Progress - Week 1

This week, I've created two blog posts analysing magazine covers. I found it really helpful to analyse these two covers because it gave me a wider knowledge of how magazine companies set their cover's out to attract people from their target audience. I'm pleased with my progress so far in my coursework research.

Cosmopolitan Magazine - Textual Analysis

This is a May 2011 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. It is aimed at women aged between 18 and 35. The magazine is known for its articles on sex, relationships, fashion & beauty, health and celebrities. This is why the magazine is aimed at people over the age of 18 - these people will find the articles inside more relatable. I think women over the age of 35 will be mostly uninterested in the magazine because women will mostly be settling down at this age. They won't feel the need to read about "sex moves men craves" and how to "look sexy" on a first date. Women who do fall into that age group, however, will want to know about these sorts of things in order to find their perfect man. 18-35 is a very mainstream audience who often read magazines, so Cosmopolitan appeals to that audience.

Hayley Williams is the feature for that month's magazine. She's known for her rock band Paramore. The colours of the magazine cover represent this. The deep red isn't often found on a magazine aimed at women because it's not a very feminine colour, so this represents Hayley Williams' background. It also matches her hair which is a clear example of the magazine using a colour from the main image to use for the text around the cover.  The light blue background is a similar colour to her dress, so this is another link between colours used on the cover and the colours from the main image.

The cover lines feature many words that have been enlarged to attract more attention to them like "sexy" and "sex moves". Each colour used on the cover contrast with each other to stand out more, so these words being in red and white, as well as being enlarged, attracts more attention towards them. The cover lines are mostly about impressing men, so they make it clear who the magazine is aimed at. They also help to appeal to women who fall into the age group of 18-35 because not an awful lot of women will have settled down by this time, so they'll want good tips to attract men to settle down with. Cosmopolitan is a very popular and trusted magazine, so women will follow tips given by it. 

These are the main factors I've gathered from this magazine:

• Cosmopolitan uses a lot of sex-related cover lines to attract their audience
• 18-35 is a mainstream age group for magazines aimed at women who haven't yet settled down with a man
• Colours for the main title and cover lines are taken from the main image
• Words in the cover lines are in a colour that contrasts and are enlarged to attract more attention to them and therefore will attract to more people from their target audience
• Trusted magazines that have been running for years will offer tips for certain things in the cover lines

Glamour Magazine - Textual Analysis

This is a November 2012 issue of Glamour magazine, with Taylor Swift being that month's feature. The magazine is aimed at an audience of 18-35. This age group is a very mainstream audience. The cover title is half covered by Swift's head which tells the audience the magazine is very well known, and instantly recognisable without seeing the cover title. Every issue features a well known female celebrity on the front cover who falls into this age category. This can attract not only the repeat customers/subscribers of the magazine, but fans of the famous woman on that month's issue. The woman is normally slim, has heavy make up, is dressed in very classy, fashionable clothing, and always makes direct eye contact with the camera. This makes the magazine more personal and the audience will be more drawn towards it. Swift's facial expression is warm - she has a soft expression which will invite people to buy the magazine. Her pose is theatrical and over the top which is an element of glamour, which obviously links to the magazine name.

The title on each Glamour magazine changes colour to match the theme of the main image. For example, Swift's dress is a hot pink colour, as is her lipstick, so the cover title is the same colour to match. The cover title colour also matches the subtitles of the cover lines around the page. The main colours used for the text are hot pink, white, light blue, and black. Light blue is quite a feminine colour, as is white and black when used with two other feminine colours. The colours are mostly warm which is inviting for the audience. 

The cover lines on the magazine persuade are inviting to it's target audience. Certain words have been bolded to draw more attention to them. For example, "Style" has been enlarged above the smaller lines "The Do's & Don'ts of Fall Fashion" which tells the audience the magazine will explore fall fashion, and what's stylish now. Glamour is a trusted magazine by many women across the world, so they'll be likely to follow advice given by the magazine. Also, Swift's first name "Taylor" has been enlarged in the same hot pink colour as the cover title. Referring to her by her first name makes the audience expect a personal interview inside because the magazine and her are on first name basis. It also makes the reader feel more connected to her because the smaller text underneath reads "Stuff She Only Tells Her Girlfriends". The cover has been intentionally edited to make the audience feel like more of a friend of Swift's, and not just somebody reading her interview. 

