2. 1 . In what ways d oes your
m ed ia prod ucts use, d evelop
or challenge form s and
conventions of real m ed ia
prod ucts?
3. Initial Id eas
Deciding my genre was important because it would indicate what conventions of a music magazine I
should follow, or even go against. After much consideration, I decided to choose the indie genre
because firstly, it’s the genre I have the most knowledge on so I had an overall better understanding.
Although, it was also one I was interested in it was one I was looking forward to finding out about
different aspects of.
Although there are currently indie magazines in circulation, I still decided to go with the idea as I felt if I
could execute my magazine well enough, it would have a place in the market as people are always
challenging current ideas to enable magazines continue to improve their standards.
To follow on from this, among my research, I decided to produce a broadcast magazine rather than a
niche magazine. However, from my point of view, my magazine does incorporate aspects of niche
magazines.
4. Researching
Researching different indie magazines was vital in preparation for designing my magazine. This was
because I was able to identify different conventions and decide whether to follow or go against them
looking at the different examples. A main example I used was NME a broadcast indie music magazine,
this followed the conventions and was a well presented magazine which has obviously had a lot of
success, so I wanted to follow on from what they had done.
This also allowed me to gain an idea of my target audience, a main
part of the researching and production. I had to think of who I was
aiming my magazine too, and whether following conventions was the
best thing to do to attract these.
Due to wanting to focus on a broadcast magazine, and taking NME
as an example, I decided to take a more conventional approach. I
came to this conclusion by also researching magazines that didn’t
follow conventions and differed, such as Ray Gun. They proved to
be unsuccessful in comparison to broadcast magazines following
conventions as they stopped publication of these. Therefore this was
a deciding factor in my choice.
5. Front C over
Conventions
There are many conventions of a magazine front cover, specifically a music magazine front cover, as
I decided to follow stereotypical conventions, I analysed particular front covers, for example NME
and acknowledged the conventions.
Main Image: This is a direct mode of address and helps to inform the audience automatically of
what will be included in the magazine.
Masthead: This is similar throughout each magazine, usually at the top of the page and
recognisable to the reader.
Boost/Banner: This is used to intrigue the reader about the main feature article. It can often be the
main image as people recognise and notice this will be the main aspect of the magazine.
Subtitle: This is used to tease/hook the reader, giving them a brief idea resulting in them reading on.
Sell lines: These are to promote the stories inside the magazine, often using key words and terms
to mean people want to buy the magazine to know what they’re talking about. There is often more
than one cover line, attracting in more people.
Date, Issue Number and Price Tag: These conventions are usually situated at the bottom or side of
the page tucked away as they are the last thing the audience read. The price is obviously to inform
the reader.
Barcode: Barcodes can be used as a direct link to the website and set links.
6. M y Front C over
Main Image: My main
image is big and fills the Masthead: My masthead is the title of
whole height of the page my magazine, ‘indicle’. This would be
and is the focal point. As the similar throughout many articles and is
person in the photo is my easily recognisable, just like NME.
main aspect of my People know what they’re looking for.
magazine, the photo is big.
With the image being an
Subtitle: Underneath my
attractive girl, it draws the
sell lines I have added a
male demographic in, but
little text to briefly describe
also the women because
to the readers what they
they aspire to be like her.
can expect, without giving
too much away. Resulting
Boost/Banner: The
in them reading further.
boost I have used is
definitely the picture
because people will
see the picture of the Sell lines: I have included
artist and want to find three sell lines to attract the
more out about her. audience, including aspects
that I feel hit stereotypical
Date, Issue Number and aspects of the genre and what
Price Tag: I decided to put my target audience want.
these at the left hand side of
Barcode: I decided to put a
my page, going against
barcode in to enable people to
conventions slightly but this
scan it from their phone and
was due to my design of my
automatically go to the website.
front cover. I had empty space
This means that its connected
on the left rather than the
with the internet showing
bottom so it worked better to
intertextuality.
do it that way.
7. -Bright Orange; this is
another light colour
-Light Blue Background; this
represents the blue skies and
has a definite summer and
summery/festival feel to it,
Sem iotics representing the sun but
also standing out on the
page to draw the
attention of the target
referring back to the ideology audience. The boost is
and attitudes of my target also in orange resulting
audience and indie music in people seeing what's
listeners. This is due to their available for free.
laid back lifestyle and interests
in festivals. -Fonts; I used fonts that
would fit the genre, for
example the print like
-Image; by using a girl model, front for the main
it draws attention of the male header. However, I
demographic but also allows wanted to use a simpler
girls to look up to him. I font for the text to show
decided to take new pictures the laid back lifestyle of
in comparison to my draft and the target audience.
this paid off due to the sunny
weather, it fit my genre
perfectly. I asked my model -Blue and White; To
to wear clothes that fit the begin with I was going to
ideology and would appeal to use orange for the other
the demographic. I used the sub-headings. I thought
guitar to draw the attention to this would be too much
the indie genre because the orange and take the focus
acoustic style is obviously a off the main image. So I
main aspect of the genre. decided to use a darker
blue and white, both
standing out on the page
-Free T-Shirt; By giving away a free t-shirt people will want to buy and to make it look more
the magazine. I decided to do a t-shirt because usually the focus professional and fit the
group like band t-shirts and are interested in them. conventions of a
magazine.
