NEA: Magazine Pre-production Planning and Research: Lesson 2

How does The Week Junior appeal to readers?

The Week Junior

The Week also produces a magazine version for a target audience aged 8-14. The Week Junior appeals to children but offers similar educational and news-based content. The magazine uses conventions differently, making different layout choices, with more images, alternative fonts, appealing bright colours and a more suitable language register.

Here is a taster of what appears in the magazine.

Task 1: You need to deconstruct the front cover of The Week Junior on your handout, focusing on how appeal is created for younger readers.

Now look back at your notes about The Week from last lesson and complete Task 2 in your exercise book.

Write a comparison of the two magazines in your book, The Week and The Week Junior, using your notes. What is the same about the two products? What is different about the two products and why?

NEA: Magazine Pre-production Planning and Research: Lesson 1

Targeting an audience: The Week Magazine

The Week is a UK news magazine that covers how news articles have been reported across the British and International media outlets. It is a review of the top stories and public discourse surrounding important events.

This is the front cover of the magazine. It follows the normal conventions of magazines, but how does it create appeal for its adult readership?



Task 1: How does this magazine front cover use magazine Media Language (codes and conventions)? Label them on to your handout.

Task 2: Look closely at the content and consider how it will appeal to its audience.

The main image is a cartoon. This is a style of satirical cartoon that is often used to make comments about political figures. These tend to be humourous, as they are poking fun at politicians. The image is an intertextual reference to a well-known home from The Hobbit. If you have seen The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings, you will know something about what they are trying to suggest about Teresa May, Michael Gove and the Conservative Party (which is also referred to as The Tory Party).
The anchorage text refers to 'green', which means environmental issues. The story is questioning the environmental policies of the Government and asking whether they are relevant at a time when protesters are lobbying Parliament to demand more changes to deal with the effects of Climate Change.

Bilbo Baggins' home in The Shire.

1. Explain how you think this front cover image and story might appeal to an adult audience? Consider what it is suggesting about how successfully politicians are dealing with environmental issues.
2. Look at the cover lines and consider what content appeals to the adult readers. Complete the table on your handout.

a) Will Oprah run for president?
b) Gary Oldman's Finest Hour.
c) The backlash against #metoo.

Radio One Live Lounge

Listen to Radio One's Live Lounge and make notes on your handout about how the show is designed to appeal to the 15-19-year-old target audience.
Click here to go to the BBC Sounds app to listen to the programme from Tuesday 18th June.

Answer the questions in your book:

1. How is the programme branded in the opening section and how might this help attract the target audience?
2. The programme starts at 10am when most younger teenagers are at school, so what does that suggest about the target audience for this programme?
3. How does the playlist reflect the target audience demographic? Comment on the artists chosen and who would like this genre of music.
4. How does Clara Amfo address the audience? Listen to her style and language register and what her informal style suggests about the tone of the programme.
5. How many tracks are played before Clara Amfo begins to speak to the listeners in detail? Why do you think this might be a good way of engaging listeners?
6. How many ways can audiences listen to the show and why might this appeal to the target audience?
7. Who is performing live on the show and how might they appeal to the target audience?
8. How does live performance meet the BBC remit for the station?

Music Videos: Tasks to complete today

TASK 1: Watch Little Mix's music video for Black Magic and then write a summary of the narrative (between 100-200 words).

TASK 2: Watch The Vamps' music video for Somebody to You and then write a summary of the narrative (between 100-200 words)

TASK 3: I would like you to take screenshots (SHIFT+Prt Scr) of the following shots in each music video and paste these into a word document.

• Establishing Shot:
• Mid Shot:
• Close Up:
• Two Shot:

Once you have found them all, label them for checking.

TASK 4: Copy down the following key terms you will need to know and include in your exam response.

• Narrative: a type of music video that seeks to tell a story.
• Performance: a type of music video that focuses on the band/artist and their 'performance' of the song.

TASK 5: Explain why you think that The Vamps and Little Mix have opted for a mixture of both of these elements.

What Generic Conventions are used in the Vamps Music Video to create meaning for the Target Audience?

Music video comparison from Mrs Downie

Music Video: Representation and Audience Appeal.

Music videos are marketing products, designed to appeal to the target audience by portraying the artists as somebody they aspire to be like or could relate to. Watch The Vamps Somebody to You and Little Mix Black Magic music videos below and consider how the way the band and characters in the video are presented are designed to appeal to their own music fans.





To analyse the music videos effectively, you need to find three frames from each one to look closely at. Once you have your frames, you need to pick out the following using moving image terminology:

• Camera Angles/Movements (Establishing, Long, Medium, Close-up, Point-of-view, Over-the-shoulder, Zoom in, Tracking, Panning, High Angle and Low Angle shots).
• Mise-en-scene (Costume, Lighting, Setting or Location, Props).
• Editing (How is the story cut together? Is it in time with the music?)

