The target demographic of my magazine would be teenage boys between 14 – 17 who play video games regularly, therefore middle class: they can afford it. The purpose of this magazine is to inform the target audience of what gaming used to be like which would provide entertainment as well as escapism. I want to base this off of the research I have done on the general layout of a games magazine cover and what sort of games are popular and how they are presented to persuade the public to buy it. This relates to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as it would fit into the ‘esteem’ level given that video games allow teenagers to achieve something when they may be lacking in everyday life, such as school, therefore, giving them a sense of confidence. 

For the cover, I imagine a person, real or animated, in the centre of the page to catch the audience’s eye. A male or female in the centre would be a reactionary sign due to the commonality of male protagonists in video games and a female being a ‘damsel in distress’ which relates to Todorov‘s narrative theory as he said that there are set, stock characters within texts that are recognisable to audiences. This visual impact should flatter the text surrounding it as well as the colours which I picture to be green and purple as they are associated with the concept of gaming. I want the title to be in a big, bold black font to stand out on the white and purple background. A purple concept is a symbolic sign which has connotations of power: protagonists usually pursue or destroy people in power. In addition, the colour red can be associated with anger and passion, assets which can be helpful in gaming, this can be shown on a sticker. This relates to audience theory as the shade could cement the fact that emotion is a useful tool in the gaming world. What’s more, strong emotions often aid in winning a game, therefore, colors allow the audience to believe that if they pick this magazine, they are more likely to succeed. I would like the contents page to feature similar photographs to the cover to link each in theme. If I use simple black and white text, it will flatter the image as it would juxtapose the bright colors. The addition of a white circle with curved text in it which flows with the shape in conjunction with use of arrows could bring attention to a word such as ‘WIN’ which would imply to the reader that if they buy this magazine they will win each video game they play, the ultimate goal. This relates to the idea of escapism as it virtually persuades the audience to play a game as if they have more of a chance at winning as opposed to people who have not read this magazine. The double page spread should have many visual aspects, like the same colors as the previous pages to evoke a motif which is clear to readers.

Language and representation

• masculinity
• suggesting you have to look like the dominant signifier and you HAVE to do those things to be like that ‘blast body fat!’, page 127 ‘ways to build a stronger crore’
• strong
• determined
• ‘you’re only limit is your self belief’

NOTE: NEA = Statement of intent

Designing Notes:

– pg 6 = Playbox AD

– p22 = Games shop AD

– p 29 = Video Game AD

For my coursework, I am going to follow NEA brief set 2. My aim is to create a radical piece which challenges the dominant ideology of the patriarchal society we live in linking to feminist critical thinking throughout to show that women aren’t inferior to men and they deserve to have hobbies which are typically thought of as ‘manly’. I intend, to encourage girls (aged 14-19) to also be confident and game if they want to and to not be scared to do so, this will help satisfy their enjoyment and social needs relating to uses and gratifications theory.  

For research, I have looked at PC GAMER magazines and other gaming magazine brands to analyse what professional products look like so I can make my magazine as convincing as possible. From this I discovered that girls are underrepresented in the gaming community and the ‘girl gamer’ magazines focus on female games characters or Nintendo DS gameplay rather than PC or console like the ‘typical male gamer uses’, which lead me to want to make a magazine in the style for typical gamers but for girls. My magazine will have an overall radical theme linked to feminist critical thinking. 

My cover will have a girl as the dominant signifier to give the connotation of an independent woman to act as a counter-type to dominant ideologies, with iconic and indexical signs within my magazine creating a paradigm which illustrates my aim. I intend to make my front cover eye catching to draw my intended audience’s attention. I Will use the rule of thirds to give my contents page a systematic layout clearly identifying each section in my magazine and make it easy to navigate for my intended audience. My double page spread will promote the game ‘HELL RESCUE: GLITH’, with an interview with the developers and the first gameplay. The description of the game will follow Todorov’s and Chatman’s narrative theories where the game will have a spike of interest and then level out to a resolution, and have every element working together so if one were taken out it changes the story entirely to create a new ending.  

I intend to create a diverse range of ADs across the 3. To do this I will focus on issues associated with gaming, (such as how gamers can maintain their health), an online character design competiton and quality gaming experience (computer cleaning tips or new internal part by GeForce).  

I recognise that people read things in different ways (Hall’s reception theory), which can be dominant, negotiated or oppostional, to combat this I will stick to my main target audience, whilst also aiming to appeal to the broader gaming community, to reinforce my aim to show people that anyone can game if they wish. 

Music video and Music magazine:

Stages:

Week 1 – 18th – 22nd: Find music and style models to have for inspiration. Start thinking about footage. Draft Statement of intent. Remember the headphone promotion.

Week 2 – 23rd – 29th: Develop footage and keep building on premier pro. Edit and cut scenes so that there is a complete first draft of the music video. Magazine working name “Indie Girl.”

