1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or

challenge forms and conventions of real media

products?

Shaquille Hunter

The masthead is simple, but unique, small but stands out. It does everything it is intended to do and is easily recognisable as a trademark.

Underneath is the positioning statement, which gives an insight to the magazine. It is a play on words with the name of the magazine ‘TUNE’

The cover lines are opposite colours in order to stand out further, the subline intrigues the reader and makes them want to read on.

The barcode corresponds with the conventions of a real magazine and also the date, price and issue number.

TUNE Front CoverThe header features artists in the magazine, so the target audience will know exactly what to find in the magazine. It is subtle so it doesn’t overshadow for masthead but is easily recognisable.The main image, which most of the writing surrounds to frame is also featured in the main article. Props, such as hats and dark lighting, are used to suit the genre of the magazine.

The main cover line consists of the same colour scheme as the masthead, to keep the magazine consistent. It is significantly bigger than the other cover lines to stand out.

The footer corresponds with the header, consisting of the same theme and also deploying the meaning of the magazine genres

Differences From Real Magazine

Differences of my cover to a real magazine are as follows:

The masthead doesn’t cover the horizon of the page from left to right.

This is because I wanted it to be different and my research told me my audience wanted something a bit different but not completely new.

The magazine isn’t filled with sell lines.

I done this because I was going for a simplistic look and would rather the images do the talking. Leaving only main sell lines of the cover which would instantly grab the readers attention.

The magazine doesn’t have a plain background.

I found most professional magazines have white or coloured plain backgrounds which just feature the Artist. However, despite the simplistic look I was after I wouldn’t props and environment to build up a certain grimy look for the scene I was pursuing to create.

TUNE Contents PageThe contents is in a format which stands out and adds a fresh style to the magazine. Inspiration from VIBE magazine was used, once again.

Subheadings separate the different types of content and also allow readers to easily identify different areas of the magazine.

The colour theme is kept consistent throughout the whole magazine. Also the top line gives an insight about what readers may find on the relevant page.

A ‘Subscribe Now’ section features in the magazine which makes it look the part of a real magazine. It suggests more than one edition is available to purchase over the following months.

Captions are included in the Magazine contents to allow readers know where to look to view featured articles.

The main image dominates the page, this gets the readers attention. It then makes them wonder what it is about and they go to the page captioned to read on.

The background is grungy and it was edited to the same colour as the cover to match.

Differences From Real Magazine

Differences of my contents to a real magazine are as follows:

The image dominates the page so the focus in mainly on that Artist

I done this after gathering results from questionnaires and speaking to the target audience. They wanted a local Artist whom they can relate to, speaking about issues which concern or could help them. So I got Birmingham's most popular under 18 DJ and featured him on an article.

There are not many pages on the contentsThere were 2 reasons which caused this, the first being; The target audience would rather me focus on less topics but in more detail as oppose to skipping through a lot of topics and stories. The other reason was because I was running short of time so I got the major bits of the contents done.

The magazine doesn’t have a plain background.I found most professional magazines have white or coloured plain backgrounds which just feature the Artist. However, despite the simplistic look I was after I wouldn’t props and environment to build up a certain grimy look for the scene I was pursuing to create.

TUNE Double-Page Spread

The colour theme is consistent, also the title takes up the whole length of the pages, which allows it to stand out to its full potential and the readers have no doubt who the article is about.

The first letter is raised which corresponds with real articles from real magazines. This gives it the extra touch which makes it look professional and adds that extra bit of attention. Also the colour theme corresponds with the title and the magazine. The layout is clear so the text and speaker can easily be identified.

The main image is centred and big which is also the main focus of the pages. This is edited to look like an image from a real magazine. The location makes the picture look better.

I put it was wrote by me to show it is a proper article. It also follows the colour code.

Differences From Real Magazine

Differences of my Double-Page Spread to a real magazine are as follows:

It doesn’t feature a sub-heading.

A sub-heading isn’t featured in this article because It would be more mysterious if readers just saw ‘Simmy Stacks’ going across the page which would make them read on to find out what it is all about.

There isn’t multiple images

Quality over quantity. I thought having lots of pictures would ruin the image I’m trying to create of the magazine. So I put one image with a background which suits the rest of the magazine.

The magazine doesn’t have a plain background.

I found most professional magazines have white or coloured plain backgrounds which just feature the Artist. However, despite the simplistic look I was after I wouldn’t props and environment to build up a certain grimy look for the scene I was pursuing to create.

2. How does your media product represent particular

social groups?

Shaquille Hunter

Hip-Hop

Male or Female?

The magazine is predominantly filled with males. The target

audience is mainly males, however during my research I came to find some females also like the look and style of the magazine, even thought they’re not really into the

genre.

Colour

The magazine predominantly consists of colours such as browns and dark

reds, also very moody yellows.

This creates a very moody visual illusion. It appeals to the “dark” side of the readers emotions and creates an

instant impact so they can identify what type of magazine it is.

Image

Props are used throughout the magazine to create a certain look. Props such as hats, hoods and grimy backgrounds. This builds up a ghetto look so people

coming from poverty and the same kind of background can relate. It also gives them hope to see you can do good no matter where you come from.

3. What kind of media institution might distribute

your media product and why?

Bauer Media

Bauer Media would be a good institution to distribute my magazine. I believe this because they already own more than eighty influential media brands spanning a wide range of interests, including heat, GRAZIA, Closer, MCN, FHM, Parkers, MATCH, Magic 105.4, Kiss 100, Kerrang and Q. This means they are internationally known and my magazine could use their expertise to reach audiences over sea’s.

Bauer Media already reach over 19 million adults in the UK through multiple media channels. The next slide shows examples of magazines they already distribute.

4. Who would the audience be for your media product?

•16-24 Year Olds

•Male

•Rap/Hip-Hop Fans

•Musicians

Target Audience Fact File!

The Artist on the cover fits in perfectly to who the magazine is targeted for. This is why he was chosen to do the front cover, therefore similar people can relate.

5. How did you attract/address your

audience?

I attracted my audience in a number of ways:

• I used a peculiar colour for a magazine, automatically attracting all different audiences. Moody colours are used to appeal to the readers “dark” side

• The magazine title ‘TUNE’ gives an insight to what the magazine is about, as it is hip-hop slang

• The artists featured in the header name a few big names in the Hip-Hop rap scene so automatically readers that like this genre would be attracted

• The cover lines used address the latest gossip in the Hip-Hop industry and appeal to the readers interests

•Finally the main image used is what grabs the readers attention. It is grimy and ghetto, with a male model dressed in “Gangster” clothes

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the

process of constructing this product?

Following the Main Task I have developed my use and skills of the adobe programs, Photoshop and InDesign.

I learnt how to manipulate images using Photoshop and it was very effect as you can see from the images in the magazine. I Could also plan my pages using photoshop.

I learnt how to construct pages and the whole magazine using InDesign. I Could use proper text features on InDesign which made my magazine look more realistic.

7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you

feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full

product?

Preliminary Task Magazine

Main Task Magazine

I feel I have come a long way since my preliminary task. There is more professionalism in the main task magazine as oppose to the prelim, a long with more planning and purpose. I have learnt how to use the software to its full

potential and I analysed mistakes made in the preliminary task in order to make a better magazine. If I was to do the main task again I would plan even more and make even more drafts, and include little things I missed out which

makes the magazine.

What I’ve Learnt