Textual analysis qu1

• Point - identify either visual code, technical code or how narrative is
constructed
• Evidence - explain how this is done, with reference to scene/construction in
music video
• Explain - what it means - representation issues, audience appeal

Print Media
• Over the next few weeks, we will going through thorough research and understanding of
print media.
• This will include analysis of CD covers, print adverts, ﬁlm posters, magazines, web page
and today we will begin looking at this concept today.
• You will be given a resource book, with lots of different examples which will be used as a
lesson resource and will be important to bring this in each lesson.
• It is almost important to start collating your own examples and annotating those for good
practice to build your knowledge and understanding of the technical codes, audiences
and representation. It is essential you do this by either using a blog, sketchbook or folder.

Todays Session
• Technical codes in print texts
• Visual codes
• Language and mode of address
• Print advert analysis

Technical Codes
Each piece of print media is constructed.
Designers and institutions employ a range of
techniques designed to appeal to and attract
an audience.
• Layout and design - each piece of print
media has technical conventions. But can
also include the use of colour, font style, text
positioning and size. Audiences will expect
consistency - magazines have a house style,
companies use iconography and other visual
codes, there are genre conventions.

Technical Codes
• Photography and camera shots -
choice of shots communicate
meaning as well as visual codes
of person/object.
• Lighting - choice of lighting set-
ups can communicate meaning.

Technical Codes
• Use of colour - audiences connotate
meanings with different colours.
• Graphics - choice of graphics, size,
shapes, colours, positioning all
communicate different meanings.
• Post-production techniques - images
can be manipulated in software for
different reasons and meanings.

• Layout and design
• Camera shots and
photography
• Lighting
• Use of colour
• Graphics
• Post-production
techniques
• Does this suggest,
who there audience
may be, how?

Task 1 - Technical Codes
• Analyse the technical codes of the perfume adverts (use one pen colour) and what meaning is being
suggested.
• Consider the layout and design
• Camera shots and photography
• Lighting
• Use of colour
• Graphics
• Post-production techniques
• Does this suggest, who there audience may be, how?

Visual Codes
• Messages are encoded by…
• the media producers
• Messages are decoded by
• the audiences
• Polysemic - Texts have more than one meaning contained within them and
therefore can be interpreted in different ways

Visual Codes
• Media texts can transmit meanings to an audience through visual codes.
• Clothing - genre conventions, can communicate a meaning quickly for instant
effect and message
• Facial Expression - facial expression works with shot types and mode of
address to communicate meaning.
• Gesture - made towards audience or somebody/something else.
• Technique - using connotations to create meaning. E.g. black and white
photography may suggest sophistication. Soft focus may be romantic and
emotion.

Visual Codes
!
• Colour - connotations and also target audience, particularly gender.
• Iconography - objects, setting and backgrounds within a media text can be
analysed for meaning. Icons have denotation meanings and connotation
meanings.
• Images - always been placed for a reason, what do they mean?
• Graphics - also have signiﬁcance, text may coney information, font may have
a meaning and clues to genre.

Task 2 - Visual Codes
How do each of this
contribute towards create
meaning?
!
• Clothing
• Facial Expression
• Gesture
• Technique
• Colour
• Iconography
• Images
• Graphics
Task 1 - Technical Codes
• Layout and design
• Camera shots and
photography
• Lighting
• Use of colour
• Graphics
• Post-production
techniques
• Does this suggest,
who there audience
may be, how?

Mode of address
• Register - The spoken or written register of a media text is the range and variety of
language used within the text. This will change according to the purpose of the text and its
target audience.
• Informal - use of slang, colloquial vocabulary and personal pronouns to engage target
audience.
• Formal - use of complex vocabulary and writing style.
• Direct - subject of the text directly communicates with the audience. Make audience feel
more involved, often persuading us to look and listen.
• Indirect - subject of the texts interacting with each other rather than the audience.

Task 3 - Mode of address
• Hard Sell - In your face advertising, usually short, loud and clear and gets to the point.
• Soft Sell - These adverts are much more subtle and attempt to sell a lifestyle rather
than a product. The actual product may not be obvious.
• Appeal - Adverts try to appeal to something within us so that we feel we need to buy
in to the product - greed, security, own identity. Some use the ‘herd instinct’ appeal -
persuading us that everyone will have the product and we will be left behind.
• When analysing, these modes of address often lead us to identitfy a clear audience

Task 3 -
Mode of Address
Consider if the
perfume ad speaks /
appeals to audience
and the effect this
has?
!
• Formal or informal?
• Indirect or direct?
• Hard or soft sell?
• Appeal?

Task 4 - Language
• Lexis - the actual words used by texts. What are trying to suggest?
• Hyperbole - over-exaggerated language used to create a dramatic effect
• The imperative - these are words or phrases that contain a command or order, often
use exclamation marks.
• Ellipsis- sentences are incomplete and ﬁnished with a set of dots… the words needs
to be ﬁlled in by the reader.
• Colloquialism - informal expression that is more often used in casual conversation
than in formal speech or writing.

CD COVERS
• A CD cover and the digipak are
an important part of the way in
which the performer creates
their star image.
• Meaning that the artist can
market themselves to an
existing and new audience.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ON A CD COVER
AND DIGIPAK?
• Name of the band/artist
• Record label logo/name
• Track listings
• Advisory warnings

CONVENTIONS OF CD COVERS
A central image
• This may be a photograph of the
performer, art work or an image related
to the theme of the CD.
• If the image is of the performer then the
mode of address may be direct in order
to attract the attention of the audience.
• The iconography surrounding the image
and the visual codes may encode clues
as to the genre and style of the music.

