The document outlines tasks for analyzing magazine front covers, including recapping conventions, completing an analysis of a specific cover, and representing genres. It then defines terms used in magazine cover design like masthead, cover lines, and pull quotes. The remainder of the document provides guidance on analyzing representations, language, and ideologies portrayed in magazine covers.

1.  Tasks: 1. Recap conventions of magazine
front covers (test your understanding on
slide 6+7)
 Task 2: Complete the analysis on slide
11(if this is not the genre you want to do,
you can pick a front cover on your
genre)
 Task 3 –Representations slide

2.  Masthead
 Cover lines
 Cover stories
 Pictures and captions
 Route of the eye
 Principle of thirds
 Pull quotes
 Hot spots
 Kicker and explanatory text
 Language and register
 Mise en scene- Position, pose, costume,
eye contact /gaze, facial expression
 Camera angle
 Font style, size, colour

3.  Definition: Often seen in newsletters and
magazines, the kicker is a short phrase
found set above the headline. Usually set
Kicker in a smaller type than the headline, the
kicker can serve as an introduction or as a
type of section heading to identify a
regular column, for instance.
 This is a quote taken directly from the
interview and used to draw audiences in
Pull quote

4.  Layout (Rule of thirds) (camera angle) (text)
 Image- Direct pose?
Sexual/seductive/aggressive
 Text- Style of text and impact of this
 Audience profile- who is the audience for this
magazine and how do we know?
 Ideology- What ideas is the magazine
portraying?
 Representation- what representations is the
magazine giving of itself and of others?


5. Direct mode of
address
Masthe
ad Main kicker
Kickers
Pull quote direct
from the
interview

6. Analyse and identify
what is being used in
this front cover to
create meaning for the
audience

7. Selling
line/logo
Consistent
recognisable
masthead
Cover
Pull
stories
quote
Main cover
line
Strapline

8.  House style represented through colours
 Different to normal issues of Q due to the destruction
of the mast head
 The smashing of the masthead suggests that the artist
is someone who may like to break conventions and
does not like restrictions within their music
 Reliance on the selling logo to suggest to the
audience that this is a magazine they should by as it
is the best one
 In terms of mode of address the artist is not looking at
the audience, Q is his main goal
 The pull quote is interesting and mysterious and
therefore pulls the reader in, wanting to know more.

9.  Subverting conventions without the
backward s
 Strapline (Advertising line )
 U.S.P- Unique selling point
 Language and register
 Mode of address
 Photos and how they create meaning

10. Skyline Flash / button
/selling line
Main image
Cover line
/kicker Pull qoute
Model
credit
Secondary
images Explanatory
text
Footer

11. How is meaning
created?

12.  For the task you will need to consider
what representation is created across
the slides: 3-8
 Why? Evaluation question 2 asks:
2. How does your media product represent
particular social groups?
You will need to identify the typical representation for your genre and
then either use or challenge it.

13.  You will need to think of how the music
genre and lifestyle is represented and also
what this says about the representation of
the audience (we will be doing a
representation task next week so it is
important to consider it)
 You can choose to focus on the overall
representation of the magazine or a
specific front cover: whatever is easiest for
you.
 See exemplar on next page.

14. The magazine Vibe enforces typical
representations of the R+B/ Gangster
lifestyle. The use of mise en scene connotes
the lifestyle focusing on one main artist. The
use of white, whilst usually connotes puriy is
at odds with the body language and
performance of the cover star.
Akons pose reflects that he is holding a gun-
this suggests that the music
Hs facial expression connotes sadness,
perhaps suggesting that he is not promoting
this lifestyle or is reflecting the reality of te
lifestyle that is represented. The idea of
wealth and ‘bling’ that is synonymous with
the gangster lifestyle s evident through the
use of costume- the use of necklace , watch
and bling belt connote a sense of wealth,
representing that this is how success is
reflected. The use of Konvict on his necklace
relies on fans knowledge of Akon as he
always refers to it in his songs- however it also
represents the slightly darker, criminal side to
the lifestyle.

16. NME magazine

21.  This is the language that is used within the
magazine and can often be genre specific.
 This will deal with things like slang and
informal language which may be used to
make the reader feel that the magazine is
in a sense a friend.
 The register is the tone with which the
magazine is talking to its audience. This can
be informal, chatty etc

22. Casual/informal
tone
Direct mode of
address
Genre
specific
language

23. Iconography
•What messages do the
pictures give?
•What impression is the
audience meant to have?
•What is the camera angle
and how does this create
meaning?
•What is the tone of the
facial expression?
•How does costume add to
the meaning which is
created?
•How is language used to
connote meaning?

24.  Using a front cover, either that you have
been working on or a new one- identify
the language that is used- how does it
create meaning and speak to the
audience
 (link it in with the representation)

25.  Task: Now developing these skills
 1. Your front cover analysis needs to reflect :
how meaning is created through mise en
scene, font etc
 Language
 Representation
 (you can use the front covers on slides 26-30
or pick your own)

31.  For homework:
 Ensure that you have updated your music
magazine analysis to include all the things we
have discussed today.
 Ensure that you have analysed at least 5 front
covers (two from last lesson) at least 2/3 today
and 1/2 from homework: discussing how they
create meaning. On your blog, I will be able to
see your representation analysis as well.
 This should be on your blog by Fridays lesson

32.  Email Miss Casman
 How do you feel about the skills you
have developed so far?
 Do you feel there are any areas you
need to develop/ support from me
 Do you feel you are ready to move on to
analysing the next stage?
 Do you have any concerns?