Compare and contrast the cover with another magazine cover, drawing attention to the similarities and differences, and saying what the genre codes and conventions are.
The contrast cover can either be your own cover or another professional cover.
Above are two different music magazine covers. One is a "MOJO" magazine featuring David Bowie, the other is a "Q" magazine featuring Ed Sheeran. Their layout, colours, imagery and general design all have differences and Similarities to each other.
A similarity they share is the layout of their cover lines. They both have cover lines, about other stories in the magazine, running down the sides with the name of the band, person or place in large letters, then a little sub-heading beneath it briefly describing the story. Another similarity they have with each other is the fact that they have the name of the artist (singer) featured in the main splash, in large letters, in front of that artist. This is to help emphasise that the main story will be about that artist and possibly about an interview they gave. They also both have puffs and pugs, trying to entice readers by telling them what special things are inside. The way they phrase their puffs, e.g. "Essential 50 albums of 2014", makes the reader feel they not only want, but need what the puff is promising.
A difference the have is the position of the masthead. The MOJO magazine follows the usual convention and has it in the middle-top of the page, slightly covered by the artist featured in the main splash. However, the Q magazine has it in the top-left corner, not really covered up at all; but it does have a strapline that is slightly covered by the head of ED Sheeran. A large difference between the magazine is the eye contact, wile David Bowie is staring right at the camera slightly menacingly, Ed Sheeran is looking of into the distance as if he is day-dreaming. This could suggest a number of things; maybe that David Bowie feels his fans want to feel more relateable to him and Ed Sheeran thinks that his fans don't feel they need that kind of recognition. Also in the MOJO magazine the picture is taken from a low camera angle whilst Bowie is standing up, but the Q magazine has a mid-shot and close-up of Ed-Sheeran whilst he is sitting down. The Q magazine has Ed Sheeran being lit from straight on, but the MOJO one has Bowie lit from the side.
Mark 8 out of 15
ReplyDelete1. You draw comparisons between the two covers but tend to stick to the bare bones of whether the conventions are present (rather than to respond to some of the content).
2. However, you start to observe the representations rather more closely when you draw attention to differences between how Bowie and Sheeran are positioned. Develop this: which star seems more distant and up on a pedestal, which more homely and approachable? (hint: 'an everyday tale...')
3. Is there a reverential approach on both magazines, seen in words such as 'superstar' and 'genius'?
4. On the MOJO cover, is as much attention given to past musicians as to current ones? Is there a sense of 'farewell' and elegy? On the Q cover, is it more about survival?