Evaluation Question 1 - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In order to create an authentic product I conducted thorough research into existing magazines such as Kerrang! and NME. I done this because I wanted my product to be as professionable as possible, to the same standard as those seen on the market today. I also chose a similar genre and style, so I took some of their conventions and manipulated them to make them more original and unique to my magazine. Also, when deciding what the layout should be like, I looked at these magazines and saw that they only had one main image on the cover, usually who the main article is about and who has been under the spotlight recently. However, the tone of this changes throughout the genres, for if you look at Top Of The Pops, it normally has quite girly features with either a musical fashion icon e.g. Lady Gaga or a teen heart-throb on the cover such as Bieber. Such as the one below

This house style would appeal to younger, more feminine audiences, with the use of pink and purple, and the writing such as "fitties seeking forgiveness" and "hitched or ditched" would be the topic of teen girl gossip. However, if you look at magazines such as Kerrang! or Q, it is completely different. They normally feature bands such as Foo Fighters, Green Day, Biffy Clyro and have much more musical related topics.

The look of destruction about these covers contrasts completely with the girly features on TOTP, and fits in well with the genre. As I am doing a similar genre, I used more of a chaotic layout, giving an organised mess sort of a feel to it, and also the features on the cover such as the articles shown within and the preview of all of the posters inside. Due to this, those who have looked at my product know exactly what genre of music I am showing immediately, therefore I believe I have successfully followed conventions of real media products.