Evaluation Question 5 - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In my magazine, I wanted to use media conventions that were already a part of existing magazines in order to keep my magazine as similar as possible to real one. The reason for this is that it would make my magazine more established in its genre as well as making it look more professional. For example, the picture on the top shows a musician walking away from the camera. I wanted to recreate this with my model whilst putting my own spin on it (my model walking away from the camera, towards peoples houses, as if his music is entering them). The reason for this is that the magazine may seem more happier and positive as a result, as if my model isn’t walking away from the camera, but towards something bigger.

However, on the other hand, I have included some individual differences to set aside my magazine from others. An example of this would be not secondary images on the front cover of my magazine seen in many music magazine front covers today such as NME or Kerrang. The reason behind this is so not to detract any attention away from my cover model, using eye-catching fonts and colours to alert the readers of my product to other musicians featured in my magazine. Another would be that I haven't used a banner to show the masthead of my magazine, using instead to advertise the issue number and collectibles inside the magazine. The reason for this is that it makes my masthead stand out more whilst also drawing attention to the things advertised on the banner, that easily could have been unnoticed.

Overall, I feel that with my final product, I have taken inspiration from my research into other music magazines of my chosen genre and used softwares such as Photoshop and InDesign to put together a final product that mixes together the conventions I have identified within other magazines as well as my own ideas and creativity, as well as a magazine that may be seen as similar to real media products and acceptable to be sold.

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