Technical Codes in Print media
Print texts include magazines, film posters and music promotional materials. Texts are constructed and meaning transmitted through a variety of technical codes.
Layout and Design - The way in which the document is physically presented, including font, colour and image choice as well as text positioning. Very often this will contribute to a house style, a repeatable, marketable set of criteria that help to identify the product and retain an audience.
Camera shots - As in moving image texts camera shots contribute to the intended meaning of a text. A close-up of a celebrity in a magazine may indicate the focus of the contents and the intended audience for the product.
Lighting- The way an image is lit contributes to the 'feel' and therefore possible genre interpretations of a text.
Use of Colour - Colours are instant meaning generators in many contexts and can immediately indicate mood, genre, intended audience and purpose. See perfume/ luxury goods adverts for examples.
Layout and Design - The way in which the document is physically presented, including font, colour and image choice as well as text positioning. Very often this will contribute to a house style, a repeatable, marketable set of criteria that help to identify the product and retain an audience.
Camera shots - As in moving image texts camera shots contribute to the intended meaning of a text. A close-up of a celebrity in a magazine may indicate the focus of the contents and the intended audience for the product.
Lighting- The way an image is lit contributes to the 'feel' and therefore possible genre interpretations of a text.
Use of Colour - Colours are instant meaning generators in many contexts and can immediately indicate mood, genre, intended audience and purpose. See perfume/ luxury goods adverts for examples.
QuickFire exam prep...
Look at the print document above. How has colour been used in this image to create a certain feeling, mood or atmosphere?
Look at the print document above. How has colour been used in this image to create a certain feeling, mood or atmosphere?
Graphics - Logos and graphical representations of an idea. For instance some magazines, CD covers and websites may include graphics rather than actual images of the band they represent. Look at the image below, taken from Cage the Elephant's website. They band themselves do not appear, however the images chosen may relate to the music or attitude the band wish to present.
Post-Production Techniques - Almost all print images have some form of post-production process performed on them, often referred to as airbrushing or photoshopping. The aim is to refine, or in some cases entirely create a particular representation in an image. Usually celebrities are 'improved' in terms of their looks and body shape.