Idea 1 for CD cover

This is my first idea for my CD cover. The front and back both use the same background. I think this is a good idea because nothing changes for the audience to look at. The background photo resembles the album name. The long road is just a picture to what the album name is. Also the sky which is above the road is kind of mystical and as it is dusk on the photo it shows the album being relaxed. I think it shows this because the sky is calm and even though it Is dark the lighter colours that have been used are calm as I have said and when the sun is setting it a stereotypically a romantic setting. As the silhouette is reaching out it shows that the album is a journey from one place back to home. The songs on the back also show the journey. I think overall the feel of the album is shown not just by the photo that has been used but also the name of the album and the songs.

The font that has been used is effective in the sense its different and where it has been placed on the front cover, it is proportion to each other from each corner of the CD front. The album name is smaller than the band, also if it was placed on a shelf you would want to see the album name first as it would attract you to the album. From my research I have found out that the thing that makes people by a CD is the band. So by putting the bands name at the top and larger than the album name it would stand out and make the audience purchase it.

I think the album overall you get a warm feeling about it. I know this because like I said that the sunset resembles romance which is happy time in some sense of peoples life. I also think the names of the songs and what the album is called would connect to some people who are going home after being with out someone for a long time. Even though it does look like a warm album I think it would be an emotional album as well.

I think the location of the album is perfect for what the album is called. The long road ahead of the silhouette shows the amount of miles that they have to go to get home. I also think by using the same background on both front cover and back cover shows that the person (silhouette) has gone and started making a journey back home. It tells a story within its self without the song titles. The song titles just make the audience see what the album is about more and clarifies what the album is about. 

The lightening is the same on both because it shows that it has been taken the same time of day. This then backs up the story of a journey because the person in the album cover hasn't waited and they have already started there 20,000 mile journey.

Overall I want to make something like this because it tells a story without the songs being played and that's what I want the audience to realise.

Pre production ideas (CD cover)

  Kings of leon, 'Come Around Sundown' is an effective and well presented album. It has a image which links in with the album name. The main image is basic but effective, what i mean by this is that it gives the album a sense of calmness about it. As the image is a beach it is a place where you go to clam down and escape from reality. This then could reflect on what the album would do to you mood wise. The decor of album is sunny and as it is based at sundown, it reflects that with the tint that has been put on top. The whole picture and editing of it also the album name gives a sense of calmness and relief. The audience is soft rock lovers and fans of kings of leon. Even though king of leon is mostly known for there heaver stuff this album you get a to see a different side of them and you can tell this by the image that has been used. The camera angle is an extreme long shot, i know this because the whole landscape is in the shot. I think if they used a different type of shot you wouldn't get the correct feel towards the album. I am planning to use a extreme long shot on my CD cover as it gives the album not as much personality that it can with an extreme close shot. It gives the album a sense of mystery as the image is in a silhouettes form.

One republic, Native album uses a collage as its main image which makes the album stand out.  The main image makes it stand out by there are five different animals which are used to make one. They all blend in to each other and gives the album a sense of a native American feel. The image also blends in with the album title as the album is called Native and all of the animals which are used are native American animals. The text that is used is unique and the 'e' that is used in OneRepublic once again relates back to the native American feel. Also how the band name is bigger than the album name. I think this album cover gives a sense of warmth about it because of the colours that have been used. The yellow/orange makes me think of the sun which is a main source of light and heat. The camera angles that have been used on the animals are a mid shot as you cannot see the rest of their body. Overall i personally like this album cover as it is unique and everything is relevant to the album name. The animals that have been used are prey creatures and predator creatures. This shows that they unite and show that this album make even the worse people come together. The songs that are also used are relevant to the native feel. 'Counting Stars' is one track that is used on the album and it relates by that native Americans are outside a lot and are under the stars, which could mean that they count stars to get to sleep. Anyway i like how the whole album relates to album name.



