LOCK DOWN WORK

22/06/20-QUESTIONS

Please watch the Water Aid advert below. Can you identify 5 theories that may be relevant to the representation of people, places and groups. Remember to explain your choices.

Roland Barthez theory of semiotics is relevant to the water aid advert as there is several meanings within the advert, Claudia is seen with a positive facial expression suggesting that she is happy with herself and happy while on her journey subverting the ideology and stereotype of suffering, the positive expression she withholds shows her Independence , this is further shown by close ups of her singing reinforcing her confidence.

Levi-Strauss theory of Structuralism is relevant to the water aid advert as binary opposites are constructed through a selection of images, the video starts with a radio and the forecast for a wet British day , then the scene changes to the parched ground of Africa which overall constructs two different world. The video itself shows binary opposites to the stereotype of charity adverts as some tend to show heartache and pain that is going on however the water aid advert shows the positive effect of your donations by showing children singing and playing and using bright colours.

George Gurbner’s cultivation theory can be applied as he suggests that repeated exposure to television over time can cultivate viewers perceptions, therefore by showing the positive side of donations it may persuade viewers to keep donation as it has a positive effect on the people in need and shows them how happy it can make them.

David Gauntlett’s theory of representation can also be applied to the water aid advert as the main focus of the advert is Claudia and how she is represented; she is represented as part of a community of women who have an active role, she has seen as independent as she carries out her journey alone. Therefore this reflects a more modern representation of women in these situations and countries.

Todorov theory of narratology is relevant as all products have a structure or narrative. The advert starts of with a radio broadcast and a rainy day symbolising Britain and how we will be notified about changes in the weather and the news further suggesting that we will be notified about causes and problems in the world.However the narrative then changes to Claudia who is seen singing and being happy while on her way to get water. Therefore these both scenes are simultaneous because as these as these adverts are shown people donate meaning that people such as Claudia can get water.

17/06/20-BRIEF QUESTIONS

Will your pictures have a theme?

I may do the black and white theme for my photographs as I think black and white photos add a realness to the image and I want to capture the true essence of the model or models, I want their personality to be shown , however I could also achieve this with coloured photographs.However I could incorporate both types of photographs, as my front cover could have a feel of fashion photography with bright colours and for it to be eyecatching, and for the double page I could use black and white photographs giving the magazine a new and different feel

What will be the message?

At the moment I haven’t quite figured out my message for my magazine, but I do want it to fit perfectly for the target audience., I’m thinking of making my magazine towards fashion and for the female audience and possibly adding relatable content. I want to show confidence and to portray self love into my front cover.

What could you do to further your idea?

To further my idea , I’m planning to make a google slide where I can add pictures of magazines I like and research different types of magazine brands that have the target audience between 18-34 year olds and see what type of content they apply to their magazine. By researching other magazines I could also see the way they portray their models and seeing how I can style my model and layout for my front cover.

09/06/20-OPINIONS ON COLSTON STATUE BEING PULLED DOWN.

In my opinion, I think it was right to pull down the statue of Edward Colston as he was a British slave trader.The statue itself represents someone who was part of the pain and torture that the black communities faced throughout the slave trade. It was right to pull down the statue as it shouldn’t of been up in the first place, as why would the UK be proud of someone who was part of something so horrific to even consider having a statue of them.The article talks about the opinion from Priti Patel who is the home secretary, she stated that this act was “utterly disgraceful”, but some would question that the UK is utterly disgraceful for having that statue as they are promoting someone who was known for trading slaves and promoting ‘slavery’, the BLM protesters has a right to pull down the statue as it is a constant remind of the pain the was brought to black communities.

The statue should definitely not be replaced with another one of Edward Colston, as this will anger the people of Bristol leading to the pulling it down again. Instead of having a statue of someone who was involved with slavery and a slave trader, but replacing it with something powerful or understanding for example they could replace that spot with something from here an now something to do with the black lives matter movement, as this will show power and will have meaning, it will show the city of Bristol that everyone has fought for justice and has made a difference. By replacing the spot that Edward Colston’s statue was to something meaningful to black communities show the bravery and fight that they conquered through the slave trade and the fight they are still doing to get justice and to fight for human rights. By doing this it will mean that Bristol is here to fight with them and to show their support. As I think this is a better idea than replacing the statue with a new one as it is unlikely to cause uproar and show the people of Bristol what they did was right.

Personally, I feel anger towards the statue as it’s associated with slavery and the statue was of a slave trader and should of never been put up or should have been taken down a long time ago.As it shouldn’t be there and for people to be remind of the horrors that occurred,as the city itself was built on slavery. I agree with the people who pulled down the statue as they were getting rid of the symbol that represented how black communities were oppressed and how they are still being oppressed.They also did this to show the actions of Edward Colston as they spilled red point over him to represent the blood of the slaves. This act can be seen as something revolutionary an act of justice, as they want to rewrite history , they want to be heard and want justice. This action can be seen as something great and a state of power and how black communities and allies with not stop until they are heard and how they want to change the world.

20/05/20

Commercial Media’s are driven by profit and investment they tend to be funded through advertisement.Commercial media’s such as ITV focus on producing entertaining content to ensure that audience intake is high, The owners and shareholders priorities profit.

Public service Media’s are paid by license fees and government subsides such as the BBC as it is paid by TV license. They produce entertaining content to education, entertain and inform their audience due to funding. Does not priorities profit but serves quality, also serves a diverse group of people

OFcome: Radio and television

BBFC: Film

ASA: Advertising

VSC: Video games

ISPO :Newspapers

CORRECT ORDER:

An understanding of a media product cannot be gained without an understanding of the industry that produced it. The inevitable growth of large conglomerates supported by vertical and horizontal integration is seemingly being countered by self-publishing and consumer content that is being made possible by the advancements of digital technology.

Therefore, in an increasingly diversified media market, the nature of production and distribution is constantly shifting and has an impact on the way that audiences consume media products. The proliferation of the internet and mobile devices is changing the global reach of media products at the same time as giving audiences the opportunity to be prosumers. In this saturated market the reliance on distribution and marketing is as integral as ever, but now cross-platform marketing and social networks are essential to access that wider audience.

Within these industries, regulation of media products needs to adapt too and the likes of OFCOM and The Video Standards Council are trying to keep up with the increasing demands of regulating diverse content that may be produced independently and often published and distributed with new technology.

11/05/20- NEWSPAPERS AUDIENCE/INDUSTRY-google slide

The information I found Interesting in the slides was Newspapers and Technology change and how Newspapers have had to adapt to the changes in technology and the needs of their readers. This has caused all national and even local Newspapers to have an online platform and their news content can be found and is also available on other social medias and through apps. However this allows newspapers to broader their audience in terms of production, distribution and circulation.
However they is a negative to this as the newspaper industry is facing a drop in circulation figures as people aren’t buying newspapers anymore and as readership diminishes. Therefore this reflects sociological changes which are related to the ways in which readers want to accesses their news.

Newspapers can now be divided into three groups: 

Quality newspapers, previously known as broadsheets, for example the Guardian and The Times, 

Middle market tabloids made up of the Daily Mail and the Express.

Red tops named such as their mastheads are presented in red – for example the Sun.

Who Owns The Press?

The biggest player in the newspaper industry is News Corporation owned by Rupert Murdoch. His media empire owns the Sun,  The Times, The Sunday Times, and the Sun on Sunday. Other main newspapers are owned by: 

• The i: Alexander Lebedev’s Independent Print Limited 
• The Guardian and the Observer: Scott Trust Limited 
• The Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and the People: Trinity Mirror
• Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, Daily Star on Sunday: Richard Desmond’s Northern and Shell
• Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph: Press Holdings owned by the Barclay Brothers
• The Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday: Lord Rothermere’s Daily Mail and General Trust plc

The political associations of a newspaper will affect how they present particular stories and in turn will influence what their readers think and believe. YouGov conducted a survey into readers’ perceptions of the political leaning of specific newspapers. Out of eight newspapers, five were seen to be predominantly right wing and two, including the Daily Mirror were perceived to be centre to left wing.

News Papers an Technological change

News papers have had to adapt to changes in technology and the needs for their readers.Therefore national and even local news papers now have an online platform and their news is also available on other social medias.By doing this it give the newspapers a way of building up their audience; However the newspaper industry is facing a drop in circulation figures as the readership diminishes.

The digital revolution has also had an impact on how news is gathered. Frequently, news channels use citizen journalism, information from the general public rather than their own journalists, as the advances in technology mean that they now have the means to record images and send information immediately. This is particularly true when the story is unexpected such as a terrorist attack.

Online Sites

They are immediate and up to date. When something happens users can access the news and get regular updates.

They offer more immediate interactive opportunities, for example, there is access to audio visual clips and opportunities to blog their opinions. The Daily Mail, which has a high percentage of female readers, has had particular success with its online version of ‘Femail’ with its diet of fashion and gossip.

News Values

News values are the criteria that will influence the decisions made by those who run the newspaper industry, including the owners, editors and journalists, about which stories will appear in their newspaper. These decisions are made everyday by gatekeepers who decide how the news is selected and constructed for the audience.

IPSO

The new regulatory body is the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), whose stated aim is to uphold professional standards in journalism. The role of IPSO involves: 

• The regulation of over 1500 print and 1100 online titles.
• Dealing with complaints about possible breaches of the Editors Code of Practice.
• Giving help with unwanted press attention or harassment issues.
• Giving advice to to editors and journalists.

Curran and Seaton: Power and Media Industries 

• Media producers are controlled by a small number of companies primarily driven by the logic of profit and power. 
• The idea that media concentration generally limits or inhibits variety, creativity and quality. 
• The idea that more socially diverse patterns of ownership help to create the conditions for more varied and adventurous patterns of ownership. 

5/05/20

The makers re-edited the film to ensure a 12A certificate as the book trilogy and films had a clear appeal to young teenage audiences between the ages of 11-14 however the complex and disturbing themes were more likely to be accepted by this age range. However without the cuts to the film it could of been classed as a 15 as there were scenes that placed an emphasis on blood and injuries, but the distributor wanted a 12A classification therefore they decided to cut certain sequences to make the film suitable for the target audience.

I personally believe the Hunger Games is appropriate for a 12A certificate as the film no longer contains the more complex and disturbing scenes. Even though the film is about children being put against each other in a life or death situation the film is now still has violence however the film generally lacking in blood and there is no dwelling on injury detail, also the film focuses less on the violence that takes place unlike the book.The film should also be rated 12A as this allows the younger side of the target audience to be accompanied with an adult meaning they are there for the child if they get uncomfortable or a slightly disturbed during the film.
On the other hand, I can see why it may not be classed as a 12A even with the cuts.As the film could be taken the wrong way and may influence children into violence, also the film is about children killing children which should of made the film 15 certificate however this may of caused backlash as the books had the larger audience range of 11-14 year olds.

This furthers my understanding of theory as there is a lot of reasoning and meanings for the way a film is produced.It also is relevant to David Hesmondhalgh’s theory as he argues that one of the main objectives of cultural Industries is to ‘maximise audiences and minimising risk’, for example the film has a lack of violence which is so the film is suitable for the intended audience and as the film has a 12A certification is allows a wide age range of audiences as people of the age of 12 and above can see them film.

4/05/20

Hesmondhalgh main objective is relevant as it ‘maximise audiences and minimise risk,12A certificate films are made for the ages above 12 or 12 year olds who are accompanied by an Adult, by having a 12A it maximises audiences as it allows a larger age range to watch the film however minimises risk as the film usually show graphic content which can then be viewed to older audiences who are suitable for that content or can be viewed by slightly younger people who have adult supervision, as the content may not be suitable for them.

It is important that a film receives a 12A rating as the film is aimed at audiences over the age of 12 and the content seems appropriate to that age range. However people aged 12 or possibly younger may need to be accompanied with an adult or parent supervision as the film may contain graphic images/violence that wouldn’t be suitable for the viewer alone.Therefore by having a 12A certificate it makes the film have the right guidelines and is fitting for the right audience.

