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

By Humayra Suleman

Here is an example of an existing magazine front cover; where I have analysed it’s features…

Masthead - is in big bold letters which suggests the hip-hop, rap style of music, something that youngsters may listen to. It’s emphasis of the play on words “NME” are sounded out when said as “enemy”, suggesting rebelling. The meaning is portrayed through the use of red, symbolic to the devil or blood, general hatred is usually associated with the colour red.

Header - is used to highlight the rare magazine issue due to the word “Special” in “Autumn Tour Special”. Suggesting that the reader does not normally receive something as cost effective as this. Producer of the magazine has put “16 Page” to make the reader think that they are receiving more than the value of money we are paying for. This suggests we are getting the magazine at a discount, when really we are paying the normal asked price of the magazine for the ordinary material there is to read.

Cover lines - The producers of the magazine have included the cover lines saying “Starring” and then the famous artists name in bold red and black writing, This is to impress the reader as artists they are familiar with have been included in the magazine. This Is different to most magazines as it is a music magazine whereas other magazines have gossip quotes or fashion tips on their front cover.

Main image - is of Dizzee Rascal the artist which is featured in this weeks NME magazine. His image is canted ay an angle, making the artist look joyous and happily dominating everything through his music and success. Making the reader look up to Rascal because of his joyousness and his success in life.

Footer - enables the reader to see the famous celebrities featured in the magazine on the footer. It allows the reader to look forward to reading the rest of the magazine.

Pull quote - shows a personal account of the artist, making the reader feel a communication with a famous artist. Encouraging the reader to be like Rascal. It links to the dominating photo where he is smiling and looking to be “Joyous”. It reflects the artists open armed welcome in the image complimenting his grinning face. Almost a way to show that he is proving that he really is joyous.

Background - contrasts very well with the dominated main image, it has graffiti on the walls which highlights the urban feel to the magazine, as urbanized youngsters are known to graffiti. The page is made to look very busy and so the use of a chequered floor is used on the image. Making the cover look busy and creative, just like graffiti.

Flash - is used on the magazine because its different from the background colour and this makes the few phrases on the flash much more important and attention grabbing to the reader. The white bold text on the flash is the first phrase the reader reads, and it excites the reader because the details of the program are smaller but the name is big and bold, making it interesting to the reader.

Here I have compared the features to the existing music magazine, with my own music magazine…

Masthead – in my magazine the masthead is also bold which gives out a bold statement to its readers. The NME magazine has play-on words for its music magazine name, however mines is long yet something the reader would remember. A reason for this is because rarely any people have this type of name giving out a unique identity as the meaning is the state of being important; referring back to the artists. However, I have used a teal colour because it suggests the mix of the two genders, as my magazine is multi gender.

Background – I have used a plain background to make the artist stand out on the page. It does not have anything on it like the other magazine because I thought too much would be going on, on the page. The page is not as busy but simpler yet effective with the emphasise on the cover-lines and important aspects of the magazine. I thought that if it was busy the reader may be put off reading the magazine because they think there's too much to read; portraying the magazine to look boring even though its just the front cover. Pull quote – this also shows a personal account of the artist,

making the reader feel a communication with a famous artist. It also links to the photograph because she is wearing casual clothing and she is not portrayed to be a beautiful artists which her fans may think. This shows to the reader to say that she is just like them, and nothing special.

Cover lines – my magazine includes the word “Exclusive” instead of “Starring” on the NME music magazine cover. Similarly the name of the artist featuring in my magazine is also in big letters on the page. The magazine has big letters for the cover lines to emphasise their importance.

Main image – is of the artist who is featuring on the magazine. She is looking right at the reader, whereas Dizzee Rascal was looking away. The concept of the image is straight and simple but she is tilting her head, making it look like she’s doing it especially for the magazine. Her simple look reflects on the main cover line, because she is not perfect and seems to be normal like her fans.

Header - is used to separate and differentiate itself compared to existing magazines. To have the name of “Worlds fastest chart music selling magazine” is a huge deal comparing themselves to the music magazine market. As well as this the fact that The Times has stated this statement shows that the magazine is worth more than the money which is paid for by the customers due to the high status given by such a top end company “The Times”.

Sell line – This almost challenges the convention on NME music magazine. Due to the words "Worlds fastest selling magazine” reassuring the readers that it is a popular magazine. It challenges the convention of other magazines as they may not be the fastest selling magazine, meaning that people do not like reading them magazines.

Here is an example of an existing magazine contents page; where I have analysed it’s features…

The magazine has a little section promoting their previous and future editions . This stands out because the odd colour yellow is used in big and bold writing to promote the purchase of the magazines. This stands out on the page because it is a bright colour and it connotes to the meaning of being special and a cheap bargain to the reader. There is contact details on the page for readers to buy any editions they may want to purchase. The magazine producers have specifically used “just” in the advertisement suggesting that the price is not a lot and it is a special offer for only their customers.