These are the main factors of the magazine cover that I have gathered:

• The main image is always a women, and they always fall into the magazine's target audience.
• The woman always makes direct eye contact with the camera.
• The cover title is a colour that matches a colour from the main image, and this same colour is used on some of the cover lines around the page.
• The colours used on the cover title and cover lines are feminine colours.
• The cover lines use enlarged words in a bold colour to persuade more people to buy the magazine.
• The cover is designed to make the audience feel like more of a friend of the celebrity in the main image i.e. first name basis.

The Hunger Games - Textual Analysis

The Hunger Games is an adventure film based in the post-apocolyptic future. It revolves around a televised annual event in which boys and girls (a boy and a girl from each district) fight to the death. The boys and girls are picked from a reaping, and they're sent to a city named Panem. 

Visual Codes

• We see the character Katniss calmly running around a run-down area. Could be trying to escape from the troubles at home.
• We see her duck under a barbed wire fence to get to the other side. The camera briefly shows a danger sign, so we're under the impression that she shouldn't be there because it's dangerous.
• She sits down with a character named Gale, they talk closely like friends, but could be possible love interests.
• A big blimp appears and the leaves around the forest whirl in the wind - represents danger and vulnerability. Katniss and Gale have confused/worried expressions.
• Big gathering (probably of whole town/district), everyone's in formal clothing, smart event.
• There's armed, uniformed guards scattered around - tells us there could be danger, puts the audience in a curious mindset as to why they're there.
• Katniss and her younger sister Primrose are holding hands - they could be worried about the event so they're consoling each other.
• Eye contact is made between Katniss and Gale who were seen together previously - shows there's care between the two, audience is given the impression there's more than friendly feelings between them.
• The guards are holding back a screaming Katniss because Primrose was picked in the reaping - her sad screaming makes the audience feel sympathetic for her.
• Worried look between Katniss and fellow contestant Peeta - shows they're in it together, but worried for what's to come.
• High speed train sets the scene - futuristic, modern - contrasts between the previously seen setting. The shot of the city Panem is very modern, so the audience knows this city is an overall wealthier one than the district.
• Interview between the man Caesar and Katniss is awkward - Caesar is smiling but Katniss is glum - shows she's nervous about the games.
• Small, young girl Rue shies away from the rest of the contestants. Katniss smiles at her - may remind her of her sister Primrose.
• Combat practise scenes - shows which contestants know how to fight. Violent skills - shows some contestants have previous knowledge of how to fight.
• Peeta and Katniss bond alone together - could be the start of a love interest between the two.
• Light cast behind Katniss walking gives the audience an intense feeling.
• Mockingjay badge is shown - represents freedom - something some of the contestants wish they had.
• Movie symbol is shown as the Mockingjay at the end of the trailer - its denotation is a mockingjay, but the connotations of that are freedom and defiance. The mockingjay is on fire, which shows the lack of freedom there is in the film.

Audio Codes

• Eerie constant low sound, sounds vacant and mysterious, non diegetic. 
• Blimp makes a huge whooshing sound which is unsettling, diegetic.
• Katniss talks to Primrose with a hushed tone to calm her down.
• Non diegetic ticking sound as name is picked out at reaping, very tense.
• Single banging noise as name is read out, a hard hitting noise, like it's hit the audience that Primrose was called out.
• All sounds stop when Katniss volunteers - very serious, lets the audience focus just on Katniss.
• Non diegetic ticking noise builds up again as both names are read out, like a rising heartbeat. Builds up tension.
• Man's voice echoes like a loudspeaker, shows he's important with his voice booming over everyone. 
• Makes the man seem like a narrator because he talks over numerous shots.
• Metallic sounding piercing noises as contestants throw spears emphasises the violence ensued in the film - diegetic noises.
• Hushed diegetic voices between Katniss and Peeta shows intimacy, love interests. 
• Non diegetic music becomes more electric as shots are cut faster, more tense, like a sped up heartbeat. 
• Booming, echoing diegetic voice counting down creates tension for what's to come - no background music now, audience concentrates on the countdown.
• Crashing non diegetic sound as the countdown gets to 0, very jumpy.
• Eerie whistle at the end of the trailer, symbolises something. Entices audience to watch the film and find out what it means. It echoes slightly which makes it creepy.

