Monday, January 08, 2007

2. Magazine Front Cover

This is the front page cover of the Time magazine. This is the christmas issue and the last of the year 2006. When looking at the cover, the sophisticated, traditional looking serif typography gives the news magazine a more traditional and conservative feel, which places the audience in a traditional view and to read and view the magazine in a serious way.

The border which is also an identifivation for the Time magazine of having a red border which connotes the conservitive and marxist ideologies, as well as that, there is one image seen in the centre of the magazine in this case there is a modern and futuristic computer coloured in greay and whites which connotes state-of-the-art, futuristic and technological, this means that the image is promoting the modern and contemporary day and age, the computer also features a large, sans serif heading of 'You,' this word signifies that the magazine is targeted at 'you' it is also noticable that the computer screen has the 'You Tube' layout which means that it is targeting a younger audience too that actually watch the videos on this website.

Below in a more smaller typography, the sentence talks directly at the audience where it is informing the audience that the world now belongs to us the people which can also suggest a pluralistic model and link with Blumler and Katz theory of Uses and Gratifications that we now live in a more freedom society.

Taking this into account, the magazine front cover has many reading however the preffered reading would read that the Time magazine is promoting a pluralistic and a non hegemonic society.

1. Film Poster Analysis

This is a film poster of the 2003 comedy 'Bruce Almighty.' When looking at the film poster, you are firstly seen with a large image of the protagonist of the film 'Bruce' (Jim Carrey) positioned at a slight high angle and dressed in relaxed clothing, however he is seen holding a globe on on ih index finger which automatically signifies that the protagonist is controling the planet earth as he is also seen high in the sky with a clear blue sky which connotes peace and tranquility and the large thick cloud behing him with the sun rays right at the top to illustrate the protagonist as being 'almighty' and God like.

The title of the film 'Bruce ALMIGHTY' has a significance of two opposite collours in on the spectrum, the protagonists name 'Bruce is typed normally and in a calm blue colour which connotes peace and calmness, however the second half 'ALMIGHTY' has been typed in red, which connotes danger, mahem, problem. This shows that the names have been coloured with the wrong shade, which hints the film being a comedy and family fun.

When looking at the poster, we are shown with no other gender bu a white male, this signifies the film to be patriarchal by showing an active authoritive male figure positioned to control the world. The lack of any woman shown on the film poster comes to state that women are still in contemporary society are subordinate to men and even though they have reached many heights since the rise of femenism in the 1970s, women still remain passive and less authoritive to men, which also links to women theorist Laura Mulvey that society portray men as active and women as passive. This also come to state that even though we are living in a more modern and liberal society, we are still compressed by ideologies such as partriarchy and misogyny.

The rest of the poster features the typical aspects used on film posters, such as the credits written at the bottom of the page which states the institutions, cast and crew of the particular film. The release date is written below all the credit block and is written in red which shows the audience when they can watch the film. As well as that, the protagonist 'Jim Carrey's' name is written right at the top and in a sans serif typography which connotes a relaxed and modern day film, also as he is the main hero, and a very popular comedian, audiences are familiar with his previous comedy films and would then automatically identify the film to be a comedy and light hearted.

Finaly the tagline, the tagline has a two meanings, firstly as it states 'In Bruce We Trust' this connotes to the audience that the protagonist is seen as an almighty God or supernatural being, however after the tagline it has a question mark '?,' this straight away brings into mind that we must not start believing in him as a God as he is just trying to be God but is not him, which shows that there is onely one supernatural being who can actually control the world and nobody else.

In conclusion, the film poster has many preffered readings, however mainly shows the audience that this film is a comedy by the doubtful and thoughtful slogan, the cross colours used fot the title and the relaxed and funny looking personality 'Jim Carrey' portraying himself as God. Another preffered reading could be that this film is promoting patriarchy and misogyny even though we are living in a more liberal and contemporary society, these traditional values still hold us back from certain freedom and equality.