2. A class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form,
content or technique.
• Throughout my AS coursework, I had to cater to an audience who
listened to the indie genre of music as that was the genre I used
for my magazine. I used props such as guitars, amplifiers and
microphones as the indie music scene relies heavily upon these
objects. I used images from live gigs I had attended (The 1975) to
make the magazine more authentic. I also used language
appropriate to the music industry, and featured lyrics in the
magazine. I used my handwriting on one of the special edition
covers of the magazine as it is quite scrawly and careless which
depicts the audience of whom represent the indie genre well. My
house style was red, black and white – gender neutral colours.
GENRE
3. A spoken or written account of connected events; a story.
• In my AS coursework I created a story for the artist featured in my
indie magazine. Indie music generally depicts the life that they
have gone through; whether it be love, hatred – they sing a lot
about their feelings in a deep manner. In order to meet the
expectations of an indie magazine, I had to create a rebellious
character with a crazy story that would reflect the types of things
that she would sing about. My article discussed how she had been
hooked on drugs and living on the streets, busking for money to
get by and then got the opportunity to be signed by a huge label.
She also battled with love. This story helped form my artist’s
character as it is quite clear what kind of music she would write
and sing about. I used taboo language such as ‘f***’ and ‘s***’ in
the story to make her seem more hardcore and tough, which is
appropriate to the audience.
NARRATIVE
4. The description or portrayal of someone or something in a
particular way.
• In my Year 11 coursework I had to portray the model to be heroic and
inspiring for my fashion magazine. I made her appear very angelic by
dressing her very classy and having her say inspiring quotes about
her views on the world. I used natural props such as trees and
flowers and played around with lighting on the camera in order to
make her be seen in a more favourable light. The model posed very
happily; smiling a lot and being very feminine.
• This contrasts hugely with my AS coursework. My artist had to be
quite rebellious and controversial. I had her pose in quite a wacky
way; such as sticking her tongue out and screaming. I wrote around
the image of her screaming with words and lyrics that related to her –
generally quite aggressive thoughts, to make the artist more
appropriate to my indie genre. I also used props such as guitars,
amplifiers and microphones. In some images, my artist wore a
bandeau top so that in the images it would appear that she was
basically nude. She was more sexualized compared to my Year 11
work in order to fit in with the genre of the magazine.
REPRESENTATION
5. The people giving attention to something.
• Throughout the years, I have created many different projects for a wide variety of audiences
in each of my coursework pieces. In Year 10, we had to create a comic. I chose a young
female audience of around 10+. I achieved this by following the general conventions of a
young girls comic catered towards their young age, by using a house style of pinks and
purples and featuring female characters such as princesses and fairies who could be seen as
heroic as all young girls fantasize over being like them. I also used loads of fun shapes such
as stars and hearts, with curvy writing which is very feminine looking.
• In Year 11, we had to create a magazine. I chose a fashion magazine, with the audience
being female teenagers and young female adults who are interested in style and beauty, in a
social class ABC1. Obviously, this had to follow different styles than my comic. I used a more
professional colour scheme such as light and deep blues. I created a ‘singer’ who was also a
model – she was seen as an inspiration to the female audience in order to make them want to
purchase the magazine so they could find out about her. The model was seen in close up
shots to make her seem admiring, and I kept her looking stylish and glamorous as I wanted
the images to be appropriate for my audience.
• Most recently, in my AS coursework I created a music magazine. This was more challenging
as it was for both males and females in the ABC1 category who are interested in the music
industry and more importantly indie genre. I chose images that were intimate, such as
pictures I had personally taken at gigs (The 1975) and using a professional colour scheme of
red, black and white as it is a gender neutral house style. I stuck to the same fonts throughout
the magazine as I wanted it to look consistent and fluent as it had to look more classic. I also
used props such as guitars, microphones and amplifiers to represent the indie genre well as
the audience can identify with it.
AUDIENCE
6. Media conventions, formats, symbols and narrative structures
which cue the audience to meaning. The symbolic language of
electronic media work much the same way as grammar works in
print media.
• In my AS coursework I created a music magazine. The audience
was both males and females in the ABC1 category who are
interested in the music industry and more importantly indie genre.
I had to use language specific to this audience in order for them to
be able to interact with the magazine and trust it. I used taboo
language such as swear words like ‘f***’ and s***’, as the artist
was seen as quite feisty and hardcore. I also used sympathetic
language so that the audience could relate to her and feel
empathy.
MEDIA LANGUAGE
