1. You must upload your second music magazine analysis onto your blog. This should be in the format of a short film (no longer than five minutes).
You must ensure that you have used media terminology extensively (refer to the pp I sent you).
You must use the 'titles' app to highlight the key words and draw attention to the language of media analysis.
2. The third and final analysis must be uploaded via a third presentation device. You can use scribd, prezi or a JPG of a typed analysis, or, even better research a new app that I don't know about. Extra points if you can surprise me.
The third analysis is due in at the end of half term but you may want to get it finished before we break up.
3. On Thursday I want to see your flatplans and hear your ideas for your magazine. You need to be prepared to 'pitch' your ideas to the rest of the class. It would be a real bonus if you could incorporate some of the theory and research that you identified in your presentations.
You need to plan and think around your plans for half term as the images need to be taken during that time. On the first lesson back we will be uploading them and starting work on TV Drama.
Tuesday, 20 October 2015
Monday, 19 October 2015
Monday 19th October
In today's lesson we will have the last presentation given.
Your next task is to combine some filming and editing techniques with content analysis.
In groups of three you are to swap music magazines.
One of you will film the other two talking about the 'GLARN' of the content of a music magazine you have not analysed yet.
You will take the footage and edit it individually in iMovie into a short video. If you do it well enough it will count as one of your three textual analyses.
You should take care therefore to use a lot of key media terms for identifying aspects of design, layout and content. (remember your research and presentations on sub culture and genres of music).
When you edit the footage you need to add subtitles to highlight these words. You can do this either in imovie as a title or by writing key words in photoshop and importing them into iMovie as an image.
You may want to zoom in on aspects of the magazine itself to highlight points you are making about GLARN.
You should spend this lesson and an hour for homework to complete it by Thursday.
Your next task is to combine some filming and editing techniques with content analysis.
In groups of three you are to swap music magazines.
One of you will film the other two talking about the 'GLARN' of the content of a music magazine you have not analysed yet.
You will take the footage and edit it individually in iMovie into a short video. If you do it well enough it will count as one of your three textual analyses.
You should take care therefore to use a lot of key media terms for identifying aspects of design, layout and content. (remember your research and presentations on sub culture and genres of music).
When you edit the footage you need to add subtitles to highlight these words. You can do this either in imovie as a title or by writing key words in photoshop and importing them into iMovie as an image.
You may want to zoom in on aspects of the magazine itself to highlight points you are making about GLARN.
You should spend this lesson and an hour for homework to complete it by Thursday.
Tuesday, 13 October 2015
A reminder of tasks
Textual analysis
1. You need to annotate the front cover, contents and double page spread of 3 different music magazines.
2. Complete one of these annotations for next Monday. Don't complete the other two until I have given you feedback on the first!
3. Look at the examples below for guidance on the level and tone you should adopt.
4. Try using different ways of presenting them on your blog.
5. You will need to buy at least one magazine-bring it into school and SWAP with someone else then donate it to the box!
Theory research presentation
1. You should have met with your study group to prepare your research presentation.
2. I am expecting these presentations to be uploaded to each group members blog and be presented to the rest of the class this Friday.
1. You need to annotate the front cover, contents and double page spread of 3 different music magazines.
2. Complete one of these annotations for next Monday. Don't complete the other two until I have given you feedback on the first!
3. Look at the examples below for guidance on the level and tone you should adopt.
4. Try using different ways of presenting them on your blog.
5. You will need to buy at least one magazine-bring it into school and SWAP with someone else then donate it to the box!
Theory research presentation
1. You should have met with your study group to prepare your research presentation.
2. I am expecting these presentations to be uploaded to each group members blog and be presented to the rest of the class this Friday.
Monday, 12 October 2015
Deconstruction of NME magazine
Now out dated but a good example never the less. This contains more background information than I would expect you to come up with but its interesting.
NME was one of the longest running weekly music magazines in history after its initial publication in 1952. Originally the magazine was published in broadsheet newspaper format using newsprint , and competed for many year with titles such as Sounds (focussing on Rock and Heavy Metal genres) and Melody Maker (mainstream Pop and Chart music).
Ideology Unashamedly ‘indie’ NME has always championed the cause of UK and US independent music and embraced Punk Rock in the 1970s and 1980s with an excitable fervour – alongside its clear musical preferences promoted by iconic writers such as Danny Baker and Tony Parsons (both now well respected cultural commentators) NME also did nothing to disguise its anti establishment, left wing socialist ideology. Campaigning artists like Billy Bragg and Paul Weller were frequently featured, particularly during the Thatcher era as part of the ‘Red Wedge’ movement.