You could also consider how the video is structured. Many music videos use:

• lip-synching (matching the singing action to the soundtrack) and direct mode of address (looking straight into the camera) - so it appears as if the artist is singing directly to the audience.
• Performance (the band are performing their music track as if on stage).
• Narrative (the story behind the video).
• Montage (the story just around or speeds up to fit the narrative in to a short three-minute video).

Here is an example of how you could write an effective analysis:

In the opening of the music video, Little Mix appear as students with very little style. The mise-en-scene suggests the group are 'geeks', unable to style themselves to fit in with the popular crowd, as they are shown wearing glasses and knitted wool sweaters as costumes. They are clumsy and awkward as they fall down the stairs in the opening establishing shot. The video is based on a narrative of the girls using magic to change their looks and their luck. They become popular with boys and get their own back on the popular girls who were laughing at them at the start.
This would appeal to a young target audience who will be able to identify with the cruelty of bullies and how popularity is based on such superficial things as clothing. They would enjoy the narrative of the characters growing in confidence just as young teenagers may like the idea of aspiring to be more confident in their own life.

Representation in Magazines

Task: Read this MOJO media pack and answer the following questions (in full sentences) in your book.

1. How long has MOJO magazine been around?
2. What is 'at the heart' of MOJO magazine?
3. Why do legendary artists agree to work with MOJO magazine?
4. What is MOJO's mission?
5. Complete the quote 'If you're featured in MOJO magazine _________________'
6. What kind of genres of music does MOJO magazine celebrate?
7. What is the demographic, the mean age, and ABC1 profile of MOJO magazine?
8. What bands does the average reader (Dave) listen to?
9. What type of technology does the reader think is the most authentic?
10. What percentage of MOJO readers have been to a gig in the past year?
11. What three ways can MOJO magazine be  accessed?
12. The digital version of the magazine has what percentage of the music magazine audience share?
13. What is Paul Weller's favourite magazine?

Task 2: Find your own magazine front cover or use the We Love Pop front cover here and complete the table below. You can work in pairs for this task so you can discuss your ideas before writing detailed notes on the handout.

Representation in Magazines by Mrs Downie on Scribd

Representation in Music Magazines

Task: You need to research the musicians referenced in the cover lines on your copy of MOJO magazine. Create a research page outlining the different artists. Print this out and tag into your exercise book.

Task: Answer the questions below.

1. Consider what the choice of artists mentioned in the cover lines tells you about the magazine and its readership. How is the magazine using the artists and their fame to sell the magazine to their target audience? How do the artists help to drive the appeal of the MOJO product?

2. How is representation being used to sell the MOJO magazine product? Read the notes below to help you write your own answer.

In the exam you need to understand how the producers have chosen to construct a version of reality that represents events, social groups and ideas to fit their purposes:

• MOJO wishes to attract a target audience that shares its reverence for ‘classic rock’ so constructs a version of reality that represents musicians as authentic heroes, striving for excellence, e.g. in the photo of Bob Dylan looking towards the distance.
• In contrast, We Love Pop wishes to attract a target audience of young female teenagers so constructs a version of reality centred on social media, appearance and romance.
  
  Question: How and why have stereotypes have been used, including anti-stereotyping/counter-stereotyping:
  

• MOJO’s selection of a cover photograph of a young, white male may be to fit the stereotype of rock musicians – this will enable instant recognition by audiences
• MOJO’s anti-stereotypical positive representation of older people as popular musicians, e.g. the artist from CSNY on the front cover. This may reflect the anti-ageism of an older audience
• In contrast, We Love Pop’s front cover addresses stereotypical female teenagers as loving pink and concerned with (heterosexual) relationships, fashion and gossip.
  
  
  
  Question: Which social groups are under-represented or misrepresented:

      • MOJO’s front cover only represents white male musicians in photographs under-representing female musicians and black musicians - why might this be the case when you consider the magazine's target audience?
• In contrast, We Love Pop’s front cover only represents young adults and appears to exclude older 

people.

Analysis of June's MOJO front cover

Successful media students must understand how conventions are used to create meaning for audiences. You need to be able to analyse your own set product as part of your work on music magazines and being able to compare it with other types of music magazines.

Think carefully how you would use the Media Theoretical Framework to analyse your copy of MOJO.

• Language - deconstruct the magazine front cover using media terminology (the conventions of magazines are all written in your book).
• Audience - explain who the audience is and what uses and gratifications they get from reading this magazine (use the handout which looks closely at audience appeal to help you use the correct media terminology).
• Representation - how is appeal constructed through the content in the magazine? Find out more about the artists featured and consider why they would appeal to the readership of MOJO using your own knowledge.
• Industry - who is generating a profit from the sale of the product and how is that a successful business model in the current context where magazine readership has been declining?

