Genre.

Text : Any media production; film/ advert etc.

Form: Category of media it is; book/film/advert/magazine/poster/ music video etc.

If a group of media texts have similar form/structure/pattern it might be due to a link in Genre (type/kind). They will share common structural elements to make them recognisable as a specific Genre. It represents a way of classifying popular cinema into distinct types - useful for splitting the audience into demographics.

Audiences often choose a film because they are a fan of the Genre. Investors run less risk when putting up money for a popular and well established genre. Genres can be further distinguished into Sub-Genres.

However, audiences may become tired of constant, repeated formats. To keep their interest, Genres can be blended and developed in new directions. These Genres are known as hybrids.

Common Genre elements are known as conventions; they are developed over time and become expected by the audience. They can also offer reassurance at an ideological level. However, these conventions can be re-negotiated between audience and industry to keep things 'fresh' and unexpected.

Television & Representation

The most common forms of representation in our culture serve the dominant interests.

Dominant groups are promoted as 'normal' and dismiss other groups as 'abnormal'. The sub-ordinate groups attempt to gain recognition and status.

Television relies on the dominant views of gender roles and stereotypes of femininity and masculinity. Most institutions are set up by males and reflect their input and decisions.

E.g. 
                Dominant                                          Sub-ordinate
         

                 Male                                                          Female

                 White                                                        Other ethnic groups

                 Middle class                                             Working class

                 Middle aged                                             The young/ The old

                 Heterosexual                                            Homosexual/ Bi-sexual

                 Able-bodied                                             Disabled

There is also a major difference between the terms sex and gender:

Sex - Defines biological differences to seperate men+women. Little room for debate.

Gender - Cultural qualities, change over time, debatable. 

E.g.       

              Masculinity                                   Femininity

  

             Professional                                   Domesticated

             Strong                                            Weak

             Rational                                         Emotional                 _______     These are stereotypical

            Competitive                                   Co-operative                                 qualities and conventional

            Independent                                   Communal                                    representations.

           Aggressive                                      Passive

           Ruthless                                          Sensitive

           Ambitious                                       Supportive

  

Characters which differ from these conventional qualities will often be portrayed in a negative light.

College Magazine.

I have now completed my front cover and contents page for the collge magazine:

Colour Connotations.

When designing my magazine I have had to decide which colour scheme I shall use. Colours have connotations as to what they could mean and/or represent. In addition to this different colours are used depending on the season. E.g.

Black - Power, elegance, death, evil, mystery, magic, strength, authority, grief, night, halloween, sophistication, scary, fear.

Purple - Wealth, Money, riches, royalty, luxury, posh, mystery, gothic, autumn.

Orange - energy, happiness, autumn, harvest, warmth, fire, sunshine, heat, halloween, sumer, hot. juicy, tangy.

Red - Fire, blood, energy, war, danger, anger, rage, strength, power, determination, passion, desire, love, passion, romance, courage, christmas, festive, death, lust, sexual, scary, pain, glamour.

Gold - Glamour, royalty, wealth, riches, lxury, posh, money, christmas.

White - Virginity, innocence, purity, light, good, goodness, cleanliness, cool, weddings, broing, simple, honest, angelic, fresh, life, sterile, hygienic, religious, death.

Yellow - Sunshine, happiness, joy, warmth, fresh, cowardice, childish, caution, decay, attention, gold, poor health, bright, energy easter, fun, excitement.

Pink - 'Girlyness', youth, pretty, cute, childish, 'princess', lust, love, soft.

Blue - Sky, sea, trust, loyalty, wisdom, truth, pure, health, clean, cool, holidays, miserable, depression, fresh, peace, calm, authority.

Green - Nature, growth, harmony, fertility, safety, money, medicine, health, jealousy, envy, peace, protection, mould, sickness, summer, fresh, spring, greed, organic, natural, earthy, festive, 'go', emergency.       

I have decided that my magazine will be black, purple and red. These are strong and elegant colours which also represent the autumn/winter period the magazine would be released during.

College Magazines

I have been looking at some college magazines to see what common features they have:

 

 

All these front covers have a medium close up of a student and teasers of what's inside. Though the amount of text on the front cover varies.