Institution In 1998 the ‘magazine’ became a magazine finally reverting to a colour magazine ink finish and printing in tabloid size format – ironically perhaps considering NME’s independent credentials it is now owned by international magazine publisher IPC, like Bauer Media Group part of the oligopoly of magazine publishers who in turn are owned by Time Inc whose parent company is Time Warner, the biggest media corporation in the world. Like the monthly magazine Q, it is again no surprise that its weekly circulation is low at 27,500, 60% down on 2003 figures and like every magazine and newspaper, suffering from the rapid decline in print media circulation as a result of the internet and new digital media. IPC still publish however 350 million magazines a year and their eclectic brands include Woman, Woman’s Own, Marie Claire, Wallpaper, Nuts and Horse and Hound. The brand of NME is itself iconic and as a result has survived its early competition in Sounds and Melody Maker. Commentators suggest there was always something that set NME apart and true to this www.nme.com, their online magazine has become critically and commercially successful (see below).
Genre Cross media platforms are also promoted in the print version of NME with the website, like Q trading on the iconic, established brand name New Music Express (NME) itself having positive connotations of immediacy and being at the cutting edge of music evolution which was on many occasions the case - NME can probably lay more legitimate claim than other music magazines to being responsible for kick starting many career. NME have their own radio station but like Q, NME TV shut down in 2012 as a result of high production costs, fierce completion from other music channels and the continued success of YouTube and Vevo.
After Punk in the 1990s NME adopted the Brit Pop and ‘Madchester’ scene with bands like Oasis and later adopting Blur, deliberately setting both against each other on NME covers as ‘northern, working class beer boys’ (Oasis) versus ‘southern, middle class, educated art students’ (Blur). The rivalry boosted magazine circulation, the band’s publicity and for most associated with Brit Pop (including ex Prime Minister Tony Blair) it was a win win situation. NME had been in on the birth of punk and now they adopted a critically and commercial successful (in the US) British music movement.
In the 2000s NME began to adopt a more hybridised format to keep pace with the proliferation of the music scene and electronic technology – artists like Jay-Z, Missy Elliott and and Aphex Twin were foregrounded but their inclusion brought considerable opposition from readers who reacted in the same way when a non indie, guitar based artist (Jay-Z) headlined at the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday night in 2008. This hybridisation and approach was withdrawn and the magazine reverted to its familiar format in terms of content. This realignment was more successful in 2001 with NME adopting another raft of successful artists representing a new indie punk movement. Bands like The Strokes, The Vines, The White Stripes and later on The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, The Kaiser Chiefs and the Arctic Monkeys were the darlings of NME covers going on to become successful artists in their own right. A rebrand in 2008 saw the magazine targeting an older readership become less ‘poppy’ in its format and layout and focussing on ‘serious’ and critically successful bands like Coldplay.
Language The May 2010 edition above is typical of the current approach of NME – ‘NME’ appears as bold, upper case, red, sans serif block text on the left hand side top of the magazine with it stereotypical connotations of masculinity. Opposite the title but still in the masthead a main cover line states ‘Introducing the new NME. 10 special edition covers’ reflecting another mini rebrand. The cover is minimalistic in design and frames female artist M.I.A. centrally in medium shot as the USP (unique selling point) of the cover with her name as a bigger size font and same colour as the name of the magazine.
Representation Although on first glance this would suggest a departure from NME standard representations her inclusion and importance reflects the history of the magazine musically and politically – M.I.A’s music combines elements of electronic, Dance, alternative, World Music and Hip Hop but she cites punk as one of her key influences, particularly Malcolm McLaren and The Clash.
M.I.A. also represents a positive representation of gender and multiculturalism which again fits the left wing, socialist political ideology the magazine has always been associated with. She is of Sri Lankan Tamil origin and fiercely considers herself British as evidenced by her dress code wearing a Union Jack top. Her body language is strong and positive suggesting a post feminist icon status which is anchored by the cover live underneath the title, ‘Lady Gaga sounds more like me than I f**king do’. Lady Gaga, in terms of her representation would also be considered a post feminist icon.
M.I.A’s body language is almost aggressive and confrontational as she stares back at the camera smoking a cigarette challenging the target audience. Although pluralistic in her representation there are still elements of the photograph (a photo shoot for this cover) that suggest she is also sexualised and framed for the male gaze. This would successfully appeal to the magazines demographic which would primarily include ABC1, Individualists and Aspirers , urban and city living, 16-35, male skew but with a significant secondary female readership. The lower price of this weekly magazine is also likely to reflect a younger reader and the audience would also respond to the simplicity in terms of graphic design of the front cover with a basic colour palette of reds, blues and white; use of non standard English on the cover would also have the same effect.
