LO3: Following Codes & Conventions

LO3: Following Codes & Conventions

Photography

Branston & Stafford (1999) claimed audiences could gain reassurance for what to expect from a given media product; this is dependent on the genre. Therefore, within my photography (and my house style colours & assets) I tried to convey the rock genre as efficiently as possible. This is evident within the front cover: the first photo (for the main cover image) uses a low-angle medium close up to convey a stereotypically strong and dominant male representation (which conveys Tim O'Sullivan's 1998 representation theory). The same representation, through a cowboy shot, is also signified in the other cover image. The effect this created was an ideal self (Carl Rogers 1980) for the target male demographic by seeing other successful males in positions of power. 

This representation was furthered through body language and costume; the denotation of a guitar also furthering the conventions of rock magazines. This was done by a classic 'coat over the shoulder' and posing the bassist to be leaning on his guitar and the surrounding equipment as they look at the camera confidently to create connotations of heedlessness which are iconographic of rock and rebellion. A shallow depth of field edited into the photos during production would further emphasise these aspects of the artists and signify them as the centre of attention. Additionally the costumes are fitting for the rock magazine genre through contrasting formal attire with boisterous attitudes; this imagery and connotations are iconography for the rebellion which is so synonymous with rock. 

I continued these representations within my contents page through another medium close up and full shot; the medium close up of the bassist with his back turned to the camera was intended to convey the carelessness of the player to what is going on around him, and instead focusing on his instrument.

Within my double page spread, I wanted to create connotations of teamwork in which an audience could lose themselves in the spectacle of getting to know the band intimately through the interview with the lead singer and other photography which uses shot types, body language and costume to characterize each member for the audience.

The low-angle close up of the lead singer, wearing sunglasses indoors advances the rock connotations of rebellion; the close angle creates the sense of intimacy further (for a male audience) through dominant male representations. However, seeing the band play together in a wide shot, allows the audience to feel as if they are part of the scene; this would create the gratification of escapism (Blumler & Katz 1972). The neon lights also convey my house style colours, evidencing them as being conventional to the rock/music magazine genre. 

DPS Body Copy (See LO3: Body Copy Draft Articles)

The interview and prerequisite introduction serve to create the feeling of exclusivity that comes with the intimacy of knowing behind the scenes information about the feature band of the magazine. Because of this, the interview layout, introduction and main article all fit within the conventions of a typical music magazine: using colloquial and boisterous language which is intended to appeal to the younger male demographic who are interested in music; in this case rock. The way this would be further achieved would be by using, to remain consistent with the rest of the magazine, a mix of sans serif and serif fonts; likely sans serif for the interview responses to create connotations of the clash between formality and colloquialism which has been a motif due to the rock genre. The layout of the article and interview are conventional to the same style Rolling Stone (music magazine) organise their body copies: containing an interview with the feature, an introduction to the interview itself (where they are to set the scene) and an article relating to the artist's work. This immersion would further an ideal self (Carl Rogers 1980) in the audience through understanding more about the feature, someone who is made to be looked up to via the photography (e.g. through low angles). Furthermore, the information which the article and interview provide add to the gratifications of entertainment through the 'rock-like' casual mannerisms, especially in interview responses, and potentially social interaction (Blumler and Katz 1972) from the advice the text gives them into starting their own band/music. This kind of cool-headed and absent minded representation of the lead singer ('sunglasses brazenly dishevelled atop his head') and the spectacle of imagery of fans waiting to get inside the venue ('His eyes were distracted by the congregation waiting to get inside') are also stereotypical/conventional of the rock genre (Tim O'Sullivan 1998). 