Vertical integration is important as it allows the company to control marketing such as the trailer, production, publishing and also distribute the film .Vertical integration also reduce cost and increase efficiency it also ensures tighter quality control and ensures flow and control of information across the supply chain.The distribution. The distributor will have strategies to get the target audience entranced and will relate to the target audience and how they view the films

The big six media conglomerates are Sony,Disney,National Amusements, Newscorp ,Timewarner and Comcast.

29/04/20-Marvel

Scorsese is justified in his ideas as he states that he thinks marvel films aren’t cinema as he talks about how many places around the world, franchise films are now your primary choice, and how there are less independent theaters than ever and he also talks about how he would love for his independent films to be shown on big screens for a longer period of time but it doesn’t happen as it’s mostly franchised films.

Personally, I somewhat agree with Scorsese as independent films should have their time to shine on the big screens and that there should be more interest in independent films. However I do not agree with the fact Marvel Films aren’t cinema as the franchisee itself is made for the bigscreen, I believe that’s what makes a marvel film a marvel film is the joy it brings as you sit there in a cinema as the film unfolds.Also it’s Scorsese personal taste that makes him not enjoy or like these types of films therefore showing his reasoning for thinking they shouldn’t be on the bigscreen however a large audience are invested in the marvel franchise therefore giving the films a bigger reason to be shown in cinemas. The issues Scorsese raises is how films in these type of franchises are high in demand but they’re only high in demand because they’re the only films they show therefore the more they’re shown the more poeple are going to want to watch them.He also raises issues on how he doesn’t know a filmmaker who doesn’t want to make a film for the bigscreen however they don’t get the chance.

His ideas conform to Curran and Seaton’s theory as big companies tend to have less creativity in their work/films but still make large amount of profits due to them being a successful company.

Personally. I don’t think Disney have made to many Marvel films as there are hundred Marvel comics, however they may have made more due to how much money them make when they bring one out. I think the out put for Marvel and Star Wars are slightly similar as they both come from a comic book franchise, also in 2015 Star Wars comics license returned to marvel; possibly showing they have similar audiences, as they both apply to a mixture of different generations.However are different as Marvel have more room to make movies as their are multiple characters but star wars on the other hand have limited room.

Curren and Seaton’s theory states that media concentration generally limits or inhibits variety, creativity and quality. However the Marvel Universe subverts this theory as they have a range of diversity like Diseny they have characters from different cultures and backgrounds.On the other hand Marvel as a brand reinforce this theory as their films are high concept which entitles them to have large sets and well known stars for the sole reason of profit, the Marvel franchise also reinforces this theory as the majority of their films have a lack of creativity by this I mean the films show a strong moral code of the conflict that takes place and several action sequences that occur in their other films.

The dominance of Marvel in the superhero genre limits the opportunities for independent films with the same genre, as Marvel is a successful brand and tend to have lavish sets and the top stars which make the films a success, as some of the marvel audience may watch the films because of the stars that appear leading to a larger profit/audience. This may be a risk for Independent films as they tend to have not recognisable stars they also tend to focus on narritive more than special effects which could lead to the film failing as being part of that genre, it is also risky as independent films have limited release and are usually shown at film festivals unlike marvel films they are shown across cinemas around the world for months on end.

Black Panther is representative of a cultural movement as the film shows us the fictional African Kingdom of Wakanda, which has avoided European consolation and then has achieved a technology superiority which can be known as Afrofuturisms , Afrofuturism is a cultural aesthetic, philosophy of science and philosophy of history that explores the developing interest African diaspora culture with technology . If we got this as an exam question the issues would consider would be colonialism and talk about how European country’s took power over African countries and exploited them for resources and slave labour. Another issue that would be talked about is the Black Panther Party as this was a political activist between 1966-1982 which prevented police brutality in the US.

28/04/20

Is the BBC a left/right/liberal organisation?

The BBC is a liberal organisation as t it isn’t supposed to be left winger nor right wing but more in the middle. The BBC’s main focus is to inform, Educate and Entertain their audiences, they also have reliable sources such as the news which makes them trust worthy, the BBC also represent a diverse community meaning the produce shows for everyone making their political stance liberal/in the middle.

Why are independent films important to representing people and how do they differ from high concept films?

Independent Films are important to representing people as their main focus is the narrative and the storytelling. Also Producers of independent films have the ability to express themselves freely therefore portraying their creativity into the film, they also use hand held cameras to establish realism to the characters in the film. Independent film’s focus on the characters thoughts and feelings and how it affects the audience. Independent films are different from high concept as they don’t solely make the film for profit value, also high concept films focus on special effects and action sequences however independent tends to focus on the story line.

27/04/20

What theories would you use to analyse a text and why would they be useful?

Barthez theory of semiotics could be applied to analyse a text as the theory is on sign processes and how texts communicate their meanings through a set of signs that need to be decoded by the audience, it also talks about how signs can take on the ideology of a specific society therefore when analysing a text this theory would be helpful as it help you to find hidden meanings throughout the text.

Depending on what type of text Laura Mulvey’s theory of the male gaze could be applied for example if you are analysing a magazine cover which has a female model on you could possibly talk about how the image shows the woman in make up and looking beautiful which could link to the theory of the male gaze as she could be seen as sexually objectified for the sole reason for the male audience.

Steve Neale’s theory of genre could be useful as there are different types of magazines for example sport and fashion, therefore by analysing the genre it may help you to link/discover what type of audience the magazine is for.

David Gauntlett’s theory of identity could be applied to a magazine as the majority of front cover and stories consist of celebrities , and they theory suggest we ‘pix and mix’ which aspects of products we want in the construction of our own identities, and by having celebrities on front pages of magazines this reinforces the theory as people may see them as role models

20/04/20-QUESTIONS

what ideologies is the film associated with?

I, Daniel Blake has many ideologies for example the film deepens within his struggle with the Department for work and Pensions as they decide and reject his appeal for sickness benefits after having a heart attack. The film reveals the ideologies of the toxic climate that has developed around the welfare system as Daniel Blake’s job seekers allowance is stopped, after the DWP tell him to look for jobs however his doctors have said he is unfit for work.The film also shows the struggle of Daniel Blake’s appeal against DWP.

Why is it politically motivated?

The Film is politically motivated as the film follows a 59 year old mane,Daniel Blake; who goes to DWP to seek sickness benefits and who is reliant of the welfare system.The film challenges and questions the governments actions within the benefit system as it is shown that they turn away anyone who doesn’t seem fit for the sickness benefits, it also question the lack of help for people in desperate need as Daniel Blake befriends a struggling single mother who is rejected from food banks and the DWP leading her to becoming a prostitute to help her family. The film is by the BBC which is not left wing nor right wing it is somewhere in the middle therefore conveying both themes of right and left wing ideology.

Is the trailer objective/subjective in a political sense?

In a political sense , I personally think the subjective as the film focuses on emotions and feelings. The film shows the struggle and frustration people go through in the toxic climate of the welfare system; the film puts in perspective of what it is like for people on benefits or for people who are rejected it shows the difficult time people go through this further question right wing ideology as it is towards capitalism and the idea of ‘you get what you work for’, however this sin’t the case for people on benefits as some may not be able to work such as Daniel Blake.Therefore the film is towards the left wing ideology as it helps people understand what happens, the film is further left wing as it is a BBC film and they are liberal meaning their values are to educate, entertain and inform people and that is what this film does it educates people on the struggle that occurs in the corrupt welfare system, the BBC also represent diverse communities which the film also shows.

01/04/20

Choose two films, one high concept, one independent. Can you apply the ideas of Curran and Seaton to them.

High Concept Film: Suicide Squad- 2016 Independent Film: LadyBird-2018 Suicide Squad is classed as a high concept film as it is an American SuperHero Film which is owned by a media company that are driven by power and profit (DC Comics). The film is styled as a American SuperHero film however it focuses more on the villains that are within the Gotham/Batman franchise which is worth up to $3,462,641,900, this incorporates Curran and Seatons theory by using a high brand comic that has made DC a lot of money, into a film that is about the villains intrigues audiences and could possibly make them lots of money. Suicide Squad was directed by David Ayer who also co-wrote The Fast and the Furious which is another high concept film , therefore by getting someone to who has already done a high concept film it gives them statues and adds to the thought that the film will be good quality, the film was also produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle who have produced other DC films therefore reinforcing Curran and Seaton’s theory that media companies are driven by power and profit. The cast of the film consist of high branded celebrities such as Will Smith,Margot Robbie, Jared Letto,Jai Courtney, Cara Delevingne and many more this reinforces Curran and Seatons theory as these celebrities are all part of the Star System , therefore by having these high-list celebrities in a movie the company is bound to have power and profit. Suicide Squad had a budget of 175 million USD meaning that they would have high quality sets and high production values, it also made 746.8 million USD showing that they made a huge profit. LadyBird is class as a Independent film as it is a coming of age film directed by Greta Gerwig. The film won a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion picture. Independent films focus more on the narrative side of films rather than the profit side for example the film focuses on the story of a high school senior and her strained relationship with her mother. Greta Gerwig is known films incorporating themes such as ‘the growth and emotional maturity of the leading woman’ and ‘relationships among family members’, however as she shows the theme of growth and emotional maturity of the leading women it subverts all of the themes a romanticised world making the story stronger and more meaningful Independent Film are known for their small budgeting however LadyBird had a budget of $10 million but this was privately funded by Gerwig herself. Overall, LadyBird and independent films in general subvert Curran and Seaton’s theory as they are not focused on power and profit and are mostly ruined by one media company , they focus more on the story telling, and the creativity of the film.

30/03/20

Can you find examples of vertical and horizontal integration?

Vertical Integration: is when a media company owns different businesses in the same chain of production and distribution for example, 20th Century Fox owns the Hollywood Studios and they also own cinemas and TV Channels such as FOX news.Also TimeWarner owns Warner Brothers Studios as well as HBO and The CW.

Horizontal Integration: Is the process of a company increasing it’s production of goods or services, for example Facebook merging with Instagram, also in 2006 Disney acquisition of Pixar

What is a media conglomerate? Can you name all six?

A media conglomerate is a company that owns other a ranger of other companies across a variety of media platforms, which increases their domination of the market and company in that industry, Therefore allowing them to have the ability to distribute and exhibit their product.

The 6 media conglomerates are: Sony ,News Corp, Disney, Comcast, National Amusement and Timewarner.

What are the differences between high concept and Independent films?

A High Concept Film is a film that can be easily pitched but with a succinctly stated premise. High Concept Films include defined characters, which usually consists of stereotypes, the have a simple narrative with universal themes meaning it is often summarised in a single sentence or image. A high concept film also includes high production value and a big budget which is shown through cinematography, costumes, settings and special effects; they also includes elements that make them films easily marketable for example having a recognisable soundtrack such as the film Guardians Of the Galaxy, they also offer merchandise.High Concept films tend to dive deep into the genre of the film making them highly dramatic and have hyperbolic plot situations, they also care for visual appeal by having lavish sets and expensive action scenes. However, an Independent are made outside the financial and artist control of a large film company. Independent films are mainly created on a low budget and by a small film company, they tend to have distinguishable content and style; there is often a story to tell and there is a focus on the narrative.Independent films are mainly aesthetically different for example they make be in black and white and are usually created by using a handheld camera.Independent films also have a limited release therefore they are usually shown at film festivals.

24/03/20

Is Lauren Leverne too left wing for the BBC? Post a brief response with a considered opinion.

I do not think Lauren Laverne is too left wing, my reason for this is because the BBC is a public service broadcaster meaning they supply for their audience and the public, the BBC is also funded by the public pushing them towards a left wing agenda. Lauren Laverne is a Northerner and by her being a presenter it applies to one of the main BBC values which is to show diversity , therefor the BBC presenters are allowed to have their own opinion and say what they believe in because it reinforces their values.