Star image
• Consider how the image of the star has been
constructed on the front cover.
• All the aspects of the image have been
considered to encode a meaning and
transmit a set of messages to the audience.
• Consider visual codes - clothing, expression
and colour.
• There may be a Unique Selling Point (USP)
associated with the CD cover that will attract
the audience.

Design and layout
• The design features, font styles and
letting may reﬂect the music genre
of the performer or the theme of
the CD.

Genre
• Important for producers to
communicate the genre of the
music to a potential audience.
• This may be done through a
combination of images and visual
codes commonly associated with
the style of music.

• Graphics - connotations with Great Gatsby, existing
audience (contemporary film) - 1920s jazz, glamour,
riches,
• Title - surrounded by graphics that have
connotations with old-fashioned/traditional cinema.
• Copy / typography - font has connotations with
shows/performance/broadway - JN may be as big.
• Black & Gold graphics - denotation; art deco,
connotation; 70s - JN is traditional and may
incorporate these styles/eras of music within
Tribute.
• Indie/alternative - abstract and different
• Genre - iconography suggests Jazz and Soul
(traditional broadway theme). A contemporary twist
because he is young and dressed fashionably.
• VC / Expression - emotion suggests mood of album
(serious/soulful)

• Stylised - rebel, important messages and
themes within album?
• Wrapped in an American flag - his American
status/identity comforts him (patriotic).
American dream, freedom.
• Proud of being American, uses $ in name
(brand identity).
• Oppressed by US society - backed up
by being watched? Ethnic prejudices?
• Black bar - censorship banner
• Static television - being watched, CCTV, on
the news.
• ‘Long.Live.A$AP’ - important icon in society -
may contradict American principles and
social status.

F I L M P O S T E R S
K E Y C O N V E N T I O N S A N D T E X T U A L A N A LY S I S

T O D AY S S E S S I O N
•Film poster codes
and conventions
•Question 1
practice

What are the purposes of ﬁlm
posters?

P U R P O S E S O F F I L M
P O S T E R S
• One of the marketing techniques used by the film
industry to promote a new film to an audience.
• They are a hook, used to persuade an audience to
come and see the film.
• Hook - This is the element of a media text that
catches the attention of the audience and draws
them in.
• To be able to present the key elements of the film
quickly.

P U R P O S E S O F F I L M
P O S T E R S
• The film poster must therefore encapsulate the film
in the images and words contained within it.
• Enigma - often used to raise questions and
encourage audiences to want to come and watch the
film in order to discover the answers.
• Teaser campaigns use this effectively - this is when
the film posters are part of a sequence of adverts
whose aim is to release more information about the
film gradually in the run of to the release.

G E N R E I N D I C AT I O N S
• The images and copy on the
poster will usually give a clue to
the genre
• Copy - This is the writing on
the media text

I C O N O G R A P H Y
• This is another clue to the
genre of the ﬁlm. The objects,
background, clothing and
setting will establish the genre
of the ﬁlm.

P R O M I S E O F P L E A S U R E
• These are the words and
phrases that tell the audience
what they will experience
through watching the ﬁlm, e.g.
fear, laughter etc.

S TA R S
• Actors can be associated with
genre and style.

S TA R B I L L I N G
• Positioning of the images and
stars can suggest role and
sometimes their is a hierarchy
of importance.

TA G - L I N E
• Memorable phrase that
becomes associated with the
ﬁlm and appears on marketing
material.

T H E I M A G E
• Can suggest narrative,
(disruption of equilibrium),
genre, role of characters

L A N G U A G E A N D M O D E O F
A D D R E S S
• Language can be persuasive
and make use of hyperbole

E X P E R T C R I T I C I S M
• Quotes from newspapers, ﬁlm
magazines and reviews
suggesting the quality of the
ﬁlm and making it a ‘must see’.

Hook
Enigma
Copy
Iconography
Promise of Please
Stars
Star Billing
Tag-Line
The Image
suggests?
Language & Mode
of Address
Expert Criticism

TA S K 1
• Choose a ﬁlm poster and annotate the
conventions.
• Identify the conventions and suggest why and
how they’ve used visual and technical codes
to construct;
• representation (age, gender, ethnicity)
• techniques to target audience
• construction of narrative
• establishing genre

Q U E S T I O N 1 P R A C T I C E
You will be deconstructing/textual analysis of two ﬁlm posters
•Point - identify either a convention visual code, technical code (layout and design) or reference to
how genre is constructed and introduce your idea of meaning/purpose.
•Evidence - refer to the imagery and how it may have been constructed, referring to technical and
visual codes.
•Develop - Suggest the purpose and meaning by linking to
•ﬁlm genre iconography and conventions
•intertextuality
•Either discuss both posters for each point or analyse one poster at a time.
•Make sure you are using correct terminology
•Question 1 = 40 marks
•Duration = 60 minutes (15 minutes to annotate, 45 to write response)

O V E R H A L F - T E R M
• Complete response to Question 2 of exam paper
(take paper and posters with you, available on wjec.ac.uk)
• Friday 21st Feb - I will be in college from 10am to assist with
coursework or to go through any exam content. If you wish to come in,
please email me in advance so I can inform reception.
• Any drafts you have submitted in last week - collect on Friday PM in
G203