The Boxer Rebellion, Union album cover is very cold because of the low lightening that has been used. Towards the bottom of the cover it goes black which blends out the picture. Also by having the centre of the image being a silhouette gives the album no personality because the photo has no features but the stance that the person is doing gives the album some sort of life. 
The album is called union but a union is many people joining together but only one person is featured on the album cover. Which then juxtaposes the album to the picture.  
The camera angle is an extreme long shot which then leads the picture into being a  silhouette. Also it shows no one is around the silhouette which you would not get across if the photo was a close up. 
The brown effect on top of the picture gives a vintage feel about the album. It also has a snake skin print on top which gives it a texture feel to it. 
The font that has been used is making look like The Boxer Rebellion as one word and it is all in capitols. I think this is effective because it then even though the image juxtaposes the album name, the band name written all together shows that they are a union between the band and there fans who buy the album.
Overall the album gives a cold feel to it because of the darkness around the bottom and the lightness around the text. The picture is effective and gives the album a sense of loneliness because even though it maybe called union only one person is appearing on the front.  Songs which are featured on  album 'moving on' and 'evacuate' could mean that the one person in the middle of the main image needs to go and find a new union because there old one has evacuated or moved on with out them. The songs then link to the image and once again is proving to have a cold vibe about the album because evacuating is not something to be happy about.

For my second cover i want to do something like this. The two covers are similar in some aspects. But my first cover will have silhouettes on the front and it will have a warm feel about it. In the sense the sky will be warm and colourful and even though they wont be i will get it through by the style of effect i use. I don't want to give a lot away on my first cover, like i said it will just be the silhouettes of the band members. But my second cover will be set in a forest environment and all the band members will be showing a sense of emotion, that the audience will get when listening to the song. This album cover is simple, by how there is no text on it but its effective because his body language is so neutral. I picked this album cover because of the effect that has been put on top. I will probably use this effect for my second album cover. 

Children's magazine analysis

This children's magazine 'Disney and me'. The target audience for this magazine is 2-6 year olds. I know this because of the colours that are used and how the images are laid out. Also when texted is used the language that is used is informal and easy words to pronounce and read. The characters that are used are something children will recognise as well.

The masthead is 'Disney and Me' it is not traditionally where the masthead is placed. It is still at the top of the magazine but it is not as big and eye catching like a traditional magazines. But as it is a children's magazine it doesn't need to be as big. The colours are loud and child friendly colours. Red and yellow attract the eye. The masthead is the traditional Disney logo and text. Which then is a recognisable  to children as it is seen on films and the TV.  The masthead is above the main image  which instantly attracts the audience attention and draws them in. 

The dateline and the barcode are placed in the top left hand corner of the magazine. This is a place where the child cant really notice it so it does not get in the way of the child's view. By the dateline it say what type of issue it is. 'Summer bumper issue' this tells the audience that it is the summer issue which states it must only come out four times a year or it is the issue where it sets the audience up for summer by giving them everything they ned for summer through the magazine. 

The main image that is used is a recognisable character from a popular disney film. Even though they are not real people they are still making direct eye contact with the audience . This then engages the audience to buy the magazine. The main image is not just there because it is a recognisable character but because they are trying to promote the film in which they star in. Even though it is not a adults magazine it is still in the style of one. The main image is big enough to not get lost in the background the heads of both characters are big enough to make direct eye contact with like i said. The main image also represents the type of magazine it is. 

The cover lines are in a line at the side of the main image. In this case they are not really stories which are in the magazine but activities the audience can do. As the target audience are young they will not want to do a lot of reading. So replacing reading with activities will engage and be interactive with the specific audience. At the bottom of the magazine it states an intriguing statement  which will make the audience want to know what it and how they can take part in it. 

The colours that are used are bright and attractive to what type of magazine it is.

Uses and Gratifications: Entertainment

Criminal minds for me is an escape from reality to an extent as the stories they use are real and have or are happening somewhere in the world. They may say that they are based on a true story but they have obviously got the idea from somewhere unless someone has thought about the things that they could do to people. Anyway Criminal Minds educates the audience and it doesn't really do anything obvious to get the audience attention because the people that watch criminal minds watch it because of the adventurous stories that are told. The stories are not the stories you read about but the stories that are to explicit to publish. By them telling stories that no one would think it escapes you from reality, but in the sense of you wished that you weren't involved in the crime but in the sense where you wished you was part of the team. Even though it does engage the audience by showing the step by step guide on which they go through to catch the criminals. To me criminal minds does this.