In the article , it states that Disney+ (Disney’s streaming service) has decided to pull several movies from the children’s profiles as they are deemed very controversial and presents stereotypes of people and cultures in a negative and harmful way. For example the article later talks about the Disney classic The Aristocats and how cat in particular is a caricature of an East Asian person however is portrayed with racist connotations as he has exaggerated stereotypical traits such as slanted eyes and buck teeth, as this is how the Western world viewed East Asian people, relating to Stuart Hall’s theory of stereotype and representation he states that media often uses stereotypes to reduce people down to cliches and are usually a result from inequality, as the Western World most likely had more power and control over countries such as China when the film was made, making them believe it was okay to produce a film like this however Disney stated ‘”These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now” but still went forth with creating films that features these stereotypes.Furthermore, this character sings in poorly accented English,voiced by a white actor further supporting Hall’s that stereotypes result from inequality as the character is voiced by a white actor it shows that possibly upper class white males see themselves as superior to foreigners ; as this portrayal reinforces the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype, while the film also features lyrics that mock the Chinese language and culture.

The article talks about an advertisement where it features a series of short films about middle-aged fathers and how their teenagers are trying to give advice on what drink products are healthier for them. However this advertisement has come across controversial as people have accused it as being sexiest and ageist against middle aged men as one clips shows a shaming his dairy-drinking father who is 55, by calling 55 a ‘difficult age’ suggesting that older men may be difficult or not understanding,relating to Stuart Hall’s theory of stereotypes and how many people perhaps teenagers have this stigma that their fathers or men over the age of 50 are difficult to communicate with and it’s hard to make them change their ways even if it is swapping from dairy milk to oat based milk, as they are already used to it. The advert also links to Levi-Strauss’s theory of binary oppositions and they way in which these binary opposites are resolved to have ideological signification, the advert/article shows that teenagers are the ones giving their fathers advice when it it usually the other way around, Strauss also says that these binary opposites communicate meaning to the audience, therefore by the advert showing this representation of children/teenagers trying to give advice to their fathers, then maybe the fathers should start listening to them.

How does the film’s much celebrated diversity challenge Curran and Seaton’s idea that domination by a small number of media institutions limits creativity and variety?

The film celebrates diversity as the cast for the film is majority black; also the film shows us the fictional African kingdom of Wakanda and how it has avoided European colonisation and achieved a technological superiority.The film’s celebration of diversity challenges Curran and Seaton’s theory as it suggests media concentration generally limits or inhabits variety, creativity and quality, however this is not the case as the film has a variety of cast members who represent different communities it further subverts this theory as the main character is played by a black man and usually within the science fiction/superhero genre the main leaders are played by white males.The film also doesn’t lack risk as the name of the film and the film itself is inspired by the Black Panther party which is a political activist group established initially to provide armed monitoring of police behaviour , therefore the film isn’t afraid to show a political side therefore not lacking risk. The film also harnessed a political element by having crowd-funding projects to buy under-privileged children a ticket won support from celebrities. The film was also released during black history month which may be seen as risky for other media conglomerates but allows marvel/disney the variety of a wider audience, the sales for tickets was 44% women when the film came out, which contradicts Curran and Seaton theory as the film shows powerful female characters that a female audience would relate to, and as most superhero films don’t tend to show female leads or powerful characters. Furthermore, the film shows creativity through the “Welcome to Wakanda” catwalk show at New York Fashion Week and features in numerous fashion magazines, this then shows creativity as it represents ones culture.

How could the conglomerate model (Marvel as a separate brand to Disney) offer a more complex pattern of ownership than Curran and Seaton describe?

A media conglomerate is a large company that owns other companies for example Disney, marvel is a subsidiary of Disney. Curran and Seaton argue that a small number of companies have lots of power which inhibits creativity, Marvel have does this for many years as a large majority of their superhero films contain white male lead roles and how their films could be see as repetitive, this has been overlooked due to how big Marvel and Disney are until recent years , however in the later 90s they produced the film Blade with the main character being a black man. Marvel and Disney have tended to lack risk with their films as there has been a lack of female lead roles and black characters are often sidekicks. However Marvel do show a more complex pattern when it comes to the film Black Panther and subvert Curran and Seaton’s theory of how big companies lack variety and creativity. Black Panther was directed by Ryan Coogler who has also directed other films which focus on the lead roles being played by a black male such as Creed. The film also contains an almost full black cast unlike past marvel films, which could be seen as risky for other large companies but not for Marvel as the film is based on the 1966 comic Black Panther.

The film Black Panther was also marketed differently than regular Marvel/superhero films as the film was released during Black History month, relating to the history of African culture within the film and in general, it was released February 16 2018; the release of the film brought black people all around the country and world to embrace the cultural context of the film as red carpets and even long lines at theatres wore outfits inspired by African Kingdoms. Many of these people also painted their bodies and faces with African tribal designs. People’s joyful expressions weren’t only for the nearly all black cast but for the collective exhale. There was also detailed interviews from the production teams and cast members talking about how the film celebrates African Culture, the film was carefully marketed as Marvel showed their respect and appreciation for culture shown within the film by having red carpets with cast members wearing traditional African clothing and catwalk shows called ‘Welcome To Wakanda’.

The film also utilises historical events for example the film is based about the African country Wakanda which has avoided European colonisation and achieved a technological superiority through the use of a mineral called Vibranium, therefore telling us about the historical event of colonialism (European powers colonised African countries and exploited the continent) which took place during the 15th-20th century, and deepens on how these countries would of thrived if this didn’t happen it could also suggest the fact that if Wakanda was colonised European countries could of gotten a hold of Vibranium and exploited it giving them countries more power, the film further utilises historical movements such as the Black Panther party which the film has the same name as; was a political activist group established initially to provide armed monitoring of police behaviour and prevent police brutality in the US. Also Jack Kirby’s original concept art for Black Panther used the name Coal Tiger. Which has influences on the character included historical figures such as 14th century Mail Empire sultan Mansa Musa and 20th century Jamaican activist Marcus Garey, as well as Biblical figures such as Ham and Canaan.

To what extent does the dominance of Marvel in the sci-fi/superhero genre limit the opportunities for alternative, riskier independent films in these genres?

Marvel is subsidiary of Disney which is a one of the big six. Marvel is also a comic book brand therefore they have a huge audience within that genre and as these comic books are adapted into films, the audience they already have for the comic books are going to be the same people who are interested in the films, and as films are shown and produced they tend to go all out with marketing techniques for example posters on buses/billboards, online streaming of the trailer, celebrities that are associated or are in the film tweeting about it and film premiers . Disney also signed a deal with the streaming service Netflix to show their Marvel films, however this was cancelled when Disney themselves created their own streaming service, furthermore when a Marvel film is being distributed it is usually the most talked about subject and is shown everywhere, also when the film is released in cinemas the showings are always sold out; this limits the opportunities for independent films as they usually made by small companies who don’t reply on profit and their usual marketing technique is online or limited release at film festivals their films aren’t as star driven for example Marvel have actors such as Robert Downey Jr and Chris Hemsworth who are high brow celebrities that are well known, however independent films tend to have lesser known actors/actresses meaning it could be riskier to produce a independent sci-fi/superhero film as viewers and fans may only watch the films because of the actors. It is also limits opportunities for independent films as have low budgets and do not reply on special effects unlike Marvel films, they make millions at the box office meaning they can afford lavish sets and a big budget to produce a high quality film but this wouldn’t be the case for an alternative indie film. Therefore by Marvel dominating online platforms and the film industry it would be very hard for a independent superhero film to be released.

COVER LINE IDEAS

Cover lines also known as ‘puffs’ tell us the stories that are in the magazine. The colour of the cover lines is the same as the main cover line but the font is smaller to make the main cover line stand out. There are quite a few cover lines, which are spread around the magazine cover.

Magazine cover page serves several purposes. It sells the brand, it has to be visually appealing and different from the other cover pages on the newsstand to attract the new readers. On the other hand each new cover must be different from the previous issue but still familiar and recognisable to regular readers

• possibly on a person and their current fashion style and what tips they have for other people who aspire to have a similar style or the style
• ” SKYE BENNS-LANDY inside the mind of an aspiring fashion designer”
• “how to make low look high-end”
• “captivating and alluring beauty”
• “fresh,flawless,flirtatious fashion”

Costume

For the outfit the model will be wearing for the double page spread will be something comfortable yet chic as I want the her image to connect with the readers and for them to see her as someone they could aspire to as she is wearing clothing that they may be able to have. As the outfit will show a different side to the model than the front cover, she will be in more casual clothing but still maintaining her status and image of being high end while also portraying the illusion that who she is and what she is wearing is achievable for the target audience.

However for the front cover I want the costume/outfit the model is wearing to be edgy but elegant, portraying her as someone who is aspirational and enjoys the higher quality of life but also being different and have her own unique side. So I want the outfit to be a dress or either a flowy top and stylish pants.

Photo ideas

For my front cover I want the image to be in the style of a studio shoot as I want to emphasises the idea that the audience want to spire to be the model and look/dress like her. These three images are what I aspire my photographs to be like as they come across as elegance but also unique and edgy ; for example the one of the male model he is wearing a flowy,frilly silk top which may be seen as feminine however gives the image a new meaning such as breaking gender roles and how clothes don’t have gender, which I hope to achieve in my images I want to produce something different but also something people see as glamous such as the second image is a close up of the models face even though the photograph is simple is still has natural beauty portrayed within the image as the model is wearing minimal makes up, I could apply this to my own images as the target audience for this magazine is 18-34 year olds and the use of the model wearing natural looking makeup will appeal to all or the majority of a female audience within this age range. Also the model in the second picture has dyed hair which adds tp the edgyness of the image and if I was to have my front cover picture like this I could get a model with dyed hair to show her individuality.

Lighting

The lighting I am going to use for my front cover and double page feature article will be softbox lighting as they are a simple way to introduce a flattering light source to any fashion photography shoot; and will bring my images a fresh and somewhat nature feeling.

Mise en scene

Mise en scène is the arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a play.

For my front page my aim for the scenery is a white studio background or a town street, my reasoning for these two ideas is because I want my model to come cross as aspirational but also different and alternative. I hope to achieve this having the model pose in a certain way such as direct address, this will allow the audience to feel connected to the model and give the personal stance of “I can be like her/them”. However I may have have the model with her hand above her head or around her face to further the image of being idolised and glamous. I am also thinking of having the model have her head tilted up slighting to portray her a powerful.

ADVERTORIAL IDEAS

An advertorial is a form of advertisement in a newspaper, magazine or a website which involves giving information about the product in the form of an article. Usually, a brand pays the publisher for such an article. They then purchase the ad space on the website or in a newspaper or a magazine.

Double page feature article

There are two types of magazines mainstream and aspire. Mainstream media is a term and abbreviation used to refer to the various large mass news media that influence many people, and both reflect and shape prevailing currents of thought; this is a term that is often used for large news conglomerates such as vogue. An aspire magazine is a glossy lifestyle magazine that bursts with local news and events, and exciting, fun editorial features that the discerning reader will find of lasting interest such as fashion, health and beauty, travel and much more.

DAZED MAGAZINE

The company’s portfolio includes titles AnOther, Dazed Beauty and NOWNESS. The company’s newest division , Dazed Studio, creates brand campaigns across the luxtury and lifestyle sectors. Based in London, its founding editiors are Jefferson Hack and fashion photographer Rankin. Dazed began by Hack and Rakin Waddell while they were studying at London College of Printing; beginning with as a black-and-white folded poster. Today the magazine is an independent youth culture magazine, distributed globally, covering fashion, art, music and life style.Dazed has built a reputation for publishing stories that use creativity to empower young people; and this is what I inspire my magazine to be like.

Past cover models have been Milly Bobby Brown, David Bowie, Marilyn Manson, Billie Eilish and many more. Billie Eilish featured on the summer/spring issue. The article that is inside the magazine goes indepth og how Billie Eilish was on facetime to photographer Harminy Korine’s daughter, it then talks about how starstruck two teen girls where when they caught a glimpse of the idol in her family backgarden. The article later talks about an interview with Billie as he talks about what life was like growing up, as she was too scared to walk the streets as it wasn’t safe however now she can’t walk the streets as she is famous.

