Textanalysis
- 2. Q-Magazine
- 3. Readers Profile Chris. Q-magazines audience is defined down to one person. They even made him up and his name is Chris. Chris is 29 years old and lives in Leeds. And according to Q-magazine, music is more important to him than anything else, and it is the centre of his social life. He is very into musical gigs, festivals and those electrifying moments of togetherness that only music can provide. Chris is the one how tips his friends about new and cool musicians and can provide them with tickets to awesome festivals and concerts. He works in a professional job. He finally has the economy and the time to indulge his music habit to the full. Chris has a partner, but no kids yet, who has a similar taste in music as him. Chris also loves technology, and he was the first to get an iPod, iPhone, iPad and now streaming music services. He downloads music, but still prefers to own CDs. This is a character all of the employed at Q-magazine knows, so when something is being worked on or written, they ask themselves, would Chris like this? Audience. Q-magazine is 71.8% in the ABC1 readers profile. This means that Q’s audience is a mix of upper middle class, middle class and lower middle class according to NRS Social Grades. The NRS social grades are a system of demographic classification used in the UK. It is used by many organisations, Q for instance, for wider applications and have a standard for marked research. The median age for the audience who buys Q-magazines are 34 years old. In other words, the consumers average age is 34, and about 70% of the audience are in employment. This information helps Q-magazines reporters, writers, editors and so on, to what they will write to their audience, what type of money they will price for it etc. They have a guiding line to which music, artists and text to write.
- 4. Masthead: Q-magazine’s masthead is different from most magazines, because they have placed it in the left top handside of the cover, instead of having it spread across the top. By doing this the audience instantly recognises the magazine in the shop shelf. Because, normally issues on the shelf are placed on top of each other or to the right, which means that the big red letter is seen easily. In the UK people also always reads a sentence from the left to right. Q-magazine also, nearly always, places their subject in the front cover image in front of their masthead, to create a sense of depth. Plug: The magazines plug matches the red colour of the masthead to create a family resemblance in the cover. This stands out in the cover to draw the audience’s attention towards the 50 albums of 2014, which is showing something that is relevant to the magazine. Headline & Sub Heading: Q-magazine has the main headline in a different font than the other fonts on the front cover. They are actually using the artist’s autograph as a font, which makes the magazine feel more personal, which aging draws attention by the audience. It has the family resemblance colour red to draw attention to it, and by using the name “Ed Sheeran” shows the audience that this article is about him, and that could be enough to draw attention to the magazine if people are a fan. The subheading at the top will catch the audience's eyes because it is place at the top, and is written in tall bold letters. Feature article photo: By using a medium shot of Ed Sheeran creates enough room to place a prop in the image, which in this photo is his guitar, but is also close enough to see his facial expressions. The photo is taken in a studio to have a clean background so it will not dominate, which makes the cover lines easier to read. Banner: Right underneath the masthead is a banner. Nearly every issue of Q have a banner which describes something positive and encouraging about the magazine. For instance, in this is issue it says “Awards Special Edition”, but in most it says something like “Discover great music” or the “worlds greatest music magazine”. It is a great and simple way to show consumers that this is where they will find great music discoveries. Date line, Price, & Barcode: Q normally places their barcode at the bottom of the magazine. This is exciting as it shows that this is not what they want their audience to see first. They place it at the same place Mojo Magazine does, however in Q they make the price stand in bold letters. Even though it is still in small text and challenging to read I get the feeling that they want their audience to know their price, this communicates that the magazine has confidence and is certain in their choice of the amount of money they charge their readers. Cover line & Layout: Q-magazine’s layout of the cover has a bright atmosphere to it, and by using some sort of naturel colours in the photograph and the text, kind of gives the red resemblance colour a kick, so the audience sees it better. The cover lines are using slightly smaller yet same style of text as the sub heading. This text is telling the audience other music related things going on in the magazine. Using various sizes on the different cover lines, is to highlight the most interesting topics, and Q uses the names of big artists that the audience might fancy to read about.
- 5. Mise-en-scene: Characters/Costumes. There is only one character on the front cover of the magazine. He is easily dressed with little to no colour to draw attention to his red ginger hair, which is one of Ed’s hallmarks. Ed Sheeran also has a prop with him in the photograph, which is also one of his hallmarks. Lighting. The lighting in the front cover photograph is a bit harsh. There are sharp shadows that creates defined lines on his face and body. This can communicate a harsh image of Ed, which is a bit interesting. Because he is known for writing love songs with an acoustic guitar, so maybe the magazine is trying to loosen up his image and make him a bit more indie rock, so he fits the magazine’s image? Location. The photo is taken in the studio. We see this by the use of controlled lighting and plain background. Using the studio gives the magazine an easier opportunity to add a lot of text to the front cover without it being disturbed by a messy background. It also makes him easier to cut out and place in-between the cover lines and mastheads. To, what I mentioned earlier, create a feeling of depth in the cover. Camerawork: The photograph is taken in a medium shot with an eye level angle. This makes Ed more connected to the audience because they get to see his eyes and his facial expression. The medium shot gives the editor a lot of air to place the text without it being to crowded or end up looking messy. Font: Q-magazine uses the same font in the headline as in the smaller and not so important sub headlines, expect for Ed Sheerans autograph. This is to create a flow in the front cover to make it easier for the consumers eyes to read and look at. It is a simple font that is comfortable to read, and the size that is being used is big enough to see from a bit long distance without having to squint their eyes. The font also allows the magazine to have a lot of text in the cover without it looking messy and confusing to the audience.