Technical Codes

• Long shot of Katniss running, sets the scene instantly.
• Handheld shot of Katniss running - more realistic, puts us in the scene.
• Close up shots of faces, used a lot in the trailer, used to focus on the character's expression.
• Extreme long shot on area Katniss and Gale are in - sets the scene again.
• Aerial shot on Gale and Katniss when the blimp flies over - makes them appear inferior to the blimp.
• Camera pans on the crowd at the reaping to emphasise how busy it is.
• Close up on Primrose's name on the paper, focuses the audience's attention on it, more dramatic. The camera shows it before the character says it, so the audience is superior and knows more than the characters.
• Peeta's P.O.V is briefly used, puts the audience in the scene with him, makes it feel more personal, like it's happening to us.
• Camera points up at Peeta and Caesar after their interview, makes them superior and the audience inferior.
• Handheld camera shot in training - shaky, makes the scene edgier.
• Tracking shot on Katniss' arrow through the air which emphasises how fast it's travelling.
• Extreme close up on mockingjay pin, shows it's important so it focuses the audience's attention purely on that. It's iconic in the film, so focuses the audience's attention on it is important.
• Extreme long shot, then a medium shot of Katniss walking towards the camera, more importance on Katniss.
• The trailer starts off with fairly slow cut shots, with a few fast cuts where the screen very, very briefly blurs. As the trailer progresses, the shots are faster, especially when the countdown is going on. It's a different shot on a different character related to Katniss in some way at each number said, shows how each character is dealing with Katniss being in the games.
• The lighting is mostly very dark because it's a gloomy themed film. The lighting is brighter on the train and in the makeup room, both of which are much more upper class locations, so it's brighter in locations that are wealthier, and gloomier in the run down district.

To conclude, the visual codes of the film show that it's an overall dark film, with the mockingjay being on fire and the glum facial expressions throughout the trailer. The audio code of music is effective in the film because it sets the mood a lot. The ticking noise which built up that was reminiscent of a heartbeat added a lot of tension. Technical codes were effectively used with the shots which were included fast cutting towards the end. All the codes work together to produce a very effective film which will instantly tell its audience a lot about the film's themes and characters.

The Lorax - Textual Analysis

The Lorax is an animated comedy-musical for children based on Dr Seuss' novel of the same name, and it's essentially about a boy named Ted who is in love with a girl named Aubrey, who is in love with trees. Aubrey has never seen a tree before, so Ted goes on the hunt to find a tree to impress her.

Visual Codes

• Very colourful start, animation
• Cute animated flowers popping up, represents happiness and instantly tells us it's a happy film
• Young boy playing with toy aeroplane - denotation: toy plane, connotation: fun, typical of a young boy
• Pretty girl, obvious love interest
• The Lorax is bright orange, short and harmless - appealing to young children

Audio Codes

• Dreamy music at the start (soft guitar), already tells us it's a light hearted film
• Music (keyboards) builds up slightly when we see Aubrey, Ted's love interest
• American voices - American animation
• Music stops when tree gets knocked down - tells you it's a serious matter, but The Lorax's cute, small appearance softens it down
• Same song throughout - slowly builds up with more voices towards the end, shows it's an upbeat film

