Representation of Age in the Media

TV Programme - Waterloo Road

In Series 10, episode 7, Floyd, Tiffany's brother confronts Justin and Tiffany about their relationship. Floyd and Tiffany have been dating, however Tiffany's family do not approve. When Floyd confronts Justin about them dating, he handles the situation poorly, argues with Justin. Justin then says 'she can't keep her hands off me'. Floyd reacts to this by punching Justin. This is a clear representation of age in the Media as it is portraying teenagers not being able to handle a situation in a mature or composed manner. Furthermore, the mis-en-scene of this scene connotes a school situation, indicated through their clothing of a school uniform and the background of the school. The lighting of the scene is natural lighting to portray that the situation is a natural and reoccurring situation in teens. This shows that the two pupils depicted arguing haven't matured enough to leave the school environment, therefore are not acting in a mature way. The representation of age in this scene is stereotypical as the two teens are portrayed to handle the situation poorly, which is a stereotypical trate of young people. The argument they are having is also very stereotypical as it is an argument expected from the age group.

Music Video - Anaconda by Nicki Minah

In this music video, Nicki Minaj, in her 20's, uses her sexuality to appeal to her audience. She is dressed in very little clothing, dancing provocatively. Furthermore, there are shots of alcohol bottles, which connotes that people within their early 20's like to drink. She uses a stereotypical image of her in an apron in a kitchen to show a stereotype of young women doing cooking within the home. Her facial expressions are also very provocative, she uses a lot of eye contact to appeal to her audience. She is using her sexuality to sell her music and is living up to the stereotypical early 20's women who like to party and use their bodies to attract men. Her facial expressions are also very provocative, she uses a lot of eye contact to appeal to her audience. Within the media, women within their 20's are often sexualised for the purpose of the male audience. This is seen throughout most media forms. The most obvious one is in magazines, when girls dress in little clothing, with the camera focused on them, giving eye contact. In the music video, Nicki Minaj and her dancers within the mise-en-scene very much live up to this stereotype.





Film Trailer - The Fault In Our Stars

The film trailer for The Fault In Our Stars goes very much against the stereotypical idea of a teenager, When we think of the health of a teen, they are represented to be healthy and happy. However, in the movie trailer, this stereotype is very much challenged. Hazel is a teen suffering from cancer and she isn't living what she considers to be a 'normal' teenage life. Her daily routine is different to most teenagers, she goes to support group, hospital appointments and spends her time at home. This is seen in the scene where she is speaking to her parents about being a teenager. She says that her parents need to give her a fake ID so she can go to clubs and take pot. To this, her Father says 'you don't take pot''. This portrays that she believes she is not a stereotypical teenager and she wants to be. However, as the trailer goes on, we see that she meets Augustus and seems to become a more stereotypical teenager, falling in love with him. The love story of teenagers within the media, especially in movies, is stereotypical. Therefore, within the film we see a non-stereotypical teenage girl become more stereotypical, but her experience of teenage life will always be different to others because of the cancer. This play on the non-stereotypical character adds emotion to the film trailer.

Double Page Spread Textual Analysis

This article in Vogue, actress Felicity Jones is being interviewed. However, It is not a question and answer style article. Key quotations from the interview carried out by the journalist writing the article are included while they explain what happened during the interview. This style of article gives it a more sophisticated and high class feel, as the questions asked are insightful to the actress' life, rather than pointless questions that are sometimes included in more low end articles. A capitalised letter used at the beginning which also adds to the sophisticated feel of the magazine and it is a very recognisable style of Vogue magazine. A key quotation from the interview enlarged, breaking down the text slightly. Other than the main image on the right side of the article,  the quotation is the first thing you see. The image is a mid shot of Felicity Jones. The image is very simple and shows her looking quite natural but flawless. The image is in colour and is bright which may be trying to reflect her personality and maybe also the season in which the article appears in the magazine. The pop of colour gives a nice contrast to the black and white page on the left. However, even though the colour is bright on the image, it still looks very sophisticated as there are only to main bright colours which complement each other well and reflect a very fresh look, also portrayed though the actress' make up. The image is very much based around her and nothing else which may connote that the focus in the acting world is currently on her. On the side of the image there is a brief description of her clothing. The clothing she is wearing is from Burberry, which is a familiar designer brand often seen within Vogue. The name of the journalist is listed at the very bottom of the article. The page number also appears below the text.

