First magazine cover using In Design

 

Research of a front cover

 

The model on the cover, Rita Ora, is looking right into the camera. This is a convention of magazines as it is as if she is looking at the viewer. The medium long shot highlights her costume, a short, pale pink dress. It looks relaxed and playful. This cleverly matches the colours on the background and on the fonts. Her make up is natural apart from the eyeshadow and lipstick which is pink to match the mise en scene. The photograph is perfectly central and is in front of all the text, representing her importance. The masthead is right at the top and it in a different pink hue. This highlights the readers attention to the brand. All the fonts on the page are san serif which is neat and easy to read for the older teen and young adult target audience. All the text on the cover is in the same font and is one of three colours, black, white or pink. This creates synergy on the cover. There are also faint divides between the articles on the cover to separate it. The "H" at the bottom shows the publishing company Hearst. In addition to this, the only £1 in the white circle stands out because it is cheap for a magazine. This also links to the target audience of teen girls as this is easy to afford. 

Changes to Music Videos

 There are three types of music video:

1) Performance:

When the band / singer is performing. Usually the star exploiting their power.

2) Narrative:

Fragmented, small sections of a story.

3) Concept:

Ideological power and themes.

1975 - Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody

This is one of the earliest music videos. As you can see from the two images, it is performance all the way through. There is no hint of story in it at all. This was done to promote the band which is clear through all of the close up shots. It was also done to allow people to see the band performing as if it was live as in the 1970's, bands and artists such as Queen didn't tour and do shows as often as modern artists. 

1980 - The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star

This music video also contains performance. You can the the singer overlaid on the background on the image. This is still done to promote the band, as later you see other members of the band performing. The difference with this video is that it is conceptual as well. It highlights their concern for the industry with the introduction of video, saying it will "kill the radio." This is also seen through the futuristic mise en scene.  

1984 - Madonna - Material Girl

This music video changed peoples perception on what a music video could be. It incorporated Narrative with the performance. The performance includes choreography to match the music. This is highly voyeuristic. The narrative part works with the lyrics as well. The start of the video contains dialogue and not the song which was something completely new which has been continued until today. 

 

1999 - Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way 

This video highlights the rise of the boyband. There is a very minor narrative with the airport but it is mostly performance. This is seen through the close up of the singers and the choreography to match the music. This is still done to have the same affect as in the Queen video, to advertise the band and please the fans. This can be seen at the end of the video when all the fans join in the video. 

2009 - Lady Gaga - Telephone 

The video, like Madonnas, starts without the song and complete music. This narrative lasts for almost three minutes. This is when the performance and concept start. It is highly voyeuristic which would attract a certain type of audience. The music and the video work together with choreography, with Gaga by herself and with other dancers. This video also contains allusions. The clear one is to Kill Bill with the font at

the start and the car they leave the prison in. There are more subtle references, such as the big shoulders and dance moves which link to Micheal Jackson.  

Photograph analysis

 

In this photograph, the horizon line is in the upper third of the photography where the eye is first drawn to. The eye follows this along to the land on the right hand side which leads to the foreground. The wooden pillar is just of the centre to the right, following the rule of thirds in composition. The shutter speed is low on this photograph which makes the water blurry, creating the feeling of speed and action. 

Framing is used very effectively in this photograph. This sun can be seen through the archway. This creates a silhouette of the person walking down the stairs. The curvature of the stairs creates eye movement from left to right as if the viewer was walking down the stairs. 

Shot Types Photoshoot

 Close Up Shot:- 

A close up shot is very good at showing the fine details of something. In this example it shows the emotion of happiness. You can clearly see the wide smile and the emotion through the eyes. In addition to this, you can see the position of the shoulders which are at a slight angle which suggests excitement as well. 

Medium Shot:-

A medium shot not only shows facial expressions but also body posture and actions. This example shows a funny example where you can still see a smirk on the face but you can also see that the subjects posture which is slightly crouched and holding up the arms. This is useful to show a bigger picture than a close up shot. 

Long Shot:- 

A long shot shows the whole person in the frame. This shows everything that the person is doing so can reveal more than a medium shot. In this shot, you can see the subject is slouched over which implies boredom and tiredness. This is further shown through the lack of facial expressions. A long shot also shows the persons feet which can reveal whether they are planted and stationary or positioned as if they are about to move, creating action. 