For most NME readers however content would be more important than design as cultural capital and intelligent knowledge and understanding of the music industry are important factors. The bottom right cover line, ‘THE STATE OF MUSIC TODAY’ suggests an authority that the magazine feels qualified to comment on with contributions interestingly by artists from a range of genres and not exclusively indie including Rihanna (Pop) and Laura Marling (Folk). Foregrounded however at the top of the list includes more traditional NME artists such as Jack White and Florence and the Machine suggesting their perceived hierarchy and status within the music industry.
Ideology Unashamedly ‘indie’ NME has always championed the cause of UK and US independent music and embraced Punk Rock in the 1970s and 1980s with an excitable fervour – alongside its clear musical preferences promoted by iconic writers such as Danny Baker and Tony Parsons (both now well respected cultural commentators) NME also did nothing to disguise its anti establishment, left wing socialist ideology. Campaigning artists like Billy Bragg and Paul Weller were frequently featured, particularly during the Thatcher era as part of the ‘Red Wedge’ movement.
Institution In 1998 the ‘magazine’ became a magazine finally reverting to a colour magazine ink finish and printing in tabloid size format – ironically perhaps considering NME’s independent credentials it is now owned by international magazine publisher IPC, like Bauer Media Group part of the oligopoly of magazine publishers who in turn are owned by Time Inc whose parent company is Time Warner, the biggest media corporation in the world. Like the monthly magazine Q, it is again no surprise that its weekly circulation is low at 27,500, 60% down on 2003 figures and like every magazine and newspaper, suffering from the rapid decline in print media circulation as a result of the internet and new digital media. IPC still publish however 350 million magazines a year and their eclectic brands include Woman, Woman’s Own, Marie Claire, Wallpaper, Nuts and Horse and Hound. The brand of NME is itself iconic and as a result has survived its early competition in Sounds and Melody Maker. Commentators suggest there was always something that set NME apart and true to this www.nme.com, their online magazine has become critically and commercially successful (see below).
Genre Cross media platforms are also promoted in the print version of NME with the website, like Q trading on the iconic, established brand name New Music Express (NME) itself having positive connotations of immediacy and being at the cutting edge of music evolution which was on many occasions the case - NME can probably lay more legitimate claim than other music magazines to being responsible for kick starting many career. NME have their own radio station but like Q, NME TV shut down in 2012 as a result of high production costs, fierce completion from other music channels and the continued success of YouTube and Vevo.
After Punk in the 1990s NME adopted the Brit Pop and ‘Madchester’ scene with bands like Oasis and later adopting Blur, deliberately setting both against each other on NME covers as ‘northern, working class beer boys’ (Oasis) versus ‘southern, middle class, educated art students’ (Blur). The rivalry boosted magazine circulation, the band’s publicity and for most associated with Brit Pop (including ex Prime Minister Tony Blair) it was a win win situation. NME had been in on the birth of punk and now they adopted a critically and commercial successful (in the US) British music movement.
In the 2000s NME began to adopt a more hybridised format to keep pace with the proliferation of the music scene and electronic technology – artists like Jay-Z, Missy Elliott and and Aphex Twin were foregrounded but their inclusion brought considerable opposition from readers who reacted in the same way when a non indie, guitar based artist (Jay-Z) headlined at the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday night in 2008. This hybridisation and approach was withdrawn and the magazine reverted to its familiar format in terms of content. This realignment was more successful in 2001 with NME adopting another raft of successful artists representing a new indie punk movement. Bands like The Strokes, The Vines, The White Stripes and later on The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, The Kaiser Chiefs and the Arctic Monkeys were the darlings of NME covers going on to become successful artists in their own right. A rebrand in 2008 saw the magazine targeting an older readership become less ‘poppy’ in its format and layout and focussing on ‘serious’ and critically successful bands like Coldplay.
Language The May 2010 edition above is typical of the current approach of NME – ‘NME’ appears as bold, upper case, red, sans serif block text on the left hand side top of the magazine with it stereotypical connotations of masculinity. Opposite the title but still in the masthead a main cover line states ‘Introducing the new NME. 10 special edition covers’ reflecting another mini rebrand. The cover is minimalistic in design and frames female artist M.I.A. centrally in medium shot as the USP (unique selling point) of the cover with her name as a bigger size font and same colour as the name of the magazine.