On the Dazed website they have their own section for the subject Fashion, this includes many different articles from latest fashion trends to a section about Balenciaga. Dazed also have an article about Depop’s cult Y2K mallrat and baby goth starter pack. The article includes photographs of teener girls and boys who are embracing the Y2K fashion and other alternative fashion styles; as many of these outfits are seen on influencers on pinterest and tiktok. These type of articles appeal to a wider audience as it shows alternative fashion or fashion that wouldn’t be classed as the norm these days, a lot of Y2K is influenced by 90s and early 00s fashion. It allows people to feel included and catered for as they can see how to get this style or be able to embrace themselves.This article could be seen as Binary Opposites to say a fashion magazine such as VOGUE as their fashion tends to be high brow and expensive but Dazed is telling their audience that we cater for everyone and includes styles that possibly would not be seen in a magazine such as VOGUE. This article could also link to Stuart Hall’s theory of representation and how audience members adapt positions when they decode a text for example dominant and preferred reading.This type of article could be seen as preferred reading this is where there is an easy to follow narrative and how the producer wants the audience to view the media product, therefore this article applies to this theory as the audience is possibly younger and are part of the sub-cultures/alt culture.

THE FACE MAGAZINE

The face magazine – The Face is a British music, fashion and culture monthly magazine originally published from 1980 to 2004, and relaunched in 2019. It was first launched in May 1980 in London by Nick Logan, the British journalist who had previously been editor of New Musical Express and Smash Hits. From the beginning the magazine was a cultural trailblazer, covering music, fashion, film,TV, society,politics and global current affairs.

In 2019, The Face was reborn. A new team with a new version for a new age, but proudly retaining the magazine’s founding version and core principals. It continues to champion fresh talent in music, fashion, TV, and film.

I believe the target audience for this magazine is between 18-34 year olds, as the magazine tends to focus on issues or articles that will interest the younger generation such as youth culture .

The masthead is placed right at the top of the magazine, which refers to the name of the magazine which could imply what the magazine is about. The masthead is placed in a red block reinforcing it’s importance, and by using the colour red it signifies energy and seduction adding a different feel to the rest of the magazine cover. The masthead is bold and stands out drawing attention to the audience.

The central image is of TikTok star Noen Eubanks, the central image stands out as he is placed in front several cushions and other fluffy materials/blankets. Through the code of clothing we can see that he may be seen as breaking gender norms as he is wearing a sparkly tight fit crop top, white mesh pants, and light blue heeled boots. We could link the use of clothing that the model is wearing to David Gauntlett’s theory of identity; he suggests that the media provides us with resources that we can use to construct our own identities, and how the media have role models that we then ‘pick and mix’ which aspects of that person we want to use. Therefore as Noen is wearing clothes that could be seen as more feminine and the fact he is an influencer, his audience may see this front cover and be inspired to express themselves and to not be afraid of wearing clothes outside your comfort zone. His hair is also seen as vibrant suggesting he is confident in himself and likes to express who he is, he also has tiny hearts that are painted onto his face further linking to breaking stereotypes and gender norms as people assume makeup is just for women when that isn’t the case.The model is also seen holding a stuffed animal which may represent his youth, or to show compassion as stuffed animals are often gifted to us by people we love.

The coverline to the left reads “Noen Tiktok’s first breakout star steps out”, this sentence suggests that he could possibly be one of the first TikTok starts to broaden their horizon and do something that isn’t making videos, For example he is staring in magazines and having interviews and articles about him.

Metal magazine

METAL is an independent publishing project with a curious eye and an international spirit, a heady mix of fashion, photography and art.

METAL was born in June 2006 in Barcelona as an independent publishing project with a curious eye and an international spirit, a heady mix of fashion, photography and art whose pages can boast some of the hottest talents of the moment. METAL is published twice a year, is available in more than 25 countries and has positioned itself as an A-list magazine. Besides the print magazine, METAL also offer new and exclusive online content.

On Metal Magazine’s website they have their own section for fashion and beauty. They have an article about Bodil Ouedraogo who is an Amsterdam-based Fashion Designer; the article talks about how she enjoyed creating new spaces which further lead to her to understand the power of fashion. After finishing graduating from the Rietveld Academie in 2019 and working in various projects where fashion meets art, she’s still creating spaces where freedom and her personal vision are front and centre. The article starts off by talking about Oiedraogo presenting her project Porte de la Richesse during Amsterdam Fashion Week, which was a an emotional and political performance piece celebrating Black identities and calling out institutional racism and white privilege. An article about this subject matter will bring in a wider audience as Black Lives Matter is a current issue that is going on around the world; and by a fashion designer talking and showing these issues it will allow her audience to understand the problem but also bring in a new audience as more people will appreciate the work she has done.

The masthead is placed at the top of the front cover but is also central,suggesting that it is the main focus. The masthead is in all capital letters showing it’s importance, the use of all capitals draws the attention to the audience. The letters are also white giving the magazine a fresh and new feel.

Underneath the masthead we have a sentence that tells us which issue the magazine is for example this magazine cover is No 42 Autumn/Winter 2019-2020.

The central image is of English actress Maisie Williams, who is best known for her role as Arya Stark in Game Of Thrones. Maisie is placed on a white background which emphasizes clarity and removes visual obstacles, it further shows the importance of the model making her the main attraction. Through her appearance we can she that she has short black hair which is complimentary to the rest of her outfit; her hair makes her stand out as it styles as a choppy bowl cut that can be seen as stylish.Through her code of clothing we can see that she is wearing a black dress with white lace detail.The colour black suggests power which can be seen through the models facial features as she is looking straight at the camera, therefore this is direct mode of address; the colour black also symbolises strength, elegance and sophistication, this could be portrayed through her character in Game Of Thrones. Maisie is shown wearing red eye shadow, by wearing this she is making a bold statement as the rest of them image contains black and white features; the red eye shadow could possibly show an adventurous side of the actress or even themes of seduction as this is what the colour is associated with.This may further intrigue a wider audience as the magazine cover could be seen for male and females.

NYLON MAGAZINE

Nylon is an American multimedia brand, lifestyle magazine that focuses on pop culture and fashion it is also a publishing company. Its coverage includes art, beauty, music, design, celebrities, technology and travel.

The magazine had Rader, Fashion and Style pages. There was also a Nylon Guys magazine, which was first announced in 2003 and then published independently in 2004.

Cover Models have included Demi Lovato, Avril Lavigne, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Momsen and many more.

Nylon has their own website which is split into categories such as beauty, entertainment, life , fashion, Nylon nights and entertainment monthly. Within the fashion category there are several articles about different fashion tends and events that have occurred in the fashion industry for example there is an article called “Hilary Duff’s best fashion moments from the early 2000s”. This article may draw attention to a certain audience as she is well known for her role as Lizzie McGuire in the early 2000s tv show, therefore by having an article about a past childhood tv star it might bring in readers who used to watch the show and want to reminisce and remember what fashion was like back then. The article then shows an array of images ranging from 2001-2006 showcasing Hilary Duff’s iconic red carpet outfits following with some sentences about what she is wearing and what event it was.

FASHION IMAGE RESEARCH

This photograph is intriguing to the eye though the code of colour, the background is a burnt orange that evokes visions of flames, making the the background stand out.The colour can also be seen as showing pride and the feeling of warmth and comfort which can be seen as binary opposites of each other as some may associate the feeling of pride with being cold or stuck up; however the feeling of warmth might be associated with love and family. I personally believe the background colour does show pride as it makes the image more powerful.

The model is seen wearing an all black shiny vinyl trench coat, this choice of clothing gives the image a mysterious vibe, as characters such as Sherlock Homes wear coats like this and some would say he is a mysterious character. The fashion designer or the person who chose this outfit/coat may have done this to give that impression, to make the viewer think about the image and admire the difference in fashion as you may not see this type of clothing in a mainstream imagine such as VOGUE. The model is also wearing a black beret that goes with the all black monochrome feel to the outfit. She is also wearing orange eye makeup giver her a fresh and vibrant look, she is also wearing a orange and black ring that overall ties the outfit together.

Through her facial expression we can she is seen as powerful as her chin is slightly tilted up reinforcing her stance and power, this is also how in the way she is standing. The model has her back straight and her arms crosses suggestion she wants you to look at her or to portray that she is in charge as bosses or teachers tend to cross their arms to show they are waiting for your attention or to show you that they could be seen as superior.

MAGAZINE TARGET RANGE 18-34

18-34 AUDIENCE

For several decades, the 18-34 age group has been considered especially valuable to advertising/advertisers. It is the biggest cohort, overtaking the ‘baby boomers’ in 2015, and 18 to 34s are thought to have money to burn on clothes and products, rather than the more staid investments of middle age.

Comscore Network,found that 72% of all 18-34 years olds are online/social media.

18 to 34 year olds account for a significantly larger share of internet usage.

18-34 year olds feel a perpetual need to stay connected therefore they tend to get their news/information online.

Cosmopolitan magazine is an international magazine that covers women’s issues such as relationships, sex, health, careers, self-improvement, celebrities, fashion and beauty. “Cosmopolitan is the world’s most successful magazine for young women aged 18 to 34.

TOPICS  THAT WILL BRING IN A 18-34 YEAR OLD AUDIENCE:

• Latest fashion tends

• Current fashion shows

• Influencers 

• Fashion Designers 

• Fashion photographers

• Interviews with celebrities and their new style or who’s fashion they like

INDUSTRY RESEARCH

The fashion industry consists of four levels: the production of raw materials, principally fibres and textiles but also leather and fur; the production of fashion goods by designers, manufacturers, contractors, and others; retail sales; and various forms of advertising and promotion.

Fashion is a popular aesthetic expression at a particular time and place and in a specific context, especially in clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body proportions. Fashion is a distinctive and industry-supported expression traditionally tied to the fashion season and collections.

Style is an expression that lasts over many seasons and is often connected to cultural movements and social markers, symbols, class, and culture

Fashion has always been an important part of how people define themselves and others. As such it can be a powerful tool of influence. This can be direct: studies show we are more likely to trust and even obey orders from people dressed in suits or uniforms . Fashion’s influence can also be indirect and constitute a form of soft power. 

PLANNING AND RESEARCH – INDESIGN

There are two types of magazines mainstream and aspire. Mainstream media is a term and abbreviation used to refer to the various large mass news media that influence many people, and both reflect and shape prevailing currents of thought; this is a term that is often used for large news conglomerates such as vogue. An aspire magazine is a glossy lifestyle magazine that bursts with local news and events, and exciting, fun editorial features that the discerning reader will find of lasting interest such as fashion, health and beauty, travel and much more.

For this Brief , the genre of magazine that draws my

attention is Fashion. The reason I have chosen to do a fashion magazine as these type of magazines are mostly towards women, and as the target audience for this brief has to be 18-34 year olds I am going to aim my magazine at females between that age range.

Steve Neale states that set prodcuts that have a theme or genre he belives they should have convections of that genre for example fashion, there should deffinetly be image/photographs of streetwear, or studio fashion photography and a range of different fashion styles. Therefore my aim for this type of genre is to present different styles, therfore it interests the target audience.

DAZED MAGAZINE

One magazine that i am using for inspiration is Dazed Magazine. Dazed Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine. This magazine covers music, fashion, film, art, and literature. Dazed is published by Dazed Media, an independent media group known for for producing stories across its print, digital, and video brands.

The company’s portfolio includes titles AnOther, Dazed Beauty and NOWNESS. The company’s  newest division , Dazed Studio, creates brand campaigns across the luxtury and lifestyle sectors. Based in London, its founding editiors are Jefferson Hack and fashion photographer Rankin. 

Dazed began by Hack and Rakin Waddell while they were studying at London College of Printing; beginning with as a black-and-white folded poster. Today the magazine is an independent youth culture magazine, distributed globally, covering fashion, art, music and life style.Dazed has built a reputation for publishing stories that use creativity to empower young people; and this is what I inspire my magazine to be like.

