YEAR 13 BASELINE ASSESSMENT!

YEAR 13 BASELINE ASSESSMENT:

WWW:

• You start Q2 brilliantly with an excellent focus on the question, the CSPs, and the contexts you are being asked to discuss.
• The challenge is maintaining that level throughout the question and the paper.

EBI:

• Q1 is all about question focus: semiotics, connotations, and myth. Revise this but more importantly, stay 100% focused on the question in an unseen task.
• In Q2, you need to revise Shirky and think about how we can apply those ideas to the magazines,
• You also need more specific examples from the CSP pages we have been given.

Question 1:

• the visual codes and composition of the image including framing
• the denotation of the costume, props, colour and body language
• the connotations of the image with reference to USA's national identity through the burning flag and the reference to the Western genre

Question 2:

• GQ supports David Gauntlet's view that the mass media is a force for change and is actively liberalising society - he talks of a "slow and steady process of change and transformation". This would support the idea that as the mainstream media and corporations become more woke that brands need to move with this social and cultural change.
• SP pages that support this view include the Robert Pattinson cover shoot (Art and Fashion issue) and the extended interview and fashion photoshoot with actor Jonathan Bailey. Specific analysis might include the unusual, subversive font and typography on the Pattinson cover or the Virgil Abloh feature that offers a 'Golden age of creativity'.
• In contrast, students may point to the Francis Ford Coppola feature on The Godfather as reinforcing a more traditional masculine interest in gangster films and violence. Similarly, the Jonathan Bailey fashion suit certainly subverts traditional masculinity in many ways (alongside the actor's discussion of his sexuality in the interview) but it could also be argued the costume of suits and jackets, the formal shoes, the serious expressions and the low-angle shots to signify power actually reinforce some masculine stereotypes.

• CSP edition features also suggest producers are responding to changing social and cultural contexts. Ramla Ali boxing feature offers a working class woman from a minority group talking about her strength and what it is like to be punched. Isabella Tree rewilding feature reflects changes in attitudes towards the environment and climate change, a key interest for younger demographics in particular. Finally, the Stella McCartney feature on a vegan handbag also reflects social and cultural changes in society.
• In contrast, it could also be argued that these features do not represent a huge social and cultural change and in fact offer more of a reflection of The Gentlewoman's upper middle class, wealthy typical reader. The Gentlewoman Club reinforces this, an exclusive series of events where attendees are hand-picked by Penny Martin and take place in conjunction with luxury brands. The pretension and privilege in the Gentlewoman is nothing new, just repackaged for a new generation.
• SP edition front cover features Scarlett Johansson but construction of cover certainly reflects the changing social and cultural contexts both in terms of media language and representation of celebrity. The cover lacks the typical conventions of a magazine cover - no cover lines aside from the celebrity's name - and the cover image is unusual. A tight closeup with exaggerated make-up shot slightly from below offers an fresh and unusual representation of a female Hollywood star.

Essay plan:

Introduction:

magazines, GQ and GW support the view of the media producers responding to changing social and cultural contexts to maintain audience to  a full extent. Here let’s have a look at a few: 

Paragraph 1: 

In addition to a changing approach to masculinity, Welch also moved the magazine's focus away from traditional print and towards digital, social media and video content. From this perspective, it may be less social and cultural changes towards gender and instead generational differences in terms of the distribution and consumption of media products.

Paragraph 2:

SP pages that support this view include the Robert Pattinson cover shoot (Art and Fashion issue) and the extended interview and fashion photoshoot with actor Jonathan Bailey. Specific analysis might include the unusual, subversive font and typography on the Pattinson cover or the Virgil Abloh feature that offers a 'Golden age of creativity'. 

^evidence from CSP

Paragraph 3:

The magazine certainly reflects the feminist movement and therefore does show a product responding to changing social and cultural contexts. Editor Penny Martin talks about wanting to represent "how modern women live" and reflect "women as they actually look, sound and dress". The magazine has also subverted trends in the women's lifestyle genre by selecting a wide range of cover stars including 88-year-old Angela Lansbury and Beyonce deliberately photographed using no make-up.

Paragraph 4:

CSP edition features also suggest producers are responding to changing social and cultural contexts. Ramla Ali boxing feature offers a working class woman from a minority group talking about her strength and what it is like to be punched. Isabella Tree rewilding feature reflects changes in attitudes towards the environment and climate change, a key interest for younger demographics in particular. Finally, the Stella McCartney feature on a vegan handbag also reflects social and cultural changes in society.

Conclusion: 

In conclusion, Both CSPs respond to changing social and cultural context in different ways. 

3 skills:

• use evidence from the CSP
• show a clear distinct between connotations and denotation 
• explain further after making a point linking back to question