Magazines
This is your first Textual Investigation
You will need to submit 2 of these for your Coursework requirements
This one is looking at Genre and there are specific titles which are
given by the exam board.
The Title isThe Title is : :
Investigate how Genre conventions are used in Investigate how Genre conventions are used in the cover of Style magazine.the cover of Style magazine.
Magazine Cover AnalysisInvestigate how Genre conventions are used Investigate how Genre conventions are used on the front cover of STYLE Magazine.on the front cover of STYLE Magazine.
Objectives
A02To Analyse and respond to media
texts/topics using media key concepts and appropriate terminology.
To see how the marks are awarded go to the website.
First we will do some revision What is a media TEXT?What is meant by genre? What is meant by convention?
We will now look at the Magazine Industry in general
Keep all notes and research.Then at magazine covers past and present to
analyse the generic conventions that occur on the covers.
Magazines come in two major categories General Interest /Lifestyle Specialist Magazines have to establish close relationships with readers. They often use a specialist language to attract target
audience and influence brand loyalty. Compare the language in Top Gear to the nme for example
Make 2 Lists showing examples of both types of magazine titlesMake 2 Lists showing examples of both types of magazine titles
Investigating Magazine Covers
Look at the media text book.Page 72: investigating covers Page 74 Analysing a front coverPage 76: uses and gratifications.Page 78: Ideology Page 92/93 Convergent media You can find more information on the media
edu website and log on to – Topics.
AudienceAudience
Target audience, can you identify the target audience? How?
Can you Identify the age, gender, race?
How might this effect the content?
GenreGenre
Do you buy magazines? What genre?Genres are constantly changing Hybrid/ cross genres. Examples?
Analysing Magazine Covers
We will analyse the front cover of Style magazine from May 2012 using the prompts and the example on page 75 of the new book
Style magazine is a monthly addition to the weekly Sunday Times magazine.
This a ‘free’ magazine given away with the Sunday paper.
Masthead style -connotations?
Branding, cross media links - Synergy
Mode of Address-P84
Buzz word
Genre signifiers
Key areas: age, Key areas: age, gender, ethnicity, gender, ethnicity, Positive / Positive / negativenegativeStereotypingStereotyping
Symbolic Symbolic codescodes
AudienceAudience
Camera shot /angles
Colour signifiers
Pun
Use of slang language - audience?
coverlines
Image Analysis- Analytical terms Try to use some of these when analysing your cd cover.
Camera shots CU, LS, etc. Depth of Field. Focus. Composition – rule of thirds, Golden section, Diagonals, Use of perspective. How is it framed- landscape, portrait, cropping eg cropped tightly Texture, grainy or glossy, why? Significance? Photo montage? Typical Codes and Conventions Stereotypical Camera shots – CU, VLS POV etc. Mode of address - direct , indirect – reasons?
Symbolic codes: Body language e.g his body language signifies he is in control. Gesture Dress Setting Composition: rule of thirds, perspective, Use of Colour to portray mood. Eg Blue= cold, sad. You should identify the range of symbolic codes and explain why you have been used by the
producers of the text.
Typographic codes: fonts, plain, bold, italic, decorative, serif / sans serif . Upper case , Lower case? Why are certain fonts more effective? A Serif font is perceived to be more classy and often used to
portray up-market goods. Why do Primary teacher always use ‘Comic sans’? ( sans–serif) sans = without in French Anchorage. Mise en scene, a useful word here which often describes many symbolic codes. Basically means ‘what
is in the frame’ Denotation and Connotation (same as signify and signified) Use the word signify to suggest the possible meanings to a signifier (sign).
Key areas for inclusion in investigation.
Key concepts covered• Conventions of Magazine covers.
• How people represented on the cover and in the media.-Image!
•What part does the magazine play in promotion and marketing?
• Audience, who are the target audience – Demographic.?
• Use of Text to Anchor meaning.
• Font style to show Genre..
•Are any narratives suggested on the cover?
•You must include references to other texts. Look at magazine websites or other similar magazines.
Genre
Representation
Organisations
Audience
Representation
Genre
Narrative
Convergence
Supplementary Texts
You must refer to other (Supplementary) Texts when completing the project.
These could include:An Alternative Magazine cover.Magazine websites - Synergy
Colour signifiersColour signifiersCOLOURS COLOUR INFLUENCE SYMBOLISM
REDActivating, warm, love, aggression,
extrovertLove, revolution, fury, aggression,
warning
ORANGEJoy, extrovert, encouraging,
activatingFire, heat, joy, sun, vitality
YELLOWStimulates, logical way of thinking,
joyCowardness, falseness, sickness,
vitality
GREENCalming, harmonizing, strength,
self controlHope, renewal, freshness, youth,
inmature, jealousy,
TURQUOISE Cooling, refreshing, calming Cold, freshness, eternity
BLUEPromotes concentration,
absorption, quiet, relaxingSadness, melancholy, quality,
stability, spiritual
PURPLERestlessness, nervousness, fear,
depressionStorm, solemn, spiritual, mystery
PINKStrains fear, stress and depression,
intuitionUnrealistic, fantasy, daydreaming
WHITE Hushing up, emptiness Purity, peace, innocence, sensitive
GREY Depression, balance, elegance Sadness, boring
BLACK Pessimism, depression Grief, evil, pessimism, ban
BROWN Stagnation, stabilising, safety Earth, safety, well-being