My media product uses and develops conventions from real magazines. I was inspired by the magazine "Blender" which I found to have an effective yet simple style. I took some of Blender's conventions like having a solo artist image dominate the cover page and using a limited color palette. However, my cover image is positioned to the side rather than the center. I developed my own conventions too, like making the text on my contents page larger to suit my younger target audience. Overall, I was able to produce professional-looking pages like my favorite article page while putting my own spin on conventions from real magazines.

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

2. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Before constructing my media product I researched other magazines to see
which styles I like and to get some ideas I liked for my own magazine. I found
the magazine ‘Blender’ and liked it very much and it looked simple yet
effective. Blender is a more R&B styled magazine but I wanted to do mine a
more POP magazine but decided to use some of the qualities Blender had.
There are many things alike about my magazine and Blender such as the solo
artist been the dominant and only image on the page. The use of only a few
colours keeping the house style smart. Also I used the idea of the artist’s
and other key language been in either a larger or different colour font to
make it stand out. The title I used was a lot like Blender magazine because it
was bold and used capital letters to make it noticeable. But there are also
many things that are not alike for example my dominant image is not in the
centre of the page it is too the side.
The magazine Blender inspired me and caught my eye because its simple but
yet stands out. There isn’t too much on the cover but there is just enough to
drag the readers in and I felt that my target audience been teenage girls this
is the effect my magazine needed to have. When constructing my magazine I
also made another front cover with a different format and when doing
research my feedback came back that most of the audience I asked preferred
the layout of blender too any other.
As it’s the first time I did media I think that the Blender magazine cover
helped me a lot to produce my own magazine cover but at the same time
make it very different, I don’t think the two covers look alike they just use
the same elements.

3. I think I have used conversions well on my contents page. I liked the style of
the contents page but didn’t think that it was enough and felt like I had to do
mine much bigger and bolder to fit in with my house style. I wanted to keep
it simple not with extra information such as quotes which I don’t feel was
needed for my target audience, I believe they just want to know what the
magazine is going to contain so they buy it. Certain aspects of my contents
page are alike the Blender contents page such as using just one dominant
image for the full page and have the features of the magazine down the right
hand side of the page. The writing on the Blender contents page was very
small and I felt that it was for a much more mature audience so I made mine
much bigger so they stand out for the younger audience I aim to reach.
Overall I am happy with my contents page but feel it is the weakest page I
constructed.

4. My article page is my favourite page and I am very
pleased with the end product of it. I like my
article so much because I think it’s the one page
that looks most professional and is the one that is
anyone near looking like other articles that have
been produced. I have used the conversions of an
article very well with having pull quotes from
what the artist has said and choosing the correct
ones to use when it came to drawing the audience
in. Also the pull quotes been in italics catches the
readers eye. By just using two images I feel it
looks very professional and isn't just filled with
images to fill up the page, by just using two I feel
that the readers get to know the artist but not to
much is given away. When looking at other
articles I found that they look slightly like mine
but some look messier. I think this styles applies
well to my audience by keeping it simple for the
younger readers but still has all the juicy gossip.
Compared to other pop magazines such as smash
hits I think this article is a lot less cheesier giving
it more class as I haven't used bright colours or
taken cheesy pictures of the artist I used. I am
very happy with my final article page.