Music Industry

Thursday 4th November 2021

The Music Industry: Music magazines

LO: To explore the magazine industry ownership, regulation and revenue

Conglomerate: A multi-industry company. A company made up of smaller companies

Globalised: When something becomes international and trades internationally

Diversify: To vary its range of products. When a company owns or operates in several unrelated business segments

Regulation: The management of complex systems according to a set of rules

Revenue: The total amount of income generated by the sale of goods related to the company's primary operations

Circulation: The number of newspaper/ magazine copies distributed on average over a certain time

Who publishes...

Whats on TV: Future plc

Radio Times: Hubert Burda Media

TV Choice: Bauer Media Group

Take a Break: Bauer Media Group

Good Housekeeping: Hearst Communications

Glamour: Advance Publications

Inside Soap: Hearst Communications

How many magazines does Bauer own?

Over 600

Which UK music magazine does it publish?

MOJO

How did they diversify the MOJO brand?
They have an online magazine

What other types of media companies does Bauer own?

Radio, websites, music TV channels

Bauer Media group is a diversified media conglomerate because they own companies in different areas of media instead of just owning magazine companies. For example radio stations, websites and music TV channels.

Which agencies regulate magazines and newspapers in the UK?

The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) and Independent Monitor for the Press (IMPRESS)

Which one has Bauer joined?

IMPRESS

Magazines receive revenue from which 4 sources?

1. Circulation (cover price- £4.50 for MOJO in 2021) Subscription

2. Advertising (in MOJO mostly adverts for live and recorded music)

3. Sponsor content and product placement

4. Events

Less people are reading magazines so companies have had to diversify as people are more likely to go online.

Thursday 18th November 2021

Music Magazines

LO: To explore the terminology and genres of popular music magazines.

Typography:

The way that text is arranged and presented

Layout:

The way things are arranged and where they are

Lexis:

The specific language used to engage the audience

Colour palette:

The colours used

Mise-en-scene:

The setting, costume and lighting (high key lighting- bright lighting and low key lighting- dimmer lighting)

Pop music

Feminine colour palette such as pink and purple with accents of yellow and white high key lighting. Most of them are wearing dresses and are wearing feminine makeup. They are usually doing a feminine pose as well. Some of the layouts are organised and not very crowed and some of them  are a little bit less organised and a bit more crowded, usually more casual language is used. The fonts are also quite dainty and feminine as there are usually women on the front covers of pop music magazines.

Rock music

The colour palette is usually more masculine colours like red, yellow, green and black and they are usually not very bright colours compared to the pop magazines. There is usually low key lighting/a black and white filter and the fonts are usually quite gothic or bold. The bands on the front cover are usually wearing darker colours like red and black which fits the genre conventions of rock. They also usually have more serious facial expressions and props like electric guitars which are used in rock music. The layout is usually quite crowded and a little bit more messy and not as organised as the covers of the pop magazines. 

Rap music

The colour palette usually consists of red, white and grey/black. The lighting is usually quite high key and the fonts are usually bold. They are usually wearing the colour white or grey and have tattoos. They all have similar hair and the language is usually quite informal.

Thursday 25th November 2021

Genre and Target Audience

LO: To identify target audiences for a variety of music magazine genres and link to genre codes

Colour palette, mise-en-scene (hair, costume, makeup, props), typography, lighting, genre, layout, lexis, age, gender

Age D, gender D, music taste P, interests P, lifestyle P, location D, social class D

Demographics: The factual data like age, gender, income, race

Psychographics: Lifestyle, behaviour and attitudes

Black and white filter, red and white colour palette associated with rock music so will appeal to people who like rock music. The target audience are said to push boundaries and be rebellious which rock bands usually are. The members of rock bands are usually male which would be more likely to appeal to men which is why the majority of the audience is male. As rock music is quite rebellious  it often appeals to teenagers/young adults and the majority of the audience of this magazine are ages 15-24.

The majority of bands/artists that have been featured on this magazine are male so it would probably appeal more to men. The music genres that this magazine features usually appeals to adults (who like slightly less modern music but are still young enough to enjoy going to festivals) between the ages of around 25-35 rather than teenagers as it is music that is not very new and modern. This magazine has a range of different music genres so it could be targeted at people who listen to lots of music. The music genres are also genres of music are usually the types of music at festivals and gigs so it could be targeted at people who like to go to gigs and festivals. As the music is usually quite mainstream they would be likely to live in the city as then they would be exposed to a lot more mainstream music whereas if they lived in the middle of no where they would not be as exposed to it.

I can tell the genre in this magazine is classical music because of the violin and very neutral colour palette which tends to appeal more to an older generation as they are more likely to have been exposed to classical music due to their interests and maturity levels. Young children tend to prefer more upbeat music so young children would not be part of the target audience. It would probably appeal to people who have a higher income and have enough money to go to see live classical music regularly as a lot of people who like classic music would have been to listen to it in person which. Classical music is also usually quite formal so it would appeal to a higher social class.

Thursday 2nd December 2021

MOJO Audience

LO: To explore and define the magazine's target audience

The most successful magazines have been at the quality and luxury end of the market which offer their audiences a 'lean back moment' as they read their high quality magazines.

These magazines use the advantages of the print media - high quality photography, familiar conventions and sophisticated media language using high quality printing on glossy paper. High quality printing attracts advertising from high status brands which then adds to the aspirational and good quality aspect.

MOJO magazine has some aspects of the quality however it is only semi-glossy and uses lighter-weight paper which is less expensive to produce. However, it is still a good enough quality to sell well.

Mojo's Ethos

Mojo is loved by its readers and artists because it engages them on the subject on the music that they love.

Every month MOJO releases a definitive cover feature on an iconic act; a CD and a review section which includes 30+ pages of the best of the month's music.

MOJO is the worlds's largest music magazine.

MOJO is the brand for people who are obsessed and extremely interested in music.

