My media product uses conventions from real magazines in its design and layout. It follows conventions like placing the masthead in the top left corner, using bold fonts for cover lines, and incorporating full page background images on the cover and inside pages. However, it also challenges conventions by developing a unique masthead font and using a combination of red, white, and black colors in the design. The goal is to both leverage recognized magazine conventions to appear professional while also distinguishing the product through its own style and identity.

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

2.  Conventions-Codes are systems of signs, which
create meaning. Codes can be divided into two
categories – technical and symbolic. Technical
codes are all the ways in which equipment is used
to tell the story in a media text, for example the
camera work in a film

3. My Media product like other successful magazines in the industry has used a bold and creative Masthead
in the same top left location most Magazines present the title in. This Aims to proceed the conventions
in place that the left side of the page often draws more attention first. Being the direction of flow a
person is to read text (Left to right) its more noticeable having a masthead within this boundary and
the top of the page often connotes importance. We see this is magazines such as Q and Kerrang! I have
used the same law in my products production as I understand the masthead is a key feature of any
magazine and often the biggest font on the page thus standing out more to the general public over
much of a Magazines content. The Top left corner of many magazines (stated above) acts as the
international image where people hope to see a Title when looking for a particular magazine name.
Obviously using this convention I have also developed My Magazines title to be unique and have an
identity over other products amongst the industry. The Mosh! Masthead uses a font referred to as
‘Slave only dreams to be king’ Which is distorted stamp like letters that all have a splattered approach
in spelling out the title. Despite having its own unique touch it follows up The similar style Kerrang!
used in its magazines mastheads too. This ensures my media product can challenge the conventions
set by leading magazines I would hope my product could be competitive with. This being because I
have used similar approach and we have same magazine aspirations and target audience. Kerrang!’s
Masthead despite having a rusty edge to it is still considered a great title and connotes professionalism
amongst the younger audiences, I too have used this convention to bring to life Mosh! Giving it a
recognisable identity through its Font size, Colours and Style. I have used background colours black,
white and red as a basis of my mastheads theme. Red, white and Black all contrast each other giving a
clean edge of 3 striking colours. Red is often associated with excitement, danger and energy. Red is a
emotionally intense colour that I hope my audiences feel and experience viewing the front cover.
Feelings lead to interest that is followed by desire, all contributing to the power my Magazine title has
in gripping its readers to consume my product. Also of Magazines which I have researched in
production use one of the colours I have covered because of its effect, these are Kerrang! And Q. I
hope to mix all 3 for maximum affect in order to Match conventions set by leading brands but also
challenge the forms of design, content and text and develop the strategies of magazine promotion and
marketing.
My Product Kerrang!’s product

4. My magazine Followed the conventions set by other brands when it came to the style of
photography. The front cover, contents page and 2PS (2 page spread) All used a image of my
photography as a background that covered the whole page space. I understand that leading
brands use this because Images are often good as a general blend of colours and makes the
product look more busy. Kerrang! Uses this in most of its issues and the one shared in this slide
denotes a skyscraper setting with a vibrant orange sky and matt black outlines of buildings. It’s
a natural boundary of the text and the picture but you can them work the covers text around
the image. In my magazine I used a background image of my model. Despite the backdrop of
the model photograph being white (studio setting) the text aimed to wrap around the figure in a
professional manner. We also see this is Q as they often use an celebrity on there covers. This is
where I have used the same conventions I had discovered in planning and research of my
magazine.
Exploring the magazine industry through textual analysis (early stages of product production) I
had identified that most magazines used similar fonts and font sizes for particular areas of
interest on the front cover. My product uses the splash image to complete a layered structure of
text. My Cover line was a Bold Font filled with a deep Red colour backed by a Black box. I realise
Red and Black text fills more space on a page because of the huge contrast they follow and
makes the font look more appealing to read. My opinion is that the font collectively is very
engaging with certain audiences and being a front cover it needs to stand out from the crowd.
Other brands have used that convention (especially Q) for reasons being I have covered. I
ensured my Text was as defined as the model magazines shown but the more important articles
are covered by a box. This acts as a barrier. It connotes importance and further enhances the
fonts strong appearance. I found my Font Poplar Std a good fit so it matched the convections
other media products I have studied value as good fonts. It was simple, but bold, strong when
given a colour and clear to read from distance and eye catching from close distance. I aimed to
give the Main Articles of the issue larger text that acted as cover lines and pull quotes, and then
the smallest text on the front cover was the price tag, issue number and date of release. This is
because My magazine wants people who have a interest in the genre, presentation etc to notice
the stories over the information on the magazine itself. If someone can grasp there interest on a
story first. They then have the desire to purchase the magazine. If the price tag was bigger than
the Headliners some people wouldn’t consider reading the content on the cover being put of by
the price and not seeing what my product has to offer. Its about first impressions with
Magazines and who will notice it on the shop shelves
My Product
Kerrang!’s photography
Q’s photography
My price tag
Q price tag