In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media conventions?
My media product BlackHeart uses real media conventions, as the conventions used in my media product are all of the features in which established magazine products use. In my front cover the conventions I have used are, enticing cover lines which draw the audience in, I have used a barcode, title, date and issue, skyline and merchandising. My front cover relates to the Big Cheese case study I have done as they have also used the same features as I have used.
I gained my inspiration from both the Big Cheese and Kerrang! Magazine. The Big cheese magazine used merchandising within the skyline, However I took the concept and altered it to make it my own, by using merchandising within the centre of the magazine front cover as well as a competition in the skyline, it enabled me to entice the audience as these are persuasive conventional features which catches the audience’s attention.
Conventions used for front cover –
Masthead – The masthead used was “BlackHeart” simply because all of the publications of the media products I have created were called BlackHeart. This instantly relates to my case studies as they all have mastheads and are named after their publications such as Kerrang! and BigCheese. The masthead for my media product was positioned on top of the music magazine front cover, the reason being this is almost all mastheads are positioned on the top, it also helps the target audience notice the music magazine due to the publications name being on the top of the publication. My publications name is also positioned just beneath the skyline, and is behind the cover stars head, which shows the cover stars head being on front due to the perspective of the masthead of the publication.
Cover lines – The cover lines in my magazine front cover, are used to show information of what would be inside the actual magazine, it also displays cover lines relating to the cover star. This relates to the case studies I have used as they also used cover lines which relates to the content of what will be displayed inside the magazine, it relates to my all my case studies as they also have cover lines which link to the cover star displayed on the magazine front cover. The cover lines I have used for my media product is “J-rock vs American rock who will win” this is a quite controversial question as a cover line, as it questions the audiences to acquire opinions of the target audience, it also relates to the theme of my media product as the genres of music inside my magazine front cover, are both of American rock and J-rock along with sub-genres. Another cover line I have used in my media product is “Are Japanese masks rock inspired” this also questions the audience upon opinions, as its quite an opinion based cover line, which talks to the audience and makes them think, In society not many rock musicians use masks however, in Japan the use of masks is rock inspired as a lot of Japanese rock bands use masks, to partly conceal identity but to also influence their audience to wear them. Furthermore, I have used a Main coverline, which is the coverline that relates to what the magazine products relates to the most, my main cover line was “Demonic Cats release their new album CATastrophic” This was my main cover line, it was also noticeable due to the size of font being in a large sized font, and in the centre of the music magazine product.
Price – Price is one of the main features of a media product, and just like all media products my media product displays the price of the product. The price of my media product is “£2.99” the reason being this, is because the target audience of my media product are between the age range of 15 – 24 which makes it quite affordable for my target audience, along with this, the media product is a monthly issue which makes the circulation of the media product acquirable for the target audience to receive. The conventional use of price relates to my case studies, as Kerrang! which is a mainstream magazine was “£3.50” and my other case study which was a niche music magazine was “£4.50”, This helped me configure the price of media product, as I wanted it to be affordable to for my target audience due to my media product being targeted to a niche/mainstream market.
Cover star – The cover star is the main focal point on any magazine product or publication. This convention is used in real media products, usually in every magazine front cover there is always a cover star, in which the cover star features upon all segments of a media product, in my case study the cover star is shown throughout the front cover, contents page and double page spread. The cover star is the biggest image on the front of the magazine, which always has a relating cover line which is linked to the cover star. My cover star also has a dress code along with props, to show how J-rock stars dress, this also appeals to another target audience based on fashion, although it is a music magazine. The props I have used are bags, badges, masks, and clothing which is dark and gives the theme of being “rockish” with a sense of also being “cute”.
In relation with the case studies I have used, they all have a cover star which is displayed as the main focal point on the magazine front cover. The other cover stars for example on Kerrang! And BigCheese they used props, such as the usage of a microphone to denotate that the cover star is a singer.
Barcode – In every magazine product, there is always a Barcode, mainly displayed in the bottom left or right hand corner. The main reason for having a barcode, is simply to show the price while be scanned. In my magazine product I have altered the use of the barcode as I have shown the barcode positioned portrait rather than being landscape in the magazine product. This conventional feature challenges real media products, as I have manipulated the use of a barcode, and altered it due to how I positioned the barcode, it is also seen as “abnormal” to position it portrait, as a majority of media products are placed in the format of being landscape.
Date & Issue – Lastly a media convention which I have used, is the use of having a date and issue, the whole purpose of having this feature is to display the date and issue of the media product. All magazines use it to show the circulation of media product whether it is a weekly, monthly or annual magazine. I have challenged real media conventions, as I have showed that my media product is exclusively a winter edition magazine, which is seasonal and only exclusive towards the season, although my media product has a monthly circulation. The date and issue was also used in my contents page.
