Blog feedback and learner response

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:

Open up your email in Outlook and read your feedback carefully

1) Copy and paste your feedback and LR into a NEW blogpost in your blog called 'Blog feedback and Learner Response'.

2) Below the feedback, complete the learner response tasks or questions and then publish the blogpost.

3) 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! 

Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene is a vital aspect of Media Language and builds nicely on our work on denotation and connotation.

Mise-en-scène is a French term meaning ‘Putting on Stage’. It refers to the Media language used by the producer in their media product to communicate with their audience so…everything we see on screen. We can remember what this includes using the acronym CLAMPS:

• Costume
• Lighting
• Actor placement and movement
• Make-up
• Props
• Setting

When we look at a clip, image or advert in Media Studies we need to be able to identify aspects of mise-en-scene and explain the effect it has on the audience.

This video explains the power of mise-en-scene in film analysis: 

Mise-en-scene: Blog task

Watch the opening of television drama ‘Stranger Things’, a science fiction story set in the 1980s when four friends get wrapped up in a dangerous alternate universe.



Create a new blogpost called 'Mise-en-scene: Stranger Things analysis'. 

1) Choose THREE aspects of mise-en-scene (e.g. costume, lighting and setting) and write a short paragraph for each about the denotation and connotation and what is communicated to the audience.

Extension tasks

Watch the extract again. What does this opening sequence suggest the series will be about in terms of narrative, character and genre? What is it that tells you this? 

Read this excellent article on the 1980s references in Stranger Things. Which of these links specifically to mise-en-scene?

Finish this for homework: due date on Google Classroom.

Denotation and connotation

Understanding denotation and connotation is the starting point for all Media Studies analysis.

Remember the definitions:

Denotation: the literal meaning of something
E.g. A rose is a garden plant

Connotation: the suggestion behind this literal meaning (reading between the lines)
E.g .The rose suggests romance and love.

When writing media analysis, you need to consider the following questions:

Denotation: what do you see?

Connotation: what is suggested? What does it mean?

Analysis: what is the effect on the audience? How is this effect created?


Example: Skittles

Denotation: There is some text with colourful streams behind each letter set around a pack shot of the product itself. The background appears to be sky.

Connotation: The advert builds on the slogan for Skittles ‘Taste the rainbow’. The connotation of the colour suggests that Skittles are joyful, fun and will provide a positive experience for the audience. The colours are vibrant and the sky in the background creates connotations of flying – this suggests to the audience that this is an exciting product. 

Analysis: The advert helps the audience understand the product as the colours reflect the actual Skittles themselves. In addition, the text across the top of the advert (referring to a ‘punch in the mouth’) uses humour to connect with the audience and suggests the brand doesn’t take itself too seriously. This adds to the positive, happy brand values that are suggested by the construction of the advert.

Denotation & Connotation blog tasks: advert analysis

Create a new blogpost in your GCSE Media blog called 'Denotation and connotation'.

1) Write an analysis of the WaterAid advert above using denotation, connotation and analysis. What can you see? What are the deeper meanings in the advert? What does the advert communicate to the audience? How might an audience react after seeing the advert?

2) Now choose your own choice of advert from Google images. Save it to your documents, insert it into your blogpost and write an analysis using denotation and connotation, explaining what the advert is communicating to the audience.

Extension: Print advert research

Read this design blog on some of the best print adverts of all time. Choose one advert that you feel is particularly powerful in terms of its use of connotations and analyse why it is so successful

Finish this for homework if you don't complete it in the lesson - due date on Google Classroom.

Introduction to Photoshop: fruit bowls

The fruit bowl task is a wonderfully creative way to learn some key skills in Photoshop.

Once you have finished your fruit bowl, you need to post it to your blog. Create a blog post called 'Photoshop fruit bowl' and complete the following tasks:

1) Save your fruit bowl as a JPEG image in Photoshop - remember to save it in your own folder on the Media Shared drive. To save as a JPEG image, go to 'Save as' and then use the drop-down menu for 'File type' and choose JPEG.

2) Post your fruit bowl (or fruit bowls if you did more than one) to your blog by clicking the 'add image' icon and locating the correct JPEG image from your folder on Media Shared.

3) Write a short explanation of the colour palette you used and the effect you were trying to create when designing your fruit bowl.

GCSE Media Key Concepts: blog task

Everything we study in GCSE Media over the next two years will be based around the theoretical framework. This means four key concepts: Language, Industries, Audience and Representation.

If you missed any of the notes from the lesson this should help:

Language

• The Language of Media Studies
• How we ‘read’ media texts
• Recognising the codes and conventions of media texts
• Key media terms e.g. genre… denotation… connotation… narrative… 

Industries

• The companies, organisations or regulators behind the media
• Most aspects of the media are a commodity: something that is bought and sold. There is competition and a demand for profit.
• Huge institutions are called multinationals e.g. News International
• Smaller institutions can include media texts we create ourselves (blogs etc.)

