EVALUATION QUESTION 1-

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

Front Cover

Above to the left is Mix Mag house music magazine, one of the magazines I used in my audience research to use as a stencil for my own magazine. The right hand side is Vibe which I also used as inspiration. My magazine in the middle does appear to follow most of the generic conventions with a mast head, main sell line, sell lines, main image and also a bar code. However, it does not have a background like the other two products and it also does not have banners or a sky line which is abnormal for a magazine.

Mast Head This is the Mix Mag mast head and my own mast head of my magazine below. To some extent does follow the forms and conventions of media product as it has a recognizable font which is individual to the magazine. However my magazine challenges the conventions as my main image is in front of the mast head. My reason for this is that readers and the target audience of the magazine will realise that it is Space magazine by the design of the front cover and colours used. In addition my magazine also does not have the by line under the mast head which could make it look less professional.

SELL LINES

Here is the Mix Mag main sell line and to the right is my sell line. I think that by keeping the same font to the mast head ensures continuity however, the strokes and by adding two colours attracts the audience. Mix Mag to some extent have also done this as they have the top word pink and then the bottom black. This adds variation and also contrast. My magazine main sell line however does not have the by lines under it again elaborating the main sell line story which I think would make the product appear more professional, this challenges the conventions of media products.

IMAGESMy main image is similar to Calvin Harris on the Mix Mag cover. It is a single artist and that artist is the main sell line. This follows the generic conventions of media products. However, my model is on a Med-Long shot in comparison to a med close up of Calvin Harris. I wanted to use this positioning as it emphasises the individual fashion in this shot more. More sell lines feature over the top of the image and this is similar to the Mix Mag also as it prevents too much bare space and clutter on the left side of the front cover.

ContentsMy contents page does follow most of the conventions of designing a media product. It has banners, a heading, sub heading, page numbers, page titles, more than one picture, and brushes in order for it to resemble professional practice. However, in comparison to Mix Mag I do think that my magazine is missing larger page numbers on the images.

Table of ContentsThe heading of my contents does ensure continuity using the same font throughout however, it has a very white background which I believe does not follow forms and conventions of media products. The Mix Mag contents heading has a black background which blocks the heading and makes it stand out to the audience. The yellow also contrasts with the black whereas I think mine blends too much with the subheadings.

Contents ImagesBy not taking any of my contents pictures on location I think that the studio really limits the variation in the magazine limiting professional practice. This overall in my opinion limits the professional look of the product in comparison to other media products. To improve these pictures I also think that by adding numbers onto a corner of the picture would have made them more successful.

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

This is my magazine double page spread on the left which I believe is the most professional page of my magazine. I have used Mix Mag double page spread as a stencil to my own. The Banners in my opinion break up the white in the page and focus the reader on the article, it also makes the product look more professional. I think that by adding quotes into the middle of the article breaks up the article and makes it more appealing to read and enjoy. It can also bring a reader into reading the article, if the pictures fail to draw them in. The continuity of the heading font makes it recognisable and not cluttered.

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD HEADING

My heading from the Double Page Spread follows the colour scheme of black and pink and also alternates the stroke on each word. In comparison to the Mix Mag heading ‘The Big 3’ I think that it follows similar conventions, themes and continuity which is needed for a professional product. To improve this I could have added a background colour or design in order to get rid of some of the white space.

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD PICTURES