This is Tom's answer to question 1 of the evaluation for our music magazine. The question is, "In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge codes and conventions of real media products?".

1. Tom Wakeling
Q1. In what way does your
media product use, develop or
challenge codes and
conventions of real media
products?
Press the play button(slideshare)
to play music.

2. CONVENTIONS OF A REAL MUSIC MAGAZINE FRONT
COVER
The masthead of the magazine ties in
with conventions of a front cover. It
takes up a large proportion of the
cover and is clear and bold. It’s also
very common for the title to be in red,
white or black. This magazine’s title
uses red and white, this enables it to
stand out.
The front cover image is
conventional in the sense that
is used a close up image. The
artists in the image is also
making direct eye contact
which engages the reader.
The image is in black and
white which enables the
writing/masthead to stand
out. Also, the image uses very
hard lighting giving the artist
a serious appearance. In
addition, the cover lines don’t
cover the image too much so
that the picture isn’t hidden
behind the writing, this is a
convention of a front cover.
The main cover line is larger than
the cover other cover lines as it’s
the main story in the magazine as
well as the article which goes with
the image on the front. The cover
lines are also in the same colour as
the masthead, this is conventional.
A pull quote is used and is
conventional to give the readers
and insight into what the article
is about.
It’s become conventional to
put price and the date/issue
number of the magazine on
the barcode. The positioning
of the barcode is usually in
the bottom right/left of the
magazine.
It’s conventional to use a bar
for visual variety as an
alternative to normal writing on
the front cover’s image. It
normally reveals something
that’s in the magazine.

3. CONVENTIONS AND CHALLENGING CONVENTIONS ON MY
FRONT COVER
The masthead on my magazine
is conventional as it’s bold, and
takes up a large proportion of
the page. Also, It uses red and
white which are conventional on
real magazine titles.
The main image on the front cover is
conventional as it’s a close up picture of the
artists which is the main article in the
magazine. The artists is also making direct
eye contact which invites people into the
magazine and is a convention of a front
cover. In addition, the artist is pictured in
quite light lighting which gives a soft, pretty
glamorous look to her, this contrasts from
Q’s image of a male artists.
Pull quotes are used to give an
insight into the articles in the
magazine, this is very
conventional and similar to
‘Q’s magazine.
My magazine includes a bar at the
bottoms revealing featured artists
in the magazine, this is a common
conventional occurrence on front
covers.
A black circle advertising free posters is
conventional amongst magazines as it
invites people to buy the magazine as
they’re getting something from the
magazine rather than just information.
Four cover lines are included on the
magazine to give some detail of the
articles in the magazine. They’re
positioned around the face of the artist
so that the image doesn’t become
hidden by the writing, this is a common
convention of magazines.
Furthermore, the writing on the
magazine is in either white, black or
red, these colours coincide with the
title and stand out against most
backgrounds.
The main cover line is in a bold font
and in black, this means that is stands
out from the rest of the cover lines on
the page. Also, it’s in a much larger
font which makes it clear that it goes
with the image on the front cover. This
is a conventional method which most
magazines take in relation to the main
cover line.
Just like most magazine, my
magazine has the date of the
magazine’s release and the price
of the magazine on the barcode.
The barcode is also
conventionally positioned in the
bottoms left corner of the
magazine.
The pull quote that goes
with the main image is at a
slight angle to make it
stand out as the main
magazine’s article.