Production Textual Analysis

Looking at a Vogue double page spread about Victoria Beckham, it is evident that the style is very simple and sophisticated. There is a simple black and white images which reflects the simplicity of the article layout. Key quotes have been extracted from the article and made larger to stand out from the main text. The first letter of the article is enlarged and capitalised which makes the text interesting and looks modern. Furthermore, the article is formal and is detailed. This portrays the audience of being in the A and B grouping, therefore are well educated and prefer articles with more reading. The layout is simple and easy to follow, again portraying the sophisticated feel.  The image used is very simple, showing Victoria Beckham to look quite natural and simple. The columns are clean and are all the same size which makes the writing easy to read. The font is simple and small, meaning more space for detail.

November Homework

After conducting my research into high end fashion magazines, I have found out various things that will influence the way I precede with my pre-production. I have found through my questionnaire that my target audience 16-30 like to look at high end fashion, their favourite type of magazine to read is fashion and beauty and they are most likely to read magazines such as Vogue and Elle. This influences me to create a high end fashion magazine, much like Vogue, as this seems to be a very popular magazine amongst my target audience. Furthermore, I found that the majority of my target audience are more likely to spend £2-£3.99 on a magazine; therefore I will price my magazine during pre-production at £3.99. This pricing fits with my magazine genre as Vogue and Elle are both priced at £3.99.

I also found in my textual analysis that fashion magazine covers have different conventions depending on the time of year. For example, I looked at two December and June issues of both Vogue and Elle and found they contrast greatly. Even though they stick to the rule of thirds, various things about the magazine covers are noticeably different. The colours used on the magazine depend on the time of year. December issues use festive colours, such as gold and red, connoting Christmas. Moreover, on the June issues, colours such as pink, white and pastel blue are used as these colours are associated with summer as they’re bright. They also portray the target audience as they’re colours that connote the female gender. The message this gives to the audience is that the magazine is up to date and on trend for that time of year and it also portrays that the contents of the magazine relate to the time of year. The masthead colour also changes with the colours of the cover lines. This shows that these magazines are so well known, they’re easily recognisable, even if the colour of the masthead is different. The main image also portrays the time of year. The clothing worn by the woman in the main image connote the time of year. On the December issues, the clothing is glamorous and also fits with the colours of the season. They look like clothing for the party season. Whereas, the clothing on the June issues is more summer-like. Furthermore, the women on the covers are current and are respectable women in the public eye, again showing the magazine is current. The cover lines portray what is in the magazine and also connote the time of year. For example, on one of the June issues of Vogue it says ‘Sensational Summer’ which indicates the contents of the magazine relate to the time of year. All of this has led me to create a high end fashion magazine, one for December and one for June. My research has helped me find the connotations used for the months and how they portray the season. This is helpful for my pre-production as I know I need to base the cover around the season. 

Mood Board

Textual Analysis - Elle Magazine

December Issues

These two December issues of Elle use gold as the main colour on their covers. Gold connotes glamour and also party season and Christmas. Cover lines such as 'Elle Gift Guide' and 'Easy Party Make Up' also connote the time of year as their audience is getting ready for Christmas. Furthermore, the cover line 'Style for Less' connotes that during this time of year, their audience are spending more money on other things, such as gifts, therefore want to find cheaper clothes than any other time of year. The masthead is in the same place on both of the magazines, suggesting they have the same placing of the mast head on every magazine. This makes the magazine very recognisable. The font is simplistic, which gives the magazine a sophisticated and glamorous feel. The magazine seems to stick to a clear colour theme, not using too many colours to keep the elegant and sophisticated feel.

