We are over halfway through our introduction to GCSE Media Studies - we've already learned a huge amount about media language, audience and industry. We now need to create an index of all our blogposts so far this term. This process is an excellent start to your revision for the January assessment in Media (not to mention the exams next year!) and will also highlight if you've missed anything through absence or trips. Your index should include the following:
For your index, the text should link to YOUR corresponding blogpost so you can access your work quickly and easily for checking and revision. This also means if you have missed anything you can catch up with the work and notes and won't underperform in assessments add exams due to gaps in your knowledge.
Index due date: complete during the lesson. Anything missing needs to be caught up over Christmas. Christmas homework: revise for assessment You need to revise everything we have studied in Media so far for your assessment in January. This will focus on all the media language and theory we have learned in the last 15 weeks. Due: first lesson back in January
Your audience power and industry essays have shown fantastic progress in Media - well done! It's brilliant to see you writing in such depth having clearly picked up many of the key points regarding audience power, media industries and the impact of the internet. The first part of your learner response is to read the email from your teacher giving you feedback on your essay. If anything doesn't make sense, ask your teacher - that's why we're here! Your audience essay learner response is as follows: Create a new blog post called 'Audience essay feedback and learner response' and complete the following tasks: 1) Copy and paste your feedback from the email in full - WWW, EBI and LR. 2) What was the word count for your essay? 3) What was your strongest paragraph? Why do you think it was better than others? 4) What was your weakest paragraph? Why do you think it wasn't as good as others? 5) Re-write one of your paragraphs from the essay - your teacher may have suggested an area to focus on. Make sure the written English is perfect, the paragraph sharply focuses on the question (audience, power and the internet) and you include examples and statistics where possible. Extension task Research one of the three industries (music, film/TV, news) and find statistics and quotes that link to how the audience experience of that industry has changed as a result of the internet. For example, social media has now overtaken TV as the main news source for young people - showing how power is shifting in the news industry away from traditional institutions (full details in this BBC news article).
If you do not finish your learner response in the lesson, this needs to be completed at home by your next Media lesson.
Our final piece of work introducing the Industries key concept is looking at our Close-Study Products for the film industry. Your CSPs are the Marvel blockbuster Doctor Strange and the low-budget British social realism film I, Daniel Blake. Doctor Strange I, Daniel Blake Film industry introduction: blog tasks Analyse the film poster for either Doctor Strange OR I, Daniel Blake. Write about:
The denotation and connotation in the film poster
The use of mise-en-scene in the poster (remember CLAMPS)
Any other convention or aspect on the poster that attracts an audience
Extension tasks 1) Analyse the other film poster and cover the three bullet points above. 2) Write an analysis of one of the two trailers above and how they make an audience want to watch the full movie.
Most media companies are owned by one of the big six - massive conglomerates that dominate the media industry. As GCSE Media students, we need to learn how media companies are bought, sold and controlled. Notes Industries: recap Industries are the producers, the companies that produce (make) and distribute the media product. Industries have a strong interest in who their Target Audience is so that they can best appeal to them. Some companies dominate the industry which means they own more of the content and therefore make more money (revenue).
Vertical integration
Vertical integration is when one conglomerate owns different companies in the same chain of production.
E.G Disney owns film studios, CGI specialists, film distributors and TV channels such as the Disney Channel. This gives Disney the chance to make money at every stage of production. Complete ownership = more profit.
Horizontal integration
Horizontal integration is when one company buys other companies at the same level of distribution.
E.G Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 (at a cost of $1 billion) so that they could cancel out the competition by making money from both.
Horizontal integration allows companies to widen their audience and find other ways to make money.
Synergy
Synergy is when a company creates a brand that can be used across different media products and platforms.
E.G Disney makes movies but then also has related stage shows, theme parks, merchandise, soundtracks and events.
This week's work has explored media industries and whether the internet has given audiences more or less power in the media. This is a crucial media debate and over the course of the GCSE you need to develop your own opinions on these questions. We will be using this particular topic to start developing our essay writing skills in preparation for the longer, high-mark exam questions. Blog task: industry and audience power essay Create a new blogpost called 'Industry and audience power essay'. Then, use the following guidance to help you write the essay on your blog: Essay question: “The internet has given audiences much more power than ever before.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? Word count: 500-800 words Optional essay plan You may find the following useful. However, you do not have to follow it exactly and will be credited for alternative or original responses that are convincing and highly effective. Introduction (50 words): Thesis Statement (setting out your argument)
Introduce the question and how it will be answered. Summarise how the internet has changed the position of the audience (consumer) in relation to the producer.