FILM POSTERS
THE CONVENTIONS
ONE OF THE MARKETING TECHNIQUES USED BY THE FILM INDUSTRY TO PROMOTE A NEW FILM TO AN AUDIENCE.
THEY ARE A HOOK, USED TO PERSUADE AN AUDIENCE TO COME AND SEE THE FILM. HOOK - THIS IS THE ELEMENT
OF A MEDIA TEXT THAT CATCHES THE ATTENTION OF THE AUDIENCE AND DRAWS THEM IN. TO BE ABLE TO
PRESENT THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE FILM QUICKLY. THE FILM POSTER MUST THEREFORE ENCAPSULATE THE FILM
IN THE IMAGES AND WORDS CONTAINED WITHIN IT. TEASER CAMPAIGNS USE THIS EFFECTIVELY - THIS IS WHEN
THE FILM POSTERS ARE PART OF A SEQUENCE OF ADVERTS WHOSE AIM IS TO RELEASE MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT THE FILM GRADUALLY IN THE RUN OF TO THE RELEASE.
THE IMAGE CAN SUGGEST NARRATIVE, (DISRUPTION OF EQUILIBRIUM), GENRE, ROLE OF CHARACTERS
COPY - THIS IS THE WRITING ON THE MEDIA TEXT. LANGUAGE CAN BE PERSUASIVE AND MAKE USE OF
HYPERBOLE THE IMAGES AND COPY ON THE POSTER WILL USUALLY GIVE A CLUE TO THE GENRE. THIS IS
ANOTHER CLUE TO THE GENRE OF THE FILM. THE OBJECTS, BACKGROUND, CLOTHING AND SETTING WILL
ESTABLISH THE GENRE OF THE FILM. ENIGMA - OFTEN USED TO RAISE QUESTIONS AND ENCOURAGE
AUDIENCES TO WANT TO COME AND WATCH THE FILM IN ORDER TO DISCOVER THE ANSWERS.
PROMISE OF PLEASURE - !
YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THIS IF YOU REMEMBER ALL THESE CONVENTIONS
STAR NAMES!
ACTORS CAN BE
ASSOCIATED WITH
GENRE AND STYLE.
STAR BILLING!
POSITIONING OF THE
IMAGES AND STARS
CAN SUGGEST ROLE
AND SOMETIMES THEIR
IS A HIERARCHY OF
IMPORTANCE.
THE MOST AMAZING RESOURCE EVER!
A TAG-LINE - MEMORABLE PHRASE THAT BECOMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FILM
AND APPEARS ON MARKETING MATERIAL.
“SUGGESTING THE
QUALITY OF THE
FILM AND MAKING IT
A ‘MUST SEE”
EXPERT CRITICISM

COMPUTER GAMES COVERS
Conventions

RECAP
• Last week - gender representation, through the deconstruction of
computer game covers.!
• NOTE. Coursework - everything due in by end of week.

TODAYS SESSION
• Conventions of covers of front
and back of computer games
cover!
• Develop skills in textual analysis
Computer Game Cover Conventions
ComputerGameCoverConventions
• A central image that attracts the attention of the user.This may be similar to that used
on other publicity material. If the game is part of a series then the user may recognise
the character and/or the style of artwork.!
• Characters - these may be recognisable to the users of the game. Representations of
characters will be represented and their image will be developed.!
• Narrative - the covers will give narrative teasers and enigmas to persuade the audience
they want to play the game.These may be the plot situations included in the thumbnails
that usually appear on the back of the games cover.There will also be a story synopsis
on the back cover that will be delivered in dramatic and hyperbolic language.!
• Tag line - This may sum up the game, be a memorable/iconic phrase. It can appear on
the front or back of cover. !
• Expert comments - these may include quotes from reviews included in game
magazines, newspapers or celebrity endorsement. !
• Subject specific lexis - an understanding of the language involves ‘real’ gamers and
excludes others. !
• Setting and iconography - the game cover will suggest where the game is set and will
have appropriate iconography.The artwork may be to a high standard to suggest quality
of graphics.Game covers can be compared to film posters as they’re similar in style and
purpose - they sometimes look like film posters.!
• Technical codes - the covers will include a range of camera shots and angles to
simulate a filmic experience to the user.The screenshots will also give an idea of the
interactivity of the game. !
• Language and mode of address - this may directly address the user and
include lexis related to gameplay. It will also give the user promises of
pleasure involved with playing the game.!
• Industry information - this will include the certification, the name and
logo of the producer, the format and any warnings regarding use of the
game.
• User - This term suggests involvement and interactivity.The audience of game ‘uses’
the text - making choices and decisions that affect their progress.A user is much more
active rather than passive. !
• Teasers/Enigmas - Clues to what happens in the game. Some information is withheld
from the user so they purchase game to find out the answers.!
• Thumbnails - Small screenshots from gameplay.!
• Story synopsis - Summary of storyline to give the user an idea of what happens in
game.!
• Subject-specific lexis - This is the language used in a media text that relates specifically
to that text. Non-users of the text will not understand the language and therefore will
be distanced from the text.Those who understand will feel involved in the world of the
text.!
Remember!
Technical Codes - Layout and design, camera shots and photography, lighting, use of colour,
graphics and typography, and post-production techniques!
Visual Codes - Clothing, facial expression, gesture, technique, colour, iconography, images,
graphics
key terms

COMPUTER GAMES COVERS.!
PURPOSES?
• Promote the game!
• Give an audience a taste of what they
will experience when the purchase and
play the game!
• Computer games cover have a set of
conventions

CONVENTIONS OF !
COMPUTER GAMES COVER
• A central image that attracts the attention of the
user. !
• This may be similar to that used on other publicity
material. If the game is part of a series then the user
may recognise the character and/or the style of
artwork.!
• User -This term suggests involvement and
interactivity.The audience of game ‘uses’ the text -
making choices and decisions that affect their progress.
A user is much more active rather than passive.

