Magazine Layout

Typical Magazine Cover Layout 

In a typical magazine cover the mast head is placed at the top of the magazine. This makes it stand out as this is the first place you would typically look at. In the middle you would have a main image, typically a model. This makes the magazine look more interesting and visually more appealing. The main image is normally a mid shot as this shows off the model, and makes the model stand out which is what draws the reader in. around the edge of the magazine you would find your sub headings. These let the readers know what’s inside the magazine. Depending on the tag line the writing will normally be different sizes as this makes the more important one stand out and draws the reader in. This will normally be about a famous person. The barcode is located at the bottom typically in the corner. This is so that the consumer is able to buy the product and it is usually small so as not to take up too much space.

Connotation and Denotation

Connotation and Denotation

Denotation is what the audience can see. For example there is a red heart.

Connotation is what the meaning of the object is. For example red symbolises power and the heart symbolises love, so a red heart could symbolise powerful love.

Audience Theories

Audience Theories 

There are three different theories of audience that we can apply to help us come to a better understanding about the relationship between texts and the audiences. These theories include - The Effects model or the Hypodermic model, The Uses and gratifications model and the Reception theory.

 

The old theory – the Hypodermic model – suggest that the message in media texts is ‘injected’ into the audience by the powerful ‘syringe’ like media. Therefor the media is thought to work like a ‘drug; and therefore makes the audience ‘addicted’. The audience however is powerful enough to resist. The newer theory – The Effects model – suggest that the consumption of media text has an effect or influence on the audience, and that it’s normally considered that this effect is negative. The audiences are passive and powerless to prevent the influence and the power lies within the message of the text.

The second theory is The Uses and gratifications model. This theory is the complete opposite to the effects model. This model suggests that the audience is active, and that the power lies with the audience and not with the producers. So instead of the audience being ‘drugged’ by the text, like the hypodermic model suggest, we as the audience are free to reject, use/play with the meanings as they seem fit. Audiences therefor use media texts to gratify needs for, diversion, escapism, information, pleasure, relationships and sexual stimulation. By the audience being it control it allows the audience to deal with issues such as, learning, emotional satisfaction, relaxation, personal identity, social identity and issues with aggression and violence.

The third theory is The Reception theory. This theory is a mix of the other theories, as this one suggests that the texts are encoded with meanings behind them by the producers and are decoded by the audience. So when a producer constructs a text it is encoded with a meaning or a message that the producer wants to convey to the audience. Sometimes the audience will correctly decode the message and understand the message, or sometimes the audience may reject or fail to understand the meaning or the message behind the text. Stuart Hall identified three types of decoding; the first is dominant/preferred, this means that the audience understand the message and completely agree with it. The second is negotiated, this is where the audiences accepts, rejects or refines elements of the text in light of previous held views and the third is oppositional. This is where the dominant meaning is recognised but is rejected for cultural, political and ideological reasons.

preliminary task - evaluation

Evaluation

I analysed 3 existing school magazine covers, to understand the layout and typical conventions. For my magazine front cover I used an image of the headmaster. I used him as it links to the main story of the magazine. I placed the image in the middle of the magazine as this is a typical convention of a magazine cover. The headmaster is smiling which makes the magazine more appealing and makes him stand out. I put the mast head at the top of the magazine as this is a typical convention of a magazine cover. I chose to use the colour red for the mast head as this will make it stand out. Red is related to power which makes the magazine look powerful. I put all the tag lines in red as well so that they match the mast head; however I used a different font size for different tag lines. This makes the more important ones stand out, again this is a typical convention of a magazine cover. I also placed and smaller image from inside the magazine. This makes it more interesting to the reader as it catches their eye as it shows them what’s inside the magazine. For my contents page I used an image of a science class doing an experiment as this makes it look more interesting and appealing. I used white writing as this makes it stand out against the dark background. I put the title at the top of the page as this is a typical convention of a contents page and shows clearly that it is the contents page.

preliminary task - plans

Magazine Sketch Plan - Front Cover/Contents Page

preliminary task - school magazine contents page

School Magazine Contents Page 

Preliminary task - school magazine front cover

School Magazine Front Cover