Eval 1.1
- 1. Evaluation question 1 “In what ways does your media product use, develop, or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?”
- 2. FRONT COVER
- 3. MASTHEAD My masthead font follows the common codes and conventions of the mastheads typically found in regional magazines. Bold, serif font is used for the masthead. This is to attract the reader’s attention, from there they can recognise the brand/magazine name which promotes it and increases brand awareness. The masthead is centralised at the top of the magazine, this draws the readers eye to it. Due to my background image being rather dark with multiple contrasting colours, I decided to place the masthead above in a separate white box. The black font contrasts with the empty white space and doesn't distract from the cover image. Placing my masthead in its own box doesn't follow common codes and conventions of masthead placing in other regional magazines which I have researched. Typically the masthead overlaps the cover photograph, however I didn’t want this to distract from the main image, or make the masthead less visible. Through researching different publications that are similar to mine, such as Kent Life, Cumbria Magazine and Cornwall Today, I found that the names of magazines correlate with the areas in which they represent. My own regional magazine represents the area in which I grew up, Thanet. Geographically, Thanet is an Island due to being surrounded by sea and cut off from the rest of England by the River Wantsum. I felt that Island Living represented exactly what I wanted my magazine to be about - A lifestyle magazine, based in the Isle of Thanet. In red at the very top of the masthead I have listed the different places in which I have included in the magazine, as seen in France Today. I feel that listing the different demographics covered can reach the target audience on a personal level, allowing readers to instantly recognise local known places to them, enticing them to read further about their local area. I felt that the red was a good contrast as I didn’t want a text heavy masthead, so felt that the red colour adds a completely new section to the magazine as people would view it as separate from the title. Below Island Living I have listed the date of the publication, this is a common code and convention of regional magazines, dates create consistency for the reader as they can make sure they are up-to-date with the latest copy. I placed my title on two lines, this isn’t a common code and convention but I felt that if ‘Island Living Magazine’ was on one line, it would have had to be significantly smaller than it is to fit, which would minimise the boldness and strong promotion of the magazine as a brand.
- 4. MAIN IMAGE The main image I used for my publication is of North Foreland lighthouse, a local landmark in Thanet, where my magazine is based. I felt that using a local landmark as the main photograph of my publication would instantly catch the eye of my target audience if it was in a shop. Recognisable buildings/features/scenery creates regional identity and people will feel more inclined to purchase it as they are interested to find out more about their local area. Whilst researching existing regional magazines, I discovered that long shots are typically used as background images. This is because long shots allow the audience to take in surroundings and feel as if they are part of the image, giving them a more personal feeling towards it - uses and gratifications theory. I did take some long shots of the lighthouse, however I felt that a long shot didn’t quite give the same effect as a medium close up does. Having grown up in the demographic in which my magazine is aimed, there aren’t many noticeable landmarks in Thanet. Photographs of the lighthouse basked in sunlight have been used many times before, in magazines, even national adverts such as McDonald’s. I felt that this particular photograph was very fitting, as not many have seen the lighthouse in this shot-type, nor against a bleak background. I felt this was well suited for my ‘memorial issue’ of Island Living as the lighthouse was used in WW1 to guide small ships across from Normandy. The close up of the imposing lighthouse, with a dark background creates a melancholy effect on the reader (confirmed by my focus group). Using a close up to generate thought, remembrance and emotion can be seen in an issue of Kent Life magazine which used a close up shot of Prince Harry for one of their memorial issues. A long shot I took of the lighthouse. Examples of regional magazines where longshots are used. Kent Life Memorial Issue
- 5. SELL LINE My sell line is coloured white as to contrast from the grey background. It is presented in a serif font and all capitals to elevate its importance over other articles which are listed below. A brief description of the contents of the article which my sell line represents accompany’s the sell line. This gives a partial insight into what can be found within the article, however is still short enough to leave the reader wondering and wanting to find out more (Barthes Enigma) - a common convention of regional magazines. ‘The Historical Lighthouse’ is short and stands out to grab the readers attention, giving an insight into what they can learn from this magazine about this ‘historical’ landmark in their local area. I kept the sell line short as to not lose the readers attention and entice them to find out about the article themselves by purchasing and reading the magazine (uses and gratifications theory). I used a thinner font in a similar style to the masthead, I didn’t want a jumble of different fonts on the page, so used a similar font as seen in the masthead, however the difference does make it stand apart from the masthead which follows common codes and conventions for the sell line of regional magazines.
