- Research
1) Codes and Conventions of a Music Magazine Front Cover
One worded title
Title -It has its own unique font and is the biggest text on the page
The title may fill the whole page width
Positioning statement which is situated by the title ( above or below)
Price of magazine
Date of issue/ issue number
* All of the above points are known as the “Masthead”
Barcode ( on the front cover because adverts are usually on the back)
Puff (e.g. free gifts)
Lists
Main image - This is anchored by the main cover-line
The main cover-line is the largest text after the title and is up to two lines long
Cover-lines and relevant images
Cover-lines are two/three lines long, it gives information about contents, it intrigues the audience and provokes interest with as few words as possible
Bold colours. A consistent colour scheme is used
The main image usually does not have the band/singer smiling which conveys attitude
Directly addressed images are used (looking at the audience)
Typography - This is the look of the letters (limited fonts are used)
2 types of typography: serif and sans serif
Serif = French for ‘HOOK’ e.g. ‘Times New Roman’
Sans serif = French for ‘WITHOUT HOOK’ e.g. ‘Ariel’
The connotations of font reflect target audience and subject
They frame an image – usually the left side
Strip at bottom or top. It has a list of names/bands/topics
Buzzwords are used e.g. EXCLUSIVE
2)Codes and Conventions of a Music Magazine Contents Page
Columns are used - Maybe two or three
Page numbers
Picture and images with page numbers
Images
‘In this’ section (editor letter) – editorial – there is a picture of the editor and their signature
Date and issue at the top
The title at the top of the page, sometimes top left = ‘Contents’
Quotes
Consistent colour schemed followed on from the front cover
Categorise sections (headings)
One large images
Smaller images which highlight the content of the magazine
Subscription
Plain and simple backgrounds; usually white so that everything stands out
Content
The actual arrangement: page numbers – then text. One or two words as the main line. They are bold and usually larger text. Sub line text is smaller
Regular content – this appears in every issue of the magazine. E.g. horoscopes
Feature content – this is the term used for ‘one-off’ stories. E.g. Interview with band
Bottom of the page consists of page numbers, title, issue data, website
Contact details - Planning
These are rough sketches of my school magazine front cover and contents page
- Production
Used on contents page
Used on contents page
Used on contents page
Used on contents page
Used on contents page
Used as main background image of front cover
Used on the contents page
Used on front cover as coverline image
Used on front cover as coverline image
Used on front cover as coverline image
Used on contents page
Used as biggest image on contents page
Used on contents page
Used as the main image on the front cover
Not used
Used on front cover in bottom corner- Finished front cover page and contents
This is the school magazine front cover
This is the school magazine front cover- Evaluation
Moreover, conventions were applied to the school front cover, i.e. the main image was anchored by a main coverline “students on the net”, and it was also a medium close up of a student in uniform which follows the rules of this task. Thus the masthead was made up of a relevant magazine title, issue date and number and the price of the magazine, (which was in IRIS rewards and links to the school points system at Weatherhead High).
The background of the front cover is an empty playground which suggests the school genre and follows conventions of having a simple background. Nevertheless the background is not ‘the usual’ white-colour and therefore does not emphasise all the other features on the front cover. Techniques such as buzzwords have been included in order to entice the reader.
In addition several coverlines were spread about the front cover with corresponding images that linked well to the genre of the magazine, and helped to attract the target audience of school pupils, for example: “room 4 common room”. Furthermore, the contents page consists of a smaller main image which has been transferred from the front cover; it is situated under the magazine title and the words “contents”. Underneath this, there are three columns that include regular content articles, feature content articles and images which have corresponding page number on top of them the convention of not including the “p” –short for page- is followed on the contents). In addition, a simple colour scheme is used throughout and develops the magazine using conventions.
The front cover was created through the programme Adobe Photoshop which I previously had experience with but the contents page was created using Quark Xpress; this meant that we had to learn the new software in order to produce our product. The strengths of my school magazine are that most conventions are followed and not broken however it is obvious that there are areas that can be greatly improved. For example: I think that one of the biggest weaknesses of my product was that the main image on the front cover needed more attention because it should be a good medium close up and an image that really does lure the reader/target audience in.
Overall, I believe that my magazine served its purpose of creating a brand new, exciting school magazine; however there is room for a lot of improvement for example I can identify key tips to help me use the new professional software Quark Xpress. The codes and conventions were easily followed and this exercise will help me to produce a good-quality final product.
