Word Document Evaluation (Questions 1,2,3)

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

 1. There are many different ways of presenting a Music Magazine. I have created 3 magazine products which, like normal Music magazines, are simplistic, but in my opinion effective.  I HAVE USED THE SAME FONTS FOR MY HEADLINE’S AND TITLES (CONTENTS TITLE, FRONT COVER NAME, DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD TITLE AND OTHER TITLES – FOR CONTENTS AND DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD). I have varied size and colour of the text used in all 3 components. This is because when I drafted it, many looked quite amateur so having different text sizes, colours and fonts made it more interesting and easier on the eye.

– CONTENTS PAGE CREATION

    I will begin by discussing my front cover. This is the one I struggled with most. A Music magazine usually has a snappy, memorable masthead and I have come up with the name ‘Mayd’. The name has a musical feel too it.   It almost becomes the ‘icon’ of the magazine which Music magazines often use. Some magazine have a selling line below the title which is used to literally describe the magazine in a few words or a chance to create a snappy phrase which will stay in the reader’s mind. The use of the selling line in my creation was to explain what my title headline meant. The most challenging and important components of front cover is the main-image which is the centre-piece. This is why I have decided to have the whole page taken up by my model; it is very clear and will immediately draw attention from readers. I have used 3 basic colours throughout the front cover. They blend well together and make each feature and component very clear. I have included features on the front of the magazine using enticing language techniques.

 With my contents page I have tried to emulate certain magazines and throughout my research have found that they are often very simple, but clever in the way they communicate where features are. The top ¼ was taken by the masthead. I used the same house style as my front cover title to gain a bit of continuity and not make it look like a completely different magazine. I have included 2 images alongside the right-hands side of the page (one of the artists performing to use as bait for readers who aren’t sure of whether to buy it). I show off another photo of my front cover model, to relate it to the front cover and one of the Arctic Monkeys gig (in relation to the double page spread).

This is also a striking front cover as it shows off all the components of a front cover. Its very clear, informs the audience exceptionally well and is very simplistic.

This entices the reader to look and already visually shows off the features of the magazine. The left-hand side of the page is dominated by the features section, which includes a special mention and feature on the Double Page Spread. This makes it clear that the double-page spread is one of the most important components and it is persuading people to look to it.  I did this so my magazine can be remembered and shown off to really highlight important features of the magazine.  It is a competition for readers (an important convention music magazines), which hopefully make them buy the magazine and read it.  I have also created a replica ‘Reading Festival’ logo.   I also use short and colloquial language as readers just want to know what is in the magazine and not have to read a massive amount that is equally unorganised.

My double-page spread follows a basic structure. After research, I have that a double page spread uses a selection of photos which make the reader feel as if they are just centimetres away from a band. The left hand photo which covers the wholepage is a common convention of magazine articles, and i’ve tried to create it from a watching ‘view’, so that the audience can gain an insight into what it was like to be part of the audience.  I have tried to a create double-page spread which is almost like a souvenir edition. I’ve done this by adding a headline of the band’s name and venue name.

It was a technique used by a magazine I researched (NME teenagers) and it made the content a lot more personal. Like a usual Music magazine, my text is ordered into columns in a clear and organised way on the right hand side of the double page. I have included a title (the review) which makes the reader know what the article is about. I have included the fictional website address to inform the readers further and included future articles in the magazine as a technqiue for readers to read on.

This is my creation of the double page spread. As you can see I have included the conventions and features stated in Question 1.

2. I have tried to represent typical indie musicians. I feel I have conformed with the representation that most indie musicians are ‘rock and roll’. The mise-en-scene of his costume is trying to create a messy look. I have used the ‘hood-up’ technique, which conveys that the model doesnt care about his appearance much like many indie musicians.

The model also looks quite young in the face. He is of the age of my target audience. Young people are often portayed negatively in our society and I have tried to conform and challenge this expectation. The use of the young model on the front of a music magazine challenges the assumption that young people are always on the street and wasting away their lives which is often reported in the media. I have also conformed to this assumption by creating the messy look and also the use of photographs on the double page spread which show Arctic Monkeys and their rugged appearance.

I have used a band (arctic monkeys) who look as if they dont care about their own physical appearance. They have messy hair (long) and are also cantering to performances of high-quality. I have tried to both challenge and conform to the stereotype that a lot of young people are just on the street and wasting away their lives. People will look at the magazine and think how talented the model is where as others will think he’s someone from the street (hood-up) etc.

This is a front cover that particularly stood out for me in terms of design. The main image connotes an image of a messy look and is also the selling point. You may see similarities in terms of how i’ve tried to attract my audience (use of photo) and the particular magazine.

3. My magazine is full of design and top interviews with stars. I have tried to create it with the help of samples from magazines such as Q and NME. These are both magazines which are retailed and can be delivered to homes by paid subscription. As I have associated my products with these magazines I feel a Media institution, such as IPC Media who specialise in good relations with publishers and are highly reputable distributors, would suit my magazine better. <a which retail at selected shops. IPC Media are successful in distributing NME and other very successful magazines. I would therefore distribute my magazine through a subscription payment which could be conveniently sorted out in newsagents (after negotiations between distributor and retailers have taken place) and then also bought first-hand, in a shop.

Some of the pictures used are of the Arctic Monkeys Gig I went to. This will help you see my decision on why I used some photos from the gig and what effect it has.

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