MOJO is a magazine of high brand values which a carefully crafted musical archive covering the best of music across genres. It prefers to celebrate quality over popularity.

The genres that are represented the most are Rock (Including sub genres of rock) and heavy metal.

Audiences

Weekly magazines usually targets an audience that is more working class than middle class. For example Take A Break and TV Choice.

The quality monthly magazines tend to target more of a middle class audience. For example Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Vogue and BBC Good Food

The most popular weekly and monthly magazines have predominantly female readers. Magazines aimed at men tend to have lower circulations. For example Men's Health and Top Gear.

In 2016-2017 MOJO had a fairly small circulation of about 68000 and a readership of around 138000.

Class: Equal share of middle class and working class readers

Gender: Four times as likely to be read by men than women

Age: About 65% are over 35, but a higher proportion of 15-34 year olds read it

It has a niche audience meaning that it is aimed at a very specific target audience.

MOJO Audience

The Psychographics of the reader:

They like music a lot and has gone to quite a few major music events in their life time(80% of MOJO readers have been to a live music event recently). They most probably like older rock bands and other sub genres of rock however they are still open to seek out the best in newer music. They most probably listen to music on vinyl (53% of MOJO readers listen to music this way) and CD (80% of MOJO readers listens to music this way). However, they probably still like to stream music as well (48% of MOJO reader listen to music this way). They most probably have different types of technology which they listen to music on. They most probably read MOJO as they have a mixture of old and modern music with some different genres.

MOJO U&G

Personal Identity: They could to relate to the music of the bands that are featured on the magazine or they could even relate to some of the artists and bands featured in the magazine. It also introduces them to new ideas and opinions about music.

Information: They could gain information, like background information and the message behind their music or what inspired them to make the music that they make, about their favourite bands and artists or they could learn about new artists that they have never heard of before.

Entertainment: If they enjoy listening to music (especially the genres of music that are featured in the magazine) then they would enjoy listening to the CD and reading about the music that they enjoy listening to.

Social Interaction: If they know someone else who reads the MOJO magazine they would be able to talk about and discuss the magazine with them.

Audience Activity & Interpretation

1. How is reading a magazine a more active experience than, for example, watching a film at the cinema?

It is more of an active experience because to read something you actually have to engage and focus on it to take it the information whereas with a film you could easily just get distracted or stop paying attention as all you are doing is looking at a screen and your brain is not having to do as much to take in the information. You can also choose which parts you read first.

2. Is the choice of which magazine to buy an active or passive process?

It is usually quite an active process because there are quite a few to choose from so you would have to think about which one you would be the most interested in as you are spending your money on it.

3. What would a young teenager who likes mainstream pop think of MOJO?

I think they would not be very interested in reading a MOJO magazine because MOJO magazine tends to focus of quality over popularity and pop bands and artists tend not to be featured in MOJO magazines. Their target audience are usually older teenagers and adults who like rock and indie music.

4. What would an older lover of classic rock think of MOJO?

Since MOJO is mainly aimed at older generations who like rock music an older lover of rock music would most probably enjoy reading a MOJO magazine as they can explore their interests and learn about the music that they love.

Thursday 13th January 2022

Cover Analysis

LO: To analyse the cover of a magazine, linking it to genre and audience

'Babyboomer' generation: People born between 1946 and 1964. They are currently between the ages 57-75. A person born i the years following the Second world war, when there was a temporary marked increase in the birth rate.

Diversification: A technique that reduces a risk by allocating investments across various financial instruments and industries. The process of varying products.

Audience address: How the text speaks to the audience, and involves and influences them.

Discerning: Having or showing good judgement.

House style: A company's preferred manner of presentation and layout of written material

Codes and Conventions: Written and Symbolic tools that are used to construct and suggest meaning in media forms and products. Aspects that make certain products i media a certain genre.

Intertextuality: When the convention of one genre are alluded to in another or when a specific cultural reference is made in a media text. One text referencing another text.

Shot type: Close up

Star vehicle: Dave Grohl

Colour palette: Blue and red and yellow accents

Bands/artists mentioned: Nirvana

Masthead style: White block capitals behind the star vehicle.

Main cover line style: Grey, yellow and red block capitals (smaller than the masthead)

Minor cover line: White, yellow and grey block capitals (smaller than the masthead and the main cover line.

Puff: Small circle. Red background and yellow text. 

USP: It comes with a free Nirvana CD.

Placement of text: The main cover lines are on the right hand side and in the centre. Minor cover lines towards the top, less obvious than the main cover lines. Masthead is at the top of the cover.

Nirvana, the band which is mentioned and the band that the music of the free CD was by, is a very popular band especially amongst the audience who are mainly adult men, which is also the target audience of mojo magazine, who would have been between the ages of 20 and 30 when Nirvana was extremely popular. The readers of Mojo magazine also like most quality genres of music, especially rock, which is another reason as to why they have most probably listened to Nirvana. This means that they would be more likely to buy the magazine as it comes with a free CD from a band they like or are familiar with and a member of the band on the front cover. The older generation, who read Mojo magazine, tend to go and buy CDs which is why the magazine comes with a free CD as they would find a free CD appealing. The use of lexis about the band Nirvana, who's songs are described as the songs who saved his life, is also important as it appeals to the adult male target audience of Mojo magazine as they will be interested in how those songs had such a big impact in his life. If they find the topics discussed in the magazine and like the music of the CD, they will get entertainment or even possibly a sense of personal identity if they relate to the music or the artists in the magazine. 

The colour palette of blue, red and yellow which connotes that the music genre is rock as these colours are usually associated with rock genre conventions, this would appeal to the target audience as readers of MOJO magazine tend to be interested in all genres of quality music especially rock. The colours also contrast each other and stand out differently so the more important text, will be seen well by the target audience which is important as this is the information that will make them want to read the magazine. The placement of text can also be used to do this with the size of the fonts.

Thursday 20th January 2022

DIRT

LO: To reflect and improve on exam style analysis.

