Main task: Front Cover Textual Analysis

Denotation- The magazine consists of a man looking at the camera. It is a close up of his head.

Masthead- The source masthead is simple as it uses a bold text which is in red. This corresponds to the colour scheme the magazine is trying to pull off. The masthead uses a bold and rounded font with a white outline which creates it to it being more eye catching for the readers.

Character- The cover is a photograph of a famous hip-hop rapper called Ice Cube

Composition- The focus is concentrated more on the face of ice cube so that we can clearly see that his facial expression is screwed up, this relates back to its target audience to which the music comes with a stereotypical appearance to look in a certain way.

Costume- His clothing suggest he is a young person or relatable to the young generation as he wears relatable and fashionable clothing. He is dress in a black American football hat and a black plain top which is fashionable for the target audience. This colour is chosen as it is associated as a ‘cool’ and significant colour amongst the hip-hop fans. This will draw readers by using this clothing and this hip hop icon that is socially accepted by people who listen to this genre. There are also parts of this clothing that connotes wealth as he wears a long chain, diamond earrings and diamond teeth. The jewellery contrasts with the dark clothing he is wearing to show clearly the expensive items. The connotations of the jewellery correspond to the target audience’s imagery of an American hip-hop artist. He is also holding a cigarette and holding it in a ‘show off’ manner. The cigarette connotes that he is rich as the target audience imagine people with them to be business people. Wealth is used a lot in this photograph to connote prosperity in this genre of music.

NVC- He is posed in a casual yet intimidating way as the main image is a mid-shot focusing on his facial expression. His eyebrows are tensed giving him an aggressive appearance. His facial expression portrays the hip-hop genre to be a demanding and brutal business.

Lighting-The lighting is high key so that it contrasts with the dark appearance of the character. The lighting is situated around his face and as it comes closer to the centre it becomes dark connoting a sinister look to correspond with his facial expression.
Setting- The setting is replaced with a block colour however the brown colour used creates a simple theme being used so that it does not draw attention from the main subject of the magazine.

Cover lines- The main coverline refers back to the character. The main coverline is made more important and separated by the other coverlines by using a bigger font, different colour and centralising the text. This gives it the public interest it is trying to achieve as the unique font chosen states the characters name in red, a colour that connotes watchfulness, placed in the centre. There is a smaller text included in the main coverline, ‘started this gangsta ish!’ this text uses informal language to relate to its target audience by using this short, quote-like main coverline. The use of the exclamation mark allows the reader to imagine that this is what the character is saying. At the bottom of the front page there is a coverline that shows different stories that are going to be included in the magazine. This draws a wider target audience by stating the different articles. This is created to build excitement for the reader as it is placed in a list stating four different topics. One topic draws reader into looking into an artist, ‘can they shine under 50’, this is shown in a different colour to the artists name and uses a rhetorical question to appeal to its target audience.

Target audience- The target audience are listeners of the hip-hop genre. These tend to be people that are between the ages of 15-30

Main task: Introduction

My name is Christopher Chuky, my task for AS media is to produce in this project a college magazine. This will include a front page, contents page and double page spread. American Hip- Hop is the genre of the magazine I will be creating. During this I will plan and research my chosen genre and implement my ideas to create an authentic magazine. Ways I will research is through looking at different music magazines and look at the lay out and style the magazine has been created. Also I will be using questionnaires and social views of the hip-hop genre and magazine to gather more information to add to my and effect my finial choices when creating the magazine.

Induction: Contents Page FINAL

Induction: Front Cover FINAL

Induction: Front Cover and Contents Page Mock Up

Induction: Front Cover Textual Diagram

Induction: Front Cover Textual Analysis

Character-The Cover is a photograph of a famous dancehall artist ‘Jeffrey Assassin’ posing as a college student holding books.

Composition- A casual, laid back pose showing he is ‘cool’. His stance, facial expressions and clothing suggest he is a happy young person

Costume- dressed in fashionable clothing that is appealing to young people, his culler is put up which gives that the idea that going college is ‘cool’ and that it good for people who can relate to him because of his clothing. It’s also not over the top and is kept simple to show he is a simple guy allowing readers to be open to the magazine. He is also wearing jeans and an expensive looking chain which also relates to young people and could also connote him as a bit wealthy. He also has a freshly made haircut and trimmed beard, which connotes that he is a well kept guy.

NVC- he is laid back suggesting that college life is not hard for him. He is also smiling giving the impression that he enjoys what he is studying which can be clarified by the books he is holding which are law, business and society.

Lighting- the lighting is situated around him and is high key this allows the light to be bright on his face so the focus is there. Having the lighting high key symbolises happiness and represents college in a good way and also styled in a way which also matches the characters costume giving the magazine a quality effect.

Props- the character is holding two books happily. The props indicate subject which can be taken at the college. The subject shows subjects which can connote to teens as hard subjects but by the character holding it happily it allows the readers to be more acceptant.

Setting- the setting is replaced as a simple background using black and as it gets closer to the centre it becomes lighter as it focuses on the character, particularly his face to see his facial expression.

Cover lines- the main cover line relates to the character, ‘dancehall’s bright future’, as the character is a well known DJ. The font is in sans serif giving the magazine a professional and serious approach contrasting with the joyous tone the magazine is trying to give. The college relates to teens as the cover line ‘why we love blackberry’ is a comic cover line as teens know that blackberry’s are well known phones and knowledge about this topic may interest them. The theme colours with the font are yellow/green and white. These colours symbolises good things as it connotes that the magazine and college is fun or enjoyable as it uses a pure and bright colours. The selling lines is catchy, “Your exclusive guide to everything hip, hot and happening”, this uses alteration to draw the readers into buying the magazine and also uses informal words for them to relate. The masthead, ‘college lifestyle’ draws the reader as It is simple but the word ‘college’ is big and bold to show what target audience it is trying to reach to which are teen, as college is a large part of a teenagers life. The website link is simple, ‘www.collegelifestylemag.com, it contains the name of the magazine making to more easily for people to remember the website. Barcode is situating at the bottom left corner so it doesn’t interrupt the magazine in anyway.
The magazine succeeds in portraying how good college is by the theme and appearance of the front page. It uses relatable language, test and images so that the reader can be more engage to the message the magazine is trying to pull off.