EvaluationQuestion 1 - In what ways does your media product use, develop

or challenge forms and conventions of real media

products?Klaivert Lami

Front cover – Similarities Masthead

Cover lines List of known

Rap artists

Both mastheads are in red and look big and Bold; they both

are placed behind the main image. Both magazines share a similar colour scheme of black, grey, red.

My magazine also contains a hint of white too

Main cover line quote from the main artist and main artist’s name

Additional cover linesSimilar cover lines top 40/50

Date lineBoth are small font sized

Main imageBoth of these magazines are in the same genre category : Rap; they both contain rap artists as the main image and they both present aIntimidating look directly at the camera (direct address) with a serious straight face. In addition, they both are folding their arms which

shows they are in a bad mood which makes them look very aggressive and powerful. Moreover, they both have a watch on their wrist which shows that they both are showing off their wealth and this shows they both have a similar character when they like to show off and this can be very inspirational to the

audience. Furthermore, both rap artists are wearing typical gangster fashion which most rap artists wear and this clearly shows they are rappers and they were both brought up in a rough area and started at the bottom which is inspiring.

BackgroundBoth are grey but my front cover is slightly different with a gradient

Front cover – DifferencesStrap line & puffThis vibe magazine front cover has a strap line and a puff,Whereas, my magazine doesn’t have either. Puffs are very Attractive and eye- catching which can easily make the reader see what you’re advertising, which shows this is a good useOf convention, but I never used this because I thought it looks to appealing which doesn’t really suit rap and suits another genre such as pop. Also the strap line isn’t very effective because the main focus is the bold masthead and is optional so I didn’t chose to add that on my cover too.

Price & BarcodeMy front cover contains two important conventions that

The vibe magazine hasn’t got featured on their front coverWhich is the price of the magazine as a whole and the barcode

Of the magazine. The price is mostly shown on front covers On magazines, but it looks like vibe has their price on their

Back page instead because they haven’t got it on their front Cover. I can understand why vibe hasn’t used these conventions

Because they are a huge company and they don’t need barcodesAnd they are well known so people must know now how much

their magazine is.

Featured WebsiteVibe have added on the bottomLeft corner their website “Vibe.com” And this is placed in dead space and Is very small which shows this isn’t As important as all the other thingsFeatured on this magazine. I haven’t added my website on my front cover Is because that dead space is where I paced my barcode and my websiteWill be on my contents page instead.

Featured Page numberOn the bottom right corner I have

Added “exclusive interview” whichShows the audience there is an

Exclusive interview with my mainArtist and I added the page number

Where this exclusive interview is Held in my magazine so that the

Audience can directly find this page.Vibe hasn’t used this and the reason

Must be that they don’t need to Persuade new readers because they

Are big and also contain good content.

In addition, some things on both magazines are Positioned in different places which is expected Because all magazines are different in their own

Way. For example, the masthead on the vibe Front cover is slightly lower than my front coverAnd that’s because the vibe magazine left spaceAt the top for the strap line and puff. Also, theFont size, style and positioning is different too.

How I followed and developed codes and conventions

Whilst creating my front cover for my magazine, I have followed codes and conventions. I have placed the masthead at the top of the

magazine which definitely follows the codes and conventions of creating a magazine. I have added cover lines, date line, price and

barcode which all clearly follow codes and conventions and I will add these in every issue for this magazine and these things are found in

almost every magazine published out there. In addition, I have added a main cover line and a quote which anchors the main image and this shows that I have developed from codes and conventions, also, the

word exclusive is in a red banner in white font which stands out a lot and this is unique which shows I have developed on codes and

conventions again. One main thing I used was mise en scene of a followed colour scheme, which helps me represent the genre of the

magazine I have produced. In conclusion, whilst creating my front cover, I have followed the code and conventions by using the rule of thirds;

this allowed me to fit things in carefully and neatly so that it looks appealing and makes the audience want to purchase it and the front

cover also looks more structured due to this.

Front Cover and Drawn draft - similarities and differences

MastheadThey both are placed on the top and I originally wanted the colour to be red and the tittle to be big and bold; however, my original idea was

to have a strap line above the masthead but I changed my mind because I didn’t like the look of it.

Main cover line & other Cover linesMy main cover line on my drawn draft is placed at

The bottom left but I changed that position because I thought it would link more to the main image if itWas right beside the main image, but I did keep the

Text the same. In addition, one similar thing I did wasThe top left cover line, I positioned it the same as my

Draft but I changed the text a bit. Also, another difference Was that on my draft I added more cover lines but I chose Not to add them on my final piece because I thought that

would be too many cover lines which would make the front cover look to crowded.

Main imageMy draft draft and final cover both have somethingThat’s almost identical, and that’s the main image. I drewThe exact outfit but I didn’t add the headphones on the final cover which isn’t a big deal; the clothing is almost perfect and I drew the artist with direct address too and I drew out the arms folded which is the same as my final cover too, and the placement of the main image is in the dead center and I kept the main image as a mid shot.

