Mise - en - scene

1. Mise-En-Scene
Setting and Props:
All the photos of models on the front of house music magazines are taken on a set,
most of the photos are taken in a studio on a white backdrop however house music
magazine promote Ibiza as the holiday destination for house music lovers so some of
the cover shoots are taken in a pool in a hot country (probably Ibiza). The setting
includes colourful props like blow up rings and lilos. They try to make it look bright
and fun. Often models will be wearing sunglasses to make them look more edgy,
men frequently wear caps and will often be holding something like a small dog or a
boom box.
Lighting and Colour:
Lighting in the photos on the front of this type of music magazine are very bright and
vibrant. All the colours used and worn by models are vivid and colourful; pink, blue,
yellow, red and often used. Photos are taken in a photography studio against a white
screen so colours stand out even more against the white. However, other images
inside the magazine for example on the contents page are more dimmed and look
darker to the eye in order to give the effect that the images are taken in a club, many
images are action shots of people dancing in a club. Also, other pictures are taken in
holiday destinations such as Ibiza because this is one of the best places in the world
to go to experience house music. Again this photographs are vibrant and colourful.
Costume, hair and makeup:
Costuming varies within the magazine however it tends to generally maintain a
young, modern look. On the covers of house music magazine we see jeans, jackets
and t-shirts or short dresses. When magazines are advertising house music across the
globe (Ibiza) we will often see the model wearing a bikini having fun in a pool. Hair
for men isn’t styled too much, we often see them wearing a cap however if not their
hair seems quite natural. On the other hand girls will always have their hair down
even curly or straight, I have often see models with a sleek bob appearing on the
covers of house music magazines. Makeup is kept at a minimum, the models seem
quite natural; not too much colour is incorporated into their makeup looks.
Body language and facial expression:
Genuinely the models do not have any expression on their faces. They tend to keep a
straight, serious face which gives the effect of them being more edgy and stylish.
They always give the audience direct address (looking straight at the camera) which
makes them feel more involved and have more of a connection with the magazine.

2. Position of people within the frame:
The models tend to take up two thirds of the frame leaving little of the background
on show, I think the more of the frame taken up by the model the more the
magazine is going to stand out on the shelf. Photographs are usually taken as a mid-
shot (from the waist upwards) but in some cases we see a close up shot (shoulders
upwards). Models are always placed in the centre of the frame in order to be shown
as important and objects are usually placed in the hands of the model or placed next
to them in the frame.
Takenin a studioona white backdrop –colours
of herdressstandout more and the whole cover
generallylooksmore vibrantandeye catchingto
the target audience. She isholdingahandbag
and a small dogwhichmakesit seemlike she has
quite a lotof moneyandmakesherlookflashy,
the crystal headphonesaroundherneckalso
make herlookstylishandflashy.The turntable
helpstomaintainthe purpose of the magazine,
music.
High-keylighting.The saturationof the model is
veryhighwhichmakesherlookreallyboldand
intense.Pinks,blues,purpleare all vividcolours
whichgive the magazine ayoungfeel whichagain
targetsthe audience intended.
Her hairis a white bleachedsleekbob,this
lookisverystylishandmoderntherefore
perfectfora house musicmagazine.Itfitsher
face shape perfectlyandmakesherlook
reallysophisticatedandtrendy. She is
wearinga short‘party-like’dresswhichkeeps
the house musicvibe goingandmaintainsthe
youngfeel inthe coverof the magazine. Her
makeupisn’ttoohigh-keyalthoughhereye
makeupisquite heavyitdoesn’tlookover
the top and nottoo much colouris
incorporatedintotheirmakeuplooks
Her facial expressionappearsquiteseductive
as she has hermouth openmaking hermore
sexualisedandthiswouldparticularlyattract
the male membersof the targetaudience.She
isstood posedwithherhandon herhipand
leantto the side againthisgivesoff a casual
vibe abouther.She isalso givingthe audience
directaddress whichgivesthe impressionthat
she isluringthemin.
She istakingup about twothirdsof
the frame and herphoto istakenat
a mid-longshottoshow off her
figure andtherefore makingherlook
more attractive to the target
audience.

3. The picture is takenas an actioninside aclubof
people dancing/havingfun.The splashesof
watersuggeststhatthisis a pool party and
therefore mightbe setina hotholiday
destination,mostlikelyIbiza.
The lightingisa natural dimmed
lightsuggestingthisistakenatnight,
the picture appearsquite natural
rather thansetup and posed. The
colourson the bodiesandclothing
of the three people inthe picture
are verysaturatedandtherefore
standout against