MOJO AUDIENCE: Great notes & understanding of U&G COVER ANALYSIS 1: WWW: A great start. You've linked the cover elements to the audience and genre conventions. EBI: Try linking to Uses & Gratifications too.

LO: To refine analysis of magazine covers.

1 and 2. The layout is cluttered and not ordered which connotes that there could be a lot of messy gossip/drama or that the magazine is fun and there is a lot going on in the magazine, which would appeal to the target audience of female teenagers and young adults.

3 and 4. The colour palette is saturated and uses stereotypically feminine colours which connotes that the magazine contains a lot of feminine topics that would appeal to women.

1 and 2. The layout is very ordered which connotes that the magazine is more sophisticated and organised which would appeal to an older more intellectual and sophisticated audience who are more interested in sophisticated music.

3 and 4. The colour palette is very muted which would also appear to a more sophisticated audience because they would not find bright colours as appealing as calmer colours that match the genre of music in a more effective way.

1 and 2. The text is mainly sans serif which has a more modern and simplistic appearance connoting that the music and information in the magazine is more modern and fresh. Sans serif is also seen as more masculine which connotes that the magazine would be more appealing to men.

3 and 4. The main cover line is in bold block capitals which would also appeal more to a masculine target audience connoting that the genres of music mainly consists of male artists and that men would enjoy reading the magazine more than women. The font of 'Ed Sheeran' is script which appears to look hand written connoting that he writes his own, unique music.

Thursday 27th January 2022

1. The text is mainly sans-serif.

2. The choice of font connotes that the target audience are predominantly male as sans-serif is quite a bold, masculine font compared to serif which would appeal more to women. The font is also mainly block capitals which also suggests that the target audience is more masculine.  

3. The font style of the main cover line is red, sans-serif block capitals. The other cover lines are in yellow, black and white slab serif. Slab serif would appeal to a male, american audience as this font is usually associated with American high school boys.

4. This connotes that the target audience are most likely american young adult men.

1. The type of shot in this image is a long shot. 

2. This type of shot is used because it shows their outfit and poses which is necessary because they are wearing dark clothes which suggest that they are a rock band in order to appeal to their target audience who like rock music. This type of shot also allows us to see the whole male band which is a genre convention of rock music.

3. The text uses an informal register.

4. The informal register connotes that the audience are mainly a young generation because younger generations are more likely to use informal language so they would find a magazine that uses that language appealing. 

1. The type of shot is a medium close up shot.

2. This shot type was used because it shows the jewellery which is associated with the genre of R&B music so would appeal to people who listen to R&B music.

3. The text uses an informal register.

4. This type of register is used because informal register tends to appeal to a younger generation who are the target audience. The lexis used and the informal register are also genre conventions of R&B music. 

1. Identify the genre and target audience.

2. Pick out 4 ways media language has been used differently.

3. Link the differences to the genre and target audience.

The first difference between the magazine covers would be gender. On the Mojo magazine, the artsist on the cover is female which connotes that the target audience for that particular magazine is predominantly female. On the other hand, on the Kerrang poster the band in the main image are male and all of the bands and artists mentioned on the cover are male which suggests that the target audience for that particular magazine are predominantly male. This shows that the magazines have different target audiences and would be appealing to different genders as the Mojo one has more feminine artists mentioned compared to the Kerrang magazine that only has male artists and bands mentioned.

Another difference between the two magazines would be the lexis used. On the Mojo magazine, uses more formal language than the Kerrang magazine which suggests that the target audience for the Mojo magazine is possibly more mature and therefore older (between the ages of 19 and 30) than the target audience of the Kerrang magazine. I can tell this as the Kerrang magazine uses more informal language and the lexis suggests that there is possibly gossip within the magazine which appeals to a younger and less sophisticated audience who are most likely teenagers or young adults (between the ages of 15 and 21). This shows that the magazines also have different target audience age wise as the Mojo magazine language appeals more to young adult/adult women whereas the Kerrang magazine language appeals more to a male late teenage audience.

The layout of the magazines also connote that they have a different target audience. The Mojo magazine has a more tidy and organised layout which once again links to slightly more mature target audience than the messy layout of the Kerrang poster.

Thursday 3rd February 2022

Representation

LO: To explore the concept of representation in music magazines.

Common stereotypes

Teenagers - They are obsessed with their phones/other and social media, they are lazy, messy room

Men - They are interested in 'masculine' topics like sport, cars and action films. Hard workers, don't show emotions, strong, brave, very 'masculine' features. 

Americans - They eat a lot, patriotic, not seen as intelligent compared to people from other countries.

Lesbians - They have shorter hair and have a more 'masculine' style. Or overly feminine and wears bright colours.

 

His hair is messy which connotes that he is laid back, easygoing and slightly rebellious.

His clothes are very simplistic and plain which connotes that he is very calm and laid back. It also connotes that although he is a big celebrity he is still a normal down-to-earth guy.

He has a guitar which connotes that he he writes his own music and that his music is very authentic. Hie is holding the guitar upside down which connotes that he doesn't take himself too seriously.

His tattoos connote individuality, creativity (as they are quite colourful and cartoon like) and rebellion

His facial expression is almost awkward which also connotes that he is just a normal person and is not used to being extremely famous.

The font is a script font which connotes creativity, writing her own music and femininity.

Her hair is curled and her clothes are very light and feminine which connotes femininity and purity/innocence. Her clothes being light also suggests that she is calm and peaceful.

The setting is a forest and there are flowers in the background which connotes that she is possibly connected with nature therefore making her peaceful and quite adventurous. The background is slightly blurred which makes it appear soft and calm.

Her expression and pose is quite feminine which connotes that she is feminine. She has a very flirty expression which suggests that she is quite romantic, playful and feminine. 

The tattoos are quite dark and almost tribal connote that he is very tough and masculine. It also fits in with the stereotype of gangs.