Past cover models have been Milly Bobby Brown, David Bowie, Marilyn Manson, Billie Eilish and many more. Billie Eilish featured on the summer/spring issue. The article that is inside the magazine goes indepth og how Billie Eilish was on facetime to photographer Harminy Korine’s daughter, it then talks about how starstruck two teen girls where when they caught a glimpse of the idol in her family backgarden.  The article later talks about an interview with Billie as he talks about what life was like growing up, as she was too scared to walk the streets as it wasn’t safe however now she can’t walk the streets as she is famous.

On the Dazed website they have their own section for the subject Fashion, this includes many different articles from latest fashion trends to a section about Balenciaga. Dazed also have an article about Depop’s cult Y2K mallrat and baby goth starter pack. The article includes photographs of teener girls and boys who are embracing the Y2K fashion and other alternative fashion styles; as many of these outfits are seen on influencers on pinterest and tiktok. These type of articles appeal to a wider audience as it shows alternative fashion or fashion that wouldn’t be classed as the norm these days, a lot of Y2K is influenced by 90s and early 00s fashion. It allows people to feel included and catered for as they can see how to get this style or be able to embrace themselves.This article could be seen as Binary Opposites to say a fashion magazine such as VOGUE as their fashion tends to be high brow and expensive but Dazed is telling their audience that we cater for everyone and includes styles that possibly would not be seen in a magazine such as VOGUE. This article could also link to Stuart Hall’s theory of representation and how audience members adapt positions when they decode a text for example dominant and preferred reading.This type of article could be seen as preferred reading this is where there is an easy to follow narrative and how the producer wants the audience to view the media product, therefore this article applies to this theory as the audience is possibly younger and are part of the sub-cultures/alt culture.

THE FACE MAGAZINE

T

he face magazine – The Face is a British music, fashion and culture monthly magazine originally published from 1980 to 2004, and relaunched in 2019. It was first launched in May 1980 in London by Nick Logan, the British journalist who had previously been editor of New Musical Express and Smash Hits. From the beginning the magazine was a cultural trailblazer, covering music, fashion, film,TV, society,politics and global current affairs.

In 2019, The Face was reborn. A new team with a new version for a new age, but proudly retaining the magazine’s founding version and core principals. It continues to champion fresh talent in music, fashion, TV, and film.

I believe the target audience for this magazine is between 18-34 year olds, as the magazine tends to focus on issues or articles that will interest the younger generation such as youth culture .

The masthead is placed right at the top of the magazine, which refers to the name of the magazine which could imply what the magazine is about. The masthead is placed in a red block reinforcing it’s importance, and by using the colour red it signifies energy and seduction adding a different feel to the rest of the magazine cover. The masthead is bold and stands out drawing attention to the audience.

The central image is of TikTok star Noen Eubanks, the central image stands out as he is placed in front several cushions and other fluffy materials/blankets. Through the code of clothing we can see that he may be seen as breaking gender norms as he is wearing a sparkly tight fit crop top, white mesh pants, and light blue heeled boots. We could link the use of clothing that the model is wearing to  David Gauntlett’s theory of identity; he suggests that the media provides us with resources that we can use to construct our own identities, and how the media have role models that we then ‘pick and mix’ which aspects of that person we want to use. Therefore as Noen is wearing clothes that could be seen as more feminine and the fact he is an influencer, his audience may see this front cover and be inspired to express themselves and to not be afraid of wearing clothes outside your comfort zone. His hair is also seen as vibrant suggesting he is confident in himself and likes to express who he is, he also has tiny hearts that are painted onto his face further linking to breaking stereotypes and gender norms as people assume makeup is just for women when that isn’t the case.The model is also seen holding a stuffed animal which may represent his youth, or to show compassion as stuffed animals are often gifted to us by people we love.

METAL MAGAZINE

METAL is an independent publishing project with a curious eye and an international spirit, a heady mix of fashion, photography and art.

Metal was born in June 2006 in Barcelona as an independent publishing project with a curious eye and an international spirit, a heady mix of fashion, photography and art whose pages can boast some of the hottest talents of the moment. METAL is published twice a year, is available in more than 25 countries and has positioned itself as an A-list magazine. Besides the print magazine, METAL also 

offer new and exclusive online content.

On Metal Magazine’s website they have their own section for fashion and beauty. They have an article about Bodil Ouedraogo who is an Amsterdam-based Fashion Designer; the article talks about how she enjoyed creating new spaces which further lead to her to understand the power of fashion. After finishing graduating from the Rietveld Academie in 2019 and working in various projects where fashion meets art, she’s still creating spaces where freedom and her personal vision are front and centre. The article starts off by talking about Oiedraogo presenting her project Porte de la Richesse during Amsterdam Fashion Week, which was a an emotional and political performance piece celebrating Black identities and calling out institutional racism and white privilege. An article about this subject matter will bring in a wider audience as Black Lives Matter is a current issue that is going on around the world; and by a fashion designer talking and showing these issues it will allow her audience to understand the problem but also bring in a new audience as more people will appreciate the work she has done.

The masthead is placed at the top of the front cover but is also central,suggesting that it is the main focus. The masthead is in all capital letters showing it’s importance, the use of all capitals draws the attention to the audience. The letters are also white giving the magazine a fresh and new feel.

Underneath the masthead we have a sentence that tells us which issue the magazine is for example this magazine cover is No 42 Autumn/Winter 2019-2020.

The central image is of English actress Maisie Williams, who is best known for her role as Arya Stark in Game Of Thrones. Maisie is placed on a white background which emphasizes clarity and removes visual obstacles, it further shows the importance of the model making her the main attraction. Through her appearance we can she that she has short black hair which is complimentary to the rest of her outfit; her hair makes her stand out as it  styles as a choppy bowl cut that can be seen as stylish.Through her code of clothing we can see that she is wearing a black dress with white lace detail.The colour black suggests power which can be seen through the models facial features as she is looking straight at the camera, therefore this is direct mode of address; the colour black also symbolises strength, elegance and sophistication, this could be portrayed through her character in Game Of Thrones. Maisie is shown wearing red eye shadow, by wearing this she is making a bold statement as the rest of them image contains black and white features; the red eye shadow could possibly show an adventurous side of the actress or even themes of seduction as this is what the colour is associated with.This may further intrigue a wider audience as the magazine cover could be seen for male and females.

NYLON MAGAZINE

Nylon is an American multimedia brand, lifestyle magazine that focuses on pop culture and fashion it is also a publishing company. Its coverage includes art, beauty, music, design, celebrities, technology and travel.The magazine had Rader, Fashion and Style pages. There was also a Nylon Guys magazine, which was first announced in 2003 and then published independently in 2004.

Cover Models have included Demi Lovato, Avril Lavigne, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Momsen and many more.

Nylon has their own website which is split into categories such as beauty, entertainment, life , fashion, Nylon nights and entertainment monthly.  Within the fashion category there are several articles about different fashion tends and events that have occurred in the fashion industry for example there is an article called “Hilary Duff’s best fashion moments from the early 2000s”. This article may draw attention to a certain audience as she is well known for her role as Lizzie McGuire in the early 2000s tv show, therefore by having an article about a past childhood tv star it might bring in readers who used to watch the show and want to reminisce and remember what fashion was like back then. The article then shows an array of images ranging from 2001-2007 showcasing Hilary Duff’s iconic red carpet outfits following with some sentences about what she is wearing and what event it was.

Another fashion article is ‘ The costume designer for ‘clueless’ curated a ‘90s -inspired’ secondand collection.

There is one woman responsible for most of th beloved fashion in everyone’s favorite ‘90s movies, and that’s Mona May, the costume designer behind Clueless, Never Been Kissed, The Wedding Singer, and Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion. Now, May is teaming up with Black-owned digital vintage boutique Thrilling on a specially curated collection of 500 secondhand items that channel her expert ‘90s-inspired aesthetic.

The new collection, called “Refashion! Remix! Repeat!: The Future of Sustainable Fashion,“ranges from $30 to $200” with many of the pieces sourced from mom-and-pop shops across the United States.

INDIE MAGAZINE

Indie magazine is a Independent magazine for cutting edge fashion, music, opinion and culture. Berlin based. Bi-annually in print.

IMAGE & PHOTOGRAPHERS RESEARCH

TYLER MITCHELL

Google Slides Presentation

13th March 2019

PRODUCT CONTEXT:

The Times newspaper is a British national ‘quality’ newspaper first published in 1785. 

The Times has been published by Times Newspapers since 1981,  a subsidiary of News UK, wholly owned by News Corp, Rupert Murdoch’s company.

This edition was published on March 13th, 2019, after Theresa May had encountered another Commons defeat over her Brexit proposals.

The Times is famous for having a range of journalists with varied political viewpoints which allows the newspaper to offer a more neutral political stance on Brexit negotiations.

PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media language and representation 

Media Language and Political Context

On 23rd June 2016, citizens of the UK voted to leave the European Union (EU). This was nicknamed ‘Brexit’. The vote was very close with 51.9% voting leave and 48.1% voting remain. The controversies from the campaign continued even after the vote. Remainers accused leave voters of xenophobia and racism; leavers accused remainers of being unpatriotic and un-democratic. The period since the referendum has been one of political turmoil. Following the resignation of David Cameron shortly after the vote, Theresa May has faced regular leadership challenges from within her own party, and a snap general election in 2017 in which which her party suffered heavy losses. Meanwhile, she had been regularly visiting Brussels and other EU countries in an effort to create a Brexit deal that will satisfy both the EU and the UK parliament On the date this edition of the Times was published, MPs had voted against the deal she had negotiated with the EU. This was very serious as the UK was scheduled to be leaving the EU in just ten days. Withdrawing from the EU with ‘no deal’ could have catastrophic consequences on trade, immigration, healthcare etc. affecting all UK citizens. 

Cultural context 

Horse racing meets like Ascot and Cheltenham are an iconic part of British culture, often associated with the upper classes. 

The contemporary audience can be assumed to be familiar with the codes and conventions of newspaper front pages and the mode of address that these newspapers present to their readers. 

The layout of the broadsheet newspaper usually has one main story, with lots of details, then smaller headlines at the bottom. 

Front Page

 The central image is a close-up photograph of Theresa May looking distraught. She has a pained facial expression and dark rings under her eyes which denote high emotions and possible lack of sleep. 

• The headline anchors this by making the defeat of her Brexit proposals into something more personal and emotional than political and factual. This is an attempt to narrate what is a quite ‘dry’ story. It fulfils the news value of ‘personalisation’ where politicians become characters we may empathise with (even if we don’t agree with their politics). 

• Though the smaller headlines above the main offer a bigger picture, the last still focuses on May as an individual. • The ‘In the news’ stories at the bottom of the page also supply some global context for the main story: financial, environmental and travel news are topics The Times’ audience is interested in.

• Most of the print is black on white, which connotes the seriousness of the content. The fashion feature ‘puff box’ at the top of the page is in a paler, pastel colour that is more feminine and also less serious. 

• The strapline ‘Britain’s Most Trusted Newspaper’ draws on the Times’ long history and reputation as a quality brand that will give readers a range of viewpoints on serious issues. The heraldic style logo reinforces this.

Theoretical Perspective

Semiotics – Saussure The photograph appears to be taken through a car window (there is a shadow of a rearview mirror in the foreground and the ‘Driven To Despair’ is a pun). The connotation of this kind of shot is that they are un-posed and often private situations that the photographer has managed to capture. The framing suggests a candor to the photo. This emphasises the emotional and personalised framing for the story.

Narrative ‐ Propp This style takes a complex political debate (described in factual detail in the body of the text) and turns into a dramatic incident, an emotional incident for a ‘character’ (May). Candidates could look at Vladmir Propp’s 32 ‘narratemes’ and select those which this story seem to be playing out.

Feminist theory ‐ Van Zoonen Van Zoonen suggested that women are often portrayed as sexualised, weak or vulnerable in the media. 

Though Theresa May is shown as vulnerable, the image used also suggests defiance in the face of adversity; she is not sexualised (compare to the infamous Daily Mail ‘legs-it’ headline). 

Also, even though the reader may not agree with her political actions, May is a high profile, very powerful woman who is often portrayed battling against privileged male politicians. 

This kind of woman is rarely seen in the media, especially within current affairs, and Van Zoonen would suggest that despite her politics many women would aspire to her status. 