Week 3 – 30th – 6th: Start working on cover and tour page. Check proportions for prints. Still working on music video. Start to draft dialogue for the music interview. Make sure there are seven original photographs.

Week 4 – 7th – 13th: Finish cover and tour page by Wednesday of this week. Finalize music video and start to complete double page spread/ interview in in-design.

Week 5 – 14th – 18th: Print off cover and tour page and finish double page spread to print. Make sure all final edits of the Music video is completed.

Create a three-minute music video to promote a musical artist/band.

-The artist/band has record company backing and already has a strong social media following.

-The video aims to raise the profile of the artist/band and help appeal to a mainstream audience.

You may select the genre of music. The video should feature the artist/band and use media language choices that both reflect the codes and conventions of the musical genre and act to construct a clear brand identity for the artist/band. The video is being released as part of the promotion of the artist/band’s forthcoming UK tour. The artist/band has a sponsorship deal with a headphone manufacturer and their product should be featured in the video in some way

Minimum Requirements:

At least two / three filming locations

–indoor living room (party/ after party scenario)

–outdoor (middle of street,top of cliff )

A range of camera shots, angles, and movement, to establish the locations and representations

-circulating shots

-close up

-long shots

Appropriate framing of shots

Appropriate choices of imagery to create meaning

Editing of the footage for meaning, including continuity and/or visual effect

Use of appropriate lighting and mise-en-scène.

idea’s:

jason as an artist ( also his music)

uk rap

previously named oh comely

Oh Comely is a magazine about people. It inspires people to be creative, talk to their neighbours and explore new things, rather than gossip, buy stuff or lose weight. Oh is about new ways of looking inside ourselves and out at the world. A mindfulness magazine with a fresh perspective

• Oh Comely magazine is a bi-monthly( produced twice a month) (British magazine published in print and digitally, made in London by a small indie publishing house started by three friends) published by Pirates Ahoy! a subsidiary of Iceberg Press, publisher of The Simple Things magazine.
• Oh Comely constructs a representation of femininity with its focus on creativity and quirkiness.
• Theories of representation including Hall
• Feminist theories including bell hooks and Van Zoonen
• Theories of gender performativity including Butler
• The absence of men as part of the representation of masculinity in Oh Comely magazine.
• Representation of social groups: Oh Comely constructs a lifestyle through its focus on culture and the environment. This analysis would offer the opportunity to question some of the messages and values constructed by the magazine.
• focuses on environment and lifestyle

• Recognisable and familiar structures
• Patterns, codes, conventions that share a common features
• Narratives are a combination of many individual elements
• Narratives are organised around a particular theme and space and are based in an idea of time
• Proairetic code: action, movement, causation
• Hermenuetic code: reflection, dialogue, character or thematic development
• flashback flash forward
• STORY is often associated with themes and meaning and can be decoded from all of the different elements that are used, for example, the characters, setting, props and themes
• PLOT is the way in which the story (elements/themes/ideas/meaning) is organised and sequenced.
• stock characters-
• Hero
• Helper
• Princess
• Villain
• Victim
• Dispatcher
• Father
• False Hero

parallel narrative- two things running together

enigma code (puzzle something to resolve)

light and shade release tension and lighten it up.

fragmented identity constructed / different identities changing fake

key characteristic of postmodernism is the development of fragmented, alienated individuals living in fragmented societies.

ellipsis/elision = elements are missing leaving things out

“narrative of white supremacist was created” – justice initiative

Media in the West has been a key player in the rise of these Orientalist notions as the stereotypes produced by these views are constantly cemented through the media we consume.

” all ideology hails or interpellates concrete individuals as concrete subjects, through the functioning of the category of the subject” – Althusser

Orientalism is the study of the Orient or the Eastern world. But it’s also the title of a book by Edward Said that reviews the effect of this belief system on the connections of Eastern and Western nations. This book reviews the history of this idea and how it’s still prevalent today.

the orient could not represent itself.

we are socially constructed and what socially constructs us is ‘despite its diversity and contradictions . . . the ruling ideology, which is the ideology of ‘the ruling class

Jean Kilbourne
– Women are sexualised to be seen as objects, the women in Score are shown to be subservient to men which portrays this objectifying nature
– Men are still sexualised as well as women but men are sexualised in a more positive way, men wouldn’t be sexualised or portrayed in the same way that women are as it wouldn’t be considered ‘masculine’
– Women are more at risk of developing mental health issues from this portrayal of women, women will feel inadequate to men and can develop an eating disorder, depression or low self esteem from seeing this ‘perfect’ model in ads and magazines, it’s damaging to society
– “Children growing up today are bombarded from a very early age with graphic messages about sex and sexiness in the media and popular culture” – Children are being exposed to pornography and sexual images from a young age which can be damaging to their well being as they will develop this understanding on how someone should look a certain way
– “How sexy can a woman feel if she hates her body” – This suggests that society isn’t fair and due to this objectification women won’t feel secure enough in their own body