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

real media products?

Matt Goring

Layout • My magazine generally conforms to the layout that actual music magazines use. The composition of all the

elements on my cover and double page spread are almost identical to the magazines I researched and the magazines that my peers created.

• My cover features a central image that instantly identifies the genre to the audience and text that covers what this issue is going to be about. The mast head is placed at the very top of the page with text wrapped around the larger letters, making the best use of the space. The weight of the mast head’s text is significantly stronger than the weight of the sub-stories. All the text in the magazine is sans-serif because it is being aimed at an informal and younger audience. Serif font is conventionally used for magazines being based around more formal topics, like the news. My image itself also stretches the full width of the page which is conventionally used in music magazines because it doesn't constrict the page like a drawn lay out would.

• The contents page I would say subverts the conventional style in some ways because it is heavily based around the layout of different sections. Most contents pages are interlinking but I decided it would be best for mine to have different sections to clearly highlight different areas. It features four different sections: one for the mast head and a logo that shows the genre; one for what this issue exclusively features and what is regularly seen in the issue. Another that provides glimpses of different sections of the magazine which are accompanied by numbers and anchors which gives the image meaning and finally a section that lets the audience know where they can find all this music online. I would say that this layout develops the conventional look for a contents page and provides a easier way to find all the information.

• The Double page spread uses conventional layouts to structure how the different elements are composed on the page. It is very similar to magazines like NME because it features an image with a quote, on the left, and then an interview on the right. It also uses a watermark which conventionally shows the letter of either the DJ’s name or artist name and this is then placed behind the interview.

Similar positioning of mast head and text that

goes with it.

Similar layout of Sub-stories

Similar text weight

Cover

All the text is san serif which shows its being

aimed at a younger and more modern

audience.

Images stretches the full size of the page to make the most of the

space.

ContentsMy contents page

subverts conventional layout and features a

range of different sections.

Wide range of images with accompanying text also subverts

convention

Uses colour to displays the genre

Uses numbers to clearly identify where different sections are

Double Page Shares the same

layout of elements on the page except the

interview is on the left instead of on the right

Doesn't use a watermark in the magazine nor does it have a

image or texture for a background for the interview

Imagery • My images feature conventional compositions and styles that I have seen lots of different types of music

magazines. Although there are not many, if any, for the genre I'm working with I still was able to use the general layout to help me design how I wanted my images to look.

• Band and gig shots – My images from the band gigs shots feature a conventional layout. They feature the artist on the stage with the crowd jumping in front of him. From where I was seated we got a high angle shot looking down on the crowd and this meant that we managed to capture great long shots of the whole band and a great portion of the crowd. I couldn't take shots from the stage because I didn’t have access so ended up with a conventional photo taken from the crowd.

• School shots – I managed to capture a range of shots from school using my knowledge of photography to organise the people I was using into different positions and have them holding different props. The photos provided a conventional style for a genre but it wasn't the genre I was working with. They looked more Christian Rock then Dubstep so were only used to show how my photos had evolved.

• DJ shots – These were my final chance at creating and composing photos that represented my genre of music. A family member had organised me meeting up with a upcoming DJ and drum and bass artist. The photos were took at her home which meant it was hard for me too find a background that was representative of the genre but the props and equipment I had at my disposal made up for it. I had access to the best equipment that professional DJ use to mix music. The equipment is conventionally seen at concerts and clubs with the DJ mixing or inter\acting with the equipment. So I planned out a few different positions and ways that she could interact with the equipment to re create positions that I had seen in DJ magazines. These were the images that were going to be used for the cover image. I also planned out different ways for the artist to use other bits of equipment like headphones and records for the double page spread. I decided that I would use depth of field on the image for the double page spread because it focuses on the prop but still provides clear shot of the artist in question.

• So as a conclusion I would say that I have generally obeyed the conventional compositions for the images in my magazine. I have had to adapt the props and style used to fit the genre but apart from that I haven't made any other changes.

Language and Font • Language is another aspect of my magazine that uses the conventions of existing magazines to help attract

the audience. Although I had too adapt some of the language to fit the genre the general idea of language stays the same because I’m trying to attract younger audience like the majority of music magazines do. For example NME uses mainly informal language because they are targeting younger viewers and do not want their magazine to appear formal and dull.

• I use language and words that are exclusive to the Dubstep genre because it highlights to the audience that the magazine understands the way that they speak and that is trying to interact with them. If I just used normal language the text in the magazine would be too general and wouldn’t represent the crowds of fans who know the lingo for genre. For example the use artists names is conventional to all music magazines. These show that the editors understand the audience and what music they are interested in.

• Font is an aspect I have tried to make sure clearly represents the genre. Music magazines conventionally use fonts that help express the genre, for instance magazines like Kerrang use a typeface which looks gritty and tough to the fit the style of the magazine. So in my magazine I used fonts that conveyed that the magazine was electro/ Dubstep. Bauhaus 93 is perfect for creating this and was used for some of the heading and bullet points throughout the magazine although wasn't legible when condensed. So I accompanied it with a more legible type face called Eris Bold ITC. These two fonts combined help to create the style that Dubstep has on an audience.

• In conclusion I have used conventional fonts and language in my magazine so that it is as easily as possible to address and interact with my audience.