June Issues

These two issues of Elle clearly connote summertime through the colours used on the covers and also the cover lines. In the top cover, they use three colours to connote summer, pink, light blue and white. These colours also give the magazine a polished and sophisticated look as their isn't too much colour, therefore not drawing away from the main image. The rule of thirds is evident in both magazine covers, adding to the simplistic and sophisticated look. Pink seems to be the main colour used on both magazine covers, as it is associated with the female audience and also reflects the season. The main image is of current female celebrities that the audience are interested in. Cover lines such as 'summer dressing' also connote the season. 

Questionnaire Answers Analysis

The majority of the people who answered my questionnaire were female. This indicates that women are the main target audience for my magazine as later on in my results I find they are most interested in fashion and beauty magazines, which fits the magazine genre I want to make. 

Furthermore, the majority of people who answered my questionnaire are aged between 15-18 but the rest were between 19-25. This indicates my target audience's age and it also indicates to me that females of these age categories are the most interested in beauty and fashion, therefore are more likely to read my magazine.

I found that most people would spend between £2-£3.99 on a magazine. Similar magazines to my genre, such as Vogue and Elle charge £3.99 for their magazines. Therefore this fits perfectly with my target audience and genre.

It seems that my target audience are most likely to read Vogue, as seen above. This indicates to me that my target audience are interested in high end magazines like the magazine I want to create.

From these answers I can see what my target audience want to see in a fashion magazine. They expect to see high end clothing, adverts for brands such as Chanel , articles on models and beauty articles.

Most of my target audience like to look at high end fashion, therefore I can include more expensive looking clothing within my magazine. Furthermore, this statistic is also backed up by a high majority of my target audience saying the magazine they're most likely to read is Vogue. 

In conclusion, my questionnaire portrays that my target audience of young women are interested in fashion and beauty, and also like to look at high end fashion. My questionnaire has also helped to show me what my target audience expect from a fashion magazine, therefore helping me determine what will be included within the magazine, influencing the cover lines. 

Textual Analysis - Vogue Magazine

December Issues

On these two December issues of Vogue, red and silver colours are used to connote Christmas. Red and silver a typical colours seen at Christmas, therefore are used on the December cover. Furthermore, the cover lines such as 'Sparkle' and 'naughty but nice also connote Christmas. There aren't too many colours, making the cover look slick and sophisticated. Vogue is a very well known magazine, therefore the main image usually covers the masthead as everyone knows the company well. The cover lines appeal to the audience as they're mostly about beauty and fashion, as the audience buys the magazine primarily to read about fashion and beauty. Furthermore, the main image is usually a well known woman, a model, actress or singer for example. This is because these women are inspirational and represent the target audience's age of 18-35. The social economic grouping for this magazine would be As, Bs and C1s. This is evident as the price of the magazine is quite high (£3.99). Moreover, the fashion and beauty items featured are expensive, featuring brands such as Chanel, Gucci and Prada.

June Issues

On these two June issues the colours used are mostly pink and white. These two colours connote summer and are also quite girl related colours. Furthermore, the cover lines relate to the season, for example 'Sensational Summer'. The main image is of a model, dressed in expensive clothes. Both models look fresh-faced, reflecting the season also. The cover lines also present what the magazine is about, for example 'real style' denotes the magazine has articles on style as the audience buys the magazine primarily to read about fashion and beauty. The social economic grouping for this magazine would be As, Bs and C1s. This is evident as the price of the magazine is quite high (£3.99).   Depending on the time of year depends on the colours, cover lines and main image that appear on the magazine cover. Therefore, depending on the time of year, the codes and conventions of magazine covers change as the audience expects to see cover lines related to the season, as well as colourers reflecting the time of year. Futhermore, the main image is always a very current person, in this instance Kate Moss. 

Questionnaire for Coursework

Questionnaire

Textual Analysis - Magazine Cover

Vogue

On this Vogue cover we see Cara Delevigne who is a very popular model at the moment. The social economic grouping for this magazine is prodominately As and Bs as the clothes featured in the magazine are designer, therefore only As and Bs would be able to afford the clothing. The target audience is women between the ages of 20-35 who are interested in high end fashion and have £4.10 to spend  This is because women of those ages are more likely to be in a well paying job, putting them into the A and B catagories. A secondary audience would be fans of Cara Delevigne. Furthermore, Cara is well known for modelling for designer brands which also reinforces the social economic group. From the coverlines it is evident the magazine is based around fashion. 

