Assignment 1: Analytical Task

It's now time to complete the Assignment 1 Analytical Task - our first piece of written coursework. 

A reminder of the task AQA have set you:

Analyse the cover pages of two popular magazines. How do the covers appeal to their audiences?

Word count: 750 words
10 marks

AO2: Analyse and Respond

Remember - we add a couple of details to that. Firstly, the two magazines must be from the following choices and aimed at different audiences:

Magazine 1: GQ OR Men's Health
Magazine 2: Glamour OR Empire

Secondly, you also need to analyse your own magazine cover. You'll get some lesson time later to finish your cover so don't worry if that's not yet complete.

You can find guidance for the layout of the Assignment 1 Analytical Task here.

Remember, you must use the official magazine Media Packs to help you with the target audience:

GQ Media Pack
Men's Health Media Pack
Glamour Media Pack
Empire Media Pack

Remember, we analyse something by explaining HOW and WHY it is produced in that way and the EFFECT it has on its audience. For an A*, you need to explain in real detail and offer alternative interpretations.

One of the ways of doing this is making sure we use those key words and phrases to show connotation:

This tells the reader...
This could signify...
A possible interpretation of this is...
The reader could infer that...
This shows the audience...
This suggests to the reader...
From this, the audience will understand that...
This connotes...
This is significant because...
This creates...
This emphasises...

Your analytical task is due in the first lesson after half-term - good luck!

Media Awards nominations!

With the Media Awards rapidly approaching we are delighted to announce this year's nominations!

The quality level at both GCSE and A Level was exceptionally high and it has been an extremely difficult process narrowing down the nominations for our Oscars-style event. To find out the winners you'll need to attend the exclusive Arthouse-themed ceremony on Tuesday 18 October. Tickets go on sale Monday 10 October and cost £3 if purchased in the first week. The price then goes up to £5 but be quick - the Awards have sold out days in advance for the last few years!

Media Awards 2016 Nominations

A Level

Best Y12 Original Screenplay
Insanity
Kiss of Death
Loop

Best Y12 Production Design
Project KR
La Sombra
Transgression

Best Y12 Dialogue/Voiceover
Amelia
La Sombra
Transgression

Best Y12 Cinematography
Exposure
My City
TicTacToe

Best Y12 Sound Design
Kiss of Death
Amelia
TicTacToe

Best Y12 Film Editing
Hunting Season
My City
Exposure


GCSE

Best GCSE Cinematography 
Flight – William Welhenage 
Buried Alive – Emman Chaudhry
Song - Hitik Gohil

Best GCSE Music Video Concept
Perfect – Sabrin Ibrahim
Buried Alive – Emman Chaudhry
Seven Nation Army – Mohammed Omar

Best GCSE Production Design
Hotline Bling - Krissah Rolle 
Dollhouse – Zayna Malik
In the End – Jason Boachie

Best GCSE Editing
Not Afraid – Hussein Hamume 
Red Lips - Narin Omar
Thrift Shop – Abdullah Al-Fadhli


Acting

Best Actress/Actor
Katie Foster – Kiss of Death
Saanya Shah - Amelia
Sabrin Ibrahim – Perfect 
Zayna Malik - Dollhouse
Callum Louis – La Sombra
Mamduh Adan – Hunting Season
Hussein Hamume – Not Afraid
Jason Boachie – In The End

Congratulations to all our nominees and see you at the Media Awards!

Assignment 1: Magazine cover key conventions

Today's lessons are all about learning the 12 key conventions of magazine covers and starting to develop our written analysis.

The detailed notes on the key conventions of magazine covers can be found here.

Your blog task is as follows:

1) Use Google images to find a magazine cover of your choice. Make sure it is a UK-based magazine.

2) Copy the image into PowerPoint.

3) Find as many of the 12 key conventions of magazine covers as you can on the front cover and annotate the key conventions on PowerPoint using arrows.

4) Choose three of the key conventions and write 50-100 words of analysis for each. The key here is to explain how the key conventions target the magazine’s audience. Example:

5) When finished, save your PowerPoint slide as a JPEG and upload to your blog with a brief explanation of the task.

Good luck!

Target Audience

Notes from today's lesson on Audience

Demographic classification:

• Age
• Gender
• Education
• Social class
• Race/ethnicity
• Job/profession/earnings
• Home (city/village/countryside)

Social class classification

Advertisers have traditionally classified people into the following groups:

• AB – Managerial and professional 
• C1 – Supervisory and clerical 
• C2 – Skilled manual 
• DE – Unskilled manual and unemployed

Audience profiles

Advertisers these days are interested in more than just a social class classification. Now they try to sell a brand or lifestyle.

So you also need to think about the kind of brands your audience will be interested in.

Armani and Porsche? Banana Republic and Apple? John Lewis and The Times? Nike and PlayStation? Peppa Pig and Haribo?

Audience profile task

Create an audience profile for a magazine of your choice using Photoshop.

First, use demographics: Age, gender, education, social class, race/ethnicity, job/profession/ earnings, home (city/village/countryside).

Then write some statements that your target audience agree with. Look at the NME example for inspiration. Statements such as 'It's important to look good' or 'Enjoy life and don't worry about the future' work well for this part of the profile.

Then use brand logos that the audience will use or enjoy and build them into your profile.

NME magazine example:

When it is complete, save your audience profile as a JPEG and post it to your blog at the end of this afternoon's lesson.