1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of a real media products? Front Cover. The main image, is a MCU of a female artist, I have used this as the readers can see more of the artist, instead of just her face, also she is making direct address with the readers by looking at them. By using a female artist, I wanted to appeal to both females but at the same time males, I felt using a female might balance it out more than just a male artist. With my choice of using a MCU, I have seen through my research into indie rock/pop magazines that they are a popular choice of camera angle for the front cover. I have followed many conventions with my image also by using the Rule of Thirds. But I have challenged conventions by having my image in black and white, as majority of music magazine don’t does this often, I chose to do this as I thought it helped build up an individual image for my artist, and it fits with my colour scheme, as the original picture had lots of other colours, this I found again through my research is a popular choice in mise-en-scene of main images. I have used a flasher here, as it is a conventional aspect of music magazines, I’ve used mine as a lure to hopefully get more people to buy it. Also by putting a male band in the flasher makes sure it appeals to both genders equally. By having my masthead at the top and the biggest font on the cover, follows the general convention expected of mastheads. By having this big, instantly grabs the attention of readers especially red, so they can quickly recognise it. I have challenged a convention by placing my main image under the masthead, it does happen rarely in music magazine I found through my research, but isn’t a popular choice. I chose to develop this convention as I thought by using a black and white image, the red would be more eye-catching, so making it more dominant will ensure readers will notice my magazine. By placing my barcode/price/date in the bottom right-hand corner, is following a loose convention of having it at the bottom on either side, another popular choice was to have it under the masthead but I chose this as I had no other room for it. Conventionally added a header and footer to promote more favourable coverlines, so the readers will notice them quicker. I have followed a colour scheme, which is using a convention as I found it looked more professional, and a very common choice amongst music magazines. My colour scheme is: Black, White and Red. This is the same with my choices of font, as they range between two main ones. By using different size fonts on my cover makes it a very recognisable feature of magazine, it seems everyone expects this convention. It keeps it interesting as well, by using different colours, helps build up my chosen colour scheme. By having them around her frames her, making her central and upmost important on this cover. I partly developed a convention by not putting my main coverline on the artist but on the side, I did this as I felt by the copy being just under the title, makes the reader read it next, instead of another coverline.

2. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of a real media products? Contents Page. By putting “Contents” at the top of my page, I have ensured that my readers know what page they are on, so they can refer to it for other articles. This is following a convention, as through my earlier research I didn’t see one page that didn’t have it at the top, making a very popular aspect, and that readers even expect it there, which is the main reasons why I have decided to put mine at the top. I have put the masthead next to the word as it keeps up with the professionalism and is a common choice amongst other music magazine, especially indie rock/pop. I have used the Rule of Thirds on my page, as it is conventional, and looks professional, makes it easier to read by having the 3 columns and an easy to understand layout not to complicated to use. I have carried through my colour scheme to make it look professional, and making it look more interesting than using one colour, as a full page of black writing on white looks boring and will put readers off reading it. Again it is a conventional aspect, the fonts I have also carried on through to keep up with the professionalism. I have added 2 main images on this page, of 2 different artists, as it makes it look more interesting, and is conventional to have more than just the one artist on the page. By having a male artist, strikes a balance between the gender appeal, but by having another female artist/band, certifies another appeal for females as through my research I have seen that the majority of both gender music magazine, males are a more popular buyer than females, which is why I’m making mine a slightly more female demand. I have used a caption with my pictures as it makes it easier for the readers to see that it links with it, and then can turn to that page quickly and efficiently. I have placed the date on the top of the page, out of the way, like my cover, as it isn’t the most important of a contents page, but readers generally expect it to be at the top or bottom. I have used subheadings for my contents page as it keeps it more organised, and I found by my earlier research that it is popular for music magazines to use, which is why I used it. I decided to alternate the size/style of the fonts on this page, making the title of article, being bigger and in upper case, whilst the teaser of that particular article in lower case and smaller, as it is supposed to be noticed after the title of the article. The articles with alternative colours, highlights they are the ones of importance and the most popular choice to pick, they are all on the front cover as well.

3. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of a real media products? Double Page Spread. As a convention I have put all of my images on one of the pages, it gives the opportunity for the readers to get more of the artist with a revealing interview, so the more images used links with that idea. By them being black and white links back to the front cover – as it follows the colour scheme and looks professional as it is the same person, in the same style, I personally think it goes well with the indie rock/pop genre as well. It also helps make the article look more interesting than just having it text led. I have chosen to include a tag as it is a popular feature on music magazine, as a way to recognise the artist easily, so readers can research more into her or look out for her gigs. By having on the right-hand side allows for the readers to flick through and catch it, so they will read it. Conventionally I have added a byline, to my article as then I get credited, I have placed it there puts it central between the images and the article itself, highlighting that I wrote both. At the beginning of my article I have added a drop capital, to highlight this is the start and is common among articles featured in music magazines, and it makes it look more professional. The two main fonts from my previous pages have also been followed through onto this page, to keep up the professionalism and the idea that this is the article promised on the front cover. I have used a pull quote on my pictures, to give the readers a teaser before reading on, or to prompt them to read on. It also matches with the pictures. Even though a popular choice of titles is to have a pull quote, as seen through my research, I decided against it. I opted to have jovial/light-hearted approach by taking the lyrics out of the famous Kaiser Chief’s song, “Ruby”. This gives off the impression, that Ruby is interesting, just in case, the black and white pictures gave off a dull image (which I don’t think they do). Used a 3 column format, which is popular and conventional in the majority of music magazine’s interviews, it makes the writing more presentable. I have put the questions in bold, and the answers in regular, to highlight the difference otherwise they might get confused as it is smaller font.