- 6. HOUSE STYLE House style - the specific usage and editing conventions followed by writers and editors to ensure consistency of style within publications, in this case, regional magazines. For the front cover of my magazine I have followed house style codes and conventions which are apparent in the other regional magazines which I have researched. The use of only a few different colours of text can be seen in all magazines, for example Kent Life has a house style of white font with some yellow incorporated into it, this is the same with France Today. The colours used are not specific to one gender and can appeal to everyone regardless of their gender, within my desired target audience. My magazine uses black font for the masthead, white font for sell lines and red for the places visited in the magazine and the memorial banner.
- 8. FONTS AND FEATURES I used serif font in the same style as my masthead for all subheadings. Subheadings are used because they neatly organise text and allow the reader to actively seek out the category they are looking for. Beneath each numbered heading there is a short sentence which gives an insight into the contents of the article (uses and gratifications). Because my publication is a luxury lifestyle magazine, I didn’t want it to be a mishmash of different colours, fonts and collaged imagery like some of the contents pages I researched. I kept the background white, and used bits of red and grey to match the house style for this edition of my magazine. Unconventionally I added a grey bar at the bottom, I felt this added a bit of colour to the white background and made it more interesting, It also served as a good backdrop to link Island Living’s website on. Unconventionally, I used my masthead as a title, instead of writing contents. Instead I wrote ‘inside’ before my masthead as a different way of displaying the contents page. I felt that incorporating my title into the page reinforced Island Living as a brand further. The masthead is the largest text on the page and immediately draws attention. Another method I used was to split up the right hand corner of text with a bar. I placed an advertisement for a subscription of Island Living, beneath this I carried on with an exclusive article. I did this to reinforce the brand (awareness) and make readers aware of some of the subscription offers that are available with my publication. Within other regional magazines that I have researched, it is uncommon to have columned text in contents pages reach the bottom right hand corner (bar Bristol magazine). For example, Kent Life magazine also ends with a subscription option and Isle magazine finishes with a visitors guide. The exclusive article below this was used to fill up the white space with an exciting feature, which made the page more interesting and attractive to the reader.
- 9. ROWS, NUMBERING AND COLUMNS I followed the common conventions of arranging articles into neat, numbered columns. Each small article is numbered with the page number that it can be found on, allowing for continuity and easy navigation for the reader to quickly find the articles they want to read, fulfilling their cognitive needs (uses and gratifications theory). Most of the regional magazines I looked at had 3 or 4 columns of text for their contents page, I have used 3 in my publication to follow this convention. Having equally spaced columns across a contents page makes the page look clean, organised and aesthetically pleasing. Subheadings are used because they neatly organise text and allow the reader to actively seek out the category they are looking for. Beneath each numbered heading there is a short sentence which gives an insight into the contents of the article (uses and gratifications). Subheadings are larger than the sentences below which categorises articles, which is a common convention that I have followed in my contents page. I followed common conventions when numbering my articles. Each number lays to the left of the article, in neat columns. This is a common convention that I found when researching regional magazines contents pages. Numbered articles allow for easy navigation through the publication for the reader, so they can quickly find the material they are looking for which fulfils cognitive needs, an example of uses and gratifications theory. I numbered the bottom right hand corner of the page, this is another common convention and just helps the reader to identify which part of the magazine they are reading, this also helps with navigation.
- 10. IMAGES I followed the common conventions of using a variety of different imagery to break up text on the page, this is done to keep the contents page visual and not boring. Photography creates interest and attracts a reader to this informative page. I used a multitude of different shot types, from close ups (dog) to a long establishing shot of the beach (Kingsgate Bay, Broadstairs). Long shots allow an audience to take in the whole image and identify with it. I also used high-key lighting, which follows conventions. High-key imagery allows an audience to positively view an article which creates a relationship and personal feeling towards an article. I included a photograph of the cover of my magazine which joins an article explaining what the cover photograph is. This is not a common convention. Conventionally, imagery of people is often used in a contents page. I challenged this convention by excluding photographs of people because I feel that as I am creating a luxury lifestyle magazine, people would prefer to see quiet places, food and the natural landscape. Instead of relating to people within photographs, readers can focus on the images and identify with what they signify; such as relaxation, luxury dining and the beautiful scenery of Thanet (connotations Barthes).