Explain what your own argument is: do you think that the internet makes the audience more powerful or less powerful and why?
Music Industry: (150-250 words) What changes have happened to the music industry since the rise of the internet? Advantages for audiences:
What are some examples of how audiences have benefited from the rise of digital media in the way that they access and consume music? Think about downloading and what platforms users are using to access music.
Think about ‘bedroom bands’ and subscription services such as Spotify and Apple Music. How do these services and opportunities help the audience?
Disadvantages for audiences:
What are the benefits of word of mouth advertising (and re-tweets, shares etc) for the producers?
What might happen to music artists if audiences are unwilling to pay for their music?
What are the issues for audiences in having so much content available to them?
Film and TV Industry (150-250 words) What changes have happened to the film and television industry since the rise of the internet? Advantages for audiences:
What are some examples of how audiences have benefited from the rise of digital media in the way that they access television and film? Think about downloading and new platforms for film and television.
Think about piracy and Apps such as Showbox: what do they offer to the consumer?
What about subscription services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. How do these services and opportunities help the audience? What content is available to them? What about when they can watch?
Disadvantages for audiences:
What potential issues are there with ‘binge-watching’ TV series?
How might watching TV shows and films on a small screen (e.g. phone) affect the viewing experience?
Why are companies producing less interesting films and TV shows? (E.g. sequels and reboots)
Newspaper Industry (150-250 words) What changes have happened to the news industry since the rise of the internet? Advantages for audiences:
How has the internet changed the way audiences can access news?
What is Citizen Journalism and how has it given the audience more power over reporting and receiving the news?
Disadvantages for audiences:
What is fake news? Why is this a problem for audiences?
Are there any problems or concerns with citizen journalism?
Conclusion (50 words)
Have you answered the question with a clear conclusion? Have you demonstrated that the internet makes the audience more powerful or less powerful and why?
Complete this essay for homework - due Wednesday 12 December. Remember: the word count MINIMUM is 500 words.
As well as studying target audience and reception theory, we also need to explore WHY audiences enjoy using and interacting with the media and what effect the media has on them. This means learning a range of audience theories to add to our work on Stuart Hall's Reception theory. Audience theory: key notes and terminology Passive & Active Passive: This is the view that audiences passively take in information from the media and that these messages have the same effect on everyone. Active: This is the more modern and generally accepted view that audiences interact with and make conscious choices regarding the media they consume.
Hypodermic Needle Theory
This is the suggestion that audiences are always passive and therefore take the intended message from the producer as if it was injected into their minds. This assumes no individual difference in audience members.
Two-step flow theory
This is the theory that consumers form their opinions based on opinion leaders like newspapers, politicians and, nowadays, celebrities.
Uses and Gratifications - Blumler & Katz
INFORMATION/SURVEILLANCE: learning information that you did not already know or that is useful for living (e.g. documentaries; weather or traffic).
IDENTITY: personally relating to something - seeing your lifestyle on screen.
DIVERSION/ENTERTAINMENT: escapism and being entertained away from your normal life.
RELATIONSHIPS: social interaction, caring about characters or celebrities, forming relationships e.g watching a soap opera for a long time because you care about what happens to long-standing characters.
The 3 Vs VISCERAL PLEASURE: Physical thrill of watching something e.g hairs on the back of your neck in a horror film, sport, big explosions. VICARIOUS PLEASURE: Experiencing something through the characters.
VOYEURISTIC PLEASURE: Watching people e.g hidden camera shows / elements of reality TV like Big Brother.
Audience theory: blog tasks
Create a new blogpost called ‘Audience Effects Theory’ and complete the following tasks: 1) Write a definition of a passive audience: 2) Write a definition of an active audience: 3) Write a definition of the hypodermic needle theory: 4) Write down a media text for each category of Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory and WHY it fits that particular audience use/gratification: INFORMATION/SURVEILLANCE: > Why:
IDENTITY: > Why:
DIVERSION/ENTERTAINMENT: > Why:
RELATIONSHIPS: > Why:
5) Re-watch the clip from Blue Planet above and write a paragraph analysing how elements of the clip offer the audience pleasures or gratifications (use media terminology from Uses and Gratifications theory and the 3 Vs - notes outlined above).
Extension: To take this further, select a media text of your own choice, embed it in your blog and write another detailed paragraph analysing the audience pleasures in that product.
Finish for homework if you don't complete it in the lesson - due next Thursday.