CONVENTIONS OF !
• Characters - these may be recognisable to
the users of the game.!
• Representations of characters will be
represented and their image will be
developed.

• Teasers/Enigmas - Clues to what
happens in the game. Some
information is withheld from the user
so they purchase game to ﬁnd out the
answers.!
• Thumbnails - Small screenshots from
gameplay.!
• Story synopsis - Summary of
storyline to give the user an idea of
what happens in game.
CONVENTIONS OF !
• Narrative - the covers will give narrative
teasers and enigmas to persuade the
audience they want to play the game!
• These may be the plot situations included
in the thumbnails that usually appear on
the back of the games cover.!
• There will also be a story synopsis on the
back cover that will be delivered in
dramatic and hyperbolic language.

• Expert comments - these may include
quotes from reviews included in game
magazines, newspapers or celebrity
endorsement.
CONVENTIONS OF !
COMPUTER GAMES
COVER
• Tag line - This may sum up the game,
be a memorable/iconic phrase. It can
appear on the front or back of cover.

CONVENTIONS OF !
• Subject specific lexis - an understanding
of the language involves ‘real’ gamers
and excludes others.!
• Subject-specific lexis -This is the
language used in a media text that relates
specifically to that text. Non-users of the
text will not understand the language
and therefore will be distanced from the
text.Those who understand will feel
involved in the world of the text.

CONVENTIONS OF !
• Setting and iconography - the game
cover will suggest where the game is set
and will have appropriate iconography. !
• The artwork may be to a high standard
to suggest quality of graphics.!
• Game covers can be compared to ﬁlm
posters as they’re similar in style and
purpose - they sometimes look like ﬁlm
posters.

CONVENTIONS OF !
• It may include intertextuality - using one text within
another.!
• Intertextuality could make reference to other forms
of media, religion and cultures.!
• Intertextuality allows the audience/user to make
connotations.!
• It could be used for!
• Homage - pay tribute to previous works!
• Parody - mock or make light-hearted reference
for comical purposes

CONVENTIONS OF !
• Technical codes - the covers will
include a range of camera shots and
angles to simulate a ﬁlmic experience
to the user.The screenshots will also
give an idea of the interactivity of the
game.

CONVENTIONS OF !
• Language and mode of
address - this may directly
address the user and include
lexis related to gameplay. It
will also give the user
promises of pleasure
involved with playing the
game.

CONVENTIONS OF !
• Industry information - this
will include the certiﬁcation,
the name and logo of the
producer, the format and
any warnings regarding use
of the game.

TASK 1 - !
CONVENTION ANNOTATIONS
Choose a video games cover and annotate
the conventions of the computer games
cover.!
Identify the conventions and suggest why
and how they’ve been used;!
• representation (age, gender, ethnicity)!
• techniques to target audience!
• construction of narrative!
• establishing genre

TASK 2 -!
WHEN APPROACHING A TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF A
COMPUTER GAME COVER
Point!
Identify the use of a convention!
!
Evidence !
Refer to the imagery and how it may have been
constructed, referring to technical and visual codes.!
!
Develop!
Suggest the purpose and meaning - link to !
• genre iconography!
• narrative construction!
• representations of subjects - age, gender, ethnicity,
national/regional identities, issues and events!
• target audience and how cover is attracting this audience!
• intertextuality

TASK 3 -!
PEER FEEDBACK
• Note down strengths and weaknesses of the analysis. Consider;!
• Reference to conventions!
• Correct use of terminology!
• Consideration of technical and visual codes and what they mean!
• Consideration of narrative and genre!
• Consideration of representation and audience!
• Support of appropriate theory

C O M P U T E R G A M E C O V E R
R E C A P

Setting and
iconography
Expert comments
Tag line
Central image
Story synopsis
Characters
Thumbnails
Industry information

As well as these, remember;!
• Narrative!
• Genre!
• Subject-speciﬁc lexis!
• Technical codes!
• Language!
• Mode of address!
• User!
• Teaser / enigmas!
• Visual codes

