Baseline assessment learner response

Baseline assessment learner response

1) Type up your feedback in full

WWW- Good attempt to incorporate a range of theories

EBI- You focus too much on industry contexts and not enough on social/cultural - more consideration of masculinity and femininity needed.

2) Focusing on the unseen question 1, pick out three bullet points on the anticipated content and link each point to the three aspects of the question - denotation, connotation, myth.

 • the visual codes and composition of the image including framing

 • the denotation of the costume, props, colour and body language

 • the construction of myth through the use of signs – the lone, charismatic American

    hero, violent but thoughtful and reflective.

3) Look at the anticipated content for the 25-mark Magazines question. Pick out three points on GQ and three on The Gentlewoman that you think are particularly interesting for this question on social and cultural contexts.

GQ

• In contrast, students may point to the Francis Ford Coppola feature on The Godfather as

reinforcing a more traditional masculine interest in gangster films and violence. Similarly, the

Jonathan Bailey fashion suit certainly subverts traditional masculinity in many ways

(alongside the actor’s discussion of his sexuality in the interview) but it could also be argued

the costume of suits and jackets, the formal shoes, the serious expressions and the low-

angle shots to signify power actually reinforce some masculine stereotypes.

• In addition to a changing approach to masculinity, Welch also moved the magazine’s focus

away from traditional print and towards digital, social media and video content. From this

perspective, it may be less social and cultural changes towards gender and instead

generational differences in terms of the distribution and consumption of media products.

Younger audiences are not engaging with print products and therefore GQ has changed its

product to move with this technological change. Video content such as the Netflix

Heartstopper actors responding to key scenes or Bukayo Saka talking about his essential

lifestyle items is more about technological convergence than social or cultural change.

• GQ supports David Gauntlett’s view that the mass media is a force for change and is actively

liberalising society – he talks of a “slow and steady process of change and transformation”.

This would support the idea that as the mainstream media and corporations become more

‘woke’ that brands need to move with this social and cultural change.

The Gentlewoman

• CSP edition front cover features Scarlett Johansson but construction of cover certainly

reflects the changing social and cultural contexts both in terms of media language and

representation of celebrity. The cover lacks the typical conventions of a magazine cover – no

cover lines aside from the celebrity’s name – and the cover image is unusual. A tight close-

up with exaggerated make-up shot slightly from below offers an fresh and unusual

representation of a female Hollywood star.

• CSP edition features also suggest producers are responding to changing social and cultural

contexts. Ramla Ali boxing feature offers a working class woman from a minority group

talking about her strength and what it is like to be punched. Isabella Tree rewilding feature

reflects changes in attitudes towards the environment and climate change, a key interest for

younger demographics in particular. Finally, the Stella McCartney feature on a vegan

handbag also reflects social and cultural changes in society.

• In contrast, it could also be argued that these features do not represent a huge social and

cultural change and in fact offer more of a reflection of The Gentlewoman’s upper middle

class, wealthy typical reader. The Gentlewoman Club reinforces this, an exclusive series of

events where attendees are hand-picked by Penny Martin and take place in conjunction with

luxury brands. The pretension and privilege in the Gentlewoman is nothing new, just

repackaged for a new generation.

4) Write a full essay plan for the 25-mark Magazines question. The mark scheme contains plenty of ideas you can use here. Your plan should include notes/bullet points addressing the following:

• Introduction: one sentence answering the original question and laying out your argument clearly. 

GQ, and The Gentlewoman can provide insights into the extent to which media producers respond to changing social and cultural contexts to maintain audiences. These magazines target different audiences and have particular editorial approaches, which can show how they adapt to evolving societal and cultural trends.

• Paragraph 1 content: 

GQ - Will Welch and Jonathan Bailey feature

• Paragraph 2 content: 

GQ - Diversification

• Paragraph 3 content: 

The Gentlewoman - Penny Martin

• Paragraph 4 content: 

The Gentlewoman - The Gentlewoman's club

• Conclusion: sum up your argument a final time in one sentence

In conclusion, changing social and cultural understanding of identity is particularly relevant to lifestyle magazines and is an important aspect of targeting audiences.

5) Finally, identify three key skills/topics you want to work on in A Level Media this year before the final exams in June.

• feminist ideas
• masculinity theories
• social and cultural contexts