First Elements 11 Practical

 

Whilst making this advert I learnt many different skills. I learnt how to import and crop a picture to make sure it was the correct size. I then learnt how to adjust the light levels of an image. In addition to this, I learnt how to add different layers, which can be seen with the text and the symbols. I also learnt how to delete a background off an image which can be seen with the noodle pot in the bottom left. 

Cultural Context in Media

 

There is a clear cultural context in the cover of this Billboard magazine regarding women. The pink background and flowers link to traditional stereotypes of women which are still very prominent today. The emphasised make up and red lip stick continue this. However it highlights the independence and equality women have gained. I’m addition to this, it highlights how women can be competitive and even better that men in a certain job or field highlighting a complete change in culture. With Billboard being an American magazine, it could suggest that in a western culture women are still viewed as traditional. Even the text continues this idea referring to her as a "Queen of pop." However, I think Katy Perry has chosen to represent herself like this to prove to people she can be anything she wants to be, even if that means following stereotypes. This could make her more close and relatable to some fans but could distance her from others. But in the past she has portrayed many different personas and this is another one. 

Historical Context in the Media

The left hand side of the advert is dark and in a sepia style. It is very plain and black and white, highlighting its age. This provides a direct contrast to the colourful new boot on the right. The age also shows how long the brand has been successful for at the top level in providing football boots for top teams such as Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona with talented football stars. This creates a sense of nostalgia for people that would've watches Muller playing in 2000 for Bayern Munich who will go on to trust this brand. It also created the idea of fandom for current supporters who watch Lionel Messi. This also highlights the history of the Adidas brand as a whole. Founded in1949 by Adi Dassler, the companies main goal was to make a difference in athlete performance. This can clearly be seen on the left hand side of the image as this boot helped Gerd Muller to succeed in a top European football team. The right han side shows the development of the company. Not only are they making these football boots for better athletic performance, but they evolving into new fashion trends which is emphasised by the use of colour and the footballer Messi, who is arguably the best footballer on the planet and a massive brand within himself. 

Fun With Fonts

 

Bold - Important

Lines through it make it look fast and full of action

Very sleek and modern 

San Serif - looks clean and tidy 

Wavy - looks like the music 

Bold - importance

Thin, sharp and aggressive. Looks dangerous like it could hurt someone. It also looks compressed like it is about to jump out and scare someone. 

Serif - Relaxed playful and childish 

Tail of the g matches the film, continues being playful

Broad and heavy. It almost looks sluggish and slow. Looks very 60's like the Beatles. 

Newspaper Reader Statistics

 

These pictures are from Statista. They show the reader numbers of UK papers. This clearly highlights that tabloids and red top tabloids with their exaggerated and sensationalist headlines.  

Stereotypes in magazines and advertising

 Age: 

The stereotype is that all old people are angry and complain about everything that happens and shout a lot. Producers chose this stereotype because they think this is how old people should be because they can't do anything with life anymore. 

Gender:

This stereotype is of women staying home and doing house work. Producers chose this as it is the traditional view of woman. 

Ethnicity:

The stereotype is that all Muslims are terrorists and people are afraid of them.  The producer used this shot as it highlights the abuse Muslims face because of their beliefs. 

Sexuality:

The stereotype is that all women enjoy physical contact and lesbians kiss all the time. The producer chose this photo as it shows this between two women . 

Class and Status:

The stereotype is that all lower class people are 'chavs.' This has been portrayed in many tv programs such as little Britain.

Analysis of magazine covers 2

 Q Magazine

The logo of the magazine is very large and prominent. It is surrounded by a red box with the tag line in. This is significant as Q Magazine is very big in the music category and this shows how important they know they are. The colour red also contrasts with the blue background and highlights you should stop and read it. The key words on the front page are also in red, as if they were chosen by the magazine to be the best parts as it matches the logo. In the top right corner there is text that reads "The 50 Worst decisions in music." This is highly controversial as this may include a readers favourite song or artist as all people have different tastes in music and lead to them disliking Q magazine. The large title at the bottom is obviously the magazines key selling point. If you're a fan of The 1975 then you would buy this magazine as the front cover clearly suggests there is an in depth article on them. In addition to this, the bottoms of the letters fade into the background as if they are under water with the band. The main photo is of the band, "The 1975" all underwater which links to the title of the article, in deep with the 1975. It shows them all hurdles together as if the are one team but one of the members is looking down the camera as if he is enticing you to come and be a part of the team by buying the magazine. This image also makes up the whole background, being blue and underwater.  

