Evaluation

Evaluation
My media product uses conventions of ‘Hip Hop Connection’ magazine because I’ve created a similar house style. I’ve analysed Hip Hop magazine’s use of language, typography, colour and image, and I found that the magazine uses colloquial language because it targeted at young adults but it’s straight to the point and very matter of fact. The images mainly used are of successful rappers and producers in the hip hop business. This is effective because hip hop fans and aspiring rappers idolise these people.
To ensure my product follows this particular house style, I chose to use an image of a young rapper who has just become successful in the hip hop industry. I’ve made my artist wear casual designer clothes, which is appealing to young teenage boys who idolise rappers. The mise en scene is a graffiti background and an old school stereo, which has been manipulated on Photoshop. This type of image relates to the Hip Hop genre because Hip Hop is about expressing yourself through music and the graffiti background is appealing to teenage boys which is the main target audience of my magazine. I’ve also use matter of fact language for my straplines this will allow the reader to read the straplines and know exactly what to expect inside, for example “Million Cent” and “Roots”. For my masthead I’ve used alliteration “Street Soul” and some of my straplines on the front cover, “Think Twice”. The use of alliteration is effective because it’s catchy and easily remembered by the reader.
My contents page challenges the house style of Hip Hop Connection magazine because for my main contents page image I’ve used a medium shot instead of a medium close up. I chose to use a medium shot because I wanted to fully portray the attitude of the models and a medium close up would not capture this. The image I’ve used on my contents page is of two young adults, standing back to back, with their heads tilted up. This anchors the idea that they’re independent and focused on their goals. I’ve also chosen to put the heading ‘contents’ instead of the colloquial ‘in the mix’ heading used in ‘Hip Hop Connection’. I did this because I felt the contents heading showed readers that the magazine is still formal although there’s use of colloquial language. However I kept the ‘Features’ heading because I felt this was an effective unique selling point because it shows readers the magazine is offering exclusivity. I’ve followed the house style of Hip Hop Connection magazine by using three colours of my copy and just two fonts for the copy.
For my double page spread I chose to do a cover story of a rising young rapper ‘Dwayne Shokker’, who has just had his big break into the music industry. I chose to do this because Hip Hop Connection magazine did a similar cover story on ‘T.I’. This was effective because it will also inspire young aspiring rappers. It is also an effective unique selling point because readers like reading success stories especially in a competitive industry such as rapping. I followed a similar layout as the double page spread in ‘Hip Hop Connection’ magazine. I had the artist cover story, followed by his album review, tracks and competitions. I’ve also included a poster of the rapper, I chose to do this because readers like free posters especially if they idolise the person. I used colloquial language such as “Verbals by…” on my double page spread because it relates to the register of ‘Hip Hop Connection’ magazine. “Verbals by…” also connotes the idea of rappers lyrics.
Therefore I think my media product effectively uses conventions of ‘Hip Hop Connection’ magazine because I’ve followed their house style because for example I’ve used colloquial language such as “Re-Run” and “Roots” for my copy, I’ve used models who connect to the niche market of Hip Hop by making them wear clothes that anchor the Hip Hop genre. However I’ve challenged the forms because I’ve developed the composition of pages for example on the contents page I’ve changed the arrangement of headings and on my front cover I’ve used shadowing on my masthead.

The social group my product represents is young teenagers who are fans of hip hop music. My media product represents this particular media group because I’ve analysed how ‘Hip Hop Connection’ magazine represents hip hop music fans and I’ve ensured my product does the same. On my magazine from cover I’ve an image of a successful, good-looking, young rapper. This is appealing to young teenage boys who idolise rappers and its appealing to young girls because they like good-looking successful rappers. I’ve continued the theme of inspiring aspiring rappers, producers and other people who want to break into the music industry for example on my front cover I used a pyramid style straplines of successful rappers in the industry, this is an unique selling point because it shows my magazine has access to all the best in the industry and these artist are also seen as role models for young hip hop fans.
I’ve also used a similar language style like HHC magazine. I’ve used words and phrases such as ‘Roots, Reminisce’ and ‘Fresh from the streets’ that are publicly recognized by hip hop music fans. Throughout my magazine I’ve used short, brief text that is straight to the point, I did this because if the language is simplistic it’s appealing to my target audience and they don’t need to do much reading. My media product also represents the social group of teenage hip hop fans because I’ve used Photoshop to manipulate my images and copy by changing colours of images, using brushes to make the backgrounds stand out and downloading fonts; this is effective because it gives the magazine a contemporary appearance.

‘Hip Hop Connection’ is an independently magazine published because it covers all aspects of hip hop culture. It’s published and edited by Andy Cowan and Advertising and Promotion is done by Alan. ‘Hip Hop Connection’ magazine can be bought at local newsagents, its easily accessible because everything it produces is all about hip hop culture from deejaying, rapping, graffiti and some beat-boxing. Therefore everyone from different areas of hip hop culture can relate to particular parts of the magazine. My magazine will be available at local newsagents or on the magazine website.
To attract my target audience I having a pyramid style straplines of successful rappers names, this is effective because it shows the target audience that my magazine has connections with all the best in the business. I’ve also done a cover story on a rising star in the hip hop industry and included eye catching straplines such as “Million Cent”. This appealing to my target audience because hip hop fans like to keep up to date with everything going on in the hip hop music industry.
I addressed my target audience my using inspirational stories of new rappers becoming successful in the hip hop industry, this is effective because it shows my magazine motivates my target audience instead of influencing them to do things that will get them into trouble. This also challenges the stereotype of rappers being involved in drugs, violence and other crimes.

