Evaluation Q1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Forms:

• Social media networks- Facebook/Twitter
• Magazine website
• Printed copy
• Mobile (downloadable)

I have used this range of forms for my magazine as it opens up a wider range of ways that my target audience can read and find out more about my magazine, as the internet and social networks are a popular part of young peoples lives. By using a wider range of forms it could attract a bigger audience that are interested in the genre of my magazine which is indie. I could introduce people to the magazine that may not of heard of it before and gives people the opportunity to read the magazine without going out to buy it. 

Conventions:

• Models looking into the camera: I have done this so that the magazine looks more professional and it gives a direct address to the reader/target audience
• Models clothes/make-up: I have got my models to wear clothes that link to the indie genre as it will be whats links to my target audience 
• Masthead on the front cover: My masthead is at the in the center at the top of the page, this makes it stand out as the first thing the audience will look for is the name of the magazine. The masthead 'indigo' also links to the genre. 
• Colours: The colours that I've used all link to the genre of the magazine and will attract the target audience.
• Pugs: I have used on my front cover the use of a bar code, issue, date & price which is something you find on any magazine so would be a convention for any type of genre.

Developed conventions:

• Banner at top and bottom of front cover: I chose to do this as I thought that it would draw in my target audience more to the exclusive things in the magazine and make them stand out more. 
• Images surrounding the columns on the contents page: I decided that I wanted to put all my images for the contents page on the outside of the pages and have two main columns of text to say what is on which page. I did this as I think that it makes the page look more neat and professional; I also think that it doesn't make the page look overcrowded and messy as that wouldn't suit my genre. 
• Number on pictures: I decided that instead of putting the text next to the image I wanted to put the number of the page on the image that links with the text in the column; this again makes the page look a lot less scattered and messy.

Broken conventions

• Cover stories on the front cover: Usually on the front cover, cover stories are around the outside of the page, however I decided that I wanted to put my cover stories in a column down one side of the page and then have my main cover story on the other side with the main image. This was so that my front cover didn't look too overcrowded and have a more neat look as I think that it suits my genre better.