Answering Q1B: The Essay

MR NAG:
Media Language
Representation
Narrative
Audience
Genre

One piece of coursework


Genre:
John Friske:
“attempts to structure some order into the wider range of texts and meanings that circulate in our culture for both the convenience of both producers and consumers.”

I made my magazine genre choices convenient for my target audience because they would understand them and be able to follow them. It was convenient for both parties. 

Andre Basin:
“genres make magazine covers more efficient (by allowing the re-using of fonts, images and the like) and more marketable (by using generic conventions as a way of ‘selling’ the film to the target audience)."

I agree with Andre Basin's theory because I made my product efficiently and quickly because I knew what a music magazine looked like and I used the colours and fonts that my audience would want to see - they understand it's a music magazine because of this.

Todorov:
“Scientific method does not require us to observe every instance of a phenomenon in order to describe it; scientific method proceeds rather by deduction” (Todorov, 1970).

I agree with Todorov's theory - we don't need to see every single music magazine cover to understand that it's a music magazine - we can understand the genre through conventions picked up.


Narrative:
Roland Barthes:
“Linearity of cause and effect within an overall trajectory of enigma resolution”

In some respects, my magazine follows the theory of Barthes - it allows the audience to ask questions about a certain aspect of my image. My magazine presents a woman who looks sad/lonely maybe, whereas, her clothing also presents her as rebellious and outgoing - these concepts appeal to my audience. However Barthes' theory relates to more traditional narratives, my image doesn't really have linearity about it.

Claude Levi-Strauss:
Claude Levi-Strauss' (“binary opposition”) – night/day, good/bad, light/dark, good/evil etc. He observed that these oppositions tended to structure texts narratives.

I agree with Levi-Strauss' idea of binary opposition through use of magazine conventions. Elements such as the masthead against the background, colours such as red and black against a light beige and text boxes alongside non-text text boxes.

Meg Tilley:

Action Codes’ are a short hand way of advancing a narrative. Action codes are part of the ‘Continuity Editing System’ and are used to signal to the audience that something is about to happen, helping the audience to predict what is going to happen next.

My magazine shows a narrative thrust through connotations attached with her holding a guitar - this presents her as an avid musician.


Representation:
Hall & Holmes:
“All media texts are re-representations of reality…they may be stereotypes or they may be complex representations but it is important to remember that they have been constructed to appeal to a particular target audience” (Hall and Holmes 1998).
I chose the model that I did because they would represent my target audience through the following ways. Her age represents the audience's age, her dress sense would reflect their stereotypical 'alternative' audience and her use of make-up would also fit their desires. 

Stanley Hall:
 “Adolescence is inherently a time of storm & stress when ‘all’ young people go through some degree of emotional and behavioural upheaval, before establishing a more stable equilibrium at adulthood."

Hall's Storm & Stress model is shown through my work as my model presents themes concerning rebellion and behavioural upheaval - this is through hair, make-up and clothing.

Laura Mulvey:
“As erotic objects of desire for the characters within the screen story, and as erotic objects of desire for the spectator within the auditorium.”

I have rejected Mulvey's theory because it wouldn't represent my audience in the same style as to what would fit the genre and audience. For instance, my model is wearing full clothing. Despite this, the way that my model is looking at the camera an the way that her coat is open, may suggest a sense of desire and sexual drive to my audience.

Audience:
Hall & Holmes:
“Any media text is created for a particular audience and will usually appeal most to this particular target audience”

In my media product, I created it with the target audience in mind - my audience doesn't want to be challenged.

I also had to create an image which was acceptable to who I was taking the photo. The creator of the image, the publisher of the image and the person in the image has to be acceptable in terms of representation as it needs to present the organisation who publishes the image as well as the model's credibility in such a way.

Morley 1980 Reception Reading: My product could be viewed in a variety of way - the first of these is the preferred reading. This is the reading which I want my audience to recognise my product as. The negotiated reading presents an audience which isn't particularly clear - this could be down to a preferred interest in my product - however as a producer I don't mind this reading as my audience are still showing an interest in the content. The oppositional reading shows an audience who dislike my product or look at my product in the wrong way, therefore they buy my product with the intention of not liking it, however wanting to read it regardlessly.

Hypodermic Needle Theory:
The media injects its ideas into us and we follow ideas presented.