- 6. Masthead: Q-magazine uses an nice way to show the audience that this is the contents page by placing the magazines logo Q against the word “contents”. The masthead letters is written in bold and black and stands out against the white paper. This automatically catches the readers eyes because of the colour and size contrast of the letters in comparison to the other texts. Sub-Image: There are a lot of pictures presented on these two pages, most of them are quite small, some are bigger and they are linked to different articles, to give the reader an idea of what to expect later in the magazine. They make the magazine appeal more interesting by adding a lot of different images from different settings. It also allows the page to feel more full, and by making the musical props join the artists in the photo reinforces the genre of this music magazine. Dateline:The dateline of the magazine is just above the masthead to make it the second thing the reader reads on the page. By showing the month and year allows the audience to know that this is a monthly magazine and the font is in red to match the logo. Main Image: Although there are many images on these pages the audience’s attention automatically goes to the largest one. This suggests that he is one of the main focuses in this monthly issue. Headlines: By using the band or artists names in the headlines interests the audience as they can recognise & familiarise themselves with the musicians and want to read more. But by using musically words like “Rock’n’Roll” also catches music loving consumers their attention towards the articles. Most of them are in the same font, but in different sizes to highlight the most important ones with big letters. Layout: This two contents pages are very thought through and complex in the way everything is positioned. Q uses shapes of squares in different sizes to divide the page so the information appears more clearly to the audience. The background is either white or light grey, this gives the page light and works well against the numbers in different colours. Page numbers: Q have chosen to colour the page numbers in the colours red and blue. Red is the matching colour to the logo, but blue is not. This catches the readers attention because it is something new. Furthermore the use of bright colours communicates to the audience that this a fun and interesting magazine. And they´ve placed it next to the headline to inform where to find the article. Review: By having a review section helps and informs the audience to what music is the best, what is new and what to buy, it works like a guide. This fits into the magazine because it is about music, albums and different artists. They also uses rhythm in the headline, because it says “Q-Review”, which has that affect that it sticks to the brain, like a catchy song, to that affect that the audience will remember it. They also coloured the Q red so it matches the rest of the two pages, it gives a flow which makes it more enjoyable for the consumers eyes to read.
- 7. Mise en scene: Characters/costumes. Most of the characters are dressed in black, and very dark colours. This emphasises with the genre rock and indie rock which tells the audience that this is the genre of the music magazine. There are also several musicians placed in the different photographs which shows the audience that there are variations in the magazines. That this issue is a bit about some bands, rock artists and other musicians. And this makes the magazine more interesting to read. Props. In most photographs there are enough air to place a musical prop in there like a guitar, or a microphone. This reinforces the genre of the magazine. By using live photographs of the artist playing at a concert, interest the audience because it shows variation and they feel like they are in the moment. Moreover, adding props to the pictures adds to the idea that the magazine is all about the music. Lighting. The lighting used in the staged photographs, has together with the front cover, a sharp shadow to create a more rock and indie feeling, which again is the music genre of the magazine. The live pictures has the stage-concert lighting, which is out of the magazines control, but works because it gives the consumers a feeling of being in the moment. Camerawork: The main image is taken in a medium long shot with a low camera angle to make the subject more dominated. He seems big and huge to match his image in the music world. With this camera distance it allows the artist to bring a music prop without it being to crowded in the photograph. The group photos is long shots to make sure that all of the subjects are joining in. There are also a medium close up photo and some medium shots, this is to create variation in the contents pages so it will be more interesting to read and look at for the audience. Language: The language used in the page is matching with the genre of the magazine and in the interesting to the audience. They write words like “rock’n’roll”, “Music guide”, by doing this Q also shows the audience that they are educated in music and knows what they are talking about. They also uses the musicians names in the headlines, which again draws attention to the audience who likes the particular musicians that is mentioned. Font: The double contents page has three different fonts. One font is big, bold and thick, one is skinny and small and the third one is skinny and tall. By using different types of fonts, Q-magazine contrast one another and display the different texts to the consumers. The big bold font is used in capitals to show the audience the headlines and page numbers. This is used to catch the audience’s eyes and make them read easily what the magazine contains. The skinny small font is being used to inform the audience a bit about the specific article, interview etc. that is connected to the cover line. It is in a different font because it is not as important a the cover line, but important enough to be on the contents page. The tall skinny font that is being used in the “Q-review” is there to stand out. It does not match the other two fonts, so it stands out and attracts the readers eye. Text: The text is designed for a younger audience, like in the beginning of their 30s. Q is doing this by making the contents to be unique and interesting. It does this by presenting a style to the page, using different colours and fonts to instantly catch the eye. The audience is most likely to receive the text when they are opening the magazine for the first time in the shop or at home. So it is important that what Q wants to communicate comes in different fonts and colours in the contents page, so they buy the magazine. Even though the audience is most likely to look at the images first, the cover line text and structure is till important to make the consumers more interested in what the magazine contents.
- 8. Headline: The headline is covering about 50% of the page. This is to catch the readers attention and it is a nice way to fill the pages. Because sometimes the interviewer do not get all the things he needs to fill the pages, so this is a nice and creative way to do it. Using the words “in Full Bloom” will catch the readers attention because it is something new, a growing new band which will make the audience curious, and it matches with the bans name. The design of the headline also plays a factor in the eye catching category, because it is not a normal head line. This text looks like a picture of a tagged wall which helps complete the entire scheme of the two pages and it fits with the hole indie rock music genre that the band represent. Cover Line: Q uses two colours in the cover line. The majority of the text is written in white, and only two words in red. This is to create a pop-up feeling so the specific words get seen, because they have a certain meaning. In this text the words that are highlighted are names. It is clearly that they are important and if the audience recognises them, they becomes curious and reads the article. Drop Cap: by using a drop cap, Q-magazine instantly lets the audience know that this is an article. The drop cap has the effect that it makes the layout of the text seem more interesting and less bland to the audience. By making the letter a huge black T, that covers seven lines, gives the association that it matches the subjects in the picture. The T is tall and narrow, and the same are the musicians in the image, so it creates a flow. Main Image/background and layout: There is only one picture on the double page spread, and by using one image allows the consumers to solely focus on the musicians to see that they are the main focus. The images itself though, is spread across two pages and connects with the headline to create the flow I mentioned earlier and to fill the pages without it looking crowded and messy. This makes the main images become a background. Reference: There is a small red square in the top right handside, this is a reference and it contains the information on who is in the photograph and where it was taken. This interest the reader because it establishes where and when the image is taken and if the interview is connected with the date of the magazine issue. Q has also placed the text in a square in the main image, which again proves that the double page photo connects with the layout. Article: The text for the double page spread is placed in two see through white boxes. By doing this, Q allows their audience to see what the text says because it creates contrasts against the pictured background. They have divided the text into two boxes to make it easier for the viewers eye to read, because when you separate the text it looks less long and full, but instead confirmable and easy going.