The setting is very dark which suggests that he is brave and tough.

His jewellery is associated with rap and hip hop music and connotes that he has a lot of money.

The expression is quite masculine and almost intimidating which connotes that he is very masculine and tough. He also has a very serious facial expression which connotes he is aggressive.

He is wearing a bullet proof vest which implies that he is constantly in dangerous situations and lives a dangerous life however he is strong and manly enough to pursue this dangerous lifestyle.

The block capital font connotes that he is very masculine. However some of the text is script which connotes that he has a more feminine, emotional side to him despite being overly masculine.

The Foo Fighters are represented as rebellious, aggressive and passionate about their music, energetic, loud, playful.  

 

Thursday 10th February 2022

Representation

LO: To analyse representations used in music magazines.

Analyse the representations of musicians in this cover.

Black and white colour palette with accents of red and yellow which connotes that they are rock musicians.

Sans serif fonts mainly is block capitals.

A lot of the musicians that are mentioned in the magazine are male.

The lexis used suggests that they are superior or special. For example 'Arise'. They are almost made to appear as holy as there is a lot of white which connotes purity and language like 'saving his soul' is used which connotes that music has made him special or holy. 

Black and white filter that makes his face stand out which makes him look special and he is also looking upwards like he is looking to heaven.

You could also argue that they are possibly brave as lexis such as 'living dangerously', 'society tried to extinguish me' and 'rock's dark knight on surviving'. The word knight connotes that he has done something good for society however the word dark is used which connotes that he  still has been through things yet he has overcome them.

CONTEXT: Representations reflect the dominance of celebrity culture in our society.

Analyse the representations of musicians in this cover.

How the producers have chosen to construct a reality that represents events social groups & ideas.

How and why stereotypes have been used.

Stereotypes of rock musicians being rebellious are being used in the cover. I can tell this because she is wearing eyeliner and has a septum piercing which is often associated with rebellion and fits into rock genre conventions. However she is female which is not common in rock magazine covers and she is not represented as stereotypically feminine as women don't tend to be represented as rebellious and as rock artists. Lexis lis used to show that she is represented as not a stereotypical woman. For example 'bad news from a pretty mouth' this connotes that although she may appear as a stereotypical woman she is actually more rebellious than stereotypical women. The fonts used also show that she is a rebellious rock artist as some of the fonts are almost gothic which is associated with rock and rebellion. This is used to represent rock musicians as rebellious and dangerous.

The messages, values and issues conveyed.

Lexis such as 'Majesty' is used which connotes that musicians are like royalty and like they are above everyone else. There is also a cross on the main cover which suggests that they are close up to God and almost holy, however it could also be seen as her rebelling against God which reinforces the idea of her and other rock musicians being rebellious and fearless. The idea of rebelling against God however rock/punk musicians tend to want to make a statement and stand out even if that means going against dominant beliefs in society which once again makes her seem rebellious.

How these representations reflect their social or cultural contexts.
The representation of celebrities being superior and royal compared to regular people reflects the dominance of celebrity culture in society. 

Thursday 3rd March 2022

Exam Prep 

LO: To explore the possible exam tasks for music magazines.

5 Mark Practice

Analyse the use of stereotypes in the representations in extract one, the front cover of MOJO magazine.

 The first stereotype that was used in the front cover of this magazine is that women are feminine. This has been done through her makeup and a pose that has been chosen to appeal to men, which both associate with femininity. However although she is feminine, she still subverts the stereotype of women being fragile and delicate which is made apparent in the use of lexis. For example, it says 'Bad news from a pretty mouth' this connotes that she is quite outspoken or 'bad' even though she appears to be a stereotypical 'pretty' woman who would stereotypically be delicate and polite. Her facial expression and accessories are also quite provocative.

Another stereotype used in the cover is that rock artists are rebellious.

10 mins

This has been done through the use of her dark makeup and septum piercing that connote she is rebellious as they are usually associated with rebellion and fit into the genre conventions of rock artists. She is also licking a cross which connotes that she does not believe in religion and is outspoken, which fits into the genre conventions or rock and rebellion,which contrast the stereotype of women being very polite and almost innocent.

How far do Extracts 1 and 2 differ in their use of media language because they are covering different genres of music.

Some differences are due to the different genres of music in each magazine however, some differences are due to the different target audiences.

 Firstly there is the MOJO cover which is a rock genre. The colour palette of black, blue and red fit into the genre conventions of rock and is the colour palette that most rock artists use on music magazines. Lexis such as 'Music junkie' is used which is a reference to drugs which a lot of rock artists are known for doing and fits into the semantic field of rebellion which is therefore associated with rock music. In the main image Madonna is licking a cross which seems to be an religious statement which in itself is outspoken and rebellious like most stereotypical rock artists are.

The BBC music magazine is a classical genre which is shown through the violin that she is holding which is typically known for being a classical musical instrument. Apart from her dress, the colour palette is generally more muted and simplistic which usually connotes a sense of sophistication and maturity which are usually characteristics that are associated to classical music and fans of classical music. 

The MOJO magazine cover would appeal more to older men as older men tend to be more aware of and take more of a liking to slightly older rock musicians. MOJO magazines are also typically constructed to appeal to a male target audience as rock music is usually a music genre that men stereotypically like. Madonna's facial expression is also very sexual for the male gaze meaning that it will appeal to men as men stereotypically like sexually provocative women meaning that this cover would grab their attention.

The BBC Music magazine cover would appeal to a more sophisticated and female audience. This is done through the colour palette which is very muted making the cover look more sophisticated meaning it would appeal more to a sophisticated, older target audience. Classical music also usually appeals more to adults as it is a very formal genre of music. 

(20 MINS)

NOT FINISHED

Thursday 17th March 2022

Music Videos 

LO: To explore this section of the unit and research chosen case studies

Question 2 and 3 will probably be on music videos. Both questions are explain questions. Talk about the representations created and the media language used to construct these representations.