8. C ontents
Conventions
Although the contents is important, its not as important as a front cover, indicating that there’s less
conventions to follow, so if you’re following conventions, you have a big more freedom. After drafting
two completely different contents pages it allowed me to create the best one I could.
Contents: This tells the reader what to expect from the magazine and tells them what they can read
about and the different stories. As I said, there is more freedom in this aspect, so they can change to
suit the audience.
Page Numbers: They navigate the reader throughout the issue. In the contents they have a brief
description to them so have a brief idea of what to expect.
Smaller Image: These smaller images advertise sell lines so people can visually see what to expect
and look for the image if they’re looking for a certain point.
9. M y C ontents
Smaller Images: I’ve
Page
Contents: In a way, I have
gone against some
conventions here by using a
used images that reflect
with what the text says.
For example, festival
fever, I have someone
play on words saying ‘Listen performing. I also have
Up’ rather than just putting people enjoying
contents. However, some themselves to establish,
magazines do use other ‘have your say’. They
words and phrases for the advertise the sell line.
contents. By saying Listen Up
it’s imperatively telling people
to listen to what I have to say. Editors Note: Some
magazines don’t do this,
Page Numbers: These direct so in some cases it’s not
people and navigate the conventional, however, I
reader easily. I decided to decided to include one
have a quirky effect with mine because I felt it created a
so I slanted them slightly and more personal aspect.
used a quirky font. They’re This goes towards my
also big and easy to read. target audience because
they’re seen as quite
friendly and easy going.
10. Sem iotics
-Fonts; Once again I
decided to go for a
more quirky, laid back -Colours; This goes against
approach as it fit the some conventions that I noticed
conventions and genre when analysing contents pages.
far better and was In most cases the main colour
clearer to read. was white as the background.
However, I found this boring
and wanted to be different
especially with the type of target
audience I have. Therefore, I
-Images; I decided to go for a went against the conventions to
ripped, jagged effect on my add colour. The yellow created
pictures for my final draft. I the summery feel. I felt the blue
felt it had more of scrap book, and baby pink stood out well on
memory type of feel towards it, they’re also soft colours
it. This referred to the creating the acoustic feel I
conventions of the genre and wanted to.
the summer feel. Many
people associate summer
with a lot of memories.
11. D ouble Page
Conventions
Spread
Double page spreads are important in magazines because it’s conventionally a main article and
often those that draw the attention of the target audience and of people to reading the magazine.
Often the main image on the front cover links to the double page spread – this is the case for me.
Main Image: The main image dominates the page and is often based on the subject of the article,
EG. A music artist who’s being interviewed.
Banner Headline: It’s often a wide headline to inform the reader easily and clearly of what the
articles about.
Stand First: This introduces the audience, but doesn’t reveal too much so they have to continue
reading the article.
Main Article: This is the topic of the storyline and draws the audience to the magazine.
Conventionally there is one main article in magazines each issue, if people are interested in the
article they will be more inclined to by the magazine. Some people buy magazines purely for the
main article in some cases.
Quote: Quotes are often used to gain information from the person the articles about, they’re eye
catching and draw attention.
Page Numbers: These are used to inform and navigate the reader to enable they can find the main
article and story.
Drop Capitals: These stand out from the rest of the text meaning its evident where the text starts.
12. M y D ouble Page Banner Headline: ‘New
Stand First: ‘kick start your Noise’ – using alliteration so
Spread
summer..’ This makes them
want to read on and find out
more about new artists
its easy to remember.
Informing them of new
upcoming artists, relating
coming up in the summer. back to what my target
audience wanted.
Main Image: Dominates the
left hand side of the page
and clear to the audience,
it’s easily the first thing the
audience notice. The main
image is replicating who the Drop Caps: I personally
story is about. haven’t used drop caps in
my work due to the fact I
Page Number: At the
used a fact file effect rather
bottom of the page to
than an ‘essay’ style article.
navigate the reader due to it
being a main story.
Quote: Quotes are written
Main Article: It’s the topic in another colour to stand
of the storyline, eg. Emily out to the reader. They’re
Rodrigez is the main aspect said by her and someone’s
of it. Its usually in contrast opinion. By using
with the front cover. someone’s opinion that’s in
the music industry, they
believe what they’re saying.
13. -Fonts; Once again I have
used the same main font, this
-Colours: I’ve used light blue
Sem iotics shows continuity throughout,
although it could be seen as
a bad thing. However, the
other fonts are once again,
again to imply the summer simple and easy to read,
feel again. The purple and following conventions.
black both stand out on the
page well and go with the
blue as the quotes are easy
to establish.
-Images; I included two
-Image; Once again, a girl other images so there’s
model has been used for the not just one main image,
main article. The guitar is there’s smaller images as
evident along with the clothes well. This fits conventions
she’s wearing fitting with as there are images to fit
conventions. the other stories I’m
showing.
14. O verall..
I believe I’ve followed the conventions of real media products when referring to an indie music
magazine. I decided to follow them and create a broadcast magazine because I believed I’d get the
most success. I have followed the conventions of the images and colours, keeping the acoustic
feel. The colours and images are well associated with the context and stories in the magazine that
refer to the festival season and upcoming artists, always referring back to my target audience and
what my focus group wanted. These are main elements of the genre and the type of people that
would be interested in the music.
However, in some cases I went against conventions, very rarely due to the fact I think it worked
better for my magazine personally, but overall, the majority of the time I followed them and think it
was the right decision to make.