List of artist names & interviewOn my drawn draft, I planned that I

Would have a list of other rap artist’s Names on the top right and I stuck

With my plan and did the list of Other artist's names which are

Featured in my magazine. Also, I planned to add ‘EXCLUSSIVE

INTERVIEW” on my cover and I stuck with that idea because it’s persuasive and the

colour scheme I used were white a red for the word exclusive which makes the word

stand out to the audience.

Barcode, date line & priceOn my drawn draft, I put the barcode on the bottom right but on finalCover I put the barcode on the bottomLeft because I had more space there.I didn’t add the date on top of theBarcode, instead I placed it under theMasthead, however, I kept my priceOn top of the barcode. In addition, I planned to put the blazed website nextTo the barcode, but I chose to put the Website on my contents page instead.

Contents page – Similarities Main image

The xxl magazine contents page and my contents pageBoth have a main image which are positioned on the

Right side of the magazine. My magazine is focused on One main artist and the xxl magazine is focused on two Main artists but they have used the same positioning

And they have used both their main artists as their mainImage which is what I did too.

WebsiteBoth magazines have a website on the bottomOf the contents page

Photo shot detailsBoth magazines have a brief description of who shot the photos On this magazine and when and where it was taken.

Masthead copiedXxl have repeated their masthead and placed it on the top right corner And I did the same thing but instead of the whole masthead I put the Logo because the masthead is too long to fit in, however I did repeat my masthead by placing it at the bottom right.

Features titleBoth magazines have one other main convention

Which is the features title and they are positioned on Top of all the page numbers and titles.

page numbers & titlesThe xxl magazine has all the page numbers and page title

organized in a list on the left side of the contents page and my contents page is identical to that too; the page numbers are in bold in both magazines and the page title too, also, they both

have a brief description underneath each title in smaller text and the text is floating around the main image in both magazines

which looks very effective and creative.

BackgroundI kept my background consistent

With my front cover and I kept theGrey background and the Xxl magazine

Also has a grey background but a Lighter tone and no gradient.

Colour schemeThe colour scheme on bothMagazines are similar and

They both are consistent Throughout the magazine.

Page numberBoth magazines haveA small font sized pageOn the bottom.

DateBoth smallSized font andXxl have it at the top.

Contents page – Differences Main titleXxl have added a main title on the top of their contents page in big, black, bold font, but, I didn’t choose to use a title because I put the word ‘contents’ at the top instead which is what you typically see at the top of a contents page.

Contents titleI have used a contents title in my own, creative

Structure. This is one of the main conventionsIn a magazine and that’s why I chose to use thisConvention, but, Xxl hasn’t used this important

Convention which informs the reader where theContents is; Xxl is a big company so the readers Must straight away know the common structure

Of the contents page.

3 images usedOn my contents page I have Used a range of images (1 mainImage and 2 other images), but Xxl have only used one main Image which is common with allMainstream magazines.

Social mediaI have added the social media

icons and the magazine’s username

For each separate social media app.

mid shotThe Xxl magazineMain image is a mid shot whereas My magazine hasLong-mid shotMain image

BannersXxl has a black banner on the bottom of their Page and at the top and they use banners Throughout their magazine which is a consistent Theme this specific magazine use and I didn’t Think of the idea of using banners but I personallyDon’t like them.

2 focused artistsIn this Xxl magazine they are mainly focusingOn two rap artists (50 cent and Soulja Boy), so These two appear as the main image of the Contents page and appear a lot throughoutThe magazine. But, I only chose one artist asMy main image and use that one artist Throughout the magazine instead becauseNearly every other magazine I researched Where mainly focused on one main artist.

How I followed and developed codes and conventions

For my contents page, I have used many codes and conventions and developed some codes and conventions too. Firstly I added the obvious which is the contents title and the features with a

main image beside it. I added social media icons and links which would allow the audience to visit the social media page and sites for my magazine. I have also followed the codes and convention by consistently using mise en scene by keeping the same colour scheme throughout the magazine. In addition, I

have also developed on codes and conventions by ignoring the rule of thirds and making the featured pages wrap around the main image which also looks professional, creative and well

structured; I also made my own structure on the contents title by splitting it into 3 sections which is also unique and a

development on codes and conventions. In conclusion, I have also added addition images and I have added the website of my

magazine by repeating my masthead and this will get the readers to find the magazine online.

Contents page and Drawn Draft - similarities and differences

Contents title & masthead on my drawn draft, I placed the contents title on the

Top left and the blazed masthead on the top right, But when it came to my final piece I decided to be

More creative and different by making the contents Title very big and structured this special way, also, I

Couldn’t fit the whole blazed masthead so I replacedIt with the big logo ‘B’ which looks effective too.

Features – page numbers and titlesThe similarities were that the features sub title wasPositioned the same as my drawn draft and all the

Featured pages were on the left in order too, with 6Different pages. However, the differences are that I changed are the page numbers and page titles

Because on my drawn draft the pages only went upTo 28, when normally magazines have around

50 – 100 pages.

PuffI drew this puff on my draft, but on myFinal contents page I decided to not add It because it doesn’t suit the genre andIt looked too eye-catching which looksVery strange. I drew this in the first place Because I only had a rough idea onRap magazines, but later on the processOf making my magazine, I did research onRap magazines and how professional andNeat they look so that’s why I left it.