Reception theory is an important media theory exploring how audiences respond to media texts. Stuart Hall is a cultural theorist who looked at the relationship between the text and the audience. He suggested that meanings are fluid and open to interpretation depending on context and the consumer’s experiences as individuals as well as communities.
Hall states there are three readings to any media text:
Preferred reading
The meaning the producers intend to communicate. This builds on the idea that producers can position the audience in a certain way and influence their reading so they accept the intended message by using recognised codes and conventions (such as stereotypes).
Negotiated reading
Somewhere between the preferred and oppositional reading. The message is modified (partly accepted and partly rejected) depending on the individual experiences of the audience (e.g their age, gender or social class).
Oppositional reading
The oppositional reading goes against the meaning the producers are trying to create. The audience reject the intended message and construct an opposite reading instead. This can be due to their own social, political or moral beliefs and values.
Reception theory: blog task
Create a new blogpost called 'Reception theory'.
1) What is the preferred reading of a media text?
2) What is the oppositional reading of a media text? Re-watch the trailer for the film Harry Brown:
3) How does the Harry Brown trailer position the audience to respond to the teenage characters in the film?
4) Why might young people reject this reading and construct an oppositional reading of the trailer?
Look at this McDonald's advert:
5) Write a 200 word analysis of the McDonald's advert using preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings.
6) Now find your own advertisement and write a 200 word analysis using preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings.
Extension task:
Watch the rest of the Plan B TEDx lecture about his plan to help disadvantaged young people through film and music. Do you agree that he presents a positive view of young people? Finish for homework if you don't complete this during this week's lessons - due next Thursday.
The first aspect of the Audience key concept we need to study is how media companies target and classify audiences. In order to do this, we need to learn about audience demographics and psychographics. These are two crucial aspects of how audiences are classified and identified by media companies. Notes from today's lesson on Audience Demographic classification:
Age
Gender
Education
Social class
Race/ethnicity
Job/profession/earnings
Home (city/village/countryside)
Social class classification
Advertisers have traditionally classified people into the following groups:
AB – Managerial and professional
C1 – Supervisory and clerical
C2 – Skilled manual
DE – Unskilled manual and unemployed
Audience profiles
Advertisers these days are interested in more than just a social class classification. Now they try to sell a brand or lifestyle.
So you also need to think about the kind of brands your audience will be interested in.
Armani and Porsche? Banana Republic and Apple? John Lewis and The Times? Nike and PlayStation? Peppa Pig and Haribo? Psychographics
Media companies use audience profiling to create a more detailed picture of their audience. One method is called psychographics and involves looking at the audience's personality, interests and the brands and lifestyle they enjoy.
Audience profile Photoshop task
Create an audience profile for a magazine of your choice using Photoshop.
First, use demographics: Age, gender, education, social class, race/ethnicity, job/profession/ earnings, home (city/village/countryside). Then write some statements that your target audience agree with. Look at the NME example for inspiration. Statements such as 'It's important to look good' or 'Enjoy life and don't worry about the future' work well for this part of the profile.
Then use brand logos that the audience will use or enjoy and build them into your profile.
NME magazine example:
Make sure you save your audience profile in your folder on the Media Shared drive - we will be adding to it in future lessons as we learn more about audience!
Well done on completing your first GCSE Media Studies assessment - it's an important first step in identifying our strengths and weaknesses in the subject so far. The first part of your learner response is to look carefully at your mark, grade and comments from your teacher. If anything doesn't make sense, ask your teacher - that's why we're here! Your learner response is as follows: Create a new blog post called 'October assessment learner response' and complete the following tasks: 1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential). 2) Read the mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Write down the mark you achieved for each question: Q1: Q2: Q3: etc. Where you didn't achieve full marks, write WHY you think you missed out on the extra marks. Use the indicative content suggestions in the mark scheme to help with this. 3) Did you get any media terminology wrong in the assessment? Make a note of it here for future revision: 4) Identify one of your stronger questions. Why did you do better on this question? 5) Identify one of your weaker questions. Why did you score lower on this particular question? 6) Re-draft your answer to Q9 and type it out in full. Use the mark scheme to identify anticipated content you can add to your response and make sure your typed re-draft is a top-level answer of at least three paragraphs.
If you do not finish your learner response in the lesson your work is returned, this needs to be completed at home by your next lesson.
We are now going to use everything we have learned about film language (mise-en-scene, camera shots, camera movement and editing) to improve our media analysis. Remember, writing analysis in Media means picking out the interesting or important aspects of something and then examining WHY or HOW they have been put together to create an effect on the audience. Camera movement: notes Pan: horizontal turn left or right
Used to follow movement. A whip pan (very fast pan) can create a feeling of action or drama.
