Task 2 (A) Textual Analysis of 2 Magazines (Or More)

Quick Notes and Images:

• Vibe magazine Usher
• Contents page
• Image
• Medium Long Shot
• Body language
• Mise en Scene: Clothing
• Page Layout
• One Column
• Features is a sub heading
• Features: In depth, longer articles
• Page Numbers in chronological order
• Lots of advertising
• Double page spread
• Mid Shot
• Cigar: Old school glamour
• Expensive
• 3 columns
• Using a Q and A structure

VIBE MAGAZINE COVER

Genre Evidence

• Main Image/Cover Star is Usher and this reflects the genre of the magazine as Usher is widely known as an RnB and Hip Hop music artist. The simplistic sans serif font which is easy to read and decode for the audience is also evidence for this magazine’s genre. The skyline also features names of other famous artists like John Legend and Jim Jones who are also famous names in the RnB and Hip Hop genres. The designer sunglasses and that watch that Usher is also wearing also reinforces the point that this is a hip hop and RnB magazine as it connotes global superstar quality.

• 3 colour scheme (black, blue and yellow) This is to keep the magazine clear and simple so the audience can decode with ease. Too many colours would make the cover look a bit too messy and difficult to decode.

• Low angle shot connotes dominance and the power of Usher as a global superstar who is famed around the world.

• MLS (medium long shot) has been done to show the audience precisely the details of Usher’s clothing, for example: White clean t-shirt along with dog tag reinforces star status, zip is undone to reveal it and to make Usher look more sexually attractive. The aviator designer shades and watch makes Usher connotes wealth, power, fame which also reinforces his star status.

• Mise-En-Scene: Usher styled as pilot, aeroplane in background, pilot costume, Aviator shades – link to pilot, also star status). 

• The aeroplane in the background contains the text “USA” which connotes Usher’s iconic, global, American superstar status.

• (Possibly natural) High key lighting (possibly of the sun) emphasises Usher’s star quality.

Page layout, Image, language

• Mast head behind cover star.... this is to put more emphasis on the cover star and to insinuate his significance. Masthead is easily recognisable so it would not be a problem for the audience to decode that it is a vibe magazine.

• Anchorage in the main cover line which reflects the image as it is helping the audience to decode who the cover star (Usher) is.

• Sky line – other stars, key selling point as it contains

• QR code, Barcode which are essential for the magazine’s selling purposes.

• Website link (URL) to promote the magazine and company and to create growth on social media.

• Other cover lines to advertise and attract audience's attention as they contain names of other famous people like Le Bron James.

• Sans serif font so reading and decoding is easier for the audience as it is simplistic.

• Puff = “Meet the mean girls +” Language is fairly more informal e.g. “Young and Reckless”

Contents Page

Notes

• Image
• medium long shot
• Body Language (Mise-En-scene) – Clothing
• Page Layout
• 1 Column
• Features – SUB-HEADING
• Vibe logo
• 
  
• This contents page is taken from the VIBE issue featuring Usher on the front cover. The masthead reads "Featured" instead of "Contents" and the various articles in the magazine are listed in a column format on one side.

• By observing the contents page, it is pretty plausible that this is the same magazine, which is extremely essential, as a lack of correlation between the front cover and the rest of the magazine can lower the standard of the magazine.

Mise En Scene, Image, Layout

• Usher is seen standing with legs apart with a confident posture. He is wearing a denim shirt and a snazzy leather coat and it is unbuttoned revealing his clean white t shirt (similar to the front cover) making him somewhat appear as sexually attractive. This connotes to the audience that he powerful and dominant and reinforces his global superstar status.

• He is also wearing the same aviator shades seen on the front cover, creating a link between the two. He is no longer wearing any pilot clothing and instead wearing casual clothing indicating to the audience he is ready to shake the music industry metaphorically.

• Usher is standing near a grey wall which matches the greyish tones of the front cover. The text is written in a colour of white, so it is clear for the audience to decode against the background. The page number is written in black, so it stands out from the white text next to it.

• This contents page is very plain aside from the text and the photo of Usher, this is something I will bear in mind when I produce my own magazine.

• Regarding the appearance of the contents page, it is quite simple and plain, not too colourful and complicated.

• There is only one column and the text is aligned on the left hand side of the contents page.

• The subheadings of each article/piece of text are in big, bold, white capital letters to help the audience decode that they explain what each article is about.

• The angle again is taken at a low angle which connotes Usher’s powerful and superstar status. The shot is again a MLS (Medium Long Shot) as it shows the fine details of Usher’s clothing which are explained above.

• The lighting is also high key again to emphasise the significance and power of Usher.

• Usher’s facial expression has a sort of tough, arrogant and confident vibe to it which reinforces his dominance.