The Big Issue 

The Big Issue's logo is prominent in the centre of the magazine. This along with the red boarder. Red is a royal colour and also tells readers to stop and read it as it looks important. To the left of the logo is the date, price and tag line. These are just in white so they don't take attention away from the logo. The main feature is in the same style as the big issue logo which creates continuity and makes you look there. This suggests that it is as important as the logo in selling this magazine. The background is simple and just blue. This helps the reds of the text to stand out and helps the characters to stand out. It could also be argued that blue is quiet a formal, almost royal colour as well. The two characters have been drawn by the creators of Horrible Histories. This tv show has been running since 2009 and many children along with adults will be fond with it which encourages them to buy the magazine. It is also highly comical with Henry VIII eating a drumstick. This is continued by the text next to him saying "It made us laugh your heads off" with the "your" in italics. This is funny as Henry VIII was famous for beheading people, including his wives. This image of Henry VIII is partially infant of the big issue logo which highlights that this is the magazines key selling point and that they have a wide target audience.      

Differences between Broadsheet and Tabloid

 Broadsheet:-

Broadsheet papers are more formal than tabloids. Originally, they where A2 paper size, hence the name but most have reduced their size to reduce costs. Many have more subtle metaphors and complex sentences as it is aimed at people with a higher reading age. Also, it gives more facts and statistics rather that the journalists view which makes them a more reliable source of information than tabloids. 

Tabloid:-

Tabloids are much more informal than broadsheets. As you can see from this example of the daily star, it look extremely childish and like the cover of a comic rather than a newspaper. They have much simpler puns and a lot of exaggeration. It is colloquial and informal, for example in this paper they refer to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson and "Bozo." There are also offers on the front page such as holiday offers and free things inside. 

Research:- codes & conventions of magazine front covers

 

Cosmopolitan 

This magazine has a bright, floral colour scheme. There are selections of dulled pinks and purples. These are highly feminine colours to attract the target audience. The title is in a bright yellow. This is also a floral colour but contrasts to the other colours. This combined with the large bold text helps it to stand out and suggests how this magazine can help the women to stand out.  The subject is looking directly at the camera, as if she is looking right at the reader, encouraging them to buy and read the magazine. Her hair is also wavy and free. This combined with her wide smile and the low exposure helps the image look warm and approachable as well as being very summary. This is continued through the summer dress she is wearing which highlights the maturity of the woman and that the magazine can appeal to a wide spectrum of women. On the left hand side there are a lot of buzz words which have been put in italics with exclamation marks to show their important. ie "genius!" would make the woman feel more confident about herself. It is very targeted and stereotypical though, as it is telling women to shop but this is reaching out to the magazines target audience. 

GQ

The colour scheme is completely different for this magazine. It is monochrome, just white black and red being the only colour which is predominantly a male colour. This makes the riding in red stand out, such as the main feature which is in large black text but with a red indent. Also, the white background makes the magazine look clean and fresh. On the left hand side a '+' symbol is used instead of and. This shows that it is technical and mathematical which is stereotypically things men are good at so it attracts their target audience. The subject in the photo is looking straight into the camera, having the same affect. His eyes look more fixed and serious which is also seen through the lack of a smile. This along with his simple black and white clothing helps him to look sophisticated and implies the magazine can help men do that. It is a high exposure, making the man look like he is on show to the world. His power is also seen through his slicked back hair and the fact his photo is infant of the magazine logo, suggesting he is more important than the magazine or that he makes the magazine.

How the news differs from online to print

The key differences are the advertisements. Because you don't have to pay for the online version, this helps the mail to make money. Also, the headlines are more prominent in the physical paper. There are more images to entice people to the stories on the website. There are also interactive sections on the website including the lockdown counter and  the ability to comment on articles.

 

The Guardian online is different from the paper version again because it free. There is a persistent pop-up asking to subscribe to and complete a monthly payment. The online version on this day was more focused on the politics whereas the paper version was using a picture of Dame Diana Rigg who passed away the day before. In addition to this, the online version is very well layed out with sub categories for different topics, eg sports.   

 

Online News Consumption

Online news consumption has risen massively over the last 5 years with the percentage of adults buying a physical paper newspaper dropping to 38%. In a survey in 2019, 66% of adults got their news from online sources. This is more than the percentage who get their news from BBC1 which is at 58%. However, all the TV news stations combined are still the most popular way of adults consuming news at 75%. In addition to this, 50% of adults also consume news from social media because there is a large boom in social media usage. The internet is the most popular form of news consumption for people aged 16-24s at 82% as they find apps on their smartphones or follow news accounts on social media. This is personally what I do as I find it faster and more convenient than watching the news, especially when I am busy.   

