This document analyzes how the product uses, develops, or challenges conventions of real media products. It summarizes the key design elements of the front cover, masthead, images, text, fonts, and layouts. It explains how most elements conform to typical magazine conventions, such as placing the masthead prominently and using images to promote articles. However, some elements challenge conventions, such as placing two images on the right side of the page and using the full front cover image on the website homepage. Overall, the goal was to appeal to the target audience while also distinguishing the product through some unconventional design choices.

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

2. Front cover

3. Masthead
The font typical is in serif style with large and bold text. Its placed
at the top in the middle of the page attracting the eye of the
audience giving instant recognition providing brand awareness.
over lapping the main image on the page highlights the
importance of the name. typical magazines mastheads have been
shown above.

4. Main image
A long establishing shot is used for the main image on
the front cover typically in regional magazines. Helping
the following codes and conventions the use of an image
like this helps to place the audience in the position of he
scene.The high key lighting has been, although is not
placed in the centre of the image.The use of this is to
give peace and harmony through the image relaxing the
audience.This links to Barthes connotations theory of
reading under the surface of the image.

5. Sell line
I chose to follow a conventional sell line – relating to my magazine to inform
the audience what is going to be including in my magazine (uses and grats)
I tried to use a colour which was going to contrast to the background however
with the easy my page was set out it made it difficult tot find a colour which
was going to contrast the blue sky and the building so a plain white with a
drop shadow made this quite effective. Using a different font to the masthead
helped me to give this effect following codes and conventions of
differentiating them from each other.This follows expected hegemonic norms,
and therefore conforms to my target audience beliefs meaning the text
becomes relatable to them.

6. House Style
Use of subtitle colour throughout, will appeal to the audience as
it makes some aspects of the magazine pop out from the page
as it highlights the importance of the section to what may be in
interest to them. Colours don’t become gender specified to can
be appealed to both which helps in keeping a larger target
audience – the target audience I had in mind to appeal to.
Follows codes and conventions of using contrasting colours over
lapping image.
Header being at the top of the page is seen as a typical
convention which I have conformed to. Although the use of the
drop shadow on the text helps to lift it off of the page helping to
give it a ‘pop’ effect. Existing media examples of typical house
styles include:

7. Contents Page

8. Fonts & Features
Short informative pieces of info give insights
into offered articles. Large range of needs
then get covered and informs reader (uses &
grats). Serif fonts allow for a subtle and cared
for feel to the magazine reflecting my
audiences ideologies which then in turn reflect
the preferences and beliefs of how my
audiences.
Although the right hadn side of the page is
unconventional with two images using up the
space I believe it has given an better insight to
the sort of articles which are inside and with
people that are local to the magazine it will
give instant recognition of famous pieces
gaining instant attention.

9. Layout
I feel my layout is conventional following
typical trends of similar magazines.This will
appeal to my target audience as it creates
similarities between magazine and audience.
This Is due to factors including images assisting
in promoting and making the text more visual –
this is clearly a focus point on this page,
especially for the art pieces on the right, also
due to the volume of text which is on the page.
However this follows the codes and
conventions as similar audiences are interested
in details, facts and will enjoy reading a
substantial amount.

10. Text (bulk & anchor)
■ Serif font is used in order to appeal to
my audience, this has been done as
the text is subtle and less intrusive,
this reflects the target audience. It
then contrasts the background of the
page making it stand out and become
easily readable.
■ Typical convention of variety of fonts
used to differentiate between
opening paragraph and bulk text.
Similar font size in relation to title
also conventional as seen by the
examples.

11. Language
The language that was used here was kept
short and sweet to get initial attention fro the
reader but helping to keep the inaged in the
page by not over whelming them straight
away with masses of text.The use of the short
titles with a little description under lets them
know what’s entailed inside so they can then
have a quick selection of what they want to
read about.
The use of the short phrases and titles lets me
to have a lot more space on the page giving a
broad cover of the magazine so important
pages to people are covered.

12. Advertisement Page

13. Text Bulk & Anchor)
There is a mixture in opinions as the whether I
have followed the codes and conventions of
advertisement page as there is a split between a
busy advertisement which I believed took
attention away from what was being sold.This is
why I have chosen to follow a similar style of
advert as to what you may find in a watch advert.
An advert like this has allowed me to make the
audience feel they are in the position of the
model on the left giving them recognition and
placing them in the position of them giving a
longing feel for the fashion used.
My target audience being of a wealthy
background where the majority of them would’ve
been in a position of the model.

14. Image
In order to appeal to the audience, I followed the
codes and conventions of using high key lighting
in the image, the background and just the
general colour scheme. By putting a drop
shadow over the text and sticking to a colour
scheme which highlights the logos allowing the
audience to clearly visualize the preferred
reading (Halls reception theory) of wanting to
buy into the product.
A long shot for this type of advert is also
conventional as it is positioning (hall) the
audience to admire the potential product they
are buying into- giving the impression of being in
the location of the model.
The mise-en-scene was chosen to appeal to the
audience to give a longing feeling of somewhere
they want to be creating a relationship based on
familiarity (uses and grats theory)

15. Website

16. Layout
Firstly I conformed to the typical conventions having the
logo/ masthead at the centre top of the page.This allows the
audience to clearly recognise who the product is produced by
and therefore begins to build on brand image. Furthermore
having the tab section lying underneath is conventional as it
allows the audience to seek specific details about a topic
(cognitive needs, uses and grats)
One way I challenged typical codes and conventions was
including an image of my front cover of my magazine s that it
would further promote my physical cover in an attempt to
further consumer base. Usually, magazines have a small
section dedicated for this, but limit the impact it has on the
reader, instead opting for the key articles to be advertised.

17. Image
■ I have found the typical codes and
conventions of regional magazines, do
include their magazines front cover as an
image on the opening page of their
website, therefore, I am conforming to
this, using a full portrait view.
■ However, I have gone to challenge
conventions as the positioning compared
to other magazine websites. My image lies
slightly to the left, advertising the physical
copy clearly, whereas other magazines
typically place this to the right of the
page.

18. Billboard

19. Layout
For this task there are a few billboards made for
regional magazines, and so is difficult to design a
piece relating to codes and conventions. However,
when using ‘the resident’ as an example. I chose to
stick closely to their design for this reason, in order
to appeal to as many people as possible. For
example, using the three different platforms of
access to my magazine or keeping text to a
minimum but giving the name of the magazine or
keeping text to a minimum but giving the name of
the magazine with its slogan, positioned to the left
of the advert. Although I challenged the convention
of having a plain background to give recognition to
locals of what they connect with.