The brief heading and summary of the content is displayed in smaller text to interest the reader with the description. As contents pages don’t normally include a description and a brief idea is formed through the title name of the individual pages in a magazine. The producers have used the contrast of colours very well showing the subheadings importance. As the text is grey on a white background with red page numbers, whereas the subheadings are big and bold white text on a dark grey background. This effect makes the page look stylish by using the three themed colours which revolve around NME magazine. The idea of the page numbers being in read make it really stand out as the contents page does not contain as much red and it makes the numbers stand out with the normal colours which are grey and white.

Here I have compared the features to the existing music magazine contents page, with my own music magazine…

The text through out the page is shown to be big to ensure that the reader reads into the magazines content as the content of the magazine is then highlighted. The producers of the magazine have similarly continued the consistency of colour co-ordination. This is the same as NME as it also has bigger highlighted subheadings; putting emphasis. As well as this the page has the traditional features such as page numbers. In contrast to the NME contents page this one has a bigger editors note, putting emphasis of the fact that the writer has the best interests of the readers.

The contents page I have created does not include any other information about the previous or future editions. The simple aspect of the page is used on the contents for one purpose and that is to guide the readers through the magazine. There is no third colour on the page, this is keep the consistency of the colour for the house style of the magazine. However, there is a thin strip of read on the males over head phones. Emphasising and yet almost highlighting music without obviously hinting it. I had designed the purpose of the page to specifically help the reader find the specific pages of the magazine.

Here is an example of an existing magazine double page spread; where I have analysed it’s features…

Main Image – The main image is of the featured artist that is on the front cover Dizzee Rascal, and he is dominating one whole page. Emphasising the pictures importance to the reader. He is peering over his shoulder whilst holding a spray can and he is vandalising through graffiti on the wall which is against the wall. His mischievous act is shown through the way he is rolling his eyes to make sure no one is looking at him break the law.

Mis En Scene – This is created by the graffiti wall background makes Dizzee Rascal look like he is rebellious as he is holding a graffiti spray can, and this connotes that he is causing havoc by writing graffiti on the walls. He is acting to be portrayed as a more urbanised troublemaking character. His red jacket looks attractive and expensive, relating to the headline giving the reader a hint that he is now successful after being the troubled boy he was.

Byline – These lines are the credit to the journalist and photographer and this is normally done on the page of the article or underneath the photograph to label the photographers photo.

Background – This connotes the area of which Dizzee Rascal came from and the influence he was brought up with, there are alcohol bottles there which connotes that he used to go out drinking. There is also a old boom box which shows that he was interested in music since an early age. The use of graffiti suggests that he grew up in a roughs neighbourhood and his life was the opposite of his ever-growing success. The text side of the article has a less busier background suggesting he has changed.

Colour Scheme – This is continued as It is the same colour scheme as the front cover and the contents page of the magazine. This is good because it maintains a certain impression of the artist to the reader. As he was known to be a trouble maker with bad influences on his life. Even though it is an informal magazine of music and it looks professionally created because of the clear quality and spaced out layout of the pages.

Main heading/headline – “From Tags To Riches” are play on words derived from the original saying “from rags to riches”. We are told a little bit of Dizzee Rascals past from this change as he grew up with bad influence. He committed crimes and was sent to prison meaning he had tags. Also he was into graffiti and he used to “Tag” with spray cans, which is an urbanised way of saying that he used to mark his name using spray cans on public walls meaning vandalism. His bad past is then compared to his current success which then symbolises the phrase "Riches” as he is making a lot of money through music.

Sub heading – There is a short subheading before the article starts, and it’s giving out a little bit of information about what he has been up to and the awards he has been nominated for. This introduces him because as the story goes on the reader notices major improvements on his lifestyle.

Here I have compared the features to the existing music magazine double page spread, with my own music magazine…

The main image is the artist I had chosen to do on the front cover. She is similarly dominating the whole page of one side on the whole of the double page spread. This is to emphasise the purpose of the article and also to relate to the front cover page. It is a much simple mage with a double mirrored effect behind it. As it has the same image copied twice again which are both washed out into the background. One is flipped showing both photos to be facing each other on the page.

The mis-en-scene is shown by the pose of the artist on the page and the simple image placed onto the page. This suggests importance and status of the artist. Also the washed out effects of the images glow which then indicates and suggesting stardom .

The double page spread has the same colour scheme through out the whole of the magazine. This consists of teal, white and the traditional black and white throughout the pages. It is similar to the Dizzee Rascal page, as it links the content of the magazine together. It maintains the magazine impression as well.

The background is plain white colour to continue the house style of the magazine. This is simple and plain layouts. This may influence the reader to believe that the artist normal and simple like everyone. And she is not superior to anyone. This links back to the cover line on the front page, stating her own personal quote “I’m not perfect like my fans think”. The simplicity of the page develops the colours convention on the NME magazine, because the page is clear and seems to be much simpler. Rather than a busy page with a busy background as well a variety of colours.

The play on words Hit Success Star relate to the image on the double page spread. As well as the washed out image of the artist, emphasising the star bit of the quote. This is because of the glow effect given out. The main heading is “Feesa” in big letters. The fancy lettering of “Hit Success Star” is emphasised by the fancy text on top of the big lettered words of FEESA. This uses the same conventions of the NME double page spread, where the lettering of the title is big and bold.