Computer Game Cover Conventions
ComputerGameCoverConventions
• A central image that attracts the attention of the user.This may be similar to that used
on other publicity material. If the game is part of a series then the user may recognise
the character and/or the style of artwork.!
• Characters - these may be recognisable to the users of the game. Representations of
characters will be represented and their image will be developed.!
• Narrative - the covers will give narrative teasers and enigmas to persuade the audience
they want to play the game.These may be the plot situations included in the thumbnails
that usually appear on the back of the games cover.There will also be a story synopsis
on the back cover that will be delivered in dramatic and hyperbolic language.!
• Tag line - This may sum up the game, be a memorable/iconic phrase. It can appear on
the front or back of cover. !
• Expert comments - these may include quotes from reviews included in game
magazines, newspapers or celebrity endorsement. !
• Subject specific lexis - an understanding of the language involves ‘real’ gamers and
excludes others. !
• Setting and iconography - the game cover will suggest where the game is set and will
have appropriate iconography.The artwork may be to a high standard to suggest quality
of graphics.Game covers can be compared to film posters as they’re similar in style and
purpose - they sometimes look like film posters.!
• Technical codes - the covers will include a range of camera shots and angles to
simulate a filmic experience to the user.The screenshots will also give an idea of the
interactivity of the game. !
• Language and mode of address - this may directly address the user and
include lexis related to gameplay. It will also give the user promises of
pleasure involved with playing the game.!
• Industry information - this will include the certification, the name and
logo of the producer, the format and any warnings regarding use of the
game.
• User - This term suggests involvement and interactivity.The audience of game ‘uses’
the text - making choices and decisions that affect their progress.A user is much more
active rather than passive. !
• Teasers/Enigmas - Clues to what happens in the game. Some information is withheld
from the user so they purchase game to find out the answers.!
• Thumbnails - Small screenshots from gameplay.!
• Story synopsis - Summary of storyline to give the user an idea of what happens in
game.!
• Subject-specific lexis - This is the language used in a media text that relates specifically
to that text. Non-users of the text will not understand the language and therefore will
be distanced from the text.Those who understand will feel involved in the world of the
text.!
Remember!
Technical Codes - Layout and design, camera shots and photography, lighting, use of colour,
graphics and typography, and post-production techniques!
Visual Codes - Clothing, facial expression, gesture, technique, colour, iconography, images,
graphics, intertextuality and genre conventions.
key terms

H O W C A N S E M I O T I C S H E L P C O N S T R U C T A N
A N A LY S E ?
• Connotations have meanings
• They can suggest ideologies and values
• They can help suggest target audience/s and also construct
representations
• Semiotics can be identified with visual codes and iconography, but
meaning can be enhanced by technical codes

C O N S T R U C T A S E M I O T I C A N A LY S E O F T H E G A M E
C O V E R
• Consider all elements of cover (visual codes and technical codes)
• What connotations do you make with the imagery.
1. Identify the denotation (convention and visual, technical codes)
2. What connotations can you establish?
3. What purpose do these connotations serve? Consider audience appeal
and representations

GENRE
• Genre is the type or category of a media
product.
• Each genre has its own set of conventions or
repertoire of elements that are recognised to
audiences.
• They are what place the text in that particular
genre.
• These key conventions are recognised and
understood by audiences by being repeated
over a time.

GENRE
The repertoire of elements can be broken down into key areas;
• Narrative
• Characters
• Iconography and setting
• Technical codes
• Audio codes

Print Media
Analysing Magazine Front Covers

Todays Session
• Recap on magazine front
cover layout and design
key terms
• Identifying the target
audience and techniques
to attract audience
• Representation of age

Magazine Front Covers
• In the UK, there are a vast range of
magazines, with different titles
available across sub-genres !
• Sub-genres - smaller groups within a
larger type of media text.!
• Example - Music - NME, Q, Rolling
Stone, Kerrang!
• We are able to identify sub-genres
by analysing the covers of
magazines.

Purpose of front covers of magazines?
The aim of a magazine front cover is:!
• Eye-catching to attract and appeal to potential reader!
• Big titles/text!
• Offer/competition!
• Main image!
• Genre conventions - sub-genre, house style (colour,
text, iconography)!
• Celebrity image/endorsement !
• Provide information/overview of the content of magazine!
• Iconography used to establish genre; allow reader to identify
genre.

Masthead -!
Usually name of
magazine. With
the font, colour
and style it may
give clues to the
genre.
Slogan / tag line -!
Often a claim or
what the magazine
aims to do.
Central Image -!
Uses somebody ‘of
the moment’ and
relates to genre
and audience
interests
Lead Article -!
Relates to central
image.
Cover Lines -!
These suggest the
content to the
reader and often
contain teasers
and rhetorical
questions
Sell line - !
Used to persuade
a consumer to buy
it instead of
competitors
Puffs -!
Offers &
competitions

Do not forget visual codes
• Clothing!
• Expression!
• Gesture!
• Technique!
• Use of colour!
• Iconography!
• Images & mise-en-
scene!
• Graphics

Do not forget technical codes
• Layout and design!
• Camera shots!
• Lighting!
• Use of colour!
• Graphics!
• Post-production
techniques

Language and mode of address
‘The written language of print texts’.
• Lexis !
• Hyperbole !
• Imperative !
• Ellipsis !
• Colloquialisms !
• Informal mode of address!
• Formal mode of address!
• Direct mode of address!
• Indirect mode of address

Language and mode of address
‘The written language of print texts’.
• Lexis - could be subject speciﬁc.!
• Hyperbole - exaggerated language to promote excitement!
• Imperative - to suggest a sense of urgency !
• Ellipsis - used as enigma codes to encourage purchase!
• Colloquialisms - use of slang and informal language to create relationship between audience and
reader!
• Informal mode of address - slang/colloquial vocabulary and use of personal pronouns - to feel
friendly, as if talking to reader.!
• Formal mode of address - complex vocabulary and writing style to appear more serious and
sophisticated. Can be backed up with visual codes (expression and costume).!
• Direct mode of address - subject of text communicates directly to reader; making eye contact,
drawing in readers.!
• Indirect mode of address - subject is not looking directly to reader; audience is looking in.