Representation Although on first glance this would suggest a departure from NME standard representations her inclusion and importance reflects the history of the magazine musically and politically – M.I.A’s music combines elements of electronic, Dance, alternative, World Music and Hip Hop but she cites punk as one of her key influences, particularly Malcolm McLaren and The Clash.
M.I.A. also represents a positive representation of gender and multiculturalism which again fits the left wing, socialist political ideology the magazine has always been associated with. She is of Sri Lankan Tamil origin and fiercely considers herself British as evidenced by her dress code wearing a Union Jack top. Her body language is strong and positive suggesting a post feminist icon status which is anchored by the cover live underneath the title, ‘Lady Gaga sounds more like me than I f**king do’. Lady Gaga, in terms of her representation would also be considered a post feminist icon.
M.I.A’s body language is almost aggressive and confrontational as she stares back at the camera smoking a cigarette challenging the target audience. Although pluralistic in her representation there are still elements of the photograph (a photo shoot for this cover) that suggest she is also sexualised and framed for the male gaze. This would successfully appeal to the magazines demographic which would primarily include ABC1, Individualists and Aspirers , urban and city living, 16-35, male skew but with a significant secondary female readership. The lower price of this weekly magazine is also likely to reflect a younger reader and the audience would also respond to the simplicity in terms of graphic design of the front cover with a basic colour palette of reds, blues and white; use of non standard English on the cover would also have the same effect.
For most NME readers however content would be more important than design as cultural capital and intelligent knowledge and understanding of the music industry are important factors. The bottom right cover line, ‘THE STATE OF MUSIC TODAY’ suggests an authority that the magazine feels qualified to comment on with contributions interestingly by artists from a range of genres and not exclusively indie including Rihanna (Pop) and Laura Marling (Folk). Foregrounded however at the top of the list includes more traditional NME artists such as Jack White and Florence and the Machine suggesting their perceived hierarchy and status within the music industry.
Deconstruction of Q magazine front cover
This departs from the conventions of magazine covers that normally run a masthead run along the top of the front cover. ‘Q’ is enigmatic, just like the regular Spine Line which changes every months because many readers will be uncertain why it is called by this name and according to the Editor it looks original and displays better on newsstands (the magazine was planned to be called ‘Cue’ as in cue the music but it was thought there was an outside chance it could be mistaken for a snooker magazine, a sport which was very popular when Q launched in 1986. The white letter could signify simplicity or purity while a red background has connotations of danger – the founders of the magazine thought at the time that the music press was ignoring older, primarily male music buyers.
Within the masthead, the magazine’s tagline is foregrounded – ‘A DIFFERENT TAKE ON MUSIC’. This again encodes a sense of originality and almost ‘independence’ to audiences which is in fact mythical if audiences engage in content analysis; Q magazine devotes a significant amount of content to established, mainstream Rock artists and belongs to the Rock genre frequently running articles on its favourite British bands including the Rolling Stones, Stone Roses and Blur. ‘A DIFFERENT TAKE ON MUSIC’ however is another successful way to market to audiences who perhaps do not have the significant cultural capital of the primary reader.
Q magazine has high production values and this is evidenced by its glossy, monthly format and also by fact that it is published by the Bauer Media Group, one of the oligopoly of magazine publishers who acquired EMAP in 2008. Bauer own 282 magazines in 15 countries and also TV and Radio stations and are the UK’s largest publishing group. It is with this financial backing that Q can sustain relatively low monthly circulation of 80,400, as with most other consumer magazines a common occurrence with many diversifying into new media as with Q’s website www.qthemusic.com. Bauer’s other music magazine titles include Mojo and Kerrang who, like Q have diversified into cross media platforms like Q TV and Q Radio. The Q Awards are also sponsored by the brand (though Bauer) and remain one of the UK’s most prestigious music awards. It with this in mind that Q sees itself as more sophisticated than other titles offering quality and still attracting high profile advertisers despite the low circulation. Q’s demographic have a high potential for advertising spend suggesting ABC1, aspirers, male skew, urban and city living 25-45 who are ‘into their music’.
Q have hybridised up to a point with the Rock genre very much apparent but with a focus occasionally on quality indie artists like Pete Doherty and Elbow. Q want to be associated with successful music artists and a way of maintaining their place in the market is by flexibility in terms of genre (see also Kerrang magazine). Guitar bands are Q’s main focus and as a result have a close relationship with the Glastonbury Festival producing a free daily newspaper during the festival although as with the above front cover are comfortable with running covers devoted to popular female artists who are invariable framed for the male gaze with this audience in mind. In April 2010 Q caused controversy when they ran a front cover featuring Lady Gaga, centrally framed in medium shot covering her breasts, only to be banned by some US retail outlets. Unashamedly ‘boysey’ Q’s sister papers include Empire, a wholly mainstream, male dominated film magazine and football magazine FourFourTwo.