Track/Dolly: Camera moves on tracks/wheels
Tracks action smoothly – look for in chases or fast-moving sequences.
Handheld: camera held by hand, often shaky
Handheld camera can add urgency, realism, pace or unease to a scene.
Zoom: focal length of lens changed to make subject appear closer or further away
A zoom into a character’s face can show realisation or an emotional reaction.
Crane: Camera attached to crane – can pan, track or ‘swoop’ in or out as required
Crane shots are often high angle and show large, epic scenes of dramatic action.
Tilt: Camera tilts up or down from fixed point
The hero or villain can be made to look weak or powerful using a tilt (high/low angle).
Editing: notes Video: cuts and transitions Film transitions Cut (Straight cut, jump cut, match cut): Shot changes from one to another – the most common cut. Dissolve: Shot melts into another – often shows passing of time. Fade: Shot fades away and another shot appears. Fades to black often signify endings (of the day, scene or film)
Pace of editing The speed at which the film cuts from one shot to the next makes a huge difference to the experience for the audience. Generally, slow cuts build tension while fast cuts suggest action and excitement. Juxtaposition The word juxtaposition literally means ‘the act of placing together side by side’. In editing, this is called Parallel Editing. In film, two shots may be placed together to create meaning for the audience. E.g. A shot of the hero may be followed by a shot of his love interest to link these in the audience’s mind.
Blog task 1: Minority Report shot-by-shot analysis The first blog task is to write a shot-by-shot analysis of three shots from the Minority Report sequence that we analysed in class. The images are below and also on the M: Media Shared drive > Resources > GCSE > Introduction to Media > Camerawork - Minority Report
Here's an example of what you need to do:
Over-the-shoulder / medium shot (OTS/MS)
The over-the-shoulder angle allows a point-of-view shot from the perspective of the man reading the newspaper. The electronic newspaper with a changing story is an effective prop to immerse the audience in the futuristic sci-fi setting. The medium to long shot allows enough background to establish the location as a metro train while also allowing the audience to identify the main character. Using the corner of the seat immediately in the foreground also helps place the location. The over-the-shoulder shot also means the following shots, with the newspaper man recognising the fugitive, are easy for the audience to interpret.
The shots you need to analyse:
Shot 1
Shot 2
Shot 3
Now complete the following tasks: Create a blogpost called 'Camerawork and Editing final blog tasks'. 1) Import these images into your own (the images need to be imported from the Media Shared drive - M: Media Shared > Resources > GCSE > Introduction to Media > Camerawork - Minority Report) 2) Write an analysis of each just like the example above (minimum 50 words per shot). 3) Why does the pace of the editing change in this sequence and what is the effect on the audience? Blog task 2: Camerawork analysis of your choice
We need to be able to recognise and analyse this camera shot, angle and movement when studying film or television. As ever with media, we need to be able to explain theeffect this camerawork has on theaudience.
Find a clip from a TV Series no longer than 3 minutes. Embed the clip onto your blog with the title of the series.
1) Pick three camera shots and explain the effect they have on the audience.
2) Pick two camera angles and explain the effect they have on the audience.
3) Analyse the camera movement at two key points in the clip and write about why the director chose to use that camera movement.
Suggestions for possible TV dramas if you’re stuck: Waterloo Road, Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife, Glee, Ackley Bridge.