- 11. FEATURE PAGE
- 12. IMAGE For the main photograph I used a conventional picture for my feature/editorial page. A large colourful image of food at a restaurant ties in with the subject content of my editorial/feature page. A seaside backdrop creates a peaceful, calming scene that draws attention from the audience, who are predominantly from Thanet, a seaside town where this restaurant being reviewed is based - this creates a personal relationship between the audience. The image breaks up the text, giving the reader something to view, cutting up the text heavy article and making it more aesthetically pleasing. I feel this is important as plain text on a page can become quite tedious to read without a visual aid. Within the magazines I researched, all feature pages include imagery of some sort. Another image I have included in my feature page is a common convention which I have found in a number of regional magazines which is a picture of the editor/publisher placed at the end of their article. Including a signature and social media links, which allows readers who are social media conscious to connect with the publisher and ask any questions which they may have (typically younger generation).
- 13. LAYOUT/LANGUAGE OF TEXT The layout for my feature page follows the common codes and conventions of other feature pages which I have researched. Text is columned and neat, there is an image breaking up the text and providing a visual aid as to keep the reader interested and entertained without becoming bored due to the large amount of text. The text is in serif font, which appeals to an older target audience, who generally speaking have more disposable income to spend on luxuries such as dining out. A large Masthead is a common convention found in regional magazines as they are difficult to miss and attract attention from the reader. A variety of font size is used to keep the text interesting and less repetitive, for I wanted this to be an exciting article that wouldn’t bore the reader. The first column is broken up by a bold statement, explaining the write ups that the magazine had. I felt that including this was important as the reader would view the larger text as it elevates importance over the rest and would become intrigued by the good write ups, consequently reading further into the article to find out more about the restaurant. To add interest to the page I incorporated a drop cap to begin the article. One of the common conventions of feature/editor pages which I reviewed in the different regional magazines I studied was the way in which the publication was structured as if the editor was saying it directly to the reader - giving a personal feel through the directness which creates a relationship (uses and gratifications theory). I decided to adopt this into my publication, but to make it clear I added speech marks to explain to the audience that this was directly coming from the editor. I also used direct modes of address so that the audience felt as if they were experiencing the same as what the editor did as they were sat in the restaurant being reviewed, for example ‘as you enter the place’. This conforms to the hegemonic norms of other regional magazines I have studied. Another code and convention which is apparent in many of the regional magazine editors pages which I reviewed is the exaggeration of experiences and words, I used this by including words such as; magnificent and fantastic when describing the decor of the restaurant. This is an example of sensationalism - entices reader.
- 14. ADVERTISEMEN T
- 15. IMAGE I wanted my advertisement to stand out. I feel that advertisements can be easily overlooked by readers because no one purchases a magazine for the advertisements. My focus group confirmed this. Advertisements work best if they aren’t text heavy, are bright and attract the reader. Using high key lighting and bold colours is a common convention which I have found when researching advertisements typically found in regional magazines. Colourful imagery allows an audience to visualise a product/service and allows the audience to feel as if they are involved with the image, which increases their chance of purchasing/visiting the good/service provided as they receive the preferred reading (Hall’s reception theory). The original image was darker than the one above (time taken it was in shade), I airbrushed and enhanced the colours so that it appeared more aesthetically pleasing, this is common with many adverts, especially make-up and jewellery adverts.
- 16. TEXT The name of the estate agents advertised is the largest wording, which is in serif font. This is to appeal to my desired target audience who will be able to purchase property of this calibre. I followed the convention of using a sell line (luxury property agents) helps describe instantly to the audience what is being advertised. ‘Luxury’ emphasises the type of property that is being sold. Another convention I found common in luxury adverts was the age in which the company had been established for, so I included this underneath the title. When consulting my focus group, I learned that most found it reassuring when a business has been running for a long time as it helps assure a good quality service is being provided. Unconventionally, I decided to add details about the property being shown such as the guide price, total area etc. I also included a brief description about the property as well as some contact details to arrange a viewing. Usually in real estate adverts, a generic photo is shown of a property within their portfolio, with no information about it. Arrange a viewing details are also not a common convention, however I added them to challenge the common codes and conventions as I felt that if the reader was genuinely interested in purchasing such a large expense as a property, they would take the time to read it. I also added the website for the estate agents advertised at the top of the page, conventionally this is found at the bottom of the page. This appeals to the target audience as it allows them to visit the associated website, this is an example of the surveillance factor (uses and gratifications theory).