The main cover line is 'Spring Fashion Special' which denotes the magazine is about fashion, appealing to the target audience. All of the cover lines are about fashion, which portrays what the whole magazine is about. The main image of Cara is mostly based around her face and not her clothing, drawing attention to her. This is the cover of British Vogue and this is portrayed through the red, white and blue of the cover. Using Cara as the main image is useful as she is highly linked to designer brands such as Mulberry and Chanel. Furthermore, the cover line 'Model of the year' portrays Cara in a positive, respectable light and the high key lighting reflects how the spotlight is on her. The masthead is at the top and in white. Vogue is a very iconic fashion magazine, therefore most people know what the magazine is about. 

Texual Analysis

How do the following technical elements add to the understanding of the narrative?

Mise-en-scene
Camera
Lighting
Editing
Sound

Blame It On Me - George Ezra

The music video portrays bad luck experienced by George Ezra and this is portrayed in various ways.

Mise-en-Scene

At the beginning of the music video, we see his surroundings. He is on a derelict, rundown street, with graffiti on walls, yellow doors and walls, which presents the 'yellow brick road' the elderly man George is first seen with describes it as. George is dressed quite smartly, in a shirt and black trousers, carrying his guitar. The use of the 'yellow brick road' and him holding a guitar suggests George is trying to follow his dreams as a musician. Palm trees can also be seen in the background which suggests its in a foreign country. This is also connoted through the old man speaking in a different language. There are two girls shown in the video. One is wearing a top which seems to say 'Meet The Stars' which suggests George is trying to make it as a star. George is then seen to have bird faeces fall on him, again connoting his bad luck. The colour of the substance is golden, again reiterating the 'yellow brick road theme'. This is re-enforced when he looks in the car door and the young boy shoots him with a toy gun. This also connotes how no matter what he does, it always ends badly. His bad luck is continually portrayed, for example the dog biting his hand and then his guitar falling out of the case and getting ran over. The guitar, furthermore, may represent his music career failing.  The rain just on him is pathetic fallacy, portraying his mood. The whole music video is shot on the road which may suggest it is never ending and George has always got to work hard to reach his goal, the end of the 'yellow brick road'.

Camera

Various different camera angles and shots are used throughout the video. At the start of the video, there is an establishing shot of the road, showing the location of the setting. We see a long shot of George and the foreign man, again showing the location and also showing the man walking away from George. This also gives the audience chance to see George's attire and the fact he's holding a guitar. As the music video progresses, there are a lot of close ups of George, to portray his facial expressions to the bad luck he experiences. The camera follows George most of the time, therefore making it seem as if it is handheld.  The camera angles seem to stay at eye level, however at the beginning of the music video, the camera starts at a high angle and pans down to a eye level angle. This helps establish the setting and also show the birds in the sky, which indicate to where the substance, George gets hit by as the music video progresses, comes from. We also see a birds-eye view shot when the substance falls on  him, as the substance has come from a bird, therefore the audience sees it from the bird's point of view and adds to the effect. Dolly shots can also be seen as they follow George down the road, however it seems the camera movements are mostly hand held, to get the close ups.

Lighting

The lighting remains natural lighting, however it seems slightly softened. This contracts with the chain of events and the mood within the music video, as the mood is hard, almost connoting annoyance due to the continuing sequence of bad things happening to him. However, when it rains, the lighting becomes a little harder to portray the clouds overhead, raining on him. It also connotes the mood of the video, using pathetic fallacy to do so. The hard lighting also contrasts with the soft lighting used showing the other people in sunlight.

Editing

The editing doesn't seem to be fast paced, with each clip lasting around 4-10 seconds at a time. The effect of this is to clearly show the chain of events happening. Some parts of the video are in slow motion which, again, allows the audience to see clearly what is happening within the video. Various clips are edited together to show different perspectives of the situation. An example of this would be the rugby players running towards him. There is a clip of the rugby player's expression, then of him running. The transition between clips seem to be straight cut, with no transition visible. Being straight cut may connote that the road he is travelling down may seem straight forward, however he finds that its not as straight forward as it first seemed.