 Music Video Research

 I am choosing case study 1

Sk8er Boi is by Avril Lavigne and the genre is pop-punk. It was released in 2002. It is about being against a girl who was very conventional/non rebellious and turned down a punk boy simply because he was a punk. It is almost an anti rich/popular people who don't like punks song. 

Teenage Dirtbag is by Wheatus and the genre is alternative/indie and was released on 20th June 2000. It is about a boy who is the complete opposite of the girl he has a crush on and her boyfriend who has an expensive car and has more money than him. He wants to be like the "popular"/rich crowd.

For your chosen videos, explain what you think the purpose of each video was giving specific examples.

The purpose of Sk8er Boi was to appeal to lots of people which would have mainly been teenagers who found it appealing. In the music video they are wearing ripped clothes, baggy jeans and dark colours which are associated with rebellion and were a very popular style at the time so a lot of people would find it appealing. This was her first song so it was important to make it appealing to lots of people so that she could get her name out there.

The purpose of Teenage Dirtbag was to promote a film which had the same actors that were in the film in and the song was featured in the film. This was to promote the film and the song as if they like the song they will most likely go and watch the film and if they like the film they are likely to go and listen to the song so this will help the song to grow and become more popular.

Narrative and Performance

Teenage dirtbag was mainly narrative and some performance and Sk8er Boi was performance with some narrative.

For your chosen videos, explain what the narrative element shows in each video. 

Sk8er Boi does not actually show the story however the lyrics give hints to a narrative and tells us part of the narrative and there are some clips of rich girls and rebellious boys to remind us of the main theme of her song. This is because in order to have her face remembered and in order to become famous and popular people had to know what she looked like so she had yo be in the majority if the music video so the majority of the narrative is told through the lyrics and the main story of the narrative is not shown visually in the video.

In Teenage Dirtbag we see the entire narrative in the music video and the lyrics also tell the story along with the video. However, the video keeps going back to the band playing the music in order to have their faces memorised in order to get credit for the song and in order to stay popular. The story helps the audience to engage with the video and song. It also gives an insight to the narrative of the film it is promoting almost like a trailer for the film.

Performance: 

Lip syncing, live performance, main focus on artists or band, perform to camera

Narrative:

Video tells a story, filmed or edited like a movie, story often matches lyrics, doesn't always feature artist

For your chosen videos, identify which conventions are used in each video. Screenshot an example for each one.

Sk8er Boi:

Narrative

Possibly part of the narrative

Performance

Performance

Performance

Perfomance

Teenage Dirtbag

Narrative

Narrative

Narrative

Performance

Performance

Mise-en-scene

Sk8er Boi

Setting: A city with a grungy look to it

Costume: Baggy jeans, dark clothing, ripped clothing which are all associated with rebellion and punk.

Teenage Dirtbag:

Thursday 24th March 2022

Media Language

 LO: To examine the use of media language in music videos.

Mise-en-scene 

Sk8er Boi

Costume hair and makeup: In the music video Avril Lavigne is wearing darker, baggy, ripped, less feminine clothing which connotes that she is not a stereotypical girl like the girl the song is about.  She is wearing eyeliner which is often associated with rebellion and punk music which are also not usually associated with femininity connoting that she in not a stereotypical feminine girl and is more rebellious. This gives her the image of being a rebellious punk which was a trend at the time meaning that people would have found it appealing. She also wears studded bracelets which are associated with the punk genre therefore implying that she is a punk.

Setting:

The setting is in a city that has a very grungy look to it and grunge is often associated with rebellion and punk/grunge music which links to the theme of the song which is about being rebellious and edgy which the setting connotes. There is also graffiti  on a lot of the walls which is also associated with rebellion and punk music. Abandoned building and urban city. 

Props:

The car used has faded paint and it looks quite run down which connotes that they are very laid back and care free which is a genre convention of punk and rebellion which links heavily to the theme of the song and reinforces her rebellious public image.

She also plays an electric guitar which is a genre convention of punk rock and connotes that she is rebellious as punks are often presented as rebellious. This also shows that she is not stereotypically feminine.

The chair used looks like it is very old and dirty which also suggests that she is rebellious and doesn't care about her furniture and once again is very laid back.

She also plays the electric guitar in the video which is not usually associated with femininity which suggests that she is different and more masculine and rebellious than a stereotypical girl which links to the theme of the song.

The lighting is very dim which is associated with grunge, punk and rebellion. Low-key lighting.

Teenage Dirtbag

Props

The bike owned by the main character juxtaposes the car owned by the popular people who he wants to be like and highlights how he is not as wealthy or trendy as they are.

The guitar is used to connote that the music was written and played by the band in order to give them credit and to boost the bands public image. Guitars are often used in indie/rock music which links to the genre of the song.

Costume: 

The way that the girl, that the main character has a crush on, dresses was very fashionable at the time which connotes that she is much more trendy that the main character who wears clothes that aren't considered to be fashionable which highlights the difference in their social status.

Thursday 31st March 2022

Music Videos 

LO: To examine the use of media language in music videos

Sk8er Boi

What is the relationship between the props, costumes and tones of the song music and video?

The mise-en-scene used in the video links to punk rock and connotes that she is rebellious. The elements used are all genre conventions of punk which reinforces the idea of her being a rebellious punk which was a very popular style at the time and helped to build the image that she wanted.

Firstly props are used to connote rebellion. For example, the car that has faded painted and looks quite run down like it may have not been cleaned or looked after very well which suggests that they are very laid back and don't really care about it which is associated with rebellion and the stereotypical attitude of a punk. This therefore suggests that she is rebellious and fits into the genre conventions of punk. Other props such as the hair she is on towards the beginning on the music video also are quite run down or almost dirty looking which once again connotes that she is rebellious and care free like punks. She also plays an electric guitar which is an instrument that is usually used by punk rock bands and is not usually associated with female artists which suggests that she rebels against stereotypes making her fit into the genre conventions of  punks who generally go against societal norms. 

