Magazine

Magazine - Vibe, Q

Vibe magazine is a magazine which founds itself on the R&B Hip hop genres of the music industry, however it also publishes stories of not only artist but actors as well.I have also taken an interest into the music magazine Q this magazine is a magazine that founds itself on extensive reviews. I have gained an insight into the sorts of terminology that is implemented in the creation of a music magazine - therefore taking the original front cover i have designed an outline to a draft of a music magazine.

The image of the one,the only, mariah carey takes up 50% of the photo and is in the foreground of the magazine front cover, she even takes place in front of the actual magazine title "vibe" this is known as the masthead. This suggests about the magazine that the main focus of this addition is the female charater.

There is a use of features, this shows what stories will be in the magazine, for example in this issue there is "50 cent" story. There is the masthead which is "vibe" this is the title of the magazine. There is also the use of the main image this is the image of the female that takes up 505 of the front cover. However the use of buzz words is also effective for example the exclusives is the buzz word for this magazine. However there are no incentives mentioned on this issue of the magazine. Therefore all of these help sell the magazine for the demographic group.

Semiotics is a tough part to analyze of the front cover of the magazine, this is because semiotics is all about how does a sign represent something else. And by looking at this magazine front cover there are no obvious uses of semiotics. However the colors that have use fir example the silver color giving the connotation of a fresh and new stories in magazine terms "exclusive".

This magazine front cover clearly applies to the male gaze theory, this is the theory which suggests that women are seen as objects. However this women Mariah Carey is going to have an article in the issue of the magazine which is no doubt the main story. But that doesn't stop the fact that she appears to be the dressed in this manner attracting a male audience.

         This is the mock-up of a magazine with the use of the terminology.

Examples of rule of thirds

Rule of Thirds

In this photographic image johnny the character on the left complies with the rule of thirds as he is placed in two thirds of the image leaving the last third with the background.

Rule of Thirds

Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds applies to the purpose of taking photographic images, this method involves the splitting of the photo into thirds, it results in the main focus taking up two thirds of the image. This leaves the other third left empty filled by the background.

Feminism in the Media

The male gaze theory
Laura Mulvey male gaze theory suggests that audiences watch films in two ways - voyeuristically and fetishistically. Its the idea that the audiences watch the film but are not being watched by the characters on screen most likely in the darkened cinema as other movie goers do not have to observe them either. This almost creates them being voyeurs - this can lead to two effects:

1. Objectification of female characters in relation to this (male) gaze
2. Narcissistic identification with an ideal image seen on the screen. 

Laura Mulvey's theory further suggests that voyeurism involves turning the
 figure into a fetish or a object. therefore making it more beautiful but more objectified. This results to female movie star,celebrated for her looks but considered as an object, this leads to them being considered more as eye candy other known as the male gaze theory.

Through my knowledge on movies from different time periods i can make the accurate judgement on how does the male gaze theory apply to the movie industry.

Transformers: After watching Transformers i feel and most other people feel that Megan Fox complies with the male gaze theory, she is instantly shown as a helper to Sam and nothing more than eye candy - also from my own knowledge i know that she is just a helper as she only stars in 2/3 of the Transformers movies after she was replaced by more eye candy.

Mission Impossible Ghost protocol: You could argue how this film would comply with the male gaze theory because of how she is shown in the scenes, however she plays a pivotal role in the film. Therefore she is not presented as an object as she brings something to the plot.

Underworld Awakening: This is another arguable movie that can or cannot be manipulated into the male gaze theory. My thoughts on it is that it does not comply with the male gaze theory because she is presented as the main character or one of the main character therefore she is not just an object, however though she can come across in this fetish way.

Sherlock Homes: I think from looking at this image that the idea of the Male Gaze theory does not imply to this film, however there may be some scene that do comply with the male gaze theory if a narcissistic identification is made.

James Bond Casino Royale: This movie is clear just from the image of the shadowing female body in the background making it clear that it complies with the male gaze theory. Plus from prior knowledge of this series of films i know that the women are almost objects a fetish, however it also applies with the idea of the narcissistic identification. 

Front Cover: This front cover fits with the conventions of the almost stereotypical newsletter. In this newsletter it shows the house-style of the white background the black text, with the blue and red title fitting into the schools personal house-style. The logo image has the semiotics effect that represents the school, so do the images on the front cover of the working environment. 




Double page spread: The double page spread uses a formal language as that newspaper is targeted towards parents rather than the students, it is also because of who has wrote the article, this is the headteachers article on extreme weather conditions. Therefore showing how the context can manipulate the language whether it is formal or informal.

Preliminary School Newspaper

School Newspaper

Your general college/school newspapers show a variety of things, however they all use the same frameworks to create a successful newspaper, firstly in terms of the graphology of the newspaper it usually follows the house-style for example the same layout is used throughout each article forming a recognisable house-style, this leads me onto how the school use semiotics to create a recognisable image - this would come in the image of school utensils and the school logo. It from the idea that a sign is something that stands for something other than itself.

The text used within the newspaper would more likely be formal language, informing the audience on school dates etc..It also entertains the reader by showing article of students accomplishments. However the text can also be informal if the newspaper is targeted towards the students rather than the parents.   

Semiotics
Semiotics is a study of signs, the idea that a sign is something that stands for something other than itself. An example of semiotics is a open sign which represents free to enter. There are two man approaches of this theory these are;

• Ferdinand Saussure 1857 - 1913.
• Saussure said that signs are purely psychological.
• He also said that signs only make sense in a formal abstract system. A one word language us an impossibility.
• He believed that signs don't represent reality but they construct it.
• Signs reflect the system they are found in.
• "It is because the sign is arbitrary that it knows no law other than tradition.
• Charles Sander Pierce 1839 - 1914
• Pierce had many different types of sign but the three most important are;
• Indexes
• Icons 
• And symbols

Questionnaire
I have been tasked to create a questionnaire, this questionnaire will be filled out by numerous people in order to gain some research into the magazine more specific the music magazine market.https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/gform?key=0AiQF08cwITKPdEJPeDBORGVTUVlCc3dUSGhOTzNQbGc&hl=en_GB#edit

Methods of Research
In order to develop successful data in order to give me a upper hand and an advantage in creating my coursework (music magazine) and find out various facts there are two ways to go about this research gathering, these two ways are;

• Quantitative research, this is the use of gathering large sums of data through different methods e.g. surveys and questionnaires. This format of data gathering deals with large numbers, although this data comes in large sums it can be outdated because it is second hand research. This research format sorts through detailed facts, figures and numbers. This leads me onto the second research gathering method I will use.
• Qualitative the final of the two methods of research I have spoke about, this research is the idea of observation however this cannot be measured. For example it can be gathered through the use of interviews with a person or persons of my desired target audience, it can also be achieved through lengthy surveys. 
• In order to get all aspects covered by the research I carry out, I will use Quantitative research method using the form of questionnaires and surveys etc.. This will enable my music magazine to be the best it can be with the resources available to me. 

Meeting the aims of the brief
My name is Josh Filson I am currently studying media at AS level, this blog is going to contain the stages it takes me to complete the primary task;

• The preliminary task is to create a front page and a contents page.
• The main task is to complete a front-page, double page and a contents page for a music magazine, it will focus on one genre specifically targeted at the younger audience. It will feature a local band that I will have access to for photo-shoot etc..
• In order to complete my main task successfully I have to do background research.
• I will have to plan before I create my finished product of a front page, double page spread and the contents page that features my chosen local band.