Evaulation Question 1

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

Before proceeding with creating my media products I researched a number of magazines of my particular genre 'Hip Hop and R&B'', this allowed me to gather information on the different types of conventions I should develop or challenge i my own media product.

This research has been reflected on my front page magazine, where i developed the idea of using a master head at the top of my front page cover, the reason i have decided to use this form of convention is because the majority of magazines consist of a master head positioned at the top of the page, and by me following this convention it allows my product to look like a real media product. This convention also allows the audience to clearly see the name of my media product.

On my media product I have developed the idea of using a master head at the top of my front page cover. The reason for this decision is that I believed I should follow some typical conventions of a Hip hop & R&B in order for my media product to actually look like an Hip Hop and R&B magazine. As I was aiming on making my media product look as realistic as possible I believed that I should use allot of Hip Hop and R&B conventions. So I decided to develop the ideas of using a basic bar code which automatically made my media product seem like a real selling magazine. Also I ensured that my image of my model was place directly in the middle of the page.

My magazine is also conventional in a sense that it uses similar fonts on my front page cover. I have also made the models picture overlap my master head just like other Hip Hop and R&B magazines I have researched.

I have used very suttle colours so that my magazine will attract both Males and Females, the colours I used where Carkey Green, White, Black and Grey. The reason I done this is because I want my media product to attract both Males and Females. This therefore challenges real Media magazines and breaks the typical conventions of magazines aimed at specific genders. I also made sure that I advertised different subjects that will be included in my magazine in order for the magazine to attract both Males and Females. E.g. "The best Myspace rappers" - This is aimed for the Male audience as they would more be familiar with myspace and are stereotypically more interested in rap than girls. Also "David Emmanuel Spices Up Your Closet" - This is aimed for the Female audience as stereotypically Females are more concerned with fashion and are more interested in shopping and looking for new styles.

My magazine uses the convention of having a Women modeling on the front page. My Model is dressed in a down to earth costume, I didn't want my model to be dressed in typical Hip Hop and R&B clothes, so I dressed her in plain denim jeans, a carky green jacket and a simple top. This way she has more of a British look rather than a stereotypical American Hip Hop appearance to attract different audiences worldwide.

On my contents page I have decided to dye my male models hair red for this image in order to come away from the stereotypical conventions of Hip Hop and R&B images of a 'Hoodies, Tracksuits an gangster look', because this isn't always the case, so I decided to give him a more unique look.

My Media product challenges forms of conventions because unlike stereotypical Hip Hop and R&B front pages I have stated on mine that it is a spring issue, you wouldn't normally see this on a Hip Hop and R&B magazine as they are normally distributed every fortnight.