I’ve learnt new Photoshop skills and how to use Publisher effectively. I was able to format my straplines by changing the character spacing to make them look more professional and attractive to my target audience. I mainly used the character spacing technique on my front cover and contents page to ensure there was not too much space between the characters this made the copy look professional. I’ve also learnt that my font style and size affects how my end product looks. On my double page spread I had to ensure my font size was readable but still made my article look professional. Also I’ve learnt how the use of different Photoshop brushes on Photoshop can make an image look eye-catching.
Finally I’ve learnt the importance of taking successful images especially when I was taking my photographs for my front cover and contents page. I had to consider mise en scen that relates to the hip hop culture and appropriate shots and poses that capture the attitude of the models.
I’ve used recognisable props such as brick walls with graffiti on them, old school style stereo and designer clothes all these elements reflects hip hop culture and contemporary target audience of young adults and older.

I think in my main task I’ve thought more about how my product would represent and attract my target audience. I was more careful about my choice of language and images, I considered mise en scen more because I was representing a more niche market therefore everything about my product reflected one particular group of people in a positive way. This was different to my preliminary task because for my preliminary task I was representing a college therefore I was representing a broader group of people. However for this task I think I’ve learnt to think more carefully about my choices to ensure they represent my product effectively, for example when I was choosing my product name I had to ensure the name clearly anchored the niche market of hip hop and had a positive influence at the same time. Also when I was writing my article for my double page spread, although I was using colloquial language I had to ensure that my sentences made sense and was at a professional standard.

Final Magazine

Magazine mock up

This is the Masthead i've chosen for my magazine front cover, i found this font on dafont.com and download it, so i can use it on Photoshop for my magazine mastehead.

Mock up of magazine

Magazine Research

I've decided to call my magazine Street Soul, i chose this name because it anchors the Hip-Hop theme but doesnt sound threatening to readers. I've chosen a target audience of 16 and older hip-hop and rnb fans. The magazine will follow a similar layout to HHC Magazine (Hip-Hop Connection).

I've researched various fonts and analysed HHC Magazine's language in order to know what type of language i should use in my magazine.

Kerrang Contents page

This is Kerrang's contents page, its more visual than NME's contents page. This could be because it targets a less educated audience. The language is also very expletive which shows it doesnt play on being rude like NME.

NME Contents

This is the contents pages for NME magazine. The page is split up into three sections, a band index section, a brief of an article followed by subscription information and small columns of exclusive extras available in the magazine. The contents title also follows uses the magazine name and its the same font as the masthead and the 'THIS WEEK' title next to it is simple block capitals.

The band index section is effective because offers a wide range of different artists and bands for their readers to read about and get exclusive information on. The middle section id effective because it gives brief information about an exclusive article and the subscription information effective because readers wont have to miss and issue. And the final section that's divided into columns that contains exclusives such as News, Radar, Reviews, Live, Features and a small PLUS column. The final section that's divided into different columns shows readers that the magazine has alot of information to offer. The radar columns shows the magazine has a large coverage of stories. The exclusive crystal castles story shows the band has come to NME and told the magazine their life story 'dead rats, crackheads and prostitutes.

The language used is poetic and there's an effective use of alliteration and rhetorical questions.

Overall the contents page also shows the magazine has a large coverage of artists and new in the music industry. The layout also follows the house style of the magazine, the language is dark and expletive. There are references to bands that only rock n roll fans would recognise.

Research for main task-NME

NME is a music magazine that targets teens and older rock and roll fans. The name NME actually stands for National Music Express but the name sounds like the word Enemy, which makes the magazine seem subversive. The magazine is also non-judgemental, it leaves its readers to draw their own conclusions from the articles published.

The main subversive image shows the singers from the electronic dance punk band crystal castles. They're photographed lying down on a white background, both wearing leather clothes which connotes the rock n roll look. The camera is above them which would make them look vulnerable but it doesn't they look challenging and thick-skinned. The female is wearing a short leather jacket with a hood and some black jeans. Some of her belly is shown which anchors sex appeal. Shes also seen smoking and has a channel tattoo on her stomach, this is also very subversive because it shows she doesn't care what other people think about her image. The male is also wearing a black leather jacket with a hood and black jeans. However most of the photo shows the female which suggests shes the dominant in the band and shes publicly recognised. The female models hand is also holding part of the masthead, this is effective because its connecting the band to the magazine and shows they have a close relationship with the magazine.

NME also uses unique selling points such as the exclusive Nirvana story, live reviews and lists of gigs, this is effective because it shows readers the magazines popularity and its got strong connections with successful artists in the music industry.

The language used for the straplines are dark and expletive, ' Crystal Castles Murder- Drugs and Twisted Love' is a example of the dark and expletive language, it also connotes the rebellious image of the band. Although the language is dark and expletive, its attracting readers because fans of the bands would want to know the latest celeb news.