This is a detailed analysis on the main image and representation on the front cover and double page spread of a magazine

1. Main image and representation analysis
This Billboard magazine cover
consists of a lot of mise en scene
features. Firstly, the lighting creates a
real sense of isolation and darkness
that the artist, Eminem, has found
himself in. As his target audience
would know, Eminem was in a very
rough situation where he was addicted
to drugs and it reached a point where
he almost died so this use of lighting
where only part of his face can be
seen shows his bad character and
shows a dangerous side to him as
well. However the clever use of
ligthing in this image also reveals
something else about the artist. As the
caption suggests, Eminem is working
on recovering and going back to being
the great artist he once was. He even
admits in an interview that his album Relapse was disappointing because he was
on drugs, despite the number of awards he received for it. His next album
Recovery was to show that he’s back and this time he’s not playing around – he
wants to make up for his previous album. So the fact that part of his face can be
seen coming out of his hoodie shows that he is emerging from the depths of
despair he was in and is ironically going through his ‘revovery’. Secondly, the
costume shows another side to the artist. It emphasises the fact that he was in a
place of darkness where he felt completely alone and that fact that he has his
hood shielding his face shows that he doesn’t want to be seen or identified as the
artist who went through those drug problems and released poor quality music as
a result of it. The costume also shows that Eminem as an artist isn’t one that
brags about having an expensive lifestyle like the majority of other artists,
particularly ones in the hip-hop industry. The hoodie expresses a sense of
normality and a lack of extravagance – here is a man who is simply about the
music and not the fame.
The camerawork used in this magazine cover is also very clever in representing
the artist. In a lot of magazines, specifically music magazines, the artist is often
looking directly into the camera with their face and body facing the camera too.
However, as shown in the image, there has been a different approach in the
making of this magazine. Eminem is facing sideways but he is still looking into the
camera – a look that conveys the impression that Eminem isn’t an artist that likes
to be focused on, sharply contrasting with other artists. This emphasises again
that he was essentially in ‘hell’ as the cover line suggests and he doesn’t want to
be known as the artist would dropped dramatically. The camerawork also implies
a sense of danger and menace in the artist – almost as if he’s rising from the
dead.

2. This magazine double page spread includes many features of mise en scene and
camerawork too. Firstly, again the lighting in this image showcases a lot of ideas
about the artist, Eminem. He stands out in this double page spread because the
background is black whereas he is shown as bright and completely contrasting
the background. This is a clever use of juxtaposition. It could show the good and
evil side of Eminem – Slim Shady, his alter-ego being the evil one and Eminem
being the good one. Another example of mise en scene is the use of costume.
The artist is wearing a basketball vest – a sleeveless vest – and tracksuit bottoms
finished off with basketball trainers. It is a very casual costume and it is often his
attire and this is because he doesn’t really care about his appearance, he only
cares about the music and the sounds he’s producing. The tattoos on his arms
show that he also cares deeply about is family and especially his children, he has
his daughter Hailie’s name and face inked on his arm. The magazine wants to
express and this would very much pass the approval of Eminem, that this is an
artist who is very down to Earth and is extremely passionate about his music and
family. This is something that Eminem addresses in essentially all of his songs,
the fact that he is in the music industry purely for the music and to give his
daughter the life that he always wished she had. This is expressed explicitly in his
songs ‘Mockingbird’ and ‘When I’m Gone’.
The use of camerawork in this double page spread very cleverly shows little sign
of wealth in Eminem’s life. It is obvious that he is a very successful artist who has
an extreme amount of wealth but the camerawork further reinforces the idea that
he is a very humble figure who is respected for this. The shot used is a medium
shot and it captures his whole body whilst he is sitting down, giving the
impression that he looks homeless or ‘on the streets’. This acts very cleverly as a
sort of flashback to Eminem’s horrible past, filled with deprivation and poverty.
Essentially every single one of the Eminem’s fans know and understand his story
from rags to riches and this forms a huge part of his popularity. It also highlights a
message he often gives to people of “no matter how great you become, never
forget how you started’.