Representation of age
Front cover of magazines!
Analysing visual codes, technical codes, use of
language and mode of address

Task 2
Representation of age within magazine front covers
1. The central image and layout and design - !
• Who is it in central image? Their age?!
• Are they glamourised, sexualised (visual and technical codes)!
• Are they a realistic representation of an older person?!
2. Use of language - !
• Do the cover lines, puffs, tag-lines address age!
• How are they addressing audience? Use of language (key
terms).

Saga Magazine
Who is the audience?
Can you identify who the audience is through
analysing the front cover of magazine?
Consider;
• Technical codes
• Visual codes

Rate Cards
• Magazine and publisher distribute a package to
potential companies who could pay to advertise!
• It can provide information on magazine’s market/
audience and readership.!
• Demographics - age, gender, region, occupation
and income!
• Psychographics - lifestyle, family, media interests,
consumer habits.

Task 3
Magazine Research - Audience & Representation
Research a UK glamour, fashion, lifestyle magazine;!
• Who is the magazine’s audience? Rate card!
• Textual analysis of 3 different covers (with last 5 years) from the same magazine;!
• Cosnider how visual and technical codes communicate the ideology of the
magazine !
• Language and mode of address!
• Representation of age, gender!
• How might different audiences respond to the text?

N A R R AT I V E I N P R I N T M E D I A
M S 1 - Q U E S T I O N 1

PA S T Q U E S T I O N S
• In 2/3s, design a plan to both of the following questions;
1. With reference to your own detailed examples, explore how audiences are
categorised by the producers of media texts.
2. With reference to your own detailed examples, explore the representation
of young people in the media today.

1. With reference to your own detailed examples, explore how audiences are
categorised by the producers of media texts.
H O W A U D I E N C E S A R E
C AT E G O R I S E D
E X A M P L E S
Age
Demographics - D and E (students)
The Inbetweeners - appeal using language,
regional identity, casting, gender, jokes
Visual codes - mise-en-scéne
Demographics - C1, B, A
The Grand Budapest trailer - use of pinks, 1920s
iconography
Age Lego Movie - lego appeals to different
generations, use of DC Comic Book heroes
(costume)
Content Lads’ Mags - cover lines appealing to interests
of younger men, sport, alcohol and women
Language - subject-specific lexis Call of Duty uses language that may alienate
some audiences because of references to
gaming experiences and ‘battle’.

BROADSHEET NEWSPAPERS IN THE UK
• TheTimes &The SundayTimes !!
• The Guardian &The Observer!
• The DailyTelegraph &The Sunday
Telegraph! !
• FinancialTimes!
• The Independent & Independent on
Sunday!
• i

TABLOIDS NEWSPAPERS IN THE UK
Middle Market;!
• Daily Mail & Mail on Sunday!
• Daily Express & Sunday Express!
Tabloids;!
• The Sun &The Sun on Sunday!
• Daily Mirror & Sunday Mirror!
• Daily Star & Daily Star Sunday!
• The People

NEWSPAPERS IN THE 21ST CENTURY
• For newspapers to survive in a digital,
multimedia world, where audiences want
information in bite-sized chunks, they’ve
expanded in the market of smart-phone
applications,Twitter and video service.!
• However, print newspapers, and in
particular, their front pages still have a
role to play in how we receive the news
on a daily basis.

WHO CHOOSES THE NEWS?!
NEWS VALUES AND PUBLIC INTEREST
• Although newspapers are dealing in facts and suggest
they are telling the truth.!
!
• Windows on the world - the suggestion that the news
programmes, newspapers and documentaries offer a
realistic representation of what is going on in the world.!
!
• In fact, all news is constructed.The producer/editor of
the newspaper will decide to a present a news story,
based on the style of newspaper (tabloid/broadsheet),
its ideology and the audience that will read it.

• The same news is available to all the
newspapers every day. How do they decide
what to publish in their paper.!
!
• Gatekeepers - they decide which stories are
newsworthy for their paper.

• News values are the criteria that will
inﬂuence the decisions made by the owners,
editors and journalists about which stories
will appear in the newspaper.!
!
• They will then decide on their approach to
story, where it appears (dominance/amount
of coverage).This is known as the news
agenda

NEWS VALUES
• Threshold: the bigger the story the more likely it is to get onto the news story.!
• Negativity: bad news is more exciting and interesting than good news.!
• Unexpectedness: an event that is a shock or out of the ordinary.!
• Unambiguity: events that are easy to report and are not complex will be higher up the agenda of some newspapers.!
• Personalisation: news stories that have a human interest angle are more likely to appear in some newspapers.
Readers are interested in celebrities, and stories have more meaning if they’re personal.!
• Proximity: the closer to home the story is, the more interested the reader.!
• Elite nations/people: stories about important people and powerful nations, e.g. the USA, will be higher up the agenda.!
• Continuity/currency: stories that are already in the news continue to run and are updated as new aspects to the
story appear.

