Evaluation Question 2 DRAFT

How does your media product present particular social groups?

I chose to use a female model on the front cover, to represent the female social group as important and iconic, as Hazel Grace is a big artist that people would look up to and admire. I have represented her in a good light, to make her famous for her talent rather than infamous, as I felt it was important to have a positive role model in my magazine, so my audience (teenager-adult females) wouldn't be influenced by a bad role model, found on the cover of gossip magazines, or even other music magazines. I styled my model in such a way that wasn't too edgy; in order to portray a nice attitude, and not a bad reputation that some 'edgy' artists try to uphold.

I think the double page spread adds a fun and quirky element to the artists personality, as the photos on the left hand side show her endearing and outgoing traits. When writing the article on Hazel Grace I wanted to make her sound genuinely lovely and grateful for the support of her friends and family, as I personally feel this is how most artists should behave; instead of being a diva or high-maintenance.

The social group my magazine would appeal to most is the alternative/indie style, as my magazine isn't mainstream due to the fact some of the bands inside the contents aren't well known (such as Spector) and I have also created bands that would be seen as indie. When writing the contents I tried to include different styles of music such as folk so my magazine would appeal to everyone, and veer away from the mainstream expectations of a successful music magazine; due to the fact my targeted social group wouldn't be into that kind of music. I think using small bands with a good reputation shows the social group who listens to them in a good light, as they are more likely to behave properly with positive role models and a good taste in music.

When creating my artist profile I kept Florence Welch in mind due to her famous and incredibly recognizable voice. I also styled my model on her due to her unique vintage clothes that compliment her pale skin and red hair. This split screen shows the influence I took from Florence as the hair styles and facial expressions are similar.

Hazel Grace's outfit was bought in a Charity Shop, and this also ties in with the information given about her in the article; as she buys clothes from charity shops and is quite fashion orientated. The outfit worn by Gigi is from Topshop, a shop that most teenage girls go to in order to find the latest styles and clothes, therefore it appeals to them on a personal level, especially if they shop there regularly.

Hazel's pose is quirky due to the pout and wide eyes, and the teenage audience can relate to this, as when taking photos with their friends, poses like these are often pulled as they're taking jokey and humorous photographs. The style of pose defined by Majorie Ferguson would be comic due to the wide open eyes, 'pulling a face for a real or imaginary audience' as well as invitational due to the emphasis on her eyes, 'mouth shut or with only a hint of a smile', 'suggestive of mischief or mystery, the hint of contact potential rather than sexual promise'.

When creating my contents page I included text about the bands and artists featured in the issue, and I tried to capture the type of music the indie genre includes, such as real bands e.g. Spector, Laura Mvula and Icona Pop, as they're not too well known, yet all have music careers in the charts or alternative scenes. Gigi, another artist included in the contents page has also been displayed as a confident music artist, and can be seen as more sexual in comparison to Hazel Grace, as they are two different music artists. This photo juxtaposes with the cover image of Hazel Grace as Gigi's hair is flowing, and she is wearing a tighter fitting outfit, from an established clothing range, instead of a vintage style dress from a charity shop. These two photos portray different sides of the audience, as they are both different, however I feel like they both give good impressions of the teenage audience, as they are not too provocative or obscene.

The eye contact in both of the photos addresses the reader directly, as we are drawn in by their gaze. These photos feel more personal as we have a link to the artist through the eye contact, making it feel like they're down to earth and care about their fans. Even though not every image on the double page spread includes a pose that uses eye contact, the fun and quirky poses would make Hazel Grace's fans (hopefully) enjoy her as a music artist due to the fact she is exciting and down to earth, like most other 16-24 years olds out there.

Phrases like 'Say Hello to....' are directed at the reader, as they are more personal than simply giving the readers facts that don't grip and engage them. Addressing the reader directly means they can become more involved in the magazine, which potentially means they enjoy reading it more, as they feel like they are a part of the interviews and fan base, surrounding the magazine or artists inside. Also, when writing my article and contents page I used language that would register with 16-24 years olds, as it's not too sophisticated, but it is not slang and shortened words, therefore it is understandable, and fits in the with 'high-end' style magazine I wanted to create.