Technical Codes

• Many close ups of the character's faces - it's a comedy so facial expressions are important to show because the audience wants to see reactions
• Aerial shot on Aubrey and Ted lying down on the grass together - makes the scene romantic/dreamy
• Camera shakes when Ted drives past, which makes the animation seem more realistic/authentic
• The camera pans on the landscape of the trees, makes the audience feel overwhelmed by the masses of trees and how beautiful they were 
• The trailer mostly consists of medium shots and close ups

The visual, audio and technical codes all work together to make a really good animation. The visual codes of the colourful animation straight away at the start of the trailer instantly tells us the film is lighthearted and fun. The audio code of the soft music also tells us that the film is upbeat and not serious. The technical codes of the often used close ups and medium shots tells us that the film doesn't get too experimental with the shots - they want to keep it simple for the audience it's aimed at - young children.

The Inbetweeners - Audience

The Inbetweeners is a E4-aired British sitcom based around four teenagers at sixth form. The intended audience for the show is 16-25 year olds because of the college environment and the younger characters. I would say, though, that people older than 25 will enjoy the show because of the comedy. It's very inappropriate at parts, but this factor of the show can make anyone of most ages laugh. The intended audience is 16-25 year olds, but I believe people up to the age of around 40 will find it funny too, despite not being able to relate to it as well as the intended audience. It's aimed at males more than females because the main characters are male. This gender dominance can attract more males to the show than it can females. The fact that the characters aren't good looking (and aren't supposed to be) won't attract females, but the fact that it's comedy could attract females. The males in the show degrade women quite a lot in the show, and only use them for failed sexual favours, so this could put women off the show. It's mostly aimed at men aged between 16-25.

The two main gratifications of the show are entertainment and social integration. It's entertainment because it's a comedy. The fact it's aired on E4, the 'E' of which stands for 'entertainment' tells us as an audience that it's going to entertain us and make us laugh. For men aged between 16-25, the show could often be watched to fill up time. A typical stereotype of men is that they sit around doing not a lot all day, so this relatable comedy for men could be a way of filling up time. It also has the gratification of social integration because of how relatable it is. People could watch it simply so they have something to talk about to their mates the next day. The show has grown to become a huge success around the UK, so socially it could be seen as strange to not watch it, which means some people might watch it just to fit in with not only their friends, but society as well. 

The programme goes against the dominant ideology that all boys in college manage to get a girlfriend and go partying most nights. The main characters in the show fail to get any female attention at all, and they rarely get invited to parties. This goes against many people's impressions about college. The overall audience for the show is male 16-25 year olds.

Sherlock - Audience

Sherlock is a drama series shown on BBC One. It revolves around Sherlock Holmes and his companion John Watson solving crimes around London. The intended audience for the show are adults. This is because the show is usually based around a murder, and is overall quite a dark show. It has elements of comedy though, with Sherlock's overwhelming knowledge and witty comments to other people. Each series has three episodes, each of which are feature length. This length of time will appeal more to adults in the evening than it will to younger people. It can be intended for both males and females. The show may appeal to men because the main characters are male. This gender dominance could perhaps be more relatable to men than women. However, women could also be attracted to the show because of the men in it. The two main roles are portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, who are both well acclaimed actors in the industry. They're both seen as well presentable men, so the actors in the show will help the show to appeal to women, as well as men. 

This show meets two main gratifications: entertainment and information. The show is a drama with elements of comedy, so people will watch it for entertainment. This could be to relax at the end of the day, filling time, or it could be escaping from problems. Sherlock is very satisfying to watch because he solves crimes with not a lot of thought at all, so you can become lost in the show. A lot of people watch TV simply to fill time, so this could be a big reason of why people watch it. The show is also a gratification of information because although the show is fictional, Sherlock's reasoning behind his thoughts on the crime are very plausible, and it's satisfying to watch him work through his thoughts and solve the crime. The show can help people become more observant of people and objects around them. 

The programme is constructed around focus because the show revolves around Sherlock, the main character. As an audience, we're encouraged to focus upon him more than any of the other characters in the show. His first name is the title of the show, so the focus is already on him before anyone even starts watching it. John Watson, Sherlock's companion, is also a big character in the show, but it's fair to say that Sherlock is the focus overall.