Following feedback/sub-editing, my articles/interview was changed to fit into a column layout, conventional of other magazines; the content of the article was altered to be shorter and place greater emphasis on the feature band. The reason for this was to follow magazine conventions set by other music magazines like Rolling Stone, where a double page spread typically represents the magazine's feature in full. This would appeal to the target audience who are interested in music (and vicariously music magazines) through setting expectations of what audiences are going to see through following conventions of other music magazines (Branston & Stafford 1999). I challenged conventions somewhat through non-traditional segmentation of columns with the interview, instead segmenting/categorising the text to make it appear as if there is less to read therefore, further appealing to a teenage (target) demographic.

(Body Copy - See Sub-Editing for detailed articles)

Final Designs

Front Cover

The composition of my front cover is akin to other music magazines like Kerrang: this is done through the denotation of my main cover image which takes up the majority of the front cover, the main cover-line signifies what band the feature/model is for the magazine through anchoring it to the image. The cover-line 'Meet the star singer' also anchors to this image through its positioning next to the model's face therefore, symbolizing his significance as an ideal self for the audience via the portrayal of a real 'star' singer. The title of the band/feature is also conventional of music magazines, particularly Kerrang through its denotation as the main cover-line. Other cover-lines surround the model and give insight into what the magazine entails, conventional of other music magazines through adding to the model's appearance rather than taking away by placing a cover-line above the image. That right reserved to the main cover-line (like seen in Kerrang) due to its contextual significance. Furthermore, the masthead is positioned and sized equivocally to other music magazines like Kerrang; the banner above which gives further insight into what the magazine holds is present in both examples. The secondary cover image is also positioned equivocally with supporting text that acts as a hook to entice an audience to buy the magazine (tips to starting your own band & a 'special CD single' against a 'free Panic! art print'). The photography is also conventional through portraying men in positions of power, signified by low angles where they look directly at the camera either confidently or scrutinizing the audience, to further the rebellious and boisterous connotations of rock (magazines).

Contents 

My contents page is conventional more to the Rolling Stone music magazine in layout however, the editors note, the overt colours and the way the text wraps around the model are more conventional of both Mojo & Kerrang! The same is true for the way the page numbers are presented which are intended to convey connotations of rock. This is through conflicting serif and sans serif fonts which parallel the model's casual body language and use of formal attire to create a juxtaposition of formality against rebellion which is conventional of rock, similarly to the appearance of Mojo magazine's model in the contents. The topics covered in the contents and the column layout are also conventional between all examples; including the co-text/slugs which support the headlines that categorize the information. The flamboyant use of camera angles in the examples, the main model and editors note (via full-shots & a mix of overtly high or low angles) are also conventional between rock music magazines.

Double Page Spread

As with my contents page, my double page spread takes influence from Rolling Stone however, I altered some compositional choices to dissuade any inherent, overt similarities. The example from Rolling Stone featuring Wu Tang is evident of this as I follow conventions through anchoring the feature to the page's coverage by making the background into the singer (distinguishing the page) and including an image of them, on the second page, with a pull quote similarly to Kerrang! The house style colours are consistent throughout the page and magazine, and I included a worn-out effect on the borders, like Kerrang!, to convey the grungy conventions of rock. Each shot within the page uses a low angle; the two of the main singer both further the motif of carelessness/rebellion present in the rock genre through denotations of informal sunglasses, emphasised through a close up) that juxtapose their formal attire (this true as well for the drummer in the bottom-right corner). The other uses a low angle to emphasise these rebellious connotations through glorifying them via an ideal self, signified by the low angle and the spectacle of being a non-cholent 'star'. This spectacle of stardom is furthered by the interview which gives audiences personal insight into the band, therefore, furthering the magazine's exclusivity and tying into conventions set by Rolling Stone as an exemplary music magazine. The wide shot of the band playing together then adds to this as the audience gets a snippet of seeing The Midnight Train and the guest feature in action; vibrant lighting, highlighting them, juxtaposing the low-key setting to convey the stardom of the band. Furthermore, in reference to the background, the idea to use it as an anchor to the headline and interview, since the first page is about the 'star singer' therefore, a large image of him singing in the background felt appropriate and sat within conventions of other music magazines like Rolling Stone.