- 9. Mise en scene: Characters/Costumes. Nearly all of the characters are dressed in leather jackets which can be associated with rock, and the rock genre and yet again, that fits with the music direction of Q-magazine. All of them are also wearing leather boots and the majority of the clothes are dark. Which again emphasises with rock, and the long shoulder length hair really pulls in the indie/rock vibe. The characters are placed on stairs, this is to makes sure that everyone in the band is seen, especially their faces, because that is what the audience will recognise. This positioning can also distribute the band members height, there is no blocking by height on who is more important. So by placing them on different staircases makes each one of them seem equally important, which then communicates likeness in the magazine. Lighting. The lighting is bright some places, to highlight their faces, but it also creates a dark shadow some places to produce this rough and rocky feeling which matches the magazines music genre. It also connects with rest of the layout of the double page, because that is rough and rocky, even though most of the pages are covered by the photograph. Location. The photo-shoot takes place in what looks like the back of a construction building or something, this is to create a naturel background so it fits good with text and puts the focus on the characters and not the background. This is to show clearly to the audience who the article is about. It would probably be easier to place the band in a studio, but then they would have missed out on the raw and rockiness the grey masonry wall creates. Camerawork: The main image is a eye level long shot. Q-magazine has chosen this because it makes the audience get a full image of all of the members in the band. It at the same time creates a rocky/indie feeling with allowing the background to show, which fits the genre of the magazine. The air around the subjects also makes it easier to place texts and letters without it looking messy or overlapping any important characters in the picture. Language: The language displayed on the pages is quirky and interesting, which fits the genre and the audience to the magazine. Using “In full Bloom” as the headline matches the name of the band, which is Blossoms. That catches the readers eye, especially if they are a fan because then they can relate to it. And when something is blooming, they are growing, so it creates a curiosity among the consumers. Fonts: The font that q-magazine uses in the double page spread is simple and easily readable for the audience. Q has chosen to have two different fonts on the double page to separate the cover lines from the actual article. In theory they actually have three fonts, but the headline is more of a particular designed font for the article so it matches the layout and the genre of the band. The font used in the actual article is something similar to Times New Roman to create a sense of formality, so the audience take the band seriously even thought they are a indie/rock band. The cover line is a font similar to Arial. They have chosen this font because when you scale up the size, it is still readable without making the page look messy. Colour: The colour scheme that is being used in the pages are red, white and black. So basically the main colours of Q, this is to create a family resemblance throughout the entire magazine. So by choosing the text to be black against the white box and highlight those words with red colour in the cover line is well thought through. This colours are quite bold and striking, and that is the feeling that they represent and it matches the band.
- 10. The Text: The text is mainly aimed for the fans of the musicians, but by writing basic knowledge about the band could also wake interest in the traditional Q reader. By writing “in full bloom” as the headline of the double page will awake humour in the reader, because the band’s name is Blossom, and that is also a name of a type of flower. The assumptions that are made about the audience in this text and its positioning in the double page is that they are somewhat unique and like this urban idea. Because, the text is connected to the main image due to the fact that it also is the background. And that clearly means that Q-magazine planned the article quite well, because when you take a photograph of five men, you do not want half the image to be of the wall they are standing beside. The article seems to be on page 34 in the magazine. This seems to be in the end of the beginning of the magazine. So that emphasises that the audience might have to flip past this page to get to another article and in this way they will stumble across a new and interesting band. And the audience who is fans of the characters do not have to scroll through a lot of music articles they are not interested in to find the one thing they want to read.
- 11. Mojo
- 12. ‘s Reader Profile Mojo is the brand for those who truly are obsessed with music. It is the world’s largest UK music magazine. They deliver a monthly dose of world class music journalism and iconic photographic work to an audience of very passionate music consumers. Mojo is published by the multi media company, Bauer. They have a circulation of 91 678* and a readership that is as high as 218,000**. Mojo together with Q-magazine, have an ABC1 profile, but Mojo’s per cent is lower than Q’s, because it is on 66%. But that could have a connection with Mojo’s mean age, because that is slightly higher than Q-magazine’s. It is in the end of the 30s, like around 37. So because of the fact that Mojo is a trusted and valued brand, that their audience are more traditional, they have grown with the magazine and their consumers are more regular. It is not so much focus on reaching out to a new audience with new musicians and bands, like the Q-magazine, but Mojo focuses more on the classic, good and old musicians with a long music history behind them. John. Together with Q magazine, Mojo has made up their own character to match the audience they are trying to reach. Their man is called John. He is 37 years old and a passionate and discerning music fan. He is also a long-time musician himself and a dedicated record collector. With his high disposable income, John loves nothing more than sneaking off to the local record shop to see what is in there. He is a proudly investor in en extensive mixture of classic and rarities vinyl, CD’s and carries a well stocked iPod that has everything from prog to nu-folk, Motown to 60’s garage, blues and psychedelia. John’s heroes are Bowie and Jimmy Page, he has played the guitar since his school days and gets together with his jam pals now and then. He is also a heavy gig goer. John has begun to outgrow Glastonbury, and is now just more likely to head to a smaller scale, like Latitude or Green Man Festival. Together with his partner, John likes to unwind at the weekend by sending their toddlers off to their grandparents and inviting their friends over for dinner, whiskey and a rifle through his record collection. So when creating the monthly Mojo, the editors, journalists, writers etc., asks themselves, would John like this?
