final design challenges of a magazine
or obeys them?
YES
NO
DON'T
KNOW
50%
30%
Sales
CHALLENGE
OKAY
DON’T
KNOW20%
60%
10%
30%

9. OVERALL
Overall I would suggest that my three final pages would all support would all follow
the claim that I followed the conventions that go into a music magazine. I have
usually included all the elements, however when I haven't included that it was
usually down to how design looked without them. For example I felt like I didn’t
need a skyline at the top of my front cover, as I already thought it had enough
information on the front. The double page spread is although it appears to be
unconventional, in actual fact the double page spread is rather conventional as it
contains all of the main elements that a double page spread usually has. My design
rarely challenges the conventions, however when I have challenged these
conventions I believe I have made it look professional and realistic. I would suggest
on the front cover that there should be more typography, possibly using a main
quotation or including more artists as it seems fairly empty. On my contents page I
would have included more images, possibly of other artist as many of my images are
of Jake Bugg. And on my double page spread I would have add maybe some more
pull quotes to break up the text and instead of having loads of smaller images I could
have used one big main image on its own.