Next costumes are used to connote rebellion. For example, she is wearing smudged black eyeliner which is often associated with punk rock bands who also often tend to wear smudged black eyeliner. Although makeup is considered to be feminine,  the makeup she is wearing is very harsh, dark and slightly messy which is not associated with femininity and is more associated with almost rebellious femininity where she is feminine but in a very anti stereotypical way were she goes against what she is expected too act like by according to stereotypes which fits into the genre conventions of punk. Her clothing that she is wearing also reinforces this as she is wearing baggy, dark coloured clothing which is not stereotypically feminine however she does not look overly masculine either as she has long hair which is associated with femininity. 

Which two elements of mise-en-scene stand out to you the most in the Sk8er Boi video?

The elements of mise-en-scene that stand out for me are the setting and costume. The setting stands out for me because it sets the mood of the video as the place it is taking place tends to build the atmosphere and the mood of the video which is important to get the feel of the mood and genre. The costume also stands out because it tells us about her personality and image which therefore links to the genre of her music.

The music video is set in an urban city and an abandoned building. The abandoned building that they have gone into is often associated with rebellion as they have broken into this building that could be dangerous to go into so it suggests that they are fearless or careless which once again links to the rebellion and not caring about the consequences of things which connotes that the song is of the punk genre. The urban city has a very grungy, dirty and crowded look to it which links to a stereotypical punk concert which tends to be very crowded and dirty  which is mainly shown when she is performing on a car with crowds of people around the car. There is  grafitti around the city which connotes rebellion and going against the boundaries which links to the punk genre and mood of the song.

Her costume also has connotations of rebellion which suggests a lot about the way she wants to be presented. For example, she is wearing studded bracelets which is often worn by members of punk bands which associates her with the punk music genre. Her clothes are quite baggy and are fairly dark in colour which are not stereotypically feminine. This connotes that she goes against society's expectations and stereotypes of women which connotes rebellion and is a genre convention of punk rock. Her smudged makeup is also often worn by members of punk bands which links her to punk bands.

 

Avril Lavigne and her friends are dressed like stereotypical punks.

This is achieved through their baggy and dark/desaturated clothing which are often associated with not wanting to be overly fashionable and going against trends which is what the main idea of punk is about. Her studded bracelets are also associated with punk rock bands and rebellion,

This could suggest to the audience that Avril Lavigne is a rebellious punk which supports her image as it was a popular style amongst teenagers at the time so when they see she is a punk they will want to listen to her music and will be interested in her style and image which is important as this was her first song so she needed to grab her audiences attention so that they are interested in her and will listen to her future songs.

In Avril Lavigne's music video it is set in an urban city and an abandoned building.

We know this as there are satellite shots and long shots which show the large building and crowds in the background.

Teenage Dirtbag

Why do you think they chose to use the actors from American Pie in the music video?

I think they chose to use the same actors because the film was very popular at the time the song was released so people would have been excited and interested to see that the same actors were in the music video meaning that more people will have been likely to listen to the song and start to like the band. It also makes Wheatus look as if they are up to date with the latest trends making them seem cool and trendy to listen to and to be a fan of them. The use of the same actors also connotes that the song has similar themes of the film meaning that people who liked the theme of the film would also like the theme of the song.

Identify one use of costume used effectively in the music video. Why has it been used?

Thursday 28th April 2022

Camerawork

LO: To explore how camerawork is used to create meaning in music videos.

Sk8er Boi: Naturalistic

Teenage Dirtbag: Naturalistic

Shots

2. Shot name: Close up/point of you

Why is is used? To show the point of view of another person.

Why used here? It is towards the end of the music video and people who have watched it are more likely to remember the end of it as that is the most recent part of it that they would have seen meaning that they are more likely to associate Avril Lavigne with that music video which is important because this was her first song. It also shows that she is being recorded which makes her seem popular and helps to build her image.

3. Shot name: Longshot

Why is it used? To show the car and background.

Why is it used here? To add to the narrative and to show that they are going into a big city.

Angles

1. Angle name: High angle

Why is it used? It is used in order to get the background in the frame as well as her.

Why used here? There are lots of people in the background making her look popular and well-liked and almost famous. To show her importance.

2. Angle name: Low angle

Why is it used? To show how powerful someone is and to imply that they are looked up to.

Why is it used here? Adds to the narrative and shows their popularity/dominance in order to contrast the main character. Most of the shots are of the main character on his own which contrasts this shot.

3.  Angle name: Dutch tilt

Why is it used? To create disorientation/to show movement of the handheld camera.

Why is it used here? To create an atmosphere and to show that the camera is handheld.

1. Dolly     2. Pedestal      3. Track

4. Pan        5. Tilt               6. Roll

1. Close up

2. Longshot

3. Dutch angle

4. Low angle shot

5. Pan

6. Dolly

7. Roll

8. Track

In Sk8er Boi I think the movement is designed to be disorientating, energetic, messy, shaky, fast-paced and chaotic.

The camera movement in Sk8er Boi is naturalistic. For example, throughout the video it is made to feel like the camera is hand held as the camera movement is not very smooth. The chaotic and frantic camerawork fits of the tone of the song as the song is very fast-paced and her personality in the video is a punk and punks tend to not do things very smoothly.

Thursday 5th May 2022

Sound and Editing

LO: To explore how sound and editing are used to create meaning in music videos.

Sound

Diegetic: Audio/music from inside the world of the characters in the video. Characters and audience can hear it.

Non-diegetic: Audio/music outside of the world of the character. Only the audience can hear it as it is added in after it has been filmed.

Sk8er Boi: It starts off with non-diegetic sound before the music starts(him landing on the ground ,spray cans on the ground, background sounds of the city). This is to create a sense of realism and helps us to establish the setting of a city. The song is mainly non-diegetic however there are moments where it appears diegetic like when they are singing along to it especially when they appear to be performing it in the music video. Towards the end you hear the sirens and helicopter in the background as the music fades into the diegetic world of the characters. This is to reinforce the realism.