- 13. Plug: This is a standard thing Mojo have on nearly each and every front cover on their magazines. It draws the audience in as they are curious at what this CD is. By using a plug it allows the consumers to get exited because they are getting a little something extra with their favourite magazine. Moreover, the CD is represented in an uneven square that gives associations of a sticker, so it is like a free gift from the magazine to the audience. By using a blue colour also makes the plug pop out so the audience will spot it easily. Sub-image: Mojo magazine includes two sub- images on their front cover. These is to give the audience an actual image of the other stories in the magazine. Masthead: Mojo is written in white to stand out from the black background. It is written in a simple use of font as that shows what the magazine is called with a smaller text on top that shows what type of genre the magazine is. The central name of the masthead is mojo, which is used to describe a magic influence. This communicates that the magazine is special, and this becomes interesting for the audience. Because older people are more likely to know this, than younger, so this reflects to the magazines audience. Headline: The headline is written in white with a blue line around the letters. This is to highlight the white text and at the same time use the blue resemblance colour on the front cover. By using a famous name the publisher attracts attention from the audience, together with the use of colour, and Kate Bush is well known name among the older generation, which again fits with the main age of the magazine. Main Image/background: The main attention of this month issue is Kate Bush, and the magazine shows this to the audience by setting her face as the front cover. Clearly we are seeing a character that the audience know and using this allows the readers to feel captivated as they are interested in the women who is represented. Sub-Heading & Cover Line: On the right and left hand-side of the front cover is the subheadings of the articles the magazine contains. They use smaller text on these than the headline and this reinforces that they are not as important and significant in the magazine. But at the same time they use names of well known musicians as “Oasis” and “Paul Weller” to communicate with the audience that the other articles are interesting as the main story about Kate Bush. And that engages the consumers of Mojo as they are captivated in exactly what these articles have to say. Layout: When I overlook the front cover of Mojo I see these busy placement of the text. That makes me think that there is a lot of information and much going on in the music magazine which again would make the magazine worth buying. By using the colour blue in the plug, headline, cove line and The Rolling Stones logo creates a nice resemblance in the cover which draws attention to the magazine. Date line, price and barcode: Together with Q-magazine, Mojo places their date, price and barcode at the bottom because it is obviously not what the magazine wants their consumers to focus on. Even though the price fits the readers profile and the date shows that it is very fresh and is current for the audience, it is still something that is hidden because it is not what draws the audience in.
- 14. Mise en scene: Characters/Costume. The focal character of Mojo is a musician, and by using people who are relevant to the genre of the magazine communicates to the audience to let them familiarise themselves with the character and to know that this is a music based magazine. She is has black messy long hair, which can emphasise with the rock genre of the magazine and her black eyeliner also connects with this. The character has a very serious facial expression, but without looking angry. This matches the Rock-music-style the magazine pulling off and again communicates to the audience what music genre Mojo is writing about. Furthermore, by using her posed serious facial expression looking directly into the camera allows the consumers to really engage into the magazine and it gives Kate Bush this edgy style and that intrigues the audience as they want to know more about her. Lighting. The photograph must be taken in a photo studio because the lighting is controlled. It is sharp against her skin which creates a reflection to communicate to the audience that her music is reflecting through her and that would draw the attention of the consumer. The light also creates a sharp shadow to create a dark side of her, so her face is divided into two, and that is called chiaroscuro. This fits the cover line which guaranties the full story of her and that would mean ups and downs. Camerawork: The photo used as the front cover image is taken in an eye-level medium close up shot. The eye-level angle makes the character communicate directly with the audience, and it gives them a feeling of connection with her. The camera distance used are medium close up to get the audience to see all the details on her face, this way the consumers feel closer to her in a way . The sub-images are also shot in medium close up to see their faces. If they where taken in another distance it would have been harder to recognise them and see their faces, which would not have made the consumers identify the characters. Font: Mojo magazine’s masthead seems to be a designed one, because it has the words “the music magazine” edited into it. It is bold and very easy to spot, so they may have used two different fonts to create their own. It is simple and confirmable to read. The other headlines are using the same font, but it is variant on how bold it is going to be, and that depends on how important the article is. Language/Text: By using name in the cover lines such as “Paul Weller” or “Johnny Marr” attracts the audience because it is names that they might know and recognise. Writing “The Full Story” under the headline, which is a famous name, will also attract attention from the consumers. Because the consumers connects the phrase to the cover image which belongs to the headline, in this way the become curious of her story and will want to read more. The text is aimed for the older generation of the consumers. This is because they print names of famous musicians from the past that most people in the younger generation have not heard of, for instance, Johnny Marr. Most of the names who is mentioned are also British. So in other words, the text are aimed for the magazine’s reader profile, which is a British man in his ending 30s who is interested in rock music. Colour: The colours that are covering the front cover is mainly black and white with a hint of blue. The white and black creates contrast, and is rocky colours, which again fits with music genre the magazine represent. The blue family resemblance colour is used to make the cover appear more interesting to the audience. It also creates a direction to were the consumers eyes will go. From the plug, to The Rolling Stones logo, followed by “Kate Bush” before it ends at “2016” creates this Z of direction for the eye. It also frames the characters face, which is the main focus and the centre of the front magazine. Because it is her story tis month’s issue is about and by creating colour they communicates that to the audience.
- 15. Masthead: The masthead font of the contents page is the same as Mojo’s logo. This is to create a resemblance within the magazine. It also has the same colour. The masthead is placed in the central top to catch the eye of the reader, because it is the first thing the consumer sees when she/he opens the page. It is also placed in front of the characters head to makes sure the reader can read it, and so they know that they are on the contents page. Layout: The pages are separated into two. This is to create a clear line between what is more important and what is not. The main image is on the left page, because people normally reads from left to right, so this, together with the blown up image, communicates to the audience that it is the where you can find the biggest and most important articles. The right page, is more mixed up of small articles and stories. They are not so important as the others, but they are still interesting and appeal to the magazine’s genre and audience. Main Image/Sub-image: The main image is of a man who plays guitar, this appeals to the audience because the prop is a musical instrument which fits with the genre and it covers the hole left page. So this tells the audience that he is important and relevant to one of the articles. The photo is in black and white, this is to give the consumer this vintage and rocky feeling, which fits with magazine’s music category. The other small images are places next to each other to create a flow in the page. These photographs are taken in colour, not smashing colour, but in a more neutral colour. This is yet again to create a contrast between the right and the left page. This also tells that the left page is vintage and old, while because of the colours and the subjects in the pictures, the right page appeals for the more younger audience. Mojo has decided to do this so the consumers finds something that fits their interest and their pursuit. Dateline: The dateline is under the masthead and besides the character’s head, so it is noticeable but does not attract to much attention. This provides the consumer with the information of when it was made, so they know the information they read is up to date. Page Numbers: Together with Q-magazine, Mojo has chosen to make their page numbers stand out by using colour and bold fonts. The use of red on the letter on the left page creates resemblance in the page and a rhythm, together with the red lines and boxes. On the right page they mix colours to separate what is more important and what is not. This helps the audience categories the contents of Mojo Magazine.