The personal tone of the headline and photo build this sense of intimacy.

STARTING POINTS: representation

• The photograph could be interpreted as representing May as a stereotypical • woman: emotional, vulnerable and easily upset. However, the ‘candid’ (almost invasive) framing of the photo also suggests she is allowing her feelings to show in private, whereas in public she is more controlled. 

• Female politicians often find it challenging to show they are both strong, capable leaders and caring and warm human beings. One rival MP said May wouldn’t make a good Prime Minister because she doesn’t have children! If they come across as too ‘masculine’ female politicians can lose supporters, something male politicians don’t seem to worry about.

• The language of the headline also focuses on May’s emotions rather than her political achievements  However, the tone suggests that she is justified in feeling this way.

Google slide Presentation

Product Context

The Daily Mirror is a British daily national tabloid newspaper. Established in 1903, it is aimed at predominantly working class readership. It follows a traditionally left wing political stance. 

One of the Mirror’s main competitors is The Sun newspaper which targets a similar socioeconomic demographic, but usually adopts a more traditionally right wing stance.

This edition was published on March 13th, 2019, after Theresa May had encountered another Commons defeat over her Brexit proposals. As a mostly left-wing newspaper, the Mirror has been critical of the way the conservative government has been handling the Brexit negotiations.

Political Context 

Political context On 23rd June 2016, citizens of the UK voted to leave the European Union (EU). This was nicknamed ‘Brexit’. The vote was very close with 51.9% voting to leave and 48.1% voting remain. The controversies from the campaign continued even after the vote. Remainers accused leave voters of xenophobia and racism; leavers accused remainers of being unpatriotic and un-democratic. The period since the referendum has been one of political turmoil. Following the resignation of David Cameron shortly after the vote, Theresa May has faced regular leadership challenges from within her own party, and a snap general election in 2017 in which her party suffered heavy losses. Meanwhile, she had been regularly visiting Brussels and other EU countries in an effort to create a Brexit deal that would satisfy both the EU and the UK parliament. On the date this edition of the Mirror was published, MPs had voted against the deal she had negotiated with the EU. This was very serious as the UK was scheduled to be leaving the EU just ten days after. Withdrawing from the EU with ‘no deal’ could have catastrophic consequences on trade, immigration, healthcare etc., affecting all UK citizens

Cultural Context 

Eastenders is one of the UK’s most popular soap operas, with a reputation for featuring hard-hitting storylines that often feature issues such as rape, domestic violence and homophobia. Since 1985, it has been regularly watched by audiences of up to 20 million people. This has turned the actors into celebrities and – like Dyer’s ‘Star Theory’ suggests – tabloid newspapers often run stories about the actor’s lives mirroring their Eastenders’ storylines. Traditionally, one of the Mirror’s (and other tabloids’) main elements is sports reporting – often over half the paper is dedicated to sport. The ‘back pages’ often feature the betting odds for horse races and will have special ‘pull out’ features when there is a major racing event. Racing ‘meets’ like Ascot and Cheltenham have upper class associations, but have increasingly become popular days out for the less wealthy audiences. 

Front Page

The page is split between the political story, a ‘puff box’ promoting the pull-out supplement, and an advert for a betting service (that obviously links to the Cheltenham pull-out). The headline ‘Brexit Delay Mayhem’ and the use of the emotive words ‘surrender’, ‘defeat’ and ‘chaos’ suggest the negotiations for Britain leaving the EU are disastrous.

The image of May looking very serious anchors the headline – that fact the image is tiny (smaller than the photo of attacked actor in the top right) shows how little respect or faith the Mirror has in May’s abilities. 

The strapline ‘Fighting for you’ provides solidarity for people confused or worried about the political turmoil of Brexit. 

The Cheltenham Festival pull-out actually dominates the page – with bright green font and background, combined with an exciting action shot of a horse and rider, it grabs the attention more than the political story. The puff box “All the tips! All the form!” offers practical advice and the offer of a free bet will also entice the reader. The use of these terms positions the reader as someone already knowledgeable about racing.

The advert at the base of the page also uses brightly coloured graphics, the greens linking it to the racing feature above.

The article about the assault on the actor is a close-up of her upset face, to create empathy and the reader feel closer to this ‘character’. The headline uses emotive slang like ‘glassed’ and ‘thug’ to condemn the attack. It also doesn’t use the real actor’s name (Katie Jarvis) instead addressing her as her character’s name. The abbreviation of Eastenders along with the slang suggests this story is less important and more ‘gossipy’. 

Article

The central image is a medium shot of Theresa May: her hands are raised which could connote defeat. It could also indicate conciliation or resistance. 

The text of the article shows it is a mixture of all of these! May is portrayed as someone who is losing, but who is also bravely fighting on against the odds. 

The language of the whole article is allegorical: portraying the debate in Parliament as if it is a horse race. “A Faller At The 2nd” is racing track slang for a poorly performing horse, and there is even a book-keeper character at the bottom of the page, offering odds for the different Brexit outcomes. 

Throughout the main article, May is described using light-hearted derogatory language (“tottering Theresa”). Though her “dwindling authority” is ridiculed, at some points her efforts sound almost heroic (“dashing to Brussels”).

On either side of the double page there are two rival columns offering opposing viewpoints on the proceedings. The style of these is similar to that of sports journalism, and there are numerous light-hearted pop culture references (e.g. comparing one man to Gandalf from Lord Of The Rings and including his famous line “You shall not pass”). 

Theoretical perspective

Structuralism ‐ Levi – Strauss There is a binary opposition between the MPs and “the Nation” which feeds into the ‘us vs them’ ideology of ‘populism’. There is also an opposition between the two political pundits on the double page piece. The language in the headlines (plus the odds from ‘Honest Jason’) also explains some quite complex political debates in using the allegory of a horse race – this dramatises the details (and also links to the paper’s main advertisers!) 

Black Panther is the 17th film in the ‘Marvel Cinematic Universe’, the highest-grossing film franchise in history. Black Panther is a 2018 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character who is also called Black Panther. The film was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios.

The film was directed by Ryan Coogler, who also co-wrote the screen play with Joe Robert Cole; the film stars Chadwick Boseman as the leading role T’challa/Black Panther.

In Black Panther, T’Challa is crowned king of Wakanda following his farther’ s death which is seen in Captain American: Civil War which is also apart of the MCU. However as T’challa is crowned he is challenged by Killmonger (Michael B.Jordan) who plans to abandon the country’s isolationist policies and begin a global revolution.

RYAN COOGLER

Ryan Coogler is an American Film director, producer and screenwriter. His first feature film, Fruitvale Station, won the top audience and grand jury wards in the U.S. dramatic completion at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. He has isnce co-written and directed the seventh film in the Rocky series, Creed, and the Marvel film Black Panther(2018).

Black Panther broke numerous box office records and become the highest-grossing film of all time by a Black Director.

T’CHALLA

• 

• 

Black Panther is a fictional superhero appearing in American Comic Books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Jack Kirby, Black Panther first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 in the Silver Age of Comic.

Black Panthers real name is T’Challa, and he is the depicted as the king and protector of Wakanda. Along with possessing enhanced abilities achieved through ancient Wakandan rituals of drinking the essence of the heart-shaped herb; T’Challa also relies on his proficiency in science, rigorous physical training, hand-to-hand combat skills.

He is the first superhero of African descent in mainstream American comics.

In the film adaptation of Black Panther , T’Challa is played by American actor Chadwick Boseman, who is also known for his portrayal of real-life historical figures such as Jackie Robinson in 42 and James Brown in Get On Up.

He started his work for Marvel Comics in 2016 as the character Black Panther who appeared in Captain America: Civil War. He then headlined Black Panther in 2018 which he won a NAACP Image Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award. The film opened great anticipation, as it become one of the highest grossing films of the year in the United States.

INSPIRATION

For Black Panther Jack Kirby’s original concept art used the name Coal Tiger. Which has influences on the character included historical figures such as 14th century Mail Empire sultan Mansa Musa and 20th century Jamaican activist Marcus Garey, as well as Biblical figures such as Ham and Canaan.

The story of Black Panther Originates in the fictional African country that was never colonised.

Black Panther was also inspired by the Black Panther Party was a political activist group established initially to provide armed monitoring of police behaviour and prevent police brutality in the US. It was controversial, with many Panthers being arrested or killed in confrontations with police.

The film also focuses around African Culture and Afrofuturisms.

Afrofuturism is a cultural aesthetic,philosophy of science, and philosophy of history that explores the developing intersection of African Diaspora culture with technology. Afrofuturism addresses themes and concerns of the African diaspora through technoculture and science fiction, encompassing a range of media and artists with a shared interest in envisioning black futures that stem from Afrodiasporic experiences.It was coined by Mark Dery in 1993 and explored in the late 1990s through conversations led by Alondra Nelson.

Afrofuturism is a cultural aesthetic that combines science-fiction, history and fantasy to explore the African-American experience and aims to connect those from the black diaspora with their forgotten African ancestry. 

Afrofuturism has also been portrayed in music, however it became more popular in the late 1950s even though Afrofuturism was being coined in 1993. Musicians typically regarded as working in or greatly influenced by the Afrofuturist tradition which includes reggae producers Lee Perry and Scientist, hip-hop artists Afrika Bambaataa and Tricky.

WHAT IS DIASPORA?

The term Diaspora is the term used to describe the movement or a scattered population from one country to another which is also has discussions of identity.

Afro-futurism in Black Panther

Afro-futurism has triumphed in mainstream American theatre including enormous success of the film Black Panther. It was released February 16, 2018; the release of the film brought black people all around the country and world to embrace the cultural context of the film as red carpets and even long lines at theatres wore outfits inspired by African Kingdoms. Many of these people also painted their bodies and faces with African tribal designs. People’s joyful expressions weren’t only for the nearly all black cast but for the collective exhale.

Afrofuturism merge both ancestral history and future possibility with the spiritual in ways that are shown in Black Panther. T’Challa becomes King and spiritual leader of the most technologically advanced country in the world. The country is made possibly by a mountain of Vibranium flying through space colliding with Africa thousands of years ago; this caused alternations to Wakanda’s environment and created a fusion of plant life that was both Earth and alien.

• 

• 

• 

When the film opened people all around the world embraced the culture, for example on red carpets and in long lines at threats, people donned fur coats, dashikis, crowns, lion sashes, and outfits inspired by precolonial African culture.

• 

• 

• 

Black Panther’s teaser trailers were shown between NBA games and a special collaboration with Lexus called ‘Long Live The King’ was shown during the Superbowl. 

What kind of audiences normally watch these programmes? How are they different to the usual Marvel fan base?

The type of audience that tend to watch the Superbowl and programmes like these are typically older men for example between 35-50; who have an interest in sports. This type of audience may be seen as different from the usual Marvel Fan base, as Marvel cater for all age rangers, old and young. Therefore by showing the trailers to a target audience who may not be the ones to go see a Marvel film,it broadens their viewing and may leave them with an interest in wanting to see the film, therefore this allows Marvel to get more people into wanting to see their movie.

Questions

How does the lm celebrate African culture?

The Im celebrates African culture as it was released during Black History Month. Coogler the stars and the costume , hair/makeup , production designers all gave detailed interviews about how the lm celebrates African culture. They also showed how they celebrate African Culture by having a There was also a ‘Welcome to Wakanda’ catwalk show at New York Fashion Week and features in numerous fashion magazines.

Why might it be important to black children to have characters like Black Panther?

I believe it is important for black children to have characters like Black Panther, because it shows them that they themselves can be superheros, as the majority of Superhero films are of white males/females. Black Panther gives young black children what they deserve and represents African communities. The character and film allows children to look up to them as the cast is predominately black, Black Panther shows the strength and the intelligence that can causes these children to be inspired.

How does it also represent black women in a powerful way?

The film represents Black women as powerful, as the women are the ones in control of the throne and the society of Wakanda. There is also a scene with Shuri who is T’Challa’s little sister saving the white man in the film rather than the other way around, telling us that women do not need saving but are the saviours. The women in this movie also do not have super powers making them more powerful, as they make weapons that that are technologically advanced; and as they fight battles its because of their intelligence and inner strength rather than superpowers.