4. CONVENTIONS OF A REAL MUSICA MAGAZINE CONTENTS
PAGE
The main image on the contents page is
conventionally of the same artist that
features on the front cover. It’s normally
located in the middle or to the side of
the page. Also, it is usually framed by
the writing so it doesn’t get hidden.
On a contents page it’s conventional to have the
magazine’s title. This is to ensure the reader is
constantly aware of what magazine they’re
reading.
The contents page will normally have
category headings followed by a series
of article headings so a reader can
quickly see what’s in the issues they’re
reading. The article headings are also
sometimes followed by a very short
summary of what the article is about.
The category headings are
conventionally bolder and larger than
the article headings to break up the
different sections of the magazine.
Lots of magazines also have a special
section of the contents page dedicated to
presenting the editors of the magazine.
The issue number is normally
positioned in the top left hand corner
of the page next the main title. The
issue number is also commonly with it.
Almost all contents pages are entitled
‘contents’ to inform readers exactly
where they are. It’s conventional for the
title to be in a bold colour and font so it
stands out when flicking through pages.
Contents pages are usually laid out in
three or four columns
The category headings and article
headings are usually positioned on
the left/right of the page so that
there’s an open space for images
Page numbers are often in a different
colour to the article headings to make
them stand out.

5. CONVENTIONS AND CHALLENGING CONVENTIONS OF MY
MUSIC MAGAZINE CONTENTS PAGE
The main image on my contents page ties in
with conventions as it is of the same artist
who is on the front cover. It is also
conventionally located just off the middle of
the page, it also overlaps the top bar to grab
the reader’s attention.
my magazine is challenging conventions
by not including the magazine’s title, I
decided not to include it seemed to look
out of place.
My contents page included various
category heading and article heading
which are bolder and in a larger font that
the short summaries of the articles, this is
a convention as they easily stand out and is
visually pleasing.
My contents page doesn’t include a date or
an issue number as it’s the second page and I
don’t feel it’s important to reinforce the date
to the reader, this isn’t an important part of
the page in my opinion.
My contents page is conventional in regards to
the tile as it’s bold and clear, this enables it to
stand out when the reader is flicking through
pages.
My contents fit the norm
of being laid out in three
columns.
The category headings are
conventionally positioned on the
right hand side of the page.
My contents page includes a special section dedicated
the issue’s editors. This is common it lots of contents
pages.
The page numbers are in a different colour the
article headings so that they stand out, this is
conventional of a contents page.

6. CONVENTIONS OF A REAL MUSIC MAGAZINE DOUBLE PAGE
SPREAD
A boarder around the image
and the article help to draw the
reader’s attention into the
image/article.
An image on a double
page spread usually takes
up the whole side of the
double page spread,
although it is sometimes
spread across the entire
double page. It’s
conventional to use a
close up image to show
the emotion in the artist’s
face which is sometimes
spoken about in the
article. In addition, it’s
conventional to have the
image on one side with
the artist facing the
writing, this gives the
impression the artist is
looking the article and as a
results draws your
attention toward the text.
The title of the magazine
conventionally larger than the
article and in a bright colour which
enables it to stand out.
Double page spreads
also conventionally use
drop quotes or
subheadings to give a
brief insight into the
article.
Almost all articles begin with a
drop capital.
The article’s writing is written is always
written in colour which can be easily read
against the background. Also, it’s
conventional to split the article into 2-4
columns so that the writing is broken up and
doesn’t look as daunting as a black of text

7. CONVENTIONS AND CHALLENING CONVENTIONS OF MY MUSIC
MAGAZINE DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD
My double page spread has a boarder
round the image and the text to draw
the reader’s attention to the image/text,
this is a typical convention of an article
and image.
The article’s title is conventionally larger than
the article and in a bright colour which
enables it to stand out.
My magazine conventionally
uses a drop quote from the
artist to give a brief insight
into the article.
My image fits in with the
conventions for a double
page spread image. Lost of
magazine use a close up
image of an artist in order
to reveal the emotions
which may be(and are in
my article) spoken about in
the article. The artist faces
the article drawing the
reader’s attention to the
text, this happens because
you unconsciously look
where the artist is looking.
The article starts with a drop capital
which almost all magazine articles
do.
The article’s writing is written in black which
means it can be easily read against the
background. Also the magazine is split into 3
columns so it doesn’t look as daunting as a
block of text.