- 16. Mise en scene: Characters/Costume. The character in the main image is wearing a black jacket with a musical prop by his side, this emphasises that he is a musician from the old days, which fits with the genre and image of the magazine. The characters in the sub images are in more modern clothes. They are wearing black or natural coloured clothes which fits with the rock genre. Some of them are also long haired to fit the genre as well. Camerawork: There are several pictures on the contents page. The main image which covers the left page has a camera distance in medium shot with a eye-level angle. This is to make enough air around the subject to place a prop. The prop is a guitar because it fits with the genre of the magazine. The eye-level angle is to make the audience to feel connected to the character. And by doing this Mojo makes the magazine interesting for the audience. Some Sub-images on the right page is taken in Long Shots to fit all of the characters in the picture so the audience sees them all. Some of the smallest sub-images are taken in medium close ups because when the photograph is small, it is harder to recognise the characters, so by farming their faces the audience instant recognises them even though they are small compared to the rest of the page. Prop. The main image is taken in a medium shot, that is to include the musical prop, which is a guitar. The guitar communicates to the audience that this is a music magazine, and it also creates a line. The line starts with his hand at the bottom of the guitar and then leads the audience eyes towards the text on the content page. I think this is well thought through to guide the consumers eyes to what Mojo want them to see. There also exists a prop one one of the sub- images. There picture of the live band on stage, the audience knows that this is taken live because the main character is holding a microphone in his hand, which is the prop. This makes the audience attracted to the article because if something is live creates a feeling of being present in the moment. Lighting/Location. The lighting in the main photo is harsh. It throws a hard light on the characters face, so it cannot be from a studio because his entire head and body is lighten up. There are no shadows, so it means that the photo is edited in a computer program or a darkroom. This also means that Mojo wanted to show the audience the entire character. And to create a good black and white photo for the vintage rock image to match the music genre of the magazine, they created less shadows because then the consumers get to see the details. But the audience also sees that the location is taking place on a stage and that creates a feeling of being in the moment which makes the magazine seem more interesting to the consumers. This also fits with the sub images on the right page, but in an opposite way, because the character is dark while the background is light, but Language/Text/Font: The language used in the contents pages is clean and informal. They mention many popular names in the cover lines from the music world that I think most of the older generation can recognise, which again makes the magazine stick to their audience and their interest. The font that is being used is a simple and easy readable one. They use different fonts to communicate the different text on the page so the audience can easily see where they can find what they are looking for. For instance, the cover lines are in bold so they stand out and catch attention. Colour: The colour red is being used to create a pattern in the contents pages. On the left side the only coloured used is red. And because the main image is in black and white it does not look messy and confusing to the audience, but cool and fashionable vintage, which fits with the magazine’s image. The right page has more colours, of course the red resemblance colour is there as well but there is also a blue one, this is to tell the audience that there is something new, and that makes them want to read more.
- 17. Quote: For the double page spread, Mojo used a pull-quote from the text to attract the eyes of the reader. It is blown up because it tells something important that the character said and the interviewer wants the audience to see it clearly. Using a pull quote, that the consumers can read easily, interests the audience as they are unknown of what it means and what connection it has to the text. It also adds to the mystery and it makes the audience would want to read more. Reference: The small text in the image is a reference. A reference is often displayed quite small as most of the audience are not so interested in knowing where the image come from, but it is still there to tell a story. It connects the image to the article by telling the consumers when it was taken, and if it is a newly shot one, it confirms the freshness of the magazine and article. Drop-Cap: The article uses drop cap to create a new paragraph in the article. By using creates a tidiness in the article which makes it easier and more confirmable for the audience to read. Because it separates the text so it does not seem long and hard for the audience to read. Drop-caps are also used a lot in fairy-tales and stories in books, so by using them in the article emphasises to the audience that here is a story to read, and it makes it more interesting. Furthermore, the article starts with an O, so this makes the audience curious as to why it starts with that specific letter, and would want to read the article. Images: There exists two fully framed images on these two pages. One in colour and one in black and white. This communicates to the audience the difference of time. The one in black and white seems older because the character is younger in the image than in the other, and in the older days they only took photographs in black and white. This interest the consumers because it the article is connected to these images and that means that the text tells a story of a lifetime which interests the audience. The out-cut image of the musician in between the text is to create a entertainment and a picture of the character in the audiences head. It is humorous and eases the eye from all the reading, so it makes the text easier and more fun to read, which again attracts the consumers attention. Star Turns: Mojo has created a margin on the right side of the double page spread, where they have collected music information that the audience might like. We know that it is music information due to the CD’s and CD-cover’s that are splashed on the side to demonstrate this. The margin catches the audience attention because of the greyish colour used on the background which sticks out from the rest of the double page spread. This makes the consumers curious and wants to read it. The margin is also relevant to the Mojo magazine because it is information and tips to good music, which is what Mojo magazine stands for. Layout: The pages layout has a vintage style due to the B&W photo and a musical feeling because of the use of props in the photograph and the music relevant margin. And this mix draws the attention of the audiens.