Conventions used for contents page – Just like my magazine front cover, my contents page also includes several conventions which is used through the contents page.
Sections – In my contents page, I have several sections which is coloured in accordance to the segments shown in my contents page such as lifestyle, features, regulars, fashion and culture. This feature challenges real media conventions as I have included several sections and colour coded the sections on the images on my contents page which are numbered in the specific colour, other magazines usually just have their own section, regulars and featured, although I have expanded this concept.
Images – I have used a variety of images in my contents page to show different variations in accordance to the segments I have. The photographs, I have used were all taken at different events or places, I also made sure I had used my cover stars in my contents page. The photos I have taken were both studio and outdoor photos, which meant I have a variety, the images also link to the genre of my theme and relate to the headlines which are shown in the contents page. This feature relates to my case studies as they also used a variety of images, both in the magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread.
Page numbers – Page numbers are a vital convention to have in both the contents page and double page spread. Page numbers are simply used to help navigate readers to what content they would like to see. Page numbers are usually visible and shown in both bottom corners. My media product uses this feature in addition, my case studies have page numbers to guide the readers.
Social networking – Social networking are social websites in where the readers, can receive information based on the publication. I have used this media convention in my contents page, to show the readers about where they can receive information about the publication. It is also a good way to enlarge the fan base through social media as this convention works through both ways vice versa, however, in this case I have used this feature in my contents page. The use of including social networking also raises awareness to the audience on how to contact or find the publication.
Subscription – Subscriptions, is when the target audience subscribe meaning, they want more from the publication, they do this by giving their details and then receiving an email, with every email is an update, so it updates the target audience on upcoming magazines , tours, apps and live shows, it also gives information about upcoming events and artists. Subscription helps the target audience socially engage with the publication as they are retrieving information that is useful for them. My publication uses this convention to entice the audience by giving discounts worth 20% and exclusive contents. My case studies also uses the same feature in their contents page to satisfy the target audience and give them the content and giveaway’s they want to receive.
Headlines / sub headlines – In my contents page there are a variety of headlines and sub headlines the reason for this is to tell the audiences what sort of articles, double page spread and content will be within the magazine, It helps the target audience understand and see if they would like to acquire the content which is within the media product. Both Kerrang! and BigCheese use headlines and sub headlines in their contents page for the same purpose which is to tell the target audience what certain articles and content is about and what would feature inside the magazine.
Editors letter – An editor’s letter, a note which is mainly in the contents page, which is directed towards the reader telling them what content will be in the magazine. It also tells the target audience who the editor is and credits them, they also sign of their name on the bottom of the media product. I have developed and challenged the usage of real media conventions as not many media products use an editor’s letter as one of their conventions inside their media product.
Conventions used for double page spread–
Pull quote – A pull quote is a quote from an individual or group which is within the article, it is abnormally positioned in between the columns or rows of an article. In my double page spread it is in-between the columns and a quote from the band member. I have used this convention to show an opinion from the band which shows a quote which is directed towards the target audience. My case studies both Kerrang! and BigCheese use a pull quote to communicate towards the audience.
Font – The use of font has been altered through my front cover, contents page and double page spread. The font is readable and clear for the target audience as well as this some of the fonts I use such as the one I used in my double page spread title links to my genre which is rock, Rockish fonts are usually big and bold with a hint of horror. My case studies also use big bold fonts throughout their magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread, and they are of the rock genre.
Journalistic Language – The journalistic language I have used for my target audience is in formal language, the reason being this is my target audience is from the ages of 15 – 24, and as my audience are in their teenage years as well adolescent, and they would understand formal language compared to informal. Due to my magazine being a rock magazine, it is stereotyped that my target audience will understand informal language more than formal however, I have gone against this stereotype. My case studies also use journalistic language, however, they use both informal and formal language to communicate towards their audience.
Drop Cap – Drop caps are the beginning letter of an article which can be placed anywhere, it is enlarged in size and clear to the reader to see, it can also be used to create a pattern or fit in to the start of a sentence in an article. I have used this convention in my article for my double page spread as I thought it would be a nice feature to add in to start of the article making it clear to read and to also give the audience a view of perspective to see where the article is layered out. Both my case studies use this feature, to show where the starting point of the article is and to emphasise the word which is drop capped.
Gutters – Gutters are the space in between the columns or rows. I have used gutter space to even out my columns to show my columns being neatly positioned due to the gutter space in between.