This graph shows the most popular forms of news 

Researching Media Institutions

 Netflix

In 1997, Netflix was founded under the name of Kibble by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolf. However it only started streaming in April 1998. Back then it only had 925 titles available to watch whereas now there are 13,941 titles available to stream. As of 2019 there are 151 million paying subscribers and it generates 15% of the worlds internet traffic.  

Bauer Media

It is one of the largest magazine publishers in Poland, Germany, USA and the UK. They publish over 400 magazines and employ over 12,000 staff. It is currently headed by Yvonne Bauer in the fifth generation of the family. The company was started in 1875 and they printed business cards.

Disney

The Walt Disney company started in 1923 when they started making comics and animations. In 1937, Disney's first full length film was created, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. They went on to release another 425 movies to date and that figure is still climbing. In addition to this, Disney created their own streaming service, Disney Plus, in November 2019.

Radio 1

The radio station was launched in 1967 by the BBC to reach 20-20 year olds. This was when the average age of the population was 27. Currently the target audience is 15-29 and the average listener is 30 years old. In 1991, Radio one started 24 hour streaming. 

Sande 'Heaven'

 The lyrics in this song work very well with the music video. At times when Sandeeps sings 'Will you recognise me?' there are silhouettes under a bridge and you are not able to work out who they are. Also, when she sings 'nothing like before' there is footage of babies and toddlers. This highlights how change is inevitable and people become completely different. Physical text reading "fear is your only god" is written on a dirty window which shows how people are controlled by their fears and live according to them, avoiding what they are afraid of. This could be a social comment to viewers that they should face their fears and not let them control their life. Furthermore, there are comments on suffering including shots of a homeless man whilst Sande sings about waiting. This conveys that people suffer whilst waiting and staying hopeful that their situation may change and that it isn't fair. Continuing with this is the theme of drug use and abuse which can be seen through smoking and passing around a lighter. This shows that this is the only way to get through the day for some people and it becomes their lifeline. Repeated throughout the video is the motif of angels with the tattoos and graffiti as if they are watching the situation unfold. This also links the the lyrics in the chorus and the title of the song.

This extreme close up shot shows this mans wrinkled face, messy hair and tired eyes implying he is suffering. He is a hopeless man and probably not slept or washed properly in weeks and the close up nature very clearly and effectively shows this.  

The phrase "FEAR IS YOUR ONLY GOD" is written on the dirty window and can be seen in this close up shot. This shows that not only people are suffering but the windows and buildings are as they are being left dirty. This is further supported with the shots of graffiti later on. It could be that Sande is suggesting that the peoples suffering rubs off on the surroundings or vice versa.  

This wide shot shows a silhouette under a bridge which matches what Sande is singing at this time, "Will you recognise me?" As you can't recognise any features of this person and can only see an outline.   

This close up shot shows Sande singing in the music video. I find this interesting as she is putting herself in the same situation as the suffering characters in the video, in a bus shelter and on the streets. This could suggest that she is the angel like figure and shows the other people that there is a way out. 

The POV shot shows a lighter being passed between two people. This links in with the theme of drug use and suffering. This is effective and it makes you feel like you are involved within the transaction and getting stuck with the people that are suffering. 

Guetta 'Titanium'

 Narrative: 

The one key word that stood out to me whilst watching the music video was perseverance. It opens with the boy in the school surrounded by destruction that he caused. He goes past a teacher who is obviously frightened and out the building past the police car and rides his bike away at supernatural speed. He obviously knows that he has to get away and tries everything in his power to do so. He uses his powers to distract the police with the floating teddies and eventually to disappear when held at gunpoint. 

However I interpreted the video as metaphoric, as we all have are individual powers and strengths to make us Titanium and unbeatable. 

In this image we see a wide shot of the boy. The use of the wide shot here is effective as it highlights the damage that has been caused by the 'supernatural event.' But it also captures the characters reaction with his whole body language. 

This extreme close up of the boy riding his bike. It shows the determination and the heavily blurred background helps to emphasise the supernatural speed at which he is traveling. 

This three shot conveys that despite having supernatural powers, the protagonist can fit into any regular scene.

I feel this POV shot is very effective as it shows exactly what the police officer saw. It is confusing when first scene and help the viewer share confinement and amazement with the character. 

This over the shoulder shot shows the trouble the main character is in as e is being held at gunpoint. Despite this he still proves that he is titanium and gets out of the situation.