in what ways does your media product use develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media...

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

The title of the magazine. At first I wanted to call my magazine

‘Reed’ as I thought it was very music as it was a play on words because it had two meanings as a reed is a piece of wood you use with instruments but you also read a magazine. However I felt it didn’t keep to my genre and wouldn’t have been as appealing to my target audience. As this is what I used first.

But I didn’t like it as it didn’t appeal or stick to my target audience so I carried on researching…

The title of the magazine continued…

Here I looked up different titles and researched the magazines….

The title of the magazine continued… But I decided after research into lots of different

magazines that they tend to be just one two or three letters long and mainly red with white outlined then black outlined, this is shown in magazines like NME, FHM or Q. So I decided to go with what most people do instead of ‘REED’ as I wanted to stick with something that would appeal to teenagers that is a cool appealing colour. So that’s how I came up with just using my initials and doing the red main colour with white outline and black. So throughout I decided to keep with the red white and black colour code.

Mise-en-scene of the images. I took two lots of different pictures one for the contents and

front page then another lot for the double page spread.For my front page I took these pictures…

When looking at magazines the majority of pictures of front covers were either a close up of one person, medium of one person or a full shot of a whole group of people. So as I have one person as a solo artist I decided not to do a close up but a medium shot as you have more of her and more writing can fit around the edges.

Mise-en-scene of the images continued…

I decided to take the photos against a plain background as they could be easier to edit and also if the back ground is plain then the writing could be any colour and placed anywhere. I went with reds, pinks, blacks and whites as the pink she is wearing is feminist then the black goes with the writing on the title. So with the background being white and plain I could use the red for writing so it stands out and is more gripping and exciting rather than just white or black writing if I used the red background or a pictured background.

I chose this picture because it was plain she was smiling at the camera it was medium so had the majority of her and she was in the middle so I could place writing either side of her.


Here I tested the mise-en-scene of the picture by flipping it. I did this to see which side looked better on lighting and positioning. I decided that the first one was better for where I wanted all my writing and also the lighting looks better in the first picture.

Mise-en-scene of the images continued… For my contents page I wanted one like the ‘Q’ magazine

one down the bottom. So I took a picture of a medium length picture of her. I changed different elements of the mise en scene on the picture. So I flipped the picture so I could put writing on the left side then I wanted different lighting as the picture is quite dull and dark. So I made it more contrasting and bright so it could complement the red titles. The change of lighting makes it more exciting and more something my target audience would prefer and in magazines the pictures aren't usually dull they have been edited.


I used these pictures on the front cover as an exclusive section. I took these pictures when I went on the X Factor tour 2010. They mainly have a main touch to them with the red which sticks to my main colour scheme so the colours relate to the rest of the magazine.

Mise- en- scene of the images continued…

In this magazine I have analysed they use one big main photo and then lots of smaller ones. So I took lots of photos in a more casual normal atmosphere. So I took the pictures in the Garden as most double page spreads give a more normal insight of the person compared to the dressed up image of them on the front cover. So that’s why I have contrasted where she is and what she is wearing on the different pages.

Costume and props.Here I had her in a white top because the background is red. So if she wore a colour it may have clashed against the background. So this picture sticks to my colour scheme as she is wearing black and white and the background is red. I also had her wear her hair down, so it is more loose and free. Also with her make up I got her to wear a lot to define all her features, especially I got her to wear bright red lipstick, as it makes her lips clearly stand out. Also in magazines a lot of females wear a lot of make up to define their features.

The difference between this one and the first picture is just the colours, as her make up and hair I have done the same. However here I chose the background as white so I needed a coloured top for her so I chose pink as it is the more feminine version of red.

Costume and pros continued… Here I had her in more casual clothes (leggings, converse,

jumper) as I want it on my double page spread with a more casual look and feel to it. Also as it is a music magazine I wanted to add something music to it. So I chose an acoustic guitar as it is quite a feminine instrument and quite a lot of young pop stars like Miley Cyrus play the acoustic guitar. I chose her to wear a fun top that’s bright pink with a Minnie mouse on as it is fun and casual.

•Here I didn’t actually use this picture but I chose a close up on her face where she is wearing a lot of make up as most famous singers in magazines tend to wear a lot of make up. I chose for her to wear bright red lipstick and lots of make up as it defines all her features. At first I was going to do an after awards section for the double page spread but I decided not to. But that’s why here I have put four trophies to make it look like she is really good as she has four awards.

Here is the type of look I was going for. As the celebrity has lots of make up also the bright red lipstick, which defines all the features. Also her hair is curly and flowing. So that’s what I have done with my person.

People…

For my magazine I decided to use my sister Emma Keylock. I chose her because there are a lot of young female soloists. For example all the magazines I have searched below are all young female soloists. So I decided on my sister because she is 18 and is studying music/dance at university and I decided she had the image I needed for the genre of my magazine. As it is for teenagers, so I chose her as she was perfect for the appeal to teenagers, as she is young, pretty and musical.

