in what ways does my media product, use conventions
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
A magazine design which I took
into account when designing my
own magazine was ‘Q’ a highbrow
general music magazine which
mainly follows the conventions of a
magazine. It does this by placing the
one letter title at the top left corner
of the page, the side which is often
exposed to buyers on newsstands.
This is conventional to magazines as it
draws in the eyes of the buyer. This
particular magazine also presents the
main feature of the issue to the left
quarter of the page, again on show
when being sold. Other professional
methods include the use of light colours on a dark background, used by
this magazine to enable all writing is visible on the page, as well as the use of different
weight fonts to distinguish the features and their descriptions. A final feature, conventional
to many music magazines including ‘NME’ and ‘Vibe’ is the colour scheme of red and black.
Due to these colours being widely used by a range of music magazines, audiences tend to
associate these colours with the connotations of music, helping to draw in an appropriate
audience. Other aspects conventional to magazines include a slug line, a phrase which
appears beneath the title of every issue for identification of your magazine as well as
continuity. You can also include a ‘buzz’, a shape which draws the reader’s attention to a
particular feature of the magazine using large ‘buzz words’ like WIN etc. All of these
methods are conventional to magazines, and not only help in the selling of the issue, but
combine to make a generally professional looking product. I have therefore used all of these
methods on my own magazine, as my aim was to create a highbrow professional magazine
for a niche genre.
Title in the top
left corner to
enable visibility
on newsstands.
Main feature in
left third
All new features
in left third to
draw in a buyer
when being
displayed.
Different fonts to
distinguish the
cover-lines and
their description.
I have placed my
regulars on the right
third of the cover so that
cover-lines exposed to
the buyer are new.
Pull quote
Red and black
colour scheme Slug line
My Artist does not
perform a direct
stare into the
camera lens, a
convention of any
magazine to draw
in the reader with
the eyes.
I have thus chosen
to subvert this
convention, as
unlike ‘Q’, the
genre of my
magazine is indie/
alternative. I have
therefore chosen
an alternative
position to reflect
my genre (as done
by NME on page
1). I also feel it
gives a mysterious
effect, and will lead
the reader into
fining out more
about my artist.
I have also used a
location picture on
my front cover,
something which
most mainstream
magazines do not
use as a cover
photo to keep
attention to cover
lines and the artist
themselves.
I have therefore
decided to subvert this
convention, as the
outdoors setting of my
photo is effective in
asserting a different
style. The
connotations of the
outdoors is also
associated more with
freedom, something
which reflects the
freedom of my genre.
It is also effective in
catching the eye of my
audience and drawing
them into the artistic
aspects of my product,
as this relates to my
artistic target
audience.
Subverting the general
conventions of a magazine
contents page, includes
my use of a picture as a
background.
Conventionally, magazines
use a solid base on which
to build on and I have
decided to challenge this.
This is because my
magazine construction
was
based on normalising the indie genre to the
standards of mainstream. I thus believe that a house
style which focuses giving the artist a consistent
voice is effective in doing so. My other subversions
include a generally more minimalistic approach.
Although I believe this has the desired effect of
allowing an audience to focus in on my content, I
think that the conventions of more layering of
different medias, for example text boxes as used in
‘Q’ and ‘NME’ would be effective in making my
product more professional. It would also give more
depth to the page. I could have also improved the
page further by reinstating the title, something
which both Q and NME do for a continued house
style
I have made many conforms
to the conventions of a
magazine contents page. This
includes the use of large folio
numbers in order to draw in
the eyes of the reader, as well
as different weight fonts to
distinguish the feature title
from the description. I have
also made a distinguished
house style in my use of my masthead font as
‘contents’, and the general use of my colour
scheme of red, black and white. I have also
used multiple pictures on my folio,
stereotypically using the largest photo for the
main feature and smaller, relevant ones for
other features. Other conventions include the
use of columns to distinguish the ‘features
from ‘regulars’ something which I have
included, the first two columns for my
features and the third column for my
regulars.
Picture across
two pages,
establishes that
this is the main
feature.
Drop cap,
conventional to
a page/ double
page spread to
draw in the eyes
of the reader to
the beginning of
the article.
I have also used
warp text,
something
which the Q
magazine has
not used, yet is
often
conventional to
a dps. I have
used it to
incorporate the
background
picture with my
article and show
that the two are
connected. It
also gives body
to the pages,
and helps to
make my
product appear
professional.
Another
convention not
used in this
edition of Q
includes a pull
quote. This is used
to separate blocks
of text, as well as
give a skimming
reader an idea of
the responses of
the artist.
Stanferst, used to
give a reader an
idea of what the
article of about,
something i used in
my magazine to
entice a reader into
reading on.
I have also added the simplistic
convention of page numbers to
show continuity throughout my
product, as these page numbers
coincide with the feature on the
contents page.
Statement title
which shows
the nature of
the interview.
In what ways does my media product use, develop or challenge the conventions of real media products?
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