Question 1

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

One way that my media product fits the conventions of a real music magazine is that I have used a company name and logo up in the corner. This fits the conventions of every music magazine but I feel that it has a similarity to Q magazine. I have also used layering on the front page which fit the conventions. I decided to layer her head over the logo because I felt that it was a technical part of my work. I feel that my magazine front cover has challenged the conventions by having only a simple layout. I felt that magazines like Kerrang used a very chaotic layout style which I did not like, and I felt that my target audience would not be attracted to. There are a few methods I did to keep the layout simple- one way was that I did not use much text on the front cover, but I felt as if I had used enough to lure the customer to read on. Another way I kept the layout simple was that I kept all the text and boxes to the edge of the page to leave a clear view of my model on the front. I kept everything parallel, as I felt that canted text makes it look childish. One was my product develops the forms and conventions is that although I have used a masthead, I have then developed the masthead idea by using a picture of headphones in it. I felt that the headphone idea gave a great uniqueness about my product, allowing it to have a memorable effect.

One way my contents page fits the conventions of a typical music magazine is that I have used a feature section, This just picks out the key features of what is inside the magazine, I believe that what i have put in my feat+ure box is enough to lure a customer to buy the magazine, or at least to read on. One way my contents page challenges the conventions is that, I have used a picture which takes up the whole background. In my research i only saw one contents page that did that. I felt that it gave it a really modernised feel. Another way it challenges the conventions is that I have changes the logo into a standard letter, this wouldn't usually be done, but in this sense I have also developed my conventions by still linking it to my masthead by using the heaphone chord coming off the letter V instead of it coming off the headphones. Another way i have developed the conventions is that I have used images on my contents page. I developed it by placing it in a 'week in images' section, this allows the reader to see what has happened this week (the image that I used of Pixie Lott is one that i took at a concert).
In my double page spread there are many parts that fit the conventions of music magazines. One way is that I have used a typical column theme which features in nearly every article, I used this because it looks as if the article is a much easier to read than if i put it in one block. I have used an quote pulled out of the text. This is used in many magazine articles when they are interviewing an individual. They do this to trigger an emotion from the reader. My quote is conventionally larger than the actual article text, this allows a reader to see what is in the article before they read it all. I have also used a introduction paragraph in bold. My magazine also challenges some conventions of a typical music magase. One way is that I have put a photo of my model on only one singular page, where as the image of the individual would usually bleed over into the article page, and sometimes be behind the text. I wanted to just keep it to one page because I wanted the customers to be able to rip the page out as a poster.

QUESTION 6

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?



I used Photoshop to edit and create all of my media products.

I used Youtube to upload the video I made on how I made my masthead.

I used Windows movie maker to edit the video on making my masthead.

I used my Canon 400d to take my images.

I used my detachable flash to take my images with, I pointed it at the ceiling and off walls instead of directly into her face.

 
I used Google to find original Front covers, contents pages and DPS from real magazines.

I used Blogger to document all my work that I have done.

When using all these different programmes I have learnt to use each an every one of them. I feel i have benefitted from this as it has allowed me to reach my full potential in how my magazine was made. I have also learnt that it is not just on type if media which makes your product, its a whole lot of media, from the camera, to post editing, to publishing it online.

Here are a selection of the images I took when doing my photo shoot.

My Double page spread

I started by halving the page, I wanted to have just one page dedicated to the model so the reader could rip it out and use it as a poster. I chose to add a quote for the masthead because it gives the reader an insight of what will be in the article, and it allows them to trigger an emotion on whether they agree with what she is saying. I also added my house colour orange, by making a border. I increased the contrast on the image to give a warming feel which compliments the orange boarder.

I then changed the masthead and introduction paragraph into my house colour blue because I really want my magazine to have a strong brand identity.

When writing my article, I used my house blue for the questions, and my house orange for the answers. Doing this allows the reader to clearly separate what the question is and what the answer is.

I added in a byline in the orange box to allow the reader to know it is by a important person. I also briefly made a magazine cover of a photo that I had taken of my model previously. The image of my CD will be below. I also added in the stereotypical large letter to start the article of, matching the conventions of a magazine article.

I really liked this photo I had taken of my model on a previous shoot and thought it went well with the CD name 'Day dreamer'.

Here is my final DPS, I added in page numbers, and a signature written on my writing tablet.

DPS analysis

This was the image before I edited it.

I then traced out the outline of the headphones using the Polygonal selection tool.

I added it to the contents page. I tried to make the 'V' look as if its hanging off the 'O' to make it look a bit different. I put the headphones so they looked as if they were coming out of the 'V'.

I decided that the black did not fit in with my strong house colours so I changed the colour so the orange that features a lot in my magazine.

I refined the headphone with the pen tool. I did this because the headphones did not look very neat. I then added in the main feature pages, making sure I highlighted every 'V' with the house colour orange.

I desaturated the background image to allow the font to stand out. I also added a 'Week in images' section because I feel as if it will make the reader want to read on.

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