TASK 4 – CODES AND CONVENTIONS

What are the conventions associated with this media format? 

MAGAZINES ARE TYPICALLY IN YOUR FACE , WITH INFORMATION WHICH IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO THE AUDIENCE AS TYPICALLY , THE
AUDIENCE FOR RAP MAGAZINE IS YOUNGER SO THEY ENJOY LARGE FONT IN YOUR FACE .
RAP :
INFORMAL LANGAUGE / SLANG
PICTURES OVER IMAGES
SHORT CATCHY SLOGAN/CATCHPHRASE
●How do these conventions use visual, technical, language and narrative codes and how these communicate different levels of
meanings (denotation/connotation/myths)?
VISUAL CODES – THE IMAGES SHOW THE UNITY BETWEEN 50 AND SOULJA BOY WHICH MAKES THE AUDIENCE THINK THEY ARE THE BEST
OF BUDS ( SIDE BY SIDE AND BEHIND ONE ANOTHER )
TECHNICAL - TWO LONG SHOTS TO SHOW THE FULL BDOY OF BOTH ARTISTS TO ALLOW THE READER TO UNDERSTAND THEM BETTER
THROUGH DRESS SENSE AND STANCE ETC , AND A MEDIUM CLOSE UP SHOT OF THEM SIDE BY SIDE TO EMPHASISE THEIR FRIENDSHIP .
LANGUAGE CODES – A LOT OF INFORMAL LANGUAGE HAS BEEN USED THROUGHOUT THE MAGAZINE AND SWEARS .
NARRATIVE – THE MAGAZINE ENTAILS A ‘STORY’ OF TWO UPCOMING ARTISTS WHO ARE VERY SIMILAR IN CHARACTER AND HAVE A LOT OF
COMMON GROUND , THEY ARE NOT AFRAID TO MAKE ENEMIES ALONG THE WAY AND THE OLDER ARTIST IS ALWAYS READY TO STICK UP
FOR THE YOUNGER ONE .

●Which specific codes and conventions should you include, what meanings do you want to communicate?
●Please illustrate your analysis with examples.  
‘ IF THERE WAS NO 50 CENT THERE WOULD BE NO SOULJA BOY’ – SOLID FRIENDSHIP – LANGUAGE CODE

VISUAL CODES – THE IMAGES SHOW THE UNITY BETWEEN 50 AND SOULJA BOY WHICH MAKES
THE AUDIENCE THINK THEY ARE THE BEST OF BUDS ( SIDE BY SIDE AND BEHIND ONE ANOTHER )
THEM SHOWING THEIR SOLIDARITY AND LOYALTY TO EACH OTHER COULD BE A INDICATOR / SIGN TO THEIR
ENEMIES THAT THEY ARE NOT TO BE MESSED WITH , THEY ARE A TWO MAN TEAM .
GENRE
• Analyse how genre codes are being used for the ‘pleasure of recognition’ by the audience and for the ‘marketability’ of the text
i.e. apply Neale’s Theory of Genre
• ●What codes of genre can you identify through repetition - that would be recognizable to audiences? (identify similar use of
characters, narrative elements, settings, iconography and technical/audio codes)
Typically in rap magazine , there is the repeated use of black people as majority of rapper are black or of an ethnic minority . There
is a large use of jewellery and tattoos in typical rap magazines as it’s a indicator of wealth and power . Technical codes allow me to
recognise that most rap magazine either consist of a close up shot or a long shot ( to show full outfit )
• ●Identity specific differences do each of these texts demonstrate to create a point of difference, why might these differences
appeal to audiences?
• IN MY RAP MAGAZINE , THE LIGHTING IS QUITE DIFFERENT TO A TYPICAL MAG , NORMALLY THE LIGHTING IS DARK / DIM TO
REPRESENT THE SERIOUSNESS AND TYPE OF MUSIC WHEREAS IN MY CHOSEN ONE THE LIGHTING IS VERY BRIGHT TO SHOW ALL
ASPECTS OF THE ARTISTS – CLOTHING , EMOTION . THIS MAY APPEAL TO AN AUDIENCE AS YOU GET A REAL UNDERSTANDING OF
THE ARTISTS .
• ●Do the differences you have identified specify any recognizable sub-genres or hybrids? N/A
• ●Which genre codes should you include, what differences could you offer?
• I THINK I SHOULD INCLUDE IN MY MAGAZINE : LIGHTING , MES ( CLOTHING AND JEWELLERY IS A MUST IN THIS GENRE E.G A
CHAIN , I WILL ALSO INCLUDE MAYBE A INDICATOR OF WEALTH POSSIBLY A NICE CAR .
• THE SETTING DOESN’T REALLY MATTER TO ME AS THE MAGAZINE BACKGROUND WILL COVER IT , HOWEVER TYPICALLY IN THE
RAP INDUSTRY MOST ARTISTS ARE BLACK HOWEVER MY MAGAZINE ARTIST WILL BE OF AN ETHNIC MINORITY ( ASIAN ) WHICH
CAN BE SEEN AS A POSITIVE / NEW INTRUIGING CHANGE .