Codes and conventions in a media text can be broken down into 3 different groups :
- Technical (camera techniques & shots)
- Symbolic (ie clothing, colours)
- Written
The main aim of a magazine front cover is to interest it's intended target audience (i.e. shoppers) and make them want to buy the product. It has to stand out against all other magazines and be aesthetically pleasing. Colour, and pictures on the cover are symbolic and are all used cleverly to draw the eye of potential readers. Different magazines will need to appeal to different people, you wouldn't see a clean cut boy band on the front cover of a heavy metal magazine, nor would you see Slipknot on the cover of a teen pop magazine. The elements used in a magazine cover need to be right, or else the magazine will not interest it's target audience.
WRITTEN ELEMENTS
- A masthead which tells us the name of the particular magazine and any slogans which may be associated with it e.g. Kerrang - Life is Loud
- Large headings highlighting the main articles of the magazine, which will interest the potential reader
- Smaller headings and a sub-heading strip, which will interest the reader furthermore when he/she picks up the magazine.
SYMBOLIC ELEMENTS
- A main picture (The subject of which contributes to/features in the main article) which is usually in close-up or mid close-up. These pictures are symbolic in the sense that things such as the clothing, make-up, hair and body language of whoever graces the front cover can give out many messages related to their particular article e.g. the shot of a naked Beth Ditto below will promote her brash, forward attitude and will send out a confident message to her fans, yet to those who do not like Beth Ditto, they will only see the reasons why they do not like her (Possibly the reasons why some find her such an inspiration)
- A colour scheme, which is usually the same throughout the magazine and can relate to the nature of the magazine (e.g. Heavy metal magazines will use dark colours whereas pop magazines will use bright colours to attract their intended target audience.) The colours used will have certain connotations e.g. red represents blood, carnage etc. Using a colour scheme throughout will help to avoid confusion for the reader.
TECHNICAL ELEMENTS
- The type of shot says a lot about a magazine. The mise en scene for the shot has to be correct or else the picture would not create an accurate portrayal of the magazines intentions. I.e. Shots for pop magazines are normally in close up or mid-close up, they are taken using high key lighting, they are simple and "clean" and are quite staged in the sense that their is not much action going on within the frame.
- However, an indie or urban music magazine will feature a picture which has a lot more action going on. The mise en scene of one of these types of magazine can include a variety of different shots - close up, mid close up, long shots, medium long shots etc. More is captured within the frame to emphasise the character of the magazine (normally raw, edgy and innovative, almost as if they are telling a story.)
- In both magazines, the colour schemes are the same (Red, black and white for NME and pink and yellow for Smash Hits), the main subject of the magazine has a large picture (Mid long shot for Beth Ditto, Mid close up for Preston) and a large heading relating to the subject of the magazine.