- 18. Mise en scene: Characters/Costume. In the full frame image with the clothes, the character is wearing is a green shirt with some special glasses, this gives the audience the impression of another time, where this outfit could be in style. I think that especially the older generation would recognise that the costume is from the 1970s. Which again gives the audience the idea that the article tells a story from that time, because the image is connected to the text. This also fits with the music genre of the magazine and their main age from the readers profile. The audience also sees the same character in the black and white image. In this he wearing a vest outside of his shirt, and he also looks younger in this image with more hair and beard. This image is interesting as it tells the audience that the article might go long back in his carer, which makes the consumer interested and they start to read it. Lighting/Location. The lighting in both the photograph are natural. There are no harsh light and very dark shadows. This tells the audience something about the location. That the photographs are not staged in a studio, but taken from a real moment. This makes the consumer feel like they are a part of a private moment of the character, and that makes them interested in the article. Prop. In the coloured image there is a musical prop. This confirms to the audience that the article is a bout a musician, if they did not know who the character is. It is a piano, so not the most rocky instrument. But the piano can communicate to the audience that there are room for alternatives. That Mojo makes exceptions to try and fit the different music taste of their audience. Camerawork: The coloured image on the left page is taken in a medium shot with a high angle. The mix of the high angle and the medium camera distance makes room for the musical prop which takes place at the bottom of the picture. This communicates to the audience that the character is trapped in the music, because the high angle shot closes out the free air in the picture, so it is just the character and his piano. The black and white image is taken in a medium two shot with an eye level angle. The eye level angle is so the audience feel a connection to the characters in the photograph, it makes them feel present. So in order for the consumers to understand the situation, they have to read the article. This is an interesting way of getting the audience to read the article, but it works because people are normally curious and want answers. So a curious picture of a famous musician is a good way of getting the consumers attention. Text, language & font: The font used for the article is different and is more of a traditional font at the same time. It is different from other magazines because it has a vintage style, which fits Mojo’s image, but also traditional because it is old. By using this it gives the audience an old feeling which fits with the character in the article. The article itself talks about James Booker, this is good since the double page revolves around him. The language used is very musical. They use musical terms like “Jazz”, “second-line” etc. which fits the magazine. And that is what the audience bought the issue for, to read about music. Colours: The colours used on the double page spread is a nice mix of black and white for the article and the background, but also smashing colours like red/pink to catch the eye of the audience. This colour is also used as an resemblance throughout the double page spread. It is used on the quote, and the margin. This is interesting as it also create as pattern for the consumers eye to follow. Mojo does this to point the audience in the direction towards the text they want them to read. Because firstly they will see the smashing quote and then move on the the margin. And this makes it more fun for the reader to read the article but at the same time informational.
- 19. MNE
- 20. Readers Profile NME’s reader profile is different from both Q-magazine and Mojo, because they have not created a certain character, but collected a rather bigger spectre of things and music their audience might be interested in to get an ide of what they might enjoy to read about. 42% of their audience are students and their median age is 23, so in other words, the audience are people with little to no income. That again reflects back to the magazine’s price, which is around £1-3. 73% of the readers are male, and only 26% are female, which explains why MNE have more commercials about men’s hair products and Topman instead of Topshop and women’s perfume. NME’s ABC1 per cent is smaller than the two other magazines, because a lot of their readers are students, and their number is in 68%. So the magazines audience are spitted in two. One part contains students who are interested in new music, fancy bands and beer, while the other part has grown ups who earn more money and is more interested in quality over quantity. The magazine has a circulation on 33,875 and a readership close to 325,000. NME’s mission is to provide up to date and new information, reviews and listing of the best new music. • “I can trust it” • “Its full of facts that we should all know but don’t BUT we do now thanks to NME” • “Honest no-holds barred reviews” These are all quotes said by the NME audience, so in other words, readers have a strong relationship with NME and completely trust the brand. NME readers are, not surprisingly, completely obsessed with music. Reader research has demonstrated that hey rely on the edition and the ads to keep them up to date with new music. This knowledge then makes them the authority in music in their peer group. NME is different to both Q and Mojo because they are published by another publisher, and that Is Time Inc. Which is the second largest media company I wrote about in the Magazine research.
- 21. Masthead: NME’s masthead is placed on the same place as Q’s. This is, as I mentioned earlier, to attract the attention of the audience in the shop shelf. Because people read from left to right and start at the top, so the first thing the consumer will find is the magazines logo/masthead. It is white letters written in a red box, this creates contrast so the audience sees it better. At the same time, red is something we call a screaming colour, because it is easy recognisable so the audience sees it quickly. Date & barcode: Unlike Mojo and Q, NME has separated their barcode and date. Their date is placed beside NME logo, which has that affect on the audience that they will see it easier than if placing it at the bottom next to the barcode and price. This means that NME wants their audience to focus on the fresh stories, articles, interview and music the magazine has to offer by placing the date there, instead of the next to the price and barcode at the bottom where it is less noticeable. Main Image/background: The main image is covering the hole front cover, so it also becomes the background. The main focus on NME’s issue is Julian Casablancas and his band called The strokes. The magazine shows this by putting them as the front cover. And by blocking the shot so Julian is standing in the front because he is the main focus, while the band is in the background to shot ha Cover lines/Sub-headings: The sub-headings and the cover lines are spread all around the front cover. This is to fill the empty room the image creates. But they also create a invisible frame around the characters to make it look clean and organised. The two bottom cover lines are on the same line, and the text on the left side of the cover are also following the line. By doing this the audience get the feeling the magazine is rocky and messy, like the lives of the students who buys the magazine. So the consumer finds this interesting because it matches their lives and then they by it. NME are using quotes from the reviews of the band to attract attention from the consumer, because if someone with knowledge of music tells that the band is good, they are mostly right. Headline: The headline is on top of a white box, this is so the audience sees the text easier and this way it does not blend in with the background. NME uses the name of the front person as the headline, because he is the most known in the band and people will recognise his name. So by doing this, NME catches the audience attention, and the notice of his fans. they are also important because they are a part of him. NME uses a band that the audience know, and by doing this it catches the attention of the consumer and it makes them interested in the magazine. Sub-Image: On the right top hand side of the front cover, there sticks a head out. This is a cut out sub-image and It is to catch the audience attention. They use a medium close up shot of the character because the image is so small, it is easier to identify his face rather than his body. By putting a recognisable face on the side of the front cover gives the audience an image on what more the magazine contains, and they become curious and want to buy it.