WHAT NEWS VALUES HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED
IN CHOOSING TODAY’S FRONT PAGE STORIES?
• What does the news values suggest about the newspapers values and ideologies
(including style - broadsheet/tabloid)?!
• Consider the representations of subjects/stories!
• Who do you believe is the target audience for this newspaper? !
• How is the front cover appealing to this audience? !
• Consider how different audiences may respond to the front page

F O R M S O F P R I N T A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
• magazines
• buses
• billboards
• bench
• ﬂyers / leaﬂets
• on buildings
• newspapers
• interactive/
information screens
• bus stops
• trains / train
stations
• underground
• posters
• banners
• side of vehicles
• clothing
• digipaks
• sandwich board
and signs

W H O A D V E R T I S E S A N D W H Y ?
• companies and businesses to market products
• large-brand companies and smaller companies
• media - television producers, ﬁlm industry, websites and social media, magazines, video games
• company partners
• restaurants and food establishments
• literature and authors
• charities - awareness and donations
• for sales and offers

W H O A D V E R T I S E S A N D W H Y ?
• Makers of consumable products - these are products that we use regularly
and that need to be replaced; food and cosmetics
• Charities - raise awareness and encourage donations.
• Government departments - NHS; health issues, political election campaigns.
• Event organisers - boost sales and promote event to wider audience
• Educational establishments - persuade people to study there.
• Media products - ﬁlms, CDs, TV shows, newspapers, magazines.

P U R P O S E S O F P R I N T A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
• They have to transmit messages quickly as they catch the attention quickly.
• Advertisers need to persuade us to stop and then persuade use to buy what we want
and desire rather than what we actually need.
• Sometimes it isn’t always to sell a consumable product
• Whatever is being advertised, the company will need to develop and establish brand
and brand identity - this will be what an audience recognises.
• Brand - That which identiﬁes one company’s product from another. Ways of doing this?
• Brand identity - The connotations the audience makes with brand. This is built up over
time

R E C A P
U N D E R S TA N D I N G P R I N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
• Technical codes - layout and design, photography and shot
types, lighting, use of colour, graphics, post-production
techniques
• Visual codes - clothing, facial expression, gesture, technique,
colour, iconography, images, graphics
• Language and mode of address - the advertisement needs to
‘speak’ to its audience.

O T H E R F O R M S O F M O D E O F A D D R E S S T O
A U D I E N C E S
• Hard Sell - In your face advertising, usually short, loud and clear and gets to the
point.
• Soft Sell - These adverts are much more subtle and attempt to sell a lifestyle rather
than a product. The actual product may not be obvious.
• Appeal - Adverts try to appeal to something within us so that we feel we need to
buy in to the product - greed, security, own identity. Some use the ‘herd instinct’
appeal - persuading us that everyone will have the product and we will be left
behind.
• When analysing, these modes of address often lead us to identitfy a clear audience

TA S K 1 - T E X T U A L A N A LY S I S
1. Annotate the two print advertisements
2. Produce a response to each of the following;
• Technical codes
• Visual codes

TA S K 2 - A U D I E N C E
1. Identify a potential target audience for one of the advert
2. For the other advert, explain how the target audience has been targeted.

A D V E R T I S I N G C A M PA I G N S
• Run by an advertising agency, this incorporates all the ways in which the
product is promoted - print advertisements, packaging, radio, TV,
internet.
• Often the following are used consistently throughout the campaign;
• Slogan - a catchy phrase that is memorable and thus becomes associated
with the product.
• Enigma - a mystery contained within the advert that makes the audience
curious.

A D V E R T I S I N G C A M PA I G N S
• Product endorsement - The use of celebrities, members of public,
experts are used to say how good the product is. If the endorser is
admired and believable, the audience may be persuaded to buy the
product. A celebrity of ‘the moment’ may be used as well.
• Iconic representation - An image of the actual product often appears in
the advert to show the audience what it looks like.
• Unique Selling Point - Offering something different or extra in which
competitors are not

P E P S I C A M PA I G N 2 0 1 0

R E S E A R C H TA S K - C A M PA I G N
Research an advertising campaign.
Present it using Keynote or PowerPoint
and include the following;
• Provide background information on the
campaign - what brand stands for, what
is the brand identity? logos, slogans etc
and information on campaign, dates it
launched, alongside an event? Is it a
new product? Awareness campaign?
• Forms of advertisements used -
examples of the print and moving
image
• Provide annotations and analysis of
each -
• campaign conventions
• technical codes
• visual codes
• mode of address
• use of language
• connotations
• Practice for Q1
• Representation of those people used
• Audiences - how producers encode &
how audiences decodes

MS1
MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS AND RESPONSES

MS1 EXAM
Aims
1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts and
critical debates.
2. Apply knowledge and understanding when analysing media products and
processes, and when evaluating their own practical work, to show how meanings
and responses are created.
• Two and a half hours, assessing AO1 and AO2. This will consist of three questions:
Question 1 requires an analysis of an audio/visual or print-based extract (40).
Questions 2 and 3 will be based on representation and audience issues (30 and 30).

MS1 EXAM
Textual Analysis
• Genre and conventions
• Narrative
• Technical codes for moving image and print
• Use of language and mode of address

MS1 EXAM
Representations
• The role of selection, construction and anchorage in creating representations.
• How media texts use representations and the effect those representations
may have upon audiences.
• The point of view, messages and values underlying those representations.
• Study a range of examples that include representations of gender, ethnicity,
age, issues, events and regional and national identities.

MS1 EXAM
Audience responses
• The ways in which audiences can be categorised.
• The ways in which the producers of media texts construct audiences
and users.
• How audiences and users are positioned.

HOW WE APPROACH MS1
PRINT MEDIA
• Magazine front covers
• Print advertisements
• Film posters
• Website pages
• Newspapers
• CD covers
• Computer game covers

Key Concept
Semiotics!
The theory and description of sign systems. !
Examination of the way signs are
produced, disseminated and consumed.

