1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
Overall, my double page spread includes many conventional features, but it also challenges conventions too. I have included a high quality photo taken with a high quality camera, as magazines tend to have high definition photos that look very professional. I've placed the image on the left page and the article on the right, as that's also conventional of magazines. On the front cover, I advertised a timeline of the artist's life, which would appear after the interview on the next page. I placed the conventional photo credits at the bottom of the photo to display who took the photo and the source (from her original album promotion in 1993). I've challenged conventions by only including one picture, as I found during my research that some magazines have more pictures placed around the article. It's also rare to see the artist's name at the top of the right page, as usually they are in large print either across the image or before the article, as a masthead. However, I saw that Q magazine sometimes place the name in small font as they know that the audience would know who they are anyway (image on the right).I made the choices I did because I wanted my double page spread to look like part of the same magazine as my front cover and contents page, so I used the same colour scheme; red, black and white, which creates continuity and shows a conventional "house style" rule that magazines tend to follow. I tried to make my double page spread have a simple layout, so my audience would be interested in reading it; the photo that I have used has the same newspaper background as the other photos from the front cover and contents so that the audience know it's the same person and it's consistent. This pose is very different compared to the other two; she looks more innocent in this photo with a high angle shot, which links to the article as it's about her cracking under pressure, so it shows her vulnerable side. Also, she doesn't have sunglasses on in this photo, which suggests that we are "getting to know her" which is what the article is about, as though she's revealing her personality and we see her for who she really is.
However, if I was to create it again, I would maybe include a pull quote going across the image as that way, it would encourage the audience even more to read it. I would also include more images in the text as that way, it would attract the readers more because if the audience is young people, then they would probably prefer to see more pictures.
My first hand drawn draft was very basic. I placed the masthead on the left, going above the photo as that was my idea at the time. I also wanted to include a pull quote, but later changed my mind, however I would include a pull quote if I was to do it again. However, I stuck to having columns, a stand first and pull quotes as that is conventional of magazine articles. However, in my first draft, I was going to advertise what was on the next page at the bottom, which is an idea that I ended up scrapping.
I developed from this draft (on the left) as I realised it was too basic. I didn't like the name of the artist on the photo and I needed to add photo credits and shorten the interview, as it looks too cramped. I liked the colour of the text, but I wanted to improve it, so I came up with this draft (on the right.)
I received peer feedback from my draft and made improvements. I was told that the background colour behind the text didn't look conventional and didn't suit the colour scheme of my magazine, which I agreed with, so I changed it. I also added a page number to the article, as that is conventional and also made the photo credits conventionally smaller and moved the artist's name further to the right. After acting on my feedback, I came up with this (on the right). I'm glad I acted on my feedback as it looks much better than before. The white background looks more conventional and suits my magazine more.
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