Q are also well known for compiling ‘lists’ – on the above front cover a typical example of this would be cover line ‘The 25 Greatest Rock Movies’ and have an extensive ‘Review’ section (new releases, reissues, live concert reviews and film). Q TV closed in July 2012 but again focussed on Rock videos and Rock films with the occasional indie and ‘alternative’ reference. The saturation of music TV channels and low viewing figures made it untenable that it continue broadcasting. Q Radio however continues and is available on the internet, on digital radio or on digital television networks with the added advantage of limited production costs while the cost of maintaining Q TV was considerable and without enough advertising revenue to cover costs. As with the print music magazine, the brand Q remains recognisable, but for how long?
Cover lines on the right hand side of the above edition anchor the masculine representations with not only bands like U2, The Stone Roses and Oasis having hyper real, stereotypical connotations but the lettering also appears in bold, upper case, sans serif block with its own signification of masculinity. All bands are British and entirely male with all Oasis and The Stone Roses conforming to a hell raising, bad boy image which would be read as aspirational by much of the target audience who are fans of the groups. U2 are foregrounded as a dominant, successful global band with their lead singer Bono often revered and enigmatic. The sub headings ‘Good lord, it’s their masterpiece’ and ‘The 55 pint interview’ again serve to anchor these hyper real masculine associations that the readers expect. The mode of address is used to facilitate this with the magazine talking directly to the reader in an informal way with common use of exclamation marks creating the myth of a personal communication. This is s similar technique uses by Men’s Lifestyle magazines to create a form of inclusivity like the readers are all part of the same homogenous group.
This simplistic, almost minimalistic front cover suggests the sophistication that Q magazine are looking to achieve – many lower production value magazines have cluttered from covers that have limited design considerations. The central image, Lilly Allen is a carefully constructed photo shoot ensuring the singer appear frames centrally in long shot, topless looking back at the male audience. Her body language, including a hand on hip, her seductive gaze, and dress code including black tights, heels and hot pants are straight out of a Men’s Lifestyle magazine and are common conventions. Across her body the main cover line, ‘SEXY BEAST LILY ALLEN’ has its own connotations and could be understood as a pun with the presence of two black Panthers flanked to either side. Wild cats stereotypically are associated with a sexual connotation (sleek, dangerous, uncontrollable, deadly but beautiful) and are used in this way on the front cover. Again written in sans serif font her name is foregrounded large as a banner and the colour palette is also stereotypically masculine using silvers, blacks, whites and reds which also serve to create more of an aesthetically pleasing cover. Written underneath Lily Allen’s name in smaller, italicised this time red for passion and danger upper case text is use of alliteration ‘WICKED, WICKED WAYS’ which allows audiences to decode the impact of the sexual representation through use of language.
The cover lines that run along the bottom of the front cover signify their importance in terms of genre in that are mainly indie compared to the main cover lines about Rock bands at the top right of the page. Pete Doherty’s on and off drug dependency is referred to by the cover line ‘PETE DOHERTY AND THE HARDEST WORKING CORPSES IN MUSIC’ but a hyper real masculine representation is still apparent as like the other Rock artists he has a bad boy image. The only female frame of reference on the front cover is an overtly sexualised Lily Allen whose presence is for male audiences and potentially for a secondary female target audience who could see her as an aspirational role model. Her agreement to appear on the front cover of Q is an interesting one from a marketing perspective as lyrically many of her songs reflect a fierce independence but arguably the cover image references the significant other (men) that her songs do not – this would be a mutually beneficial marketing agreement both for Q and Lily Allen as with the Lady Gaga front cover, both would benefit from notoriety and publicity while Q remain associated with quality artists.
How to research music magazines
You will find lots of information on the advertising sites of institutions who refer to their magazines as 'brands. Bauer for example will actually provide potential advertisers with a plethora of information which is exactly what you need for your research.
Click here for Kerrang
You will find it helpful to create a 'brand identity' similar to this for your own product.
Remember this information is designed for potential advertisers so you may have to search a little for it.
You can also see how magazines and brands refer to their target audiences.
For example here
You can even download their media packs for magazines. See here for Q magazine
You will be able to access this kind of information which is invaluable to you.