Title font and style… I decided not to choose to much of a formal font because my magazine is

aimed at teenagers and so it still needs a slightly immature touch to it. So I choose the writing to be still slightly formal and straight but just with a curve to it to add some fun to it. Also I chose the font to be bright red for the title and the main stories so they clearly stand out so people know they are the main parts to look at. Then I chose grey for the name of the artist and red for the side stories as it sticks to my red,white,grey and black colour scheme, but also so people know that they aren't the important stories but just the side stories. Also the font is small for the artists names that aren’t the main artists. Then the side stories are in even smaller writing, as they are the least important part. Also my main story is in its own box in white font outlined in red. This is really defining and the first thing that someone sees when they look at the magazine. All of my writing has a black or white outline. I did this because it defines the writing clearly from the background so it is easier to read. I chose the red white and black colour scheme because most music magazines follow it as they are all quite mature sophisticated colours. Also the writing looks better with it outlined. For example the title looks better with the bright red then the white and another black outline, as it gives layers to the writing. Then for the smaller parts like money and date I have slightly faded them as they are the parts people don’t really want to read. Also I decided to fill the space up more by adding pictures from a tour I went to. This makes it more exciting. But it looked a bit bland and unstructured. So to structure it properly I put the pictures in negatives.

•In this magazine it has the big bold main artists name being the biggest part on the page just like mine. Then a medium shot of the person. With writing around it. This magazine also does the two different colours for the title and story. My magazine is just a bit less informal and immature as my magazine is aimed at teenagers.

Written content…

I decided on my front page and contents page I would write about popular casual top 40 people. As that is what teenagers are listening to most. Also for the stories I just used stories that were in the news at that time. As that will be what people are most interested: the new juicy gossip about celebrities.

For my double page spread I decided to do the usual question and answer set out. As there was the brits awards when I was doing my magazine I decided to make it as if my person had just won awards at an awards ceremony. Also for a way to ask more questions I also wrote it as if she was a newcomer into the music business. So then I decided to write loads of questions about the awards and why she decided to be in the music business and what inspires her. I decided to do this as it is juicy gossip which young teenagers all buy magazines to read.

I had to include other important written content to like the date and how much and page numbers. I had to include this because it is vital information and every magazine needs it.

Other written contact I included was information for the website and other information about the magazine company. I did this because it were a real magazine it would promote the company so that readers would become involved in other types of their media.

Music genre and how your magazine suggests it….

My music genre is pop. This is basically the usual everyday pop stars you hear on the radio and in the UK top 40. I also chose my target audience to be teenagers. So I have used my cover stories as people who are popular in the pop world, who would appeal to teenagers. Also the type of stories I chose were ones that are gossip and would interest young teenagers. Also the structure I have chosen isn't really formal but isn't informal too, its in the middle, so it appeals more to the teenagers. Also my font has a rounded fun side to it, so is a bit more childish than a straight formal text. This appeals more to a younger age group and gives the writing and written context a more fun, bouncy, colloquial feel. Also the colours I have used the grey, white, black, red and pink. This is more suited to the younger audience as it still is the usual red. White, black and red but with the pink and grey it gives it a more childish, casual, informal look which would appeal more to teenagers than sharp colours. My main person I have used is a teenage girl. A lot of the magazines use a solo girl artist that’s dressed up with the pop look. This appeals to my audience as teenage boys like the girl and girls want to be like her.

Layout… Here I chose the layout a bit like the ‘superhero’ one I have put next to

it. As I liked the idea of one large picture then a couple of smaller ones. I decided to put the layout like this as the writing needed to fit to the page so when the page folds it doesn’t fold in the middle of a paragraph. Also I just decided to put main across the top her name in white as the title because like on the ‘superhero’ its clear so I wanted that but if it was in the middle it would have been in the middle of the writing. My layout is well structured for my double page spread, as I did it in four equal columns , then the four pictures are equally spread apart on the page. I decided to do the layout structured so it doesn’t look to messy and jumbled. Also I had to do the layout around the picture I used for the background, as the writing and pictures couldn’t be on the main face or picture area.

•Here I kept near enough the same layout as the ‘Q’ magazine. I liked the way it was led out. As it had all the different sections to it (features, every month). Also I liked the idea of having one large picture and all the writing around it. Also I used the

layout idea of the contents at the top with the name of the magazine and date. So here I really used the layout and structure of a past magazine and applied it to how I structured mine. So when I made it I took into mind about where to put the different sections, pictures and writing. So in mine I did the sections (every month, competitions, exclusive and features) and I did the layout with a number and name and story all structured so each different thing is under each thing. I thought the layout here was simple and easy to find what you needed but still looked good.

•Here I liked how the ‘Billboard’ magazine was laid out. So I decided to apply some of this structure to my magazine. So I liked how they had a medium shot of the person with all the writing around her. Also I liked how the colours of the writing and size font was laid out with the name and stories in different colours. Also I like how they put the name of the artist as the main part of the front cover so I put mine in the middle and large so laid out a bit like ‘Billboards’ picture.

Contents page… I based my contents page on this Q magazine. I like the way it was led out. I chose a similar

approach. I made a main title as contents. Accept I kept to my colour scheme by doing grey instead of black. I outlined the writing with black to make it more defined against the grey so it didn’t blend in. then I like how this was structured with the different columns. So I did the red block with white writing. However I preferred the white writing outlined in black as it wasn’t very clear just in white. Also I did the numbers in red so they stood out clear just like on the Q magazine. I added in an exclusive section as that’s been a theme as throughout my magazine I have had an exclusive section. I have also done the artists name in capitals then the story under smaller like the Q magazine. However I decided to do the story under in a different colour. I decided it looked better as it had more colour and looked more exciting and kept to my colour scheme. Also so my writing didn’t get lost against the background I outlined it in black. I also used the idea of the plain picture being large and the writing going across the bottom. Also I have the date and title of the magazine at the top. So basically I took the idea if the Q magazine but changed a few bits that I didn’t like and just changed the style a bit to make it more suited to my target audience, for example fonts. Layout and colours.