- 22. Mise en scene: Characters/Costume. There are several characters in the front cover and in the band. Most of their clothes are dark, and they are wearing leather jackets, sun glasses, caps, jean jackets and dark trousers. The characters hair is also long and curly, which gives the audience associations of rock concerts with swinging hair and banging heads. So their costume is the typical rock style. The characters charisma is telling that they have a rocky attitude. They have their hands in their pockets and they do not bother to look at the camera. Which fits with the magazines image. They also seem to be quite young, which fits the magazines readers profile. Because the audience like to read about people their own age so they feel connected to the musicians in that way. Location/Lighting. The image is taken against a brick wall. Brick walls are hard and cold, but the pinkish colour makes it seem warmer, which could give the audience the association of the music the band makes, and that is indie/rock. It is a staged shot but not in the studio, so the lighting is light and does not create any harsh shadows. This could emphasise that even though the band is rock/indie, they may have a soft and vulnerable spot like everyone else. Which makes the audience feel connected to the characters. Colours: The colours on the front cover is black, white and red on the masthead, cover lines etc. This is NME’s colour, the white and red, because it is in their logo so the audience recognise them instantly. The black and white is to create contrast so the text is visible for the consumer and does not blend in with the colour in the main image. There exist some blue lines under some of the cover lines. This breaks with the other colours so it creates attention. And that is why NME wanted those lines in blue, to communicate that there are some more in the magazine than the characters in the front cove image Camerawork: The cover image is taken in a medium long shot with an eye level angle. This is so the audience feels like they can communicate with the characters. The medium long shot also creates a lot of room for the text in the front cover. This is good because then the layout looks clean and organised, and not messy and unreadable. The camera distance of the sub-image is a medium close up, this is so the audience can recognise him, because the picture is so small. It is small because it shows the audience that he is important, but not as important as the other characters in the main image. And It is easier to identify his face when the picture is so little, than his entire body. Text/language/Font: The language used in the head and cover lines are very musical. There are words like “sing”, “records”, “vibe” etc. They also use famous musical names to attack the consumers interest, and to show them that this is a music magazine. They also use abbreviations, like “They’re”. This is to show that it is a quote. This communicates to the audience that this issue contains interviews, and that makes the consumer interested. NME uses a font that matches their logo. This is because it makes it easier for the consumer to read, no matter the size of the letters. And it also creates a resemblance on the front cover. The size and boldness has something to say as well. That divides the text, and highlights what is more important and not. Which makes the audience see what is more interesting first so it catches their attention. The text on the cover is aimed to the people in their readers profile because they mention musicians in the main age group.
- 23. Masthead: The masthead is placed near the same spot as the logo. This creates resemblance in the magazine, and the audience knows that this is the contents page. NME is a bit different when it comes to the masthead then Mojo and Q, because instead of writing contents, they write “inside”. This is a more personally word, it creates a mystery. It is like the magazine is saying that they have a secret article or something only their audience gets to hear about. This makes the consumer feel appreciated and interested. Layout: NME has divided their contents page into three parts. One for the regular articles, one for the features and one with only bands in them, which they call the Band List. They do this to make it easier for the consumer to navigate themselves in the magazine, so that they find what they are looking for easily. The colours on the contents page are black, white and red. The white background highlights the black font so the audience can read the text, while the red colour creates a pattern and makes the page more interesting for the audience to look at. Image: In the middle of the contents page there is a picture. This is to give the audience a variation in the page so it becomes more interesting to read. The picture also has a connection to the cover line under. This is to make the article more interesting. Since the picture is one of the first thing the consumer sees when opening the page, it will be one of the first articles they will read. This way NME highlight the stories that are more important, and what they think their audience will enjoy. Headlines/Coverlines: The headlines on the contents page have black boxes around them. This is because the letters are white so instead of letting them blend against the background, NME created black boxes to highlight them. The black boxes also compliment the square shape theme the page has. The cover lines under the headlines are written in bold to make them stand out more since the font is so small. It is small to show the audience that it is not as important as the headline. But, the little piece of information it contains is still essential to keep, because it informs the audience and that makes them want to read more. Dateline: The dateline is placed under the masthead in very small letters. This is because it is not as important as what the magazine contains, but it is still good to have because it shows the audience that it contains fresh information and musical articles etc. Page numbers: NME has chosen to show their page numbers in a different way than Mojo and Q. Because they place the number in the same box as the headlines. They have also decided to have the numbers in thin letters, which is the opposite of Q and Mojo who has them in bold. This is because they have the headlines in bold so the audience notice them first, then they notice the page number. This makes the magazine attract their consumers attention on the story they want to tell, instead of where to find what.