Audience

• The people who consume media products
• How does the media influence its audience? Who holds the power?
• How is an audience targeted? What do the audience enjoy or learn from the media product?
• Audience research: who exactly is buying our product?

Representation

• The people who consume media products
• How does the media influence its audience? Who holds the power?
• How is an audience targeted? What do the audience enjoy or learn from the media product?
• Audience research: who exactly is buying our product?

Key Concepts homework blog task

Create a new blogpost called 'Key Concepts film poster analysis' and complete the following tasks:

1) Find a film poster of your choice (use Google images) and add it to your blog post. You'll need to save it to My Pictures or a similar folder and then import the image using the 'insert image' icon in Blogger.

2) Write an analysis of the film poster on your blog using the four key media concepts: language, industries, audience and representation.

Grade 8/9 Extension task: choose a different media text - for example, a magazine cover or advert - and do another key concept analysis using language, industries, audience and representation.

Due date: on Google Classroom

The key questions to ask:

Language: how do we know it is a film poster? What key conventions (typical features) of a film poster can you spot and what do they communicate to the audience?

Industries: who are the companies behind the film? Who directs or stars in the film? Who is making money from this media product? You may need to research this on the internet if it isn't clear on the poster.

Audience: who is the target audience for this film? How can we tell?

Representation: what representation of people or groups can we find in this poster? What does it tell the audience?

Example: Splice (2009)

Language

The title and tag-line, release date and billing block (information about the Director and the production company) all follow the expected codes and conventions of a film poster. The effect created here is…

Industries

The film was produced by Dark Castle (for Universal Entertainment) who are associated with horror… It was executively produced by Guillermo del Toro who is a well known director. It was commercially successful (being the highest grossing Canadian feature film in 2010)…

Audience

This looks like it would be targeted at an audience of mixed gender (although perhaps slightly more female?) An adult age range might apply due to the 15 certificate and the content which includes hybridity and genetic experimentation…

Representation

The focal picture shows a female in a dominant position with another female confronting her. There is a male in the background which is perhaps unusual, particularly in science fiction…

Example: The Meg (2018)

Language

The Meg film poster is immediately recognisable as a film poster because the actor names are placed across the poster along the bottom just above the film's title. The title 'The Meg' is the largest text on the poster which clearly communicates to the audience that this is the title. The title is in bright green which stands out against the murky blue background and the greenish blue colour scheme has connotations of the sea and the science fiction film genre. The central image is of one person above a shark which is in turn above a much bigger shark. The light in the top left of the image could suggest safety or life - emphasising the danger and death of the sharks below. This image suggests the film has elements of horror. 

Industries

The Meg is a Warner Brothers film starring Jason Statham and it made $530m at the worldwide box office against a production budget of $130m. The director was Jon Turteltaub.

Audience

The target audience for The Meg would likely be teenagers - perhaps from 13-37 years old. The film was rated 12A by the BBFC. The target gender for The Meg would be both males and females but perhaps slightly more males as it involves giant sharks. In terms of audience pleasures, someone might enjoy The Meg because the shark attacks will be dramatic and full of action and danger. The film will provide escapism and jump scares to make them forget about normal life. The audience will also want the main character to survive and will be scared when they are in danger.

Representation

There is only one person on the film poster which makes it difficult to analyse the representation. However, the main star is Jason Statham and the character on the poster appears to be male so this perhaps reinforces the stereotype that action heroes are male. The sharks are represented in a very stereotypical way as they are presented as dangerous, hungry beasts. This is emphasised by the size differences of the sharks and person.

Welcome to GCSE Media!

Welcome to GCSE Media Studies - we have a brilliant two-year journey ahead of us and can't wait to get started! 

Over the next two years you will create some amazing production work, learn a huge amount about analysing the media and end up with an excellent GCSE grade. All you need to do is work hard and be creative! 

Your first job is to start your GCSE Media blog and sign up to Google Classroom. 

You can find step-by-step text instructions to starting your blog here. 

Once you have your blog URL, email it to your teacher. The URL is the address on the browser that ends with .blogspot.co.uk or similar. For example:

Mr Pall's blog: http://mediamacguffingcse.blogspot.co.uk/ 

IMPORTANT: It is absolutely essential you remember your log-in details for this blog - it is your Media work book for next two years. Make sure you do the following:

1. If possible, add your mobile phone number so you can get a code by text if you forget your password
2. Email your log-in details to yourself using your SCHOOL email address
3. Write a reminder of your blog URL, log-in and password in your planner

First blog task

When you have set up your blog, it's time for your first blog post! Click on 'New Post' and put the title as 'First 10 questions'. You need to answer the following questions (detailed answers in full sentences please) as your first post:

1) Which part of the course are you looking forward to most?

2) What knowledge and skills do you hope to learn in Media?

3) What grade are you realistically hoping to achieve in Media (5-9)?

4) What was the last TV programme or film you watched?

5) Why do you think that TV programme or film appealed to an audience? Why would an audience like it?

6) What technology have you used to access the media in the last 24 hours? (Radio, TV, phone etc.)