Teenage dirtbag: when we see the band playing it is meant to look diegetic. Towards the beginning you hear the car crash into his bike which establishes the power he has over the main character. When the girl speaks to him at the prom it is supposed to appear diegetic to make it seem more part of the narrative.

Editing

Special effects, order of shots/shot choices, continuity, transitions, shot duration, pace and rhythm.

Linear editing: The narrative goes in one smooth order. Events are edited and presented in chronological order. Traditional?cinematic. Also known as continuity editing.

Non-linear editing: The order of the narrative is not in a clear order. Out-of-order-editing. There is no clear distinction of time as events are split up and rearranged. Abstract/expressionistic.

Sk8er Boi: Linear editing

Teenage Dirtbag: Linear editing

Pace

The pace of editing (the amount of cuts we see) has an impact on how the audience react to the music video. For example if it has more cuts it has a faster pace and creates a build up of adrenaline, excitement and tension for the audience.

Is Sk8er Boi edited in a linear or non-linear order? It is edited in a linear order as there is a clear start-middle-end order and the editing/storyline fits in with the narrative of the song which also has a clear order. This supports the idea of the narrative and helps the audience to understand and keep up with the story line which is important as the music video is a naturalistic, narrative video.

In Teenage Dirtbag edited in a linear or non-linear order? Teenage Dirtbag is also in a linear order as it also has a clear start, middle and end and the cuts shown match the narrative of the song which reinforces the storyline.

Which video has a faster pace and more cuts? Why do you think this is the case? I think that Sk8er Boi has a faster pace because it has more cuts and the storyline moves on quite quickly which the cuts match. The song also has a fast pace itself which the editing needs to match in order to keep the video and music in sync. I think this is done because a fast pace is associated with being straight to the point and almost aggressive or a rebellious attitude which fits into the genre conventions of punk.

Teenage Dirtbag and Sk8er Boi

In Teenage Dirtbag and Sk8er Boi the setting, use of non-diegetic sound and use of narrative are different. The use of narrative is different because Avril Lavigne is part of the narrative in her music video narrative.

Thursday 12th May 2022

Explain one way in which music videos use media language to differ from each other. Refer to one example of contrasting media language in two music videos you have studied to support your answer.

Notes:

Sk8er Boi video has a faster pace than the Teenage Dirtbag video.

The camerawork is more handheld in Sk8et Boi and more static in Teenage Dirtbag.

They are set in different settings, Avril Lavigne was wearing trendy clothes for that time however the main character in teenage dirtbag is wearing clothes that were not seen as trendy. However, the main character in teenage dirtbag almost wants to be like the popular people whereas Avril Lavigne who is the main focus of Sk8er Boi is almost doing the opposite and she is expressing a disliking to people like that.

More dietetic sound in teenage dirtbag.

Teenage dirtbag is more of a narrative video than Sk8er Boi and Sk8er Boi is more performance based with some narrative to it. 

Answer:

One element of media language used to make Sk8er Boi and Teenage Dirtbag differ from each other is mise-en-scene. For example, in Teenage Dirtbag the main character's costume are clothes that look almost like a failed attempt to try and fit in with the people at his school which suggests that he wants to fit in with the popular crowds and wants to conform to society's standards. This helps to show the audience the meaning/story behind the song and helps to back up the narrative of the song which is a teenage boy who doesn't have many friends wanting to be like the popular people at his school which contrasts the mise-en-scene used to connote the message behind the song in Sk8er Boi. For example, Avril Lavigne is wearing darker, baggy, ripped clothes which fits into the genre convention of punk and rebellion which contrasts the stereotypical style of a popular person. This connotes that she does not want to fit in with other people in society like the main character in Teenage Dirtbag. This therefore creates different images/moods for the songs as the on screen narrative helps to reflect on and back up the song's narrative.                                                            

Representation

Objectification: The action of degrading someone to the status of an object.

Sexual objectification: Sexual objectification is when a male/female views another male/female as an object of sexual desire, rather than as a person. Physical appearance/attractiveness is focused on.

Thursday 19th May 2022

Do Now:

Can you think of any examples of sexual objectification in the media?

When the camera will focus of someones body instead of their face and will present someone in a sexual way not focussing on who they actually are as a person. An example would be in Uptown Funk when the camera focuses on a woman's body and never shows her face.

Is the sexual objectification usually of men or usually of women?

It can be of both however they are usually women who are sexually objectified in the media.

Why do you think this is?

I think this is because of gender stereotypes of women being more promiscuous than men and men being more likely to be interested in women being sexually objectified in the media than women are to be interested in men being sexualised in the media. Historically, men tend to own big media companies instead of women so women being sexualised helps them to be noticed by big companies as it is done to attract men.

Is it ever justifiable?

I think it is only justifiable if people sexually objectify themselves however it is not if someone sexually objectifies someone else.

Sk8er Boi: The man dropping in shot adds a feel of excitement and being active which may appeal to a younger target audience. The technologies used were popular at the time and would have been seen as some of the best technology which makes her seem cool and trendy. The fast paced montage creates an exciting and youthful feeling. Shots of people flyering and going through man hole covers creates an edgy and slightly criminal representation links to rebellion. Avril Lavigne enters the music video by jumping into the frame making her seem energetic. She was wearing very punk/skater styled clothes which was cool and edgy at the time. Skinny tie was fashionable in 2002 and links to school which would appeal to teenagers and a younger audience as it associates to school especially high school/secondary school which consists of teenagers. The tie being loose and half undone suggests she is rebellious and breaking the rules. They are often jumping around and standing on cars which links to the representation of teenagers being energetic, rebellious and careless. There is also an illegal concert on top of cars. Warnings signs are ignored which connotes that she has a very anti-establishment attitude which links to her skater/punk image. Close ups of the band singing and playing electric guitars which links to the punk genre and will appeal to the teenagers at the time who most likely liked the idea of rebellion and breaking rules. Lots of low angles create a sense of dominance. There is a police care which backs up the idea of her being dangerous, rebellious and careless which ties in to the popular lifestyle that a lot of teenagers would have found appealing at the time, She is wearing very casual clothes which connotes that she is just an everyday rebel who is relatable and not part of the mainstream music industry and is instead a relatable careless rebel who became popular just by living a dangerous, outgoing lifestyle. The sexuality seen as the norm is heterosexual in this music video which links to the tie period when the majority of people were still straight.