 

Now you see me: Visual, Technical, Audio Codes

Now you see me: Film

This is the first few minutes of Now You See Me. This clip basically introduces each character and shows you what they can do. The film is based on these four magicians who come together and pull off the biggest illusion of all time. They have their own show, and the film just shows you what type of magician they are and how magic works. The film is original as there is nothing like it. The genre is a crime fiction/ mystery/ thriller. The film is in so many different categories as it has the crime ( the robbing of the bank ), the mystery ( magic ) and the thriller ( it keeps you on edge and has suspense though out )

The film uses many visual codes such as the costumes they wear. The first few minutes as I said shows all the characters, the first magician you see as an audience J. Daniel Atlas which could be the main magician through out the film. He is performing in the streets which reflects on what he is wearing, the scene is also at night which then links into the costume he wears. The character is wearing a black coat. This shows no personality of what he's like as a person and it also shows he wants to blend in with the crowd and not stand out. The shot is constantly just focusing on his head and shoulders so the audience cant see the rest of his costume which shows he is mysterious and shifty. As a magician I imagine you want to be seen as that but right from the start you guess that.
The next magician the audience gets introduced to is Merritt McKinney. The setting of this scene is completely different not just the location but also the time of day. The character is wearing a hat and a shirt but also a blazer which could then show he wants to be seen and not blend in. The setting is a resort lobby location which is generally busy or it could be set in a shopping centre, never the less it is still a busy and crowded location. Which shows he wants to be known unlike the first magician. As the scene continues it shows what he specialises in. The film shows what all the magicians specialise in as they are introduced. Anyway I also think his costume is that he wants to blend in but not so much as the other character.
The third character that is introduced is Jack Wilder. The setting for this is a tourist attraction, on a boat. He obviously isn't well known unlike the other three as they had an audience and participants. He had to engage his audience with money. By doing this his facial expressions may show he is confident but his body expression shows other wise as his trick doesn't plan out like he wanted but the illusion of it did. This instantly shows the audience what type of character he is. Also his clothing shows he is a shifty and sneaky character, he wears a leather jacket and this is usually resembled to a rebel of some sort
The final character is Henley Reeves. Her setting is attraction which instantly shows she is well known and people always come and watch her perform. Her costume is a black jump suit which shows off her figure which then could show she is a flirty character because her outfit is revealing. Her body language is very open and her facial expressions are presenter like. As the clip goes on she shows what she can do as a magician. She does an old trick which is being locked in a chamber which she needs to get out from. Not only does she keep the audience on their seat by being stuck but she shows an illusion of her at the back of the crowd which shows her talent.

The technical codes the film uses in the first four minutes is that with the first character as I said they use close up through out. But not only does this shot focus on the characters expression it also takes the audience eyes off what is going on in the background. The mise en scene of the shot of the first character is in a busy city and by having the buildings in the background shows that he is a street performer. This then shows he doesn't have a lot of success.  The trick that he does involves the audience because as he is explaining it with the crowd he is also explaining it to the audience. I know this because he makes direct eye contact through out the trick, so the audience cant look else where.
The second character as I said is showing his talent in a busy location but it doesn't instantly show this. The scene starts with a close up of his board saying what he does and his name. The photo of him used is a young photo which shows he been trying to get into the industry a while. As well as the first scene it uses a range of shots but the main shot that is used is a close-up. When he interrogates his audience there is an extreme close up used which then points out the weakness of some of the words he says.
The third character uses mainly mid shots which then includes the background which then shows the audience where he is. The only close up the director uses is when the trick is being shown which takes the audience eyes of what is happen else where.
Finally the last character uses long shots through out so you can get the whole of the tank in. If the director used as mid shot the audience would get the impression that the trick is fake and lose interest. 
The editing of these scene to scene is quick so the audience doesn't lose interest. The scene goes from character to  character which is effect and the audience gets to know what each magician is like.


The audio codes that are used in the first scene is diegetic and non diegetic sound. The diegetic sound that is being used is him speaking and the crowd responding but over the top of that  there is a non diegetic sound being played. The soft music that is being played gives the scene as mysterious feel. This will give the audience a sense of what the scene Is like before anything has happened. As the trick is being planned out the music gets louder. 
The first character has music like I said, the rest have either very subtle non diegetic sound such as the weather being played over the top, to show what the setting is like and where the location is. The second character uses the weather as a non diegetic sound. The third character uses a voice over as he walks up the stairs his speech has already started which then means this is a voice over. This is effective because even though it is focused on him walking up the stairs another part of the scene has started which keep the audience engaged and entertained. The last part of the scene has music played as the scene comes to a close. Which then leads on the next scene. This then leads the editing of scene to scene smoother.

As I have said the genre of this film is a mystery, crime and a thriller. I believe it is a mystery and it is a soft thriller which keeps you engaged through out.