You can also see examples of audience profiles that you will be expected to create
Mixmag media pack
Click here for Kerrang
You will find it helpful to create a 'brand identity' similar to this for your own product.
Remember this information is designed for potential advertisers so you may have to search a little for it.
You can also see how magazines and brands refer to their target audiences.
For example here
You can even download their media packs for magazines. See here for Q magazine
You will be able to access this kind of information which is invaluable to you.
You can also see examples of audience profiles that you will be expected to create
Mixmag media pack
The journey of a song
To see how the industry works we can look at the typical journey of a song – My Song. A lot of people make a small amount of money from just one song. Overall that one song contributes to the music industry.
This is the business journey of My Song and shows why the music we listen to is part of an industry.
This is the business journey of My Song and shows why the music we listen to is part of an industry.
Is the Music Industry in Crisis?
Why is the Music Industry in Crisis?
The issue for the music industry is how it can pay bands, composers, song writers, record producers and record companies if consumers do not pay for their music. It is always easier to sell a physical product like a CD but a virtual product such as a download does not raise the same feeling of ownership. It is also much easier to pirate. People will tend not to want to spend money if something can be obtained free. This ignores the fact that there is no such thing as a free lunch –someone somewhere has to pay for the product.
The music industry invests £200 million each year just in new bands. That is a lot of money to lose in pirated downloads, and is of course unsustainable in the long run.
Some people argue that record companies have grown ‘fat’ on the boom in the music industry in the latter half of the 20th century and need to redistribute their profits – although they did through royalties –see above.
That was then and this is the 21st century. Record companies are generally making very little money from recorded music.
The music industry is still in crisis but is starting to find a way of selling its product in the digital universe. Legal downloads in 2011 account for about 6% of music sales – not great but up from zero, 2 years ago.
In 2014 as much as 95% of the music downloaded online was done illegally.
Matt Philips of the BPI, which represents the music industry in the UK, says: ‘Sales through licensed legitimate¬ platforms are growing, but unlawful downloading still accounts for 95% of online purchases.’ (The Guardian)
The issue for the music industry is how it can pay bands, composers, song writers, record producers and record companies if consumers do not pay for their music. It is always easier to sell a physical product like a CD but a virtual product such as a download does not raise the same feeling of ownership. It is also much easier to pirate. People will tend not to want to spend money if something can be obtained free. This ignores the fact that there is no such thing as a free lunch –someone somewhere has to pay for the product.
The music industry invests £200 million each year just in new bands. That is a lot of money to lose in pirated downloads, and is of course unsustainable in the long run.
Some people argue that record companies have grown ‘fat’ on the boom in the music industry in the latter half of the 20th century and need to redistribute their profits – although they did through royalties –see above.
That was then and this is the 21st century. Record companies are generally making very little money from recorded music.
The music industry is still in crisis but is starting to find a way of selling its product in the digital universe. Legal downloads in 2011 account for about 6% of music sales – not great but up from zero, 2 years ago.
In 2014 as much as 95% of the music downloaded online was done illegally.
Matt Philips of the BPI, which represents the music industry in the UK, says: ‘Sales through licensed legitimate¬ platforms are growing, but unlawful downloading still accounts for 95% of online purchases.’ (The Guardian)
Good examples of students work analysing music magazines
A link to a blog
This is a particularly good example
http://snack.to/b7n0df03
Its a good idea to try out different presentational skills as the exam board wants to see you using a variety of sharing tools.
How to analyse Music Magazines
You must analyse the front page, contents and double page spread of three diverse music magazines. This will probably involve buying some of them. They should not be any older than 2014.
You must go into more depth in terms of the analysis than you did for the 6th form magazine. Use the checklist after this powerpoint to ensure you are covering the key areas. You may find it useful to analyse according to 'GLARN'. Some of the elements will be interchangeable.
GENRE- which genre/s of music? Niche/mainstream, established, retrospective or new artist/band. Brand identity
LANGUAGE- discourse of layout/copy. House style,
AUDIENCE- demongraphic, psychographic, values and lifestyles? Who is the target audience- how can you assess this?
Stuart Hall's theory- what would the preferred, oppositional, negotiated meaning be?
REPRESENTATION- how are bands/artists represented?
NARRATIVE - what 'stories' are being told? In what manner? Confidential, authoritive, as an insight into artists/bands lives, inspiration or as a guide to the best tracks, gigs, festivals?
You must go into more depth in terms of the analysis than you did for the 6th form magazine. Use the checklist after this powerpoint to ensure you are covering the key areas. You may find it useful to analyse according to 'GLARN'. Some of the elements will be interchangeable.
