Stereotypes, Archytypes, and Counter-types

In magazine covers a common convention is stereotypes. A stereotype is a common judgement with some element of truth in them, brought up through society. For example, many people today associate someone wearing a hoodie as a thug or a trouble maker. This may not be the case however due the recent disturbances occuring in soceiety with people wearing hoodies, this could be true. An Archytype is a more developed version of a stereotype. For example, if a man was to be represented as strong, an archytype version on a front cover of a magazine cover would be a male with possibly a gang and with weapons. Lastly, a countertype is another convention used on magazines to go against a typical stereotype. An example of this would be a female magazine trying to show its target audience that not all females are weak and this may be represented through the woman having weapons alongside her. Furthermore, the woman may be driving a " male" car like a Ferarri.

Magazine Radial analysis of Vibe magazine cover

Preliminary Task

1.       Describe the preliminary task and what you hope to achieve/learn

Our preliminary task is to design a newsletter which will be distributed to a school of our choice.  My newsletter will be distributed among the target audience of my choice who are; year 9-13.  I will hope to improve my photography skills by using the Photoshop software to minipulize my work.

2.       What are the requirements and how will you use them? The requirements are to include atleast a mid- shot of a student and to include a topic which relates to school life.

3.       Discuss your ideas so far and your thoughts on the project.

My ideas for this project are to make my topic about the school going bankrupt and bust.  I will do this successfully by including shots  of a deserted classroom with a student looking upset.

4.       Discuss who your specific target audience is going to be and why you have made this choice.

My target audience for my preliminary task are the students from year 9 – 11. I will aim to target both sexes and intend to draw them in with a wide variety of colours, fonts, pictures etc.

5.       Describe the overall idea for your school magazine and what hope the style will be e.g. funky, trendy, slick. 

My overall idea for my magazine will be funky and slick to appeal to my younger variety of my target audience, however I will also include a more mature type of theme to suit the older ages of my target audience. The different font sizes will  also draw the different age groups in.

6.       What is the purpose of your publication? To inform to entertain?

My  purpose for my magazine is to inform my target audience on the school going bankrupt and how they could help.  Therefore my magazine will be a one off issue.

7.       How do you hope to attract your audience?  Why would students want to read it?

I will attract my audience through the codes and conventions used on a typical magazine such as bright  and bold fonts, large masthead, freebies, buttons etc.

8.       What elements will you experiment with in order to reach your full creative potential?

Photoshop

AS mock work