Task: Today's work is all about Media Language. Complete the task included on the handout here. You can print this out, or create your own Microsoft Word document to complete the work.

Music Magazines Mojo Media Language by Mrs Downie on Scribd

Promoting Media Mock Exam Feedback

DO THIS NOW: Write down the date and title in your books. 

Today you will be working through the exam questions to ensure you get your target grade or higher before you take your GCSE exam in one year's time.

TASK: Read through your exam paper and respond to any feedback you have.

TASK 2: Write down Question 1 (below) into your books and then use the following advice to write the correct answer.

Question 1: Identify the organisation that 'age rates' video games in the UK.

Feedback: Many of you wrote down PEGI. PEGI is a system that the Video Standards Council Rating Board uses to rate video games.

Correct Answer: Video Standards Council Rating Board.


TASK 3: Write down Question 2 in your books and then use the following advice to rewrite it.

Question 2: Explain two reasons why a film company would release a video game linked to a film.

Feedback: Many of you were too brief in your response. You need to provide two reasons and explain two of them clearly referring to the Media Industry around film/video game production.

Correct Answers must include reference to:
- branding
- public eye
- publicity
- diversification
- convergence
- profit

TASK 4: Write down Question 3 in your books and then use the following advice to rewrite it.

Question 3: Explain at least two uses and gratification of video games using Blumler and Katz's theory. Refer to The Lego Movie Video Game to support your answer.

Feedback: Some of you clearly did not know the FOUR areas of Blumler and Katz's theory. This is the only theory you need to know in detail at GCSE so ensure you do. To answer the questions you need to apply the theory to the video game.

Correct Answers must include reference to:
- Brief explanation of audience gratification
- Demonstrate an understanding of all FOUR areas.
- Using evidence from The Lego Movie Video Game identify evidence that supports Blumler and Katz theory for at least two.
- Make reference to what audiences gain from playing the game.


TASK 5: Write down Question 4 in your books and then use the following advice to rewrite it.

Question 4: Analyse how genre codes have been used in The Lego Movie poster campaign to appeal to a family audience.

Feedback: Answers, again, were too brief. They need to refer exrtensively to the details within the poster. Too many of you briefly mentioned the features of the poster and made simple references to a non-specific audience. You must ensure that, for higher grades, you are being as detailed and analytical as possible.

Correct answers must refer to: 
- Cast
- Tagline
- Protagonist/antagonist
- Family Audience
- Facial Expression
- action/adventure
- feminism
- Proppian theory (hero, villain, princess, dispatcher etc.)
- Intertextuality
- Representation (feminism, race, gender etc.)

Using media language to create appeal

Mojo magazine always uses similar magazine conventions, or a house style, to create a clear brand. Each edition of the magazine follows a similar layout, uses the same masthead and typography, and offers an audio CD format freebie for readers. Their readers always know what to expect from the experience of reading this brand, however, the content changes for each edition to include a different artist for example. Each Mojo edition is carefully constructed to appeal to the same reader demographic (adult, majority are over 35, middle and working class and male).

The artist featured as the front page key image, the colour and typography are all chosen to appeal to that target audience.

Some of these conventions are used by all magazines, but designers change the magazine colours, typography, language register, layout, choice of front page images and sell lines and freebies to attract the right readers. Look at We Love Pop below and consider how this attracts a contrasting target audience (a young teenage, female, lifestyle, school-age reader).

Task: Subvert the target audience. Imagine Mojo was designed to appeal to the same target audience as We Love Pop readers. What changes would designers and editors need to make to make the new Mojo appeal?
Create your own mock-up of a Mojo magazine for the new target audience. You can create this using Photoshop or Publisher software.
Print it out and then explain the changes you decided to make and explain why they would create appeal for the new target audience. 
Use these questions to help structure your explanation of your mock up product.

1. What key image did you use and why might this appeal to a reader demographic of We Love Pop?
2. What changes did you make to the typography of the masthead and font? How do you think these changes make it more appealing to a younger, female audience?
3. What colours did you use and why?
4. What language register did you use (formal or informal chatty style) and why would this appeal to a younger audience?
5. What graphics did you include and why would these create appeal?
6. What freebie would you entice your readers as MOJO does with the free CD?
7. Did you change the price and why?
8. What slogan did you create to brand your original product?