GENRE- which genre/s of music? Niche/mainstream, established, retrospective or new artist/band. Brand identity
LANGUAGE- discourse of layout/copy. House style,
AUDIENCE- demongraphic, psychographic, values and lifestyles? Who is the target audience- how can you assess this?
Stuart Hall's theory- what would the preferred, oppositional, negotiated meaning be?
REPRESENTATION- how are bands/artists represented?
NARRATIVE - what 'stories' are being told? In what manner? Confidential, authoritive, as an insight into artists/bands lives, inspiration or as a guide to the best tracks, gigs, festivals?
Sunday, 11 October 2015
Homework for Tuesday 13th October
The Representation of Women in the Music Industry (useful for Music and TV drama).
The John Peel lecture by Charlotte Church on women in music
Please answer the following questions
Charlotte Church’s lecture starts at 6.29 but by all means listen to the first 6 minutes about John Peel and his influence on music.
Please include a link to this on your blog and answer the following questions.
1. What are the three main roles women play in music?
2. Who doesn’t use her image to sell?
3. What is the irony of these roles?
4. What culture is ingrained?
5. Who was a template changer who changed her image frequently and was in charge of her sexuality?
7. What percentage of music labels are owned by women?
8. Who gave a Pickled juice rant?
9. 'When I am assertive im a bitch, when a man is assertive he is a boss’ who said this?
10. ‘Dark and pornographic videos’ who calls for the age restrictions on music videos.
11. Should schedulers take into account the image of an artist when promoting their music?
12. What does Church think about Blurred Lines?
13. Who stated.. ‘I don’t want to be infantalised because I won’t be sexualised'.
If you found this interesting listen to the whole programme here
you could base your double page spread in your project on an issue similar to this.
The John Peel lecture by Charlotte Church on women in music
Please answer the following questions
Charlotte Church’s lecture starts at 6.29 but by all means listen to the first 6 minutes about John Peel and his influence on music.
Please include a link to this on your blog and answer the following questions.
1. What are the three main roles women play in music?
2. Who doesn’t use her image to sell?
3. What is the irony of these roles?
4. What culture is ingrained?
5. Who was a template changer who changed her image frequently and was in charge of her sexuality?
7. What percentage of music labels are owned by women?
8. Who gave a Pickled juice rant?
9. 'When I am assertive im a bitch, when a man is assertive he is a boss’ who said this?
10. ‘Dark and pornographic videos’ who calls for the age restrictions on music videos.
11. Should schedulers take into account the image of an artist when promoting their music?
12. What does Church think about Blurred Lines?
13. Who stated.. ‘I don’t want to be infantalised because I won’t be sexualised'.
If you found this interesting listen to the whole programme here
you could base your double page spread in your project on an issue similar to this.
Your Tasks for Foundation Portfolio (coursework)
Don't forget the final questions
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
4. Who would be the audience for your media product?
5. How did you attract/address your audience?
6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
4. Who would be the audience for your media product?
5. How did you attract/address your audience?
6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Homework reading 12th October
Please read this article about the demise of Smash Hits magazine. List 5 key points of interest and add to your blog.
Find a similar article about the demise of the NME
Find a similar article about the demise of the NME
Sunday, 4 October 2015
Questions to answer on Youth Subculture
You need to read and take notes on the links on the previous post.
You should follow those links and research further yourself.
You will need to find approx 3 more academic or serious journalistic articles. This is open as I would like you to investigate along the lines of the youth subculture or music genre you want to base your music magazine on.
You need to have the links embedded into your blog.
You need to have this research completed and these questions answered by 19th October.
There will be a lesson this beforehand on 16th October.
This will give you some planning time and you will then shoot your images over half term.
Questions
1. To what extent does music effect subcultures in terms of the following;
identity, resistance, class, race, gender, sexuality, politics, creativity and commodification.
2. What is the relationship between culture and commerce in the music industry?
3. Consider the ways in which the the music industry can facilitate, proliferate, stifle or defuse youthful creativity.
4. Should youth subcultures be regarded as an authentic form of cultural resistance, or merely a marketing ploy of the fashion and music industries and what role does the music press have in exacerbating this?
You should follow those links and research further yourself.
You will need to find approx 3 more academic or serious journalistic articles. This is open as I would like you to investigate along the lines of the youth subculture or music genre you want to base your music magazine on.
You need to have the links embedded into your blog.
You need to have this research completed and these questions answered by 19th October.
There will be a lesson this beforehand on 16th October.