I did not use the hypodermic needle theory. 

Uses & Gratifications Theory - Blumlar & Katz:
Diversion, Personal Relationships, Personal Identity and Surveillance.

In terms of diversion, my magazine is an escape from reality - people can use it to read about music. In terms of surveillance we use the media to learn about the world. In terms of personal identity, we learn about each other. In terms of personal relationships,

Constructing an Essay - Question 1B

Analyse one of your media products in relation to audience.

Plan.

8 Paragraphs

Para One =
Start with a quote
Introducing what you've made, who's it for, genre etc.
Introducing target audience
Link back to the question

Para Two = 
Media Theories
Hypodermic Needle Theory
Reading Theories
Mass/Niche Audience

Para Three =
Demographics
Audience Profiling

Para Four =
Specifics about your product in terms of your audience
How technology has changed the way you've made your product

Para Five =
Uses and Gratification - Commodification theory

Para Six =
Preferred Reading

Para Seven = 
What is not successful - how may it not represent your audience - what went wrong/negatives/downsides

Para Eight =
Conclusion
Summarise which media theories you've used
Success of your product

Question 1B

MR NAG:
Media Language - meaning, what's being said?
Representation - everything has a meaning/how things/ideas are shown 
Narrative - how we construct stories
Audience - who is it for, how does it shape what I've made?
Genre - the type of thing I'm looking at

Media Language:
- My magazine follows conventions and represents the audience through images, a masthead, bar code, a main story, along with smaller stories around the outside. I have used a colour palate to represent the genre along with allowing for an attractive layout. Bold text makes important sections stand out, along with a lexis which follows the audience's desires. I've used a conventional layout to connote the message which my magazine needs to, to achieve its desired audience.

Representation:
- In terms of representation through imaging, I have chosen a model which fits a similar demographic as to who my target audience is. She is dressed accordingly, is the same age as my target audience and looks serious - which fits the convention. I wanted to create a cover which portrayed the conventions - this is done through the connotations of rebelliousness shown through her 'wild' hair colour. My model is looking straight at the camera which invites the audience into the magazine, and helps to make them engaged.

Narrative:
- I have tried to connote a narrative through my image - I have tried to make my model look in such a way so that she connotes the story inside the magazine. She looks like she's been through a lot - like she's got 'a story to tell'. This in turn engages the audience as they become interested in her story. I wanted my model to look serious and edgy, as this would also connote the link of depression, which is associated with my young target audience.

Audience:
- I chose a range of techniques and ideas according to what my target audience want and look for in a product. For example, the colour range - black and red connote love, depression and rebellion, therefore connoting my audience. I have demonstrated a range of indie/alternative artists so that I can try to attract the whole of the indie market. The fact that my magazine follows convention is used because that's what they look for in a magazine. Moreover, my main model represents and shapes how my magazine connotes my audience - she's dressed in such a way so that she can attract their attention. My target audience are young, are avid music fans, are rebellious and a lot of them will try to stand out from the crowd.

Genre:
- I have tried to follow a range of conventions through my magazine cover so that my audience can understand the product and genre. There are a range of specific techniques and styles associated to the genre (indie/alternative). This is done through conventional colours, the masthead (at the top left and takes up 1/8th of the page), a large main image and smaller stories around the outside.


Theories:
The media language question will allow you to write about all theories. 

Representation:
As you know from your AS and A2 work, this includes the following: age, gender, sexuality, class and status, ability disability, race and ethnicity, national and regional identity. I must also describe concepts and ideas, political, social and cultural. We will need to discuss stereotypes and the male gaze. Representation is also a political decision.

Narrative:
Barthes, Thodorrov, Propp, Levi-strauss - came up with narrative theories. 

Audience:
Mass audiences & niche audiences. Demographics - who is the audience made up of 

Hypodermic needle theory - the media tell you what to do
/ Uses and gratifications theory

Genre:
John Friske, genre attempts to structure some order into things.

Genre relies on the codes and conventions being recognised.


Question 1B.
25 marks, 30 minutes. 
Write about one concept (one of the 'Mr Nags')
I am describing only one of my products. Allowed to choose any one product.

