1. Question 1:
In what ways does your product use,
develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
Evaluation of my Music Magazine

2. I feel that my Music Magazine’s
Masthead is very typical of that of the
famous Rolling Stone publication. This
is due to the fact that the ‘synergy’ is
almost identical – using a bold red font
and adding a white ‘stroke’ to the font
to add depth – however, mine is
produced oppositely. The ‘banner’ is
also similar – a large Masthead
including a small date in white.
Another feature of the Rolling Stone’s
Cover that I believe my Music
Magazine has adopted is that of
using different sized fonts – in both
capital and lower-case – to present
the text running along the sides of
the Front Cover to introduce the
contents of the Magazine and draw
in the reader.
Similarly; I have also included a bold
heading running along the bottom
of the publication that indicates the
name of the ‘Cover Star’.

3. This is my Masthead that I feel is a
good comparison to that of the
Rolling Stones. This is due to its use
of colour. I believe that in order to
make the Masthead more like the
Rolling Stones’ one would be to
change the font and make the letters
‘tighter’ together.
Also featured on my Cover that is
not on the Rolling Stone cover is
my Plug which enables the reader
to ‘WIN WITH ICON!’
Both cover images used in the
magazines share many similarities; but I
also feel that my use of Black and White
Photography and the Background
enables a ‘challenge’ of the typical
magazine publication conventions.
I have used a Close-up Portrait image of
my ‘cover star’ as did Rolling Stone
which when adding in the fact that both
subjects are looking directly into the
camera; helps to draw in the possible
reader as it will seem as if they are
looking at them.

4. Unintentionally, I feel as if my Magazine Cover does actually represent many of the
‘typical’ forms and conventions of a Rolling Stone Cover – due to all the comparisons
shown in the annotations.
However; in addition to the many similarities; I also feel as if I have attempted to
somewhat challenge the stereotypical conventions of Music Magazines. When
researching into music magazine covers; I found that the majority (if not all) music
magazine covers featured a colour image against a white background – and if the
white background wasn’t present, it was a complete close-up of the cover star with no
apparent background showing.
To enable my magazine to not conform to the stereotype, I chose to use a very
powerful black and white image that I truly believe relates well to my chosen
synergy, name of publication and overall theme of the magazine. I have used a
running colour scheme of Black, White and Red throughout my magazine as I feel this
is very chic and stylish, making my publication appear professional and to draw in the
target market.
I am pleased that my magazine is not a complete replica of any of the
mainstream, popular magazines out there at the moment as I feel that this will enable
it to sell well as it has become differentiated from the typical conventions we usually
see.
In order to develop my magazine further to make it more ‘unique’ I think I would need
to work on using a different Masthead colour so as not to make it so similar to the

5. This is a Double
Page Contents Page
featured in Q
magazine that I
looked into when
making my Contents
page. I feel that
there are a few
similar elements
present in both my
Contents Page and
in the one from a Q
publication,
including the fact
that I have used a
wide variety of
imagery with the page numbers featured layered over the top of the picture to
demonstrate to the reader where to find the people/person in the image.
I have also used a very similar colour scheme with my Contents Page (Black, White and
Red) which actually was unintentional.
The main difference is the fact that I have used a whole page featuring just one image with
text layered over to represent the cover star and the article to follow.

6. As previously explained, my Contents Page contains the first page of the spread featured
as just one image of the ‘cover star’ and text layered over the top to initially introduce the
Contents Page and also the cover stars featured article.
Another difference between my contents and that of Q’s contents is the fact that I have
used two different contents page lists to add interest. I started off with “featured’ articles,
which is a collection of the articles relating to all the images present.
Furthermore, I have used a ‘plug’ in my contents page which is a “WIN WITH ICON!”
feature (that’s also shown on the contents page) to again, help to entice a reader.

7. For the production of my Contents Page I feel that I have very obviously challenged the
typical conforms of a Music Magazine Contents Page.
I have displayed this ‘challenge’ to the conventions of the already established
magazines by my use of Photography in the Spread.
I am especially pleased with my use of the one page centered around the one image of
the ‘cover star’ as I feel that it demonstrates my use of photography skill and is very
relevant to the spread. The chosen image could not of been more ideal for the purpose,
this is due the fact that along the right hand side of the image there is only black ‘space’
where I could very easily and neatly add Headings, Subheadings and nested text to
present the subject of the picture and the spread to the reader.
For the second page of the spread I chose to keep it fairly simple so as not to deter the
focus away from imagery – however looking back now; I feel as though I would like to
add more colour and ‘play’ around with the compositions of the featured images.
I have taken inspiration from the Q magazine Contents page and I believe that having
not researched into the typical music magazines currently on the market, then I would
of struggled to produce my contents page to the standard I feel I have achieved.

8. This is a Double Page
Spread Article from an
NME publication that I feel
best represents my cover.
I have chosen this spread
to analyze alongside my
finished article because
when researching in past
NME spreads, I realised
that typically, NME and
other popular music
magazine publications,
tend to produce their
articles with the imagery
either covering the whole
spread or at least ¾ of the
spread so that it seems to ‘spread’ across the majority of the two pages. However, this article (and
mine) have both gone against the stereotypically article and just used the image on the left hand side
of the article with the Heading or Title layered on top of the image. I have also placed a smaller
image that relates to my written article in the bottom right hand corner, which is also shown here in
the NME article spread.

9. By producing this
Double Page Spread
article in InDesign to
the theme I chose, I
feel as if I have
diversified my
magazine away from
the typical conforms
and conventions of
the Music Magazines
produced today.
I feel that throughout
my magazine I have
managed to
‘challenge’ the
stereotypical
conventions of the
magazine industry. I feel that by using Black and White Photography and using a theme of Black, White
and Red throughout my magazine publication; I have therefore been able to create a very unique music
magazine that I believe doesn’t conform to the typical conventions, though I have also many elements
that have been heavily inspired by the work of NME, Rolling Stone and Q.