DPS (DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD)

• This DPS of the Vibe Magazine features an interview in a Q and A structure. Usher, the RnB and Hip Hop celebrity who is easily recognisable by the audience, gets interviewed in this feature page.

• While it is not a rare convention, Usher has been given an entire page of his image and the writing on the other. This allows a better use of space and a bigger image to be displayed as well which is crucial for the audience as they would decode the image with ease.  

• In the picture he is wearing a blue denim jacket and a plain white t shirt, the denim jacket is made by a company called G-star raw, this company produces urban fashionable clothing which helps to show the stereotype the artist is portraying. He also suggests he is wealthy as he is wearing an expensive looking ring and also a large watch; this is another common thing about RnB artists. Additionally, the fact that he is smoking a cigar shows that he is also wealthy.

• Concerning the image, it is taken at a low angle with high key lighting on Usher’s face which connotes his power and dominance. There is an indirect gaze/mode of address as Usher is looking away at something else, which suggests to the audience that he is either too significant for the camera or he is more interested with whatever is in the corner.

• A pull quote is used and is located in the top right corner of the page and it is an extract from the text of the DPS. It states “Michael Jackson was the greatest entertainer that ever lived, I just want to be the greatest entertainer living.” Here, the word greatest is highlighted to emphasise the significance of the word and significance it has to Usher.

•  It is also stereotypical of Usher to say it because a lot of RnB artists share a similar attitude and it also ties in with his look.  

• The pull quote is also in big, bold white text to make it stand out and it enables the audience to decode it with ease.

• Regarding Usher’s apparel, he is wearing a blue, denim jacket which is unbuttoned near the top to reveal the same white clean shirt that Usher is seen wearing in the front cover and the contents page. This is to make him look more sexually attractive towards the audience.

• The denim shirt is made by a company called G-Star Raw, which produces urban fashionable clothing which helps to show the stereotype that the artist is portraying and it also reflects the hip hop and RnB genre. It is expected from an artist of Usher’s calibre.

• Usher is also seen wearing a wristwatch that appears to be a tailored made piece that is of great value and is smoking a very thick cigar which are clear connotations of power and wealth.

• The questions on the other page are in bold, with the answers in normal, standard font. Usher uses slang words and expletives, indicating that this is an informal interview. This helps the audience decode that Usher is an RnB artist as he talks like them. Genre specific names of other artists have been also included which would appeal to Vibe’s key demographic.

• The target audience would be males and females aged 16-25, these are people who would listen to RnB songs. Also, females would like to know more about male artists, so Usher’s interview would give them more insight into who he is as a person.

Clash magazine

• 2 pages 
• 
  
• Some editorials listed
•  
• 29 sections
•  
• These include, shopping, news, blog, top 10 etc.
•  
• They are in chronological order.
•  
• 6 columns 3 per page
•  
• They are aligned straight one below the other
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• There are brief descriptions of each section
•  
• Mixture of high key and low key images
•  
• Mixtures of medium long, long shot, close ups,
•  
• Mixture of eye level and low level angles
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• Mise En scene Studio equipment
• 
  
• Connotations = Hippie, vintage, emo.

DPS

• It is about the artists Allison and Jamie.
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• Q and A structure
•  
• Mostly first and second person, a bit of third person as well.
•  
• A bit more of a formal tone, possibly due to the magazine being aimed at an older, mature and posher audience.
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• The font is quite unique and not simplistic, a bit vintage which reinforces my point that this magazine is aimed at an older audience.
• Pull quote uses the word ‘idiosyncrasies’ which is quite a complex word which again reinforces the fact the magazine is not aimed at an audience of teens perhaps older adults.

Q MAGAZINE COVER

• The cover star is covering part of the masthead and text in order to connote Liam’s significance and importance.
• 
  
• Also, there are cover lines to the right hand side of the magazine which feature names of famous musicians such as Sam Smith and Sinead O’Connor. This further reinforces the point that this magazine is a music magazine that features pop and rock.
• 
  
• Furthermore, the magazine uses a simplistic sans serif font which is big and bold which helps the reader and audience to be able to easily decode that is a Q magazine.
• 
  
• The masthead is the signature Q which is what makes the Q magazine and company easily recognisable. It is big and bold and it stands out due to the red and white colours being contrasting colours.          
• 
  
• The 3 colour scheme is red, black and white. This is to keep a simplistic and clear look to the magazine so that the audience has no difficulty decoding this front cover. Too many colours would be too visually intrusive and complicated for the audience of this magazine to decode.
• 
  
• The angle that this image has been taken is at an eye level angle. This is to create a sense of mutuality between the audience/reader and the cover star.
• 
  
•  This connotes that there is equality between the two of them and neither are superior or inferior to the other regardless of their fame, power and wealth.
• 
  