1. How does your product target an audience?
Use the life matrix to categorise your audience.

My audience is aimed at a young audience, aimed roughly around 16 and 20. My product targets my audience through use of images (through rebellious clothing, bright hair and piercings), through use of dark, bold type, which connotes depression and also through use of story lines which appeal to my audience. My audience is in social group B-C2 and this is shown through use of rebellion. In terms of LifeMatrix, my product falls into the 'Tribe Wired' category, which states ''digital, free-spirited, creative young singles'. Moreover, my audience are the following: 'Aspirers: look to the media to improve their lives, to define themselves: need 'cool' 'relevant' media' and 'Individuals: highly media aware, anti-commercial, sophisticated, complex intertextual requirements'.

2. How does your product fit into Uses and Gratifications theory and how do these areas overlap?

My product fits into the Uses and Gratifications Theory through the following points. Firstly, through 'personal relationships' - this works as the magazine's audience can share information that they read inside. They can share interests and talk about different topics inside. Secondly, in terms of 'identity', my audience will read my product and shape their personality and interests through topics, images and text - they will want to become the 'stars' who appear inside the magazine. Thirdly, 'Surveillance' is used in such a way so that my audience rely on the magazine to inform them about the music world and their favourite bands and artists. Finally, Diversion allows my audience to escape modern issues and become entertained within the product.

3. Effects theory: How does the need to commodify your media product make it less 'honest'?

I have made my product into a commodity through use of a barcode, a price, the date and a large masthead with the name of the magazine. This has allowed my product to become something which can be bought and sold.

4. Interface: How would your media product have differed if it had been produced in the past for a less 'sophisticated/attention-deficient' audience?

Hypothetically, if my product were to have been created in the past with less sophisticated equipment, it would have been a lot harder and a lot more expensive to create. This is due to digital advances, including the use of digital cameras as appose to film, along with digital programming as appose to old-fashioned print making tools. I would have had to have planned my photo shoot to the exact shot to ensure there was no wasted film, along with working with limited resources e.g. lighting etc.

5. How are your audience likely to respond to your media product?

I would like my audience to understand my magazine cover in terms of the 'preferred reading' - they would understand my product in the sense which it is intended. They would be interested in indie music in and drawn in because of the concepts intended and shown. My audience may also understand my product in an opposition sense - they may buy the product, however dislike my product and complain about the content. They may buy it with the intention of disliking the content. Finally, my audience may buy my product with a negotiated view - they may buy my product, however for different reasons to how I intended. They may buy my product for example because they like the colour of my model's jumper - not the intended reason for the product to be on the market.

6. Ideology: Does your media product have explicit and implicit ideology?

I decided to choose a specific person, who would fit the genre, audience and purpose, to star on my magazine. I made sure that that they were of the correct genre and also connoted the correct mise-en-scene. In terms of ideology, I tried to represent the connotations attached with this genre of magazine - both explicitly and also implicitly. Through use of explicit themes I decided to connote 'female' based connotation as girls - in my target audience -  would want to dress like how my model has dressed. Moreover, this is similar to how my competitors decided to represent their target audience. In terms of denotation, and also in terms of an implicit nature, my model presents alternative clothing, which presents my audience. I have decided to represent 'indie/alternative' clothing as this presents a type of 'currency' to my audience. They want to be like the 'indie' artists they see on the magazine cover, and their clothing, lifestyle and the way that they present themselves acts as a type of 'currency' for my reader.

7. What is a marxist reading of your media product?

In terms of marxism, my magazine tries to make my audience buy a product which they don't need/necessarily want.

8. Hegemony: How does your media product reinforce the current cultural hegemony?

 9. Post Moderninsm: How could your product be defined: traditional/modernist/post-modernist?

10. How 'real' in terms of Baudrillard is your media product?

In terms of reality in my image, it is highly 'unreal', due to the series of events concerning posing, camera angle, editing etc. I have tried to convey reality through fictional events, following on from ideas attached with Baudrillard. Things like miss-en-scene, camera work and editing all add to this. My image included levels of verisimilitude, as I have tried to convey reality in terms of my model and her 'look'. Despite the image's lack of reality, I have attempted to create themes concerned with verisimilitude. 







