Mise-en-scene in Music Magazines

Analyse how Mise-en-scene has been used in the following student production pieces:

The Reign:

The student uses a main image of an actor on the front cover that takes up the majority of the page; only one other actor is used in a smaller size along the bottom of the page.  The main image reflects the theme of the magazine 'The Reign’, as the actress shown is showing body language that appears to be fierce. She reflects the slogan on the magazine as well 'claiming the crown' as she is trying to stand out and get the audience to notice her. The use of the bubble gum, where she is blowing a bubble, represents a fierce attitude, where she doesn't care about what people think about her. In addition, the use of her outfit reflects her attitude as well by showing a sexualized image, as she is wearing a cropped top, showing off her skin, as well as the type of pose she's doing reflects it all. The actor at the bottom of the page shows a different attitude, where she represents herself as happy and wild. This is shown from her poses, such as when she is grabbing her hair.

The setting is plain, which allows the actor to stand out; it is one colour down the page and suggests it has been taken in a studio. The colour is a golden type colour, which reflects the theme and title of the magazine 'The reign' and gives the audience a feel of royalty and a 'Crown'. Even with the actor in the smaller images, they've done the same thing of using plain backgrounds, to allow the actors to stand out themselves and get the attention.  


The lighting is set to capture the actors in the best way possible; in the main image the lighting is placed on the background to make the attention focus on her. If the lighting would of focused on her, it would of changed the view of the actor and made her seem more innocent and less of an attitude. Whereas in the smaller images of the second actor, the lighting is focused on her and less of the background, by doing this, it allows the actors personality and attitude to show through.

When analyzing the magazine I noticed how, the student has created a reflection off the main actor. In the image, the actors pose has been shadowed on top the side of her; the shadow shows her the right side of her again, rather than reflecting all of her, to create the shadow affect to reflect her attitude and the theme of trying to be on top. The main image is a direct shot, which connotes the actor's attitude and wanting the audience to focus on her.  The way the student has presented her magazine, through the colours, actors and theme seems to direct at a girl audience ages 17-21. This is because the images on the front cover are all female, as well as the word 'fierce' reflects on girls and the saying 'Girl Power'. The magazine doesn't appear to focus on a male audience, as the terms used reflect a female attitude opposed to a male's. 

Rap Realism:

Similarly to 'The reign', 'Rap realism' has also produced a magazine where the student has produced one main image on the front cover. The actor shown is a direct image, with the actor both looking and pointing directly at the reader and the audience. The image connotes a stereotypical view on the actor; through the way the student has presented the actor on the front cover. This creates a negative viewpoint on the actor and a negative person to use on the front cover on a magazine. The other actor used on the front cover is in smaller images along the bottom, this also produces a Stereotypical view on the actor, through his posing being 'street-like'. 


The setting draws to the view of the stereotypical viewpoints, as the background behind the main image is graffiti. This as well, buts a strict view on the rap music genre, as the student has made rap seem about people acting or being badly behaved and having a bad attitude. 

The lighting is spread out across the page, focusing on his hand pointing directly at the audience, parts of the background and his eyes. The student has made part of his face (below the eyes) darker to represent a bandana across his face; this reflects how it is creating and fitting into the stereotype. In addition, the student has also done this to focus on his eyes and the expression of them; the actor’s eyes are staring directly at the audience to connote dominance and power, as well as to show a bad attitude that is suggesting people need this in the rap business.  

The way the student has set out their magazine, from a Marxists point of view suggests it is aimed a young males aged 13-18, specifically in the proletariats class, the working class in the Marxist hierarchy. This is because the stereotype of rap genres has been brought out in the magazine as people from the 'gang' life and people with bad attitudes. In addition, the magazine seems to actually want to target at these specific groups because of how many stereotypes they show through the magazine they've produced.