Question 3

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I think from the research I had done before and during my task about the sort of instantiations there are I believe that the one I will use to promote and distribute my product is time inc who are also known as IPC media which distribute the NME magazine which I have based most of my products on. So that is the sole reason I would chose this specific institution.

Question 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My media product represents social groups in two ways. One through the type of music it is on (indie rock) which can be stereotyped to be for middle class people and usually teenagers as they are the most rebellious type of people ‘apparently’. But with indie rock the type of people who listen to it are usually quite happy people due to the aspects of this genre for example the bright vibrant colours that are used by a lot of bands and this can be relayed into the type of clothing people where. Although many people believe this it could be contradictory to say that some types of indie rock can be quite depressing as the music is very slow and not up beat like the main type of music.

Question 1

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

I believe my products kept to some codes and conventions as well as challenging some. The ways in which I kept to the codes and conventions was by keeping to the same layout as most of the professional magazines use. This was certain aspects such as a strapline somewhere on the page as well as a big, bold masthead that usually has part of a picture covering it. After using these codes and conventions I then developed on them by changing certain aspects such as the font and colour of the masthead to make it unique to my product. I challenged forms of convention in one way which was by having my earpiece as just a bit of text as I wanted the main focus to be on the main picture as well as the masthead to make it so that people will be drawn to the main parts of my product and not an earpiece.

After feedback

After I gathered my feedback on all the aspects of my magazine people said that it did not quite look like a magazine more of a poster, so I decided to change the certain parts of my front cover, contents, double page.

Front cover:

On my front cover I decided and was advised to change the colour of title from using a very bright picture that was like an ‘explosion’ of colour. So I used more basic colours that would still stand out and be noticed if they were placed on a shop shelf. As I changed the title colour I decided to also change the overall colour pattern as I first started with blue as a main colour but then with some help from the feedback I decided that red was a better colour to use as well as have a bit of a stand out colour of yellow.

Contents page:

Again in the contents page I had to change the colour of the background and the overall colour scheme to add the fluidity in my work. I also changed the overall layout to make sure I stuck with my codes and conventions and did not stray too far from the concept. I added some features such as the picture of the front cover in the corner to stick with codes and conventions as well as adding a subscription box and an editor’s box to add more codes and conventions and make it look more like a contents page for a magazine.

Double page spread:

On my double page spread I again decided to stick to more codes and conventions and had realised that on a double page spread there must be a clear divide as when it comes to print there will be a loss of writing if they cross the page. So I then had to move the pictures as well as the title into places where it would not get cut off. I also added an introduction to the interview as well as adding a quote that is located above the left hand side picture. I also decided to add another free track in the right hand corner of the page to make it more realistic.

After the feedback in class

After the feedback in class I have decided to make changes to my front cover, contents page and double page spread. I am going to make changes to the layout of the double page spread and the contents page and possibly change some of the pictures on my double page spread by taking more and maybe adding more crops for example a picture of someone on the drums and maybe some other pictures I will hopefully take this either next Monday or Tuesday.

Double page spread

My double page spread has been created from looking at and basing it on the double page spreads of NME and keeping to the main codes and conventions and hopefully this is okay? comment with improvements if any.

This week

This week I have been modifying my front cover and contents page as well as the composing the questions that I will be asking my models/band members on what helped them to fame and other questions.
Attached to this you will see a copy of my contents page and front cover.
Feel free to comment and any suggestions :)!

This is my front cover I have been influenced by magazines such as NME and Kerrang. From the magazines I have been trying to make the front cover as close to the magazines with out copying it! I have used these to create my codes and conventions.

I stuck to the same codes and conventions with my content page and I will carry on this throughout the magazine.
Next on my to do list is to create my double page spread that I hope to finish by Friday which leaves me the rest of my time to add/remove any content that is not needed. I will also do any improvements suggested and hopefully have them completed by next week too.