But what actually is it?
Denotation (Signiﬁer) Connotation (Signiﬁed)

Denotation
The literal or primary meaning of something.
Connotation
An idea or feeling that something invokes for a
person in addition to its literal or primary meaning.

• Our perception of reality is inﬂuenced by the words and signs
we use.!
• We don’t just label the world, we give it meaning through our
words and therefore construct it.!
• We give things their meaning, they do not have it implicity.!
• The media have a huge impact in constructing these meanings.
Semiotics

How can we use semiotics to
understand media texts?
• We are exposed to so many different images because of the media.!
• Do the media construct connotations and meanings?!
• Do they use denotations and connotations to create meanings and provoke a reaction?!
• Signs position their audience in particular modes of appreciation and understanding, just as audiences
themselves comprehend signs in particular ways. !
• Semiotics looks at how signs are used, accepted and rejected and this suggests the tastes and desires
of wider society!
• Denotation - What you see?!
• Connotation - What does it mean, what is its purpose, how does it position the audience?

RESPONDING TO MEDIA TEXTS
• Media texts are constructed in order to place audiences in a particular
position in relation to that text.
• Audience positioning concerns the relationship between the text and the
responses an audience may have to the text.
• The producers of the texts encode the texts with signs and denotations and
audience decode these signs with connotations and messages.
• Different audiences will decode the same texts in different ways and will
therefore have a different response.
• In the exam you may be asked to discuss how media texts position audiences.

ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE
Active Audience
• This describes an audience who responds to and interprets the media
texts in different ways and who actively engages with the messages.
Passive Audience
• This describes an audience that does not engage actively with the text.
They are more likely to accept the preferred meaning of the text without
challenge. This also suggests that passive audiences are more likely to be
directly affected by the messages contained within the text.

Technical Codes Purpose?!
How this has constructed national identity representation
Audio Codes Purpose?!
Visual Codes Purpose?!

Web Pages
Key Features & Textual Analysis

Key Features of Web Pages
• Navigational features - these are displayed
clearly on the web page in order to help the
user to move easily around the site."
• Title/banner headline - this works in the
same way as headlines in magazines and
newspapers do - it draws in the audience. If
the headline is, e.g. the name of a band,
then the font style of the banner may give a
clue to the music genre.

Flash elements - these are the animations and moving elements of the site, including roll
overs. Roll overs - when user places the cursor over an item and it changes; colour, size,
image.

Banner advertisements - these, along with pop-
ups are the most common form of internet
advertising and appear at the top of the web
pages. These will sometimes be examples of
contextual advertising and therefore be more
successful. Contextual advertising - This a form
of targeted advertising where, as a result of the
information the user has entered on the site, a
related advert will appear. These may encourage
users too click to either go to new site or full
advert.

• Multimedia features - websites will use a
mixture of text, images and sound."
• External web links - an image or a key word
that will take the user to another page of
website."
• Interactive features - these are the elements
of the website that allow the user to become
involved with the site through blogs, forums,
surveys, email opportunities, etc. This
feature may encourage the user to return
regularly to the site as their involvement
develops.

Technological Convergence
• Technological Convergence - One institution / company may use a range of
different technologies as a media platform. "
• Media platform - This is a range of different ways of communicating. e.g.
television, newspapers, social networks etc."
• Using technological convergence, broadens and extends their audience
range."
• Consider the features used by Kerrang! to attract users.

Textual analysis approach for print
• When you ﬁrst discover out the type of print media you have for your
stimulus material."
• This can direct your analysis approach, as you should be
considering how the bullet points (technical codes, visual codes,
conventions of text, genre, narrative, language and mode of
address) contribute and construct the purpose of the media.

What are the purposes of;!
• Magazine front covers!
• Print advertisements!
• Film posters!
• Web pages!
• Newspapers!
• CD covers!
• Computer games covers

You also need to use the conventions and features of each of
these texts; making sure you use key terminology and suggest
discuss the bullet points within the conventions.

Textual Analysis
Annotate the Saga Magazine
website commenting on;
• Visual codes
• Genre
• Visual codes - clothing, facial expression,
gesture, technique, colour, iconography,
images, graphics
• Genre - construction of genre of lifestyle
magazine
• Language and mode of address - the
advertisement needs to ‘speak’ to its
audience. Choice of language/register/
lexis. Informal or/and formal? Direct or/
and indirect?

• POINT - The Saga Magazine website uses a banner advertisement uses the visual
codes of facial expressions and graphics to appeal and encourage purchase."
• EVIDENCE - The Glasses Direct advert is positioned at the top of the page, the
photograph includes iconic representation as a middle-aged man and woman are
endorsing the spectacle products. The ad is promoting a ’50% off’ promotion, the
arrow next to the title encourages the user to click as it is an external web link. The
‘shop online’ lexis suggests greater accessibility and can be done at that moment."
• DEVELOP - The advert is addressing the users and audience of the magazine,
who are aged 50+. The middle-aged models suggest who should be wearing the
glasses, the happy facial expressions suggest quality and satisfaction of the
spectacles. This may appeal to this audience, particularly, as it is said that eyesight
gets worst with age, but it can be conquered cheaply as Glasses Direct are offering
a large percentage of of their products.

W E B PA G E F E AT U R E S
• Navigational features!
• Title/banner headline!
• Flash elements & Roll overs!
• Banner advertisements & Contextual advertising!
• Multimedia features!
• External web links!
• Interactive features!
• Technological Convergence & Media platform

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