LEVI STRAUSS Binary theory 'the media exists in creating a series of easily understood oppositions.'

in my magazine I have used the Levi Strauss' Binary theory to create contrast and opposition. In terms of colours, I have used colours which oppose each other, along with adding a bevel on text to create opposition in that department. Furthermore, I have incorporated thick type faces along with bold ones, along with the colour red standing out from white and black. I have also incorporated lower case text, as oppose to mostly uppercase, to connote contrast.

BLUMLER "People see themselves reflected in the media they choose to consume..."

I have tried to represent my audience through a range of theories, ideas, conventions and stereotypes. I have tried to represent rebellion and depression as these are conventions presented by Stanley Hall. Males will like my magazine as they will see my model in terms of 'sexual desire' (Laura Mulvey), whereas females will like my magazine as they will want to be like my model. The bold type on my cover represents a male audience and connotes an 'indie' theme - bold is commonly associated with 'manliness'. The clothing of my model will connote an 'indie' theme which will attract that area of my audience.

BARTHES Enigma Codes Theory  "We read the media as a series of enigmas (puzzles) to be solved."

My magazine leaves a range of points which aren't pointed up on the cover - I create a range of points which are unanswered, making my audience want to purchase the magazine and find out more. 

MULVEY The male gaze "the media constructs women as objects of erotic desire."

I have chosen my model to be an 'object of erotic sexual desire' for my male audience, as stated by Laura Mulvey's Male gaze theory. My model has this impression due to her tight leggings and 'erotic' clothing. 

Z-PATTERN Gestalt Theory of patterns. Rule of thirds.

I have incorporated the rule of thirds into my magazine cover - this is a theory which explores how we view the world in nicely ordered boxes - in this case a three by three grid. I have incorporated specific parts of my cover in specific points - these points are areas which the eye is attracted to.



Taylor Swift:

1. How does a Taylor Swift target her audience?
Use the life matrix to categorise the audience.

Taylor Swift doesn't target her audience. Her marketing team does it for her. In terms of her audience, they target 'mainstreamers', who like safe secure non-threatening media, in terms of LifeMatrix. Her team present her as an object of male gaze (through the theory of Laura Mulvey) for a male audience; they also present her in such a way so that her female audience want to be like her. Her audience is young and in a relatively low social bracket

2. How Taylor Swift fit into Uses and Gratification theory and how do these areas overlap?

In terms of Taylor Swift and the Uses and Gratifications theory I think that she mainly focuses on the 'identity' section, as we use the media to help shape who we are and how we behave. She also presents the area of 'diversion' as we use the media to entertain us and to escape from real life. We use Taylor so that we can entertain ourselves - to divert ourselves - her music can tell us about the world around us - and also we can use her to 'help us deal with people' - through conversation regarding her music.

3. Effects theory: How does the need to commodify Taylor Swift make her less 'honest'?

Regarding the effects theory and the Frankfurt School, Taylor has been turned into a commodity - something that can be bought and sold. Through use of her music, merchandise and her relationship with her audience is based on this relationship of buying and selling.

4. Interface: How would Taylor Swift be different if it had been produced in the past for a less 'sophisticated/attention-deficient' audience?

If Taylor Swift was produced in the past years from when she was previously produced, her music and image seems reasonably traditional in terms of how female pop stars have been presented throughout recent decades. However, through use of social mediums such a twitter and youtube, we can experience her product now and interact with her on twitter when we please - something completely unheard of 10 years ago.

5. How are an audience likely to respond to Taylor Swift? (Preferred, negotiated, oppositional.)

Taylor Swift would like her audience to respond to her in a preferred style - this is where her audience responds to her due to an interest in her music. The negotiated reading of Taylor from her audience is listening to her music, while also looking at her in a slight sexual way - she amplifies this and knows that her audience may view her as this and tries to present herself in this way. 

6. Ideology: Does Taylor Swift have explicit and implicit ideology?

In terms of implicit and explicit ideology, Taylor Swift presents family, honesty, friendship and innocence. Relationship advice from Taylor. Taylor presents boys as bad. Also you need to get lost before you are truly lost. The video acts like a little soap opera which appeals to the audience because it tells them how to act. 0 

7. What is a marxist reading of Taylor Swift?

8. Hegemony: How does Taylor Swift reinforce the current cultural hegemony?

 9. Post Moderninsm: How could Taylor Swift be defined: traditional/modernist/post-modernist? (do one for each)

10. How 'real' in terms of Baudrillard is Taylor Swift?