EVALUATION QUESTION 1: IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS

To begin the coursework unit, I looked at magazines such as Q, vibe and Kerrang. I analysed the denotations and connotations of all of these magazines, and observed how the conventions of music magazines were presented in each of these magazines. I applied a number of these conventions to my music magazine and kept a traditional magazine front cover layout. 

I have followed conventions of a Hip Hop magazine front cover such as having a sans serif font masthead at the top of the magazine front page. I have done this because I feel it will be effective in attracting audiences when stacked on shelves and is the only thing visible, as a magazine’s masthead represents its character, genre and nature and will allow strong fans of hip hop to maybe recognise my magazine more easily.

I have also opted for the model on my front cover photograph to wear a Ralph Lauren top to follow the connotations of wealth that comes with the hip hop stars today. However I have done this in a more subtle way as opposed to the large chains that an artist may wear on a front cover image.

For my contents page, I have included a miniature version of the front cover and have put the Text in columns. However, I have developed the convention of having the heading contents by re-arranging it in a way similar to vibe magazine who also break this mould. By doing this I could attract my target audience by showing them that my magazine is different from lots of others and in away could represent the rebelliousness of youth. The contents also has a link to the magazine’s website which will also suit my technical, urban audience who like to use new technologies and will be able to interact with the magazine’s website and could grow closer to the   magazine and become more loyal to it.  My double page spread has also followed conventions of a music magazine by following the overall colour scheme of my music magazine

This makes my music magazine more consistent and gives it a ‘swagger’ which will also appeal to my target audience as they like to dress with ‘swagger’ (a slang word for dressing well). I have also arranged the text of the double page spread in columns, so it can be more digestible for readers, and have included a quote from the artist. I have also followed the conventions of a double page spread by keeping text on one side with a large image on the other.