Example analysis: The Night Manager (BBC, 2016)
1) Three camera shots: - The opening establishing shot clearly shows the characters getting off a boat and walking into the restaurant. This both sets the scene for the following action and also confirms the characters are very rich. - The extreme close-up on the main character's eye at 0.52 successfully communicates the intensity of the scene and the mixture of fear and emotion he feels as he watches his son being kidnapped. This has the effect of causing the audience to sympathise with the main character and wonder what will happen to the boy after being taken. - The over-the-shouldershot at 1.13 shows the main character recognises the man who saved the boy and that the man with the face injuries is not who he says he is. Like many over-the-shoulder shots, it is also a medium close-up which allows the audience to see the confusion on the main character's face and the realisation that he has seen him before. 2) Two camera angles: - The power between the two key characters is shown using camera angles. The high angle shot at 1.21 looking down on the man who has been beaten up shows his powerlessness and that he will rely on others to make him better. He looks broken and defeated as the close-up shot from above shows him looking up at the main character. - In contrast, the main character is shown in a low-angle close-up immediately afterwards (1.23) to show his power over the broken man. The camera is looking up at him from the perspective of the man on the floor. This introduces a clear power relationship between the two characters - emphasised by the dialogue at the end: "We're going to take care of you." 3) Analyse the camera movement: The camera movement at the beginning of the scene is slow, steady and fits the relaxed atmosphere as they enter the restaurant. The smooth track or dolly shot as they walk to the table (0.14 - 0.17) makes the audience feel as if they are joining the party and included in the exclusive group in the island restaurant. This all changes in the scene where the kidnappers take the main character's son. The camera movement is suddenly handheld and edgy, signalling the tension and danger to the audience. This adds realism and suspense and contrasts strongly with the smooth camera movement of the opening to the scene. The camera continues to move (handheld) throughout this scene as the kidnapping develops - this keeps the audience on edge and creates the idea that danger or something terrible may be happening. As the kidnappers try to escape, the camera pans loosely from left to right and back again (0.57) to create the effect of someone looking around to see where the next danger will appear from. Finally, when the kidnappers have gone and the boy is returned safely, the camerawork is still handheld but not as shaky as previously. This restores normality to the scene as the danger has passed.
Finish these blog tasks for homework over half-term - due for your second lesson after half-term. Reminder: you need to be revising everything you've learned in Media this half-term for your assessment this week!
Learning to accurately identify different camera shots and the effect they have on an audience is a critical skill in Media Studies. Before long, you'll find yourself naturally identifying interesting examples of camera shots, movements or angles when you're watching movies, TV or YouTube. The key aspect is always to consider WHY the director has chosen to present the scene in that way - what are they trying to communicate to the audience? Here's a great YouTuber for Film Studies - Darius Britt AKA D4Darius. Notice that he uses 'full shot' instead of long shot - but otherwise this is pretty much as we learn the shots in class: Photo storyboard: blog task In class, you'll have gone out in a group and shot a simple school-based drama storyline using the different camera shots and angles we have learned. You now need to post these shots to your blog with a written analysis of each shot. The key question is simple: what is this shot communicating to the audience? Your photo storyboard needs to include the following ten shots and angles: Camera shots recap:
Wide shot / establishing shot (WS/ES)
Long shot (LS)
Medium shot (MS)
Medium close up (MCU)
Over-the-shoulder shot (OTS)
Close up (CU)
Big close up / Extreme close up (BCU/XCU)
Camera angle:
High angle: makes subject look small and weak.
Low angle: makes subject look big and powerful.
Unusual perspective: can be used to surprise the audience or show danger (e.g. looking down off a cliff)
Remember: you need to include all ten shots/angles and write an analysis to go with each shot to explain what it communicates to the audience. Finish this for homework if you don't complete it in the lesson - due next week Thursday.
It's been an action-packed start to the year in Media and now is a good time to take stock and go through some key messages and updates. Media Awards As we have mentioned in class, this year’s Media Awards has been moved to March as a result of the new specifications in GCSE and A Level Media. The good news is that the March show looks likely to be jam-packed with amazing work including:
Last year’s GCSE music videos
This year’s GCSE science fiction TV drama extracts
This year’s A Level film trailers
We’ll have more information about the Media Awards nearer the time but it’s looking likely to be our best event yet!
GCSE Media Textbook
After a long delay, there is now a textbook available for the new specification AQA GCSE Media Studies course. We would strongly recommend you buy this as it covers the whole course in terms of subject content and also features many of the CSPs that will come up in the exams. For a 20% discount on the advertised price of £24.99 you can order through the Illuminate Publishing website and use the discount code DISC20 at checkout. Offer ends 31/10/18. The details: The book details: AQA GCSE MEDIA STUDIES: STUDENT BOOK
AQA GCSE Media Studies: Student Book
AUTHOR(S): Jerry Slater, Steff Hutchinson, Julia Sandford-Cooke
You will be receiving blog feedback from your teacher via email this week. This is a very important opportunity to reflect on the work you've done so far in GCSE Media Studies and identify the areas you need to improve over the next few weeks. Whenever you receive blog feedback over email you must do the following: 1) Open up your email and read the feedback carefully 2) Copy and paste your feedback and LR into a NEW blogpost in your blog called 'Blog feedback and Learner Response'. 3) Below the feedback, complete the learner response tasks or questions and then publish the blogpost. 4) Reply to the original email from your teacher confirming you have completed the learner response and provide a link to your learner response blogpost. This is how we get better in Media Studies - make the most of this opportunity!