7) What device do you use most to access the media?

8) Watch this clip from acclaimed BBC drama series Doctor Who:

9) Why was the casting of Jodie Whittaker a significant moment in the history of Doctor Who?

10) What aspects of this scene do you think an audience might enjoy? List at least three things and explain why the audience would enjoy each aspect. 

Extension question: What can you spot in Doctor Who that you will find in most television dramas? (E.g. characters, dramatic music etc.) These are called key conventions - list as many as you can think of. 

Extension question 2: What would a Doctor Who fan ('Whovian') particularly enjoy about this scene?

Note: If the YouTube clip isn't working please let your Media teacher know. While you're waiting for the issue to be resolved, read up on this episode of Doctor Who on the brilliant IMDB website.

Finish these questions for homework if you don't manage to get through them in the lesson - due date on Google Classroom.

If you DO finish everything - well done! Spend some time looking through our Media blog, particularly at last year's Media student blogs. This will give you an idea of the fantastic work you will be producing over the next two years.

Coursework: Summer Project 2022

The summer project is a fantastic opportunity to start planning your music video.

Your summer project contains compulsory and optional elements; everybody will be researching music videos, coming up with a new music video concept and then writing a Statement of Intent first draft. However, if you wish to plan and film your production over the summer while you have time available we would fully support you in this approach.

Summer project tasks

Complete the following tasks on a blogpost on your Media blog called 'Summer Project: coursework planning':

1) Research: Music videos

Watch the following music videos and analyse an aspect of media language for each one:

Music video 1: Marshmello x YUNGBLUD x blackbear - Tongue Tied

How is narrative used in this music video to engage the audience?

Music video 2: Years & Years - I Wish I Knew

How is camerawork and mise-en-scene used in this video? Use CLAMPS to remember the different aspects of mise-en-scene.

Music video 3: Foals - Hummer

How is editing used in this music video to engage the audience?

Music video 4: Your choice

Select a music video of your choice and analyse an element of it e.g. narrative, camerawork, editing, visual effects etc. If you're not sure which video to use you could watch some of the following:

• Ariana Grande - One Last Time
• Ed Sheeran - Shape of You
• nojahoda - nojahoda

You may also want to look a completely different, creative approach to music video - such as these Lego stop motion productions and how they use narrative:

• Johnathan Pushkar - We Could Be Together
• Keep Me Music Video

2) Music video planning 

Plan out the basic details for your music video. What song do you plan to use? Will your video be performance or narrative based (or both)? Complete the following on your blog:

Artist and song you have chosen: 

Plan for music video (narrative/performance etc.): 

Actors/performers you plan to use: 

Locations: 

Costume/make-up/props required: 

 

3) Statement of Intent

On the same Summer Project blogpost, write the rough first draft of your 300-word Statement of Intent for the two-minute music video you plan to create. The final draft of this document will be submitted to the exam board alongside your music video production and is worth 10 marks of the overall 60 marks available.

Guidance and minimum requirements can be found in the AQA brief from their NEA Student Booklet.

We also strongly recommend you look at our Statement of Intent suggested content document too.

Summer project deadline: all tasks above due in the second lesson back in September.


Summer project: optional extensions

Pre-production tasks
Some students have already expressed an interest in filming their music video over the summer break. This makes a huge amount of sense - far more availability of performers, much more time to schedule filming etc. However, if you want to do this, you need to complete the following aspects of pre-production and make sure you have parental permission and that you are staying safe at all times:

Music video treatment
Write a full treatment for your music video - this is effectively the script for your production. You can find an example of a real music video treatment here. 

Shot list
Write a shot list containing EVERY shot you plan to film for your music video AND additional shots to create flexibility when editing. These additional shots are often close-ups, cutaways, alternative angles or similar. I advise using a simple table on Microsoft Word to set out your shot list - you can find an example here for a student film shot list. It makes sense to write your shot list by scene or location rather than a huge list of every shot in the extract in chronological order. You also need to plan FAR more shots than you think you'll need a - a two minute music video could easily have 120+ shots in it. 

Mise-en-scene
What iconography or mise-en-scene are you including to ensure your audience understands the genre and narrative of your music video? Plan your performers, costume, make-up, props, lighting and setting. This can be simply completed using your blog or Microsoft Word - the key aspect is to have planned all the critical details. 

Shooting schedule 
Plan a shooting schedule for your filming over the summer. Include when, where, who is required and what shots you will complete at each time/location. Again, this can be on Word or Excel or you could simply use your blog. The most important thing is that you've planned it!

Non-assessed participants
You will need to provide a written record of all non-assessed participants in your production work. Keep a record of everyone involved - actors, camerawork, sound etc. You will also need a keep a record of any non-original sound you used and note it on the Candidate Record Form. Keep these on your blog for easy reference when submitting your work later this year.

Production: Filming 
Once you have completed your pre-production tasks, you can film as planned. If you are unable to film over the summer, we will have time to film this production in September.

Good luck!