Teenage Dirtbag: Links to 2 popular films and which would have been familiar to and attracted a lot of people who liked the film. Both of the films were teenage films so by setting the music video in a high school the target audience who are familiar with the teenage films will be appealed to the music video as well. The high key light used when the girl is in the shot helps to show that she is the love interest and the main characters main focus. He is walking against the crowd which connotes that he is alternative and not like everyone else which teenagers may relate to meaning that it will appeal to teenagers. The low angle shot used for the popular people links to dominance and being more important. The shot of the main character being pushed to the floor reinforces the idea of him being not part of the crowd and popular group which teens may find relatable. The popular men throwing things at the main character helps to villainise them and make the audience relate/sympathise more for the main character which is the message of the song. The shallow soft focus of the main character and love interest during the prom scene shows that there is a romantic connection. There are also intertextual references to a popular metal band iron maiden which was popular among alternative teenagers at the time who are the target audience of Teenage Dirtbag meaning it will be more appealing to teenagers.

Thursday 26th May 2022

Representation

LO: To explain the construction of representations in music videos.

How do your chosen music videos support or challenge Van Zoonan's theory of patriarchy?

I think that the Teenage Dirtbag music video does support her theory of patriarchy because the female character in Teenage Dirtbag is often objectified and almost made to seem like an object that the main character is competing with the popular main character to be with almost like a prize. She is also wearing stereotypical feminine clothing which men tend to find attractive which supports the idea of women thinking that they have to dress a certain way because that is what men like.  She is also presented as having typically feminine characteristics such as being caring, for example when she leaves her boyfriend for bullying the main character. The only sexuality presented in this music video is heterosexual which once again supports this theory.

I think that the Sk8er Boi music video challenges this theory because she subverts the stereotypical characteristics of women. Avril is not presented as being caring or soft which men would usually be attracted to which shows that she does not act a certain way for men. She is also wearing more masculine clothes which subverts the stereotypes of women therefore meaning that she is not fitting the expectations of what men want therefore meaning that she is not being sexualised. However, a lot of the other characters do support the theory as there are shots of girls who do follow feminine stereotypes that men typically find attractive meaning that she is being objectified.

Stereotypes are often portrayed in music videos because they are easily identifiable and they can easily convey a message to the audience as society is still very stereotype dominated so people are more likely to relate to and be familiar with the messaged being conveyed in the music video. Stereotypes are used and also subverted in Teenage Dirtbag and Sk8er Boi.

In Teenage Dirtbag, the stereotypical feminine characteristics of women are used and supported to objectify the main female character in the music video. She is presented as being caring when she walks away from her boyfriend bulling the main character which is a stereotypical personality trait of a woman meaning that she fits into the expectations that women are expected to follow in order for men to find them attractive. She also wears stereotypically feminine clothes which men typically find attractive. This could like to Van Zoonan's theory that because women have been presented in a certain way by men, that they need to act and look that way. This is shown through the way that the male characters objectify her and treat her almost like a prize after competing over her.

In Sk8er Boi the stereotypes of women being feminine are in fact subverted through the use of the way she behaves and the way she dresses. She is presented as rebellious when she smashes her guitar into the windscreen of a car and being rebellious does not fit into the stereotypical personality traits of women which are being soft, caring and well behaved therefore subverting a stereotype of women. She also wears more stereotypically masculine clothes which are usually not presented as attractive on women in the media therefore subverting the stereotype of women having to dress provocatively or femininely with the intention to be desired by men. This also disproves Van Zoonan's theory of women feeling like they have to dress and act a certain way due to the needs and expectations of men and societal norms.

Friday 12th May 2023

Exam Format

LO: To explore the possible exam tasks for the Music Industry unit.

Q1:

Bauer publishes/owns MOJO magazines.

IPSO or IMPRESS regulate magazines and newspapers/radio in UK.

Hybridity describes a mixing of style and genres.

Diversification describes a company that branches out into other media areas in order to make more money.

Convergence describes the coming together of different platforms such as when magazines are available online.

Q2:

Sk8er Boi: Mise-en-scene such as city setting. Camerawork focuses on Avril Lavigne. Expressionistic camerawork such as canted angles, fast paced etc. Mise-en-scene such as trendy clothes on Avril Lavigne. Avril Lavigne subverts female stereotype as her style of clothing connotes she is rebellious yet fashionable at the same time. Punk connotations which is not a stereotypically feminine characteristic. Lots of low angles showing her status and superiority.

Teenage Dirtbag: Mise-en-scene such as high school setting. Naturalistic camerawork to focus on narrative, makes it look more like a film. Mise-en-scene such as unpopular clothing on main character. The pacing of camera/editing increases during chorus in order to keep up with beat and speed of song. Slows down to focus of narrative. Presented as unpopular, not wearing trendy clothes and is always shown on his own to separate him from other characters. Other boys presented as popular, superior. Low camera shots. Shown in centre of crowds and seen as group rather than an alone person. Girl presented as desirable.

Listening to live radio: Opportunity to participate with it  

Listening to content online: Access it whenever it is convenient, access it anywhere with a device.

Q3:

Live Lounge: Hosts and artists have a brief conversation and then the artist will play a cover of a song and one or two of their songs.

Q5:

Q5: