My music magazine follows many of the forms and conventions
of a mainstream magazine. On the front page of my magazine, the masthead is
placed behind the main image. This is to show that the story of the people in
the main image is more important than the name of the magazine, showing that
the magazine is well known in order for the masthead to be hidden. Also, the banners
at the top and bottom of the page containing promotions and other artists are
following the convention. The promotions are usually free giveaways to see a
famous music artist in concert or a general giveaway of something the target audience
like. I have developed this convention by promoting Justin Bieber tickets. I
chose Justin Bieber because my target audience are young teenage girls, and
young teenage girls like Justin Bieber. When the consumers apply for the
tickets to be won, they can either go to the magazine’s website or post a
letter to the magazine warehouse. This is to promote my magazine by using
synegy in order to keep up with the latest trends as more and more people are
going on the internet and looking at stories from their favourite magazines
instead of buying them. The ‘other artists’ banner has music artists that my
demographic enjoy which will attract their attention. A barcode is also a
convention of mainstream magazines. I have placed mine on the top right of the
front page. The main image convention is for it to take up almost the whole
space on the page. My main image does this as the picture has been enlarged in
order to show that these girls are the main story. Having incentives to attract
your target audience is also used in many magazines. I have given another
incentive for young teenage girls to buy my magazine because of they do they
can win the newest make up kit picked by Katy Perry. As Katy Perry is a huge
star, this will surely attract my target audience. The typography I have used
is developing the convention and forms on magazines aimed at young teenage
girls as it is soft and girlie. I used ‘comic sans’ as it is a soft typography.
This helped with my mode of address as it helped communicate with my
demographic. The background of my magazine on all of the pages consists of hearts and stars. These are the signs and symbols that I used to attract my audience. The semiotics of hearts convey a sense of friendship which links to the main image. The stars illistrate the star life of the people featured in this magazine, showing that they have the life and so can the reader if they purchase it. This shows that my demographic are sold on the dream of the 'high life' of stardom.
However, I have challenged some of the forms and conventions
of magazines. Many magazines use unrealistic models in order for their
magazines to appeal to a wider audience. I have challenged this convention by
using ‘real’ girls in my magazine. My images have however been photo shopped
and are also posed in line with the male gaze. This is a convention used in
every magazine. It is to appeal to all audiences as it is seen as ‘The Male
Gaze’. It is a feminist theory when the audience is put into the perspective of
a heterosexual man. The photos that I have used and the whitening with the eyes
are all in line with the male gaze. Airbrushing is also in line with the male
gaze and is a convention for many magazines, however I challenged this
convention and I did not airbrush any of the pictures I have used in my
magazine. Even though the pictures are in line with the male gaze, by not
airbrushing them it is a selling point to show how women really look like. This
is to make the representation of women/girls more realistic. This would appeal
to parents who would buy this magazine for their children.
Young girls are more attracted to females who are in line
with the male gaze. It was shown by a research conducted by my media class to 10
girls who are in year 7 (which are around the age for my target audience). We
showed them 6 pictures of different models, some were posed and some weren’t. The
year 12’s first put them in order from ‘prettiest’ to the least pretty. Then we
gave them to the year 7’s to put in order to see whether it matched the year 12’s.
We found that the findings were very similar. When asked why they said one of
the girls was the prettiest, they said because she looked ‘girlie’ and ‘cute’.
Plus, when asked why they chose the most unattractive picture, they said she
looked ‘ill’ and because ‘she didn’t have any make-up on’. Posing in line with
the male gaze is usually a woman looking vulnerable and childish, with a lot of
skin showing. Also, normally the pose would not be done by a man as shown by these
pictures. If you saw two men doing the same pose at the women, it would not fit
in with the male gaze. This theory is suggesting that the camera is a male, as
we are looking at the picture from a male perspective.
For my contents page, I have followed many conventions like
page numbers and having different sections for different parts of the magazine
along with the page number of the article next to them. There is also a main
image which links to the same main image and main story on the front page and I
have also used the same typography. This is in order to follow the theme and
convention of the magazine.
The double page spread has broken many conventions such as
having two main images instead of one and not having a little black box at the
end of the copy to show the reader that it is the end of the article. I have
followed and developed the convention of having at least one quote in the copy.
This is to show the reader glimpses of what the copy has in store for them. To
help the reader navigate their way through the double page spread, one of the
pictures has slightly gone over the second page. This is to show that both
pages are linked. With the larger image, I decided to keep the bar that they
are sitting on because it looks as if they are in a playground which will appeal
to my demographic. I have also followed the convention of putting an anchor on
the bottom left hand side of the left page. An anchor is used generally to subconsciously
tell the reader how they should feel about the picture/article. The double page
spread copy is about the girl’s inspirations and dreams and how they made it
come true. This is using ‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’ theory. I am selling the
demographic their dreams and aspirations. My magazine is in the ‘esteem’ stage
as it is selling self-esteem, confidence, respect for other and respect by
others to young teenage girls. My magazine gives a sense of dreams and aspirations. The people who buy my magazine will be sold on the 'dream' that I am selling them of young girls who had a talent, pursued it and made it big in the music industry. 
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