- 24. Mise en scene: Character/Costume. The character in the only image on the contents page is a boy, which fits with the readers profile, because the majority of the audience is male. This is interesting as it makes the consumer recognise themselves with the musician in a way. The character has messy blond hair and young features in his face, like the little and thin beard around his mouth. This also makes the consumer connected to the character because most of the audience are young. So NME catches the consumer’s attention by the feeling of recognition in the musicians they chose to write about. His clothes also shows a young vibe. He wears a white t-shirt with a cartoon on and a beige loose shirt on top, this combination shows that he does not have enough money to spend on expensive clothes, which again matches the audience’s money standards, so it yet again makes them feel connected to the musician. Prop. It is quite hard to spot, but the character is sitting on a drum kit playing drums. This is a musical prop which shows the audience that this is a music magazine. As to way the drums are hidden, can be because they are very big and it is hard to focus on the character if the huge drums are going to fit in the image as well. So, NME solves this problem with making him look down at his hands, and since human nearly always seek eye contact, they will follow his look down to the drums. Location/lighting. The image is taking place in what looks like a band room. This is confirmed by the drums the character is playing and the guitar that is behind his head. The location fits with the genre of the magazine, so the consumers becomes interesting in the article. The lighting in the image is light and smooth, like it comes from a window or something. It does not create any harsh shadows, which shows that it is not staged in the studio. This can make the audience feel as if they are a part of the documentary moment the photographer had captured. Camerawork: The image is taken in a medium shot with an eye level as it shows the character from the waist and up. This is to make room and air for the musical props that is placed within the frame. The eye level also makes the audience try and connect with the character but instead leads them towards the musical prop instead. Colour: The page contains three colours. Red, black and white. This colours were used on the front cover as well. The red is used as the box which highlights the white text so the audience can read the text properly. This is also the style of the magazine’s logo, which creates a pattern through the whole magazine. The black and white is to highlight the white text against the background. The page number of the band list is red, this is to separate it from the rest of the page. It also makes it more interesting for the reader because it stands out form the rest of the page due to the red page numbers. Font/language/text: The font used in the inside page of NME is a plain simple one. It does not have sans serifs or any fancy curls. It is simple and readable. This because it makes the text memorable for the audience and easier to understand. The language used in the lines are musically. Either there are known names in the music business, or words like “studio”, “reviews”, “bands”, etc. That communicates to the audience that it is a music magazine and the known names will catch their attention. The text is aimed for the music enthusiasts, for the younger and older generation of the magazine’s consumers. Because the amount of band named on the list is so many that I think a lot of people will find something they like in there. But I think it mostly aimed for the younger generation due to the young and new bands that are mentioned.
- 25. Drop Cap: Together with Mojo, NME uses drop cap to show that a new paragraph or story is beginning. The drop cap is a single “S” which starts the word and catches the readers attention because of the size, boldness, and colour. A drop cap is usually used in story books, so it communicates to the reader that here comes a story. This will make the audience curious as to what the letter and story means and start to read the article. Highs and lows: NME has creates a bottom margin in the double page spread. This shows the audience something new, and different. And that awakes their curiosity. It also makes the article become more entertainment. By choosing to write about the artist’s ups and downs throughout that year is interesting for the audience because they feel like they can recognise themselves in him. Everyone has highs and lows throughout a year so it also communicates that he is just like everybody else. By including pictures in the margin documents his road and it all becomes more true to the consumer and it creates a trusting relation towards the magazine. Images: There are various images in the double page spread. The one in the margin are belonging to the story the lines creates, so they are telling their own separate story compared to the other bigger ones. The three bigger ones are connected to the article, because the images is the one of the first thing the consumer sees when opening the page. So, when they study the photos they become curios as to what the stories behind them are. This is good because it makes the consumer interested in the article and by placing a CD-player in one of them establish the fact that it is about music and that it fits the consumers interest as well. Quote: NME uses quote in the article to create variation in the pages so it does not become boring. A quote is normally something someone has said, so it makes the article become personal. It communicates to the audience that it is something important, because it is highlighted and stands out from the rest of the text. This catches the audiences attention because since it is written in bold, it will be one of the first things the audience reads. So, it automatically makes the reader curios as to what the story behind the phrase is. Sub-headline: There are two sub-headlines in double page spread. They are used to divide the article up so it becomes easier and more clearly to read. It creates a neatness to the text, that builds a picture of the article as easy to read and the high amount of text does not appear overwhelming to the audience. Because the line is in bold, it catches the audience’s attention quicker than the actual text and it makes the consumer curious as to what it means.
- 26. Mise en scene: Character/Costume. The are only one character each image and it is also the same character in all three of them. This artist is the same person as the one in the image placed in the contents page. That creates a feeling of recognition to the consumer, which makes them curious as to why this person is so important that NME keep repeating him, and that is making the audience wanting to read the article. He is wearing the same clothes in these three pictures as the one in the contents page. The boyish t-shirt and the beige jacket/shirt shows again a young vibe and it also connects the pictures to each other. Camerawork: The image on the top left hand side of the left page is a medium long shot with an eye level angle. That camera distance is close enough so the audience get to see and communicate with the character, but also far away so it creates a big amount of air around him so the audience gets to see the background. The second picture one the middle of the double page spread is a long shot. This is a image were he has his back turned towards the camera, but it is not boring because we get to see the surroundings and the location where he is, and that makes the audience think it is interesting and that is also why NME chose to use the long camera distance. The third image on the top left hand side of the left page is a over the shoulder shot. This is to create an eye line from his head to the musical prop in the image. NME chose that camera distance because the musical prop plays a big role to communicate the music in the article. Lighting/Location. The lighting in the images are natural, they do not have dark and harsh shadows, which makes every detail visible. And together with the location shows that the images are not staged and it gives the audience a feeling of being in the moment with the character. The first image on the left top hand side of the left page taken in that particular camera distance so the location in the background is visible. It looks like a house, and since the character is place in front of it, it can mean that it is his childhood home. This awakens the viewers attention because it shows something personal, and communicates that the article about the musician is quite close. The middle image is by the sea, with his back turned towards the camera it and together with the wind gives the feeling of a free spirit, which might fit the character and makes the audience interested. The last one looks like inside a room, and since the first one is outside in front of his home, the room might take place inside the house. Which connect the images together and the third one also has a musical prop in it. Prop. In the third photo there is something that looks like a CD-player. This is the musical prop in these to double pages. This confirms that the article is a bit about music, but the main focus is the character’s story. Which is interesting for the consumer because they feel closer to the artist. That is communicated through the location of the images. But because of the contents image, the audience know he is a musician, so the article fits with the NME magazine genre. Colour: The colours throughout the double page spread is simple. The layout contains two easy colours, which is black and white. This is to make the consumers focus on the images instead. Since they have colour, but not bright colours, just natural. Together with the black and white layout, it gives the audience the impression that the character is a very down to earth person. Except for the margin, and that is exactly why it sticks out as well. It is the only form of colour in the lay out. This is why the audience finds the margin interesting. Text/language/font: The font that is being used is a simple and clean one. It makes the article easier for the audience to read. The language used in the text fits the main age of the magazine. They use swear and slang words, and writes about different challenges which most of the older generation never has heard of. This is NME’s way of reaching out to their audience and try to write in their style and way of being.