DISNEY&MARVEL

Black Panther was produced by Marvel Studios, who became a subsidiary of Disney in 2008. They are also the film’s distributor, which makes this a good example of vertical integration.

Marvel has historically sold options on individual characters or comic book titles e.g. Spiderman to TV and then to Paramount (and who is still partly owned by Sony). Black Panther was one of those owned fully by Marvel; in 2009 a new team began developing T’Challa and lesser known characters.

In early 2000s, Marvel Studios began to produce lms, starting with Blade(1998) and the X-Men lms (2000).

When Disney bought Marvel, they agreed to minimal creative in uence over Marvel products.

in 2013, Marvel also signed a deal with streaming service Netflix to develop TV series for six more characters (including Daredevil and Punisher who had already been made into films). This may have caused conflict with Disney, who has their own streaming channel, and in 2019 Netflix cancelled their Marvel shows.

DISNEY

Disney are adept at identifying nuanced demographic groups and strategies for targeting them. Many of their products are ‘intercultural’ i.e. they strongly represent one cultural tradition but in a way that resonates with audiences from other cultural / national / ethnic backgrounds.

Disney has used recent Nielsen research to challenge conventional ideas about the ethnic diversity in mainstream America. 53% of Americans live in a multicultural or ‘blended’ household. 67% indicated they were enthusiastic about encountering and experimenting with ‘diverse cultures’.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

• 

Black Live Matter is an international activist movement, originating in the African American community, that campaigns against violence and systematic racism towards black people. Black Lives Matter holds protests speaking out against police killings of black people, and broader issues such as racial profiling. police brutality, and racial inequality in the United States criminal justice system.

The movement began with the use of the hashtage #BlackLivesMatter on social media after the shooting and death of African-American teen Trayvon Martin in February 2012. The movement became nationally recognised for street demonstrations following deaths of two African American; Michael Brown and Eric Garner.

https://blacklivesmatter.com/

GEORGE FLOYD

George Floyd was as 46 year-old who was known by friends as ‘Big Floyd’ and ‘Gentle Giant’. On May 25th 20202, George Floyd was killed by Derek Chauvin in downtown Minneapolis, he was unarmed and arrested for allegedly using a forged $20 note, as Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down on the city streets during his arrest; Derek Chauvin who is a white Minneapolis police officer, kept his knee on the right side of Floyd’s neck for over 8 minuets, as this was occurring George Floyd repeatedly told officers at the scene he couldn’t breathe and called out to his mother, however Chauvin didn’t stop his actions and continued to use force while kneeling on him. For 2 minuets and 53 seconds George become unresponsive, leading to his death and murder.

Videos of this incident appeared all over social media showing George Floyd lying face-down on the ground begging for air with a white officer’s knee on his neck. He says “I can’t breathe. Please, I need my neck, I can’t breathe, shit”.This was then followed with the hashtage #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd. As these videos were shared people all over America started going out and protesting for justice and to show support and to tell people that Black Live Matter and that racial profiling and inequality is still happening and we need to change that.

HIS NAME WAS GEORGE FLOYD AND HE COULDN’T BREATHE

@alaynascibasic

#greenscreenvideo JUSTICE FOR #georgefloyd #minnesota #minneapolis #protest #blacklivesmatters #fyp #minneapolisevents #police #duet #justicefor

♬ Childish Gambino – This Is America / Post Malone – Congratulations – carneyval

Social Media has played a huge part in fighting for justice not just for George Floyd but for every single black person who has been killed by the hands of police officers and for the people who have experienced police brutality and racism.As threads on twitter have been shared about how people can help, petitions have been made and fundraisers. Social Media as a whole has been very supportive as it is helping and telling people all around the world what has happened and how this can’t go on any longer.

PETITIONS TO SIGN:

https://t.co/XS8hM47SjC

https://t.co/pYEWyUckDR

https://t.co/2CEo1QwnjW

https://t.co/2CEo1QwnjW

The tragic death of George Floyd has caused many celebrities to speak about the current situation and get involved with protests, they have spoken up and used their platform to tell people about how this cannot go on any longer and how many more police officers are going to get away with killing innocent black people and most importantly that Black Live Matter and they will always matter.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

WHAT OTHER ISSUES HAVE BEEN RAISED BY GEORGE FLOYD’S DEATH?

The issues that have been raised following the current situation and the death of George Floyd are the Black Lives Matter Movement, Black Lives Matter serves not to devalue the lives of any other ethnic group and deem the black community to be better, but serves to highlight how this is a minority group in desperate need of their voices to be heard, their experiences to be heard that will never be understood by those of a different ethnic group; protests and online platforms have shown their respect and that they are their to support, they have done this by having #blackouttuesday which is were people all around the world post black squares on Instagram to show support ( it has been told by the black community that this wasn’t helpful and to post links to petitions instead) this issue has been raised due to the recent murder of George Floyd who has killed by a white police officers; this is seen as an issue as Derek Chauvin wasn’t being held accountable for his actions (later reviled that he has been charged with third degree murder-UPDATE: now has been charged with second degree murder and the other 3 police officers have been charged)

The black community and fellow allies have had enough with police brutality in American and all over the world, they want their voice to be heard and want a change.Police brutality or police violence is legally defined as a civil rights violation where officers exercise undue or excessive force against a civilian. Police brutality includes but is not limited to, physical or verbal harassment, physical or mental injury, property damage and death; The one that is mostly used is physical injury, Police officers can use batons, nerve gas/ tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets/ guns; to intimidate or to physically hurt citizens who are protesting or in general. These types of methods have recently been used with the on going protests in america as peaceful protests have been turned into something terrifying, as thousands of people have been arrested and been shot with rubber bullets, the police officers have even go out there way to start riots and maced a young girl who wasn’t even part of a protest.These violent actions started when President Donald Trump stated “When the looting starts the shooting starts” , giving right to police officers around America to shoot anyone who is caught looting from branded shops.

• 

• 

• 

Another issue that has been raised is white privilege which refers to the societal privilege that benefits white people over non-white people in some societies,White privilege does not mean that a white individual cannot have have a life with struggles and hardship because they can, however it just means that root of their struggle is not to do with the colour of their skin. White privilege is there not to discriminate white people it’s there to put them into perspective of POC (people of colour) as they are the ones facing struggles and hardships due to the colour of their skin, it is simply there to show them that certain systems society has in place favours them for being white, and fails those who aren’t white for the same actions and behaviour.  Some people online have stated “What if the roles were reversed”, well if the roles were reversed George Floyd would not have been killed and if the roles were reversed he probably wouldn’t have been stopped by the police.It clearly shows that white privilege exists everywhere as white people don’t have to fear for their life when being stopped by the police, they don’t get discriminated into a social group and they do not have to fight for basic human rights. However as protests have occurred white privilege has been seen as a somewhat good thing as white men and women have been using themselves as shields for black people as they know that because they are white they are more unlikely to be attacked by the police forces.

@gingertherv

Amerikkka #fyp #foryoupage #blacklivesmatter #whiteallies #protest #sayhisname #blacklivesmattermovement #denvercolorado #whitepeople #blm

♬ Childish Gambino – This Is America / Post Malone – Congratulations – carneyval

Another issue that has been brought up is the hashtag #AllLivesMatter this is a racists and damaging statement , as all live do matter however these situations do not involve or effect all lives, they effect Black Lives and if all live mattered why is it only Black Lives that are being oppressed and have to fight for basic human rights. ALL LIVES CAN’T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER. The rise of the phrase ‘ACAB’ which stands for All Cops Are Bastards. There has been a lot of controversy with this phase as some people believe not all cops are bad/ corrupting police systems in the US, however this phrase is being used due to the thousands of caps that have gotten away with their actions and brutality against black people, this phrase applies to the cops who are willingly hurting people are playing a part of the corrupt system. However as ‘ACAB’ has appeared this has caused many police officers to want to join the people in the protests and fight for whats right however they have been denied that access by fellow officers and the stations they work for leading to them quitting their jobs so they can fight for justice against police.

ALL AROUND THE WORLD

• 

• 

• 

18 other countries all around the world have been involved with protests and getting the word out, a few of the countries have been England,Scotland, France,Japan and Syria. There has been huge protests all around the UK as we ourselves are not incontinent of police brutality, however they British media have been reporting on the US police brutality acting as if they didn’t bombard Megan and Harry for months on end due to her skin colour and how she was an American being married into the British Royal family,and continuously attack artists/figures like Stormzy or Sterling.

THE UK IS NOT INNOCENT

Black communities have dealt with hardship in the UK. Going back to 1687 when the slave trade started in Britain, they were involved with tri-continental slave trade between Europe, Africa and America.Black slaves were attendants to sea captains and ex-colonial officials, as well as traders, plantation owners and military personnel. Recently with the Black Lives Matter protests, a controversial topic has occurred as protests ripped off the statue of Edward Colston, and dumped it in the canal, Edward Colston was an English merchant, slave trader.This action by protesters can be seen as revolutionary as they have gotten rid of something that represents the pain that was caused to black communities hundreds of years ago, it also questions the UK’s stance as why would they have a statue of a slave trader? However this situation is controversial as some people see it has vandalism and disrespectful but some see it as justice.

In the UK black communities have also face police brutality and killings. In 1969 a police officer was successfully prosecuted in the UK concerning the death of somebody in custody at the time; two Leeds city police officers were involved in the death of David Oluwale who was a homeless British-Nigerian man who they had repeatedly targeted in the attempt to get him out of Britain.The officers abused Oluwale whenever he was spotted, he died while being in his custody and the police officers were charged with manslaughter. This man was solely targeted due to the colour of his skin, police wanted him out of the UK, why?because of his skin colour. For years many black women and men faced racial hate due to their skin colour especially in the 60s which was known as a very racist time.

There is a large amount of racism in the UK not just against black communities but other ethnic groups. Boris Johnson who is the Prime Minister stated ‘Britain is not racist’. However he himself has said racist statement such as ‘blacks have lower IQs’ , he as said that Muslim women who wear Burqa’s look like ‘Letterboxes’, he has said countless of racial words yet the have been over looked by tory voters who voted him to be Prime Minister, further leading to the UK having a racial background.

Another issue that has occurred since protests is the negative hate a blame protesters are having. They are being blamed for breaking lockdown and for the sole reason of a second wave of COVID-19 which might happen; which isn’t right. These protesters are fighting for justice and human rights yet some British citizens do not care they are playing the blame card, there has also been uproar as people have stated ‘they don’t need to protest’ however the majority of people who are against the movement are white people who these problems do not involve them. This is still a racial issue as weeks ago thousands of UK citizens went to beach or had parties with friends however nothing was said about this but as soon as it a different group of people there’s uproar.

Media Outlets

VOX NEWS

Vox news has talked about how due to the killing of George Floyd, “Minnesota, has sparked protests across the country”, this shows that by one single act can change the whole country; as the pandemic is still occurring people have gone out their way to get justice and protest whats right.

The article discusses how many people and cities across America have joined in with protests, they have also stated most of these protest have been peaceful however “some have turned violent, with police clashes, burning buildings, and looting”, this quotation shows that protests have been civil and peaceful however by police getting involved they start to get more violent, as police use tear gas and rubber bullets on the citizens involved, by these violent actions it has caused people to retaliate and leading to burning of buildings and police cars and looting. The article talks a about a protests that occurred on Friday 29th of May in Atlanta, and how it grew tense and violent as cars were set ablaze, and windows at the CNN building were smashed in. Collisions with police and protesters occurred in Brooklyn on the same evening as disturbing videos emerged online of the evening including one of an “officer pushing a women to the ground” and another of a “police card door hitting a protester”, VOX are telling their readers that the protesters aren’t the ones staring the violence as videos all over social media of police officers targeting peaceful protesters and harming them which brings them to retaliate and burn buildings and loot.