•  Even though Liam is a famous artist, the magazine wants to make it appear that he is on the same level as everyone else.
• 
  
• MCS (Medium Close Shot) has been done to further reinforce this idea of mutuality and equality between the cover star and reader. Also, a direct mode of address as a direct gaze is used and Liam’s hair style further connotes a typical rock star’s look which suggests to the reader that he is a rock music artist. Liam is also wearing a snazzy whitish coat and that paired with his hair style further connotes his power, fame, rock star style.
• 
  
• Due to the image being in black and white, it is difficult to tell if it is high key lighting or low key. However, as the details of the face and coat are shown, I would go with high key.
• 
  
• Anchorage has been done through the main cover line which fixes/reflects the image as it is helping the audience to decode who the cover star (Liam Gallagher) is.
• 
  
• The main cover line reads “OASIS Liam: “I went home with a shotgun…” is big and bold (The Oasis part) with the second half in red text with a sans font as opposed to the rest of the text which are in a sans serif font. This is to help make it stand out to the audience so that it connotes significance.
• 
  
• That main cover line also uses a pull quote in order to attract the target audience as it introduces that there is going to be an interview with Liam Gallagher from Oasis. By using the word “SHOTGUN” the reader will be more inclined to read what is in the magazine. The word OASIS is also drop capped in order to connote its significance and to help the audience decode it easily.
• 
  
• The barcode is located at the bottom of the front cover so that the date/issue and price can easily be located to check when the issue was released.
• 
  
• The “37 pages of reviews” sell line shows the target audience what the magazine essentially contains. The number “37” is drop capped to emphasise the quantity of pages and connotes the vast number of reviews.
• 
  
• The puff/flash engages the target audience to read. It states “TWO COVERS TO COLLECT, 20 PAGE SUPERNOVA” and this stands out on the page due to the blue, white and black circle contrasting with the red and white.
• 
  
• CONTENTS PAGE
• 
  
• This contents page is taken from the Q Magazine issue featuring many famed artists in the pop, rock genre. The masthead reads contents and features the Q logo and the date of the magazine and the various articles in the magazine are listed in a column format on one side.
• 
  
• By observing the contents page, it is pretty plausible that this is the same magazine, which is extremely essential, as a lack of correlation between the front cover and the rest of the magazine can lower the standard of the magazine. The signature red coloured logo and the predominantly white and black colour scheme.
• 
  
• Flush Left: This column is used to align all the images on this contents page and it is used effectively as it does not make the contents page look messy or weird, instead it gives a professional feel to it and is very enticing to look at due to its neatness. 
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• Flush Right: Just like the left column it shares its professional feel and enticing look, although it is quite smaller and there is a bit more information surrounding the images.
• 
  
• Negative Space: While it is called negative space, it actually has the diametric opposite effect I think, due to it fitting in with the house style of the magazine. The whole magazine has lots of negative space and I think it fits in really well with the colour scheme.
• 
  
• Kicker: The font is bigger and bolder with the name of every act on the contents page. I think this has been done purposely to make it stand out to the reader and the various acts on the contents page will attract a wider audience due to the diversity between the acts.
• 
  
• The images shown on the contents page feature famed artists like Sam Smith, Jenny Lewis, Motley Crue. All these famed people featured help the reader decode further that this is a Q Magazine.
• 
  
• The angles taken for the different images are either low or eye level to connote equality, mutuality, power and dominance.
• 
  
• The lighting mostly is high key like Sam Smith’s one to emphasise his star quality status.
• Most are direct gazes and direct modes of addresses in order to create a connection between the reader and the artists.
• 
  
• Jenny Lewis’s image uses a long shot, in order to show the reader, the details of her entire body. She is wearing white, tight shorts which could connote innocence etc. Her pose is quite promiscuous and her legs are revealed to perhaps make her look sexually attractive. She is wearing sunglasses and that connote her superstar, powerful status she holds. The background shows that she is in the woods standing on green grass.
• 
  
• Sam Smith’s image features him looking down at the camera. Here, the low angle is used and he is positioned way above to connote his power and dominance. Sam is wearing a fancy suit which further connotes his superstar status and wealth.
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• The contents page is quite simplistic, in the sense that there is not too much information/writing and the only times multiple colours are used are just for the circles containing the page numbers. But in actuality, the colour scheme of the page is black and white predominantly.
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• The subheadings of each page/piece of text are in big, bold, black capital letters in a sans serif font that reads the names of the famous people who are featured on each page. This will help the audience decode what the pages are about more easily.
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•  Demographic: The demographic of this magazine is most likely to be late teens to an older age because some of the bands are quite old and they may not appeal to a younger variety. The magazine is also aimed at both genders as both genders enjoy the rock genre.