- 17. WEBSITE
- 18. LAYOUT My website for my regional magazine conforms to the typical conventions which I found whilst researching the websites of other magazines. The house colour scheme of red against white in the top of my magazine was carried to the right hand-side where red font is placed between two bodies of white text. This was to create interest to the reader, and the boldness explaining subscription options made it hard to miss. Creating consistency between house colours allows for continuity and adds to the aesthetic of the home page. Masthead is placed at the top of the webpage and is centralised. Masthead is bold and is the largest text on the website, this elevates branding and is a common convention found on the websites of regional magazines. Large font attracts the reader and a recognisable name (Island Living) creates branding and association. Strong branding can lead to repeat purchases and customer loyalty, which is very important in a saturated market such as the magazine industry. I categorised information found within my website into subcategories which can allow easy navigation through my website. This is a common convention found within websites and allows the reader to quickly find the content they are looking for e.g. food or photos, fulfilling cognitive needs (uses and gratifications theory). I also included a couple separate articles on my home page, which were linked at the end for the audience to read the full article. This is a common convention. I included social media links at the top left of the page, a common convention appealing mainly to a younger, social media conscious target audience. A search bar at the top right hand side allowed for easy navigation to fulfil cognitive needs (uses and gratifications). I challenged the typical codes and conventions of regional magazine websites in a number of ways. Regional magazines devote a small part of the home page to advertising for the magazine, in aid of acquiring more subscribers. Instead of using a small part I used a large central part of the page, set on a moving background of crashing waves (unconventional) to add to the Island aesthetic.
- 19. IMAGERY A common convention that I found for imagery was a photograph of the current issue of the magazine available. I have therefore incorporated this into my website homepage and have conformed to it. In modern times, websites are becoming increasingly more common, and virtual editions of magazines can be purchased on many sites. However, the target audience for my magazine are those who tend to be older. Therefore I found it important to advertise the hard copy of my magazine to cater directly to my target audiences needs. Behind the image of the latest magazine issue, I have incorporated a time lapsed video of the sea, set on a time loop. This is not a common convention and I have not seen it whilst researching, however I felt that it was an instant attraction to the reader, as it is uncommon to view a video on a website homepage. Whilst being attracted to the video, this will create attention towards what I have placed in the middle of it, an advertisement to subscribe to the publication. The placing of a magazine issue is typically found on the right hand side of the website page, I placed it on the left as to challenge conventions further. I have also incorporated a lot of advertising throughout the website. I found this important as websites that I researched e.g. Kent-Life were burdened with multiple adverts. I incorporated advertising from the local area in my publication as to make it appear as realistic as possible.
- 20. BILLBOARD Whilst I was carrying out my research of the codes and conventions of billboards found in regional magazines, it was incredibly difficult to find any that fit the criteria. The only billboard for a regional magazine that I could find was ‘The Resident’. Because of this, I decided to focus closely on the conventions of this particular billboard and incorporate it into mine. I didn’t want to make a billboard that challenged The Resident’s conventions because I wanted mine to appeal to my target audience - The Resident (magazine) is catered towards the target audience which my magazine is aimed at (luxury lifestyle magazine). Following The Resident, I displayed another way in which my magazine can be accessed (online and on the app store). I also kept my text plain so that it boldly advertised the magazine, was easy to view (bearing in mind billboards will be put in busy areas so people will not have the time to thoroughly examine the) and wasn’t too text heavy as to bore the reader. Advertising virtual options to read the magazine widens the target audience as a younger audience tend to use more technology than older (main target audience). I used serif font to appeal to my target audience, my magazine is about luxury and a classy font helps to connote (Barthes) this to the readership. There is also continuity used, as the masthead for my magazine is written in the same font and has the same layout. I incorporated a plain background into my billboard, following the conventions as seen in The Residents’ billboard. A plain background helps to accentuate the text which makes it bolder and eye-catching, attracting them to read the billboard.