• 

• 

• 

HOW DOES THE CASE OF GEORGE FLOYD AND BLACK LIVES MATTER LINK TO WHAT I AM STUDYING IN MEDIA?

The Black Lives Matter movement and the death of George Floyd link to a set text I have studied which is Formation by Beyoncé. Beyoncé is known for speaking out about the BLM movement and recently talks about shootings and police brutality against people of colour in America.The Formation video has a number of different political statements and movement revolving around black culture and communities.In formation Beyonce also uses the theme and references to police brutality, this is shown through a small clip of graffiti on a wall stating “Stop Shooting Us”, this connotes the pain and fear black people face and shows how they have to beg and plea for the violence to stop, it also points to recent cases in which black men were killed by police. Police brutality is also shown through the scene of a young black boy dancing in front of a line of all white police in riot gear, reinforcing that they will take charge.This scene suggests how far will police officers go to hurt people of colour and would they hurt the child which is a powerful statement and is very relevant to this day. There is also a scene regarding the Antebellum period in America, during the Antebellum period black minorities were used for slavery, Furthermore Antebellum dresses were worn by the most elite white women during the 1800s, showing their statues and importance at the time. However Beyoncé contradicts the history of white privilege in the Antebellum period, as she and multiple black women and little girls are shown wearing the dresses also reinforcing the treatment of black people at the time, also turning this scene into a strong and powerful political statement. The video also covers the theme of neglect and white privilege as the opening scene represents Hurricane Katrina and the floods in New Orleans, the scene shows Beyoncé on top of a police car but then later herself and the car submerge under water, possibly reinforcing the lack of help from police forces during the time of need.Regarding to white privilege their are several shots of black communities in basements and shots of floods which links to the time of the New Orleans floods as rich, white people were evacuated first and black poorer communities were left behind.

RECENT NEWSPAPER COVERAGE

In the top right corner we have the Masthead ‘Daily Star’ this give the newspaper an identity, the title of the newspaper is also surrounded by a big red box making it noticeable to the viewers and readers and drawing them to the front cover. The masthead also contains the date of the paper therefore telling you the specific news articles for that day, the newspaper also has the website address showing you they have an online platform as well as their traditional newspapers; the price of the paper is also in the masthead(50p). There is also s sentence in the masthead that reads “Proud to support our NHS”, by adding this sentence to the masthead it tells the readers that this newspaper is supporting the NHS with the current COVID-19 situation and that they are proud of what the doctors and nurses and other medical professions are doing for our country at this moment in time.

On the left of masthead we have the plug, this advertises what else is in the newspaper. The plug uses the phrase ‘Lil nails it!’ this is a play on words as the articles itself is about construction men and therefore by having the word nails in the heading it reinforces the jobs the people do and the article itself as some construction men use nails to build things. The image that is used for the plug shows two men and through the code of gesture we can see that they seem over the moon as they have big grinning faces, and in the background of the image we can see a cement mixer implying that the people photographed work in the construction sector. They are also seen holding a magazine that pictures a women wearing revealing clothing that is followed with ‘lil something to welcome star readers back to work’, this shows that the newspaper think they have to sexualise women to get more attention from the male readers which works, they are seen holding this newspaper with smiles on their faces suggesting they are pleased with the image. The plug also contains a Jump Line“page 18-19”, this encourages the reader to buy the newspaper and to find out about the article.

The Headline states ‘TOP BOFFIN‘ suggesting the article is about scientific or technological research, this headline is also followed by “ALIENS ARE DUMBER THAN URANUS”, this headline has a childish tone to it and possibly ignorance as they are trying to make a joke on something extraordinary. Next to this we have a strapline this provides more information about the headline and anchors the meaning of the central image; the strapline says ” EXCLUSIVE by Berny Torre, A LEADING British astronomer reckons aliens do exist but says they are most likely to be dumb…” by having the word exclusive is suggest that the article is a one time thing, the also include ‘leading British astronomer telling us that they are reliable and know their subject, however they slightly imply that other life forces can’t be intelligent. There is also a subheading which reads ‘Intelligent life is only found on Earth’ suggesting that even if there is other life outside of Earth they won’t compare to the intelligence that we have on earth which is quiet arrogant and stuck up, because in reality the human race isn’t as smart as we’d like to believe.

The central image itself relates to the headline, it is a image of a UFO and an Alien, this illustration is nicely done, however the image does have a comical feel to it which overall links to the story as it comes off as a joke. The image also shows the alien saying something “Stupid? At least we didn’t elect Donald Trump…”, this shows that we as a human race are the stupid ones as people allowed Donald Trump to be elected for president as he is ignorant and a joke.

On the right side of the newspaper we have an article about balding, the headline reads “END OF THE SLAPHEAD” the words ‘end of’ are placed in a red circle signifying importance, and drawing attention to readers; they have also included the phrase ‘slaphead’ which usually happens to bald people as may others like to slap their heads due to the lack of hair.

There is also an image that follows along the headline which is of the the villain from Austin Powers, Dr.Evil. This may illustrate the stereotype of people who may be bald or balding they may be seen as evil or sly, but isn’t the case.

The article to the right of the central image talks about a ‘cure’ for baldness, as the quotation states “BALD blokes will no longer have to look like Dr Evil, thanks to mericale potion”; the discourse that is used comes across casual and common as they have used the term ‘bloke’ instead of men, this may be so they come across a more trendy as they have used slang. The article also seems reliable as they include words such as ‘scientist’ and ‘testers’, informing the readers that you can believe what you are reading which is also know as preferred reading where the producer wants the audience to interpret the media product how they have set it out. Another quotation is ” Testers who put the the potion on their scalps twice a day have for 16 weeks had ‘significant increase’ in hair count“, by referring the treatment as a potion it gives the overall article a untrustworthy source as it seems like the word ‘potion’ has connotations as magic and fairy tales. However they talk about the increase in hair, therefore this article could be seen through oppositional reading, as this is when , readers reject the dominant reading which is apparent but unacceptable to them owing to their social situation, and decode the text accordingly, therefore the readers can decided to believe this article or dismay it.

To the left of the newspaper we have an article about Euro 96, the headline reads “Dutch of class from our lads”, linking to the fact England played against Holland. The article talks about the memories of the match through the eyes of Mark Pougatch who is an ITV football host. The article starts with “ITV4’S Euro 96 Relieved will bring us the whole of England versus the mighty Dutch”, the language that is use could come across as excitement as Euro 96 was held in England therefore by re showing matches it bring back the good memories and causes people to feel the joy and excitement like they did when they first so the match; they also use the word ‘mighty’ to describe the rival team suggesting they have respect for Holland’s team.

Further down the article we have a quotation that states “All right it can’t quell our appetite for live, here-and-now football, but it’s certainly helping”, suggesting that ITV have decided to show past football games as we are currently having a global pandemic and are still on lockdown so people cannot go out and attend football matches as they are not on, therefore they have found a way for the public to still enjoy the atmosphere of a football game. The phrase ‘but it’s certainly helping’, tells us that showing past football games really helps people who are missing the feel of what it’s like being at a game.

The masthead give an identity to the newspaper, the Daily Mail is know as a right wing newspaper; which tend to focus on British values therefore the masthead shows a coat of arms symbolising Britain and and traditional values and shows they are proud of their country.The masthead also contains the date of the paper showing you what news articles they have for that paper and what happened; the price is also shown within the masthead (70p) ensuring you how much the paper is, next to the price we have the sentence ‘Daily newspaper of the year’ this informs you that they are the best newspaper and that you should read it because you’ll be entitled to the best news.

The plug runs right across the top of the newspaper, it gives the paper a more broader aspect and shows the audience/readers that the paper isn’t just about political beliefs, and current situations.; the subheading reads “PLAY MAIL+TRIVIA LIVE AND YOU COULD WIN £1,000” followed by “Play today FREE at mailplus.co.uk/trivia”, the main subheading is in all capital letters drawing attention to it, the reasoning to place this add at the top of the paper may be to help readers forget about the current situation and allow them to have some time to play trivia games to help them relax and unwind, the also tell you that you would possibly win £1,000 leading to further interest and making the readers want to play. In the other sentence the word free is in capital letters showing you that you don’t have to pay money to join.Also on the right of the plug there is a red bubble that says “NEW BIG MONEY QUIZ!” by placing this in a red bubble is symbolises importance and by adding a exclamation mark at the end further shows importance and makes a statement.

The central image is a picture of Jigsaw tycoon owner David Ross and his Ex-Lover Shelley. The picture shown is of David and Shelley, by their code of gesture they seem happy as they both have smiles on their faces. The central image is followed by a byline “Kate’s favourite store, its brash backer- and a puzzle over jigsaw’s turmoil”, this quote mentions Kate, who’s is known as part of the Royal Family so by mentioning her it’s likely to draw the attention of readers who are invested in the life of the Royal Family. The byline also has ‘SEE PAGES 24&25’ making the reader want to buy the paper to find out about the story.

On the left side of the newspaper the headline reads “GR8 NEWS!,Mail Force’s PPE fund edges towards £8million thanks to generous readers’ donations”, the headline is wrote in a serif font making it easy to read and it also gives the overall text a clean and elegant logo for a company, telling the readers the newspaper is the best of the best which right wing newspapers tend to do. The headline uses the term Gr8 instead og great they may have done this to try and appeal to the younger audience or to seem trendy as they are using slang, however this could also possibly draw the audience in as the words are big and bold and are exaggerated with the exclamation mark, this will be eyecatching and may be considered preferred reading as the producer of the newspaper wants the readers to be excited about this article and want to read it because it is seen as great news.The headline also includes “£8million thanks to generous readers’ donations” which can be seen as praise to the readers of the newspaper as they are the ones who have helped Mail force’s.

To the left of this page the article the intro starts with “THE Health Service was there for them in their hour of need”, the word ‘The’ is in capitals making a statement by telling the readers that The one and only Health Service were there for them and helped them when they needed it most, also showing that the Health Service is here for you whenever you need it. The discourse throughout the article is praising, as they are showing respect and gratitude to the NHS as many doctors and nurses are risking their lives to help people with COVID-19. Further down the article it says “Many readers sending cheques include letters saying why they were donating and praising the NHS”, this further reinforces the praising discourse as the newspaper itself is a right wing paper so it tends to care for British values and one of them values is to respect your country and by the reader of the newspaper donating money it shows their respect for the NHS and Britain, however this could be seen as contradictory as the Daily Mail, is mostly towards the right wing agenda and is towards the conservative party which originally wanted to get rid of the NHS, therefore the readers of this paper are more likely to also be part of the conservatives, meaning they mostly voted for Boris Johnson.

There is also a small anecdote in the article,“Allan Mason,74…. told how he had suffered from a heart attack recently”,”Words cannot express the thanks to the vast number of people……..gave love, devotion and dedication to saving my life”.By having a anecdote it give the whole story a personal stance and make the audience feel connected.The Newspaper has also used the words ‘love,devotion and dedication’ , adding to the emotive language making the story affect the readers. I overall think this is preferred reading as the producer of the newspaper wants the readers to feel emotions when reading someone story and to feel proud of our NHS.

On the right [age of the double spread, the headline is “Oarsome….Venice gets back to business”, this is a play on words as the central image shows a man rowing a canal boat, and you tend to row with oars hence ‘oarsome. The headline states that after months of lockdown Italy, especially Venice are starting to reopen business and are getting their lives back together. There are three images attached to the headline which all show people starting up their businesses/jobs again, but still wearing mask just to be cautious.

The structure of the articles have short paragraphs to keep the readers interested.

The article has sympathetic discourse as they talk about how Italy was Europe’s most affected county. However it later talks about the environmental impacts the lockdown had on the city, “It’s lockdown saw the waterways of the usually tourist-thronged city of Venice become crystal clear for the first time in generations……” this shows us that COVID-19 also had a positive affect on Italy as it restored nature, by lockdown occurring people couldn’t travel leading to the canals water no loner being polluted and allows animals to start living in the waters, such as swans. The article also talks about how priests and nuns have to be screened by body temperature scanners before they are allowed into the Vatican to pray/worship, as cautions still have to be taken place as you cannot just rush back into everything.