Sound

There is the non-diegetic sound of the music, however we see George mouth the words as if it is coming out of his mouth. There are various diegetic sounds, for example the man at the beginning speaking to George. We also have enhanced sounds which are made to seem diegetic. An example of this would be the sound of the dog biting him. The enhancement of this sound, overlaying it with the music portrays the realness of the situation.

Secrets and Lies

Secrets and Lies Episode One

Mise-en-Scene

At beginning of the programme, we see different insects which add an eerie effect to the start of the programme, as insects are seen as quite scary. We then see a man running through the woods, which immediately builds tension because the audience doesn't  what he is running from. Seeing the dead child is quite shocking because it's not what the audience may have expected to have happened.


Camera

At the start, we see close ups of insects, which shows clearly what is being shown and adds to the location which we then see through a long shot. However, the location isn't really clear because that action starts almost immediately. Canted angles are used to portray confusion of the situation, which reflects the way the character is feeling. It also reflects the way the audience feel as they don't know whats happening or what the man is running from. The camera seems hand held due to the canted angles, following his movement.


Lighting

The lighting is low key and hard at the beginning which connotes the mood of the scene as being eerie. Once the running scene has ended and we see the forensic scientists around the dead child, the lighting becomes high key which may connote that the child is peaceful.


Editing

At the beginning of the programme, when we see the man running, the editing is fast paced, to represent the action within the scene. The clips are short which makes the scene confusing because the audience only sees short snippets of whats happening.

Sound

Diegetic and non-diegetic sounds can both be identified throughout the programme. At the beginning of the programme the audience hears the sounds of the woods, which helps portray the setting. When the man starts running, we hear non-diegetic tension music to add to the scene.

Representation

Class - Newspaper

The representation of class shown here is upper class. It's a positive representation because it shows Prince Harry doing a good thing, putting the Invictus Games for injured troops. The values represented are doing selfless things for others. They're represented through a role model and highly valued person, doing something to help others. Its representing the upper class in a positive way. The messages and values being represented here of that of respect for Prince Harry and the royal family. Moreover, the image shown on this article shows the prince talking to the injured troops which presents that he is directly involved in the games.

Gender - Tv Show

Orange is the New Black is a tv programme where all of the main characters are female, representing women in a empowering way. The main character, Piper, is a stereotypical white girl, blonde hair, young and privileged. She is represented in this way to contrast between the other characters, who really break away from stereotypes. Furthermore, the programme doesn’t shy away from highlighting the real-life topics shaping the viewpoints of women who stand on either side of the prison walls; religion, race, culture, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, mental health, gender identity, ethnicity, relationships, and drug abuse. It breaks away from the female stereotype, showing women in a new light. Women are stereotypically seen to be domesticated, the damsel in distress and  There are characters of all ethnicities, and even though prisoners aren't the ideal role model for young girls, there is a character that each woman can relate to. Netflix values are that of entertainment and addressing a wide audience. 

Age - Film 

In this scene from Hot Fuzz, the stereotype of age is tested. When thinking of the elderly, what usually comes to mind is frail, in need of assistance and not violent. However, in this scene, elderly are the antagonist, pictured shooting at the protagonist. This really tests the stereotype as we do not expect this of someone of that age. This brings humour to the scene. Furthermore, in the scene, a group of teenagers are shown to help the protagonist, which represents them to also be a protagonist. Usually, teens are stereotyped to be trouble makers and no help in society. This scene tests this stereotype as they are shown to be doing good. The values of the scene is to test the typical stereotypes and show another side to people we often assume to possess certain characteristics. 

Race - Tv Show

In the tv programme The Simpsons, Apu is the token Asian, whereas all the other characters are white (yellow). The character of Apu is a very stereotypical character. He is represented to be very religious, shown in the clip above, and he also possesses the stereotypical accent of an Asian. During his prayer, he talks about rice and curry which is a stereotypical food that we associated with India. He is used for the majority to make humour from, due to his extremely stereotypical trates.