The document discusses how the media product uses and challenges conventions of real magazines. It summarizes that: 1) Many elements of the magazine, like the front cover photograph, masthead, and contents page, follow conventions of real magazines. 2) Some elements challenge conventions, like simplified cover lines and details placed at the top of the page. 3) The double page spread challenges conventions with its separation of image and text into a simple layout, though the photo itself does not.

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

2. Front Cover
I believe my magazine sticks to most of
the forms and conventions set by real
media products throughout my magazine.
I thought the photograph on my front
page was perfect for a magazine front
cover as it includes the two people
looking directly into the camera which
features on a lot of real magazine covers.
From my mise-en-scene research this is
the typical pose found on front covers. I
dressed my models in what people would
class as indie clothing to fit the codes and
conventions of an Indie Rock
magazine, the guitar as a prop helped me
to follow these conventions.
The masthead was inspired by Q
Magazine in which I took the simple
lettering placed inside a coloured box
therefore again I followed the codes and
conventions of a real media product. I
took the yellow from the audience
research with the two songs. This gave the
masthead some originality. I shortened
the title of my magazine to fit in the mast
head, my audience and I liked the font
choice and thought the initials worked
well. This has been done with NME so it
has been done before.
My cover lines were the first part of my
magazine to challenge the forms and
conventions of real media products. My
simplified cover lines placed at the top
of the page next to the masthead
meant the main photograph could be
bigger and left uncovered, creating a
more simplistic look to the magazine
which is what I wanted. I also like the
idea as it followed the ‘Z – read’
concept. I couldn’t find any real media
product that used this method of cover
lines for their first issue although NME
Magazine used something similar
within a few of their more recent
special issues.
At the top of the page were often the
magazine’s strip is found I have placed
magazine details such as the full name
and issue number etc. This is not
commonly found there so challenges
the conventions of real media
products. My barcode is featured in
the bottom right hand corner which is
where it is commonly found with a url
and price just above it. This is normal
for any magazine so it simply follows
the conventions.

3. ContentsIn my contents page I used a
double page spread which
follows in the foot-steps of
existing products like Q
Magazine. This is more
commonly found in monthly
magazines due to the
volume of articles. This
therefore follows
conventions set my previous
monthly magazines.
My cover story is the
largest part of the
contents page which is
normal and most
magazines take this
approach. I have also
carried the colours from
the front cover onto the
text to connect the two. I
haven't found this in
many magazines so this is
something I have
developed for mine. My
other stories are featured
in the contents page with
a short piece about what
to expect from the article,
this is often found in the
contents
pages of all music magazines.
Again the black and the
yellow from the front cover
has been carried across so
this is that connection idea
developed for my magazine
being shown again.
I have also placed the subscription offer on the bottom of the right hand
page. This is where it is often found in similar magazines. I haven't
challenged or developed many codes and conventions of indie rock
magazines in my contents page except from the fact I have put it on black
paper rather than white. A white background is often found in indie rock
contents pages but I thought the black represents the genre better because
of the connection with the clothes associated with the genre.
I have carried the red
review section from the
front cover connecting
the two, this is often
found in music magazine
especially indie rock.
This follows conventions
set my previous
magazines. I have placed
it on the right hand side
of the page which is
where magazines that
have this feature tend to
place it. How it has been
laid out with the
different fonts, colours
and sizes is something I
have developed for this
magazine.

4. Double Page Spread
My double page spread
follows the simplistic
layout which again I
struggled to find in a first
issue of a magazine. By
separating the image and
text it created a simplistic
layout that challenges the
norms of a double page
spread. I developed the
idea from a magazine
called ‘The Fly’ but adding
colour to my page and a
caption to link the two
together made it my own.
The photograph follows
the code and conventions I
talked about with the
clothing, props and hair
styles. When I asked
people which picture they
preferred the majority
insisted on this one
because they said they
look more like a band in it.
As they look like a band
and have the codes and
conventions of a band
it is similar to photography
found in other magazines.
Nothing in the photo
challenges the forms and
conventions. However not
many double page spreads
have the photo laid out
across a whole A4 so this is
something I have challenged.
I wrote my own story on the band making it up
based on articles I have read in Q, NME and Mojo. I
followed the writing style, mannerisms and the 3
column style often seen in Q and The Fly. The
underlining of ‘Sugarstone’ is something I thought
of to connect the two pages through the use of
colour. Many magazines do underline but through
the use of colour I have developed this convention.
To conclude I often
followed forms and
conventions set by
existing products as my
chosen genre has a
large presence in
magazines already. I did
however try to develop
existing ideas by
making them my own
and improving them to
fit my style of
magazine. I did
challenge forms and
conventions but
because of the large
presence indie rock has
in media products
already therefore I
found it difficult to do
so. Where I did
however I believe it
improved my magazine
and made it something
a bit different which is
what indie is all about.