Music Magazines Conventions by Mrs Downie on Scribd

Magazine Codes and Conventions

Task: Deconstruct this magazine front cover, labelling as many of the codes and conventions as possible. Look up all of the artists featured on the front and consider appeal. Who listens to these musicians now? Look at the key image and explain who would Paul McCartney appeal to enough to inspire them to buy this magazine? How might the choice of magazine title, font and colour choices appeal to the target audience? What about the free CD. Who would this appeal to?

Task 2: Deconstruct this magazine front cover, labelling as many of the codes and conventions and explaining the appeal to a target audience. 

The Lego Movie Factsheets

Task: Read through the Factsheets before attempting the questions on your handout.

Factsheet about Industry
Factsheet about Audience and Industry

Using the correct terms to explore Media Industries in The Lego Movie exam questions.

Media Industries refers to any company that is involved in making media texts and providing them to audiences. For your exam, you need to be able to show your understanding of the companies involved in producing and selling The Lego Movie brand to audiences. To do this, you need to be confident that you know all of the key terms used when referring to the business behind the film.

Task 1: Watch the video by clicking on the image below and then take the test on the BBC Bitesize page.

Task 2: Read through the information below about film companies and answer the questions at the end on your own Word document (you will need to print out today's work as homework).

Challenge Task: Can you link this to The Lego Movie? Write a paragraph explaining what type of studio and production values The Lego Movie has and how this effects the final product. Try to use the key terms you have been revising here.

Task 3: Copy the image of the website being used to market The Lego Movie 2. How can you see which companies are behind the film from the website? Annotate your ideas about how the website appeals to the target audience, around the image on your Word document.

Film is a huge, global industry generating massive sums of money each year. Films themselves can be divided into different categories and defined according to:

Category	Description
Genre	Comedy, Thriller, Horror, Action, Fantasy etc.
Actors	Some actors are recognisable to a specific audience. For example, Jason Statham to an Action fan or Adam Sandler to a Comedy fan.
Production companies	Major Hollywood studios (Universal, Paramount, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox and Sony amongst others) and Independent ones (Film Four, BBC Films, Warp Films etc.)
Production values	Is it big budget or low budget?
Certification	What age group is the film appropriate for?

There are two main production contexts in the film industry: 

• Studio: mainstream films with big budgets made by major Hollywood studios. Studio films have high production valuesand star actors. Examples of this might be The Hunger Gamesseries, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice or a James Bond film like Spectre.
• Independent: films with smaller budgets and sometimes as a result, lower production values. They are less likely to have so called A-list actors. Examples might be Juno, Birdman or Brooklyn.

Studio films

^{Hollywood studios dominate the film market}

This is the industry model for a 'Hollywood' or ‘Blockbuster’ movie. They are usually made by big Hollywood studios and follow a formula:

• Obvious characters, usually stereotypical, such as the action-hero.
• An easy-to-follow narrative with universal themes, which can be described in one sentence and can be used as a tagline to promote the film.
• High production values, expensive costumes and locations. These films often use special effects and/or CGI.
• The film may be promoted and marketed via merchandise such as tie-in deals with food chains. In some instances, pop stars will produce songs for the soundtrack which will help market the film to a wider audience. 
• High profile celebrity actors. These actors can often be related to the film genre, such as Jason Statham in the action movie genre.
• The main roles in the film are 'larger than life' characters rather than ordinary or real people.
• The visual appeal of events or situations you would not see in everyday life, such as explosions, car chases, fantasy worlds and historical settings.
• High drama and exciting, easy to understand plots.

These films are usually distributed by the studios that make them. The studios are often multinational media conglomeratesthat own companies across a range of various media platforms. 

This means that these conglomerates can use all the companies they own to promote and market a film.

This use of all a media conglomerate's companies to produce, promote, market, and distribute a film and its official merchandise is called vertical integration.

Horizontal integration is when a conglomerate uses smaller independent companies to help with marketing, distribution or even the exhibition of a film.

Questions:

Film

1

Which of these descriptions best defines a ‘mainstream’ film?

A) A film with lots of special effects

B) A film where a famous actor plays the protagonist

C) A film produced by a large production company, such as a Hollywood studio

2

What are the two main production contexts in the film industry?

A) Big budget and small budget

B) Studio and independent

C) Starring well-known actors and starring unknown actors

3

What are the main defining features of a studio film?

A) Recognisable actors, a large budget, excellent production values, appeals to a wide audience

B) Unknown actors, a small budget, excellent production values

C) Established actors, a large budget, a niche theme likely to appeal to a small audience

4

Which of these best defines vertical integration?

A) When a conglomerate relies on crowdfunding to pay for promotion and marketing materials

B) When all of a media conglomerate's different companies are used to produce, promote, market, distribute and exhibit a film and its official merchandise

C) When a conglomerate uses smaller independent companies to help with marketing, distribution or exhibition of a film