This will give you some planning time and you will then shoot your images over half term.
Questions
1. To what extent does music effect subcultures in terms of the following;
identity, resistance, class, race, gender, sexuality, politics, creativity and commodification.
2. What is the relationship between culture and commerce in the music industry?
3. Consider the ways in which the the music industry can facilitate, proliferate, stifle or defuse youthful creativity.
4. Should youth subcultures be regarded as an authentic form of cultural resistance, or merely a marketing ploy of the fashion and music industries and what role does the music press have in exacerbating this?
Work for week beginning 5th October
1. Begin layout of 6th form magazine front cover and contents magazine.
Remember to consider that you will have to annotate your production and identify what you have included and the process by which you cam to your final piece. In terms of:
1. codes and conventions of content and layout you identified from your research.
2. the representation of the institution and the students you intended (your preferred meaning)
3. Any possible oppositional or negotiated meanings (Stuart Hall) that might be 'read' by an audience.
2. You must edit first in iPhoto then move your images into either Photoshop CS5 or In Design.
3. You need to move on quickly with this whilst reading about and considering ideas for a music magazine.
4. Remember to take screen shots at key decision moments to upload to your blog to track your progress.
5. The practical side of this must be completed by Monday 12th October.
Give yourself two frees in the Media Studio as well as your lessons to get this done.
Two more hours must be taken reading the following and making brief notes (citing the url and author)to upload onto your blog. Use these to answer the academic questions on the above post.
Reading list for youth subculture and music industry research.
Article on youth subcultures here
David Fowler is a well respected social historian who has written about the development of youth sub cultures. Read his introductory chapter here
The death of the Music Press in the UK
link here
Remember to consider that you will have to annotate your production and identify what you have included and the process by which you cam to your final piece. In terms of:
1. codes and conventions of content and layout you identified from your research.
2. the representation of the institution and the students you intended (your preferred meaning)
3. Any possible oppositional or negotiated meanings (Stuart Hall) that might be 'read' by an audience.
2. You must edit first in iPhoto then move your images into either Photoshop CS5 or In Design.
3. You need to move on quickly with this whilst reading about and considering ideas for a music magazine.
4. Remember to take screen shots at key decision moments to upload to your blog to track your progress.
5. The practical side of this must be completed by Monday 12th October.
Give yourself two frees in the Media Studio as well as your lessons to get this done.
Two more hours must be taken reading the following and making brief notes (citing the url and author)to upload onto your blog. Use these to answer the academic questions on the above post.
Reading list for youth subculture and music industry research.
Article on youth subcultures here
David Fowler is a well respected social historian who has written about the development of youth sub cultures. Read his introductory chapter here
The death of the Music Press in the UK
link here
Thursday, 1 October 2015
1. Take your images, remember the main shot has to be a mid shot of one person.
Remember you will need to shoot in portrait mode for the front cover.
Remind yourself of the reading you undertook about composing and taking effective shots- always check your shots before you leave your shoot and ensure you have got what you need.
The contents pages can be a combination of school and external shots ( you may use a couple of 'found' images but you must have a good reason for doing so and keep them to a minimum)
You will need to annotate your final version so keep in mind the codes and conventions that you have included. The mise-en-scene, framing, camera shots and angles.
2. Upload your images into iphoto. Use the quick edit tools and anotate which you have decided to use and give your reasons why. You could upload a very quick collage of rejected images.
3. Move your edited versions into Photoshop or In design.
Take screen shots of your progress to upload to your blog.
4. Completed version to be annotated in a slideshow, use zooming in on elements such as mastheads or straplines.
5. Start thinking about the music press/youth sub cultures and ideas for the genre you wish to pursue.
Remember you will need to shoot in portrait mode for the front cover.
Remind yourself of the reading you undertook about composing and taking effective shots- always check your shots before you leave your shoot and ensure you have got what you need.
The contents pages can be a combination of school and external shots ( you may use a couple of 'found' images but you must have a good reason for doing so and keep them to a minimum)
You will need to annotate your final version so keep in mind the codes and conventions that you have included. The mise-en-scene, framing, camera shots and angles.
2. Upload your images into iphoto. Use the quick edit tools and anotate which you have decided to use and give your reasons why. You could upload a very quick collage of rejected images.
3. Move your edited versions into Photoshop or In design.
Take screen shots of your progress to upload to your blog.
4. Completed version to be annotated in a slideshow, use zooming in on elements such as mastheads or straplines.
5. Start thinking about the music press/youth sub cultures and ideas for the genre you wish to pursue.
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