Website & dateOn my drawn draft, I drew out

the page Number and I drew the date and

website And added these on my final

contentsPage but changed the

positioning up a bit.

Main image & other imagesThe main similarities are that I drew out the main image

perfectly (him looking to the left) and I drew two other boxes out below the main image for two extra images for two other

rap artists; I did position The main image well, but the difference with my final piece and

the drawn draft is that the imagesOn the bottom are in a different position and closer Together and looks more organized and my drawingOf my main image is a long shot but I decided to use

A long-mid shot instead.

Double page spread - similaritiesMain imageBoth magazine have a Huge main image on the First page (left page). The Main images on both Magazines show clearly that that specific artist relates to the text beside it. Both magazines follow the most importantconvention which is having a main image on the double page spread.Both images take up the whole page.

TitleBoth magazines Follow another Key conventionWhich is a title For the story/Interview. BothTitles are huge And take up a lotOf the page, also,They both clearly Show what the Description belowIs about.

IntroAnother convention

Followed by Vibe andMy magazine is thatThey both have an

Intro before the story/Interview. Both introsAre very punctual and

They both persuadeThe reader to keep

Reading which is whatMost magazines do.

Colour schemeThese two magazines

Keep a consistent colour

Scheme black, red, white

And grey which are the

Exact same

Masthead/LogoBoth of the magazines have Kept their masthead and Placed the masthead on thedouble page spread, vibeHave used their popular logo,But I used my actual masthead Because my magazine isn’tAs well known as vibe.

Descriptive story/interviewMostly all magazines have a story or interview about their Main artist, me and vibe have also followed this convention.We both have used the typical small font in black and red.

Double page spread -DifferencesstoryVibe alwaysWrites down aDescriptiveStory aboutTheir main artistIn every separate issue,But I didn’t useA story andInstead I usedA questionnaireBecause I’m using a new artist and I want to find out everything about him.

InterviewI have chosen toUse an interviewInstead of a typicalStory because I amUsing a new rapArtist and I did aquestionnaire so I could find out a Lot about his lifeStory and about Him; vibe have Used a story insteadBecause they are Using a well knownArtist.

3 columns

mid - close upVibe has used a mid - close up on their main image, and they have Used this type of shot because they’re focusing on the artist’s face full of tattoos,Whereas I used a mid – long shot for my main image to show my artist’s outfit. Also, the artist is looking directly at the text which shows he connects to the text.

mid - long shotI have used a mid –

Long shot for myMain image and

The reason is thatI am mostly

Interested on theArtist’s typical rap

Luxury outfit to Show the audience

His wealth; this Inspires the

Audience becauseThey want to be

Wealthy and Successful like him.

Wrap textI have used the

Wrap text aroundMy main artistImage to show Boldly that my Artist relates to The text and this

Looks unique And creative

Too – this effectmakes it seem

the text is connected to

him

Barcode

Different font

masthead

BackgroundOn the vibe magazine, The double page spreadHas a separate background for each page (grey and White) which is unusualBecause I have made both pages the same colour to look like one whole page so this can show clearly the text connects to theMain image; vibe probably chose this because it’s their specific theme.

How I followed and developed codes and conventions

Whilst constructing my double page spread, I have used many codes and conventions such as drop cap at the start of the article; this feature is used in almost every single magazine article as it draws the readers attention due to the font size and colour used. Also, I have used a main image which follows the codes and conventions, but, I have developed

further on codes and conventions by adding a wrap text around the main image which shows the article is connected to the main image and this is very unique. I have followed codes and conventions buy adding a tittle and intro for my

article and the article is well structured which looks neat and professional. In addition, I have used mise en scene by using the same colour scheme throughout the whole magazine which is consistent.

Double page spread and Drawn Draft – similarities and differences

Main imageThe main image wasOriginally meant to beA long shot of my mainArtist with him lookingAt the text to show that He is connected to the Text and this also makesThe reader directly lookAt the text. I chose to Change the image up a Bit and make the main Artist look at his watchInstead to show off hisWealth and success.

BackgroundFirstly, I thought of having a different background for both pages, a wall full of graffiti on the first page and the same grey background on the other and I wanted to do this because the graffiti Will show his area where he was brought up which relates to the text. I chose to leave itAll one background because it looks clean and professional and this will connect the text and the image.

Additional imageI was going to add an additional

Image underneath the text whichRelates to the context and that

would show what the text is aboutBecause I was going to add an

Image of a music stereo and gunsWhich would clearly show he wasBrought up rough and still had a Passion for music, but, I thought

To scrap that idea because I couldNot find a stereo to

Take a picture of.

Main titleThe main titleWas meant toBe ‘story from

A shooting Star’, but afterOverthinking

And researchingI think that idea

Isn’t very unique And sounds Boring so I

Changed it to a More creative title.

Text – interviewMy first idea was

To create 4 columnsAnd shorten down

The text but I Changed my mind

Because mostMagazines only

Have 2-3 columnsFor their double

Page spread. Also,I added a wrap textTo show the strong

Connection with the text and image.