Introduction to Media: index so far

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:

1) Introduction to the subject and you
2) Key concepts (LIAR) and analysis of Film Poster
3) Introduction to Photoshop: Fruit bowl task
4) Denotation and Connotation
5) Mise-en-scene
6) Blog feedback and learner response
7) Camera shots photo storyboard (photos and captions)
8) Camerawork and editing blog tasks
9) October assessment – feedback and learner response
10) Demographics and Psychographics - Photoshop audience profile
11) Reception theory – Harry Brown trailer analysis
12) Audience effects theory - Blue Planet analysis
13) Industries - Ownership and control
12) Audience and Industry - impact of internet essay
13) Film Industry CSP introduction - film poster analysis
14) Audience essay - feedback and learner response

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

Audience and industry essay - feedback and learner response

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.

Industries: Film Industry CSP introduction

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.

Industries: Ownership and control

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.

Ownership and control: blog task

Read this article from Recode about Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram and complete the tasks below:

1) Why did Facebook buy Instagram for $1bn in 2012?

2) What are the benefits for media companies of vertical integration?

3) What are the benefits for media companies of horizontal integration?

4) What is a subsidiary?

5) Give three examples of media companies that have used synergy to maximise the profit from a brand (there is one above to help you).

6) Read this BBC article on Disney buying 21st Century Fox. List 10 companies that are part of the Disney media empire.

7) Why did Disney buy Fox - what are the benefits?

If you don't finish these questions in the lesson, complete for homework - due Thursday 13 December.